Learning to Do, Doing to Learn

We just completed our BLAST Off training this week.  We had the most amazing facilitator.  His name is Riley Branch, a past National officer.

I am thankful that I was able to better my leadership skills by the knowledge of this man.  I can say that I am a better person after attending that conference.

CTSO

Rhetro, a.k.a Rhett Laubach, is simply... amazing.  I was slapped with leadership knowledge so hard these last couple days that my face... hurts. 

I gained a better appriciation for the FFA and how we do what we do.  I am thankful for all of the leaders that have pushed me to become more than I could be alone.

Leadership is... Believing in someone so much that they could never fail.

Peace.

I need a break...

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you just need to get away? I did today. I need to get out of here, out of Utah Valley. I need a break.

Today, I felt like a kid...

We made a movie as FFA officers today, and as part of shooting it, we went to a park, and I got to swing. I have not swung in a long time... and it felt good.

Just a grain of sand...

"Sometimes, those mountains you've been climbing, are just a grain of sand."

A song, not sure who it is by, but it's been going through my head lately.

You see, I came home from school January 7, 2011, to get ready for the Klondike, one of my favorite camp outs. I was in my room, packing, when there was a knock at the door. It was my Aunt, and my Grandma. They proceeded to come into my room, and notify me that the Salt Lake City police had found my mother, Leslie Jones, 48 years old, dead.

It hit me hard. Like a grand piano falling off of a tall building. She was dead. My last parent was dead.

I asked God, "why did this have to happen so early in my life? Why do I have to deal with the crap that I am having to deal with?" My answer came later that night, while at the Klondike.

As I was looking up at the stars, I felt a calming feeling come over me. I knew that it was going to be okay. God has a plan for me, and yes, it is rockier than others. I have a path that I am required to take, and this is the path that is for me.

I told God that I would accept this plan before I came to earth. I know that God will never give me more than I can handle. There are times I wonder what life would be like if my Mom and Dad were still alive and together, but I don't let that bug me. I know it is not so, but it gives me a drive to be the best that I can be.

My friend, Brian Shelley, left on a mission in December. It took a week or so to adjust to the change. He is like a brother to me, and so I decided to write him weekly. This is one of the best things I have ever done. Every letter I get from him assures me that life is good. The Church is true. God lives. I know that if I am ever having a bad day, I can go to my room, and pull out his letters and read them. I cherish them. He is living so close to God right now. It's amazing to see what he has done.

It's little things like letters from friends that make life worth it. The smile of a little kid while I am at work, the complement from a customer. The encouragement. It keeps me going. I don't know what I would do without it. If you are reading this, know, that one complement to a person could make their life seem worth it. If you are thinking of giving a complement, or helping someone with their groceries, do it! You never know how you might change their life.

God lives. I testify of it. I know, that if it weren't for Christ's atoning sacrifice, I would not have made it through this last month. These mountains I've been climbing, are just a grain of sand with the help of the Savoir. I know that I will have to rely on him more and more. And you know what? I'm okay with that.

James E. Faust

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves--giving of the riches of the heart and mind--and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store."

National FFA Convention. Part 1.

Well, my intent was to write updates while I was on my trip. That doesn't work so well when the hotel you are staying at (although it was a very nice hotel) charges you $15.00 for internet.

I had one of the best experiences I am sure I will ever have the week of October 16-24. I went back to Indianapolis, Indiana for the National FFA Convention as part of the 80 voice National FFA Chorus. There are hundreds of kids that try out for this awesome group each year, and so the competition was pretty intense. This became evident to me when I listened in and tried out for some solo's. The people that were there had truly amazing voices, and I felt privileged to be among them.

I started my trip at 4:30 a.m Saturday, the 16th. I was alerted to some construction delays that would be happening on I-15 that morning, so I decided to leave half an hour earlier than I had planned. I went to Brian Shelley's house and picked up him, and his friend James. They rode up with me to bring the car back to Springville when I was dropped off at the Salt Lake International Airport.

We Began the trip, and ran into no delays. That was my luck. So, I was at the airport almost 3 hours early. I went in with my bags, and the ticket/baggage counter wasn't even open yet, so I sat and waited for the time when they opened, checked my bag, and cruised through security with no problems. I was at my gate before a lot of the shops in the terminal even opened, so I sat, read my scriptures on my I-pod touch and waited for the Quiznos to open so I could go and get some breakfast. It finally opened, I went and had one of the best breakfast sandwiches I have ever tasted, and then returned to my gate with my orange juice. I watched the Airbus A-319 pull up to the gate, and we shortly boarded.

I was fortunate enough to choose my seats online, so, of course, I chose a window seat. At this point, It was still dawn, and the sun was just coming over the peak of the Wasatch mountains. Beautiful. Next to me was a little business woman, so I had room that I could move with. It is hard to fly as a fluffy person. No room.

We pushed back from the gate, and taxied to the runway. We took off going south and turned toward the west, eventually circling around and heading north east. We headed over the mountains, right over the Uintah mountains. They were already snow capped. It was one of the most beautiful sites I had ever seen. It made me wonder how people can think that it all happened my chance.

We landed in Denver at about 9:00 a.m local time. The flight was only an hour long. I got off the plane and headed to my next gate, which was just down the concourse. Denver is a pretty fun airport, it was fun to play on the moving walkways.

My flight from Denver to Indianapolis boarded at 11:00 a.m and we departed on time. I was sitting next to a pretty cute girl, about my age. We talked the whole way. We landed in Indianapolis at 3:45 p.m. I headed from my gate to the baggage claim, walking with a kid from Wyoming. He was trying for a seat on the National Officer Team. We waited for 45 minutes for our bags to get there, and headed out for the Green Line bus to take us into downtown. There were 2 girls on the bus with us that were also there for the National Chorus. We were dropped off right at the corner of the hotel that I was staying in. The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis. We walked into the hotel, which was huge, and I checked in.

I took my bags up to my room on the 6th floor. When I got to the room, there was some baggage there, and from the looks of it, I was the 3rd out of 4 to arrive. I changed out of my official dress, which I had flown in, and came out of the bathroom. In walked a shorter, lean kid, who asked me my name, and he told me his was Adam. He was from the state of South Carolina. We called each other by our state names. There was me, Brandon from Texas, Andrew from New Mexico, and Adam. I could already tell that this was going to be a party.