Hundredth

It's days like today where I miss having a best friend.

 I look at this picture and imagine what happened 16 years, 9 months and 9 days ago. I imagine that what is happening now is very similar to the day I was born. My older brother was there, waiting for his little brother. Two and a half year old Brock waiting for his new best friend for life, not knowing what was to come. Not knowing the fights to come. Not knowing the happiness to come. Not knowing the love that would be shared. He didn't care that I was annoying or smelly, he loved me regardless. All he knew was Wyatt was coming. 

He loved me. He is my brother, so he has to. I miss him. He was the one that wanted his baby brother so badly he couldn't even take his hand away for a picture. He loves me. I miss my brother. 

He is out having the "best two years" and I can't help but be jealous. He is doing what we wanted to do ever since Nick came home and held us in our Hot Wheels pajamas. He is doing the Lord's work, and I wish I was, too. I miss him. 

My older brother, Jesus Christ, is there, waiting for his baby brother. He doesn't care if I am annoying or if I'm popular. He knows all love. He welcomes me with open arms and He loves me. He is helping Brock in the mission field and He will soon help me. I know my Savior lives. He loves me unconditionally, even if I were the worst person in the world. He is my older brother, so He shows me how much He loves me. I love Him. I miss Him. I miss Brock. I know He lives and I know Brock loves me, too. Don't ever forget the Savior, because He never forgets you.

You're your mom's favorite!

Because all I that is happening in my life is school, I decided to share some of my favorite things. Here you go:

My favorite smell is Barnes and Noble. I love the smell of books. I could literally live in the Orem B&N. I can't get enough.

My favorite color is red. I love the power that it has. I'm not a Nazi. Or a communist.

My favorite day of the week is Sunday. I can always look forward to it as a day where I can relax (even though I end up doing more church stuff than I intended, which results in me being in my suit for eight hours straight).

My favorite TV show is Psych. It is so choice. Just to let you know, I watched about 4 hours of it yesterday, then Keven Carlson and I made Psych shirts. He kept telling me I was acting like Shawn.
My favorite things to do are writing and hiking. I could really hike for years and write longer. If it weren't for school and other responsibilities, that is all I would do.

My favorite place to be is in the mountains. I totally understand why prophets of old used mountains as temples. Going into the mountain wilderness is a sure way of feeling the spirit.

My favorite feeling is accomplishment. I love finishing a school assignment or a project I'm working on and having that feeling of relieve and happiness.

My favorite book in the standard works is the Doctrine and Covenants. I love learning the gospel and reading about Joseph Smith and other modern day prophets. I love so many scriptures in D&C.

My favorite thought is thinking about my future wife. She is somewhere right now, having all the guys hit on her (because she is obviously amazingly beautiful). I love thinking about where she is on her journey and I love being worried about how she is doing. She better stay on the straight and narrow. I love her so much.

My favorite food is meat. One time at scout camp, Taft and I went to get meat with our leaders and we saw George Lucas there. True story.

Basically my favorite animal is a liger.

My favorite film and novel are non-existent because I love too many to choose.

My favorite time of year is the end of the school year. You don't  realize how stifled you are until you get out.

My favorite thing ever is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think that if you aren't Mormon, you should read this.

My heroes are my brothers and my father. All of them have gone on missions, which doesn't happen often. I hope someday I can be as great of men as they are.

So there is a butt load of information about me. If you have any questions, deal with it. Haha, I'm joking. Ask already.

Psych!

Good memory:
"Hey, Brock, guess what show is on tonight."
"What?"
"The Office."
"Really?"
"Psych!"
The last line was the real show that was going to happen. It has been a long week. I haven't had a free weekend since August. So am I going to go hang out with my friends and have fun? Nope. My friends are all busy.
Tomorrow I am going to a class to learn about the Space Center and how to write missions for it. So stoked. Nate Church and I are doubling next week. So stoked. Psych is on Wednesday. So stoked. iOS 5 comes out on Wednesday. So stoked. I have a test on Tuesday. Not so stoked.
I am really tired. It is because of the crappy weather. Dang you, weather.

For Steve

Most of you don't know this. Some of you won't care. Deal with it. Today, Steve Jobs passed away. It is a very sad day, indeed. He was one of the founders of Apple and he revolutionized the world of technology. He was smart and nice and he had a voice that I loved to hear, because I knew it meant a new Apple gadget. Steve was noble. As CEO, his salary was $1 a year. He was on the board of directors for Pixar and Disney and was known as the Thomas Edison of his time. He will be missed. He was a great man.

Stand alone

Non-Priesthood holders should watch this. Priesthood holders, good job.

It is funny how this talk came right at a time when I did not realize it applied. Here is the down low (like Elder Holland, I will be speaking boldly): Teenagers take way too many liberties when it comes to the opposite gender. I have never really realized how much it surrounded me until just barely. I have had strong anti-relationship advocates fall for a pretty face and the words "stand alone" are becoming more prevalent to my life.

I want to make a commitment to you that I have already made to myself: I will not get into a relationship with or even kiss someone until after my mission. The youth of the church are taking principles like this less and less seriously, which is what leads to a downfall. Imagine a rock: if it gets smashed a hammer, you will instantly notice the jagged remains. But if a constant stream of water flows over it, the erosion is almost impossible to see. Although it takes time, our morals, like the rock, will wear away until we lose everything we once had.

If we are to get through this life, we just be completely true to the words of the prophet. Any step outside of what he says is not only risking your earthly happiness, it is risking your eternal salvation. Do not believe that what the world says is okay is. THe standards of the world and the standards of the church barely overlap. Turn to the prophet for guidance, not Justin Bieber. The Lord will not forsake you.

Sorry for going Word of God on you, I felt I needed to. Have a good day. No swearing.

Design?

So I switched designs. Good, huh? (Update: 10/3/11 I hated the "Dynamic Views." But redo the old looks good too, eh?)

Conference was good. Another reason to procrastinate math homework.

Oh, um, do you want to see Homecoming pictures? Or hear the whole story? Okay, here you go:
 (Pardon the horrible smiles on my part. I hate my teeth)

 Friday night after a disappointing loss for PG, I set my alarm for 9:30. Call it luck or excitement for a day that I had ben planning since the beginning of the school year, I woke up at 9:00. I got ready for the day just in time to receive a message from Isaac Major requesting my help to set up for lunch. We had gotten together previously, that is the fourteen guys in our group, Isaac, Jake, Josh, Christian, Adam, Max, Mack, Nate Cutler, Nate Church, Zack, Derek, Nick, Noah, and myself, and said we would meet at Saver's at 11:00 (It takes a lot of time for fourteen guys to decide on one plan of action). So I went over to Isaac's house and helped him set up for lunch. Nate Cutler came and we went to go get chairs and tables from Isaac's grandma's house. For some strange reason, Isaac's younger brother, Joseph, came, but that is neither here nor there. After loading six tables and thirty chairs into Isaac's Suburban, we realized we were two seats in the negative for the ride home. Naturally, Nate sat in the back between the rear door and a stack of chairs and I got shotgun with Joe on my lap. Then Nate realized he needed to pick up his corsage at the high school. So we drove to the high school. Nate got his flower. We went back to Isaac's house and set up. We went to Isaac and Nate's neighbor's house to see if they would let us take pictures in their backyard. They said yes. We got into the car to go get our various dates about half an hour too late. We picked up our dates then got to Saver's at 11:40. 

 At Saver's, we had a contest to see who could buy the weirdest outfits for $15. Afterwards, we went to Menchies because they had free frozen yogurt. Then we went to the Major's house. On the way, I realized my embroidered dragon pants just weren't working because they were about twenty sizes too small, so I requested a stop to my house. I got my jumpsuit on and we were on our way.

Because I am too lazy to scan the pictures. Deal with it.

Isaac's dad made pizza for us, which was great. We took a few pictures, then at three, we dropped off our dates. Nate, Isaac, Nick, Zack and I went to the church where we were going to eat dinner to set up. We found out we needed more plates, so Isaac, Nate and I went to Macey's and got some more. Then we went to pick up Isaac's flower. We finished completely then went our separate ways. Half an hour later we go together to pick up our dates. Seriously, I got home, got ready, then left. 

I picked up Alese. She had a golden dress and brown hair. I thought she looked like a Disney Princess. My idiocy exceeds me when I told her she looked exactly like Cinderella. I didn't watch many princess movies growing up.

Basically a Alma-the-younger-struck-dumb speechlessness because of her beauty.

We got to the church and went inside. I didn't get any pictures of the dinner and I am too lazy to describe it, so just think of a romantic yet fun layout designed by me and go with it. My wonderful mother cooked for us. We had bacon-wrapped chicken and pineapple skewers, Brazilian cheese bread, Caesar salad, Brazilian  limeade, and Tres Leches cake. It was fillingly terrific.

My dad brought out his computer which was playing the BYU-Utah game, so a cluster of the group gathered around that. Alese and I went outside because it was hot inside and while we were out there, we saw a group of kids having a dance party in the parking lot. They were my friends! We went over and talked to them and invited them into the building. They talked with everyone then we all left for the dance.

We got to the dance and it was awesome. Alese and I got hot after an hour or so, so we went outside and sat on a rock and talked. Just to let you know, I don't kiss girls yet. Or guys for that matter. So we talked for about a half hour and I looked at the time. I felt sad because I knew that in about three hours, I would be saying goodbye to a gorgeous girl and closing one of the best days of my life. We went back into the dance.

We danced for the rest of the night. It was awesome.

I was with a ton of my closest friends and it was the best.

I was so happy. I did not want the night to end. I at least did not want to forget that moment. I did not want to forget my beautiful date, dancing to music I didn't really care for but I danced to anyway because that was the only sensible choice. 

So I pulled out my phone and took a picture of one of the best moments of my life. Even though she thought I was a sentimental dork, it was worth it. I asked her before I really knew her and, as it turned out, she is more than I bargained for. I had a great day with some of my best friends. I could've cared less about BYU and Utah, because I was with awesome people and an awesome girl. I will not soon forget my first formal dance.