Both of these gems are great and speak volumes.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thousand
Both of these gems are great and speak volumes.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Adversity
To go along with that, "come what may and love it!" This man has always been and forever will be my favorite apostle: Elder Wirthlin
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sunday
Sorry about the length, I promise it is worth it. But, at least read the very last paragraph! :)
Wow. Do you ever have those Sundays where you go to church and get so much out of everything? Where it seems as if everything is relevant to what you are either struggling with, or what you need to be working on? Or where you just feel like you learn so much? Today was one of those Sundays for me. I haven't had one of these in a long time, and I am so grateful for the reminders I have been given. I recently moved back home and today was my first official day in the YSA branch here. I already love it. There is nothing like being in a YSA ward/branch. I can always feel the spirit much more strongly there because of the quietness and relate ability of the people around my age.
To start off, when I got in my car, I changed the radio station to the sounds of Sunday station. It always brings the spirit to my day. I was lucky enough to hear this tune on my way to church, which just so happens to be one of my favorites (I also heard it on the way home):
I was a little late to sacrament meeting, but only a few minutes. I was able to sit near the front, which is my favorite place to sit because it makes it easier for me to focus on the speakers. There were 3 speakers in sacrament meeting. They each spoke on 1 faith, 2 repentance, and 3 then Baptism and the Holy Ghost.
I am only going to share a couple of my favorite things from each talk.
In the talk on faith: Having faith is simply making a choice to have faith. All you have to do is make a conscious effort. In the talk on repentance: Christ will not condemn you for your sins, as long as you take the time to repent and become better. In the talk on baptism and the holy ghost: The past is to be learned from, not lived in.
After sacrament I was asked to give a talk, my first one in over a year. I am actually kind of excited. But only kinda. The funniest thing about it though, was that my assigned topic is something that I have had a lot of experience with in the past year. It was a reminder that no matter where you go, the church is always true, and the Bishopric/Branch presidency truly are guided men of the Lord. More to come on that talk later.
Sunday School was also incredible. It was on Mosiah 25-27. There were so many different things talked about, and I just loved so many things. But my favorite thing came from 25:10; When they thought of the immediate goodness of God.... God loves each and every one of us. He awaits the day that we want to come back into the fold or repent of something that has been keeping us from him. As soon as you decide to stop sinning, and come back to God, he is right there to immediately receive you and take you back. I know that this is true, even with small sins or something as simple as not regularly reading the scriptures. He is always willing to take us back.
Relief Society was downright incredible. The lesson was on two different conference talks from April 2012. The Laborers in the vineyard by Elder Holland and The Merciful Obtain Mercy by President Uchtdorf.
President Uchtdorf says in his talk:
"My dear brothers and sisters, consider the following questions as a self-test:
Do you harbor a grudge against someone else?
Do you gossip, even when what you say may be true?
Do you exclude, push away, or punish others because of something they have done?
Do you secretly envy another?
Do you wish to cause harm to someone?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to apply the two-word sermon from earlier: stop it!"
Towards the end of the lesson, she had us each think of one person who we need to forgive for something they have done to us or for someone who just drives us crazy. I thought of someone who I used to be really close with, but over the years we have become the opposite of close. There were a few exchanges between us that were a little less than friendly (okay a lot less), and I have despised her for about a year. I don't usually hate people, and I don't hold grudges for more than a few days, but with her it has been different.
The teacher then went on to say that she was going to give us one minute of silence to vent in our minds about this person that we had chosen. After that minute we had to let all of that go, and forgive them. We had to move on and forget it. We had to merely STOP IT! She said, "You don't get to be the one to decide if those individuals deserve to be forgiven. You must forgive them. The Lord will decide if they truly deserve that." You and I have no right to decide who deserves to be forgiven of what. Everyone is fighting their own battle. We each need to "strive a little harder, to be a little better."
Wow. Do you ever have those Sundays where you go to church and get so much out of everything? Where it seems as if everything is relevant to what you are either struggling with, or what you need to be working on? Or where you just feel like you learn so much? Today was one of those Sundays for me. I haven't had one of these in a long time, and I am so grateful for the reminders I have been given. I recently moved back home and today was my first official day in the YSA branch here. I already love it. There is nothing like being in a YSA ward/branch. I can always feel the spirit much more strongly there because of the quietness and relate ability of the people around my age.
To start off, when I got in my car, I changed the radio station to the sounds of Sunday station. It always brings the spirit to my day. I was lucky enough to hear this tune on my way to church, which just so happens to be one of my favorites (I also heard it on the way home):
I was a little late to sacrament meeting, but only a few minutes. I was able to sit near the front, which is my favorite place to sit because it makes it easier for me to focus on the speakers. There were 3 speakers in sacrament meeting. They each spoke on 1 faith, 2 repentance, and 3 then Baptism and the Holy Ghost.
I am only going to share a couple of my favorite things from each talk.
In the talk on faith: Having faith is simply making a choice to have faith. All you have to do is make a conscious effort. In the talk on repentance: Christ will not condemn you for your sins, as long as you take the time to repent and become better. In the talk on baptism and the holy ghost: The past is to be learned from, not lived in.
After sacrament I was asked to give a talk, my first one in over a year. I am actually kind of excited. But only kinda. The funniest thing about it though, was that my assigned topic is something that I have had a lot of experience with in the past year. It was a reminder that no matter where you go, the church is always true, and the Bishopric/Branch presidency truly are guided men of the Lord. More to come on that talk later.
Sunday School was also incredible. It was on Mosiah 25-27. There were so many different things talked about, and I just loved so many things. But my favorite thing came from 25:10; When they thought of the immediate goodness of God.... God loves each and every one of us. He awaits the day that we want to come back into the fold or repent of something that has been keeping us from him. As soon as you decide to stop sinning, and come back to God, he is right there to immediately receive you and take you back. I know that this is true, even with small sins or something as simple as not regularly reading the scriptures. He is always willing to take us back.
Relief Society was downright incredible. The lesson was on two different conference talks from April 2012. The Laborers in the vineyard by Elder Holland and The Merciful Obtain Mercy by President Uchtdorf.
President Uchtdorf says in his talk:
"My dear brothers and sisters, consider the following questions as a self-test:
Do you harbor a grudge against someone else?
Do you gossip, even when what you say may be true?
Do you exclude, push away, or punish others because of something they have done?
Do you secretly envy another?
Do you wish to cause harm to someone?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to apply the two-word sermon from earlier: stop it!"
Towards the end of the lesson, she had us each think of one person who we need to forgive for something they have done to us or for someone who just drives us crazy. I thought of someone who I used to be really close with, but over the years we have become the opposite of close. There were a few exchanges between us that were a little less than friendly (okay a lot less), and I have despised her for about a year. I don't usually hate people, and I don't hold grudges for more than a few days, but with her it has been different.
The teacher then went on to say that she was going to give us one minute of silence to vent in our minds about this person that we had chosen. After that minute we had to let all of that go, and forgive them. We had to move on and forget it. We had to merely STOP IT! She said, "You don't get to be the one to decide if those individuals deserve to be forgiven. You must forgive them. The Lord will decide if they truly deserve that." You and I have no right to decide who deserves to be forgiven of what. Everyone is fighting their own battle. We each need to "strive a little harder, to be a little better."
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Work in Progress
I have been thinking the past few days about what is going to be happening in the next year. And more specifically the next 8 months. I have decided to put a list together of things/areas where I want to improve and become better. Of skills that I want to improve on. There are so many things I want to accomplish before a certain someone comes home, and thinking about it, there isn't a lot of time. Hallelujah. But, I need to make a good use of my time, or it will slip right through my fingers. I can do this! :)
Things I want to improve:
Meal planning
Healthier eating
Learn how to grocery shop!
Time management
Sleeping time (get on a schedule&more often)
For now, that is what I'm going to start with. I want to be a better me, and now is my time to change! :)
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Psych!
Right now I'm taking Intro to Psychology. It started yesterday, and is my first summer semester class. 4 weeks long = crazy business. There are four exams, so that means one a week. Yay for that. It is just the bomb, because I have class four days a week, for two and a half hours each time. It is just fabulous. not. On the bright side, it will be done with pretty quick, and isn't too boring. It is a little bit interesting.
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| Domino's work apparel |
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| Haircut, and parted on the wrong side now. |
This week's favorites:
Chick-fil-a waffle fries w/ Polynesian sauce!
Working at Domino's :)
Just plain having a job, or two really (ie money) again
Country music
Skype video call on Mother's Day with the missionary
my new haircut
new Carrie Underwood CD
Isaac's basketball shorts
Monday, May 14, 2012
Skype
Elder Wood has an incredible mother. She is one of the sweetest women I have ever met. She invited me over to Skype with him on Mother's Day, even though she didn't have to. She also raised an incredible young man. One unlike any others I have ever met. I love him. Seeing his face today on the screen just made my heart smile. The second he called on skype, and the second I saw his face, my face was an instant smile. Bigger than it has been in awhile. A smile that big can only be brought by that boy. I love him. More than I ever thought possible with him being so far away. He has been gone for just over 16 months, and that leaves just under 8 to go. ONE THIRD! I can do that. Especially when he is on the other end of that 8 months. He has grown up quite a bit, but is still that same old Isaac that I love. He seems to have grown more attractive than he was (which was already very attractive). Two years, yeah, it has been hard, but so incredible. Worth every tear and every day of longing. At least this far. We'll see how the rest of the time goes.
I stole some pictures from his sister Cassie's facebook, hope she doesn't mind! :)
He said I should be getting a "novel" letter sometime in the next two weeks. Talking to him today, made up for not getting a letter the past three and a half months. So worth it. Good thing he is so darn cute and that I can't be mad at him! :) Oh how I love this boy.
One of the girls on the MG page posted this Carrie Underwood song, and so I listened to it a few times and fell in love with it. I listened to the other songs on this album and had to buy it. So the next day, I bought it. I have listened to these two songs about a billion times since then. And each time, I think about Isaac, with a huge smile across my face as I sing the lyrics.
I stole some pictures from his sister Cassie's facebook, hope she doesn't mind! :)
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| Alberta, Canada :) |
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| Classic Isaac pose. |
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| He is the one on the right. |
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| He is the farthest left. |
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| This is funny to me. He can't get letters from me if he doesn't write me ;) |
One of the girls on the MG page posted this Carrie Underwood song, and so I listened to it a few times and fell in love with it. I listened to the other songs on this album and had to buy it. So the next day, I bought it. I have listened to these two songs about a billion times since then. And each time, I think about Isaac, with a huge smile across my face as I sing the lyrics.
I'm not even trying.
But, I can't stop smiling.
Do you think about me
Like I think about you
I moved on to another town
Wrote you letters until the ink ran out
When the clouds rolled in, I'd grab the keys
And play that song that we used to sing
I met a boy a lot like you
It's funny how we used to sing it too
But he was always just a little out of key
So much different than you and me
It's funny how sometimes song lyrics are so relate-able.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mom's Day
Happy Mother's Day to my mom. She is the most incredible woman ever. I am going to dedicate this post to her! :)
Ever since I moved back home, it seems like my mom has done so much for me. I have only been back home for a week, and I can't count on all of my hands and toes all of the things that she has done for me. She has always done so much for me, since the beginning of life, but it seems like I notice it more now. I love my mom more than anything. She helps me through everything, and is always there for me.
One of the things that I missed the most while I was at school, were the conversations we used to always have when I would get home from anything. I missed telling her all of the details about what fun thing I had been doing, or whatever I loved/hated about work that day. I missed the advice that she has always been so willing to give. The funny thing is, I talked to my mom almost every single day while I was at college, and came home every few weeks. But it just wasn't the same. But now, every time I walk in the door, my mom is there to listen to everything I've got to say. She is the one person that always wants to hear every single detail about my day.
When I'm upset, she is there to give me a hug and tell me that she loves me, and that everything will be okay. That never gets old when it comes from my mother :)
There about a billion other things that I could say, but this could go on and on for days. My mom is incredible.
I would be nothing without her love and support. Quite literally. I love my mom! Happy Mother's Day Mommy!!
Ever since I moved back home, it seems like my mom has done so much for me. I have only been back home for a week, and I can't count on all of my hands and toes all of the things that she has done for me. She has always done so much for me, since the beginning of life, but it seems like I notice it more now. I love my mom more than anything. She helps me through everything, and is always there for me.
One of the things that I missed the most while I was at school, were the conversations we used to always have when I would get home from anything. I missed telling her all of the details about what fun thing I had been doing, or whatever I loved/hated about work that day. I missed the advice that she has always been so willing to give. The funny thing is, I talked to my mom almost every single day while I was at college, and came home every few weeks. But it just wasn't the same. But now, every time I walk in the door, my mom is there to listen to everything I've got to say. She is the one person that always wants to hear every single detail about my day.
When I'm upset, she is there to give me a hug and tell me that she loves me, and that everything will be okay. That never gets old when it comes from my mother :)
There about a billion other things that I could say, but this could go on and on for days. My mom is incredible.
I would be nothing without her love and support. Quite literally. I love my mom! Happy Mother's Day Mommy!!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Lately
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Truth
Truth is. I'm going to miss Pocatello. Every single thing about it.
My friends that are here.
The incredible times I've had this first year of college.
The times I've struggled on my own, and somehow found my way.
All of the crazy one way streets.
My tiny cardboard box of a room.
Living on my own.
Living within 2 minutes to all of my best friends.
My singles ward.
All of the people that I have met.
The freedom that I have grown to love.
California boy.
Not knowing when I had mail, so seriously checking every single day, only to be disappointed.
Everything. I could list about a billion other things. But there is no point. I will miss this place.
Only three months until I am coming back!!
My friends that are here.
The incredible times I've had this first year of college.
The times I've struggled on my own, and somehow found my way.
All of the crazy one way streets.
My tiny cardboard box of a room.
Living on my own.
Living within 2 minutes to all of my best friends.
My singles ward.
All of the people that I have met.
The freedom that I have grown to love.
California boy.
Not knowing when I had mail, so seriously checking every single day, only to be disappointed.
Everything. I could list about a billion other things. But there is no point. I will miss this place.
Only three months until I am coming back!!
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