The memoirs of a certain Hannah: always a good time in Las Vegas

There are certain things in life that make me feel like a grown up. Buying stamps for the first time was a big deal for me, choosing my first rump roast from the grocery was as well. Leaving on a mission, accepting a calling with a lot of responsibility, and paying tuition bills have always made me feel like such an adult.

Randomly buying a ticket and flying to Las Vegas to spend a weekend with one of my best friends is definitely one of those things. I love adventures, always have and always will, but usually those adventures include very detailed and well thought out plans and someone else to go with me. I have never have been a super spontaneous person. I don’t try to be anymore and I don’t apologize for not being so.

This was the first time that I actually ventured out completely and totally alone…and it felt good, really good. It let me know I can do fun and exciting things by myself. I felt empowered and alive. Amazing how one small weekend trips to Vegas can do that for me.

I’m not really a give-you-every-chronological-detail-of-the-trip kind of person. Blogging about some of the thoughts that passed through my head while in Vegas sounds a bit more interesting, doesn’t it?

Leaving Rexburg and going to Vegas is quite the change. I’ve been to Vegas enough times so that the lights, casinos and the strip aren’t novelties any more, but I’m still amazed at the busyness of everyone and everything. I arrived Friday night to the hustle and bustle of a thriving weekend, and what’s more, BYU was playing the next day which meant tons of Mormons in blue and white shirts. Comforting in an odd sort of way. Sometimes it amazes me how everyone’s going somewhere. So many pedestrians, so many hotel rooms, so many parking garages. Thousands of people everywhere. What in the world are all these people doing here? Where are they going? Where did they come from? I absolutely love people-watching. I could do it for hours. One of the things I think about is everyone’s story. I see weirdly dressed people and I wonder what their story is. How did they come to be like that? What’s made them who they are. I would love to know. I told my dad once that I can’t wait for the next life and the eternal time without limits. I want to talk to everyone and learn about the life they lived. People fascinate me. It’s amazing how everyone’s got a plan and they’re heading toward it. Everyone is going from somewhere to someplace else.

I feel the same way about gambling as I feel about those really intense Meth: Not Even Once commercials airing on TV right now. I never want to gamble once. I think it’s ridiculous, absolutely stupid, completely time wasting and money consuming. I’m not into doing it even once just to say I’ve done it. I’d rather be able to say at the end of my life that I never pulled the handle to a slot machine or laid down cards at a poker table. I’d rather not. No thank you. I’d rather spend my money on something else rather than helping an industry whose addicts have damaged brains similar to those addicted to pornography. So don’t think I’m stupid. Gambling is stupid.

The best part of the weekend was spending time with someone I love and someone who has touched my life for good. Courtney and I were roommates for just over three months but I know she was brought into my life for a very important reason. She is the reason I got through last semester intact. She simply understands and can relate to my life and my experiences even though we haven’t gone through similar things. I love her forever and I’m grateful for the few amazing days we got to spend together. Courtney and I can talk and laugh and cry together but we also don’t mind sitting in the car in silence or singing to our favorite country tunes. She’s a beautiful person inside and a gorgeous and stunning person on the outside.

I think the most important thing that went through my head this weekend as I passed thousands of people, as I walked through numerous casinos, and as I observed people from all walks of life was the importance of the Atonement. I saw a lot of things in Vegas I’d rather not see. People tried to hand me porn on every corner. People are walking down the street drunk and acting stupid. All the glitz and glamour are just a façade to a city of sin and ignorance. Don’t think me judgmental but it wears on me after a couple days. I can feel my spirit eroding, my attitude deteriorating, my protective wall crumbling. I know there are good people everywhere, and that’s just as true for Vegas as anywhere. But as I walked the streets and saw the billboards, as I watched the people and diverted my eyes from the immodesty, as I heard the language and listened to the music, I couldn’t help but be thankful for the Savior. He still loves all these people. He loves me. He still loves the people who are doing all those things, the good things and also the bad things. He knows they can change if they choose. He’s the reason they’ll always have that option no matter what they’ve done in their life. The more I see of the world the more I realize the need for a Savior. I’m glad I know of Him. I’m glad I know of His love. I’m glad I know I can change and be forgiven.

So now I’m back. A short weekend later and a lot to think about. I love growing up. I love new experiences. I’m alright coming back to Rexburg and my humble, quiet, simple abode that is my home for just a couple more weeks. I won’t always live in a bubble. I will go off into the world and will have to face more of what I experienced this weekend. I’m alright with that because I know that my personal home can always be a sacred place where the spirit is.

I drove back to Rexburg on Monday. I waited to turn the corner and see the temple. It feels good to be back home.

Just enjoying the Bellagio fountains and watching all the crazy people