On the way to EFY my mind rush to one thing to another, I was worried with what my company would be like.. would I fit in at all?, when I tell the guys in my group I have Asperger's Syndrome, would they accept me for me?, or would I be the outcast..
Once I got to efy, I grab my belongings from the car went in the line to get my efy bag, wristband, book etc
I signed up for the talent show, finally I went to my dorm building went in my room and looked around... there was another bed.. I'm going to have a roommate, I was nervous for having a roommate.. I didn't had one the first year I went to efy.
It was then time to meet with the other guys in my company, so we all went in the lobby, where our efy counselor had us meet.. he introduce himself... something he said later was "In this group you can share anything you want"... that made me think of telling them about Asperger's Syndrome, but could not share that with them now... after we introduce ourselves and talked some, we then went to meet up with the girls in our company.. which I think is the best part for both us and the girls. We played get to know you games.. and I was nervous yet again, once we were done we headed to the introduction of efy and what to aspect from the week, the guys ask the girls if we could escort them (We did this everywhere we went)... I didn't ask anyone if I could escort them, I just hid in the back and waited til everyone had someone to escort... I "couldn't" ask them.. so I just walked in my company going to the program.
The spirit grew inside of me with being there, listening to some of the counselors and Brother McDonald, him and Sister McDonald were our session director.
Later in the evening when we had dinner, my company were sitting with each other.. there were some spots open but I "couldn't" go and sit down with them, so I sat with Jay, he was my counselor.. and his amazing, I'll leave it at that.
Then we had FHE (Family home evening), which was a lot of fun, it took place outside we played games etc, then it was time to go back to our dorms, have our counselor devotional, then go to bed.. I was walking with Jay and it was just the two of us, I told him there's something I got to tell the guys tonight, once we got to our dorm building and had the devotional, Jay said "Michael got something he want to tell us" all eyes were on me.. I felt like what did I got myself into.
But I told them I have Asperger's Syndrome, I told them the basics of it.. and it was all good, nothing went wrong they were accepting of me, I was very grateful for that
Tuesday was amazing, just like the other days, classes etc. the guys in our dorm said we should have a chocolate milk party to go along with pizza night which was Wednesday.. so that morning we started to put chocolate milk into our efy bags, we had some people go run it up to our dorm, we did this at breakfast, lunch and dinner. (There was a door in the main floor where our dorm rooms were, the door was along the wall. it had no handle/door knob, was pretty cool ha, a room with a fridge and other things)
After breakfast we had gospel study where we had personal reading for 30mins, after that we went to the morning side.. it was time to escort the girls again.. I tired hiding in the back like the day before but that didn't work, Jay found someone for me.. it was okay but I ran out with stuff to say and thought I was boring to be their escort.
Every morning side, and classes were amazing, I felt the spirit every time.. for the first two days I went to classes by myself, the 3rd day my friend Spencer who I meant the first day, we went to classes together it was fun, but he wanted to go with his company after the first two classes
I joined the musical program which took my free time up.
Wednesday was game night, it was tons of fun.. after we played games we went to our dorms and waited for our pizzas to get there, we got out the chocolate milk, we gathered 112 in two days, haha it was amazing!
During dinner on Wednesday I saw Kaytlin, she's someone from my ward and we were both surprise we were at the same efy, I didn't even know she was going to efy... she introduce me to her friend who's name is Mckenzi, (They go to the same school, I didn't learn that until later in the week)
Thursday was my favorite day of them all... we all dressed in church clothes and it was the day with the talent show, musical program, fireside and testimony meeting.
At the gospel study for that day, I asked a counselor if I could share a poem, she said yes so after we were done reading, she said I have something to share.. again all eyes on me I began to read it.
~Garden of Gethsemane~
Come see our savior
sorrowful is his soul
Tarry ye here, and watch with me
"Let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt"
Red poured down his mighty face
The pain he felt, the blood he bled
The agony he felt, for sins of mankind
Behold!, our beloved elder brother
In pain for our sins
He rose from his prayer
Sadness reach his face
his disciples sleepeth, " could ye not watch with me one hour?"
a second time, he went.
Tears come to me
This is my savior, and his suffering
For my very own sins
My elder brother
Arose, found his disciples heavy eyed
He stared, tears began to fall
He went a third time
His father’s will be done…
My savoir
Went to his disciples
Jesus started to weep
Disciples awoke
From his weeping
Their faces dazed
Continue to sleep, take your rest
The hour has come and the Son of God is about to be betrayed"
From what I saw, a lot of people were in tears.. a lot came up to me and thanked me for sharing that
At the musical program/fireside (We sang before fireside started), I messed up with my speaking part in the dress rehearsal.. I got nervous and stuttered, I got done speaking when the music started up, I felt like I would ruin the whole program to the point of asking if anyone else could do the speaking part... we went threw it a 2nd time and this time I did it.. ha everyone cheered, I thought it was cool.. when it was time for the real program I messed up but it was a little thing hardly anyone noticed.. I was on the wrong page, I quickly went to my page where my speaking part was on.. I got done right when the music started.. it was hard not to cry while singing and seeing pictures of Christ on the slideshow out of the corner of my eye.
When the choir went to sit down in our seats.. and listen to the fireside I cried many times listening to the talks, one was about the garden of Gethsemane, I reach in my pocket and grab out my poem.. I shared it with Spencer that day, he read it again and asked if he could pass it around (among us choir people).. when it got pass to me the guy on my left asked if I wrote it and thanked me for it, tears where in his eyes, and when we sang the efy medley, I started to cry.. Spencer was there for me, he put his hand on my shoulder and we lean into a hug... when the song ended the fireside was done and it was time for testimony meeting.. a number of companies were in one room on the campus having their testimony meetings.. they called our company name.. soon it was Spencer's company which was called, we both stood up, gave each other a hug and he left.
the slideshow of the pictures of Jesus Christ was on, without the music.. I looked at it and began to cry, I felt the spirit so much
My company got called, so we started to leave.. Marcus is someone from my company.. he put his arm around my shoulder I did the same, we didn't spoke one word for the whole walk to the building where we had our testimony meeting.... I felt so much love from that it was unbelievable.
Me and Nathan when we were walking to get dinner before the musical program, we talked about the testimony meeting and we made a deal, if he goes up and bears his testimony.. I would go up, if I go up then he would.. we also made a deal that each sunday we will go up in our wards and bear our testimony.. I need to start doing that again
So at testimony meeting he got up and bore his testimony.. I knew I had to go up, not cause he did.. because I needed to. I got up and told everyone how much I love my company.. in my testimony I said I told the guys in my company I have Asperger's Syndrome (The girls in my company didn't even know I have Asperger's).. and that was very hard for me, I told them I had friends growing up but they all stop talking to me when they sense I was different, I belong to a priest quorum of 15 guys and only about 4 knew I have Asperger's. I said I hardly told anyone I have Asperger's cause I don't want to be treated differently, the whole time I was in tears, I could barely look at anyone.. when I was done I went and sat down
After the meeting I receive a lot of hugs, people in my company, people out of it, the guys in my company were the last to leave the building.. we kept on hugging each other, it was very powerful, no one had dry eyes.
Friday evening we had the dance, a slideshow of the week, and two devotionals.. the first one included everyone in every company... 2nd was just companies devotional.. in closing we sang the efy medley.. this time I didn't cry much, but the young women in my company.. the beautiful daughters of God.. many were crying, half way threw the song, I reach in my pocket grab some tissue for the girl next to me.. when the song was done I was giving tissue to all of the girls.. one said "I want a group hug with Michael" 6-7 came in for the hug... it felt amazing, I loved giving the tissues to them.
I received a lot of notes during Thursday and Friday. from just walking out of the building I received 3 notes.. it was unreal, I thought how could I impacted so many people
On the way to our dorm, the guys in my company we all put our arms on each other shoulders and sang hymns.. it was a powerful evening, once in my dorm I just sat by myself.. looking threw all of the notes, crying inside (Didn't want any of the guys to see me crying). I'm so grateful I could been there for people at efy.. this made me realize what I want to do when I grow up.. and what I believe is my "Mission" in life.. it's being there for people, being their light, the example they need, I want to be like John Bytheway, etc
I'm grateful that I was in the company, Great and Dreadful, I made a video for my company.. I hope you enjoy it also.
