Day 18: Start of a New Chapter

I've lived a pretty exciting life in the way of medical history. At age 11 I was diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome (which I had since about age 4) and lactose intolerance.

And on March 15, 2019, I was diagnosed with Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). EoE is an allergy that affects the esophagus and is characterized by white blood cells called eosinophils that build up in my esophagus. If left untreated it could eventually build up to the point where it's hard for me to swallow or could cause choking. Generally people with EoE may have allergies to gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, eggs, and more. We believe I have a gluten and dairy allergy. What does this mean for me? A diet with no gluten and no dairy that at times feels very vegan since I can't have dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, most chocolates, etc.). However, my dad is going to trademark the term "megan" since I can still eat meat and eggs (it was between that and "megetarian"). The doctors and nurses I've seen so far believe my cyclic vomiting may have been a manifestation of EoE. This will be a roller coaster as I learn how to manage this disease, prepare for a mission, and just continue with my life.

The beginning of a new chapter.

When I was in Primary I remember learning about the importance of missionary work. Since a very young age I knew that serving a mission was something I planned on. I also remember the day I was told that it wasn’t required for girls to serve missions. Pretty sure it was Sam A. that told me that in primary one day. I gave him a look like of course girls are supposed to go on missions. Duh! And imagine my surprise when I found out not only is it not as common for girls to go on missions, they’re only gone for 18 months! I was really disappointed to say the least.

My great grandpa that we all called “Grandpa Pop” had family that was Southern Baptist. His relatives were determined that he would grow up to be a pastor and because of the pressure to follow that path, he decided he didn’t want anything to do with religion. Pop served in the Navy during World War II. He watched many friends and compatriots die or get injured, and was therefore very decidedly atheist because he thought that if there was a God, how could God let such bad things happen to good people?

My Grandma Shauna is my mom’s mom and Grandpa Pop’s daughter; she was not raised religiously. It just wasn’t something that was ever brought up. Her first interactions with the Church [of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints] were actually fairly negative (but I won’t go into that story). Grandma Shauna worked at the Salt Lake Board of Education and one of her coworkers was a returned missionary. This lady invited my grandma to the Visitor’s Center at Temple Square and my grandma agreed to go and had a good time.

It wasn’t until my grandma started dating my grandpa that she started taking missionary discussions because he was a returned missionary and wouldn’t marry anyone unless they were a member of the church.

Grandma loved my grandpa’s step mom, LaMona. One day they were talking and LaMona told my grandma that "Living this religion is a wonderful way to raise a family." So grandma decided “Why not?” and was baptized. As I was asking my grandma about her experiences, she told me that in the beginning she didn’t have a testimony of the church but rather a testimony of the person that my grandpa’s stepmother was.

As my grandma received a calling in the primary, she gained a testimony of the gospel and it continued to grow as she taught the children, and as she had more callings and has made her the person she is today, with one of the strongest, most unshakeable testimonies I have seen and have been privileged to learn from.

When my Great Grandma Shirley passed away in 2007, my Grandpa Pop started hoping for more than just this life because he couldn't believe that that was the end, that he would never see her again.

I want to be a missionary because I love God and I want others to create and strengthen their relationships with Him. As President Dallin H Oaks said, “we are a missionary people. We are sometimes asked why we send missionaries to so many nations, even among Christian populations. We receive the same question about why we give many millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to persons who are not members of our Church and why we do not link this aid to our missionary efforts. We do this because we esteem all mortals as children of God—our brothers and sisters—and we want to share our spiritual and temporal abundance with everyone.”

As a part of my personal missionary preparation, you could include reading and studying the Book of Mormon, something that started in the 8th grade with Book of Mormon March Madness and continued with seminary in 9th grade. Since I started seminary, I have kept a mostly consistent habit of scripture reading in the morning and this has helped me in many ways. A lot of the time I don’t really notice the difference but what I have picked up on is the mornings that I fall asleep during my readings are slightly more difficult than the days where I really pay attention and stay awake through my reading.

A few months ago I decided to go through different resources in the gospel library that were created for missionaries, including the missionary handbook and a bunch of missionary preparation articles. I made a list of some of the things included in missionary schedules and found ways to make them a part of my days now. One of the things that I have worked on as part of my preparation is writing in my journal.  As Nephi said in the first chapter and first verse of the Book of Mormon, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days”

I have never been good at journal writing. I have one notebook that there are months and usually years between each entry. After reading about keeping a daily journal as a part of the missionary schedule, I decided I would really try to write something about each day but I took on a new style of writing. Instead of trying to find something interesting (since not being able to think of anything interesting is the reason I usually don’t write) I tried the “Bullet-journaling technique which is as easy as it sounds. You make a bullet-point list of the things you did regardless of whether you find it interesting or not. My first entry is 4 lines long. Since that day, my first day of college, I have written almost every day. That is seven months of daily journaling! I have missed 3 days during those months but the next morning I wrote about those days.

President Thomas S. Monson said: “Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together … [and] labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work”

In the General Women’s session of this last conference, Sister Joy D Jones quoted Ammon in Alma 26:12, “Yea I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak, therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God for in his name can I do all things; yea, behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land for which we will praise his name forever.” I really love this scripture and find it so very relatable. I know that when I rely on my Heavenly Father, He can help me through so much more than I could ever do on my own.

As missionary efforts increase, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ draws nearer. Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

President Russell M Nelson spoke on the importance of sisters in the Gathering of Israel, “Men can and often do communicate the love of Heavenly Father and the Savior to others. But women have a special gift for it—a divine endowment. You have the capacity to sense what someone needs—and when he or she needs it. You can reach out, comfort, teach, and strengthen someone in his or her very moment of need.

Women see things differently than men do, and oh, how we need your perspective! Your nature leads you to think of others first, to consider the effect that any course of action will have on others.”

I mentioned that when I first heard about women only serving 18 months not 24 I was really disappointed. The more I have thought about this difference, the more I truly realize that it just means that while serving a mission is important, there are other things I will need to do that I can use that time for. I have also really appreciated the time I have had this year to prepare both mentally, spiritually, and physically while I wait for my 19th birthday.

As I have grown up, I have seen the example of my dad, my aunts, uncles, and grandparents that have served missions and shared their experiences with me, and now I have my cousin home to ask questions about missionary service as I continue to prepare for my own mission.

          Through the years I have confidently come to the conclusion that I am an "optimistic realist." I recognize when things are hard or unfair while also having a positive outlook. It's a lot easier to roll with the punches laughing than to give up over something nearly impossible to control. The hardest part is trying to hang out with people that may not know about my condition since the diagnosis is fairly recent. I try to keep it to myself because I don't feel like other people should worry about me, especially when they do, it gets a little overboard. 

I know that "faith in God includes faith in His timing" and while at times I may be frustrated and disappointed that my papers were delayed for months and continue to encounter hold-ups, there's a reason. Heavenly Father knows me and knows how much I yearn to serve and to teach and to grow.

As my Grandma Shauna says, "hindsight is 20/20."

Day 17: My Paper on the Aokigahara Forest

Many Americans knew nothing about the Aokigahara “Suicide” Forest or “Sea of Trees” in Japan until a famous YouTuber stumbled in, which “may have tarnished Japanese/American relations.” It was all over the news. In fact, another YouTuber, Michael Sundman—who lived in Japan as an English teacher for many years and has a deep respect for the Japanese—made a video, “with a statement that Logan stands a good chance of being banned from Japan.”
With a cultural focus on honor and tradition, how does the suicide rate continue to climb, not only in Japan, but also around the globe? As one of the most technologically advanced countries, many may wonder why people feel the need to kill themselves. Many Japanese people are overworked, with one woman “[committing] suicide on Christmas Day in 2015 by jumping from a corporate dormitory. She had worked 100 hours of overtime the month before. She tweeted that year, ‘When you’re in the office 20 hours a day, you don’t understand what life you’re living for anymore.  It’s so pathetic … you come to laugh.’” The Japanese even have a word for suicide caused by overwork, karojisatsu. One of the Japanese ministers of finance reportedly hung himself on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Aokigahara Forest - India Times

In Japanese mythology, the Aokigahara forest is “considered to be one of the most haunted places in all of Japan,” and many believe it is the home of demons and spirits who had unnatural and/or violent deaths. This forest lies at the foot of Mount Fuji and “was honored as the sacred embodiment of the divine creativity that had thrust the land up from the sea.” In The Complete Manual Of Suicide (published 1993) by Wataru Tsurumi, the Aokigahara Forest is called, “the perfect place to die.”
           When nature is viewed with such reverence and a focus on the life force as a means of celebration in Shintoism, it creates an interesting conundrum. And for those who don’t believe in supernatural beings, GPS’s, phones, and compasses all act abnormally within the reaches of Aokigahara due to “rich deposits of magnetic irons created by volcanic soil in the region”

Suicide victim's shoes

           Aokigahara is rated among the top three places that people go to commit suicide. There are signs posted around the entrances to try to dissuade people from killing themselves. Unfortunately, the signs don’t usually do the trick, and volunteers will stumble upon dozens of bodies while cleaning up the forest, which is also a popular tourist area. “The bodies found by the volunteers are taken down from the forest to the local station, where they are placed in a room used specifically for suicide victims.  Following an ancient tradition, someone has to stay with the corpses during the night, as it is believed that if the bodies are left alone, it would be very bad for their spirits. It has been rumoured that the spirits of these victims would scream during the night, and that their bodies would move on their own.”
           Japanese suicide rates are high, around 30,000 deaths per year. Many areas globally have stopped publishing their suicide rates and information about when a victim is found because authorities don’t want to give ideas to those struggling and who want to kill themselves. Resources in every country have been put in place to help people but the problem is many people are afraid to reach out for help or don’t see the point in trying anymore. Original Shinto beliefs concerning death were dark and included the idea of a river separating the living from the dead, much like the Greek River Styx leading to the Underworld, realm of Hades. With Buddhist influence, death became more of something to meditate on and the Japanese taught that life should be celebrated and enjoyed and made meaningful by word and action. Traditions of mourning include only showing grief on one particular day and the rest of the time the Japanese are expected to be almost stoic in their regards to show honor to those who have passed on.
           Although in pop culture and in the news, we hear more and more about teen suicide rates, they are not the only ones faced with mental illnesses nor are they the only ones overworked. In fact, a rise in elderly suicides, especially in Japan, has become apparent. Although in the cases of the elderly, suicide is not usually due to overwork but loneliness. “The first time it drew national attention, the corpse of a 69-year-old man… had been lying on the floor for three years, without anyone noticing his absence. His monthly rent and utilities had been withdrawn automatically from his bank account. Finally, after his savings were depleted in 2000, the authorities came to the apartment and found his skeleton near the kitchen, its flesh picked clean by maggots and beetles, just a few feet away from his next-door neighbors.” In the old day in Japan, suicide was mainly known as a samurai’s act, as in Seppuku or hara-kiri.

           Suicide has become an epidemic. In the year 2016-17 in Japan the “…survey shows 250 elementary and high school age children took their own lives in that year for a variety of reasons including bullying, family issues and stress.”  The Japan Times says that in 2010 alone, more than 200 people attempted to commit suicide in the [Aokigahara] forest, with 54 succeeding.” A French sociologist “suggested more than a century ago that amid all the bright, prosperous developments of modernity there was yet a ‘morbid effervescence, the grievous repercussions of which each one of us feels.’ Unbridled will, infinite material possibility, isn't always liberating, he said.” In first world countries where “Likes” are all the rage, many people get caught up in popularity contests and people are more depressed without even realizing it. Multiple studies have concluded that spending time on social media can create feelings of depression in people that may not even be diagnosed with any kind of depression or depressive mood disorder. As all of your friends are posting about how they are “living their best life” you compare yourself and how you live—even just subconsciously—and it brings your brain down.

           The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.
Please, if you or someone you know is suffering with depression or suicidal thoughts, get help before it is too late. In the words of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes, “Taking you own life. Interesting expression — taking it from who? Once it’s over, it’s not you who’ll miss it. Your own death is something that happens to everybody else. Your life is not your own. Keep your hands off it.”

Day 16: Leaving a Mark

       As I have been sitting here, contemplating just about everything, my thoughts have turned to the idea of "leaving a mark." When you leave a mark, it comes down to the idea of permanence. Will your mark be more of a footprint in the sand, mud on the sidewalk? Or will it amount to something more?
       I don't know what kind of marks I have left behind me. I am sure I caused a few scars, due to thoughtless actions, most of which I would prefer to fix but don't know how. I also have no clue as to what kind of marks lie ahead of me.
       When you think about it, people can remember you for anything. Rosa Parks is remembered for defiance in a simple way because she was tired and just wanted to sit down. The people trying to make her give up her seat? Today they are viewed as racist and also in a way, tyrannical. Hitler is seen as antisemitic and cruel. His actions are generally viewed with disdain. In every situation we encounter, a mark is made. Maybe you're the person who smiled, the person who stopped to pick up loose papers, maybe you're the person who kept walking, maybe you stayed home.

       We all should stop to consider the effect we have on others, on the world. We are all a part of something much larger. We can help each other or we can hold each other back. Recently a friend shared a quote with me by Bob Moawad that I would like to now share with you:

“You can't make footprints in the sands of time if you're sitting on your butt. And who wants to make buttprints in the sands of time?”

       Is it possible to know what kind of prints you will make if you don't know what or who you are? For me it is a struggle to see what I might become. Growing up I wanted to be an author. Sure, I can write a few pretty sentences, but who will pay for that? Next my dream was to be a lawyer because I loved the thought that went behind supporting my arguments and proving to others what I knew, but I could never go to more than one or two debate meetings so how could I progress? After that, I moved towards self-expression in art. I love drawing but not nearly as much as my discovered love of painting--specifically with oils. But that takes time and dedication and when you don't have the motivation, you won't go anywhere.
       So now what?
So now, I go to college. I work on my Gen. Ed. even though I am not sure if it will even help me. I work at a part-time job that pays a little more than minimum-wage and save for all it's worth. I may not have a plan, and I may not know what kind of mark I am making, but I will make sure that I wasn't wasting my time sitting around waiting for someone else to tell me how to live.
       The tallies or footprints or buttprints or what-have-you are in the making and there isn't anything you can do to stop them (okay obviously yes there is actually a way but please never resort to that).

What marks are you leaving behind?

Day 15: Is Ignorance Really Bliss?

       In a world shrouded with misinformation and controversy, is ignorance really bliss? Should we not be informed in the goings on around us to make the best choices not only for ourselves, but those around us and those who will succeed us.
      As many may know, there are a lot of movements on gun control especially after the tragedy of Marjory Stoneman Douglas on February 14, 2018. Mr. Andrew Pollack who lost a daughter in the shooting said, "9/11 happened once, and they fixed everything. How many schools, how many children have to get shot? It stops here, with this administration and me." If you can't take a water bottle through an airport but can get a gun to school, what does that say about our society? Lorenzo Prado, a surviving student from MSD said, “Nikolas Cruz was able to purchase an assault rifle before he was able to buy a beer."
       Now this post isn't going to be about gun control. This is about our right and privilege to access information and to form our opinions about issues that affect our lives. No matter what your opinion on gun control, you are allowed to have that opinion because we live in a world where silence is ludicrous and ignorance is insanity. Because of our freedoms, high school students can confront their legislators and representatives and scream in their faces "BS!" We can call out "Never again!" 
      As much as our rights give us, we need to realize that not using them to their full potential is dangerous. With controversy comes multiple view points and perspectives. When researching topics we have to listen to all sides of a story and all the solutions or advice given from those we don't agree with because sometimes, guess what? They might say something that either a) you can refute or b) you might actually agree with! And that is what so many people have a hard time coming to terms with is the idea that someone else might have a better idea than you and although you may not agree with them, their opinion is just as valid as your own. The way to keep your opinion valid is to stay informed. 
     As I am sitting here typing this I can hear people discussing this very problem. An "out of sight, out of mind" attitude will no longer propel our country, our world, in the direction towards progress. I myself with gun control have watched hours of videos from both sides including Wayne LaPierre and Dana Loesch at CPAC who both represent the NRA and then the CNN Town Hall with Marc Rubio and other Florida law-makers answering the albeit brutal justifiable questions stemming from hurt, anger, fear, and a range of other emotions many of us will never understand because we have not lived through what they have lived through. 
     So maybe at this point it is safe to say I lied, and this did end up being about gun control. You probably can tell which side I am on, although my opinions are not radical. Originally, when I began with the idea of going against ignorance as bliss, there were other things going on in the world but it has been a year since this post began and the first paragraph sat in cyberspace, a blinking "I" beam waiting to move across the screen to capture the words of a girl who wants the world to be a better place. As many of my generation have said, this is not about left or right, Democrats and Republicans. This is about making a change in our world together. 
     What would you do if the world you grew up in was as dangerous as this? All those words from the many books we have been filling our minds with are coming true. The world is collapsing. Chaos is ensuing. What are YOU going to do?
     Stop the ignorance. Do your research. Stay informed. Make the world a better place.

Thank you. 

Day 14: Tradition (A Few Months Later...)

      Since we passed the Christmas and New Year's season a while ago, I am going to talk a little bit about the traditions my family has during the winter holidays.

     Christmas is usually a fun time of the year for a lot of people. On Christmas Eve my family will get together at my aunt's house and have a gift exchange. A month or two beforehand, we each drew the name of one of our cousins and this was the person you were assigned to get a gift for. After the gift exchange we go to a Chinese restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City called Golden Phoenix. The food there is really good in my opinion, not that I have much to go off of since my family doesn't usually go to other Chinese restaurants. After a long, filling dinner, we head down to Temple Square and wander around, looking at the lights and at the Nativities set up around the square. When we are done wandering, we head back to the cars and part ways, but this is not where the traditions end. When my family gets home, we each get new pajamas, as is the tradition in many households.
       After a fitful night of sleep, we wake up, ready to open presents. Of course, this is assuming Dad has the camcorder set up already. If we are expecting any early morning guests, like my Aunt "Teen," we have to wait for them to get to our house before we are allowed to open presents, so we at least can see what has been left in our stockings. That is, usually we do. This year we had to wait until my aunt got to our house before even opening our stockings and since Christmas fell on a Sunday, we were only able to open stockings before we had to go to church.

     New Year's Eve is my favorite holiday. We have a family of our friends come over around 5:00 p.m. and we start eating about 6:00 p.m. and just snack all night after that. There are a few foods that we absolutely have to have every year (including little smokies, wrapped in bacon and brown sugar). We've played games over the years, done karaoke a couple times, watch movies, and when we were really young, we would play "House." At about 11:00-11:30 p.m. we start chocolate fondue with all sorts of fruits and snacks (and cream puffs) to dip and eat. Then at about midnight, we take poppers outside that are filled with confetti to celebrate the New Year. The past few years my dad has fired off an old pistol he inherited that sounds louder than most fireworks.
      When we have tired of standing in the cold, we go inside and start cleaning up. By the time we are done and our family friends leave it is about one in the morning and we get ready for bed; it's a great start to a new year.

I love traditions. They are a time to spend with family and friends that remain but at the same time they will evolve throughout the years as tastes and ages change.
     What are some traditions you have and what do you like to do the most?

Day 13: Stop Giving us Homework if You Want us to Have Time to Read

'The greatest writers are the most vigilant readers.'

      This may be the case, however, when flooded with incessant assignments, how are students expected to find time to read? I myself have a large list of books to read, not counting the stack of library books piling up in my room and collecting dust, that I never have enough time in the day to read.
      In high school, students are encouraged to take challenging classes, get good grades, be involved with multiple diverse extracurricular activities, do homework, and get enough sleep at night (which in case you were wondering is between 9 to 9 1/2 hours). If you are a high school student or the parent or teacher of a high school student, I would like you to ask how many hours of sleep do high school students (including yourself, if that is the case) get 9 to 9 1/2 hours of sleep every night on average? Show of hands? Hmmm. I am not seeing many hands, and that's not because I am simply sitting at this computer typing. This is because we don't have time to get enough sleep.

Video: How Early School Start Times Are Holding Back Teens

      However, this post is not about our lack of sleep and how I believe school start times should be pushed back. This is about having time to read. Teachers think they do us a favor by assigning books to read: exposing us to culture and expanding our horizons. The thing is, oh misguided teachers of ours, there's this thing called The Taint of School Touch. The Taint is something I refer to often when talking to my friends about books and reading. Think of a book you have been longing to read--it has been on your To Read list for a long time. Too long. Imagine it is some classic novel and you hope to broaden your sense of culture through the reading of this novel. 

      Now picture that school has just started and you are sitting in your English class; your first assignment: that novel you have been longing to read. Here is where The Taint comes into play. What you were once planning on reading for pleasure becomes a chore to complete. A chore that some students would prefer not to meet. 

      There are also different scenarios--things I have experienced--such as going to the library after school or during the weekend. You scour the aisles of books. So many titles and such little time. You grab a handful--or armload in my case--and head to checkout these new, exciting books. Maybe you picked up something informational from the non-fiction section as well as a couple thrillers from the action section plus a few classics or books that were finally available in the library. You go home to unload your treasures and can't decide what to read first so you start with "eeny meeny miny mo" and let chance or fate or what have you do the decision-making for you.

      You thoroughly enjoy your books. That is of course, assuming you didn't have a mountain of homework waiting for you once you came home that barraged you through reminders on your phone, letting you know how there is no time for reading. Or at least, there isn't time for reading all of the wonderful books you checked out from the library. Instead, you have a Tainted novel rotting away with the rest of your school work in your backpack, waiting to make or break your grade. 

      The books you just checked out get shoved off to the side as you make the tough decision to at least pretend you are going to be a good student and get your work done. Weeks go by and you look wistfully once or twice towards the books you got from the library (or maybe they are brand new books you just bought), but you have to turn back to the cruel homework sitting on your kitchen table. 

     Every once in a while you may be lucky enough to crack open the pages of one of the books and read for a moment or two, whether during a few spare minutes at the end of class or in the moments before drifting off to sleep. But it's never enough. You go online every week to press the renew button until it no longer does you any good. The books are due back and you haven't completed any of them; in fact, you almost completely lost interest in reading them any time soon and will probably forget that they were once a thrill you were hoping to enjoy. 

      Teachers think they do us a favor by assigning us books to read. "Bill Gates reads a book every week," my English teacher professes to the class. "However," he continues as though he is doing us a favor, "You only have to read one book a month."
      I would love to read a new book every week. During the summer and fall when school ends or is just beginning and I have no other obligations to fulfill, I spend hours curled up somewhere in my house--sometimes even outside sitting up in a tree--with a book. I wish I could do the same during the school year. 

      "Well let's just assign you to pick out a book you want to read. Pick a biography about someone that interests you." Tainted. "We just took the SRI and you received your Lexile score. Find a book that looks interesting to you based on your score." Tainted even more. As soon as a book is touched by the school system through assignment, it is Tainted.

      Dear Teachers, 

             Please stop assigning us books to read. We are in high school. We are nearly adults and should be allowed to make our own decisions. Your ideas of fun are not the same as ours. If anything, make it a competition as to who can read the most by the end of the year with a grand prize and something for the runner-up. 

            Check in with students, see what they are reading. See if there is something they could recommend to other students. Create a community for sharing, reading, and learning. Encourage us to read, but don't make it part of our grade. There are alternatives! I plead with you, don't Taint the works of brilliant authors. 

            Thank you.

Sincerely, 

            The Vigilant Readers Trying to Become the Greatest Writers (of Our Time)

Day 12: Long Time, No See

Written March 1st, 2017

       This post will be fairly short and sweet since it has been almost two months since my last post. Today is March 1st which for many means the beginning of basketball March Madness. For me, it means something else. Today marks the beginning of Seminary March Madness which is a reading challenge through the LDS Seminary to read the whole Book of Mormon in 31 days. March Madness (through seminary) is one of my favorite times of the year. I have participated in March Madness since I was in eighth grade, when my friends were mostly in high school--all in seminary while I was still too young.
      I had never been able to finish the Book of Mormon. Like many others, I had 1 Nephi chapter 1 verse 1 nearly memorized through constant re-visitation--trying once more to maybe get farther than Mosiah or Alma. I was more excited than I had ever been about reading a book, although I was worried how I would be perceived by my peers as I carried a copy of the Book of Mormon around with me. In my English class we had to read for 10 minutes at the beginning of each class and then write about what we read. This was the perfect opportunity for me to keep up with my reading. By the end of the month I was exactly where I needed to be in order to finish on the 31st: I finished on the 30th. From that day I made a goal: every year I was going to finish a day sooner than the previous year.
     In ninth grade I finished the 28th. In tenth I was done by the 23rd or 24th. Today is the beginning of a new bout of March Madness and I'm ready. This year I am going to try to finish within two or three weeks. The past few years in my ward I have become known as the one to "beat." The challenge some of the adults have taken beyond just finishing within the month is to finish before me. I love this not because of any attention that comes to me, but because it creates a unity as we all try to finish this amazing book together with a similar goal in mind.