Experiences I will never forget

Being in the epic flash mob (seen here) with Elizabeth during the Wyoming game.

Spending 3 days with just me and Nate in my apartment over Christmas break. I would have been very lonely without him.

Taking Matt to his soccer game and leading him in warm-ups.

PPIs with my dad.

So many long talks with my mom. And laughing about all of the good times we've had.

Nate being just as excited about me breaking 1000 as I was.

Matt's celebrations. Everything from his TOPS soccer games, to basement football, to the primary program.

Texting Elizabeth. Even if she did get a phone before she was 16 ;) I actually really like texting her :)

Analyzing BYU football, BYU basketball, Nate's soccer, my own soccer, march madness, bowl games, commentators, high school sports, church basketball, USA soccer, and so much more with my dad for literally hundreds of hours.

Getting hot chocolate with my mom after a freezing soccer game. And seeing how excited she was/is for my mission call. And going and getting mission suits with her. And knowing that she'd defend me and stand by me no matter what. (I really love my mom :)

Quotes over the years:

"You'll have to excuse your mother, she thinks she's musical." -Dad

"SORRY GUYS! I JUST TOOTED AND IT'S PRETTY BAD!" -Elizabeth

"Nanuts" -Matt (his version of "Numb Nuts")

"Holy Hail!" -Mom

"I don't want to read scriptures! It's just a book about a bunch of righteous people!" -Nate

So many more, but that will do. And I know you had to be there for most of these, but this post is more for me than for you :)

12.5 Random Thoughts at 12:50 AM

Doesn't Mr. Clean look like a rough and tumble kind of guy? Can you see that muscly, bald, tank on his hands and knees washing the kitchen floor? I sure can't. False advertisement, I say.

It's funny how a mission call can have so many effects on you. One minute, I smile and think, "I can't wait to be a missionary." The next, I think, "Oh my. I better call Mom and Dad right now. I can't do it. What do I know about missionary work? Who am I to preach the gospel? I'm unqualified and unprepared." Luckily, I have a firm testimony of prayer.

I have long, heated conversations. With no one. Just me. Versus myself. I'm pretty good at winning these arguments.

Girls are SO much different than boys. I know this isn't groundbreaking. Just an observation, thank you very much.

Even though one of my roommates is super weird, I feel very blessed to have formed the relationships that I have with my roommates. They are great men of faith. I am very proud to say that I come from Kimball, 209.

Every morning (lately), I wake up with a random song stuck in my head. It's never the same one and varies from Rebecca Black (is that her name? The super annoying "Friday" song on youtube?), to Billy Joel, to Akon, to primary songs.

Blackberries bloom beautifully.

Did you hear that the makers of YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook are all teaming up to create the ultimate social networking site?? Cool, huh!? It's going to be called, YouTwitFace.

I've been listening to Herod the Fink lately. Yep. Christmas songs. I love them. And I'm going to miss them.

Over the summer, I had a job painting a fence for a family in my ward (it was a big fence). I often find myself wishing that I was back in the sun, the smell of paint strong in the air, and music (or Harry Potter 7 hehe) blasting in my ears. I loved that job.

I have dreams on a regular basis that I get to play pick-up basketball with Jimmer Fredette. He's usually impressed by my three-point shooting.

Good friends are the greatest blessing. Man. There are so many good people in this world. It amazes me.

I was just thinking that sunflowers

Of BYU, and not just the basketball team :)

Okay, first of all: that game was outstanding. If we can continue playing like that, we could make a deep run in the tournament. Knock on wood.

Okay, now that that's out of the way.

On facebook, after the game, a kid that I went to high school with (who I have a lot of respect for) posted several things about how much he hates BYU. He attends Utah State and loathes BYU. I just want to address a couple of the things he said he hates about BYU.

One thing he said was that he hates how BYU fans/students are brainwashed. Now, I will be the first person to say that the reason that I am a huge BYU fan is because my parents are. I was dressed in a BYU sweatsuit shortly after birth. I went to my first BYU football games before I had my first birthday. I've grown up with BYU in my blood. I don't believe this is brainwashing. Our parents teach us and as we grow up, we idolize our parents and tend to think like they do. Brainwashing involves things like teaching kids that if you bring down Americans and die in the process, you'll go to heaven. Brainwashing is knowingly taking away an individual's ability to see right from wrong--sports opinions do not fall in that category.  Sports are a lot of things. They are entertainment, a way to teach life lessons, a way to express yourself, and so much more. However, the team you cheer for is not a decision of right and wrong. No matter how die-hard I am, nothing can change that fact.

Second, he said that he "hates BYU's rules."

I looked through his pictures, and he has lots of photos of himself at the BYU-Utah State football game wearing a shirt that switches the first letters of BYU and the most offensive vulgarity. It is very interesting to see his view on rules. I believe that the truth sets us free. I believe that when we live righteously, we are not restricted, but have more freedom. Freedom from addiction, freedom from spiritual death and the loss of the spirit. 

I don't expect everyone to love BYU or to share these viewpoints. Let me just exercise my agency to say things that I love about BYU.

I love that I have a class entitled "Missionary Preperation."

I love that I get to learn about science and controversial topics from a gospel perspective.

I love that a lot of people at BYU are striving to be their best selves and live righteously.

I love so much about BYU, beyond sports. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I respect his as I hope he respects mine.

Oh, and I love Jimmer Fredette. :)

Last Night (slash morning) At 3 AM

2:58 Loud noise. Like someone just banged a pan down on the burner in the kitchen.
2:58 I'm awake.
2:58 I become aware that I need to use the bathroom (it's a diabetes thing, needing to pee in the middle of the night)
2:59 Drag myself out of bed.
2:59 Notice on my way to the bathroom that the kitchen light is on and someone is singing in the kitchen.
3:01 Relieved.
3:01 Stop in kitchen and poke my head in and ask groggily, "Jonathan, it's 3 in the morning. What are you doing?"
3:01 Jonathan answers, "Making some beans."
3:01 Me: "Uh. Okay. Try to keep it down."

I have such a weird roommate.

Just some thoughts

Whoever came up with the name Cheese Whiz needs to be fired.

I am going to miss BYU sports. More than I should.

If I had the motivation that I get about once a month (to work out) all the time, I'd be buff.

Fresh laundry is wonderful. Putting it away blows.

I hope I will be a good missionary.

I have amazing family. Immediate and extended.

Mission calls rank very high on the list of "Biggest Distractions for BYU Students who know they should be studying"

Jimmer Fredette is the best college basketball player in the nation. No matter what happens tomorrow (or today, technically).

I miss Adam and Lee and Sterling and Alex and Sam and Brad and Jared and Sean.

Life is great. I'm truly blessed.

Thanks for checking in :)