In my area, our YSA Branch is so blessed to have two sets of Sister Missionaries! So I've made it my goal to go out with  each set every month! And I'm happy to say that I've accomplished that!!! I love being with the sisters and to feel of their sweet spirit and hear their testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ! I hope when I serve my mission I can be as loving, inspirational, and serviceable as each of them!

It's A Brand New Year!

January

Happy 23rd Birthday Andrew!!!

Every year people make a goal or goals and never keep with them. Why is that? I found an awesome talk that Elder M. Russel Ballard had given to the Salt Lake Area Young Adults, 'I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look bcak on our life only to see that e reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principle of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.' http://lds.org/ensign/1983/06/do-things-that-make-a-difference?lang=eng&query=goals Well, I'm just going to say it, this totally applies to me! I think we being humans give up on ourselves way to much and too often. We shouldn't knock ourselves down, but build ourselves up in our good works. This year I made the goal to... you know... walk... run... okay loss weight! Haha. I know what your thinking. WHAT?!!?!  I'm sure I won't because I'm just not that kind of person, but I thought I would give it a try, see if I could really eat less sugar, or actually go out walking. I guess we will see if I actuall make a difference in my life. Will it even effect me? Will it effect those around me?

It was wonderful being able to meet up with my very best friend Abigail! We had a wonderful time eating at a cute little place in BG called Campus Pollyeyes and just talking about life!

After Chirstmas and all of  our famliy and friends leaving, we were pretty mello jello! Except we were pilled with lots of snow which caused Dad to work super early in the mornings and late at night! We have never had our old stump covered before!!!  

My family had a late Christmas get together. But we had a wonderful time going to the Temple before hand. It was our first time going with Andrew in two years! While being with my cousins, I was able to be read to by one of them from a shark book! It was awesome!

Classes are full swing for Spring Semester! Andrew and I started the same day so he drove me to class. But since his class time starts bfore mine I had to wake up extra early... :/ But I still have a smile on my face!!!

Having a brother isn't too bad, it is really lots of fun! But now I have two, Andrew and Joseph Gunther. And that's not bad either. But now three?!!?! That's right, if I have three then that means someone is getting married!!! Diana is engaged which means I now have three super awesome brother!!! Andrew, Joe, and James! My family figuared it would happen. We just didn't know when, and boy was it a suprise!!! It was in the evening and Diana called us asking if the whole family was there. Why would a sibling be asking if the whole family was home?!!?! Haha.Someting was going on... we all had a super big smile on our faces as we had Diana, James, Carrie and Joe one speaker phone! What an exciting time in Diana's life and in all of ours. Let the planning begin. And as Dad said, 'Two down, three more to go!'

Being in the YSA Branch is just so much fun! I enjoy every one of them. Plus they make the activites fun! Like when we went Tobogganing!!! It was so super cold, but it was worth it!!!

 After we went down the hill/ slide three times we ate pizza! We chated with Amy and her friend Trent!

Andrew was undesided if he would go but Anna-Marie told him he had to and was truly grateful for her encouragement because he saw (Elder) Jeremy Harper! Andrew was Jeremy's MTC Zone Leader! It was awesome meeting someone from Andrew's mission!!!

College- it's just typing more papers, reading more text books, and studing... a lot more.

For the start of college I will start a bolg of… me! My life and my family! It’s crazy so you might have a few bumps, bruises, and tears along the way but, don’t worry, when it’s over you will have a big smile on your face and people will hear you laughing in the next room over!

For most my childhoood, and now adulthood, I have always thought, 'My siblings have don it, then I can too!' So I graduated form High School and now I'm embarking a 'new' life as a college student. How cool is that?!!?! !

I was able to go to orientation with my sister Diana. She was the best one to do it. She helped me find my classes and set a 'Day List' instead of a 'To Do List'! I think I will learn real quick how to balance my time. (I better read up on some past General Conference talks!) As we were both sitting on the chairs in the lobby I realized that when Diana graduated from H.S. and went to college at BYU, Brigham Young University, she didn't have my parents or any sibling help her schedule her classes for her, get her books, find her classes or even help her find friends. I thne looked at her and where she is in life now... she made it! She has been in college more than the average four years but she has accomplished so much. She has had some jobs that require so much of her time, sleep at night, and social lilfe. She is a photogerpher, taken pictures of her H.S. best friend and others, my senior pictures, served in Haiti, the Deominican Republic. And now on a study program to Africa. She has met so many new people (I should check her Facebook to see how many people she really has met! Haha.) Diana knows what fruit snacks to buy, Sunkist! And she knows what to ask mom to send in her 'Care Package'... bbef sticks from Pettisville Meats, and of course, chocolate from Stella Leona! Diana knows what it's like to live on her own even with crazy roomies! She also knows what it means to put her faith and trust in the Lord. I think that is what makes Diana so awesome; in all that she does she knows how to not live off barrowed light. She kows thaty you must ask Heavenly Father in deep prayer.

For me, that is the key to this semester. Prayer! I was talking to a good friend at a recent wedding reception I attended. He is a professor at a near by university, married and has three beautiful daughters. He told me as I explained to him about my life as a college student, ‘Sarah, you need to know that when you pray before you study for one of your classes the Lord will help you retain that knowledge for the test or quiz.’ That is so true. Why would our loving Heavenly Father not want us do well in a class? Or in general, life? That’s right, he does want us to succeed! Ether 12:27 In all that we do, be it school, work, or family, we must humble ourselves, we are not perfect. So we need to allow the atonement of Jesus to come into our life.