Isn't it about.....Time.

      The war goes well on the Idaho front; the previously mentioned battles in the last entry were fought and subdued. The blitz worked.  At the end of the battle, I had a moment to pause, thank heaven that I had succeeded, and realize that it couldn't get much harder than this.
      The Lord has blessed me with a friendly personality.  As a result I enjoy making a lot of friends up here, from talking to the person in front of me in line to meeting someone in the laundry room.  I have a few good friends/fellow soldiers in my harder classes with whom I study quite often.  I have learned to truly care for and love them.  It's been said that nothing makes brothers faster than blood and sweat.
       I watch my friends day to day, hear them talk about their lives and their worries.  There appears to be a reoccurring theme amongst them; a crisis of time management.  I hear their accounts of staying up way past midnight to finish a project or get a paper turned in on time.  I see them fall asleep in classes and yawning incessantly through the day.  My heart breaks for them.  Watching your comrades in arms succumb to the attrition of time is hard.
       I am doubly sorry for them, because upon some introspection, I realize that I do not share their problem; through either divine mercy on my behalf or luck of the draw, I never have to compromise my sleep nor (too much) of my free time in order to keep my head above water.  I go to bed at ten thirty and get up at seven.  I study in the Manwaring center or in the library.  I have never pulled an all-nighter in order to finish anatomy homework.  Am I grateful?  Without question.
     I wish I had some profound insight to provide regarding the expenditure and investment of time, especially in the context of college, but I none to give, save a thought or two earned by experience.  If they apply to you, then by all means use them;
         Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved (a direct quote from President Monson).
         Even if it's late and things aren't all the way done, just go to bed.  To quote Jurassic Park "life finds a way".
         The two best tutors in life are hard work and discipline. 
         Find joy every day.
        When in doubt, just make out (Colby will like that one).
  Perhaps cliche, but if so, then they are cliche because their right.  Feel free to add your own bits of wisdom.  (And I'm kidding about the last one there- it's kind of the apartment motto right now that nobody acts upon).

Anat/phys and Microbio join forces...

       This Wednesday and Thursday will witness the first casualties of this little war of mine; both anat/phys and microbio have tests during those days.  I see that the enemy has been corresponding, and have agreed to launch their first waves of assault simultaneously, hoping to spread my defenses thin.  They don't know about my secret weapon, one that has saved me in times past.  I requires little more than a switch to turn on and runs of off pure grit; I call it "the 10:30 library blitz". 
      The 10:30 library blitz is a strategy adopted by the most elite academic infantry; it's pretty simple, just pack up your gear and some granola bars, and hit the library from about 6:00 to 10:30 in the evening.  Four and a half hours more of study.  That's some serious firepower. 
      Needless to say, I fully intend to implement this strategy this week.  Some solders think I'm crazy.  To them I say "alright, lets talk after the test..."

       Ever since I was fifteen I have loved to play that guitar; I've been in bands, orchestras, blue grass ensembles and mariachi groups.  I took lessons from a professional for a year while teaching at a local music store.  Through it all I have discovered my favorite styles and techniques of playing, which include finger-style instrumental and jamming away at lead guitar. 
     I have also discovered that I don't write songs very well.  There is a big difference between writing a song and playing one.  Some professional song writers only play the piano, if they play an instrument at all!  They are two different talents.  Successful bands often include a healthy and unique mix of the two talents.
       Longs story short, I haven't written a song for over two years, consigning myself to learning the hymns and other instrumental arrangements.  However, about two weeks ago I got the idea of writing a song.  I brushed it off, thinking 'my songs are so cheesy and shmarmy, I don't want to put people through that'.  A few days later the feeling came back.  I jotted down a few lines of struggling poetry about how special this place (BYU-I) is to me.  Coming up with a melody to a completely original song can sometimes require a lot of experimentation, always done while completely alone so no one can hear you.  At length I had the idea of what I wanted the song to be.
       The day after my rough draft was completed, I get a call from a friend; 'we are looking for people to try out for our next acoustic show, and I was wondering if you would like to audition'.  The way it came across left me with no doubt that this is what the song had been written for.  I accepted the invitation, and worked frantically that night to refine and polish my few lines of poetry.  The idea came that the lyrics applied to how I feel about my mission just as much as they did to how I feel about Rexburg.  The topic switched to how I felt leaving the mission and what I left behind.  One line includes;
    "but heaven knows what I left behind, all the faith that I possessed, and the joy of saving life and feeling saved".
        I auditioned and was accepted into the show.  I was touched by the whole process.  I thought "why would I get promptings concerning such a silly and small thing like writing a song for a little acoustic gig?"  It strengthened my testimony that Father is concerned with the details of our lives, even the ones that serve strictly emotional purposes. 
        For whoever wants to come, next Saturday is the show, there will be posters up on campus.  If you come I hope you enjoy it.