Trip to Utah

On Sunday night I took a trip out to Utah to attend my student's sealing and wedding in Salt Lake City. One might think "wow...all that way for just for a student!".

While I lived in Casa Grande Arizona I met the Merrill family. Their daughter auditioned for my show choir and almost decided not to enroll because she was interested in cheerleading & Advanced French which would conflict with choir.

Well she ended up enrolling in my choir along with Ashley Jo *who was the maid of honor at the wedding*. These two girls ate lunch in my room EVERYDAY! At first I was worried that the kids were being too close to me, but at the time I really had no friends or family in Arizona...so the company of 2 very funny and kind people was refreshing. (There were actually a lot of other students that ate lunch in my room...come to think of it)

We took numerous choir trips during that school year and the clincher was that we took a trip to Hawaii. To the girls it seemed like a dream...to me it was a chance to take these girls to a place that was familiar and comfortable to me. We created so many memories on that trip and both Mr. & Mrs. Merill chaperoned that trip. My little choir of girls stayed at my house! Fun is like a huge understatement...it was like hilarious...the whole time!

Lauren always made me feel comfortable in Arizona...she even organized a surprise birthday for me while I was there. She and a lot of other girls in my show choir used to come make up dance routines in my room...those girls were really the light of my life during that time.

Long story short I flew back to Arizona when she graduated and can't believe I just attended her wedding. One of the things that I was so happy to hear was her decision to stop doing beauty pageants. She has placed in the top 5 for Ms. Arizona twice and Ms. Utah. She said she was reading in D&C 25 where it says "Emma, you are an elect lady"...and further on it reads "you will wear a crown of righteousness..". Basically she came to understand that she may never win a crown in a Ms pageant but it's so more important to work for a crown of righteousness in this life.

I have taught many students since I became a teacher...many of my students have become so special to me and I'm so glad the gospel connects us.



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