Living the dream.

I can't help but say I have legitimately been living my dreams. Way back when I started playing soccer the only place I wanted to play college soccer at was Brigham Young University (BYU). It is safe to say that I probably bled blue from birth.  Through out my whole soccer career I never let that dream go, and now I am so grateful and blessed to say that I am a member of the women's soccer team at BYU. So here I am. Literally living the exact life I have always dreamed about. Dreams do come true and I want everyone to know that! If you want it, go get it.

I think we have the most beautiful team...EVER. I love every one of these girls!

I just finished by freshman year, and had the time of my life. It was probably the most fun year of school I have ever had! I think we all know that I can thank the soccer part for that, because school is never generally fun. Being apart of a team that got to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament and that beat out so many incredible teams on the way there, just added to the dreams I was living. Not only did the girls on the team help me become a better soccer player, but they made me become a better person off the field, and I am truly grateful for that.  

The 2012 freshman class.

 So my whole story begins on just a typical Winter morning when I was walking to class across the beautiful BYU campus. I was just being the normal girl and day dreaming when all of a sudden the thought came in to my head that I needed to serve a mission. NEVER had I ever had thoughts like this before. I actually was SO against going on a mission my whole life. I just never thought it was for me. Even when President Monson changed the age for women to go, I didn't even think twice about it. So as I was walking to class, the thought that I needed to go wouldn't leave my mind. I couldn't figure out why I was having this thought! I was living the dream I had always wanted, and everything was going great for me! As I kept thinking about these feelings I had, I began to get emotional. I know now that I got emotional because I realized it was what I needed to do even though I didn't think it was at first. During class I texted my mom and dad (i know, bad student)  and told them what I was feeling and told them that I think I need to serve a mission. They were just as blown away as I was. After class I went back to my apartment and prayed harder than I ever had. I got the most comforting feeling that it was the right thing I needed to do at this point in my life. I am not typically a cry baby, but that day I was an emotional roller coaster. So you can imagine how our 3-minute runs went later that day for conditioning haha. After that day, I had my call  three and a half weeks later. It still amazes me. Those few weeks I have never been so happy! I knew for a fact that it is what the Lord wanted me to do. Many people may wonder why I would leave and go on a mission when I am on one of the best soccer teams and have everything going from me. Well, to me it is faith. Faith that I will be blessed for doing it, faith that serving a mission is what I need in my life right now, and faith that it is by far the most important thing at this point. It is kind of like the Good, Better, Best talk given by Elder Oaks. What I am doing in my life is great and right, but serving a mission is what I need to be doing, and it is the greatest.
The first question a lot of people ask me is how my coaches reacted to it, so I will just hurry and clear that up so everyone knows. They were all SO AWESOME. Gosh it made me love them more than I already did! When I talked to Jen, she couldn't have been more supportive. She was so willing to work with me, and I am SO GRATEFUL for her and Aleisha and Coach for being so great about it. Oh my lands  I just have this insane amount of love for BYU soccer.

Called to Serve! To watch the video Click Here

My reaction to my call: uhhh that is the last place in the whole entire world I thought I would go. I will be honest, I totally thought I was going to Europe. Let's just say the Philippines is the complete opposite of that! As I was reading it, I was extremely humbled and comforted that it is where I needed to go though. My mom had heard sketchy stories about the Philippines, so right before I opened my call, she said "Go anywhere, but the Philippines." Isn't it funny how that works?! Haha I am so thrilled. To be honest I am not scared one bit. I am so excited to serve the Lord and would have been happy wherever I ended up. I am so grateful for that ordinary Winter morning where I was in tune with the spirit to be able to feel the prompting to go on a mission. My life will be forever changed because of it. I know that this Gospel is true. I can't wait to share with the people in the Philippines the reason I am SO HAPPY. Because the only way to true and real happiness is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.