Thank you Terry

Just a quick blog today. (two in a row....wooo!)


Today turned out to not be the happiest for me. It seems that bad news usually comes at the most unexpected times.

I was at my brothers apartment when I got a text from Cami letting me know that a man I was able to tract into on my mission, teach, and have the opportunity to baptize personally passed away.

Terry Hallam.

I want to give a tribute to him here, and share my experience with him.

I was on exchange with my district leader back in the beginning of 2009. I was currently serving in the town of Stamford, and we had been struggling for some sort of success. We tracted into him, shared a short message with him on his doorstep, and he let us in. We taught him the first lesson, and also watched the Restoration film. We found out that he had found his mother dead a few weeks earlier, and he was looking to go back to a church so he could find some sort of solace. It was very apparent how badly her death was affecting him. He really took in our next lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and he prayed for the first time with us then. You could really tell that he was looking for peace and answers. The lessons continued on, and he even came with us to General Conference. He struggled for some time trying to give up smoking, drinking, and a few other things, but he accepted the commitment for baptism. He and I became very close as I kept pushing him further and harder to overcome what he needed to, because we both knew that baptism would help him a lot.

He called us a couple times each day asking for answers to questions he had, or even just for encouragement to do what he knew he wanted to do. Eventually the day came, and I had the great opportunity of baptizing him. We continued to see him often after that, and he came to church and was very active and a great member of the church. He would always brighten up when we saw him, and the members liked him a lot too. A month or so later, I was moved to another area, and that was the last time I saw him face to face. A month after that I recieved a letter from him with a picture of him standing outside the London Temple. I was SO happy! That was the last time that I ever heard from him. I wrote him twice more during my mission, but he didn't respond.

I returned home from my mission, and this past February, I recieved word that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was saddened for him, but I was also comforted hearing that he was still staying active in the church, and going on their temple trips when he could. A month or so later, I heard that he had gone into the hospital for an operation, and that was the last I heard until today. I don't know any of the details as to why he passed away, just that he did.

I just want to say that Terry is such a huge example to me of overcoming trials, and staying strong through them. He didn't renounce his faith when it hit him, he relied on God. He is truly one of my heroes. I have never seen a man change so much in my life. He went from one of the saddest people to the happiest through what we shared with him. My biggest regret is that I didn't write him since I've been home.


I've cried through writing this whole blog, but I just wanted to share it with you. He really was a great man, and I look forward to giving him a huge hug when I see him in the next life.

God bless you Terry.

Wanted: Texting Buddy

Ah yes. I'm back here again ready for another blog. It's not quite 11pm at night yet, so I'm still mostly awake, so you should all hope for some sort of sane post here, as compared to some other times I have blogged. (Well...at least when I blogged more often...) I honestly need to stop doing this at the beginning of every blog that I do lately. I comment on my lack of blogging, talk a bit about what's going on with me, then get to the heart and topic of the blog that day. I'm not very...creative sometimes when it comes to that. Who knows? Perhaps I'll switch it up one of these days....today is not that day in case you were wondering.

Today seemed to drag something terrible, especially at school. Work did yesterday as well...I think something unusual is going on...I wasn't able to leave campus today until about 2:30, which is saying something since my last class ended at 12:20. So yeah. I'm trying to get my credits and test scores sent down to UVU, but they had me running all over the place. Back and forth and back and forth (at least 20 times I swear). Oh well...I got it mostly taken care of. Just one more phonecall....:S

Anyway, on to the title of this blog.

I had to make sure I didn't contradict myself in writing this one, so I looked back to my past post on texting. I'm safe. *phew* As you can see from my title, I'm in search of a "Texting Buddy". What I would describe that is someone that I can text regularly, and can respond most of the time. Usually when I'm dating someone, or make a new friend, we text quite a lot, and I enjoy being able to have someone I can talk to at the ready. Lately, I haven't really had that much. Some of you may have noticed I have been texting you a bit more than normal. That's probably me trying to get used to not having anyone to text regularly anymore. What I've decided is that I will either find one, (and right now it doesn't seem to be happening) or just get used to texting less. My guess is that it will be the latter. I'm still in the habit of looking at my phone expecting a text to be there, only to find that there isn't one. Now, I'm not trying for the pity vote, mind you, because I don't want a pity texting buddy. Those are lame. It's just nice to have one I suppose.

So if any of you are up to it, just let me know!

P.S. I've found this band I'm really liking, Windsor Drive. You should all check them out.

Also Known As

Okay, I'm here back again in an attempt to start blogging a bit more than once a month. I keep having all of these idea that pop into my head almost daily for something that I want to blog about, but I never get around to it.
Life for me continues to move on. I'm single again, and getting ready to move down to Provo to attend UVU. I'm pretty excited about it, because I enjoyed having independence from home, sort of like on the mission, plus I'm way ready for a fresh start. I think moving an hour away will allow me to do that.
There were a few things that I wanted to blog about today, but the more I think about them, the more I realize that I might offend a few people if I did. Contrary to what I said in my very first blog, I'm not sure how much name dropping I want to do, and even if I describe what is going on, they'll know it's them I'm referring to, so I have to be careful.
So instead, I'll just talk shortly about what I've been pondering about lately.
Back when I was 14, my best friend Ryan and I were hanging out at his house, and he was starting to learn the drums in school, and had recently gotten a drumset. We went down into his basement and he played a bit while I watched. It was then that I saw there was a white electric guitar in that same room, and I picked it up and attempted to play. We did this for a few times, and all I really could get out was rubbish, until one day I was able to play "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple. Time went on and I learned a bunch of other simple songs, and my desire to learn began to grow. We even played at a retirement home for a christmas thing when I was 15. Eventually I was able to get my own red electric guitar, and I could play at home, and not depend on going to Ryans to be able to play. I continued to learn different songs from guitar tabs off of the internet, and my skill improved. After graduation from high school I bought an electric acoustic guitar of of my brothers friend, and I knew I was in love. I love playing that guitar! Once I had that, I learned more songs at a faster rate, and found much solace from playing it after a bad day.
Anyway, after my mission, I've now purchased a bass guitar too, and I'm starting to learn that as well. So now I have the makings off a band myself. In the last 6 months I've been really considering starting a band instead of soloing by myself all of the time. I think it would be a way fun experience. I've always thought music to be my main talent, and I figure it would be good to work on it a bit, and improve on it.
Now, I'm not amazing at the guitar, most likely because I haven't had any private instruction, and I've taught myself the whole time, so if I did, I'd probably start out on the bass to get myself going. There doesn't seem to be a lot of bass players out there, since most people usually pick up the guitar or drums, so I would hope that I'd be picked quick to join a band. It's possible that Ryan can play the drums with me since we'll both be down in Provo, so we'll see.
So yeah, just with all the music I've been listening to lately, and also the concerts I go to have just made me feel that it's something I want to do do.
What do you all think? Can you see me in a band? Just let me know!

P.S. "Also Known As" was one of our ideas for a band name (Ryan and I). Do you have any ideas you want a band to be called? Maybe we could use it....