Seminary: Only Scratching the Faded Surface of Those Memories

Physical Experience

·         Cool leather couch beneath us

·         Warm handmade, crocheted blankets covering our bodies

·         Sound of laughter coming from all around the room

·         The squeak of whiteboard markers

·         The feeling of trying desperately to keep my eyes open at 5:45 in the morning

·         The warmth from the electric fire beside me

·         The cold hardwood floor beneath my feet

·         The soft fabric of my pajamas and slippers standing as my constant companion on these mornings.

·         The freezing cold steering wheel of the family van

·         Hard plastic chairs

·         Sound of singing voices, specifically hymns

·         Laughter of all those around me

·         The taste of “princess squares” and “breakfast casserole” 

 

Scenes

·         Emily sitting in the large leather chair across from the loveseat, barely staying awake at this early hour in the morning

·         The electric fire roaring beside me, accenting the patriotic theme that adorns Sister Harmon’s home.

·         Deep brown leather covering each and every piece of furniture in her living room

·         A mantle in dark wood surrounding her electric fireplace, covered in decorations fitted towards the season at hand

·         Daniel Kelly’s bright smile lighting up the room and all those around him

·         Sister Roger’s large scriptures filled with all the colors of the rainbow

·         Twistables scattered all over the table or put back into their container in “color order”

·         Glue sticks scattered all over the table to be used when we received our daily glue in

Speech

·         Sister Harmon’s warm tone at the end of each and every class saying, “The Gospel is true and I love you.”

·         The spunky tone of my best friend by my side

·         The consistent claim that “I am not related to them”

·         Couert’s constant pleading, “Can we eat the candy today?”

Emotion in the Moment

·         Joy in seeing my best friend

·         The spirit of lessons penetrating the room

·         The elation when someone had a breakthrough

·         The embarrassment of the things my sisters were saying

·         The relief of being able to go home and take a nap afterward

·         Competitive spirit of playing scripture mastery, or other speed games

·         Shock because of the death of such a good friend. Sadness and tears overtaking me for quite some time.

·         The comfort of holding one of my best friends hands while at our friend’s funeral, while tears streamed down my face.

People of Consequence

·         Jared: one of the brightest spots in those mornings. He was one year older than me. He was always late to class, but when he did show up he always brought a great joy and happiness with him, despite his difficult life. He had bright eyes, a competitive spirit, a good sense of humor, a friendly disposition, a full of life personality, and I swear he was always full of Mountain Dew.

·         Bekah: she is one of my best friends. I have known her since I was 5 years old. She was part of the Meadows ward before I was. She struggled with holding a testimony, but I know that deep down she knows that it’s all true. She was always tired during those early mornings. She is one of the most encouraging, caring, loving, understanding, and hungry people I know. She always cared for “the least of these.” She was a cheerleader in high school and encouraged others to do their best. She would never be found holding back a compliment.