.glowing.

Haley Loveland, Rachel Hill, Carli Bahm, and me

This past week I traveled across the country with these lovely ladies.

Earlier in April, I got a text from Rachel, asking if I was going to go on the trip to Nauvoo with the singles ward in our stake. I hadn't heard anything about this trip, but it didn't cost a lot of money, and it would be an amazing experience so I said yes!

We left on May 9 and got back May 15. It was a long trip full of many events that I don't feel like writing down, and you would get really bored if I did. Not because the trip was boring, but because you'd be reading for the next hour.

All I can tell you is that this trip changed me.

When I got on that bus on Sunday night, I was old Madeline. When I got off the bus on Saturday afternoon, I was new Madeline.

It surprised me really, when I realized that I had forgotten who I was. When I realized that in the past six or seven months, I had become someone I didn't really want to be. When I realized exactly how unhappy I have been.

This trip changed me. I remembered how I used to be. I forgot all about old Madeline, and couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I met so many wonderful people, and they all made me want to be the best that I can be. I was so uplifted by this trip! The spirit was so strong all the time. Every place that I visited, I learned something new.

It was so much fun traveling across the country, seeing all the church history sites until we reached Nauvoo. Wow, Nauvoo is beautiful. I could spend weeks there and never get bored! The temple was so beautiful, and doing baptisms there was the best experience ever. I'm pretty positive that is my favorite temple now.

The bottom line is, Madeline is back. And this is going to be my best summer ever. My testimony has been so strengthened by this trip, and I am going to be able to share that with the youth at EFY in a couple weeks! This trip was probably the best thing that has ever happened to me.

In closing, I would like to leave you with some pictures of where I have been. I figured out how to put on a sweet slideshow made by yours truly, so check it out!