As I look back 2017 was a year of lots of growing and from
that growing came lots of blessings. The
one take away that I have learn from 2017 is the Lord know what He is doing.For years I have struggled with an addiction and for a few
years I have been learning how to not give into the addiction. I have now been in
recovery and haven’t give in for eight months! That is the longest I have ever
gone, I am proud of myself! But in reality,
I would not be able to do that alone not without Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ help especially the Atonement.
One of the big major decision happened in my life was deciding
to further my education and and therefore started the process of applying for graduate school back in March. I decided to put all my effort in applying to Arizona State University (ASU).
I had a found a program that fit with my career goals. Looking back, I can see
how I was guided to pick this school. In April I had the opportunity to come
and check out the program and explore Arizona. I loved campus the minute I set
foot on it. I realized that I really wanted to move to Arizona. I submitted my
application. The hardest part was the waiting game and not giving up on my
dream.
July of 2017 was probably the hardest month for me. I had to
face a lot of challenges and feeling the weight of everything that was happening
around me. I was still waiting to hear from ASU up to this point I have been waiting since April, I was about to give up. However, Heavenly Father continue to give me strength to
keep moving forward. July 7th
was a day of total very horrible day that also became a great day. I had asked
work off that day for whatever reason but work had forgotten that I had that
day off. I had gotten dress and out the door. I get in my car and my dad said
my car was making odd noises and that I needed to take it in. I didn’t like
that either, so I called work told them that my car needed to be taken in. Took
it in and learned that there was no problems but still had to pay $200 for something.
As I was up with the cashier to pay my bill my phone alerted me telling me I got
an email. Keep in mind I had been looking at my email everyday waiting for this
acceptance letter from ASU. I didn’t
really want to open my email but something told me I should. I opened it and
the first thing I saw was “Congratulations and welcome to ASU”. I began to cry, I
had been accepted to ASU. While I was walking to my car I was thinking there is
no way I am ready to make this move with everything that has been going on in
my life. I ran the idea of just postponing until January. I get in the car and
viewed my email more closely and had the strongest impression that I need to make
the move and I needed to do it now! So I immediately went to work and told them
that I got accepted. Went home and told my parents I have month to prepare to
move to Arizona.
August 7th I drove my little green car packed so
full with my things and drove 10 hours to Tempe, Arizona! I believe it was 110
degrees, I about died from the heat. I started school August 22. Arizona has been good to me.
Looking back it was the best decision I have made. I finished my first semester
with a 4.0 GPA. My first ever of getting a 4.0 in my life. It feels pretty
good!
Around Thanksgiving time, I met a pretty awesome guy his name is Nick. We met through
a mutual friend who will remain nameless for the time being. Our first date he took me out to Pizza from
there we just became the best friends and look forward to more adventures together.
Nick and I have some amazing connections, the first connection is through our mutual
friend, the second connection is that his aunt is best friends with my aunt
(small world I know), and his sister-in-law knows a lot of my friends from my
days in Rochester, NY. We both went to Utah
for Christmas we spend part of it with my family and part of it was with his aunt. 
So I guess you can say the biggest take away from the year
of 2017 is learning how to trust Heavenly Father that he know better plan than
what I have plan for myself. The majority of 2017 was learning about Jesus Christ
and his greatest gift which is the atonement. Without the Atonement I would not
have been able to go 8 months of not giving into my addictions. I have learned
that Christ is the light and bring light into my life. I have had to learn to embrace
Christ light and accept what he has done for me. In the past with coming home
early from my mission and my addiction I felt I did not deserve Christ love. Why
would he love a woman who is not perfect? Why would he want to help a woman who
felt like she failed at everything? Well I learned that is the wrong way of
thinking. I came to the understanding that through trials we are made perfect and allow us to improve
better each day. Every time I think about this, Anne of Green gables comes to mind,
“Well, we all make mistakes, dear, so just put it behind you. We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
I want to express my gratitude to my family for the support they have given me this year. When I opened to them not one of the judged me but simply said they are here for me and loved me. My parents are my greatest heroes and my true examples in my life. 2017 you have been a good year! I am so ready for 2018 adventures!