July 6

I'm going to remember what I can about two days after Independence Day, July 6.

2014. After writing my blog for the day, I went to a ward prayer at the lawn of Regency Apartments. I stayed a long time talking with people. There was a nineteen-year-old girl who was a little awkward who asked why I majored in English language if I didn't talk much. One guy was wearing a flag tie similar to one I own, but I wasn't wearing it because the Fourth of July was over.

2013. We got up early in the morning in California to leave with my three nephews and my sister-in-law. We stopped at a rest area in the Sierras to eat breakfast. My parents had bought large Costco muffins but I didn't eat them. I had a throat problem, which meant I had to drink a lot, which meant I had to stop a lot. We stopped at a rest stop that I remembered from the previous Christmas Eve, and later we stopped at a really gross rest area, and Preston even said, "That bathroom was gross, huh Uncle Mark." The boys were good on the trip, but later on, Preston was teasing Nathaniel, making him scream. I looked back at Nathaniel and told him not to scream and he made an adorable face in response. My mom asked Preston not to make him scream. At one point I had facetiously said I stunk because I hadn't showered; Franklin said, "Uncle Mark's stinky," and Nathaniel said I was "inky." At one rest area near the Utah/Nevada border, I read a sign near a trail that said there were snakes and scorpions, and I wanted to see a scorpion. Nathaniel needed to stop near Tooele. As we were getting close, Sue called my mom and asked where we were. We had just barely arrived at our house when Sue and her family showed up--we were still unloading the car. Chancey came and was eating some of our grapes and giving them to Nathan; Jesse said to him, "Why are you eating their food?" Ya-ping shared the nectarines she had bought in California with Lisa and others.

2012. Apparently I took a French test. Some of my "horse" friends invited us to a surprise party for Scott Boyce, who was going to be our roommate in the fall. I was debating whether I wanted to go, since he scared me. My roommate Bryton and I did go over. Someone picked up Scott from his job at Red Robin because he didn't have a car and had to bike home. After he got there, someone asked if he knew what was happening; he said it did seem a little suspicious.

2011. I would have gone to my history and archaeology classes, but I don't specifically remember them.

2009. We had to go up to a meeting in Moscow, Idaho, to meet our new mission president. The Palmers introduced themselves to us and then let us ask them questions. My former, evil companion Elder LaPratt asked him, "If you could meet one resurrected person [outside of the Godhead], who would it be?" President responded, "I've always had great admiration for the Prophet Joseph Smith." Elder LaPratt always tried to make the mission president think he was a good missionary (and a good person), even though he wasn't. This is my journal entry for the day:
"The first thing President Palmer said to me was, 'Are you happy?' which is just what President Clark always said. That was an enjoyable meeting. I'm just sad about my lack of mission I have left. Then we helped Brother Presnell, visited A.P. Jones, had dinner with the Bartschis, and tried to figure out stuff for the baptism at FHE. I'm stressed with everything we have to do now."

2008. I don't specifically remember this day, but this is my journal:
"Today Leslie brought her kids to church, indicating her commitment. We had a really good lesson with her. She said she was feeling the Spirit and she accepted the Plan of Salvation in its entirety. But Elder Bramall didn't transition to me, and I can't interject. It's sad to think about how I know I never will be a good missionary, no matter what I do. I won't be a bad one, I just can't be a good one.
"I also tipped my bike over. It was really embarrassing. I have a scraped knee and a sore thigh."

2006. Surprisingly, I wrote in my journal this day:
"Yesterday I got my AP test results. I only got 2s, in Biology and U. S. history. I expected to pass the history. I feel like an idiotic loser. Things have been crazy around here. Everyone's here, and so is Ya-ping's sister Shu-hua. Preston and Allie are so cute, but today they have been ornery. Preston's hair is hideously ugly, but they won't cut it."