Our first day emergency training... thousands of people getting in double file lines while we were still docked may have been the most hilarious thing I've ever seen- Day 1

Enjoying the sunset off the coast of Cuba- Day 2

This guy tried to make me pay $5 for this picture. Right. Cozumel- Day 4

Burnt to a crisp and just barely getting used to the cruise- Day 5

So I flew back to DC for 2 days between the cruise and EFY. My mom came out to help me with some classroom stuff and to drive my car back to Chicago. As luck would have it, the only day I had to gather everything I’d need for the summer (including my guitar which I have to learn), we were rudely interrupted by a fire alarm. Usually we don’t pay attention to it but this was pretty legit. I left everything half open and completely steal-able in my classroom, unable to go back in and gone for 6 weeks. Guitar-less mind you. In case you didn’t know, I have to teach a beginning guitar class this fall (awesome) and I’ve never learned a chord in my life. Nobody thinks this is a big deal, they comment that I’ll pick it up easily, but honestly there is way too much faith floating around here. I’m scared out of my mind! And yes, it is T-1 month before school starts and I, just today, had my first guitar lesson. I’m on my way.

We drove to IN and I started my parade across the Northeast. I’ll share some of the highlights of the 5 weeks I worked:
- I found my new favorite hobby, blueberry picking. First thing I’m doing when I get back to DC is looking for farms I can go pick berries at.

- I learned how to knit hats.

- I worked with some of the most amazing, talented, and down-to-earth people on my teams and those working the sessions.

- I don’t think I slept in any one place for longer than 4 days at a time consistently for 5 weeks. Of course I’m taking into account all the times I crashed on couches, the floor, someone else’s bed, ect. I decided falling asleep at EFY is like eating oatmeal when you’re camping: even though it’s something you’d NEVER be able to stomach in real life, in these circumstances any little bit you can get is divine, anytime, anywhere.

- I got to work with Camille in MI!

- A paramedic paid me a great compliment that I have a future in emergency management! I just might look into that after one riveting night in Michigan… I have lots to say about that but it’s more fun to let you read about it, although most the facts in the article are downplayed a bit. I will say this: it was one of the scariest nights I’ve had and one I know these boys will be remember for the rest of their lives. The Lord’s hand was certainly there, and thank heaven for that, it’s not very amusing being in charge when things like this happen.

http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/07/15_boys_rescued_by_firefighter.html

- I became a pro at picking up rental cars from airports- I honked the horn at every state line (that I was awake for)- I ate pizza from at least 15 different pizza places- I got food poisoning on week 4 of cafeteria food- I watched some stellar interpretive dancing- I became pro at driving a golf cart

-Steve came to see me in Illinois! I made him stay for the entire musical program... sorry about that kid.

- I witnessed the most lame fireworks display on planet earth in Ypsilanti, MI. I never dreamed that I would get that many blank stares from people on the 4th of July when I asked if they knew where a fireworks show would be…

- I had my testimony strengthened that we are among the best youth that this world has ever seen. They are incredible, strong, vibrant, funny, solid teenagers with the world ahead of them. This world has great things to look forward to in the hands of today’s youth.

I wish I could go on about the experiences I had with these youth. I’ve mentioned very little about them, mostly because the one-on-one times I did get to share with them aren’t appropriate to splatter across a blog. But that is what it was all about; despite me poking fun at the things I did, it’s an inspired program, especially for youth.

(Note: although it may appear that i'm wearing the same thing in all of these pictures, they are all different days, different weeks. EFY likes green shirts.)

Games night, PA
One view of the elevator boys minutes before things started taking a turn for the worse.

There are some key things I unexpectedly found out about myself. I really didn’t know if I was going to like coordinating, being essentially 2 levels away from the youth and only seeing them when you have to discipline. But honestly, I loved it. I learned more of what I want and what I need in my life right now. I learned that I love understanding big programs and how they work. I’m in my element when I get to work solving functional issues. And coupled with being able to teach the gospel, it was perfect. It took a couple of weeks to get me back into the swing of things, at first I thought I’d really made the wrong decision going back and working EFY after this year, I guess my heart just needed to be softened up a little bit. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.
I learned that I don’t really love my students at work the way I want to. When I would have to discipline, I would watch the way that my partner, Ammon, would talk to them and he was really on their side. I realized I’m often not. I don’t give my students the benefit of the doubt and I don’t expect enough good out of them. I learned how to, how to really love and how effective that can be when you hold high expectations and they want to meet them. It’s something I didn’t even know I was missing but I’m excited to put it into practice. I am on a soapbox all the time about the potential of the youth, about how I get so frustrated when people think they’re good for nothing or that this generation is corrupt. But I can do so much better at taking my own advice.
I was reminded that I have some of the best friends anyone could ever wish for. I don’t mean that to sound cliché, but I have incredible friends who consistently take time to keep friendships alive. Every single week I was out, I would receive phone calls from old friends, some that I haven’t talked to in literally years, and it would be the best pick-me-up knowing that people remember me and care enough to call. It’s fun when they’re unexpected. And then there were people that I could regularly talk to, any time of the day or night, when things were going south or when I just wanted to share something funny or a thought nobody else would understand, who would just listen or just talk and let me know that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. Good friends are priceless and I am spoiled. I just felt really loved this summer. I know I’m gonna need those memories when things start getting busy again during the school year.
I learned that the Holy Ghost will enhance my capabilities. I guess I saw that take place, but more than that I had to strengthen my faith that it WILL happen this fall. I struggled a lot this summer with decisions about my future- I had some pseudo-opportunities come up and fall through all within a matter of weeks. I was reminded lots that I would need to take steps into the darkness. I’m so glad for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I learned that I need good companionship in my life. It was so cool for me to be able to work with someone in a partnership. I’ve never really had that and I didn’t know how beneficial it would be to the way that my mind functions. I never served a mission so I never had a companion and I’ve always been quite the independent, just enjoying working by myself. But I loved working though problems with someone, having another opinion that I trusted 100%, being able to talk about the things I was studying with someone who had enlightening things to say. It was good experience for me.

I'll post more pictures, words just don't do justice :)

I'm back in Chicago now till Saturday when I drive back to Maryland. Till then-