Monday, 09, 2:27 am

I’ve just arrived at the Guest House on the U of U campus in Salt Lake City. I was scheduled to arrive here a few hours ago, but the plane leaving O’Hare was stuck on the runaway for a good hour and a half – our plan had to replace its microphone (not too sure why that was so important). But anyway, so I arrived about a half hour ago, got ready for bed, and then have been talking w/ David Layton, my roommate and companion for our adventure to Brazil. Now he’s asleep, seeing that we have to get up in a few short hours it’s probably a wise idea. But I wanted to start my Brazil-Adventure off right, writing in my journal every day.

Church on Sunday (technically yesterday) was fun. It was my first time back to my home ward in six months and it has grown quite a bit. But the ‘normals’ are great people and they make me feel great being back home.

After church I said goodbye to a few friends. First I went to Evan’s. I then went by Tracy Kniep’s, but she wasn’t there. So then I went to Molly Kouri’s house and chatted w/ her, her boyfriend Derrek, and Beth Schmidt. It was fun to see Beth, I haven’t seen her and gotten to really talk to her for a long time now… maybe since before my mission.

Then I went home and Dad had prepared BBQ salmon, which is really good. Mom made some great potatoes and we had a good dinner. At 4:45 pm we left and stopped by the Holcomb’s house so I could say goodbye to their kids like I had promised them, then we jetted to the airport.

My flight from Peoria to Chicago I sat next to a very nice man, who I forget his name. He travels A LOT for his work, and was on his way to New York. He has a son-in-law who graduated from BYU, and near the end of our trip I gave him a pass-along card for Finding Faith in Christ. I was proud of myself. He was a very nice guy.

In Chicago I then had to find my way to the shuttle to take me to a different terminal. As I was going down some awkward stairs an old woman in front of me was having some trouble. I offered to carry her suitcase and she joked that I’d better or she’d probably fall and need a wheelchair. I helped her onto the shuttle and then off and together we walked a good 8 minutes to her gate, where she was to meet up w/ her daughter to fly to Buffalo, New York. I then went on to my gate and waited a good half hour for my plane to begin boarding to Salt Lake.

On the plane I sat in the front row of the economy class. I sat between two other kids my age. One from Notre Dame going to Provo for a computer related work conference, and the other a girl from Germany who is studying her graduate studies (after graduating from) at the U of U. I’m pretty sure neither were LDS, which is usually a given you’ll sit by at least one on a flight to Salt Lake. But it was kinda fun to sit next to younger people like that. Besides having to wait on the runaway for over an hour, like I have already mentioned, the flight went well. Three and a half hours after take off we landed safely in Salt Lake, I got my bag w/out any problems, and then got a shuttle that was already paid for by the program and arrived here at the Guest House.

I’m excited to be here, but I’m actually quite nervous. I realize the importance of our positions and the great responsibility that we have. I pray I can be sensitive to the Spirit so that the Lord can direct me as I am taught this week and as I teach in Brazil. I am going to really need his help effectively helping the awesome people of Brazil.

Okay, I’m off to bed. Here in four short hours I should be getting up to shower and head to breakfast.