Team-Ups

Wow its been a little while since I've written.  So much has changed since then.  I thought life changes dramatically when you get transferred to a new area.  Well apparently I don't have to have transfers for life to change.  But just maybe team-ups.

For those of you who've been following facebook, this will come as no surprise...I've started dating the most amazing guy ever.  His name is Jeremy.  Apparently these singles wards and institutes work.  I met him at institute and church.  To give the short version, we just started talking.  I really enjoyed talking to him.  We started hanging out together... we played ping pong in his basement after FHE, then there was Ward Temple night and we saw each other there, and then institute again on Thursday, we went to a park and just sat and talked.  It was really nice.  That was two weeks ago.  Last week was so much fun.  We went for walks and played ping pong again.  We had our first 'official date' by going to the cannery.  I could go another few weeks without seeing another peach and be happy.  The clean up was fun though. I'd totally go fro that again.  We scrubbed and mopped and I got Jeremy's pants wet.  It was fun.  I was kind of surprised by how throughly they cleaned that place.  Everything got cleaned!  That a  was fun, then Friday was a blast.  We went to Friday Forum at SLCC.  Jon Schmidt was speaking. I really liked what he talked about turning your life over to God.  He quoted one of my favorite quotes (I know I have alot of those)  My aunt Kim sent it to me while I was on my mission.  I placed it on my desk and read it often. "Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He can deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their soals, and pour out peace."   Its something I've really thought about and wanted to work to.  He also talked about how if  two righteous people are trying to follow God's will, he won't let them make too many wrong steps without letting them know about it.  It brings me alot of hope.  

So far things feel good so I'm moving forward. After that we went to the SLC temple, that was really a sweet experience.  I'm starting to fall in love with that temple too.  I love the live sessions.  Then was the Joseph Smith Movie.  Good movie too.  All in all it was a good day.  Saturday was nice as well.  I had some homework to get done, but when that was done Jeremy and I spent some time together.  Relief Society Broadcast was amazing.  I really liked Sister Thompson's talk on Visiting Teaching.  I really wish I had a VT route.  Granted it throws me back into missionary mode major (see June 2 Blog for referance).  Then President Monson spoke.  He really chastised us.  But in the most loving, non-hurtful way. It was a lesson on not judging and replacing it with Charity.  I really liked it.  I got over alot of my judging on my mission, but as always there is still more I can do.  Especially in showing charity to others and reaching out.  After the broadcast Jeremy picked me up and we went and played games for a little bit with Mike and Derek.  Then we had a nice walk afterwards.  I like going for walks.  

Sunday was good.  We went to church together and then came back to Kim's and made pancakes for dinner, and watched Work and the Glory.  Of course followed by a walk.  We usually aren't alone on these walks by the way, usually there is a cat or dog following us...as if we need a chaperon... it it wasn't ruining a very romantic walk, it would be funny.

I like where things are going.  No ring soon for those of you wondering, but it is progressing quite nicely towards that.  We will have to see what happens.  I'm not in a hurry.  If its right, then we have eternity together and why rush this time?  It feels very unique and I don't want to blow through it.  We shall see. I like him alot. I've never met someone I would want to spend so much time with...and he with I. Life is good.

We went to Shoshone Falls with my family two weekends ago.  We stopped by this bench and this plaque was on the ground by the bench.  I really liked it.

I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one

I'd like to leave an afterglow of

smiles when life is done.

I'd like the tears of those who

grieve to dry before the sun of

happy memories that I leave

when life is done

Now don't worry, I'm not planning on dying anytime soon!  There is too much to live for right now!  But I like what that says, and I'd want the memory of my life to be a happy one.  Its a goal to live for!

Crimson Sky

This will be a quick post because I am supposed to be writing a report..  But I have discovered a new artist and a new song.  Crimsom Sky is what it is called by Brian Crain.  I almost want to say this song expresses my feelings at the moment...

Where are you Christmas? Why do I hear you?

So I may be going slightly crazy.  I know thats not news, but the latest development might be.  I'm listening to Christmas music. I can't say why. Maybe its the cooler weather?  Maybe its because I'm tired of all the music I have. (I haven't really bought any new music since before the mish...I can't justify spending money on music when the radio is free and I have school to pay for).  I've dug out all my Christmas music and I'm working my way through it.  I even went to the broadcast page of past Christmas Devotionals.  Last Christmas I watched the devotional and the choir performed 'O Holy Night'  It was such a powerful song,  I even started to get emotional, which doesn't happen too often.  I wanted to hear that song again, once just was not enough!  Shortly afterwards I had a miracle.  My grandma sent me a Mo-Tab CD, it had O Holy Night on it.  It wasn't the exact same song, but the same version with a soloist.  Close enough for me.  But now that I have access to the internet I found it and copied onto my computer.  I love Christmas!  Why can't we have it like twice a year?  But I guess it wouldn't be the same if it was in June...something to do with snow.

I also like Halloween.  Why you ask?  Because that is the start of candy season.  I love it when chocolate is on sale and it will last clear until the cabury mini eggs (my favorite) for Easter, at which I will bare a sad farewell to candy season.

Trials.  I'll admit life has seemed to intensify lately.  I can't exactly put my finger on why.  I just feel some opposition.  Once again I am grateful for a mission.  I understand trials slightly better now.  Even though its not easy, I understand its for a couple of reasons.  A) I need to grow. This lack of growth the past six months feels odd, after such an intense amount of growth and change in Colorado, has felt different.  I know I needed a break, but now I'm ready.  B) I know I'm where I'm supposed to be, doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Satan tends to not like that for some reason.  So when he's not happy....tries to make us less happy.  And finally C) Something good must be coming!  Storms and hard times always come before blessings.  I'm determined not to let it get to me.  Things will work out, they always do. I just must have faith and hope.

I'm still catching up on missing all the mormon messages.I really liked this one by Elder Holland.  He was speaking to himself as a young father who was trying to take care of his family.  Now he speaks to me muddling my way through life (and you doing whatever it is you are doing)

"Don't you quit! You keep walking! You keep trying.  There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon.  Some come late. Some don't come until heaven.  But for those that embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.  It will be alright in the end.  Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

Keep your faith and hope alive. The best is yet to be! (another favorite talk by Elder Holland.)  Well I must get to bed.  I took too long of a nap and now I'm up too late.  Good thing when I go to church on Sunday it will be in Smithfield which means church is at 9 I think.  (why did they change the perfect time of 10:30?) That will get me back in regular sleep mode.  Good night one and all!

PS I'm also discovering speeches.byu.edu  could be dangerous...

Wordle

Wow, two posts in two days!

I discovered this fun site. Its called Wordle.net  You put in the link to your blog and it comes up with this:

Fun isn't it?

Wow I can't believe I haven't written since I've moved down!  I thought I did, but must not have.  So I'm now moved out of my parents house and playing nanny at my aunt's.  Its fun. I have a new singles ward and school, and kind of a new life.

So the insanity has not ended. I broke down and bought the 7th season.  I couldn't really afford it, but I did it anyways.No more fun stuff for a while.  However I am pacing myself, I can only watch it while exercising on the bike. It keeps me from spending hours watching it and gets me moving, two things that I need.  Speaking of addictions.  My aunt is watching Glee...and there is a chance by the time I move out that could be a new addiction.  I hope not! One is as much as I can handle.  For you les mis fans..youtube glee and I dreamed a dream!  Beautiful!

Amish Friendship Bread was amazing.  I'd forgotten how good it was.  I get to bake some more on Thursday. My aunt and her family said it was good...I hope they were telling the truth when they said  they liked it, because its coming every ten days.  We're working on figuring out how to give it away better.  The bread sticks to the loaf pans.  Thats a problem. I'm sure we can figure it out.  

School is fun, My teachers are on such opposite ends of the spectrum its crazy. My first teacher is a mormon mom graduated from BYU, I like her she has a good sense of humor and teaches communications.  Then I go to my second class who is this guy from New York with this thick New York accent so I’m trying to decipher what he is saying, and then on top of it it’s a psychology class so he’s using all this big words that after I figure out what the word is I have to think of the meaning…in between spews on evolution which I miss most of the time because I’m still three sentences behind.  It all works out.  Then I go to my music class and its this crazy guy from Arkansas who sings opera, but is totally just into any kind of music.  Picture a big football coach sized guy with a flavor of rock in the 80s but is growing his beard out because he will play Isaiah in Lex de Azevedo’s Hosanna in December.  He is southern Baptist and totally has the personality that goes with it.  He’s nuts and entertains me, so I like him. (I always like people that entertain me)  When that is over I go to institute which is such a good feeling to walk in and just feel the spirit.  Then I go to my English class which is a lady who wears a mini skirt and sleeveless top…but doesn’t shave.  Yeah got her pegged as the vegetarian tree hugging involved in all these crazy causes type.  She seems ok. At least she seems to be growing on me the more I go to her class. Maybe she just doesn't like first days of school.  


I also had an amazing experiance on Friday.  Missionary experience!  I went to institute for Friday Forum.  They won’t have a speaker until the 10^th (bummer).  But there were free hotdogs…so I stayed. I also was trying to make friends, it gets kind of lonely not having any friends down here to hang out with.  I ended up talking to this recent convert; she was baptized about six weeks ago.  She was telling about her sister who was baptized a week before her.  Her sister has stopped going to church, saying that the members were ‘too much’.  I talked to her for a bit and by the end I was testifying that God does watch over his children he loves her and will help her come back when it’s time, his time.  Like what President says, even if they fall away, they are baptized and they can be found.  She told me that she prays for her and I shared one of my favorite scriptures 2 Nephi 33:3-4 and how just as Nephi prayed for his people, we too can know as we pray for those we love God will take those prayers and use them for the gain of who we pray for. It was really cool, we traded numbers, and I’d like to keep in contact with her she’s pretty cool.  AND THEN: as she was leaving this kid randomly comes up asks if there are different degrees of sin. I was kind of like what?  But I started talking to him and we talked about what happens after we die and then by the end we’d gone over most of the plan of salvation.  It was really cool.  He likes the plan of salvation, I tried to tell him it’s because it’s true and bore my testimony.  He declined meeting with missionaries, but it was fun to figuratively put the missionary tag back on and feel the missionary spirit.  Although I am repenting of the fact that I didn’t have an extra Book of Mormon, I’ll have to dig in my missionary stuff and pick up the one I brought home and stick it in my bookbag. I even tried to tell him to go to mormon.org.  To be honest I never thought I would have the opportunity to spontaneously do a ‘ITL’ in Utah.  I figured if I did any missionary work it would be with someone I meet in class and over the course of the semester…  It would be way cool if I could do that again.   It was neat that the Lord trusted me to be his tool, I'm sure he could have tweaked it so that the kid asked when the institute council was there, or when the teacher was coming out, but I was blessed to be a part of that.  It was really inspiring.  

I've also discovered Mormon Messages.  They came out while I was on my mission so I'm kind of late in the game... this is one of my favorite talks ever. I love Elder Worthlin.

No matter what life throws at as, learn to love the moment, there is so much to be gained from every experience.  I hope I can remember that.
  

Well I think thats plenty for tonight!  Have a good night/day/morning...whatever time you are on