It's like a Dream

(at the cactus garden)

I can't believe my Mesoamerica study abroad is already over! I put so much time and effort into planning and preparing, we went and it felt like forever that we were there... and now Im home and I don't know what to do with myself. I wish I could go back. That trip was really good for me, probably the best thing right now actually. I learned a lot and I have gained a change of perspective in many aspects. Number 1, I have never had a stronger desire to learn spanish fluently, so I think I will minor or at least cluster in spanish. Number 2, life is hard and we have to work hard at everything to reap the best benefits. Number 3, be happy, I have no reason to complain...EVER! Number 4, I am SO blessed. WE are so blessed. I am grateful for so many things that I never even thought of before. Thank you mom and dad for giving me such a great life. I just kept thinking about how rare it is in comparison to the world to be born in the USA or to be born in the covenant, it's especially rare that we have both. I am so blessed. The thing is that the people in Mexico are so happy, we could really get a lesson in humility from them as well. They just don't know what they are missing, but I do, and I wonder how I was so lucky to be born in the situation I was compared to many others in the world. My testimony was strengthened a ton on the trip. I always believed that the church is the same everywhere and that we are all children of God, but now I know it without a doubt. It was so awesome to go to all the different branches for church and not understand them, but to feel the spirit so strong. The people in Mexico and Belize really impressed me and I want to be more like them. So, on the last day, I made a list of all the things I am grateful for especially after this trip. Here are some of them:
1. Toilet Seats                                           22. Thunder and Lightening
2. Plumbing                                              23. airplanes
3. Clean water                                          24. technology
4. Clean Streets                                        25. culture
5. Nature and the beauty of the Earth      26. trials
6. My family                                            27. people
7. Education                                            28. work
8. House                                                  29. opportunity
9. A Comfy bed                                      30. the ocean
10. Air Conditioning                               31. sanitation
11. Good Shoes                                      32. transportation
12. durable clothes                                  33. boys
13. washer and dryer                              34. friends
14. tender mercies                                  35. showers
15. the priesthood                                  36. soap
16. The Church                                     37. Warm water
17. Paper                                               38. BYU-I
18. pens                                                39. my freedom
19. birds                                               40. THE USA!!!!!!
20. animals
21. rain

I am so grateful I had the opportunity to go on this trip! It was amazing. I plan to post all about it in sections. We'll see how long this takes.