Thoughts and Things

True Love

2011-12-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Those two beautiful people in the middle got married last week. It has been wonderful to see their relationship develop over the last few years. What could be better than deciding to spend forever with your best friend?

Love you, Mr. and Mrs. Graham!

The Art of Possibility

2011-12-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

I spent most of Christmas break reading The Art of Possibility by a husband and wife named Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. Ben conducts the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Roz has a private practice in family therapy. I loved having time to read something for fun over the break, but I also loved this particular book.

The ideas about leadership, practicing, possibility, relationships and music in this book have expanded the framework I set around life and my experiences. I do not feel limited by my circumstances. We live in a world of possibility, one with no boundaries. I feel more prepared to teach and motivate others to grab hold of their potential. Read this book!! But in the mean time, this 20-minute video of Ben is inspiring, entertaining and definitely worth your time. Enjoy!

http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html

Update

2011-12-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

A few updates:

As of Sunday, I am now on Pinterest. And yes, it is as addicting as everyone said it would be.

Speaking of things I am addicted to, Michael Buble's Christmas album is superb. I think his cover of "All I Want for Christmas is You" is my favorite.

I have three more days to take three more finals. I am so close! "No, it's 4...but you were so close!"

And now for some words of wisdom:

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple does applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit.

(If You are sure that I'm ready, then I guess I'm sure. Bring on the polish.)

P.S. In case you weren't aware, Christmas is in 12 days. Let me repeat: TWELVE DAYS.

I Love Being a Music Major

2011-09-07T23:00:00.002-06:00

In a typical day, I might listen to this little number by Frank Sinatra for my History of Jazz class...

...sing this beautiful Samuel Barber piece in BYU Singers...

...and finish off the evening with an Imagine Dragons concert on a rooftop in Provo.

Each is wonderful for different reasons, but man do I love them all.

Summer 2011 Reading List

2011-07-07T17:40:00.007-06:00

I love that I have made time to read for enjoyment this summer. The feeling of being wrapped up in a story and thinking about it and learning from it is one I have missed.

This will be a running list of books I have finished Summer 2011:

July 9: I LOVED the Hunger Games series. I couldn't resist going on at the end of each chapter. I was enveloped. There were certainly some interesting themes: some I didn't fully understand, some that made me cry, some that caused me to question the direction we are heading in our own society. You definitely finish these books feel attached to the characters--Katniss, in particular. For over 1000 pages we, as the reader, are exposed to her innermost thoughts and feelings. That openness caused me to feel close to her, to even relate to her at times, to mourn with her, to try to understand her, and to look deeply into my own mind and consider how I would handle being the Mockingjay.

Oh What Do You Eat in the Summertime?

2011-07-01T16:38:00.005-06:00

Just had my first "shaved ice" of the summer (apparently shaved ice and snow cones differ greatly) at Hokulia Shave Ice Co. across from Helaman Halls on Canyon Rd.

Can I just say best shaved ice ever?! This place was delicious, and they were HUGE!

I will definitely be back. Not much feels more like summer than celebrating Fourth of July weekend, getting a car wash, and soaking up one of these delicious things. (Try the Strawberry Colada if you know what's good for you!)

And the magical feel of summer continues while I get ready for this concert tonight and the culminating event of the weekend tomorrow: Stadium of FIRE! So excited to hear Archie sing!

Beauty

2011-05-15T09:59:00.003-06:00

Stephanie Nielson of The NieNie Dialogues was on 20/20 on Friday night. You can watch it online here. I did, and I cried. I was so inspired by her strength and optimism, but she is also real and admits that healing is a difficult process. At the end of the interview the interviewer asks Stephanie if she thinks she is a beautiful women. She replied, "I feel like I'm beautiful because I have a beautiful life. That's what's beautiful."

I needed that this week.

I also needed this. Enjoy:

He Held His Peace

2011-04-24T00:32:00.002-06:00

I love this simple testimony of my Savior. On this day, and every day, He Lives!

Happy Easter!

Perspective

2011-03-26T17:50:00.002-06:00

I recently read that around the world 27.5 million people have been displaced within their country--uprooted from their homes because of conflict or violence.

I am praying for those people.

And seeing my own blessings with clearer vision.

I Wanna Hold the Whole Wide World

2011-03-18T19:03:00.003-06:00

I'm loving Mindy Gledhill's new music video. See for yourself :)

**UPDATE 3/21: I walked right past Mindy Gledhill in the crosswalk outside the Wilkinson Center today. We made eye contact, but I wasn't courageous enough to tell her that I think her short hair is fabulous or that this song has been on repeat all weekend.

Learning

2011-03-12T17:12:00.005-07:00

Went on a date with dad to Sundance this afternoon during which I was taught to ski. The weather was beautiful, the sky was clear, the mountains were glorious, and the skiing was hard--but I only fell once and got pretty good at turning and stopping. Not only can I cross skiing off my bucket list, I think I found a new way to enjoy winters in Utah.

Dear Sundance,

I'll be back.

Love,
Me

Dear Dad,

You're a great teacher.
Thanks. :)

Love,
Me

What If...?

2011-03-09T10:49:00.003-07:00

These are some of the questions Brother Osguthorpe asked yesterday in a campus devotional:

What if our only motive was love?
What if we only acted out of love?
What if every word we said was motivated by love?

Those questions pierced my soul, and made me stop and think, I can do better. Those questions made me think about what each day would be like, what my relationships would be like, what my attitude would be like if everything I did was motivated by love...if I always acted with charity...if I always loved as my Savior did.

"...if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--

"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

Moroni 7:46-47

Facts

2011-03-07T23:09:00.006-07:00

In case you were wondering, I organize the clothes in my closet by the colors of the rainbow.

I also hit the snooze button at least three times every morning.

And thanks to my new phone, I have to do a simple math problem before I can turn the alarm off. It's a great way to get my brain going and to force myself to wake up. You have no idea how difficult 5 x 2 + 10 is at 6:00 in the morning...

Clay in His Hands

2011-02-07T23:19:00.003-07:00

I recently came upon this blog post, and the following stuck out to me.

"I wanted my life to equal happiness and hope and love. Christ was just going to have to help me because I really believed he died so that I didn't have to feel despair...I've really seen how God can take pain and just take it out of your hand, roll it around for a while, and hand back this gorgeous glowing lovely thing."

The question is when that "gorgeous glowing lovely thing" will be handed to us, and the challenge lies in being patient until it does. But the whole point of this life is to become like more like God, and so each day I am trying to be a little more confident about who He is trying to help me be.

Bliss

2011-01-02T22:21:00.003-07:00

This beautiful lady (my roommate for the last three years) got married this weekend. I am so happy she found her Prince Charming. They truly are a perfect match.

This, my friends, is love. I have never seen a couple smile so much. That kind of happiness is worth waiting a lifetime to find.
Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor!!

I See the Light

2010-12-23T10:08:00.003-07:00

After seeing this darling movie yesterday with my family, I have a new favorite love song. It's been on repeat all morning. I hope you adore it just as much as I do!

The Real Gift of Christmas

2010-12-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Beautiful video. Enjoy!

Christmas Joy

2010-12-16T15:12:00.005-07:00

Don't worry...I survived the "big storm" that I warned you all about in my last post. Turns out two inches of snow is something to close school for after all. The biggest storm these last few weeks has been getting through the end of the semester and finals week. *big sigh of relief* I did it. I finished my fourth and last final yesterday afternoon, so for the next two and a half weeks I am home free. Literally. I'll be at home. Free from work. And school. And any kind of responsibilities at all (except maybe the occasional dishes duty). It will just be all six Turner girls home for the holidays, the awesome husbands of the three who are married, tons of good food, the annual snow tubing trip to Soldier Hollow, all eight nieces and nephews to adore, lots of Christmas music making and listening, the typical delicious treats of the season--English toffee and fudge and cookies and mom's tea ring. Did I mention I'm really excited? Maybe I'll even read a book or two or three. (It's been a while.)

And if that isn't enough to be stoked about, I get to hear this handsome kid sing tonight...

...with my wonderful roommate Mary who's wonderful father's wonderful friend had two extra tickets to his wonderful concert with the wonderful Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Isn't it wonderful? (Read all about it here.)

And until then, here's a little gem for all of you. "Melodies of Christmas" is probably one of my favorite songs from David's Christmas album. Enjoy!

Hazardous

2010-11-23T13:06:00.006-07:00

I got an e-mail from BYU today that said the following:

"The National Weather Service is warning of a winter storm today that 'will far surpass anything that we've seen, probably for the last several years.' The combination of snow, extreme cold, and possibly damaging winds will make travel extremely hazardous."

Bring it on.

By the way, I just got out of my last class for the week. Thanksgiving dinner is calling my name.

Love Me Some Harry Potter

2010-11-21T11:10:00.005-07:00

HP 7.1 was incredible--definitely worth dressing up for and seeing at midnight.

Lindsey slicked back her short, blonde hair and dressed up as Draco Malfoy.
I turned my blonde hair gray with a bit of baby powder, threw on a hat and a robe, and became Professor McGonagall.

10 Points from Slytherin!

Thank you, Mary, for posting this video to your blog. Hilarious!

Creating

2010-11-19T15:36:00.006-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE to eat. But perhaps more than eating , I LOVE creating food...delicious food, the kind that you bring to a party and everyone asks, "Who made that!?! It's incredible!" The kind that makes you want to keep walking into the kitchen while it's cooking because it smells so fantastic.

These are some delicious things I have made these semester (if I do say so myself)...

Fruit Tart--A beautiful display of fresh fruit on a giant cookie? And it tastes just as wonderfully as it looks? Yes, please.

Chocolate Cake--This recipe is fantastic...rich, moist, dark chocolate. I am a Chocolate Lover, for sure. Happy Birthday Lindsey!

Soup in a Pumpkin--My roommates and I hosted the Second Annual Pumpkin Party a couple of weeks before Halloween. Our guests were asked to wear orange and bring something to share--as long as it was made with pumpkin. Thus, everything pictured on the table fit the criteria. From top left, clockwise--pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce, pumpkin chocolate chip cake, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin spice cake, pumpkin cake bites, pumpkin pie, pumpkin mousse with gingersnaps, pumpkin seeds, and Julia Child's pumpkin soup recipe. The soup was a hit! The pumpkin serves as the pot, so chicken stock, butter, bread crumbs, onions, spices, cheese, and cream are baked in the oven in a pumpkin for a few hours. To serve it, you just scrape off some of the inside of the pumpkin as you scoop out the soup and sprinkle grated cheese on top...SO GOOD! Thank you Julia Child. :)

My Favorite Holiday

2010-11-17T22:31:00.005-07:00

To simplify this post, let's just say I love Christmas. Everything about it. Every Thing.

Every day I wake up and ask myself, "Is it Christmas?"

I was lucky enough to stumble upon this website today. It's given me one more reason to be anxious for that glorious 25th day of December to arrive. I can't wait!

Bragging Rights

2010-11-11T00:13:00.003-07:00

Since this is my blog, that gives me any sort of bragging rights I want...right?

Until today, I have never left the Testing Center feeling so good. But I'm pretty sure seeing "Perfect Score" next to your ID number is reason to rejoice. That's right, today I got my first 100% on a test at BYU.

Run and tell that...homeboy.

Rainy Days and Mondays

2010-11-09T12:00:00.005-07:00

...are supposed to get me down. Or at least, that's what Karen Carpenter said back in the 70's. Yesterday was both a rainy day and a Monday. It started out long and intimidating, but by the end of the day, I was far from feeling down. [Enter David Archuleta-The Other Side of Down.] Do you want to know why?

We made turkey crafts for Family Home Evening to write down all the things we are grateful for. Thanks, Maryanne, for reminding me that this is something my four-year-old niece does in preschool. Of course she does...it's fun! My turkey had six feathers--

The angels I have for roommates
My parents' love and advice
Music
My sisters--all five beautiful, fun, talented, positive, dedicated sisters.
The opportunity to get an education at BYU
A testimony of the gospel and the Atonement

A girl I don't know very well had a hard day and needed someone to talk to. So I had a chance to work on my Scripture of the Year.
At approximately 12:34 a.m., my roommates decided to go on a trip. Sorry we didn't go to California, Mary. Seven-Eleven was pretty much as fun...but Lindsey was the only one who felt like it wasn't too cold for a Slurpee. "One dollar, Bob."

it's almost here

2010-04-24T14:42:00.008-06:00

summer [suhm-er]- n. 1. the season between spring and autumn; 2. a period of hot, usually sunny weather; 3. the period of finest development, perfection, or beauty

and it's just around the corner! do you know what that means?

SUNSHINE. warm. shorts. strawberries. sandals. eating a j dawg outside [beef with special sauce, onions, and a pickle]. swimming. Stadium of Fire (CARRIE UNDERWOOD). outdoor movies. picnics. full moon rides at Sundance. camping trips. barbecues. road trips. naps on the grass. swinging at the park. snow cones. fireworks. beautiful sunsets. writing in my journal in the shade of a tree. new friends. new memories.

oh ya. this is going to be good.

Checking Things Off

2010-04-01T17:39:00.004-06:00

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one who adds things to my to-do list that I've already done just so I can feel better about having stuff to cross off?

Bring it on End of the Semester.

For my Choir Friends

2010-03-24T13:35:00.005-06:00

As a future music teacher, my nerdy self couldn't help but smile when I saw this short documentary on the benefits of singing in choirs.

Women's Chorus Concert

2010-02-20T08:25:00.008-07:00

Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. the BYU Women's Chorus is having their first solo concert (no other choirs will be joining us). We're really excited about it, and our goal is to sell ALL the tickets! You don't want to miss this concert--we're singing some really beautiful sacred pieces, a few fun gospel spiritual numbers, and many other pieces of some of the best choral literature written for women.

You can check out our website here: womenschorus.com or purchase tickets here: byuarts.com. Let me know if you're interested in coming, and I can get you a coupon code to receive a dollar off every ticket you purchase.

Hope to see you there!

XOXO

BYU Women's Chorus from BYUarts on Vimeo.

His Hands

2010-02-16T22:45:00.004-07:00

I have always especially loved pictures of the Savior in which His hands are outstretched.

There is something about seeing those hands that touches my soul--maybe I am touched because I am a piano teacher and I can understand the great potential of a person's hands. Maybe it's because I have been blessed by many powerful hands which bear Jesus Christ's same holy priesthood. Maybe it's because I love to think about all that the Savior's hands did to serve both His neighbors and enemies in The New Testament and I want to make my hands more like His. Maybe it's because I become emotional every time I think about (or sing about) those very hands "pierced and bleeding to pay the debt." But the most wonderful feeling comes when I feel myself putting my hands in His and letting Him lead me or comfort me.

Last night I came across a beautiful talk about Jesus Christ's wounded hands which give us strength and have the power to heal us. The whole talk by Elder Craig Zwick can be found here.

"...The Savior has stretched forth His hand to each of us so that we don’t have to run alone. “To those [of us] who [occasionally] stagger or stumble, He is there to steady and strengthen” (Trusting Jesus, 43)...

Imagine the wounds in His hands. His weathered hands, yes, even His hands of torn flesh and physical sacrifice, give our own hands greater power and direction.

It is the wounded Christ who leads us through our moments of difficulty. It is He who bears us up when we need more air to breathe or direction to follow or even more courage to continue.

If we will keep the commandments of God and walk hand in hand with Him in His paths, we will go forward with faith and never feel alone."

The Fam Cham

2010-01-24T16:48:00.003-07:00

This is my family. My mom and dad and their six daughters, three sons-in-law, four granddaughters, and three grandsons.

We were all together at Christmas for the first time in way too long. That included:

way too much good food
lots of cousin bonding for the nieces and nephews
several very loud rounds of Apples to Apples
a delicious order of cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy in order to try just about every flavor
shopping
five different gift-opening extravaganzas
four trips to the airport
a delicious lunch at Spark
plenty of singing
tubing at Solider Hollow
a girls night at the movies to see "Blind Side"

You could say we enjoyed ourselves.

Scripture of the Year

2010-01-24T15:52:00.008-07:00

Well I'm 24 days late in making one of those self-reflective posts about the New Year. But honestly, I haven't made a formal New Year's Resolution since the first grade. It was to stop biting my nails...and here I am fifteen years later still working on that one.

Anyway, I've heard about people who choose a word to focus on or an attribute to improve upon for the New Year instead, so I thought a lot about what I would choose over the last few weeks. Today while sitting in church I found my motto for 2010.

Doctrine and Covenants 108:7 Therefore, strengthen your brethren (and sisters!) in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings.

I have good vibes about 2010, although if you had asked me in December, I probably would have told you quite the opposite. Two of my very best friends/roommates since freshman year moved out this semester to go on a mission to Canada (Reebs) and to New York for seven months of cosmetology school (Linds). Many other girls my age are also serving missions or doing the whole marriage thing. :) In fact, my best friend from high school Liz is going on a mission as well--she's just waiting for her call. Lots of exciting things are happening for these girls, but I was not so comfortable with the idea of my besties leaving. In fact, back in December I was almost dreading this semester. I couldn't imagine being away from these girls.

Over the Christmas break, I was blessed (I almost can't believe I'm saying this)...yes, blessed to receive a call from a member of the bishopric to give a talk in church. The topic? Hope.

I spent the last three weeks learning as much as I could about hope, and--most importantly--realizing that I could have it. That I needed to have it. That happiness is based on our level of hope, our confidence in the future, our willingness to trust God. That I could be happy even without these girls I love so dearly.

No denying it--I miss them terribly, but I am trying to take this opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone, make new friends, and reach out to others. So this is my year to "strengthen my brethren." This is the year I will find ways to serve those around me when I start to feel down. This is the year I will try to always be ready to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. This is the year I dedicate myself to others.

Christmas Music

2009-12-21T12:16:00.008-07:00

So maybe my roommates and I have been listening to it since before Halloween. But there is too much wonderful music to be enjoyed only between the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Thought I'd share some of my favorite albums this year...

David Archuleta: New this year, great arrangements, and I love David--even if his picture is a little freaky.
Josh Groban: A little less new...but every song is absolutely WONDERFUL! I'm sure when he put this album together he asked to sing with the best choir in America (Mormon Tabernacle Choir), the best country singer around (Faith Hill), and some other bests (Brian McKnight, a boy's choir) and his producers said DONE!
Nat King Cole: I had to include one of the classics! Every Christmas music lover must have this album in their collection. He does "The Christmas Song" so beautifully.And check out this website to remember the thing to be most grateful for at Christmas time.

Merry Christmas y'all!

Teaching

2009-12-07T01:15:00.002-07:00

Teaching is one of my loves.

I love teaching when I see the little successes my students have.

I love teaching when my students get that look on their face...the look that says, "I get it!"

I love teaching when a lesson goes just the way I wanted it to.

I love teaching when my students write me notes.

I love teaching when I feel particularly passionate about what I am teaching.

I love teaching when I'm having a bad day. Teaching helps me forget what made it so bad.

The opportunity I have to be majoring in Music Education makes me feel so very blessed. Every single day. Sometimes I feel like I was born to be a teacher--I can't imagine doing anything else. And then I think about how lucky I am to be preparing to teach something that is so very close to my heart.

Things will be changing a whole lot around here soon...mostly because roommates will be leaving for new adventures and missions. I have mixed emotions. A lot of mixed emotions. But I have tried to put those feelings into my teaching, and it seems to be more full of energy.

Parents

2009-10-20T13:17:00.008-06:00

I have a really great dad. He would do anything for his family. He works so hard to provide for, preside over, and protect us (see The Family: A Proclamation to the World). My mom is equally wonderful. She is one of the sweetest people I know, and she has always been very aware of her daughters and the things that are going on in our lives. In one of my classes we have been talking about parenting, and I realized I have two of the best parents in the world. This is my mom and dad with my sister at her wedding this summer.

I have another Father. A perfect Father. He is my Heavenly Father. He loves me unconditionally. I can talk to Him whenever I need to. He always listens. He always answers, even if I don't always get the answer right away. His love is eternal. He sacrificed His Only Begotten Son so all of His children could return to Him.

We watched a video in my Strengthening Marriage and Family class recently about a phenomenal father named Dick Hoyt whose son Rick was born with cerebral palsy. The doctors told him his son would be a vegetable, but Dick didn't want to believe that. More than thirty years ago, he and his son participated in a 5 mile run together in which Dick pushed Rick in his wheelchair, and they have raced together ever since. Together they have participated as "Team Hoyt" in 229 triathlons (Rick lays in a boat which is pulled while his dad swims, sits in a chair behind his dad's bike, and is pushed in his wheelchair while his dad runs). Six of the triathlons were Iron Mans, and they have also finished 66 marathons (they have run the Boston Marathon 26 times). It is overwhelming for me to think about this father's love for his son...and even more incomprehensible to understand that my Eternal Father loves me perfectly. But the Spirit has made denying my testimony of that impossible.

Remembering that has really helped me these last few days as I have had a bit of a rocky weekend. Watch this video of Dick and Rick Hoyt...it is powerful.

Hope

2009-09-30T11:47:00.004-06:00

Hope n. 1: trust, reliance 2: desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, also: expectation of fulfillment or success (Merriam-Webster's dictionary)

I remember when President Uchtdorf gave this talk in General Conference not too long ago. There are so many things in our lives that give us hope. If we remember that, on the good days and the bad days, happiness can come into our lives...legitimate, long-lasting, God-given happiness. That happiness gives me hope.

"No matter how bleak the chapter of our lives may look today, because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we may hope and be assured that the ending of the book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations."

A Wonderful Week

2009-09-20T14:30:00.005-06:00

I had the wonderful opportunity of singing at devotional this week with the Combined Choirs on Tuesday. President Monson was the speaker, and it was such an incredible opportunity to sit in the Marriott Center to hear the Prophet.

(http://universe.byu.edu/node/1883)

We sang a beautiful arrangement of one of my favorite hymns, "I Stand All Amazed." Whenever I sing this hymn, I am always in awe to think of all that my Savior has done for me...it is wonderful.

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died

I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine
That he should extend his great love unto such as I
Sufficient to own, to redeem and to justify

I think of his hands, pierced and bleeding to pay my debt
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet

Chorus:
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me
Oh, it is wonderful
Wonderful to me

Life is good these days. Minus the sad result of yesterday's football game...the week was wonderful. I am so blessed to have the coolest job ever, fantastic roommates who I love and am so proud of (two of them ran the Top of Utah Marathon yesterday!), a great family, the blessings of the gospel, a fun new ward, the opportunity to sing in Women's Chorus and get to know the girls there. I guess you could say I'm a lucky girl.

Diving In

2009-09-11T11:10:00.003-06:00

Entering the School of Music has kind of made me feel like this.

You can prepare your whole life--practicing, learning, studying--but when it comes down to it, you just have to dive in.

I'm having lots of fun and re-realizing why I love music and how much (would you guess--it's A LOT!!), even though some days it's hard.

I am singing lots, and singing even more, and practicing singing, and sight singing, and teaching and singing, did I mention yet that I'm singing?

This is what I'm working on right now.

And this is what I had in my head this morning. It's the song for my alarm clock. I think it helps me start my day off right. I fully heart this song. Fully. (If you haven't heard Jon Schmidt's arrangement with Coldplay's Viva La Vida, you've been missing out.)

And today is FRIDAY. That's all. :)

Know, My Child, My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee

2008-11-28T22:54:00.001-07:00

Note: I wrote this September 7, 2008...but forgot to post it! So here ya go!

Today was a fabulous day. We had a great conference this morning with Elder Marvin K. Jensen of the First Quorum of the Seventy, President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency. Each talk was so awesome, and I felt the Spirit very strongly as I heard each of the Brethren testify of the truthfulness of this gospel. Tonight was a Church Educational Fireside with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which was also fabulous. I'm on such a spiritual high! I feel so blessed to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I cannot properly express the gratitude that is in my heart for the Holy Ghost being able to speak to each of us individually. The closing song at tonight's fireside was called "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee." I was overwhelmed by the Spirit that I felt as I listened to the lyrics. I was able to find the beautiful lyrics written by Rob Gardner. I'm including them below. I hope that as you reflect on them you too can realize how much love your Heavenly Father has for you. He is aware of us, in trials and in peace. He sends his Spirit, the Comforter, to be with us when we feel that there is nowhere to turn. I know that if we remember to go to our Father, especially in our lowest times, He will succor us, He will bless us, and He will listen. I know he listens. I know his kindness shall not depart from us...now or ever.

My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee

By: Rob Gardner

For a little while
Have I forsaken thee;
But with great mercies will I gather thee.
In a little wrath I hid my face from thee
For a moment.
But with everlasting kindness will I gather thee,
And with mercy will I take thee ‘neath my wings,
For the mountains shall depart,
And the hills shall be removed,
And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea,
But know, my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee!

Though thine afflictions seem
At times too great to bear,
I know thine every thought and every care.
And though the very jaws
Of hell gape after thee I am with thee.
And with everlasting mercy will I succor thee,
And with healing will I take thee ‘neath my wings.
Though the mountains shall depart,
And the hills shall be removed,
And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea,
Know, my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee!

How long can rolling waters
Remain impure?
What pow’r shall stay the hand of God?
The Son of Man hath descended below all things.
Art thou greater than He?

So hold on thy way,

For I shall be with thee.

And mine angels shall encircle thee.

Doubt not what thou knowest,

Fear not man, for he

Cannot hurt thee.

And with everlasting kindness

will I succor thee,

And with mercy will I take thee

‘neath my wings.

For the mountains shall depart,

And the hills shall be removed,

And the valleys shall be lost

beneath the sea,

But know, my child,

My kindness shall not depart from thee!

There's So Much to Be Thankful For

2008-11-27T20:11:00.008-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this holiday...all the great food, and the opportunity to think about everything I have been blessed with. Life is pretty good. :) Here are some of the things I am grateful for--

My Family: Being away from home and at school really helps me realize how amazing my family is when I get to see them again. We always have such a great time together. My parents are incredible, and I love them so much. Only half of my sisters were together for Thanksgiving this year, but it's good to spend time with each other whenever we can. Earlier this year all six of my sisters were in Utah for my dad's 60th birthday party, so we all went out to lunch together. It was a lot of fun, and something we haven't done often enough because some are so far away.

My Roommates: I live with 5 of the coolest girls I have ever known. They are like my second family, and even though each of us is so different, I feel so close to each of them. It is so fun to interact with these ladies every day. They are among my best friends, and I am so blessed to have them in my life.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ: Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the greatest blessing in my life. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. "Oh, it is wonderful..."

Joining the Conversation

2008-07-07T17:29:00.003-06:00

I read an article yesterday by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet. After searching the Internet for a blog ("Mormanity") that Elder Ballard mentioned in his talk (the man from the Midwest who shares his testimony over the Internet by blog) and that the friend of a friend often read while he was investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I realized how powerful sharing my testimony over the Internet can actually be. This friend of a friend also has a blog that he uses to post his thoughts and feelings about the Church, and as I was reading his blog ("Admirer of Ammon") yesterday, I felt a sudden desire to do as Elder Ballard counsels and "join the conversation." So here I am!

I know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth today. My Savior is real. He knows us, and He loves us. Because of His Atonement, I can return to live with my Heavenly Father again. The Book of Mormon contains the word of God, as does the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The Lord has blessed us with a living prophet to lead and guide this Church. When I take a step back and look at what I have been blessed with, I cannot help but know that God loves me. And I know that love is equal for all of His children. He wants us to feel of the love He has for each of us...every person who ever has lived and who ever will live. He wants us to be happy and to feel His Spirit whisper that that love is real. "Men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25), and what better way to feel joy than to know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die for us so that all who believe in Him may have "everlasting life" (John 3:16)?

One Down

2007-12-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I've finished one final...I have two more to go. I took my Book of Mormon final and got a 93! YAY!! The other two will be killers...but we'll see how I do on Biology and American Heritage. I plan to take both of them tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Christmas is in a week from today! Woohoo!

College Fun

2007-12-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Family! I should be studying for finals, but you were all in college once so I'm sure you know how that goes. :) I've been studying for the last two hours, so I thought I'd take a break and post on my blog. This is probably the easiest way for me to keep all of you up to date on what's been going on in my life...so hopefully I'll be posting a bit more often.
BYU is so much fun! I love being here. I have met so many amazing people. I honestly don't know how I'll be able to decide who to live with next year. It's gonna be a tough decision...but I really want to live with Cami again (before she leaves on her mission after fall semester). Since her dad is a mission president, she gets to go when she's 20. So that's exciting for her.
Anyway, one of my friends Marianne is on the BYU women's basketball team, so we went to her game the other day and President Samuelson (president of BYU) was sitting really close to us, so my other friend Sarah and I went over and met him and his wife. We got a picture with him...it was pretty exciting!
Here we are! He's a really nice guy...so it was pretty cool to meet him.
The dorms I live in had a winter ball last week, so we all got dressed up just like it was high school again. It was pretty fun. Mom wanted to see pictures, so here we go. Liz did my hair. It was pretty awesome that she could do it even though it's so short, but it looked so cool! Here we are right after she finished...
Here we are before we went down to meet our dates. These are my friends Lindsey, Sarah, and Marianne. It was so fun!
And here's me and my date, Austin Brown. He's in my ward...so that's fun. He's a cool guy.
Anyway, I'm just gonna keep putting in more pictures...so here are a couple from Salt Lake. We went twice in the last week, once with our ward to see the Joseph Smith movie and a second time on a group date to see "El Regalo de Navidad." One of my roommates had to go for her Spanish class, so we all found dates and went. It was really fun. Speaking of roommates, here are all of us in front of the temple. We had so much fun! (From left to right: Cami, Rebecca, Lindsey, and me!)
And here's an awesome picture of the temple from the top floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. It was so pretty!
Well, I should probably get back to studying...but there's a little bit about what I've been up to these days.

Having a Job...

2007-07-27T01:48:00.001-06:00

...can be tough! Working long hours night after night becomes stressful and tiring. I am exhausted at the end of every day, and I sleep in late every morning. I don't see my friends as often as I used to because most of them work different hours than I do, but I am super happy when we get to do something really fun. For Kilee's and Camilla's birthdays (they are just a few days apart), their parents rented a boat. So a whole bunch of our friends went boating on Monday. Everyone had a blast!

The Family Reunion

2007-07-27T01:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I've been home from Oregon for a while now, it was a fun vacation! I especially had a blast with my cousin Lauren. We are only 7 months apart, our names our similar, and lots of people think we look alike. It's fun when we can get together. I also got to spend time with lots of my family that I don't see very often and family that I do see often as well. This is my niece, Emily, who I hadn't seen for about 6 months before the reunion. She is so cute! But she and her mom, my sister, both got sick after two days and had to leave early.
One of the coolest things we saw in Oregon was this HUGE rock that just sticks right up out of the ocean. It's craziness!
As fun as our trip was, it was good to come home. I love where I live...and every time I go on a vacation, I am so excited drive up the mountainside to our beautiful little city.

Oregon

2007-07-02T07:08:00.000-06:00

So my family leaves today for a reunion on the Oregon Coast. I'm pretty excited. All five of my sisters and their families will be there, so I think it will be a lot of fun. We'll be gone for a week, so I may not post anything for a while. I've never really spent time in Oregon, so I'm really looking forward to seeing the coast and such. It's supposed to be really pretty. I'll tell you about it when I get back!

LT

Work

2007-07-01T15:13:00.000-06:00

So I started my new job at Macey's yesterday. I'm working in the deli. It's pretty fun. I like the girls that I work with, and I'm starting to get the hang of how everything works. It's also close to where I'll be living next year, so I can keep working through the fall. It feels so good to have a job. I can't wait for my first paycheck! :)

New to Blogging

2007-06-29T09:34:00.000-06:00

My sisters Kari and Mindy have inspired me, I suppose. I never really wanted to blog before now, but after reading my older sister Mindy's blog, I especially wanted to get my own. It seems like a good place to write about different things that are on your mind. I guess I'll start by telling you about myself. I just graduated from high school in May, and I'm getting ready to attend BYU in the fall. I'll be moving out in exactly two months from today, and I'm getting pretty excited. It can be nerve-racking at times when I think about the whole college thing too much, but I know I'll have awesome experiences. This is me (left) and my best friend Kilee (right) on graduation day.