Monday, October 6, 2008

My 18th Birthday

First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday. I got a lot of messages over the Internet today wishing me a happy birthday, along with a few phone calls from my family. It really helped me realize just how much I am loved, and I am truly blessed to have the family and friends that I do.

My eighteenth birthday was definitely a special one:

-My seminary teacher gave me a big chocolate fish, and I loved it. My seminary teacher said, "I am making you a fisher of men! Isn't that cool?" Haha. I thought it was pretty creative, and it reminded me of the scripture mastery Jeremiah 16:16 from the Old Testament. It was an excellent gift, as I will be preparing especially hard for my mission over the next year.

-After school and seminary, my friend Scotty and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings. It was delicious as usual. I then went to the nearest gas station and bought myself a drink and a candy bar as a birthday gift to myself. :)

-In the mail, I got a little package from my sister Cynthia. She gave me a book on how to be an "extra-ordinary missionary" by John Bytheway, and it was really sweet. :)

-I then went to Chuck E. Cheese's with Brent, Shayla, and Brighton, and it was really fun! I love my nephew Brighton, and I think spending some time with him, Shayla, and Brent was one of the best birthday gifts I've ever gotten. :) I am pretty excited for Brent and Shayla's new baby this month and--knowing me--I will tell everyone that Baby Nelson #2 is a late birthday gift to me from Brent and Shayla. ;)

-As we were leaving Chuck E. Cheeses, Brent and Shayla presented me with two gifts--a journal and a book called "The Nephiteologist." I am very grateful for the journal, because I've been in need of a new one, and I think writing in a journal over the next year will be an excellent way to prepare for journal-writing on my mission. :) "The Nephiteologist" book is super sweet, as well! When I got home, I read a lot of sweet stuff from it, and there was just a lot of stuff that made you say, "Really? Wow. That's tight!" When my Dad got home, I showed it to him, and he was pretty jealous. :)

-Last but not least--Bishop Stewart called me not too long ago,to wish me a happy birthday, and we talked for a little while. He said, "Well, the countdown finally begins!" I asked him about mission papers and when the earliest time I could start filling them out was. He told me that you can turn them in three months before your 19th birthday, and he usually gives us two months to fill everything out. And so he said I can start filling out papers and what not around April/May, and that was pretty sweet news! That's only six/seven months away. Yikes! :)

Again--I want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes and for the missionary gifts! :) It really means a lot to me, and I am very glad that I have family and friends who encourage and uplift me the way y'all do!

4 comments:

The Watts said...

I am glad you had a wonderful B-day, but you know you get to celebrate all week and hopefully will still have much more fun to come! I think I heard that BYU was going to win especially for you this weekend and then of course there will be my gift!(what is it that I am getting you? It is a tradition after all that you tell me what to get you!)

BDN said...

Mom, you can always just give me a card and some money if you want. ;) It'll help me pay for homecoming next weekend. Haha.

But in all honesty--you don't really have to give me anything. Just coming to visit me in Provo while I am up there this weekend would be enough, really. :)

Kerstin said...

I am glad you had a great b-day, though someone should give you a trip to Indiana for your b-day.

Cynthia said...

I'm glad it was great! You deserved it!