So here it comes. One thing that everyone was so worried about... the comprehensive exam. Let me just point out that the poster for the Comprehensive exams really screwed all of us. The flier was posted 5 weeks ago and it says the test covers stuff from all required courses (Stat535, Stat536, Stat624, Stat641 and Stat642). This we already knew. And then we were notified that the test (1) is closed book,(2) and it consists of a 3-hour closed-book section and a 5-hour data analysis section. So we thought okay, all in one-day. It'll be hard core but closed book means there is no impossible questions (since professors tend to put more difficult questions if the test is open-book).
Well, we found out that the test IS open book AND 5 hour exam and 9 hour data analysis. It's much longer! All of us was devastated. This also meant more number of impossible questions on the exam. And on top of that, the test is on both Thursday and Friday. Oh what a heck. We'll manage. But we appreciated it if the coordinator checked the poster before he okayed that 20 of these to be posted on the message boards. We are not blaming the Graduate Secretary, though. She's innocent.
Things like this is so important and accurate information must be distributed.
We had two parties: (1) Dr.Johnsons and (2) California Pizza. To see the photo album, go to "Engless Journey", or click here.
Dr.Johnsons place
Dr. Johnson taught Stat642: Statistical and Probability Theory; a most challenging class there is in the graduate program. This social was only for the first year students. We had a potluck and then played backyard soccer with two of his children. It was good that we all got out and play. 
California Pizza
This social was for both 1st year and 2nd year graduate students. We all ate at the California Pizza. We were presented with Grauduate Department polo shirt! Awesome. Everybody brought their wives/husbands... boyfriends and girlfriends... except for Jeremy and James... come on guys! Just kidding.
Hess family in our Japanese ward invited us, Quiner family and Br.Inagi for the BBQ after the General Conference session on Sunday. Unfortunately, weather has been cold we did an in-door BBQ. To see full photo album, visit "Endless Journey" section of our website or click here. They make the best BBQ.
I am honored to announce that I have won the 23rd Spring Research Conference 2009 at the Brigham Young University. My research was titled the Gamma Estimation of the Harold B. Lee Library Lending time.
For the abstract, CLICK HERE. You can also view the paper inside the "Statistics" on my webpage. CLICK HERE.
The annual College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Spring Research Conference includes students, both undergraduate and graduate, from across the College. The participating students are divided into sessions, each with a chair and two judges.
Each student participant was given twelve minutes for his or her presentation, with another three minutes for questions from the audience and session judges. Students were judged on organization, verbal presentation, visual presentation, the content of the research, and impact of the research on society.
The complete list of winners are listed in the official website for the conference. Visit College of Physics and Mathematical Science.
This year's mission reunion was organized by Sister White and Sister Kay. They've planned the whole thing and contacted every single missionaries that served during President Collin G. Bricknell's service between Years 2003-2006. If you want to see the photo album, go to "Endless Journey" of our website section, or click here.
We heard messages from President and Sister Bricknell and then everybody else's power 30 seconds testimony. Then we had dinner afterwards. Many old faces but thing that we noticed the most was that almost everybody was married or engaged. We felt the passings of time. We wish good health for Sister Bricknell who recently had severe health issues in the past several months. 