...you get a sore bum.

I can see how Rexburg, ID would be a lame place to live if you weren't going to BYU-I, but for a college kid like me it's heaven on earth! (I hope it stays that way.)
My classes went as usual this week, a good mesh of spiritual and secular matters.  One of my professors on Friday told us before we left "Thou shalt not do no-no's this weekend."  Yes, sir. 
Friday night was inconceivable. 
Saturday I went to the Civil Defense Caves and played hide-and-go seek.  We took glow sticks, cut them open, and splattered the gel (Is that what it's called?) all over the rocks, walls, ceilings, us, and anything else within splattering distance.  It was an awesome looking scene; the cave looked like it was filled with a bunch of little colorful stars and when one of us would crouch down next to the rock, we'd completely disappear into our environment.  When looking for people among a pile of rocks, my foot fell into a nice-sized hole and I ended up scraping my leg and bruising my tushy (thus the title of the post...I know, TMI.  Deal with it.) 
Later that night I went to a bonfire get-together on the sand dunes with my FHE group and roommates. (What the crap?  Sand dunes in Idaho...ok)  I typically associate sand with tropical climates, so it was a weird sensation being up there, digging my toes into the sand and huddling next to the fire to keep myself warm. 
I never know how to properly end my posts...so now I'm ending it.  The end.

...you survive!

First week of college...done.
I survived!  Going from being bored out of my mind and doing nothing to doing nothing but studying was really hard, but by Friday I got the hang of it.
This week, I really don't have much to say.  I studied, did homework, and that's basically it.  Yep.
On a completely different subject...I used to think about how other families had special items passed down from generation to generation, but my family didn't have any fine china or quilts that would be considered "heirlooms."  Talking to my grandparents on the phone today, I realized that unlike what I thought before, my family does have heirlooms.  Passed from generation to generation are special phrases, tidbits (I love that word) of wisdom that mean the world to us (well, at least to me).  My grandmother has coined the phrase "PFS" (Pray For Strength) which my mom now tells me constantly and which I have passed on to a few of my close friends (since obviously, I have no spawn yet).  When David O. McKay served his mission in Scotland, he saw a sign which sparked the popular saying "What e're thou art, act well thy part."  Before ending my conversation with my sweet and loving grandparents, they reminded me of our family's version of that saying, "WHERE e're thou art, act well thy part."
Anyway...I'm going now...to get some chocolate. Yum.

(my study stash)

...you gain tidbits of inspiration.

A little bit of religious thinking that came to me during Sunday school yesterday...I call it the "Comfort Train."

2 Cor. 1:3-5
4.  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

This scripture is very dear and has sooo much meaning to me from past experiences.  Here's  the thought...
We are supposed to become like Christ.  Christ suffered through everything we suffer and knows exactly how we feel and comforts us.  I believe we often receive trails not only for our own good but also to gain empathy for others' afflictions (obviously we'll never have as much empathy as He does).  We suffer similar experiences as others so we can comfort them as Christ suffered everything imaginable and comforts all of us.  Does that make sense?  What I'm trying to say is that life is made up of "comfort trains."  Christ went through all...He comforts us as we go through trials...we see someone in the same place we were in earlier and we can comfort them.  So on, so forth. I feel like I'm rambling and not making much sense, but in my head it seems perfect.  Maybe it's not such a great thought, but I was able to see the scripture yesterday in a new light.

...you move to Mormon Town, USA.

And that is exactly what Rexburg is.  I'm loving it here so far minus the fact that there isn't a Chick-fil-a...or a Braum's...or a Sonic...or a Wal-mart Super Center...or a Sam's...but anyway...loving it!  My roomates are awesome.  They've dubbed me "super roommate."
Being on my own, I've learned more about myself.  I'm more prepared for independency than I thought (although I still have a  TON of room to improve).  One of the reasons that I chose to go to a church school is so that I can grow not only in temporal matters (like learning to be on my own and whatnot) but also in spiritual matters.  Reflecting on where I am now, I see that there is so much room to grow.  I'm excited to see how being here will change me (hopefully for the better, haha). 
I'm having a complete culture shock.  A food storage section in Wal-mart?!  A temple within walking distance?!!  Everyone's Mormon here...I feel like I'm at EFY or a church camp and I'll have to go home at the end of the week.

So anyway...here's my apartment room.