20 Films That Have Had An Impact On Me

Over the past while I did a fun Twitter activity where every day for twenty days I tweeted out a screenshot from a film that made a significant impact on me throughout the course of my life. The idea was to simply post the picture with no additional comment besides to say which day you were on.

I took this "challenge" because I saw a friend do it on his Twitter and it looked like something I'd like to do too, and I actually think it may have been actor/director Ron Howard who was the inspiration behind the challenge in the first place? Not sure. But anyway. Here are the screenshots I posted, in chronological order. I'm putting them here on my blog so they can all be in one singular string.

ONE

THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)

TWO

THE LITTLE RASCALS (1994)


THREE

GO WEST (1925)


FOUR

THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)

FIVE

CINDERELLA (1965)

SIX

LABYRINTH (1986)

SEVEN

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (1992)


EIGHT

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)


NINE

THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998)


TEN

LES MISÉRABLES: THE DREAM CAST IN CONCERT (1995)


ELEVEN

NACHO LIBRE (2006)


TWELVE

A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001)


THIRTEEN

THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS (1980)


FOURTEEN

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993)


FIFTEEN

101 DALMATIANS (1961)


SIXTEEN

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1995)


SEVENTEEN

AUSTENLAND (2013)


EIGHTEEN

NEVER BEEN KISSED (1999)


NINETEEN

THE PARENT TRAP (1961)


TWENTY

HOOK (1991)

Alison's Favorite Quote from Each April 2018 General Conference Talk

To help prepare myself for the October 2018 General Conference this weekend, I took the time over the past 30+ days to revisit all talks from last spring's sessions. As I went along I tweeted out a favorite quote of mine from each talk. Here I bring them all together in one post.

SATURDAY MORNING

"If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, the Lord can help us remove the mountains of discouragement and doubt in the tasks ahead of us as we serve with God’s children...."

President M. Russell Ballard

("Precious Gifts from God")

"....open the Book of Mormon, and you will come to know that '[God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so].'"

Elder Brian K. Taylor

("Am I a Child of God?")

"Do we harbor what seem like fully justified feelings of resentment and anger? Are we letting pride keep us from forgiving and letting go? I invite all of us to forgive completely and let healing occur from within."

Elder Larry J. Echo Hawk

("Even as Christ Forgives You, So Also Do Ye")

"Just as President Monson was one of the grandest inhabitants to grace this earth, so is President Nelson. He has been profoundly prepared and specifically tutored by the Lord to lead us at this time."

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

("The Heart of a Prophet")

"Obviously, the Savior was not establishing an upper limit of 490.... The Lord used the math of seventy times seven as a metaphor of His infinite Atonement, His boundless love, and His limitless grace."

Elder Lynn G. Robbins

("Until Seventy Times Seven")

“And don’t be alarmed when the prophet’s warning voice counters popular opinions of the day. The mocking fireballs of annoyed disbelievers are always hurled the moment the prophet begins to speak.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen

("The Prophet of God")

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

“The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash.”

Elder David A. Bednar

("Meek and Lowly of Heart")

“At the same time, as we honor and are grateful for His sacrifice, we can receive in a great measure the intense desire to be better children of God, to stay away from sin, and to keep covenants like never before.”

Elder Taylor G. Godoy

("One More Day")

“Do those who sit on ward councils, or hold any calling in the ward, see the young women as valuable resources to help fill the many needs within our wards? ....we often think only of the adults in the ward to meet those needs.”

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson

("Young Women in the Work")

“....the Savior saved our lives and how we need to thank Him every day, every day, every day!”

Elder Taniela B. Wakolo

("Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light")

“I think it wise to ask ourselves occasionally, ‘What will I teach, or what am I teaching, my children by my acts and attitudes of obedience?’”

Brother Devin G. Durrant

("Teaching in the Home—a Joyful and Sacred Responsibility")

“When ordinances are performed on behalf of the deceased, God’s children on earth are healed.”

Elder Dale G. Renlund

("Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing")

SUNDAY MORNING

“The arrival of a typhoon is no time to dust off the gift of the Holy Ghost and figure out how to use it.”

Elder Larry Y. Wilson

("Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide")

“Every one of our paths is different, yet we walk them together. Our path is not about what we have done or where we have been; it is about where we are going and what we are becoming, in unity.”

Sister Reyna I. Aburto

("With One Accord")

“They know that the price He paid is an ‘all-inclusive price.’ Spiritual taxes, fees, commissions, and charges related to sins, mistakes, or wrongdoings are all covered. True disciples are quick to forgive and quick to ask for forgiveness.”

Elder Massimo De Feo

("Pure Love: The True Sign of Every True Disciple of Jesus Christ")

“I testify that our Heavenly Father is constantly saying, ‘I love you. I sustain you. I am with you. Do not give up. Repent and endure in the path that I have shown you. And I assure you that we will see each other again in our celestial home.’”

Elder Claudio D. Zivic

("He That Shall Endure unto the End, the Same Shall Be Saved")

“....the Father and the Son are sending the Holy Ghost to all who have that gift, ask for that blessing, and seek to be worthy of it. Neither the Father, nor the Son, nor the Holy Ghost force Themselves into our lives. We are free to choose.”

President Henry B. Eyring

("His Spirit to Be with You")

“....the simplicity of the way or the easiness of the commanded task cannot mean that it is unimportant to achieve our righteous desire. Similarly, even small acts of disobedience or minor failures to follow righteous practices can draw us down toward an outcome we have been warned to avoid.”

President Dallin H. Oaks

("Small and Simple Things")

“But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

President Russell M. Nelson

("Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives")

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

“Together, our covenants and our Savior’s Atonement enable and ennoble. Together, they help us hold on and let go. Together, they sweeten, preserve, sanctify, redeem.”

Elder Gerrit W. Gong

("Christ the Lord Is Risen Today")

“By following them (the prophets), our lives are happier and less complicated, our difficulties and problems are easier to bear, and we create a spiritual armor around us that will protect us from the attacks of the enemy in our day.”

Elder Ulisses Soares

("Prophets Speak by the Power of the Holy Spirit")

“As He prepared to leave His still-innocent and somewhat-confused little band of followers, He did not list a dozen administrative steps they had to take or hand them a fistful of reports to be filled out in triplicate. No, He summarized their task in one fundamental commandment: ‘Love one another; as I have loved you.… By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.’”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

("'Be With and Strengthen Them'")

“With love as the motivation, miracles will happen, and we will find ways to bring our ‘missing’ sisters and brothers into the all-inclusive embrace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Sister Jean B. Bingham

("Ministering as the Savior Does")

“So, when you are encompassed by sorrows and grief, behold the Man. When you feel lost or forgotten, behold the Man. When you are despairing, deserted, doubting, damaged, or defeated, behold the Man. He will comfort you.”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

("Behold the Man!")

“Sometimes we talk about going to church. But the Church is more than a building or a particular place.... We take the Church with us wherever we go.... Our very presence and influence can be enough to make wherever we find ourselves a holy place.”

Bishop Gérald Caussé

("It Is All about People")

“In the Lord’s Church, the only culture we adhere to and teach is the culture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The unity we seek is to be unified with the Savior and His teachings.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook

("Prepare to Meet God")

“Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life.”

President Russell M. Nelson

("Let Us All Press On")

GENERAL PRIESTHOOD SESSION

“Understanding and magnifying the Aaronic Priesthood will prepare them to be faithful Melchizedek Priesthood holders, power-filled missionaries, and righteous husbands and fathers.”

Brother Douglas D. Holmes

("What Every Aaronic Priesthood Holder Needs to Understand")

“He wants all of His ordained sons to represent Him, to speak for Him, to act for Him, and to bless the lives of God’s children throughout the world, to the end ‘that faith also might increase in [all] the earth.’”

President Russell M. Nelson

("Introductory Remarks")

“‘The priesthood is greater than any of its offices.… The priesthood is not divisible. An elder holds as much priesthood as an Apostle. When a man [has the priesthood conferred upon him], he receives all of it.’”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, quoting President Boyd K. Packer

("The Elders Quorum")

“I remind you: priesthood authority comes by way of setting apart and ordination, but real priesthood power, the power to act in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, can come only through righteous living.”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

("Behold! A Royal Army")

“‘Some service like passing the sacrament is something people see and they thank us for doing it, but other service like preparing the sacrament is usually done without anyone noticing. It isn’t important if people see us serving; what’s important is that the Lord knows we have served Him.’”

President Henry B. Eyring, quoting a 14-year-old boy whom he heard speak in church one day

("Inspired Ministering")

“The Melchizedek Priesthood is not a status or a label. It is a divine power held in trust to use for the benefit of God’s work for His children. We should always remember that men who hold the priesthood are not ‘the priesthood.’”

President Dallin H. Oaks

("The Powers of the Priesthood")

“....there are doors we can open, priesthood blessings we can give, hearts we can heal, burdens we can lift, testimonies we can strengthen, lives we can save, and joy we can bring into the homes of the Latter-day Saints—all because we hold the priesthood of God.”

President Russell M. Nelson

("Ministering with the Power and Authority of God")

Lessons Learned From Iago (And No, I'm Not Talking About Jafar's Talking Parrot)

This past weekend, I attended a famed Shakespearean festival in my home state for the first time in my life. This festival has been around for more than 50 years. Now that I have finally had this experience, I ask myself in full sincerity, "How has it taken me this long to come to this incredible event?" I am now a convert and will definitely be coming again.

A group of good friends and I saw two plays — written by William Shakespeare, of course: "The Merchant of Venice" on Friday, and "Othello" the following Monday. I thoroughly enjoyed both, but was immensely impacted by "Othello," in particular. If I had a "Top 3 Darkest Shows I've Ever Seen In My Entire Life" list — whether the items be from TV, film, or live theatre — "Othello" would for sure be in it, no question. And I have ALWAYS been anti any plot in which nothing good ever happens. I've seen a few shows and read a few books like that and I hated every last one of them. But "Othello"? Different story. I was hooked from the very beginning and, even though my gut was uncomfortably wrenching for basically the entire performance, I was still completely captivated and in a constant state of utter inability to patiently wait to see what was going to happen next (I was not acquainted with the story aforehand, so everything was new to me).

After the matinee showing of "Othello," my friends and I went out to dinner. On the way to dinner, one of my friends mentioned how she was actually uplifted by such a tragic tale. I really think I understand where she was coming from when she said that; for I, too, was reminded of everything I should be, as a person, that is total opposite of everything that makes up the personality and deeds of the main character and loathsome villain of the "Othello" story: Iago.

In this adaptation, Iago was portrayed by a man named Brian Vaughn. Stellar actor (as well as artistic director of the entire festival, I found out) who pulled off the part so well, in fact, that it made my skin crawl almost literally. Honestly felt like my nerves were getting knocked around to-and-fro inside my body. I still have some shakes from it, two whole days later. And it wasn't just Brian; it was the combined chemistry of all the actors on that stage, for the duration of the play. The interweaving of the actors engaging in conversation and stage fights and what-have-you... Everything built upon each other, and the water had gotten so high that, by the end of it all, I was swimming up to my neck in tension. The room was fraught with anxiety that I bet almost everyone present could sense. We were all aware that none of it was real, but it sure felt real at many parts.

Back to Iago. Hence the play's title, Othello does play a major role from which I also learned some important life lessons, but the "Othello" world revolves primarily around Iago. Part of what made this show frankly quite scary was that Iago reminded me so much of what I've learned about who the devil is, that vilest scoundrel of an adversary who is as very real as God is, who is as very interested in my daily life as God is, but in the worst possible way, while God is interested in the best possible way. Being seated in that small, intimate theatre was like being in a schoolroom in which I could become better educated in the area of who my worst enemy actually is, and how he works, while thankfully still being snug as a bug in a safe space, surrounded by really good people — some who were my fellow classmates, some who were my teachers.

Who was Iago? What did he do that was so bad? I scribbled out a huge list on a scrap of paper. Some traits include his covetousness, his lustfulness, his unquenchable thirst for revenge, his unabashed demonstrations of racism, his love for beguiling, his zeal for lying, his flagrant lack of integrity, his devoidance (yes, I just transformed "devoid" into a noun) of virtue, his ability to see virtue in another person and yet still have the unfortunate fetish of twisting that virtue into something negative. Whenever he was alone, he confessed openly the evil schemes and dark things he thought about everyone. But when he rejoined with his associates, even with his own wife, he donned his sheep's clothing and manipulated away. He was a handsome face (so sue me), and was someone whom a lot of people trusted for a long time. This point, in particular, reminded me of how the devil tries to make ungodly temptations appear nice and desirable. He twists that which is good into something that's the antithesis of good.

Back to the lunch I had with my friends after the matinee. Another one of my friends brought up, as we sat consuming our family-style Chinese, the fact that a certain religious figure we all admired had given an address back in the year 2000, where he said, "Of all the villains in Shakespeare's writing, and perhaps in all of literature, there is no one I loathe so much as I loathe Iago." (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles)

The religious figure went on to say that Iago is an example of what it means to violate the charitable qualities of the pure love of Jesus Christ, as taught in Moroni 7 (The Book of Mormon) and 1 Corinthians 13 (The Holy Bible). "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth." Iago was none of these things, did none of these things.

I had realized halfway through the performance, at intermission time, that I was sitting immediately next to the parents of the lady who played Desdemona (Betsy Mugavero). They were pretty neat people and I was happy to make their acquaintances. It was fun to sneak a side-eye at them to see what their reactions were to the more intense scenes that involved their daughter's character. During intermission they told me that Betsy and Brian (Iago) had a really close and special friendship in real life. Brian attended Betsy's wedding fairly recently. So, with that new knowledge in mind, which I did not have during the first half of the play, pre-intermission, I kept a close eye on any Iago/Desdemona interactions that occurred on-stage during the second half. I kept a close eye on those two real-life friends as they were in their thespian elements with one another.

There was one specific scene where Desdemona confided some of her deep, personal feelings in Iago. As she was about to exit stage, she hugged Iago in a most meaningful manner, believing him to be her true friend. I physically was approximately 10 feet away from the two, and had a clear view of Iago's face as she ran off post-embrace. I saw his eyes follow her as she left, and I was impressed by his countenance. I detected a minor spark of hope within me when I saw what I saw on his face. His countenance looked softened a little, after his having had that moment with the innocent Desdemona. I saw him perhaps contemplating what his current plans were, perhaps questioning himself, as to whether he really should continue forth with the vicious plot he was brewing. Again, I wasn't already familiar with the "Othello" story prior to coming to the festival to see the play. Therefore my tiny, tiny, tiny bit of faith in Iago was pretty legitimate (albeit short-lived) and it upset me when I realized that my faith in him was in vain, when I realized that he was going to follow through with his plan to destroy lives anyway, figuratively and literally.

And ultimately, for Iago, it does not end well. His countenance in the final scene was grim, full of guilt, and possibly remorseful. I was reminded strikingly of another part in The Book of Mormon where it says, "And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever." Iago let himself bond closer and closer with the founder of darkness. He had the chance to change his mind and forgo his cruel projects. I think he thought about it. That's what it looked like to me. But he shoved aside "the better angels of [his] nature," as Abraham Lincoln would've put it (Elder Holland quotes that in his talk too), and let his shoulder-devil take control. Lesson learned from this: we need to encourage within ourselves our shoulder-angels. If there are temptations we face that we know are wrong, no matter how appealing they may appear, we need to think better and do better.

And something that I learned from the titular character Othello: work hard at not listening to a word the adversary says to you. Don't entertain the pessimistic or unkind notions he may attempt to persuade you to believe about yourself. Don't assume that the people you love are eager to harm you. As the aforementioned religious figure also advised, "Assume the good and doubt the bad" in others. Be kind to others as well as to yourself. Have charity. "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth."

Forty Favorite Fabulous Friends-Filled Moments On My MoTab Mini Musical Mission

There is no way I could’ve fit EVERYthing I loved about tour in this blog post. Here are just a few! The ones I had pictures and videos for on my phone!

1) “Journey to the Past” music video with Katie H on Balboa Island on our first day off. See vid HERE.

2) Staci being with us in our hearts. She was the little “Flat Stanley” of tour!

3) Singing practically half of the concert program inside this tall, skinny, metal structure with a few great friends.

4) The Hansen Family restaurant, Los Gringos Locos, catered our dinner prior to our first show. It felt like a taste of home, in a way!

5) Meeting and greeting Christian and Nathalie after the Costa Mesa concert.

6) Being at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Being able to actually touch the wacky, silvery, metallic exterior as I sat at dinner or walked the grounds. I was right there where the Steve Carell “Get Smart” movie was filmed. It may be the kookiest-looking building I’ve ever seen, inside and out. Inside the Hall reminded me a lot of what a fancy version of the biblical Noah’s Ark would resemble.

7) Offering the prayer, on behalf of hundreds of people, inside Disney Hall. Surreal. Can hardly believe that happened.

8) Having Jess Harnell there at sound check with us. One of the kindest humans walking the planet today. He’s loved the Choir for a long time, sings exceptionally well, and he’s seen us perform but has never sung with us. I thought I’d go about finding out if he’d like to rehearse with us and he wanted to and he LOVED it! He got to sing right next to my good friend Matt. Can’t wait to see Jess and his manager Jeff again in a couple of months. Love them.

9) Whale and dolphin watching was nothing short of magical. Especially when we saw a thousand dolphins and not one, not two, not three, but FOUR blue whales: largest creature ever to dwell on earth, and quite endangered.

So beautiful. Almost cried.

10) Sleepy people.

11) False-alarm fire alarm at 4:30 in the morning on our first night in San Francisco. It was hilarious, I was not angry, and was able to fall back to sleep in less two minutes when I returned back upstairs to my bed on the 8^th floor.

12) Rode in Ubers/Lyfts for the first time in my life on this trip. Every driver surely thought that I and my friends were crazy, with every Uber/Lyft ride we took. However, I think the driver in the big, black, shiny SUV named Demetrius (the one who raved about Mrs. Incredible/Elastigirl’s physique) was maaaaybe crazier than me/us…

13) Visited a very weird, very retro arcade and arm wrestled the same luchador Julie Andrews did in “The Princess Diaries.” Couldn’t have won without Paul’s help.

14) Playing on top of the Golden Gate bridge…

… and under it!

15) Going to the flower market with the man who knows!

Fun to see Andrew in his element!

16) Anytime at the outdoor venues when the cellos or violins were in the sun, off to the rescue hastened these kind, selfless souls who stood for hours beneath the blazing rays, with shielding umbrellas in-hand.

17) Ramadan lanterns backstage at the Berkeley venue

(the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre)!

18) Alcatraz day! If you ever go there, do yourself a favor and do the audio tour – it’s great! It’s done so well that you’re often led to believe that the prison sound effects you’re hearing through your headphones are what’s actually going on in real life. Kind of spine-tingling. Also, the ferry ride to and from was wild. Luckily I had biker shorts on underneath my dress because I was accidentally flashing people left and right (while remaining modest somehow).

WHOOOOPSY-DAISY.

19) People spelling stuff wrong makes me feel sad. But I still bought the Rainier cherries because those are just righteous.

20) SEA LION FAMILY OH MY WORD HOW COULD ANYTHING EVER BE CUTER THAN THIS LOOK AT ALL THOSE BABIES

21) The Shoreline Amphitheatre performance. Sound check was especially really neat, when we had the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus rehearse with us. Their conductor led us in our encore song at the end of the actual concert. How heartwarming it was—and also thrilling—to hear the entire audience joyfully explode into lovingly supportive applause when Lloyd Newell introduced Dr. Timothy Seelig at the podium. It’s just really cool to think about the bridges of harmony that were built that day, when many people seem to be wired to suppose that not much harmony could exist between a group like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and “the granddaddy of the LGBT choral movement” (Seelig).

22) Biking to the Painted Ladies with some of my wonderful yayhoos whom I heart so much. What are the Painted Ladies? The houses that you see in the background during the opening credits of “Full House.” Millennials who have never watched “Full House” in their childhoods are beckoned to mend their ways promptly.

(Did I spell “Millennials” correctly?)

23) P.S. That was the SECOND time I went to the Painted Ladies while in San Fran. The first time was a few days earlier and it was with THESE great peeps, among other good eggs not shown in this pic.

24) Alex is an example of said good eggs. How is it that he is so cool.

25) So anyway, after biking to the Painted Ladies on that other day, we then forthwith Uber’d to the Walt Disney Family Museum, where we learned a whole lot about Walt’s family history, his early life, the various stages of his career, specific intricacies involved in his early animated films, his vision for Disneyland, the heartache that was felt far and wide when he passed away, and much more. Mark freakishly knew a ton already and the museum employees basically offered him a job right then and there.

Eight individual Oscar statues for when Disney won the
Academy Award for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

26) These funky old Mickeys are what your dreams are made of. Better leave a light on…

27) SAILING WAS SO FUN AND SO FREEEEZING!!!!

28) Riding a trolley car for the first time in my life! Couldn’t have picked funner people to share the experience with!

29) Giants game! That’s my buddy Andrew. Sings baritone, I believe. We were born in the same hospital three days apart. He’s my brother. Also, my family despises the Giants, and I was basically the only person in the whole stadium who rooted for the other team.

30) Earplugs in the Weill Hall at Sonoma State University! Because we on the ground level were standing literally two feet away from the organ monitors, which blasted our brains, the stage crew passed earplugs out to all of us, and yes, I sang the entire first half of the concert with plugs in! Actually, just one plug: the one for the ear that was technically farther away from the monitor behind me (mere inches farther). Very interesting to sing that way; it forces you to really zero in on your own intonation, and how you meld in with your surroundings. I think I had a spiritual experience with this. Something about meditation, and being still and knowing that God is God.

31) Adventures at Stanley Park in Vancouver, including biking!

32) The ferry ride over to Granville Island. So much hilarity! (There may be a video that exists of this short ride. I'll try to locate it. For now, here’s a photo of us.)

33) Sarah and I bought North Face jackets at Granville Island, for the purpose of…

34) …sunset kayaking!

35) His name was Jesse. Oh fer the luvvvv. <3 <3 <3 <3 Hate to break it to the other girls, but it was I with whom he accidentally paddled away into the distance whilst getting carried away in lovely, meaningful conversation (we didn’t realize how far off-course we had gotten!). That happened twice. But I guess none of us mattered all that much to him because he asked for none of our numbers… Whatevs.

36) The miracle of Andrew’s bracelet. He lost it during the Vancouver concert at the Orpheum and was so worried. Matt M picked it up and called after me to take it and try to find out whose it was. I got onto the MoTab Millennials’ GroupMe thread and uploaded this pic of it, asking if it belonged to anyone. Andrew immediately replied, “THAT’S MINE!” I rushed down from the 8th floor to the lobby to hand it off to him. Then the nicest hug and it was such a special moment! God’s hand is in things.

37) Girls’ night in Hailey-and-Brittany’s room, where we watched “The Princess Diaries” (also see #13) and we googled what all the boys in the movie look like nowadays, and best friend’s brother grew up to be the most attractive. He wins.

38) GUM WALL SO GROSS! Smells so sickly sweet.

39) Getting to see my dear B$, a Provo pal who now lives in Seattle. Love him! HAH-hm!

40) Having Elder and Sister Hallstrom with us for the first week, and Elder and Sister Pinegree for the second week. Elder Pinegree was my institute teacher a couple of years ago, and at around the same time his brother was a counselor in my singles ward bishopric. All very cool people!

And uh... yeah! So there ya go! Bring on the next tour, eh? 2020, we’re comin’ for you!