China Blog!

Hey everyone! So I leave for China in just 20 days! I have created a blog just for my adventures in China. This will be my main contact since China blocks most social networks. Click here: China On The Inside

Merry Chirstmas!

Christmas time can be so busy! I've felt more stressed this year at Christmas time than ever before. As think of all the things I'm trying to do and the money I'm trying to make, I feel like I haven't had as much time to think about Jesus Christ and his birth. None the less, I've been leaning quite heavily on my Savior lately and he has been a big part of my life.

I work at a restaurant and lately, they've cut everyone's hours. Go figure right? Christmas time and they cut hours. I've been working about half as many hours as I need so I've been picking up tons more shifts at my second job where usually, I'm just a substitute when someone goes out of town. Not only that, but I've been babysiting and people have paid me to wrap presents for them. China and school are expensive just by themselves, but put them both together and you have a lot of money... Heavenly Father promised to bless me and I've been blessed in a lot of ways, but I've had to work to receive those blessings. I've learned a lot and really had to push the stress levels down a lot. Things work out, but only if you do your part. I have to admit I am really ready to just take a day off of everything to relax. I'm so grateful to all the people who have been supportive and willing to help me out. I couldn't ask for better friends and family.

Just one month and two days until I go to China with my best friend! It's coming so fast! I remember when I first decided to go. It was over a year ago now. It's been a long time coming. I remember when I learned our departure date and it was four months away. How time has flown! I feel so unprepared to go and there are so many things to consider and put together before I leave. Not only that, but I'm anticipating being really homesick like I am every time I move away. I know it will be completely worth it and I plan on emailing and skypeing tons and tons. I think it will really help to have my best friend with me also. When I was at the resort, I felt much more at home once I had made good friends.

I hope that everyone has felt loved and cared for this Christmas season as I have. I also hope that it hasn't been too stressful and that you've thought of Jesus and his birth as he is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas to you all!

Happy Late Thanksgiving!

Okay, I know that Thanksgiving was two days ago, but I just really wanted to write a post about people and things I love and am grateful for.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ: For all the tender mercies they grant me, loving me unconditionally, blessing me with all the wonderful things I have in my life, sending me the spirit, answering prayers, giving me opportunities to grow and learn, sending me trials, sending me wonderful people, always being there so I don't feel alone.

My Parents: For supporting me, letting me live my dreams, laughing at me when I do dumb things, letting me live with them, listening to my worries and concerns even if they are trivial or dumb, loving me, working hard, teaching me good things and helping me live the gospel.

My siblings: For teasing me non-stop, helping me to laugh at myself, playing games and talking, being great examples, acting like crazies.

My best friend: For listening to everything I say, understanding me, making me laugh like no one else can, reminding me to be silly sometimes, going to China with me so I don't have to go alone, being a great example, teaching me, going to Barnes and Noble with me, being my best friend.

My friends: For skipping classes with me, texting me in class, doing crazy things with me, watching movies and quoting kid history, listening to my music and pretending to like it, listening to me and understanding me, sticking with me through the years, always being there, being great examples of faith and love, laughing at me.

Work: Ideally, I would just be rich and not need to work, but I am so grateful to be able to work for the things I want like school and China. I'm grateful that I have a job where I have friends and good managers who keep things uplifting and positive and make me feel like a winner. :)

School: I'm not thankful for homework, but I'm so glad I can go to school and learn. I love being able to learn new things and become a better person. I am grateful that I can pay for my education and that my teachers are so nice and understanding.

America: Freedom to practice whatever religion I want, to say what I want, and to be what I want. I love America and the freedoms I enjoy. I am proud to be an American!

Money: I know, this is so shallow, but I am so grateful for money because it teaches me a lot. Paying for school and China has been hard, but I'm so glad that I had to work for those things. You work hard for things that are important to you.

China: I am so glad China exists so I can go spend five months teaching English with my best friend. :)

I am so blessed and overwhelmed with everything in my life. Life isn't perfect, but it sure is wonderful!

Happy Holidays!

Life Sure Is Crazy!

Hello! Long time no see/type? So here's just an update on the things going on in my life.

I'm going to Weber State full time where I'm working towards my Elementary Education degree (and not even half way yet). I work 20 to 30 hours a week at a restaurant where I try to make enough money to pay for expensive tuition and payments for China.

I leave for China to teach English for 5 months on January 30th with my best friend. I will spend a few days touring Hong Kong before going to my assigned school, which I will be informed of in December. I'm beyond excited since I've been wanting to go for over a year and it's finally happening! :)

I have the best friends anyone could ask for. They are good people, they help me be a better person and help me out when I need them. I can't say how glad I am to have them. They text me while I'm bored in class, watch movies with me, and follow me when I decide to go somewhere on a whim.

I love my family so much, they are so supportive of everything going on. I love sitting down with my mom and updating her on all things school, boys, work, and friends. I know my family members all love me and care about what goes on in my life. I love them all very very much.

I'm a member of the Welcoming Committee in my ward and I haven't really gotten a chance to do much yet, but I'm really excited to meet all the new people that come into the ward and make some new friends to add to the other wonderful friends.

After coming back from working at the resort, I felt a little like a different person. I'm more adventurous and spontaneous. I'm more me, and I have gotten to where I like myself for who I am.

Life is definitely going uphill right now and I'm grateful to be out of the slumps I was in at the beginning of the year. I'm very blessed in all aspects of my life. It helps to be postive when things get hard, because they still do sometimes. Either way, I love Heavenly Father and Jesus very much and I'm trying very hard to please them. I have so much, how could I forsake them?

Homework Protocol

If you happen to be writing a paper for English, this is how it must be done.

1. Get on Facebook.
2. Pull up the Word Perfect, if you are up to date unlike me, you pull up Microsoft Word
3. Check email.
4. Type in header and other required info (Name, date, teacher, class.)
5. Find a reason to type something in the blog.
6. Watch the new Kid History Episode
7. Think, "Oh yeah I have to write that paper!" And go write the title and one sentence before going back to facebook one more time.

I know that it takes ten times longer to write the paper this way, but it's a lot more entertaining. Cheers!

Weber State, Weber State, Great, Great, Great!

First week of school as a transfer student at Weber: Success!

On the first day of school, I got really confused trying to find my health education class. Turns out it's in the gym building of all places and I didn't realize that. I kept thinking, "That's the wrong building!"

The bus ride is 1 hour and fifteen minutes.

I only go Monday Wednesday Friday. Perfect!

I come home from school completely ravenous.

College is the PERFECT place to people watch. You wouldn't believe the things people do. Also the bus.

I like big libraries and Weber State's library fits those qualifications. I've already checked out some books. :)

There were people praying in the middle of the bookstore.

I got a free water bottle! Three cheers for free stuff!

My history teacher has something against ANY other college except Weber. If you wear other colleges clothing, he will "slap it off you."

I only have to take one or two finals at end of semester. The rest are papers and that is CAKE!

This semester is going to be fun!

Weber State, Weber State, Great! Great! GREAT!

Things I'll miss

I go home from working at Zion Ponderosa in less than a week and it makes me a little sad. I will miss a lot of things about this place.

• The completely amazing people I have been able to meet and become friends with.
• Being able to go into Zion National Park any time day or night.
• The stars and the milky way.
• Zion Canyon at night.
• Sleeping under the stars.
• Staying up all hours of the night talking and watching movies with friends.
• Swimming in the AWESOME pool.
• Spontaneous fun.
• Doing all kinds of fun things for free. I.E. Four wheeling, horseback riding, canyoneering, jeep tours etc.
• Talking to people from all over the world.
• 30 min. phone calls with guests. NOT.
• All the activities at the resort. IE Bonfires, volleyball, night hikes, rodeos.
• Hiking
• Bunny rabbit hunting
• Driving up North Fork Road way too fast because we all know the road so well.
• Getting huge tips from people.
• Radio conversations. "Did you order something for Zion Ponderoa" "Ponderow row row your boat!"
• Joy riding in the golf carts.
• Telling people the story of Jolley and touring Jolley's Cabin.
• Days at the pool

Things I will not miss:

• Mountain goats and tourists. NOT a good combination.
• Wal-Mart is an hour away.
• The meal plan. The food was fine, but I like to be able to cook for myself.
• Working and missing out on awesome stuff. :(
• Missing my family and friends back home.
• No cellphone service
• Annoying guests. "Zion Ponderosa this is Sarah." "Hi, is this Zion Ponderosa?"
• Long car rides

Zion Ponderosa, I will miss you!

Golf Cart Madness

Today at work, I rented a golf cart out to a customer and her sons. She wanted me to show her how to drive it. It went a little like this:
Me: Okay, here is the gas peddle, if you push this knob all the way to the left, it will put the cart into drive.
Lady: Like this? (She then drives up over the curb onto the grass screaming until she found the brake)
Me: Yes, like that.
Sons: I think we'll walk.

To Jump or not to Jump

So a bunch of my co-workers are planning a skydiving trip. I REALLY want to go. Especially because it is on my bucket list. The only problem is, I need to pay for school and I feel like if I go, I might be short on money. My dilema is, do I be responsible and act like a grown up? Or do I be spontaneous and JUMP? Lucky for me, this is the kind of problem I have to worry about and not something much worse.

Right now I'm leaning towards jumping. I really would be okay if I didn't go. I would just wish I had gone. I want to JUMP!!!

In Loving Memory

Four years ago today, my grandma passed away. I miss her lots and I'm glad that I get to share a name with her since she was a truly wonderful woman.
Love you Grandma Joy!