EFY-University of Utah

Just be warned. This is a long post...

And make sure you check out the video to the left. (You might want to start it now and just listen while you're reading.)

Brandon and Frankie went to their first EFY (Especially For Youth) at the University of Utah this past week. The location was chosen by their Aunt Dawn. This happened because her daughter, Lia, is aiming to get a gymnastics scholarship at the U of U. She wanted our boys to go check it out along with her kids. However, Lia ended up having to have surgery on her arm so she didn't make it. Only Rocco joined them.

Brandon's experience:

(I only have a couple of pictures of him because Frankie kept the camera.)

Brandon was a little disappointed that he got stuck with a company that was a little weird. He said most of them wouldn't talk. However, after much reflection, he decided that this was actually a blessing. It allowed him time to really listen and ponder about the things he was learning. He kept a notebook and jotted down some things that really stood out to him. I looked over his notes and decided to share a few of my favorites:

• When I get a prompting to say a good comment to someone, it is the Holy Ghost prompting and I should listen.
• Are my spiritual hands worn from the service I do every day??
• A friend is someone who walks in when everyone else walks out.
• I need to obey with exactness.
• Tell my parents that I love them! (He probably wrote this bc he RARELY tells us. And, I love that he has an exclamation by it.)
• Which of the ten lepers am I?
• WHEN I LEAVE EFY, I WANT TO HONOR MY MOTHER AND FATHER MORE!!! (This was written bigger than anything else. Of course, I love this one too.)

Brandon had some remarkable spiritual experiences and noted that when he came home, he could feel a huge difference in the way our home felt. He arrived to some contentions and could tell immediately that the spirit was much weaker here. I felt bad that his spiritual high was being deflated by our chaotic family. We had a long talk and listened to EFY music. At this moment I realized that Brandon had really grown and been moved by his experiences there. After we finished our chat, he picked up his scriptures and went off to do a morning devotional. I was so proud of him. He really wanted to remain steadfast and immovable.

Brandon putting sheets on his bed when he arrived. Brandon's company.

His counselor (man to the left of him with the blue shirt on) challenged him to a wrestling match at the end of EFY. They ended in a stale mate bc they were too exhausted to continue after a long fight. This match caused others to join in the competition, including Frankie and Rocco. They all walked away with rug burns and blood droppings on the carpet. Rocco even left with a chipped tooth. (Dawn chastized Frankie over that one.)

Frankie's experience:

Frankie said that he had the BEST week of his life. (This says a lot considering his Western Carribean cruise has held 1st for some time.) He has raved and raved about his time spent at EFY. He said he was crying so much while he was there because the Spirit was so strong. He did not want to leave. He even went up to Brandon, hugged him and told him he loved him while shedding emotional tears. He met so many wonderful people and he thoroughly enjoyed the speakers. His favorite was John Bytheway (a renowned LDS author). He also took part in a talent show while he was there. He played his guitar and sang a secondhand serenade song. He said that he dedicated it to his favorite girl in his life: his mother. (Awww.) He was proud that he got the 2nd highest applause, even though he messed up and had to start over. He absolutely goes on and on about EFY, He wants us to send him on another one before the summer ends. I don't know if that will happen, but I will tell you this...this was a life altering experience for him.

Let me share a portion of his journal:

"This week was the absolute best week of my life. I have never felt the Spirit so strong. I love this Church so much. It is the greatest gift that I have in my life right now. I want everyone in the world to feel the way that I do...I know that Jesus is the LIVING Christ and died so we could live. I know that he speaks to our prophets today. I know that warnings that come from the prophets really come from Christ. He is the Head of the Church. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I know that he did more for us and the world than any other person, save Jesus Christ only. I know that the worth of the soul is great! We must do everything possible to keep ourselves worthy to enter the temple...We are actual children of our Heavenly Father. He loves us so much and He wants us to love him. I'm sure that there is nothing more pleasing to Him than to see his children working hard to prove themselves worthy to live with Him again. That's why we must do the things necessary to keep ourselves pure. We must always act like Jesus is walking beside us wherever we go. Use this image to fend off the enticings of the devil. If Jesus were truly beside us, he would do anything for us. As a matter of fact, He has done EVERYTHING for us. There is not one pain that we have felt that Jesus did not share with us. We also need to picture Christ suffering for our sins whenever we are faced with temptation, because if we sin we need to know that we are only making our Savior suffer more than he has to. If we can do this for the Savior, He will hopefully one day grab us into His arms and say, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' There is no experience in my life that I can think of that would make me happier than this..."

Is that not beautiful?

Frankie's crazy company.
Rocco and Frankie, roommates and cousins.This is Fred. He was Frankie's male counselor. He just got off of his mission three months ago. Frankie loved him.Frankie says that his female counselor was super cool. She just graduated from BYU Idaho.
Rocco reading his scriptures during daily devotionals.
Frankie contemplating gospel truths.

Okay, the next group of pictures, Frankie decided to give out superlatives to his lady friends. Let's see how he voted them...

Hottest...Chyna.

Frankie spent most of his spare time with her.Sweetest...Emily.Coolest girls in company...Tiara and AudreyMost outgoing...Shelby
Favorite...HillarySpreadin' the love with Hillary and Shelby.

Now on with an interesting story...
Frankie had us worried because he did not arrive home on time. He had left UT at 8 am, which is a six hr drive. By 6 pm he was still not home. (For those of you who are terrible at math, he should've been home at 1 pm bc of the time zone.) After several phone calls, we find out that he met a girl when he stopped for gas and decided to go out with her. A stranger! He went on a date with a stranger! He was hanging out in Filmore, UT for some six or seven hrs with a girl he met at a pit stop. He claims she was LDS and he met her family and they were all great. What?! After all was said and done, the boys rolled in around 9:30 pm (8 1/2 hrs late). Also, among his adventures, he managed to get a speeding ticket, a parking ticket, and he lost one of my hubcaps. He better hurry and get back to work.

This is Jamie, the one who Frankie decided to date on a whim.