Happy as the Sun!

(thank you Tyrone Wells for that title!)

THE SUN IS SHINING FOLKS! It was so good to see my old friend, the Sun, again! I had forgotten what the Sun had looked and felt like and then it popped its darling self right on us this weekend and I couldn't be happier!

Want to know what's wonderful? Let me tell you what I've gathered to be wonderful!

-THE PUBS! They're not solely alcoholic crazy... (though I assumed at first)... rather, they're a social experience that EVERYONE goes to! Professors, members of the Church, students, old peeps-- it's just to enjoy yourself and really talk with people! I love the pubs here!

-THE CLUBS! Well, I act like I'm a natural and experienced clubber. Hate to disappoint you, but I've only been to one, but it was so stankin' fun! It's called Lola Lo's (or something like that!) Just picture DANCING. A LOT OF IT. FOR HOURS! I went with some BYU kids and met up with my dear Yale friends  while I was there! It was safe, exciting, and ABSOLUTELY THE TOPS! I danced like SOOO hard core, it was outrageous! My dear sweet friend Shamae and I made Michael, Whitney and Elvis proud. We thoroughly danced our hearts out to their songs! And if you know me, then you know how much I terribly enjoy dancing! and let me tell ya, I haven't enjoyed myself that much in a RILL LONG TIME!

-CHURCH HERE! I've only gone twice, but I absolutely love it! The Sacrament prayers in accents, the wisdom of the people, the variety of ethnicities and how the Spirit is the same wherever you go! I got to be in nursery yesterday! (which was DARLING with those little toddlers and their little accents! My buddy, a little Black girl named Cherissa LOVED saying, "No thank you!" in her sweet accent!) And in two weeks, I'll be teaching gospel doctrine! I look forward to church the WHOLE week!

This is Jenessa, Aileen and I after church yesterday in the beautiful Sun!


-FHE in Cambridge. With us BYUers as well as Cambridge LDS students (which is few!) I feel so blessed to be able to worship and testify here, as I stand, supported by other believers! I feel so invigorated and capable!

-BATMAN! We were able to go see it and I loved it! The English enjoy Christian Bale ALMOST as much as I do! Afterwards, some friends and I went to Subway, where I accidentally stole a homeless man's only possession... that sole possession was a wheely chair. Which I naively assumed was usual Subway customer seating... nah I thought it was weird, but we needed an extra seat, so I wheeled it over to our table. When out of nowhere this homeless guys comes back and reclaims his chair. Poor guy. It might've well as been his shopping cart! I felt so bad!

-LONDON! We went to London on Saturday. And by "went" I mean walked 16 miles around and didn't give the London Transportation Organization one pence. We walked errywhere. From the British Museum (for 2 hours) to Trafalga Square, to Buckingham Palace, to Parliament and Westminster, to finally the Globe theatre and London Bridge!

(This is the Trifecta in front of a Buckinham fountain!... Get to know the Trifecta! We're a triad of bang-a-rang friendship that just so happens to love each other and get along BEAUTIFULLY! and who are going to BARCELONA TOGETHER IN 3 DAYS!!!!!)

(This is me and Jen Girl in the British museum, enjoying ourselves!)

Best part of the whole day?? We found this little antique bookshop on a small London street. We went in an looked around. I found a little black Church hymnary from some woman named Elizabeth Jean Hendry in 1927 (I presume she's just a sweet lil lady!) I flip open to a random page.... (the one page in the whole book on Marriage, of course:) and I find some of the most beautiful words I've ever heard!

Take heart:

(this is the first and most special words I read)

Eternal love, with them abide;
In Thee for ever may they hide,
For even death cannot divide
Those whom Thou makest one.

ISN'T THAT LOVELY AND HOPEFUL AND WARMING!? I had to buy the book. I felt the Spirit so strongly, and I've read many passages and songs from Elizabeth's little hymnbook and I feel the Spirit everytime. We even read the Marriage hymns in the beautiful park outside of Buckingham Palace.

This is me and my little book of greatness!

(I'm actually reading out of it right now! I can't get enough of this lovely poetry!)

-I bought a sunhat. For Barcelona this weekend, and I'm stoked out of my mind! Sunhats just make you feel so darn chipper and summery. I recommend it to anyone!

Fleeting thoughts:

EXPLORE books you never thought you'd read. You might surprise yourself with what they have to offer!

EMBRACE those whom you love often! I'm not that affectionate of a person, but a good hug goes a long way! Let the people you adore and appreciate know that you love and appreciate them! It can ensure that you'll leave them better than when you found them.

ENJOY the Sun! We need to live it up folks! Aside from the last 3 days, it's rained here EVERY SINGLE DAY. We need to remember to be grateful for the vitamin E we receive and the happiness that the Lord has granted us with the Sun! We're so blessed that the Sun also releases natural endorphins-- or I believe!

Smile away, m'dears! Life is so so rich! Let's remember that!