Winter

It has almost been a month since I started my winter adventure in Rexburg. And so far it has been really great! Now I look back on my extreme anxiety at the end of last semester and think, "Oh Mal, why were you worrying so much?" Although at times I really wish I was at home watching Parker's basketball games, baking with Brooke, sharing the bunkbed with Sarah, and have late night conversations with Mom and Dad, I am glad to be in Rexburg. I really am. It's where I am supposed to be right now. By that statement I must clarify that I don't think I am going to meet my future husband or have some huge event occur, but I do think that this step towards "emerging adulthood" will be a good thing and I have already recognized some of the ways this has positively affected my life. So here is my post about why I am glad to be here and the cool things I've been able to do. For my lack of patience of writing a LONG post, I am just going to list these things. :)


1. Return with Honor council. - I get to witness the Atonement in my peers lives. One hour a week witnessing changes in hearts and learning from others. 

2. Holding a tarantula. I never thought in my life I would do such a thing! It was pretty disturbing especially when it wouldn't come off and for about ten seconds I thought its fangs had dug into my skin but I will never forget or regret it!

3. Being a Gospel Doctrine teacher. I have only taught Primary! I am very excited I have this opportunity. I taught my first lesson last week. It went pretty well! I am learning.

4. Saying prayer at devotional. I cannot write anything eloquent enough to express my thoughts and feelings as I sat on the stand at devotional. "Awesome wonder." I am very grateful for that opportunity. It was the highlight of being at BYUI so far.

5. Hearing L. Tom Perry. We were blessed to hear from Elder Perry last week. The BYU-I Center was nearly full. We sang "Called to Serve." I love the power when a lot of saints are singing a hymn. He spoke about the church being scaffolding for our families and professions. It was great. 


6. Meeting Nik Day. I don't know if any of you remember, but I nearly met him last spring when he came to do a concert at BYUI. My roommates and I were at the park and he walked right by us. I stared him down because I was in complete shock but was not quick enough to say something. Well, last night Morgan, Kim and I went to a benefit concert he was playing at and since Kim knows him, she introduced us!! And I got a picture. Then afterwards, he came to my apartment for about ten minutes. Guys, it was so great. haha. 


7. SEATTLE! This will be a blog post in itself in a month. This past week I bought tickets to go visit Spencer and Laura. I am really excited to see them and take an adventure!


8. My roommate Jamie got engaged! I am so glad I was here for that. Jamie and Jace are the cutest couple and such good examples to me. I really look up to both of them and are grateful for their influence in my life. I love being here for the wedding planning as well.


9. Roommates. I LOVE my roommates. This semester I was going to do a shared room to cut costs, but I felt like I shouldn't. I am really grateful that I didn't because my two roommates in that room are so great and they add so much to our apartment. 


10. This one hasn't happened yet, but I am excited for it  . . . . Katelyn is coming this next weekend! 


I guess the whole purpose of this blog post is to say that many times, we don't know what is going to happen when we try something new or even when we do something we've done a couple times. I am sure that if I had gone home this semester I would have been happy and I would have a list of great things I'd been able to do. I make one every semester I am home! I guess what I am trying to say is that despite this huge unknown I was facing this semester, I am really happy. I feel like God has blessed me SO much and that I am learning so much about myself and learning to take steps of faith, be confident in myself, and know that I can do hard things. And really, those things that I thought would be so hard have been easy as I have put faith in the Lord and decided to be strong. 


Thank you all for your support and love and phone calls. 


I LOVE YOU!!


And now its time for dinner . .. . .

Mallory - the song

To Run or Not to Run?

A while ago I compiled these quotes when I needed a push to continue running. I pulled them out last night to re-inspire! 

Read these & then go lace up your shoes and hit the road! You'll be happy if you do. :)

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

"What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the days gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate." -John Bingham, running writer and speaker

"There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people." - Bill Bowerman

And finally, 

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." --John Bingham

Someday I'll be living in a big old city . . .

This week my sisters and I made a music video to the song, "Mean" by Taylor Swift. It's nothing fancy, but it makes me SO happy! Thanks to Katelyn who put it all together.

Enjoy!





I love the simple line from the song, "Why you gotta be so mean?" I think in the world, its as simple as that. Why do we have to be mean to each other? We just need to be nice!

Pass it on.

Call Me Sappy . . . Because I Am

I love time period movies. I love the costumes, the language, the storyline, and especially the love stories in them. They are so different from what is put out by Hollywood today. The relationships are so clean and true. I love how a simple glance or touch of the hand can mean so much. They are not crude or vulgar in any way, just simply romantic.

Here are my favorite scenes from these movies:

Emma (BBC Version 2009): My FAVORITE Jane Austen book and couple : Emma and Mr Knightley.  Mr Knightley is a close family friend. At this point in the story, Emma hasn't realized that she loves him yet, but you can just tell they love each other. There is nothing like love that comes from friendship first.

North and South (BBC): Margaret and Mr Thornton - This is my favorite movie and the ending . . . .ahhhh.

Anne the Continuing Story: I don't think these are exactly "time period" movies, but the Anne of Green Gables movies are SO good. My favorites. Background behind this one: "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" was played at their wedding. Anne has been looking for Gilbert in Europe-he's been MIA. I cry every time I watch this clip!

And the list and movies could go on and on. 

There is this movie on YouTube entitled, "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme a Jane Austen Man." It is one of those small joys in my life! I love seeing all the clips from my favorite movies, singing along and thinking "Ahh, I want a Jane Austen man!" 

Today I was thinking exactly WHAT IS A JANE AUSTEN MAN? And although I think the old England clothes and poetic language do add a lot, I really think it is much more than that. In our society today, everything is so casual. Dress, language, respect, manners, love - you name it. These "Jane Austen men" are quite the opposite, representing honor, respect, dignity, and helping the greater good. They are gentlemen - and although they are not perfect, they are high quality guys. That is what us women of the world are really falling in love with!

I guess the moral of this blog post is that you don't need to have a guy sweep you off your feet at a ball or express his love to you in the pouring rain in order to have the perfect man or a fairytale come true! He doesn't need to have an accent or be a great dancer. Its his character, faithfulness and love that counts. And to go along with that, if we want a gentleman girls, we need to be ladies! 

Anyways, I am not sure if this makes sense, but thanks for enduring another one of my sappy moods! I am just so excited to find my own gentleman someday and have our own 2000s time period romance. We'll fall in love, get married, work through challenges, and enjoy our happily ever after.

The end.

Watch these movies and you'll LOVE them:
Emma (2009 BBC and Gwyneth Paltrow versions)
Pride and Prejudice (BBC Collin Firth version and Keira Knightley version)
North and South (BBC)
Sense and Sensibility (with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant)
Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne the Continuing Story

My Future

In September I will be starting my fifth semester and will be turning 21. Right now I feel like that is really old, but at the same time, I feel like all the possibilities of the world are mine! I can do anything! I will even be able to go on a mission if I want to. I guess my biggest focus of the moment is just going with a major.

Anyways, I guess what I have to say is that I have no idea what the next year, semester or even next couple of weeks hold for me. A couple weeks ago I felt so scared about the future. And I admit I am still pretty nervous as to how things will turn out, but now I'm seeing this next phase of life as a big adventure. We'll see what happens!
I am excited!

Right before my first semester:

Now: