Week 10

Monday (10/13/14)
Two months gone. so. fast.

Friday (10/17/14)
On Thursday Tamara's best friend Laura and her son came over in the afternoon and Laura mentioned possibly going ice skating all together on Friday (today). So we did! I've been ice skating many times, but on my bucket list I have that I want to try figure skating. Well today, I unexpectedly got the opportunity to cross that sucker off! There's an old coach that hangs around the rink and goes up and teaches anyone and everyone, regardless of whether they wanted any help or not. I LOVED IT! It was so cool to actually learn some proper technique and exercises to do, especially from a professional. You could tell he was just absolutely in love with his art. When we were leaving I thanked him and asked him his name. "Samuel." He wouldn't give me his last name, he said it wasn't important. 

Bodensee Arena

HAHAHA! Perfect timing!

Me, Laura, Svenja

Just another day in paradise.

Later for dinner, Peter's brother and his daughter came over for Swiss fondue! They made one pot with a little wine, and one without. It honestly threw me completely off when they asked if I would prefer it without, because I know if you cook a steak with wine or something, the alcohol cooks off. But in a pot of melted cheese? I had no clue. And I wasn't sure how the rule applied in this case so, I just went without to be safe... I kind of felt like an idiot though. Regardless, not gonna lie it was not very delicious. For movie snacks later, I made guacamole (avocado, tomato, garlic, onion, lemon juice, fresh lime, salt and pepper - combine all to taste). YUM. 

Swiss Fondue 

Saturday (10/18/14)
I went to a wedding reception today at the church. Mostly because Corinne said her friend had given her an old phone for me to use and she could bring it for me if I was going. But also, I had nothing else planned so, why not? My mom is gonna kill me... I went in jeans. IN MY DEFENSE, I got dressed up for that seminary fireside thing forever ago and I was the ONLY one in nice Sunday dress. I didn't want that to happen again and it was just a little reception so I didn't think it was a big deal. Wasn't a reception people. It was a WEDDING AND a reception. *facepalm* just let me die. I was mortified. I sat in the back row of the chapel and tried to make myself invisible. Thankfully I wasn't the only chick in pants, including Tania (the RS President). And what lesson have we learned? I'd rather be nicely overdressed than feel tackily underdressed. Sorry Mom. 

Elder Roberts and Elder Sanft showed up in the middle of the ceremony (where there's food, there's missionaries haha). As per usual I hung around them during the reception and later Daisy joined us. During the course of our conversations Daisy all of a sudden and completely nonchalantly says "¿Rebecca, quieres venir a Peru conmigo a visitar mi familia?" ...uh, say what!? She asked me again. Do you want to come with me to Peru to visit my family? ...wait, for serious? When? (Next year.) Um, YES! The answer is definitely YES. I was so caught off guard! She was so casual about it, like "Rebecca, do you want a cookie?" "Rebecca, wanna come to Peru with me?" SO EXCITED! Hopefully it will all work out between her plans, Peter and Tamara's arrangements, and my plans (cause I have SO many plans... haha)

Sunday (10/19/14)
Today in church Oliver - Sandra's husband - was one of the speakers and he also provided a musical number on an Alphorn (with organ accompaniment). Um, HOW COOL IS THAT!? Gonna go ahead and check that off mah list. 

xoxo,

     Rebecca

Friendships Developed From Humility

Meet Annie. 

( I totally stole this photo off her Facebook page... )

This beautiful woman is the co-owner and artistic director of Quickstep Dance Studio, where I work. We've known each other since high school, but I wouldn't say we've ever really been friends (until now). And that is 100% my fault.

You see, I've always been really intimidated by Annie. Don't get me wrong, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is kind, beautiful, smart... but I found her intelligence threatening. But more so than my intimidation of her, I was majorly jealous of her. She is a PHENOMENAL dancer, and I just always saw her as the embodiment of every dream I had and wanted for myself as a dancer. She was on BYU's youth ballroom formation teams, then eventually BYU's tour team, and even UVU's tour team. She competes nationally and internationally and recently acquired her own studio. She is, in a word, amazing! 

In high school, it was painful to even look in her direction; I constantly compared myself to her when I was around her, and I desperately wanted everything she was achieving. She was living MY dreams. Ultimately, I just decided I didn't like her much and avoided her presence. 

Jealousy is stupid and it makes you act like a moron. 

Learn this lesson early people: someone being smart, or pretty, or just plain awesome doesn't make you the antithesis of those things, or mean you are lacking those things. There's lots of smart, beautiful, awesome people in the world. It doesn't undermine your value. My lack of understanding of this concept and poor self-esteem was the key to this particular downfall of mine, and the result was a cold-shoulder approach to an undeserving Annie.

Recently I've realized though, that yes, I am definitely not the GREATEST dancer. But for me, getting a degree in dance, was the one thing I could have picked that would challenge me to the highest degree. I am gifted in "book smartness"; I can be lazy, but given the time and the effort, I could memorize whatever I needed to for med school, or whatever other kind of "fancy" or "prestigious" degree there is. But dance took me out of my comfort-zone and BEYOND, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And the lessons I learned in that journey are priceless. I wouldn't change any of the growth I've experienced in pursuing this education for anything. Whether or not I "amount to anything" in the eyes of my fellow dance peers hardly matters when put into this perspective. 

I've also realized that it's OK to dream, and it's also OK to outgrow dreams. That doesn't mean you STOP dreaming or that you shouldn't continually reach for greater knowledge and self-improvement. As you grow, things might change. If God is at the helm of your life, have enough faith in Him to know that He will lead you in the direction that will make you the happiest, and will also be of greatest use and value to Him. 

Anyhow, given this one-sided history, I was a bit apprehensive at working not only for Annie, but for my best friend (the other half of the co-ownership). I decided though, that I couldn't let pride deprive me of an opportunity to work and gain experience in my studied profession right out of school, and I was pretty sure we all had the maturity to maintain an appropriate level of professionalism required to work together without damaging any relationships. Plus, I really did want to help my Bestie out :) So, putting aside these negative feelings and emotions, I humbled myself and gratefully accepted an instructor's position.

Literally, one of the best decisions I've ever made. I cannot thank Annie and Laura enough, for the opportunity to teach in a place where there is mutual respect, communication, and engaged students, eager to soak up any knowledge you hand them. I love my students and I love teaching them and giving them tools to help them reach their own goals and dreams.

And during all of this, I've been blessed with opportunities to get to know Annie a lot better - I'm pretty much an idiot. haha. 

I wanted to share this post that my Bishop put on our ward's Facebook wall, which seemed oddly fitting given the subject matter of this particular blog post:

The most encouraging word in the Christian vocabulary is "Repentance" it is simply the scriptural invitation for growth and improvement and progress and renewal. You can be anything you want to be in righteousness. Of course there will be problems to work out and restitutions to make. But it takes exactly as long to repent as it takes you to say, "I’ll change"—and mean it.

So, to dear Annie,

I'm sorry I let my insecurities deprive us of a spectacular friendship for so long. But I'm grateful for your grace and patience and forgiveness towards a stubborn and sometimes hard-hearted girl. I truly feel that we can and will become best of friends - the kind that last forever :) 

xoxo,

     Rebecca