Imma be a sap for jiffy, so hold the phone.

Should this go in my journal? Maybe... But it isn't that personal really. Well, part of it is. But it's not something that I'm not willing to share! So yeah...

The first thing I want to say is that I quite honestly love our bishop more than any bishop I have ever had.  Never before have I had a bishop that I felt I could talk to about anything, who I knew I could go to for anything, who feels like my second dad. It's really great! I mean, he knows each and every one of us, and he sincerely cares about each of our lives. I hope he knows how much I appreciate him and all the work that he puts into his calling. 

Second (and this made me cry), I got a note today after church from someone who will remain anonymous. I think I read it like three times. It is quite possibly one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me in my whole life. 

Amanda - 

                 Do you ever have those moments when you feel like the heaven opened, if only for a short moment?  I had one of those today in church, watching you sing. I could hear your wonderful voice out of everyone else's. Not only did you sing well, but I could tell by your face that you were bearing your testimony. During the last part of the song my eyes teared up at the power of your musical testimony. At that time, I saw an angel. You're a beautiful person, inside and out. Thank you for that. Never stop singing. 

I lost it, not gonna lie. As those who know me will testify,  I'm a cryer (crier? cry-er...). I cry. That's what I'm trying to get at. Anyway... You don't really understand quite how much this note meant to me unless you know something kind of personal about me. I love music, more than anything in the world almost. And I am always trying to get people to love it with me. I want them to appreciate what I appreciate, come to concerts with me and love it, listen to some new song that I discovered. I'm passionate about it, and I can't hold that in... But one day I was thinking: don't I love the Gospel as much as I love music? Then why isn't it that I am not as eager to share it? Why is it that I'm even a little reluctant?! I should be constantly trying to share a message with people, no matter if they are as enthusiastic as me or not! But I don't.. And that really bothers me. For a while I figured it was because my testimony wasn't strong enough. But I know I have a testimony. I know it with my whole being. I just didn't/don't know how to share it. Until I came to BYU. This is the second person who has told me that they can feel my testimony when I sing. Are you kidding me right now? Could God possibly love me enough to let that be my way of sharing? Yes. Yes He does. It might be kind of hard for you guys to fathom how much peace and joy that knowledge brings me. .. It means the world to me that I can share what means the world to me by doing the thing that I love most in this world. Yeah. Say that five times fast.

And there you go. A peek into the heart of Amanda Bay. Do with it what you will :)