After taking the test and attending an inspirational conference on the refugee crisis in Europe, I rewarded myself with a Friday night without studying.  Lindsey picked me up with Cody and his wife to hike Bridal Veil {where they collected leaves}.  Later that night, I had this spastic burst of energy, so Rachel and I hit up three or four grocery stores, Forever 21, and a thrift store to buy our Halloween costumes {sorry to brother Adam for not bringing you batteries so you could wear your blow-up dinosaur costume at the football game}. Katie slept over, borrowing our pajamas and sleeping on a blow-up mattress; after scrolling through Netflix's lame scary movie selection for a half hour, finally at 11:45 they decided on Supernatural while I went to the living room to write music and brainstorm my book {for the first time in a month}.

 The next morning, I made pumpkin pancakes for both old and new roommates, and then we all watched conference in our PJs together.  People in adjacent apartments screamed when they announced two-hour church, which I honestly thought was nothing more than a rumor these past several months.

After the second session, I was picked up to go on another date! We drove through gorgeous foggy mountains and hiked to Stewart Falls, where the forests provided a fiery array of colors.  As we walked, we chatted about adventures stateside and abroad, and because hiking with wet hair is such an excellent idea, we also stepped under the freezing mist diffracting from the waterfall.
That night, Katie invited us to her guyfriends' UFC Fight Night party. Although we enjoyed talking with people, we all agreed that watching people beat the shiz out of each other was not our favorite activity.
For Sunday morning conference, we headed over to Becca and Taylor's, where they treated us to a delicious breakfast.  Taylor cracked us up as usual, demonstrating the use of reverse psychology as an effect means to get kids to eat their quiche. The boys played Conference Bingo, and sweet baby Sloane cuddled on my lap while we watched. I seriously cannot get enough of that family.
That evening, I went on another mini date with a boy whose friend recommended I message him after seeing me on Mutual {the Mormon dating app I installed because why not}.  When I messaged this guy, his response was "You're my type! You have a long face!" to which I had no idea how to respond? Thanks? Hahaha {Backstory: when I met my great-grandma Marjorie 5 years ago, she APOLOGIZED when she saw that both my mom and I had inherited her oblong facial structure}.  It was a chill but fun date; we jumped on the trampoline as we asked each other questions about missions and so forth, and he then showed me his ceramic works and made pumpkin hot chocolate.

I am so grateful for the messages we heard this weekend. As our prophet spoke, I could just feel the love emanating from us viewers as we listened to his heartfelt testimony and watched him smile and crack up at his own jokes. Some of the messages were exactly what I needed to hear, and it strengthened my testimony hearing the honest but earnest pleas to follow Jesus, no matter where we are spiritually. He knows are struggles.  He loves us anyway.