Anywho. By the time I rolled back into the real world, around you know, 1:00. I have a tweet waiting for me mentioning Zupas and I want lunch. Naturally. I can't ruin my Zupas date with my girls so the next best thing is Cafe Rio. Half hour and parking madness later, the two biz men in front of me are picking up 12 salads, 4 burritos and who knows what else? So I was a little peeved that my one order wasn't finished. With a little extra time on my hands, I look around and there is Kay Hill. This is awkward, what do I say? Where's Chelesa? I found her at a little table in her scrubs. Looking like a scrub myself; with sweats, glasses, messy hair and nappy eyeliner, I wanted in and out and fast. I got to catch up and we talked about going to the Al Fox fireside.
Now for the reason of this blog. Al Fox. She is the "the tattooed Mormon" and boy, is she inspirational. It was originally a youth fireside. Youth are in their teens and since I'm 19, I WILL be attending this fireside. Because seriously, AL FOX. Yet another inspirational lady I look up to. I walk in and instantly squint around trying to catch a glimpse of her. Chelesa sits on the side, but I want a good view of this gal, so I moved without Chelesa. I didn't care. I almost felt the Al Fox fire within and moved; even if it was just across the chapel. I had 'arisen' for something I believed in, it was something she would have done. Cheesy.
You just add listening to her on to your bucket list because you will love her as much as I do. She is incredible. I was instantly impressed that she pushed the microphone down. She's gotta be cool. She had stolen my attention with a clip of one of her videos on the world wide web. Thank you, Facebook! Her talk was more than inspiring and for lack of time and my poor sleeping habits, this is her blog. http://alfoxshead.blogspot.com/ It is a must read.
Al's Talk Highlights
bathroom sized apartment
worked at hospital parking services and she thought she couldn't be happier
seeing the missionaries for the first time and wondering who still wears helmets
telling the "boys" that she would only listen to them if they brought her a steak
praying a one-eyed open prayer with the guidance of the missionary pamphlet
the "boys" taking her to the "forest" in little known Palmyra where they prayed and she repeated the words
waking up at 4:00AM and calling the missionaries with no cause
screaming at them that she wanted to get baptized
being embarrassed she didn't invite anyone to her baptism, except her sister's boyfriend, Scott
receiving the Holy Ghost made her want to yell at all of New York to share her true happiness
people noticing how different and happy she was
her dad telling her at her 21st birthday lunch that she'd have to decide between her family and the church
sitting at home on Friday and Saturday nights writing church talks
asking Heavenly Father if she should serve a mission with the answer to move to Utah
planned to move in two months and nothing was falling into place
packing all her stuff into her two door car and driving without knowing where she was going to live
Chicago hotel with a call of a house for her to live in
driver's window broken, AC broken, cruise control broken in the middle of summer with a 70 pound dog breathing right on her face, driving 20 hours without sleeping
being amazed at the mountains
driving and see the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, EVER. (thinking she'll say the temple or something) she sees Cafe Rio
clutching a prophet biography and a man told her "you know it's pretty iron you look the way you do holding that book" and feeling laser eyes all around her, containing her anger to yell, "don't you know what I've been through?"
the blessings of the temple
I honestly was hanging on every word. I never wanted her to stop talking. At one point, she looked directly at me and spoke. It was piercing.
It's 3:07, I really must retire to my bed for now, but I couldn't not blog about a day so incredible.
To be continued, because the duration of this will not make sense if I proceed tonight.
