Dr. Seuss

I will probably have many more posts about Dr. Seuss before the semester is over because I love him! I love his books so much because they just make me happy when I read them. Is it the weird word combinations, or just the weird words? Maybe it's his messages he sends through his books, like in Oh the Places You'll Go, or the Lorax; McGelligot's Pool or the Sneetches. He teaches children and adults some important life lessons through his books.

I think my favorite book of his is Fox in Sox. It is by far the most difficult book to read because it is just tongue twisters all the way through. But that's what makes it so much fun!

No matter who our favorite authors are or what type of books we like I think it's so important that we pick up a book every once in a while and let ourselves take an adventure. Reading words on a page, turning actual pages, has something about it that swiping on a screen just doesn't quite give you. When I graduate I am so excited to read some of the books I haven't had time to. Not saying textbooks aren't interesting...but really...they're not as great as Harry Potter. So let's read this summer!

What's Your favorite book?

Answers to prayers at Conference

My husband and I were able to attend the morning session of General Conference on Sunday April 5th. I served my mission on Temple Square so I was so excited to go back. That session was amazing. President Monson spoke and I just felt the spirit telling me over and over again that yes! he is a prophet of God. Elder Holland also spoke in that session and I felt the spirit telling me things that I needed to hear during that talk. I always love Elder Holland's talks, but this time was personally powerful to me. You know how a lot of people talk about writing down questions before Conference so you can have them answered during it? Well I didn't do that this time, but I felt at the beginning of the session that I should write some of my thoughts. I pulled out my notebook and wrote some things I wanted to know about the Savior. I said a silent prayer in my mind, pleading with Heavenly Father to help me have a stronger testimony. During Elder Holland's talk I looked down at the desires I had written and started to cry because Heavenly Father had already answered my prayer. I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that everything will work out because of Him. I know that God answers prayers, every single one! And I know that I can be happy because of them.

If you are also questioning any of these things. That's ok. God loves you and He wants to answer your questions. He will answer them in the way that only you will notice, because He knows you. I know it often doesn't seem that things will work out, but I testify that if you put your trust in the Lord and He will lead you by the hand. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored church and I love it.

Hymns

I love the hymns. Every Sunday I am able to hear such beautiful music with beautiful words about our Savior Jesus Christ. I love to hear my husband play the hymns on the piano here in our apartment too. He helps bring the spirit in to our home, and we always get along better afterwards. I know that D&C 25:25 is true "a song in the heart is a prayer unto me." Music about the gospel reaches straight to Heaven, and sometimes angels sing with us. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church today. I know that Heavenly Father loves me, and I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know He lives, and they let the Spirit dwell within us.

Pocahontas

As we watched this movie today I realized that it is the only Disney movie I know of where the main characters do not end up together at the end. Weird. Not only do they not end up together at the end of the first movie, but then Pocahontas ditches John Smith in the 2nd movie for John Rolfe. Now I know that it's based off of a real life story so Disney couldn't really change that...but seriously that's so sad! And what are the odds that the guy she ends up with has the same name as the guy she loved in the first movie? Maybe I feel a little bitter because that's how real life is most of the time. Most people don't marry the first person they ever date, or even the first person they ever love. Plus also, I have my own story with ending up with a guy who has the same name as the first person I dated. Awkward. Anyway, usually I think I go to the movies or watch TV to get away from reality, to feel like magic is real, to see people living happily ever after...


But ya know what?...we CaN have a happily ever after in real life because of the gospel! Latter day Saints are basically Disney characters! Hmmm cool.

Girl in a Country Song

Ever since I heard the new song "Girl in a Country Song" I have been more than a little annoyed with the radio. Those girls got it right when they wrote about how wrong it is to portray women as sexual objects in country songs. A lot of songs, not all, talk about women and how they shake their money-makers and how their legs look in booty shorts and how it doesn't matter if you're committed, you can have a one-night stand and forget the whole thing tomorrow. WhAt??!! Who decided that any of that was ok to sing about on the radio? Actually, who decided that any of that was okay at all? Sorry for ranting a little bit, but I just have some strong feelings about objectification of women and I'm mad at all of the male country song-writers right now. And I'm also upset that most people think the only kinds of songs that objectify women are rap songs. Not true. Country songs are pretty bad about it too. Maybe some things will change now that those girls were brave enough to write a song about the truth.

Rugrats

So my husband and I were watching Rugrats last night...yes we were...and the episode was about the babies going to the movies. I was laughing at myself because I kept applying it to this class. My husband laughed at me too. The babies saw a preview of a Reptar movie and thought it was real. They are most definitely still infants so they can't distinguish between reality and TV. Then they went to the movies and kept looking for Reptar as if he was a real dinosaur. Now, I'm not going to say that this show displays a lot of great messages that everyone should learn, especially because Angelica is a really bad role model, but apparently there are some episodes that are actually backed up by research haha.

Powerful Women

The video we watched in class on Wednesday really made me think about the shows I watch and what messages are being sent about women. I thought about how the video said that most protagonists in movies and TV are male and females are usually represented as weak. But then I thought about the show I've been watching, Once Upon A Time, and why I think I like it so much. It's because the main characters are women! Powerful, strong, courageous women! Now there are definitely things in that show that portray women sexually, and that do a disservice to men by making a few of them kind of chauvinist. But the majority of the messages being sent through that show are that women can be the authors of their own lives and they can be heroes too. I noticed that last week and mentioned it to my husband. He said he hadn't really thought about it, but it was pretty cool. You see, he's addicted to the show as well which makes me happy that he's watching a show that is very much about women, when usually he hates chick flicks. Once Upon  A Time is not your usual chick flick though. It's not all about getting the guy and hanging out with the girls; it's about doing what's right and sacrificing yourself for what matters most: family. I love it! The whole premise of the show is parents and children fighting for each other. It's true though that some of the relationships are not good parent-child relationships, but they do talk about how to make it up to their children for messing up in the past. It's almost as if they're teaching repentance and forgiveness, which is pretty cool. Anyway, just another reason for me to like this show.

The phenomenon that is Facebook

My husband and I announced on Facebook the other day that we are going to have a baby in September and we got over 240 likes and about 30 comments.

I can't tell you how happy that made us feel that so many people were excited for us...but probably a third of those people haven't talked to me face-to-face or on the phone for over 2 years. But we are still "friends" on Facebook so that means we are still friends in real life... right? It is just interesting to me that the only contact I have with some of these people is to "Like" each others' random stuff as we scroll through our phones. I am totally guilty of this too though. There are so many of those people who I too haven't bothered to call in the last 2 years because I "don't have time." But I do still care about a lot of them. Has Facebook, with it's purpose of Keeping us Connected to those we love, actually made our relationships more shallow? I don't know.

Anyway...this just made me want to actually talk to these "friends" of mine about their lives instead of just "scrolling" through.

No Happy Endings...

I've been feeling really sad and funky after watching episodes of Once Upon a Time lately. It's a really intriguing show and keeps you wanting more for sure...but I have been trying to figure out why it leaves me feeling all "off-kilter" afterwards.

And I think I figured it out last night. 

The episodes leave you with a cliffhanger every single time!! I don't know what the heck is going to happen! They don't wrap up all nicely with a happy ending like movies do. You see I've never had a TV show that I watch so that's why this concept is new to me. Don't judge. But anyway, I'm used to watching a movie for an hour and a half to two hours and leaving feeling closure. These shows leave me with NO closure whatsoever. I think I'm going to get an ulcer actually. 

Does anyone have any advice for a new TV show watcher who doesn't want to feel lost and depressed because there are no happy endings??

Stake Conference

The visiting member of the Seventy, Elder Terry, had us read a series of scriptures before Stake Conference this year. It's been really cool to be able to have some specific scriptures to study from the the last few weeks, and I feel like it's brought my husband and I closer together. We were able to read the verses and talk about what they mean to us. Most of them were about Christ and we ended up sharing a lot of mission stories with each other. I've always heard people say, and I said it on my mission as well, that if you study more about Christ you will have a stronger testimony of his Atonement. I believe that is true, because in these last few weeks my testimony has grown. I think my favorite passage out of all the ones he had us read was Alma 36: 17-28. This is where Alma the Younger is talking about how he was in the gall of bitterness and was wracked with torment from his sins, but then he thought of Christ and cried for forgiveness and all his pain was gone. Not only was it gone, but it was turned into joy. I love that. I have felt something similar to that only a couple of times, but it is a very sweet feeling to feel forgiven and loved.

I'm Addicted

So I signed up for Netflix thinking that the movie I needed to watch for my project was on there...it wasn't. So now I have Netflix for free for a month and I figure I need to take advantage of it right? My sister told me that she loves to watch Once Upon a Time. I have never seen an episode before but I'm a fan of fairy tales so I thought I should try it...I shouldn't have done it...because I'm now addicted.

I've never "had a show" that I watch every week, except for Studio C, but that doesn't have a running plot. But this would drive me crazy if I had to wait another whole week before seeing the next episode! All I wanted to do today was go home and watch Once Upon a Time...ALL DAY...This is why I don't watch TV! Oh well. Bring on the next episode...

Disney - a monopoly?

My husband and I had an interesting discussion this morning while watching Cinderella and playing Monopoly, both I had just received for my birthday. There was a special feature on the DVD about a major renovation of Disney World where they were doubling the size of Fantasyland to add more attractions. It looked amazing and we both said we want to go there. We went to Disneyland last year for our honeymoon and it was so much fun, other than the super long lines of course. But that's just what we've come to expect right? So we then started discussing how Disney has become a monopoly; they own everything; they seem to be all about getting money. However, we decided, it still makes us really happy when we watch Disney movies and visit the amusement park. And I love putting on the old Disney princess movies and reliving my childhood; there are so many memories there! I remember going to Disneyland when I was 12 and learning how to draw Minnie Mouse. We got to meet a few of the Imagineers, the creators of Disney, and I told my mom I was going to be one of those one day. Everyone seems so happy to work for Disney, but then again, maybe they're not really. Maybe it really isn't about magic and happiness all the time. But I don't really know. I probably will never actually become an Imagineer, but I think I will always love Disney for what it originally stood for: family and joy. If Disney starts making movies that don't fit with family values then that will be sad, and the Disney channel definitely has some stuff it has to work through ...but I will continue watching my old Disney classics and wishing I could travel to Florida to go to Disney World.

Themes from The Count of Monte Cristo

Musicals are media because they actors on stage are sending a message to the audience and we each receive it. Something I think is interesting though is the fact that we can all receive different messages based on what we're paying attention to. I went to The Count of Monte Cristo the musical this weekend and it was fantastic. The actors and actresses were wonderful and their singing was beautiful. I was impressed by the production team as well, with all the simple yet creative sets. The theme of whole musical seems to be revenge. Now that's not a very good theme if that's really what you're going for. But obviously as the end the main character realizes he doesn't want revenge and he should have listened to the old man in the prison in the first place. So its not really til the very end of the story when you learn the lesson that forgiveness is the best lesson to learn, and part of me hopes that no one left the play 5 minutes early or else they might not have gotten that.

On the other hand, maybe it's genius to show someone's whole life struggle to get revenge and then show that he changed his heart at the end when he still had a long life ahead of him (he's only in his 40's probably). I guess that's what the Atonement is all about right? That even if we've lived a life unworthily, we can change any time with Christ's help. It might take a long time, especially if we've committed larger sins, but Christ will forgive all those who come unto him.

Feel-Good Movies

I'm one of those people who loves "feel good" movies. I don't know why, but I like being happy while I watch movies...crazy, I know. Yesterday my husband and I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

It just makes me happy because the music is calming and the scenery is gorgeous and the story line is genius! He travels to some beautiful places and it makes me feel like I can go accomplish anything. Walter doesn't think he's anybody at the beginning of the movie; I've felt like that before...sometimes I still feel like that. But he just goes looking for what he needs and he finds that he really is a great person, just the way he is. He likes himself and he is proud of himself. He also realizes that he can be himself and people will like him, like when he shares his skateboarding talent with Cheryl's son. Sure he's a little awkward while talking to the girl he likes, but so are you! We all get awkward when we don't know what to say, but that's ok.

We aren't meant to be perfect. I believe that very strongly. We would have no reason to use the Atonement if we weren't inadequate. But we ARE amazing. We just have to realize who we are: we are God's children with great potential. 

I'm here!...yeah but are you present?

There's a difference between being in a room with a group of people talking and laughing and building relationships and being in a room with a group of people while everyone is looking at their phones. It doesn't matter what they're doing, scrolling through Facebook, checking their email, playing a game, it doesn't count as being social. I have had multiple experiences with this the past couple of weeks with family and friends. I think they just don't realize that what they're doing is slowly destroying relationships. When I'm sitting talking with people and they pull out their phone the message I get is:

 "you are boring me. Facebook is more entertaining", 

or "I don't really care about getting to know you better, so I'm just going to play a game." 

I've actually tried telling people who I love to get off their phones so they know how I feel, but all they say is "I'm here." Yeah your body is sitting on the couch next to me but you are not here with me.

I miss you...

Have you seen this video that has been going around? This girl doesn't have a phone and she's in multiple situations where everyone else is on theirs and she's obviously all left out. Why don't these videos work? Why don't people realize that they are the people in those videos who are ruining relationships and losing track of what's really important!?

Life is not like the movies

And it's not meant to be really. We all want a fantasy world, we want every relationship to have an happily ever after. That's why we go to movies. Hollywood is really smart; they know how to make the audience "aww" and wish they had a love life like the movies. But those who choose to believe that it is, will prossibly fail at relationships. Movies give you a false sense of how a real, lasting relationship should be and how it will actually come about.

First of all, a lot of the movies we watch I would label as "trashy movies"; they give you the exact opposite of how couples should act (and yes I'm looking at this from an LDS perspective because that's who I am and I don't think more than 3 people are reading this blog anyway)

Guy meets girl in a bar or club, they spend a few hours together and "fall in love", make out, sleep together and most likely don't get married. If they do get married that's a plus. Now that's definitely not going to happen in my relationships so I rule that out.

So then there's the higher quality movies. Guy meets girl and they have to learn to like each other. They eventually fall in love and spend every waking minute together until they finally kiss and there's a flash forward to their wedding. Whoa whoa what happened in the middle? Movies can't show you the 6 months of dating before the engagement. They can't show you how they spent each week, how they had to work and go to school in the middle of that. Hollywood's only got about fifteen minutes to do that and in those fifteen minutes you basically only see them laughing at each others' jokes, kissing, and being "in love". 

I think some people - and I'll admit it's mostly girls because of the chick flicks we constantly watch - want a relationship to happen too quickly. They meet someone, start to like them, and think they should be dating 3 weeks later. They think it'll be "just like the movies" where you see the relationship build in a 3 minute montage of flirtatiousness. I always used to wonder how people fall in love that fast!? It's not actually possible...just so you know.

Movies are not like reality....but...

 

I watched a movie last week called "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend". It was fabulous and one of the most interesting movies. It had a twist, so I liked that, but the idea made me think for a really long time. 

The main actor is a writer, but when he takes his first novel in to be published they turn it down. They tell him that the leading man is not leading man enough. Women like to read about girls like them falling in love with a tall, dark, and handsome man who is charming and debonaire. Or in other words, not like the man she is with. They tell him that in reality women want that terribly attractive man but settle and marry someone who's... not so much. So that's why they read romance novels - to step into a fantasy for just a while (whether it's a novel or a movie it's the same idea) But in the end of the movie it all works out for the best because he falls in love with a beautiful girl and it's so cute! (I may or may not have squealed out of happiness throughout the whole movie...but hey I'm a girl). But really this movie was an exception to a lot of the movies I've been talking about. The whole point of the movie was to tell girls to get their heads out of the clouds and see the man who's right in front of them. It helped me realize that the love story I really want is not the rich guy with a car who's ridiculously handsome to the world's standards - and most likely has a big head about it. It's the guy who walks me everywhere cause he doesn't have a car yet, who makes me laugh until my sides hurt, who's ridiculously handsome in my eyes...and who inspires me.

So I'm thinking... the person you are with, dating, engaged, or married, becomes exactly who you want doesn't he/she? If you were not initially attracted to them but then you fall in love with their personality they become the most attractive person to you right? You may see some random guy and think "well he's hott", but it doesn't matter because you have someone who is ten times better because he is kind and selfless and amazing. 

Ok now I think I'm just babbling...back to my initial thought process...

Real love takes a long time to develop I think. I think people should become best friends first, best friends who know each other so well that they decide they want to spend the rest of their life together. I have no experience with being in love, and I'm 20 years old, which just further proves my point that movies are a false reality. I should have had like 5 boyfriends by this point right? But even though I don't know what it's like to be in love yet, the kind of relationship I want is the "friends first" one.

However, If the only places you have to pull from when you're in your first relationship ever are your roommates - 2 of which have hardly ever gone on dates, one who goes out with a different boy every night, and another who sits in her room and turns down a different guy every night - and the movies...you may be in a bit of trouble...unless you go out and find out for yourself what dating is like.

Even though sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing, it's the adventures that we learn the most from and love the most in the end right?

Well at least that's what my stories tell me ;) 

Quite an Adventure

This I know: God loves me; Christ suffered for my pain, worries, and fears; and I can get through anything with their help. 

      Last week I had surgery. I've never had surgery before, other than getting my wisdom teeth out which I actually had done 3 months ago, so that was scary. I admit it; I was terrified. I found out that surgery might be a possibility four months ago actually when my roommate rushed me to the ER because I was writhing in pain from what I thought was a stomachache. It wasn't a stomachache. It was a 7 cm cyst on my ovary that had been growing for quite a while. Scary, yeah.  

     

     Thankfully General Conference was the next week. I prayed so hard that something would be said in Conference to calm my fears. Prayers are answered because in the first session Elder Kent F. Richards gave a talk entitled The Atonement Covers All Pain. He is a surgeon so he knows all about hospitals and pain. He talked about how Christ suffered for not only our sins but our pains and worries and fears. He suffered for me and He knows how to comfort me and heal me. 

      
    The doctor said I should keep watching it, get ultrasounds every once in a while, but see if it would go away on its own. So I waited... for 4 months.

       

      I found out a couple weeks ago that surgery was indeed going to be a reality when they told me the cyst was 10 cm. I was not afraid, though my mind was worried about it for days. And scheduling the surgery was horrible. (I have since repented for the mean things I said about that doctor's office). I did a whole lot of praying again and I learned that it takes a lot of faith to say "Heavenly Father I know you can calm me down and prepare me for this operation. Please apply Christ's atonement in my behalf at this time". God knew how nervous I was with the idea of having surgery because that meant something was wrong with me, and nothing had been wrong with me before. My dad gave me a blessing Sunday night and I continued to pray all day Monday. I went to my Father in Heaven in humility and told him I couldn't do this on my own. 

      On Tuesday I woke up feeling calm and confident. My mind was clear from worry and I was able to serve the people I was working with that day. I know that was a blessing from God and my Savior. 

       

     Now I'm going to tell you about the actual surgery/recovery. This is when I do a bit of complaining and am not so Christlike as I would like to be. But I told you that I learned from this affliction...learning happens afterwards most often I believe. And I'm sorry there are no pictures to go along with this post but I did not let my mom take pictures of me while on Percocet - No need.

       

     Wednesday morning at 6am my mom drove me to the hospital - oh that lovely hospital that I had visited multiple times before for ultrasounds and check-ups. I am almost done visiting that hospital. - After blood work and pregnancy tests (I'm not pregnant by the way) I was put in a fabulous one-size-fits-all purple hospital gown. My IV wouldn't go in because apparently I've got teeny little veins so I got poked 4 times! Rude. But I was not worried. I was completely calm and trusted my doctor. I thank my Heavenly Father for that. When I woke up from surgery though, it was 10:34. That was a bit confusing since I went in at like 8. Apparently my surgery took two hours! The cyst was bigger than they thought. 10 X 12.5 X 8 cm the doctor said. 

     As I lay in the recovery room I was in so much pain. I just cried until they gave me some pain medication. But when that finally kicked in I could relax. I noticed the boy laying near me had a big cast on his leg. He asked the nurses "can I see it?" They said no. Then he asked one nurse "Are you a member?" "What?" "Are you a member? of the church?" "Yes" was her quick response. "Well I'm in the MTC right now and I'm gonna be real glad to get this taken care of cause I'm going to Mexico" 

Then he asked "Can I see it?" and they said no. "Did I already ask that?" He asked. They said yes and he replied, "Oh I apologize"

It was fabulous. Then he asked the nurses about me: "What's she in here for?" "Surgery just like you" they said. "Oh well tell her I hope she feels better". 

then as they wheeled me away he called out "Good luck!"

That made me smile. I wonder if he really is going to Mexico...I wish him luck too.

      Out of the recovery room and into my room again, the nurse tried to get me to eat something. Crackers, pudding, jell-o? No thanks - I feel like I'm going to throw up. Oh and then she said that since they inflated my abdomen with air there were air bubbles that would move to my shoulders and give me pain. The best way to relieve that was to walk ... so I was going to need to walk too. No thanks - I think I'd rather just lie here on this very comfortable bed for the rest of the day. She let me sleep which was nice but every 20 minutes it was "Hey how are ya feelin?!" - like I just had a softball removed from my insides thank you.  I did not actually say any of these things to my nurse, however my mom may have heard some of them. 

    

     I think by 1:30 I was able to eat a club cracker and drink some Sprite. They had the good kind of ice so that was a plus. Then around 2:30 they made me go to the bathroom. That was a fun adventure. As soon as I stood up I wanted to sit down but no, I had to walk all the way to the bathroom and all the way back. I'm pretty sure they thought I'd be leaving then. I wasn't. The nurse kept telling me to get my clothes on and I kept thinking "No thanks - I'll just sleep here if that's cool". But at 4 o'clock I got my clothes on, got wheeled out to the car, and was driven home...with a stop at Arby's because honestly I was starving. 

     The next three days were pretty much the same. Sleep, eat, sleep, watch a movie, sleep, eat, try to walk to the bathroom without looking like an old grandma, watch another movie, oh and did I mention sleep? And I couldn't laugh because it hurt...really bad. My mom was my guardian angel this week though. She waited on me and bought me food and did my laundry. She was amazing and I love her, especially because I'm pretty sure it was the most boring 5 days of her life. Did you notice my schedule?...she wasn't ever that tired. But Saturday morning we played a board game and that night we went on a walk. We walked to the duck pond, sat down for 15 minutes, then walked really slowly back. That was very exciting. 

Ok so I guess I do have one picture. My mom gave me this teddy bear so hold when she left so I would remember that she is always thinking of me. I love it. (plus also he is sooo soft)

     Erik came over on Thursday night to visit me. I was a bum so basically we just sat on the couch for an hour...but he's sweet to come. I attempted to go to Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. By that I mean I completely forgot about the elevator so I walked up the stairs to our meeting room and was out of breath by the top. I felt like I had just run up the RB stairs! So as soon as the sacrament was over my mom and I were outta there. Erik came over for dinner that night though and I was feeling much more alive. We worked on our puzzle and finally finished it! woot. And we laughed the whole time and it didn't even hurt. Whoever said "laughter is the best medicine" is completely correct. I can always count on Erik to make me laugh - I love that about him. 

      So then yesterday I was still feeling very sleepy all day and was questioning my ability to go back to work today. But by 7:00 that evening I had put on real pants (jeans, not pajamas) and was driving to Spanish Fork to watch the fireworks. It was a miracle and I was so happy. And today I feel great. Of course I still get tired and it takes me a lot longer to walk places, but my mind is clear and I feel the Spirit. Isn't the Atonement amazing? Isn't it remarkable and grand and miraculous?

     Elder Richards was inspired. He said our pain teaches us faith and humility. I learned that this week. I had to have so much faith before my surgery for Father to calm me and then just as much faith after that I would be healed. I learned humility when I realized that I was trying to recover on my own and finally went to Father in prayer thanking him profusely for all the Atonement had done for me that week. In my actual pain and sickness after the surgery I was "slow to remember the Lord" and failed to pray to Him for a couple of days. In that time of affliction I didn't pray for help. That seems a little backward right? Well I was reading in my scriptures today in Alma 55:31 where it says the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord in their time of affliction. And I thought, sometimes we are not like the Nephites huh? And we are slow to remember to pray or read our scriptures in times of trial. But I realized my mistake and I fell to my knees and thanked God for helping me that week. I know I could not have gone through that without Him and His Son Jesus Christ. This surgery was the toughest trial I have had in my life so far but God knows that. I know the Atonement worked for me and I want to help others feel Christ's love because I feel it now. "In Him we can find peace and solace in and from our pain...if we will but come unto Him with humble hearts. His "grace is sufficient"." 

This lesson I will never forget

Quick to Observe

So for work we got to read this talk by Elder Bednar entitled Quick to Observe. - First of all I just need to say that I love my job. What other job, anywhere, pays you to read amazing and inspiring talks and articles and reflect about them just to help you become a better student and mentor, and really just a better person? Answer: there's not one. I am a lucky duck.

Anywho, as I read this talk something really hit me. Elder Bednar told the story of a young man who was seriously dating a young woman and he wanted to marry her. It was at the time that the prophet asked young women to only have one pair of earrings. This young man waited for his girlfriend to follow the prophet's counsel and remove her second set of earrings but she never did. The issue of course wasn't the earrings; it was the fact that she had not followed a prophet of God when he gave a new commandment and the young man did not want to marry someone who was slow to observe the counsel of the prophets. 

"Wow" I thought. Do I follow the prophets' counsel that they give us in General Conference? Am I Quick to Observe what they tell me or do I forget what they say and fail to read the Ensign again when it comes out? I definitely do NOT want the latter to be true, so I committed to read the talks from Conference again and be really observant of what it is our prophets want me to be doing. 

          I want whoever I'm dating to notice that I am Quick to Observe the prophets' counsel, just as I'm going to be looking for that quality in a spouse as well. I am not perfect at following the prophets' counsel yet; I'm still working every day for the desire to change, the confidence to make decisions to do something differently, and the courage to act on my choices so I become something great. I want to marry someone who will work alongside me so we become something great together.

So what have the prophets counseled me to do lately? Today I'll tell you what I'm learning from President Monson...

President Monson's Sunday morning session address was called "The Holy Temple- a Beacon to the World". I was able to attend Conference for the first time ever this last April and this was the session I got to go to. So I heard President Monson give this talk in person - that was pretty powerful let me tell ya. What I remember most from this talk were the stories he told. He told of families who's whole life goal was to get to the temple. They worked, earned money, sacrificed buying nice things just so they could earn enough to take their families to the temple to be sealed. 

I just kept thinking, "what is my whole life's goal? I can tell you it's not going to the temple...but our temple is 3 minutes away!I need to go to the temple more often" So my desire changed, I made a goal to go to the temple every week for the whole summer, and I have done that. It has been the most amazing blessing for me. I have been blessed with peace, comfort, and the ability to get through every trial that has come up. I have been so happy the last two months and I have the spirit with me constantly; this is also because I've been reading the Book of Mormon and praying to Father in Heaven every day, but I've chosen to do those things because I have the spirit. I think that's just a big cycle - you make righteous choices; you feel the spirit. having the spirit makes you want to make more righteous choices, and you keep the spirit in your life. Fabulous.

I want my temple attendance to be a habit so that even when I get back into my crazy college semesters I will make time for the temple and the peace and happiness I know it will bring me. Thinking even farther into the future, when I get married, I want to go with my husband to the temple - another part of that growing together thing. Plus also I can't wait to be able to go to the temple for ordinances other than baptisms. I look forward to that day when I receive the endowment and then the day when I can be sealed for time and all eternity to my best friend. President Monson said, "Until you have entered the house of the Lord and have received all the blessings which await you there, you have not obtained everything the Church has to offer". Ok, I can make the temple a priority. 

So just one last thing before I go get ready for church... at the end of his talk that morning President Monson told the story of the ground breaking for the Rome, Italy temple: 

The day was overcast but warm, and although rain threatened, not more than a drop or two fell. As the magnificent choir sang in Italian the beautiful strains of  "The Spirit of God " one felt as though heaven and earth were joined in a glorious hymn of praise and gratitude to Almighty God. Tears could not be restrained.

The song following his remarks and closing the session was "The Spirit of God". I have never been in an auditorium that big with a choir that huge, nor felt so much of God's love coursing through the room as I did then. The music sang right to my soul and my tears could not be restrained. I didn't want to leave that building when it was over because I just wanted that feeling to last for ever and ever. It was absolutely amazing; I will never forget that day.

Background Music

Plus also I like to play the piano too:)

Wouldn't life be better with background music? 

       The answer is Yes!

I already love it when my apartment is filled with music because my roommate has a piano. When we were room roommates she used to pull her keyboard out from under her bed and play me all kinds of songs. And she would play me to sleep sometimes too. You see when I was little my mom used to play the piano all the time, and I would lie on our living room couch and just listen to the beautiful music. It wasn't abnormal for me to fall asleep while she was playing either, so now any time I hear the piano it has a special place in my heart. - plus also I can't help myself from falling for guys who play it for me...Just so you know, that is an attractive talent in Jill's book.

But I'm not talking about merely playing the piano constantly or tuning into the radio or your i-pod. I'm talking about actual background music, like in the movies! 

I want a triumphant melody to play when I come out of the testing center with a A! Or when I finish a paper I've been working on for 2 weeks and I turn it in on time. I want a symphony to play when I kiss someone for the first time. Wouldn't that just be awesome!? I think so.

Maybe this is just because I get all giddy when I watch chick flicks like Ever After, While You Were Sleeping, Return to Me, and A Cinderella Story. I want to fall in love and I want music playing when it happens.

Or maybe it's because I sing epic theme songs in my head when I finish tests and school projects anyway...so everyone else might as well be able to hear it too right?

Why not smile?

Life is awesome! Really, it is. So why do we complain so much and stress out about little things and get bummed out when things don't go exactly as planned?
I've been thinking about this a lot lately and it all boils down to this: it's all about choices. I have the choice of whether I'm going to be a lazy bum on a Friday night because no one invited me to hang out or if I'm going to take matters into my own hands and invite someone to do something with ME. Wow...crazy idea right?
My mom always told me that if I'm having a bad day I should turn around and make someone else's day better. Ya know I've tried this...it totally works.

Plus also did you know that laughter and smiling is contagious? Yeah I know, that's like the best news ever.
I honestly believe that laughing makes you healthier and happier. These last few weeks I have been so happy because I've found myself in situations where I'm just laughing constantly: At work, hanging out with friends, in class (ok so this one is probably not the best because then I don't pay attention...but you get the idea). And then I just leave with the biggest smile on my face that just doesn't go away. Thank goodness for happy friends. Actually I literally thank my Heavenly Father every day for people who make me smile and laugh.

Sorry my thoughts have been a bit of a jumbled mess but there you go. Woot:)