Updated!

Hi everyone! I don’t actually want to take the time to write out my whoooolllleeee week again, so here it is from the email I sent:

This week has been a huge one. Mom, Dad and I left for Utah on Monday afternoon and drove to St. George. Saying goodbye to the puppies was so hard! We had Cafe Rio for dinner Monday night though, which was super delish! Then Tuesday we drove onward to Provo and started the BYU process. We went and got my textbooks and ID card and then went and picked up Whitney from the airport. Later that night we went to Temple Square where we did a bunch of fun stuff. We went to the Joseph Smith Center and watched the movie there. They changed the movie some. It is more investigator-friendly so it was much more understandable to those who aren't members. We also ate delicious sandwiches and a mint brownie (YUM!) at the cafe downstairs and we got to see Sister Yarn. We almost went the wrong direction to the Visitors Center and would have missed her but I really had to go potty and she was right next to the bathrooms! I was so inspired. :)

Wednesday I was able to move into the dorms, and getting my bed raised was such an adventure! It took: Dad, Whitney, a bed raiser-helper, and two guys from maintenance to finally get it up. After I was all set up we went shopping for more stuff and then went out to dinner at Magelbys. Yummy! We got the most delicious bread ever! After that I went to a carnival for Helaman Halls which was pretty fun. There were lots of fun people there.

Thursday all the Freshmen were divided into 'Y Groups' and we played get-to-know-you-games and then went to a devotional where they talked to us about BYU. The devotional was realllllly good! After that we ate lunch (with graham canyon ice cream!) and went on a tour of the JFSB and library. It was all really good. I became really good friends with these people named Tori, Evan, and Meighan. Only Evan came to the night part of Y groups, but we saw a big performance on the Honor Code, which was really funny. After that we went to the stadium and took a class picture in the shape of a Y and watched an awesome sports pep rally. Oh yeah! Thursday we spent a looong time trying to get the internet on my computer to work too, and finally after three hours on the phone, Mom and Dad figured it out. Stupid internet. It has worked since then though, thank goodness. 

Friday was a fun day too. We went to a Religion Class devotional with our Y groups and Brother Parker spoke and it was realllyyy good! After that we took tours of the campus and ate lunch. Then, Mom Dad, Whitney and I went and got more Cafe Rio and went back to Grandmas house for a little while. Then we went shopping and I got a bunch of snow clothes :) Yay! Maybe I wont freeze after all. I spent the night with them at Grandmas house and that was fun too. I was reaaallly tired though! 

Saturday morning we all went to find my classes and that was fun. BYU is so huge! After that we went to the Wilk and got lunch. Then we went back to the dorms and had to say goodbye. That was really hard. Afterwards I practiced my flute and then wandered around campus with Tori. We went back to her dorm later. Saturday night I had dinner with my roommates which was a lot of fun and then there was a Freshmen Orientation Finale. I hung out with Tori and her roommate Julane and the night was so fun. Divine Comedy performed too, and they were sooooooo hilarious!

Sunday I met in the YSA 114th ward for the first time. There are 114 girls in the ward and 41 boys, which makes it weirdly unbalanced. It is still a really nice ward though. I hung out with my RA Katie for most of it. She is really nice, I like her lots. The leaders all seem really cool too! I think I am meeting with the bishopric tonight. Sunday night we had ward wrap-up and got divided into our FHE groups. We have a really cool group too. Last night for FHE we played games and got to know each other better. It was so fun. 

So yesterday was the first day of classes! I like all my classes a lot. All the teachers are really funny and it looks like there will be lots to learn for all the classes. In my religion class I volunteered to say the opening prayer and ended up having to introduce myself to the whole class and do all the readings for the entire class. Thats what I get for trying to be righteous! Haha. Yesterday afternoon I also had my band audition and was placed in the symphonic band (I think all the freshmen got placed in there). I met a bunch of other flute majors too, which I was super pumped about! They all seem really nice and funny. The first flute masterclass is tomorrow night. Yay!

 

 

Now: The flute masterclass today was awesome! There are a lot of really nice people in the class and it sounds like it will be a lot of fun. All my other classes today were awesome too :) And tomorrow I have my first band practice :) The most overwhelming part is the 3 hour mandatory practicing 6 days a week. Performance majors have it intense!

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today is my dad’s birthday yaaaaay! I got to talk to him on the phone for a little while tonight which was really fun and it sounds like he had a fun day. I love you dad!!!!!!!

Love,

Chelsey

College Life

Hi blog friends! I just moved in to my dorm room yesterday and have been doing lots of fun stuff lately. I like college so far :) haha but class still doesn’t start till Monday. I have made lots of friends who I just LOVE already and the campus is soooo huge, I have to ask directions to get anywhere. I like the friendly atmosphere though, every person I’ve talked to has been super nice!

NSO is still happening tomorrow and Saturday night so we spend a bunch of time cheering. And learning huge amounts of information about campus. It is so fun though. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Love,

Chelsey

Everything Will be Okay

Hi blog :) To be honest about something, I have been so worried lately. I am suddenly scared of everything! I’m scared to be with people, scared to be alone, scared for college, scared for my parents who will still be at home.

From all this fear though, I have really started searching. In my searching I found the devotional “Cast not away therefore your confidence” by Jeffery R. Holland. He talks about how during moments before major decisions and changes in life, we will be tempted to be scared. That during these vital moments, Satan will magnify the fears we have. He then continues to say that we need not fear-- That faith can always replace fear and that though we always need to be careful with big decisions, we do not need to be afraid. We will be okay. With faith, we will be blessed.

This devotional really is so amazing, and if you want to read it, here’s a link. Elder Holland is so exactly right about this. There is no reason to fear. The Lord is with us through all things. Of course life will be hard, and we will want to cry and we will be in the minority, but we will be okay. Good always prevails over evil. This brings so much peace and clarity to my life. I will be okay. The Lord is watching over me. We are in a war that we already know we will win. I am so grateful that I have this knowledge.

Love,

Chelsey

Inspired

Hi guys! I’ve been packing all day but in all my searching in my room, I found a couple quotes that I just Love!

The first is by President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“Some of you may feel that you are not as attractive and beautiful and glamorous as you would like to be. Rise above any such feelings, cultivate the light within you, and it will shine through as a radiant expression that will be seen by others. You need never feel inferior… Cultivate whatever talents you have, and they will grow… Try a little harder to measure up to the divine within each of you”

Did that not just make you feel more confident? Wow!

The other is by Dan Zadra:

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift of life is yours; it is an amazing journey; and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. ”

Aahh, inspiration. It really is amazing how humans can be so internally motivated. Hope you all are having a beautiful day!

Love,

Chelsey

Flute

3 hour flute lesson today I love flute I love flute I love flute! The only problem is I’m sick right now. Still, flute is too awesome to cancel.

I’ve been packing for college lately. Packing and eating lots and sleeping a little and playing the flute and piano lots. I guess something to take from all of this is… college is going to be awesome because I’ll get to play my flute a lot.

Mom and Dad are both sick too. We are just a sickly bunch. Dad like normal, is acting like he’s fine. I’m pushing through okay, playing my flute a lot. Mom is resting lots. I really wish I had more to tell you. There is plenty to tell, however I don’t have any pictures downloaded at the moment and I’m wanting to have them before I post BIG important stuff.

I’ve been listening to recordings a lot lately too. BYU devotionals, still in love with them! I’ve probably downloaded half the website and I listen to them every night. Also, here is my piccolo audition piece:

*Please note: That is not me actually playing it. This artist is Cristina Stefan, she is super good!

I have 7 other pieces I am getting ready right now as well for my audition. So excited!

Love,

Chelsetto