Insight

Today is a day that I have had a lot of time and opportunity to really internally analyze who I am and what I am doing here on this earth. I have become even more aware of my weaknesses and at the same time more determined to overcome them. I have a goal this year to read the Book of Mormon 3 times through, and so far I have been slowly going through. Today, I read about 5 or 6 chapters in Nephi, and can I just say how much I love the scriptures? They bring peace to my heart and joy to my soul. Today has not been the easiest day, but having that spirit from the scriptures allowed me to have the opportunity to feel the Lord's love in my life, despite the challenges that come my way.

Life is not easy, and I don't know about you, but I often times make it much harder than it needs to be without realizing it. Sometimes we just need to get out of our own ways and our own heads. I over analyze everything aaaallllll the time.

Yesterday at church, there was a comment made in Relief Society that has really stuck with me: "Progress. That is what distinguishes us from others without religion. Our church is all about progression." I forget this far more often than I should. I want to be perfect now, I want to have answers now, but sadly, that's not how it works.

A wise friend of mine said today, "you've got to put in a lot of necessary work before the answer comes". Makes sense right? "The Lord can't move a parked car", we have to first study and work for the answers before they are given. I am grateful that we even have the opportunity to receive personal revelation, even if it does take lots of work to earn that blessing. 1 Ne 10:19 "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them."

This is kind of an all-over-the-place post, but it's just some thoughts that I have had today that I wanted to put out into the universe. It has been a very enlightening and gratitude for the gospel day.

Bleh

Today has been one of those days at work where all I want to do is cut off my nose so it stops running and being stuffy, suck out my sinuses, and go home to put on my sweats, eat soup, and watch a great movie like Sleepless in Seattle. Stupid winter colds, they sneak up on ya and BAM! You have zero motivation and social skills. And yes, when I am sick I am extremely dull and not fun to be around, I don't know about you.

2011 in Review

Lots of people have been doing this on their blogs and I decided it was a fantastic idea. So here is my year 2011:

JANUARY

Bought a MacBook Pro



Started on a bowling league team at BYU called the Kool Kidz with Splendor, Pleasure, and Danger. I was Butter, and we dominated the dancing of the bowling league. You heard me.





Yes- these are our trophies made by Nostradamus for us because we were the best dancers of the season. Very prestigious award.

FEBRUARY

We had a sweet Superbowl party at our apartment



Went to a Justin Beiber party dressed like him



The peak of Jimmermania



MARCH

Festival of Colors with Mallory and Jeff



APRIL

Turned 22! Had a sweet Price is Right themed party. The Plinko board almost didn't make it, but luckily I had lots of help.



Sang in the Women at the Well for my Stake - Foolish or Wise



Had my last classes on BYU campus



Cassie and Chris were my ComD study crew for the last 2 years of college. Love them :)

MAY-AUGUST

Moved back to Sandy

Was a BC at EFY (that was pretty much my summer)with the best team ever: Dan, Brooke, Tia, Maggie, Brad, Kendall, Cesar, Kellie, Andrew, Alex



Highlights: Send it On
White pant Wednesday
Hats at Game Night
Tia and I eating a piece of pizza after the counselor didn't have
enough money for the pizza place

Boy band singing at dances
Having walkie talkies
Jamba runs
The dances

Singing The One with Kellie
Buying my beautiful new Nikon camera


AUGUST

EFC Disneyland trip!









Graduated from BYU



My best friend Vanessa died in a car accident on her mission



SEPTEMBER

Really started working at Senator Hatch's office

Was called as the choir director for my Ward

OCTOBER

Tried out for Li'l Abner and got the part of Daisy Mae at Draper Historic Theatre

NOVEMBER

Thanksgiving with the parents, Jeff, Jim and Sarah's family, and Megan and Bailey Bradshaw



DECEMBER

Performing in Li'l Abner - it ran for 3 weeks and was so much fun



Saw the Blue Man group with the fam at Kingsbury Hall



Went to Tyson's cabin with Sam and Dallin and some friends for New Years




2011 was a really crazy, sometimes super difficult year, but I had a lot of good experiences and definitely grew in ways that I was not expecting. Here's to another year of surprises, good and bad, and lessons that need to be learned as well as experiences to enjoy!

The Travel Itch

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am dying to travel the whole world multiple times over. I have been lucky enough to travel a few times, but I have a whole list of places that I am still dying to go, and I would also gladly go and revisit the places I have already been. Today, I am having one of those days that I wish I could win the lottery so that I would have money to go and travel wherever I wanted.

Here is my list of places I am currently wanting to go (in no particular order):

MOZAMBIQUE



I have wanted to go and do humanitarian aid in Africa for years, and this week the urge is even greater!! There is a great organization called Care for Life, and if everything plays out the way I would like it to, I will be going to Mozambique with them next summer for 3 weeks :)

THAILAND



I think Thailand sounds beautiful and fascinating. It is a culture soooo different from the United States and I think it would be an awesome adventure to go. I also have a dream to ride an elephant, which could be accomplished here! It could also be accomplished in the next place on my list.

INDIA



Maybe I have watched too many Bollywood movies, but I think India would be the coolest place to visit!!! I love Indian food, I think that their culture is beautiful, and I think I would definitely buy an authentic Indian outfit there because I think they are so beautiful.

IRELAND



Why? Have you ever seen PS I Love You? It makes Ireland look so romantic and beautiful. I think it would be a fun place to stay for a few days, get to know the people, go to a pub (not to drink of course, sheesh) and soak in the culture!

GREECE



After seeing this picture, do I really need to say anymore? My dream is actually a Mediterranean Cruise because it would hit so many beautiful places.

FLORENCE, ITALY



I have been to Venice, and I loved it so much. I have always had a fascination with Italy in general, but I think that I would love to go to Florence most of all. It used to be that Pompeii was my number one spot, but honestly, as awesome as it sounds, I would rather see the beauty of Florence.



*sigh....well, maybe one day my dreams will come true

Craaaaaazy Lady

This lady has now called in twice while I have been in work today, and she is literally crazy. She started saying random years, numbers, and then told me to keep it on record. Here are examples of what she told me:

"0-7-4-5-6-8-3-7-1 and the initial with that is M, ok? Now, July 27th. And thenext one is August 192. Then we have December 1-9-2-6-7-9. Then we have December 1-9-9-3 and the number with that is 6-7-9.........Next is January 2-0-0-2 which means it is 8-5-1, then December 2-0-0-2 which is 8-6-2 (etc, etc)"

She then proceeded to give me the number for the Social Security office and told me to wait for someone to answer, because eventually they would. All I had to do was wait. She continued on with the dates and random numbers and then told me to make a copy and send it into the Supreme Court and also keep it on record. She told me to send it in to Jurisdoctor Clarence Thomas and to call the Supreme Court to get the address and I could call them by calling information. She instructed me to have the person having him sign for this delivery to make note of what the Honorable Clarence Thomas was wearing when he signed for the package, and also what his hair color was, his facial expressions, his facial color, and any distinctive marks. She also told me to make a copy and give it to my best friend because you better have it when you go to court.

Very polite and sweet lady.....but completely off her rocker. I wonder why she wanted all of that information about the good judge? And if she wikipedia'd him, she would get many of those questions answered.

She called back about 10 minutes later and said,
"Hi, I wanted to give a message to the Senator. 1-9-9-1 is the first one, and after that is 1-9-9-2 and after that is 1-9-9-3 and after that is 1-9-9-4 and after that is 1-9-9-5 and after that is 1-9-9-6 and after that is 1-9-9-7 and that is 1-9-9-8 and then it is 1-9-9-9 and then it is 1-9-9-10 and then it goes back to 1-9-9-2. Thank you so much."

I am extremely glad and grateful she called in to tell me the order of the years and some random numbers. I should have told her that I had already delivered her message to the supreme court and that Clarence Thomas was black with white hair and was wearing a black robe. I'm sure she would have appreciated that very much.

One of those days

Today I am missing Vanessa like crazy. I couldn't tell you what specifically brings these bouts on, but today it is pretty rough. I have been thinking about her all day, a lot of times on the verge of tears. I keep thinking about us dancing in our rooms late at night, or when we would write each other on facebook while sitting next to each other, or how we would laugh over the stupidest things, or how Vanessa found lots of things that I said really funny that no one else would. I wear a bracelet everyday with a V on it to feel like I have a little bit of her with me at all times, and as nice as that is, I am really wanting Vanessa around today. I want to tell her a bedtime story or sing her a song to whatever genre of music she decides. I want to jump on her in her bed and just lay on her until she complains enough that I get off. I wish she was around to talk about boys with, and to discuss my future and all of the crazy decisions I have to make in my life. I would love to hear all about her mission and see how much she had grown and see her be the best elementary school teacher in the world. I am still a little sad that when I am married with children, we won't be able to have our children be friends, and I wish that Vanessa would be here to meet my husband and give me her approval. It's hard when I see things and think, "that would be a perfect present for Vans" or when I hear something funny and want to immediately tell her.

Love you forever Vans. Just wanted you to know that I miss you and think about you all the time. You definitely made me a better person and I could never have imagined a better friendship than the one that we have.

Doubts

A few weeks ago in fast and testimony meeting, a man that I did not expect wisdom to come from gave me something to really think about. He started by talking about how he plays Dungeons and Dragons and how he compared himself to his characters because they worshipped God and he would try to see who worshipped God better....needless to say, it was a rough start to a testimony. All I could do was inwardly roll my eyes and brace myself for anything else that could possibly come out of his mouth....because it could have been anything. He surprised me when he started talking about doubts. He then said something that I will hopefully never forget, he said, "I have learned that when I have doubts, to doubt the doubts before doubting the church". That really resonated with me. This is such a great way to look at the doubts that come into our mind for whatever reason. Why not doubt the doubts rather than first doubting the church and it's teachings?