PCT3

HDR.

original for comparison.

I know it was not on the list to do an hdr but this is my new truck so I figured I had to include it somehow.

PCT 2

Photo Challenge Thingy 1

First entry in an adventure to make my photos better and hopefully gain some insight and knowledge. As another added part of this I have decided that all photos will be taken with my iPod. Enjoy.

Its 4am.

So I just got done with a paper I have been working on since midnight, it wasn't anything insane. I'm just a procrastinator and get distracted easily, thank goodness for Rockstar.  I should really just go buy a flat of it from Costco or something.

So your probably asking yourself whats new in the life of Andy??? Well let me tell you. School is going well but homework has been a bit overwhelming at times. I dropped one of my classes because it was a major workload and felt like there wasn't enough time in the day to get everything done, sometimes I still feel that way. I have decided that I am going to work super hard during the week and hopefully take weekends off unless something huge comes up. I just dont want to be occupied all weekend with homework. I haven't been taking as many photos lately because of all the homework and things but i have decided to make time to take a photo a day. I found this neat photo challenge online:

So I will be doing that but not in any certain order and posting them when I have time. So you may get one a day or 15 of them all at once. I also wont actually be labeling them, most of them will just speak for themselves.

Hope all is well to whoever reads this. I better go get some sleep before my 9:45 class. Today should be an exciting day Elder L. Tom Perry is going to speak at devotional!

This I Believe

I thought I would post some of the things I need to do for my classes on here. Just so everyone knows I am terrible at writing thats why I usually let my photographs do the speaking for me.

This assignment was for my english class as a concept taken from "This I Believe" a radio show on NPR.

More of a life update will be coming soon.

Here it is:

Cycling is a Lifestyle, not just a recreation.

I believe that a bicycle can bring great joy, peace and accomplishment to our everyday lives. Bicycling is a fantastic thing to do on the weekend to get out and see different things in the outdoors and is a great family recreation, but I think it can do much more to benefit our lives and health. The health gained is not only physical but also mental, giving me a sense of accomplishment to actually see something progress in my life. Something usually unseen on a day to day basis. I believe so strongly in this because of the affect it has had in my life, when I am weighed down with stress, frustration, anger and disappointment it only takes a few peddle strokes before that is solved. As a college student who hasn’t been in school for a while getting back into the stresses and learning that comes with classes and grades can get a bit over whelming. I first started cycling about 5 years ago when I had just graduated high school and found myself almost addicted to going out every day and riding everyday for at least 15 to 20 miles. I started with a lot of road riding but worked my way into mountain biking after one of my friends convinced me it was the only way. Each has their own thrills from weaving in and around traffic to ripping down the side of a mountain on a trail no wider than a foot at times. The wind in your face, the exhaustion after a huge climb, the thrill of something unknown around the next corner, I love it all. I have seen cycling around town to run errands or to class invigorates my mind, and gives me a heightened sense of my surroundings. Maybe it is just my escape from the the world for just a moment, but the stress relieved even riding a few blocks to or from home every day is fantastic. It invigorates the body and mind, brings us health and strength. That is why cycling is a lifestyle.

300 Miles of Gravel Trailer / Life Update

This is footage from last years Trans Iowa. The documentary should be coming out early next year.

The Trans Iowa was started by a man known as Guitar Ted who thought it would be a great idea to ride his bike across Iowa. Its pretty insane but if you are interested in the history of how it started you can read about it here, and if you want updates on next years event, here.

LIFE UPDATE:
Other than that today I have been packing for my journey to Idaho for school, packing is not my favorite thing to do at all. I leave on the 2nd early and should be in Rexburg on the 3rd in the afternoon some time.

Christmas went well, we changed it up this year and opened presents on Christmas Eve, it was a nice treat to not have to be rushed on Christmas having to open presents and go to dinner at Grandma Paulsons. It was a good Christmas this year, it was great to be home and be around family and friends, not saying that I didnt like Christmas on my mission. I got a new camera, nothing fancy but anything is a lot nicer than not being able to see anything on your screen at all.

Over all I am excited to go to school and start a new chapter of my life, it should be fun and exciting and new and all those other things school has to offer.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas /  Holiday / whatever the crap you celebrated season!

8.22.11 - 9.26.11

So a lot of things have been happening in the past month or so. Transfers have come and gone and I have 2 new companions for my last 6 weeks and it has been a blast!

A few weeks ago we went to a Sealing at the Rexburg Temple, it was great, my testimony of eternal families was strengthened once again. It is amazing that if we do what is right, follow the Savior and attend the temple that we can find more peace and joy than ever before.

Since last time I posted there was a fire out in the desert by the INL site. It made for an amazing sunset and sky.

Also there has been a ton of fun outdoor activities on P-day. From riding bikes at Kelly Canyon to a Zone Hike up the Menan Butte. I have truly developed a love of the outdoors, especially mountain biking on my mission. There is nothing better than just taking off with only a map, water and some tools and having a great adventure.

Transfers

8.9.11 - 8.21.11

 The 16th district photo of my mission... where has the time went???

Rexburg Temple at night.

Transfers have come and gone again. I got a new companion! His name is Elder Larsen and he is a brand new missionary! It is always exciting to have a change happen and get to know more people.

Elder Durnell and I with our "new" Companions

The weather has been amazing the past few weeks so that means that we have been doing a lot of biking to save miles (we only are allotted 1100 for the months). One day this week we rode our bikes to Teton and back it was about a 20 mile round trip.

On the way back from Teton

This past saturday was the "Rexburg Rush" triathlon. It was great to do service there and I was made the Event Photographer, I asked the guy in charge if he could get me all the shots I took so hopefully those will be up in the coming weeks.

 

 

Things here are good, training is fun and exciting. This past week was zone conference... the last one of my mission, that was a bit weird. Today I found out that i was officially accepted to BYU - I. It's just a weird time in life, knowing that the mission is coming to a close, trying to work hard but also accept the fact that I only have 2 more months to hold this calling. Coordinating things for when I get home and only be there for 2 months then coming back to the great state of Idaho. 

It's WEIRD.

7.11.11 - 8.8.11

So its been a while since I have done any update, so it seems like there should be a lot to be said. But the last  few weeks have just been a blur!!! One day just blends with the next and things happen so quickly that you can't even remember what you ate for breakfast!  

A few weeks ago Elder Dollinger went to the Rexburg Temple.

There is also a weekly Farmers Market held right next to the Rexburg Tabernacle. We have went a few times and it has been a lot of fun to go and visit with the people there. 

There is a man there with a stand who makes pens, he called us over one week and said something like "Elders always need pens, here take one." So after talking with him for a while and me not wanting to just take a pen from him he asked me if  I liked baseball I said I did we talked about our favorite teams for a bit and he stuck this pen in my pocket, its made from a Louisville Slugger.  

Also the BYU-I horticulture department has a booth where they sell plants and produce, I was looking at their mint plants and asked the guy what "orange mint" was. He told me that I was a project they did this year to alter the plants so they would taste like other things... It was pretty interesting so we tried it and it was  good. So I bought an orange mint and an apple mint plant from them... It was a pretty good deal too $1.50 a plant.

I think the sign at the gas station was messed up. 

P-day is always full of exciting activities a few weeks ago one of our ward mission leaders took us fishing at someones pond, he told us it was stocked but only part of me believes him because none of us caught a dang thing! But it was fun to just relax for a few hours and drown a worm.

I also got a summer time cold this past week, it was terrible! But I made a quick recovery with some vitamin C, garlic pills, herbal tea and other assorted things.

Last week I had a member in our area order me a basket of produce, it was only $17 for a ton of food! It was great!

Other new and exciting things that are happening:

Transfers will happen this week and on Saturday night I found out that I will be training a new missionary, he will be here on Wednesday. Other than that its just missionary work as usual. Its great to be a missionary! 

Have a good week!!!

6.20.11 - 7.10.11

So a lot has happened in the past few weeks. 

We finished the washing machine drainage project.

We also tore apart an old camper trailer and of course had to get rid of the remains. 

We spent some more time in the Kelly Canyon area... I love it up there. 

I took some family photos for the Hammon Family, it was a lot of fun and I think they turned out pretty well. I wasn't sure when I was taking them if they were going to be good at all.

   

I was transfered from Menan after NINE MONTHS! To Rexburg covering the Rexburg North and Sugar City stakes.

Me and Elder Standing, my last companion.

On the Fourth of July we went to the Rodeo... How can you get more American than that!

 Things in Rexburg are going really well we are seeing success and teaching a lot. It is great to be on a mission and to be able to learn and grow in this life to become better than we were the day before. 

Have a good week.

 -Andrew Paulson

 andrwplsn.blogspot.com

 andrew.paulson@myldsmail.net