High Rollers

high roller: n. Slang

1. One who spends freely and extravagantly, as for luxuries or entertainment.

I guess you don't know what the high life is until you actually get to live it. This past weekend five of my college friends and I spent went to Vegas to party for my roommate's 21st birthday. I learned two great lessons:
#1: it pays to have a friend with a dad on the board at the Hilton, and
#2: Even unlimited money can't guarantee good room service in the middle of the night.

My friend Zack Oates happens to be the son of a former NFL player who now happens to sit on the board at the Hilton in Las Vegas. Zack told us he could get us some discounts on rooms, so we decided to plan a Vegas trip. Little did we know just what it means to be an Oates.
After we had some car trouble on our way to St. George Zack placed a call to the Hilton explaining how difficult it had been for us to make it. "If there is anything at all you can do," he said, "to make our stay more comfortable, we would appreciate it." Well, that line apparently doesn't just work in movies.
When we got to the hotel Zack walked past the check-in counter lines to the VIP lounge where he was greeted by name by one of the employees. "Hello, Mr. Oates. We have been preparing for your arrival for a while." Zack emerged from the lounge with two VIP suites, VIP passes for all of us, and a little buzz word that made all the differnce in the world: "Comped."
Comped . . . yes . . . our rooms and anything and everything that we charged to our rooms was completely comped. All of the hotel's shows, restaurants, roomservice, etc was on the house. It's good to be an Oates.

Diet Cokes and Chocolate-covered Strawberries . . .

Sandy and I decided to add a little comfort into our beautification on Friday night before we went out for dinner and clubbing. Love that word, comped.

Party like a Rock Star . . .

We spent two days in Vegas partying like rock stars, VIP passes and all. We ate the Bellagio, went clubbing at the Wynn, ordered a cart of room service at 3:30 am, shopped, saw a show, and basically had the time of our lives. You know, if this really is how the other half lives, I might need to reconsider my profession. :)

All That Korean and a Bag of Chips

This is my token foreign roommate--Sun Hee Kim. She's a 1984 from Korea studying Property Management, one of the coolest girls I know, and the only person I am aware of who spent Thanksgiving break watching Titanic ten times.

The other day we were coming back from the store after buying chips and dip for a party. Sun Hee was getting the last groceries out of the trunk and somehow managed to accidentally close the trunk right onto a bag of tortilla chips. Forget the munchies, this was one of the funniest moments of the semester, and I almost died with laughter right there in the parking lot (and by "died with laughter" I mean that I almost wet my pants.)

This just really got me thinking about how happiness in life is all about the people you know and the small moments you share. It was Thoreau who said, "That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest." Amen to that. I hope that I am always easily pleased by the small and simple things in life, like a bag of chips shut in a trunk and a quirky Korean roommate. Cheers!

Changed Men Can Change the World

“When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed. The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature . . . Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can change the world.” --Ezra T. Benson

Last year when I called my mother to tell her that I had been called to serve as Relief Society President, her response was, "Good. This will be good practice for the real world." I have to admit that I was a little taken back. It seems that the bubble that exists in Provo, Utah is often viewed as a mere training ground for young people who one day want to do great things. You know, one day we'll be in REAL wards and in REAL situations where people REALLY need help, right?

Well, my experience in Happy Valley has lead me to the firm understanding that I am living in the REAL world, zoobies and all. The people and experiences surrounding me right now are as real as they will ever be, and I can not wait for a future moment to start making a difference and changing the world. I would submit to all of you (yes, all two or three of you who love me enough to read the thoughts of my soul) that the real purpose and work in life which each of us needs to be engaged in is most vital right here with those people immediately surrounding us. BYU is NOT simply a training ground. We are not here simply to learn and then one day go forth to serve. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ can not wait until we have a degree or land the job we want. God needs good men right now to change the world, even in Provo.

What good is it to study to become a world-shaking leader or humanitarian if I can't push aside my own agenda today to help those around me? How can I expect to change the world one day if I'm not flexible enough today to change my busy schedule in order to serve? It all starts here and now, and it starts with Change. It's not enough to solve my own problems or to help to solve the problems of others. Solving problems isn't the long-term goal; Change is the long-term goal.

So, get out there and serve. Reach beyond yourself. Open your eyes and see that every single day the Lord needs people to make a difference. He needs you; He needs me. We can not afford to be caught up in the common self-absorbed culture of college life. Yes, school is important, but even a college degree can not trump the importance of serving a child of God. I hope that I am never so busy or so important that I can't push my personal or professional life to the side for a moment to help someone.

So, let's start. Christ changes men, and changed men really can change the world.

New Shoes and Chocolate Sundaes

What is love?...I can't fight this feeling anymore...I want to know what love is...Unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings...Living in a powder keg and giving off sparks...

You know, after nearly half a decade of the hustle and bustle of BYU co-ed life, I find myself wondering, 'What is love, anyway?' The answer remains the same as it has for the last four years of my life: Real love is like new shoes and a chocolate sundae. Really? Now, I don't want you to mistake me for a shopaholic or fashionista of any sort--heaven knows that until one week ago it had been over three years since I purchased a new pair of jeans--but, let me explain how the search for and landing of real love is not too different from a hunt for a perfect pair of shoes followed by a dessert that never gets old.

You all know what it feels like . . .you seriously need a new pair of shoes. You have been saving your money for the big purchase, and you make your trek to the mall with full commitment to find THE pair of shoes you want and need. After all, where there is a will, there is a way, right? You begin to shop. You look at a thousand different pairs of shoes in fifteen stores, but you find nothing that you are in love with. You consign yourself, out of obligation to fulfill your commitment, to start trying on some pairs, hoping that your initial impression was just wrong and that somehow you will magically adore the shoes once they are on your feet. Nothing. Nothing sings to you, nothing fits right, nothing turns that light on. Nothing gives you that "New Shoes" feeling. You start formulating some back-up pairs of shoes . . . you know, the pair that will just have to do even though they are not exactly what you want (not to mention the fact that they are WAY overpriced.)

Now, if you have ever been in this position before, you may be familiar with that empty frustration that begins to seep into your heart. But, when all is said and done, you know that you need a new pair of shoes. At this point you may begin to doubt your own sanity/conceitedness. How is that out of the thousands of shoes you have looked at you can't find just one that makes you want to throw down your money and take the dang pair home? Could your expectations for that pair of shoes be just a little too lofty? My mother would certainly say yes.

But then, just as you are about to give up in defeat, you decide to check one last rack of one more store. And there, shining like justice, are THE pair of shoes you have been looking for. Not even the vast, virtual shopping potential of the internet could have provided you with something you desired more. You don't know how to explain it, but you knew it when you saw the shoes. They were for you, and they were 40% off. Suddenly an intense feeling of relief and satisfaction encompasses you. How on earth did you ever doubt yourself? You found your pair of shoes, and with no hesitation you make the purchase. The usual doubt, analyzing and uncertainty that you feel about buying any other pair of shoes is gone as you buy the shoes with absolute confidence.

Do you know this feeling? The complete relief, joy, excitement and comfort found in finding the pair of shoes that you desperately needed, saved for, searched for, and, despite failed efforts, knew somewhere existed. This is the "New Shoes" feeling.

So the search goes on. Love IS a many splendid thing, and finding that one person who takes away the hesitation and anxiety from making a commitment is worth more than a grand shopping trip. Love isn't always brilliant or dignified or even obvious. And, like that pair of shoes that has been sitting for who-knows-how-long on the sale rack, the person who you love may not be right for anyone else. But they are yours, and you know it.

And once you've found the one that makes you WANT to give up being single in order to share your life with them, that love grows and gets better with time. It is like the best chocolate sundae you've ever had, but you never get sick of it, and it never gets old.

So to those of you who claim that marriage and commitment is death, I say: You just haven't found your new shoes yet. Maybe you haven't even been looking. But, when you do find them--and you will--love will become something more than a great mystery or a line on your to-do list. Love will keep you alive.

Happy Halloween!

It's not a phase, it's my personality . . .

“Not all those who wander are lost.”
- J. R. R. Tolkien

I love this quote because I feel like it sums up my life right now. I have been pondering a lot lately about the incredible experiences that I have had over the past five years and the amazing people who I have met along the way. I've seen more sights in this short amount of time than most people get to see in a lifetime. I've completed a first-class education and worked with an organization (ILP) that has changed my life. I've done two semesters of service abroad in Ukraine and Mexico. I've served a full-time mission in Russia. I back packed Columbia, Peru and Western Europe by myself or with friends I met along the way. I studied abroad in the Holy land and traveled to Egypt, Jordan and Israel. I've seen things that people have only dreamed of, and I've had so many people, places and experiences etched into my heart that I feel an incredible fusion of enhanced wholeness and longing emptiness at all times, wherever I am. I suppose that once so many people and places have so much meaning for you, you can never be the same person you once were. I am certainly not the same as I once was. I hope that I am always a wanderer, searching for experiences in life and jumping at any opportunity that comes my way. I am so blessed to have the life that I do, and I hope that the desire I have to see the world and understand God's children is not just a phase.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

When in Rome . . .

Here it is . . . THE Colosseum. I opted for the audio guide, which was a great choice.

Here I am sitting on the Spanish steps. Last night we saw a free classical concert here.
Trevi Fountain.
I really am happy to be at the Vatican. Really.

Well, I've had 48 hours in Rome, and I've hit all the major things on my list. Yesterday we saw the Colosseum, forum, Spanish steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Caravagio works, an out door classical concert and lots of other things. Today was also a really busyIn between my breakfast of croissants, lunch of lasagne, gelatto #1, pasta dinner and gelatto #2 for dessert I managed to tour the Vatican, including St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel and take public transportation out to some catacombs. There was no cistern, but it made me feel at home to be underground again.

Vienna and Venice

We had chocolate parfaits for lunch at the posh Demel chocolate shop in Vienna
On the train from Vienna to Venice the three of us shared a sleeper cabin with an Albanian man and a Chinese couple and their daughter.
Ah, Venice.  Doesn't it look like I just photo-shopped myself into this one?

What an Experience

I don't even know how to begin to talk about everything that has happend over the past two weeks. We spent ten days staying on the Sea of Galilee at a Kibutz, which is a communal living compound. They run a resort, and we stayed in little bungalows right on the beach. We had class every other morning and then took fieldtrips every other day. We went to Caesarea Martima, Armageddon, Mt. Tabor, Nazareth, Dan, Gamla, Tiberius, Capernum, the Mount of Beattitudes, Taghba and much much more. We saw a lot of ancient cities and we sat and read scriptures and taught each other in all the places we know the Savior went. It was so incredible.

My favorite part of any field trip we took was crossing the Sea of Galilee. We took a boat with just our class accross the entire sea one morning. It was totally clear and the rays of sun were shining on the water. This was the highlight so far of my entire time in Israel. I felt the Spirit so strongly testifying to me that Jesus Christ had walked on these waters and calmed the storms. A lot of the sights we go to here have huge churches built over them, so they don't appear as they most likely did 2000 years ago. the Sea of Galilee was the real thing. We ate a fish restaurant, walked the shops at Tiberius and went to church in a branch building (it's really just a home) across the Sea. Beautiful.

After the first few days of being in the Galilee I decided that the best time of day was the morning, so I started waking up at 5:30 every day so that I could have time down on teh Sea by myself as the sun was rising before anyone else got up and we got going. It was so sweet to read the Gospels and sit and watch the water in this very special place. Each night we sat on the beach and watched the sunset. Nothing could be so beautiful. I think that this place is perhaps the most beautiful I have ever been. Not because the beaches were great, but because everything that the Savior did in His ministry seemed to come to life in Galilee.We got back to Jerusalem a couple of days ago and have been very busy finishing all of our finals. Yesterday we took a fieldtrip to Bethany and Bethphage where we saw the tradition sight of the tomb of Lazareth and Mary and Martha's house. It was very sweet. Today we took our final walking tour throughout the old city. We followed Christ's path from Bethany, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem then to an upper room where the last supper may have taken place. This morning we started in Gethsemane and then went to the House of Caiphas and the church of Peter Galicantu, where Christ was first tried before Caiphas and where Peter denied him three times. We then went to the Church of the flagelation where Christ was scourged and followed his path throughout the city as he took up his cross and eventually ended up at Golgotha outside the city wall. Today we concluded all of our fieldtrips and class time in the Garden next to the tomb where Jesus came from the grave. It was quite an experience.

I really feel like I can't express how much this has meant to me. I feel like I have learned so much walking in the places where Jesus walked. To think that today I sat in the only place in all of the Father's many creations where the Savior of the World atoned for the sins of mankind. Today I was there. I sat and I read scriptures and prayed and wrote in my journal, and I felt the Spirit testify that Jesus is the Christ, and that this is His church. I truly hope that all of you get the chance to see this things and be in these places. On a lighter note, we finished all our finals, had an awesome talent show and are now trying to get in all the extra sights we can before we leave in two days. This has been the fastest, craziest 6 weeks of my entire life. It has flown by, but I feel that I have learned enough and experienced enough that it feels like I've been here at least a year. What a strange thing time is.Life is wonderful!

The Galilee

We just spent 10 days on the Sea of Galilee. We held class every other morning and then spent all of our free time swimming, studying and seeing all the sights. It was absolutely beautiful. Highlights include the Mount of Beattitudes, Sailing straight across the Sea of Galilee, going to church in Tiberias overlooking the Sea, Capernum, Caesarea and Meggido (Armageddon).
Walking around the boardwalk in Tiberias was kind of like a carnival. You could buy really expensive icecream, tatoos, bags, skirts and crazy rockstar sunglasses (like the ones John and I are sporting.)
Sailing across the Sea of Galilee has been my favorite part of my entire experience in the Holy Land. There really was such a strong spirit as we crossed the sea where Jesus had walked and calmed the storm. It was awesome.
We stayed in little bungalows right on the beach, and each day we had time to swim and play. We were really ambitious one day and spent two hours building the best sand castle that beach had ever seen. Unfortunately we didn't really consider the tide, so by morning it was gone.
We visited Capernum where Christ spent a lot of his ministry. Here the Savior performed many miracles. The traditional location of Peter's house has been excavated as well as some ancient synagouges.

We drink all day long, and it is never enough. We make hydration look good, don't you think?

Here is Petra . . . one of the wonders of the world, and the location of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It was really spectacular.
For $5 we rode donkeys up a mountain to the great sanctuary at Petra. It was one of the most frightening things I have ever done. We were riding up steep steps and rocks along big edges, and the donkeys may have been suicidal. I was definitely scared for my life, and I fell off once because the make-shift saddle swung underneath the beast.

Here we are sitting in the only shade we could find in Oman while listening to our tour guide use really bad English to explain this ancient Roman city. It was really hot and I had just taken an allergy pill because my eyes hurt, which I did NOT know would cause drowsiness. I think I almost passed out about three times that morning. It was terrible.
We had to put on these very modest black robes to go into a Mosque in Oman. It was very fun. There were no Muslims there, but we got to take as many pics as we wanted.

There are really large pictures of leaders all over Jordan. I think this guy is the king, and a total babe. Check out that mustache. All the men here sit around and smoke those things.
I have become addicted to playing Phase 10. Kader, Dallin and I are playing in Petra by the pool. In the past week alone we have played over 20 full games. It is really addicting.
This is Elder Matson (i.e. John). We served together in Moscow and then both ended up coming on the program. Here we are sharing a head set for our tour as we begin to walk into Petra. John is one of the coolest guys I know, a really good friend and a really good influence.

How many camels for your wife?

Our first night in Cairo we went to a laser show at the pyramids. It was really cheesey, but the back drop was spectacular.
Gotta love the JC (Jerusalem Center ) fanny pack that I worse everywhere.

"How many camels for your wife?" Is the question constantly being asked to all of the young men in our group as we palled around Egypt. We spent seven days in Cairo and Luxor seeing all of the sights and doing some great shopping.

Jerusalem

Well, here I am in Jerusalem. It is pretty incredible. I live at the BYU Jerusalem Center overlooking the old city. It's only about a fifteen minute walk to visit Gethsemane, the Garden Tomb, the Old City, or pretty much anything else.

Dome of the Rock
The Garden Tomb
Climbing around in some ancient caves

Bogota, Columbia

On my way to Peru I had an eight hour lay over in Bogota, Columbia. I made a couple of friends on the flight who drew me maps and told me where I should go. I ended up going to a couple of museums, doing some shopping and taking a gondola to the top of a peak overlooking the city. It was great. The way back from Peru wasn't so great, as my Columbian layover took place from midnight to 8:00 am. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed falling asleep on a bench in the airport with the Spanish version of Total Eclipse of the Heart playing loudly in the background.

Peru!

We arrived at Machu Picchu early in the morning so we could climb Winna Picchu, the mountain right above my head. I would say that we "hiked" the mountain but that wouldn't do the 3 hours of practically verticle Inca steps justice. Ouch.

Since I was already in Mexico . . . I decided to make the South America swing and see Nate in Peru. I flew into Lima, by way of Columbia, and stayed with him and some mission friends for a few days. We then flew to Cusco (where we got our great llama hats) and headed to Machu Picchu. It was COLD, but really fun.

Mexico in a Nutshell

The kids is Mexico were adorable. We had about 35 students who came each day for an all English preschool program through ILP (they are the same non profit I went to Ukraine with in 2004.) Isai and Vanilka were two of my favorite kids. I was the head teacher this time, which meant I didn't get to teach my own class, but I did have a lot of interaction whenever the other teachers needed me (team teaching, taking kids to the bathroom, management issues and calming the crying kids.) It was a great experience.






April 28 I took off to Mexico. There were four other girls in my group and we spent our first 8 days in Mexico backpacking the Yucatan. We stopped in Merida, Chichinitza, Ciudad del Carmen, Palenque, San Cristobal and Oaxaca. Gotta love our matching drug rugs.