One versus four

I just spent the last couple hours watching my three nieces while my sister and her husband were out for a couple hours.  Mille and Joe are three, Hazel is almost two, and Samwise the Brave is eight months (the dog).  My mom and I watched them for about three hours, fed them dinner, read them books, bathed them and tucked them into bed.
      Being a male, I engaged in some rough house playing with them; the game we now play is called "ka-gunk", and they can't get enough of it.  I pick one of them up in my arms and gallop around the house as if I was a horse, making the clopping sound horses make.  They will now look at me, reach up with their hand and say "ka-gunk Spencer, ka-gunk!!"  They all want their turn NOW, and there is only so much "ka-gunking" I can do before I get tuckered out.  
      Sweet things. 

How do you get unshakable faith?

     By shaking it!

Let me tell you a story;
     Last semester was my first semester getting seriously involved at BYU-Idaho.  I served as a program manager for Get Connected Council, a branch of the Student Support program.  I also managed the show 'Music Outlet' during the semester, an open mic night every Monday after FHE.  In the end I was giving about 10 hours a week to the school.  It seems like a lot, but let me tell you, I feel like my life began last semester!  I enjoyed what I was doing immensely, it aroused in me some of the familiar feelings that accompanied my mission. 
       I have a testimony of getting involved.  It has enriched my experience here so much, and has given me so many wonderful experiences and opportunities.  As a result, I have seen a growing desire in me to get others involved.
      There are so many other students on campus that have merely a 'good' experience here at school, when there is so much potential for them to fully enjoy everything this school has to offer.  I have truly enjoyed fully investing myself in my experience here.  Now I find myself asking Heavenly Father questions like "how can I get my friends involved as well?"  And the coolest thing is, answers actually come!
      I hope that every student that comes here realizes how great an opportunity they have.  It's the greatest place ever!
      

Few quick experiences...

      Hello everyone, here are a few quick experiences that I wanted to share;
I'm currently the manager for the weekly show "Music Outlet" this semester.  Every Monday at eight thirty p.m I show up at the Crossroads stage and set things up, then from about nine to ten thirty I MC this show of different people playing original music; I love it, mostly because I have made so many great friends; Lorraine Ferriante, Kyson Kidd, Zack Morris, and other weekly players have become new friends of mine.  It's been such a great way to touch so many people in a simple way.
    I'm currently on Get Connected Council, and my gosh, it's been the capital of my semester.  It sounds cliche, but my experience with Get Connected has aroused feelings that I haven't felt since my mission; the hand of the Lord is in that program, and we see it everyday.  I love planning the trainings and activities and programs that we run, it's been such a blessing.
     I have been called to be the Family History Consultant for my ward, which has proven to be a wonderful calling; I have gotten more and more into family history, which has proven to be more exciting that I anticipated.  Now that I have my feet underneath me, I'm going to start training some of the folks in my ward, and later on have an indexing competition.  Fun stuff.
      No girlfriend yet, but hopefully that will change soon.
      All my classes have great percentages, except trigonometry; that will be the killer this semester.  I have some great excuses, but the point is that my wonderful track record since I have come home from my mission will have at least one definite scar this semester.
     All in all, I'm doing pretty darn well.  I have some of the greatest friends in the world, and am enjoying college more than ever.  I love you all so much!

The nose test

     So, this is what I call the nose test; It has taken me several semesters to refine the technique, but now I think I have it. I see it only fitting to share my discoveries with everyone else.
     In Rexburg, I often leave the apartment in the morning, often when it is the coldest and most miserable outside.  I now willingly accept the pleasant greeting I receive when I walk out the front door; an attack of frigid stratosphere-chilled air.  Whabam!!!
        On the best mornings, it is not uncommon for the air to be so cold that your nose hairs will freeze as you inhale.  It feels like your nose spontaneously fills with bogies.  I have done a little homework, which has helped me complete my theory; in order for nose hairs to begin to freeze, it must be 0 degrees (+-3).  Any warmer, and nose hairs will not freeze.  So, to check the temperature when I walk outside, I have developed a technique of sniffing sharply through my nose, then waiting to see if my nose fills with snotsickles.  Neat huh?
      

Brief update

     A lot has happened between the last post and this one.  I have decided that a sequence of curt, informative sentences would be adequate.  It's much like texting my dad (and if you know him, you understand). 
      I played a gig at Ethan Mackey's house.  Played a gig at a DAR meeting.  Another at the ward party.  Got a Taylor 912ce.  Cool.  Started physical therapy.  Ouch.  Got set up on two blind dates this coming week.  Cool.  Getting ready to move to Idaho.  Even cooler.  Accepted positions on Student Support Councel and Manager of Music Outlet.  Cool.
      Anyway, merry Christmas everyone, you know that I love you and wish the best for you!

Little Joe Williams

    My sister has three beautiful babies, Amelia and Josephine (they are two year old twins) and Hazel, who is still only a few months old.  Today I was returning home from volunteering at the MTC and decided to stop by my sisters house on 200 north by main street, just to see how they were doing.  It turns out that Joe has had some nasty diaper rash for the past two days or so...
      So before I go on I should say that I typically identify myself as a pretty emotionally in-touch person with an affinity for children; I have considered being a children's doctor.  I enjoy being around kids and making them laugh.  I guess you could say I am one of those people that likes it when we all get along, when everyone feels comfortable in a room and enjoys themselves.  But today it was difficult for me to watch as Joe cried and cried most of the day over the red sensitive skin below her waist.  She cried in real pain as Shelley held her trying to calm her down.  I watched as Shelley took off her diaper to reveal the cherry-red skin below the diaper line.  It was awful to see a little child in pain, and there wasn't a whole lot we could do about it other than apply some lotion and give her some Tylenol.  I tried not to feel a little disturbed driving home.  It was terrible to hear her panicked crying and not be able to do anything.
      Anyway, as an aspiring physician, I can see myself enjoying alleviating the pain that others feel.  I can see myself waging a war against the discomfort of my fellow men.  I look forward to providing relief to the infirm and diseased.  I sometimes think that I'm too much of a 'warm and fuzzy' kind of guy to cope with med school and the intensity of the health care atmosphere toward which I'm heading.  It seems to me that a lot of pre-med students are the aggressive and assertive type, 'jerks' if you will.  You know what I mean?  The analytical and logical type, the kind of doctors that, from my view, have difficulty giving reassuring, calm and concerned support to patients.  I far remove myself from these 'pit bulls' I encounter, but I can see myself having to work with many of them.  I expect that I'll be singled out as the 'nice guy' during medical school and during my career.  Or perhaps I have got it all wrong, which I am ready to admit. 
        I guess more and more I am feeling more comfortable with my decision to be a physician.  It feels in a way like coming home, that this identity suits me well.