Day One

We arrive at ANASAZI at 8:05 (we were supposed to be there at 8). A boy in a nice shirt and slacks walks in the building and we follow him in our hiking pants, boots, and pearl snap shirts.

I'm nervous... and also really tired which actually helped with the nervousness.

11 of us are in the training room and we started to introduce ourselves. Everyone seems nice.

There's a really good feeling in the room and in the whole building.

We find out we're going out on the trail at 1 for a primitive (we go out with nothing but the clothes on our backs).

Lunch break at noon.
I can't eat, I can't poop. I lock my keys in the car again and the famous David Holiday (really, he's totally famous), and Moroni (not the angel) get them out. I pay them in hugs.

So, now we're getting into the action. We all head out on a 3 hour trip to the trail. Three big 4 wheel drive car things head out across the desert and drop us off out in the middle of nowhere.
We only had a few hours left of day light so we immediately had to look for a place to camp and gather wood for fire and straw and leaves for bedding. We got a few big piles gathered up and got to building fires. Lindsay had her fire making set with her (carved out of wood) so she taught me real quick how to make a fire.
I got it on my second try.
Very few things can compare with that feeling. I had just created a life giving substance from two completely different materials. I had created. It burst into flames in my own hands. ...it was amazing.

After building a few fires we gathered around the fire to have our first fire circle. David Holiday picked a topic and we went around the fire giving our thoughts.

"What is your greatest fear?"
My greatest fear is having a separate will than that of the Creator's. There is much to do and if I cannot be trusted than I cannot be a part of it.

"If you could do anything and not fail, what would it be?"
Failure is impossible if your intentions are pure. Even if something happens that is not according to plan, there is no failure involved. What rather is occurring is a progression towards an even greater end or accomplishment. All things work together for the good of him who serves God. His plan is perfect and if we go according to that plan our lives will continue forward perfectly.

The fire circle ended and we gathered leaves and grass to make our beds beside the fire.

I'd never imagined the peace I could feel outside in the middle of nothing. It was beautiful. I felt like I was in the temple... or on a mission. Direct communication with Eternity. Clear, pure, uninterrupted revelation...
I felt no opposition. It was wonderful.

We all stayed up most of the night because it was too cold to sleep. David Holiday, however, laid down beside the fire and was out within a matter of minutes. He woke up every once in a while and sang songs or would yell at us so that we wouldn't check to see what time it was. Then fell right back asleep.

People started cuddling to make themselves warmer. I cuddled with Regi and Jessica (my two new roommates!) but only for a little bit.

At about 3 a.m. Dave asked me if I was interested in sleeping warm. I said yes. He took me over to a neglected fire that had just been burning coals for the past few hours. We moved the coals and covered the ground where they had been in a thick bed of grass. He had me lay down on top of it (checking every few minutes to make sure that I wasn't burning) and piled leaves on top of me. I was asleep within seconds. The warmth felt so good and my body was so tired from having driven the whole day before.

I'd felt more peaceful than I had in weeks. Life was so simple. Life was so calm.