Week Three

This week has been stressful and wonderful and just really crazy. For one, I have been preparing to take this terrible, awful, scary, hellish delightful grammar exam and find myself just as nervous for it as I was a few weeks ago when I first found out about it. As it turns out, English is rather difficult and full of many, many exceptions.

I'm also finding it hard to concentrate on the material like I need to be because as of Saturday night, I am a betrothed woman! I got engaged to my wonderful handsome at the Capitol building in Salt Lake City and am now not only trying to pass my classes but also plan a wedding! Gotta love what life throws at us, huh?

Tonight I went to a review session for the grammar exam in the TNRB. I found it to be very helpful and comforting, as I realized that many students have the same struggles and concerns that I do (especially with case and agreement and sentence structure). At one point during the review, the instructor reminded us that in our writing, "that" is used for things that are essential and "which" is used for nonessential items. This was the biggest thing I took away from the review for two reasons:

1. This exam is going to kick my butt and I need to find ways to remember all of the grammar rules that will be covered. This is a great way for me to remember under what circumstance to use each word.
2. It reminded me to relax, regardless my feelings of stress and inadequacy. Several things are essential in these next few months: notifying family and friends of the wedding, setting a temple date, preparing to enter the temple worthily. However, there are also several other things like flowers, tablecloths, wedding shoes, etc. that are nonessential and do not need to be dwelt upon .

I'm grateful for this reminder to sort the "thats" from the "whichs" in my own busy life. So what now? I must constantly be reminding myself of the things that matter and directing my attentions and efforts into whatever that may be.