New Year's Reflections 2012

Happy 2012 everyone! It's been a wonderful 365 days for me and I hope it has been for you too. I continue to be amazed at the way life keeps on teaching me things. Just when I think I have a handle on my life I find new and unexpected surprises along the way. I love the fact that I can keep on learning and growing in new and exciting ways each year. So to recap 2011 here are the breakdown of months and what I got to do:

January: Sang my first title role in USU's production of Giulio Cesare, and was able to start serving in my student ward in a calling again. :)
February: Managed to make it through Valentine's Day without massacre-ing anyone, thanks to some wonderful friends in Logan.
March: Had a fun St. Paddy's day and made it through the evil Logan weather.
April: Lots of singing! Sang the role of Papageno in USU's production of The Magic Flute and sang with the Chamber Singers in a concert of 70's music. Groovy!
May: Presented my senior recital "Portrait of the Musician as a Young Man" and graduated with my Bachelor's in Vocal Performance from USU. Yay!
June: Began my second summer with Utah Festival Opera, rehearsing for five shows.
July: Performed with UFO and competed in the Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico Vocal Competition.
August: Was the best man for my brother Wyn's wedding to Andrea Decker and moved to Portland, Oregon to start my new life as a Master's student at Portland State University.
September: Learned lots of lessons in humility while searching for a job in the Portland area.
November: Sang for the Royal Rosarian's Centennial Celebration in Portland and had an awesome Thanksgiving with my whole family.
December: Performed as Zurga in two scenes from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers at PSU and was assigned the role of Le Marquis de la Force in PSU's upcoming production of Dialogues of the Carmelites before going home to a wonderful Christmas and New Year's with family.

It's the little things in life that make it worth living. May you all have a happy and blessed year this year and let us all remember the reason why we are all here in the first place. As the motto from my mission (The Great Florida Ft. Lauderdale Mission) states: Obedience is the price, faith is the motive, the Spirit is the key, and Christ is the reason. Obedience rules the Spirit, and the Spirit rules the work. As we work to better ourselves each day, I hope we can all remember to be like Christ while doing so and most importantly FIND JOY IN THE JOURNEY. Life is to enjoy, so let's do so in 2012! More to come...