Adam

     I miss Adam soooo much! It feels like it'll be an eternity till Christmas break :( I love talking to him on the phone and just listening to him :) Everything just makes sense when he talks for some reason.  I can't really explain it. We're going to try to figure out how to skype each other soon though, so that will be really nice :) except that I wouldn't exactly want to be in our living room with everyone around... and my mom wouldn't like it if I was in my room, and she won't go to bed without her i-pad with her... oh well, I'll figure something out. Nathan Cardon was over at my house yesturday and he took my phone and saw my background and was like, "oooo... young love... :)" lol  So Adam officially asked me on a date last week :) over Christmas break the plan is to go see the new Les Mis musical movie! I'm so excited! First of all, Les Mis is awesome and this new one looks amazing! But I'm excited sooo much more because I'm going with Adam :) It's going to be awesome! :) Over the summer, Adam came over one night, it was the night right before we (Miranda, Danielle, and I) left for Utah. Miranda and Danielle were packing and Adam and I were talking on the porch outside, and then on the couch inside. It was great :) Late that night, he had to leave but I walked out to the car with him and we just talked out in the driveway for like ten minutes. His dad called though and he had to go so he got in his car, started it, then turned it off got back out of the car and said something like, "If I don't do this now, I don't think I would ever have the courage to do it." and came and kissed me. It was just on the cheek but it was one of the best moments of my life :) He gets home 2 months from tomorrow!! I just realized that :) that also means that 2 months from today I get my wisdom teeth out :/ we'll see how that goes. Anyways so Adam is learning how to be 'better with girls'... it makes sense, at least when he explained it to me, so i'm okay with it except I'm kinda worried about when he gets back. Cuz he's used to that all now, and I'm still not... :/ Hopefully it'll all be good. I'm so bad with people in general though... anyways. Adam wanted me to update my blog so here it is Adam... :) So earlier I had posted that Adam gets back from his mission and I'll only be nineteen and most likely not married yet- which still hasn't changed. However, in General Conference last week Pres. Monson announced that men can now go on a mission at age 18 and women at age 19. I turn nineteen, six months before Adam returns. I really would love to go on a mission - but I talked to my mom and told her how I felt about everything and she told me that I should go when I'm 20. She said to see how things go when Adam gets back home, and if it doesn't work out, then go when I'm 20. It sounds like a great idea to me, but Adam says that he doesn't want to be the one standing in the way of me going on a mission because of the great experience it would be. My friend shared a quote with me that said,
     "Today many sisters are being called to serve. Many more are preparing to serve. Not because they aren't married or don't have anything else to do, but they have the desire to serve. One reason that the Lord wants more sisters to serve is because within the next generation He will send His priesthood army to the earth. He wants to send choice spirit children to mothers who have been prepared, properly trained, and taught the gospel. What better schooling can a mother have than the experience and growth she gains through serving a mission."
-Gordon B. Hinckley
     This is soo true, and I want it! But I also know that if I go when I'm 19, Adam will be married when I get back. I know I still have over a year to decide and to find out for myself what I should do, but I can't help worrying about it all. He told me that he really really wants to marry me :) I realllly like Adam, and I think I want to marry him too, although I feel too young to be considering marrying a specific person. I haven't had any experience with guys besides Adam. And with Adam, it hasn't been anything really until this past summer, so maybe I'm just jumping ahead of myself... We'll see.
Miss you soo much though Adam!
~Cami
   

California

It is official. We are moving from Ohio to California. My dad just accepted the job tonight. It's a great job and opportunity, but it'll be really hard to leave Ohio and all of the wonderful amazing people here. Don't get me wrong, it's going to be a great experience and it's going to be warm and I'm excited :) but moving is always a hard, bitter sweet experience. I feel bad leaving school in the middle of the year, only because I'm kinda bailing on Mr. O. He thought I'd be here to play songs for January and the spring concerts, but now I won't be. We still have to sell our house but I'm guessing I still won't be able to help him out with the songs : / Mr. O is amazing! He's one of the best people I know! Anyways I was looking at homes for sale in Orange County, California and it got me a bit depressed. They're so small, expensive, and very blah :/ also the area is very brown, hardly any trees. The houses I did find, were all 'pending.' At least we have a few more months to look. I am excited for the warmth, new friends, and just the overall experience though :) Once we know more of when we'll move and such, I'll update this.

Senior!

I'm officially a senior!!!! It seemed like it would never come, but it did :) I'm going to Lakeland Community College, in order to get college credit toward BYU, as well as taking choir at Riverside with Mr. Obergefell. At Lakeland, I'm taking 4 classes: Microeconomics, British Literature, Intro to Business, and Statistics. Overall it's 12 credits. I took the ACT test (for the 4th time) and I got a 27! It's just what I needed to graduate with my honors diploma. So anyways, since I'm a senior, that means that Miranda and Adam have gone off to BYU. They love it soo much! Next year can't come fast enough! At this point I'm thinking about majoring in Recreational Management with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation and minoring in Family Life, possibly Music as well... we'll see if that works out. I'm also still thinking about majoring in Elementary Edu. I can't wait!

Arise and Shine Forth

We need to choose now to change and arise and shine forth. If we don't do it now, when will we? When it's convenient? Well, its never convenient. Our time is 'chipping' away. At Youth Conference this summer, we were in Pittsburgh, PA with 8 other stakes. In one of classes we were able to take there, the teacher told us that we know that 1000 yrs on earth = 1 day in heaven. So, if we break it down, a 75 year life span on earth = 2.2 hours in heaven. Think about how short of a time that is. That's just enough time for us to take a final exam in school. And that's really what our time on earth is, a test to see if we will choose to follow Christ and to stand as a witness of Him at ALL times, in ALL things, and in ALL places. When we get back to heaven, we're going to realize how short of a time we actually were here on Earth based on eternity, and wish that we had made the most of each second. We might say, "Wait, I'm doing good, I'm not a bad person, why do I need to change?" However, the greatest enemy to great, is good. If we're already doing good, whats the need to be better?

3 Nephi 12:48
 "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."

Although we all sin and make mistakes, we can be perfected through Christ, after ALL we can do. If we don't change from good, to great, we're not doing ALL we can do. Sister Dalton told us that we must choose to give up the life we have planned, so the Lord can give us the life He has planned for us. This year, He has called us to Arise and Shine Forth, that our light may be a standard for the nations. We can't just blend in to the world any more. We can't give into peer pressure. Last year I was in my English class when my professor asked stood up and asked the class who really believed that the world was created in 7 days. I sat there, too shy to say anything. This year, I don't want to be afraid or ashamed to share what I know to be true with my friends or even those I don't know well. I know that I need to put all my trust in the Lord and not doubt Him, but have complete faith in Him, and his work.

Doctrine and Covenants 100:4-8
"Therefore, I , the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls. Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say. But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things. And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say."