1st attempt

Wow...so I've been home just about 7 months. My life after the mission is just great! Though the mission is what now seems a dream, it has provided me with so many important experiences that have improved my standard of living.

Elder Perry and I doing Nightly Planning

Planning- Some of you will appreciate this. I came home with so many goals and plans, but no planner to put them in. The mission planners weren't available to me so I tried a school agenda and a zip up beefy "brain organizer planner." Though they had a lot of extra features to them...they were just to big and not fit to my style of organization. I had them at different times, and I lost them several times too. Well...it took me a whole semester to finally figure out that just maybe, some genius would have come up with a Return Missionary Planner. I took my chances walked down to the lower level of the BYU Bookstore to the planner section and THERE it was. Glorious and Beautiful the 1st edition of the RM-planner. It was only different in some ways...the format, but very similar. It also goes by 9 weeks verses 6 weeks...which adds up to half a semester by the way. So...I bought it and used it up and am happy to report that I am now on my 2nd planner. How long will I use them? Don't know...but it is so easy to carry, so easy to take out and write in, and such a blessing to my busy busy busy life.


Special features: Weekly Goals and Tasks at the beginning of each week, exercise plan as part of the daily numbers(tasks) section, Expenses, and my personal favorite. CONTACTS!!! 10 per day may I remind you. It even organizes them to Church contacts, work contacts, and for the truly bold and brave Other contacts. They really want us to step that one up I guess. And Yes I've done my share of contacting at BYU...I'm trying to avoid those eternagators right now, but I'm happy to report that my numbers have been high. If you can't tell that I'm some what joking by now, I'm sorry. The sad thing is the other part that is true.

Exercise- So as you know I was in BYU's Living Legends Performance my first year at BYU. It was a wonderful experience that prepared me for my mission in many ways. Well I decided to tryout again when I got back and I was so happy when I learned that I had made the group again. Living Legends is a group that represents three cultures: Latin, Polynesian, and Native American. There are about 12 dancers in each of the three sections half guys, and half girls. We practice for 10 hours a week: 3hrs Mon&Fri and 3hrs Wed. So far this year we've had the opportunity to dance at BYU's Homecoming Spectacular, performed for the BYU Law Symposium, Peformed for the Pakistan Ambassador, Toured for three days in Idaho, traveled to Arizona for 10 days, and were filmed by BYU Broadcasting during our De Jong Concert Hall performances at BYU. We just have one more show on the 26th of March at BYU, and then we will be taveling off to Argentina and Paraguay for 23 days or so. Needless to say I've been very busy, but have loved every moment. It's also helped me to lose the 30 Ib mission weight I gained while in New Jersey. Feel free to ask questions about the group and my experiences as it will provide topics for future posts.





Studies- When I got home I jumped right into school with a week to sign up and get everthing ready. BYU is amazing and I'm so grateful for the learning atmosphere that it provides. My first semester I took Chemistry 105, Spanish 321, D&C 325, Sociology 111, STDEV 117, and Living Legends. I managed to pull off my best grades ever at BYU even when I got behind after going on tour to Idaho. I got an A- in Chem 105 which was the biggest blessing of all. Now... In comparison...this semester isn't so hot! I'm taking Chem 106, Chem 107, Molecular Biology 240, Statistics 221, a culture class IAS, and Living Legends. I don't know what I was thinking at the beginning of the semester, but probably not about the right things. Let us say that when one leaves on tour for 3 days and thinks it's hard, then wait until he goes for 10 days. I'm not complaining so much as that I'm making fun of myself. Classes are going well now, but the beginning of the semester didn't start off to great. So I'm hoping that I can receive several miracles throughout the rest of the semester as I'm still catching up and trying to save my grades.



Contacting- "to be continued"

An end to Love or Love to its end.

Why do we sacrifice so much for love?
Is it an instinct that just comes from above?
A warm feeling that wraps around you
As if embraced by the feathers of a Dove.

But Love Birds grow old and time must soon end.
We look to the seasons to see what can mend.
Heaven sends water that turns to dew
Flowers do blossom and to Heaven ascend.
-jacob uda

I wrote this while on my mission. I wrote it with the purpose of trying to understand how people can love when that love they have has an end. Of course it applies only to certain beliefs, and not my own. There are many deeper thoughts that go with this poem. It hints at some things even with the title. Each line ends with a word that goes with the rest. It all ties in together some how with double meanings. I hope you enjoy.

My Parachute (4K)

My heart sunk deep within me.
A greater hope then i realized died away.
Though it had entered secretly I could now see
That the "what could have been" was not for today.

The feelings of self-doubt and insecurity fast approached,
Consuming my mind and heart, a destructive force.
I seized control amidst the stormy tempest,
To make the decision that would guide my course.

There was to be no anger, but in place gratitude.
Thankful for life's experiences and the true and honest heart,
A new perspective to improve my parachute.
The landing is soft and our friendship the greatest start.
-Jacob Uda