Oh, how clever am I?

For my Book of Mormon class, we had to make our own rendition of a diagram for the plan of salvation. You probably cant tell what this is, so I'll explain. The pre-mortal existence is like new clothes... Taking the tag off (the blue square) is like the veil, because after the tag is removed, you can't tell they are new anymore. Earth life is like wearing the clothes. You test their durability, comfortability for long-term wear, stain resistance if the unfortunate event occurs where you spill your lunch on yourself. Death is like the laundry hamper. The washer and dryer are like resurrection and final judgement, and the closet represents the after life. The top shelf being the celestial kingdom, the middle being terrestrial and the bottom shelf being telestial.
Oh yeah, I came up with that all by myself...

After completing my homework at 7:50 local Rexburg time, I proceeded to chat with the roommies, make myself a ham and colby jack cheese sandwich for dinner, wash all the dishes, clean the kitchen and then write an essay that isn't due until Tuesday. The assignment is to write a "This I Believe" essay like the ones being done for NPR. I thought I would include mine to get some peer reviews from the readers of my blog.... be kind, It's only the first draft, I haven't had time to do much revising.


I believe that every teenager should have to wait tables for at least one summer. The experiences I have had by working at a local restaurant in my Mississippi hometown have led me to be the person I am today and will be with me for the rest of my life.
I have learned invaluable skills such as being courteous to people even when they don’t return the favor. If I said half of the things I wanted to say, I would have been fired no matter how much the customer deserved it. I had to learn how to smile and say “of course, you’re right, I’ll have it made again” when the salad is perfectly fine and, contrary to their belief, exactly what they ordered. I learned the art of graciously and cautiously avoiding the flirtatious passes of old southern gentleman who still think they are in their twenties. I’ve had to bus tables and mop floors and other not so fun and unpleasant things that were definitely not in my job description. I think all teens should work in a restaurant not because I am bitter and want others to share in my misery, but because of what I have taken away from my experiences.
I have learned to be much more patient. I learned this not only because of my customers, but also because of my coworkers. We all have bad days, and sometimes orders are just messed up. This is life. I am much more kind to waitresses and bus boys at every eating establishment that I visit. Their job is hard, be nice! I have also become a much more generous tipper. I know what it’s like to be in their shoes, and trust me they deserve it.
So, next time you are out with your family or friends, smile to your waitress. Don’t be mad if you have tomatoes on your salad, it’s probably not her fault anyway. Most importantly, tip her well. It’s good karma.