Understanding about Understanding

I had an interesting experience at the broadcast this last weekend that I wanted to share with you. I learned a really good lesson that didn’t come from anything that the speakers said. As the broadcast began, the girls in front of me began to whisper back and forth and laugh…and it was so distracting. On first impulse, I was annoyed, wanting to listen to our leaders who were and are called of God to help us here on earth. It was so bad that I seriously considered moving seats. As I sat there annoyed for a couple seconds because I couldn’t focus with these girls chattering and laughing in front of me, I had an inspired thought that called me to repentance. I looked at them, and wondered how often I had been on the other side. How often had I been the distraction to the people around me? How often had someone been trying to feel the spirit, had maybe been going through a hard time, and because of me, they were denied the opportunity to feel the spirit and receive answers. I felt sick, ashamed at my many faults, for the many times that I had restricted the revelation of others. The only thing I could think to do was bow my head and ask for forgiveness for the many times that I had been an interference for the spirit. I found myself pleading for these girls in front of me, who just happened to be in my ward, asking Heavenly Father to touch their hearts so that they would receive the answers and peace that they needed, and to help them calm down, then pleading that if that wasn’t his will, that I would be able to focus so that I could receive answers.
How often are we, myself included, so quick to judge? Christ teaches that we should remove the beam in our own eyes before removing the mote in someone else’s. I learned a great lesson that day. As I closed my prayer, i felt a greater love for these girls in my ward, hoping that they would be able to receive answers as well. And I WAS able to focus after that because of the greater love that I had for them. What a blessing it was to partake of the blessings of the atoning sacrifice of our Savior. I’m so grateful that I can be forgiven for all the times I was a deterrent from the spirit. May we each be able to feel greater love for those around us, even when they cause us frustration and pain.

Blood and Bruises

Hey friends! I love volleyball! Just wanted to prove it…

P.S. That's my knee in case you didn't know...so worth it...

Wedding Bells

No, no. Not MY wedding bells. Sorry to disappoint you all. I had the chance to go to cousin Skyler’s wedding this last weekend and I saw a bunch of family members that I hadn’t seen in years….seriously, I saw one cousin and I asked her if she was a friend of the bride…only to have her say, “uh, I don’t know if you remember me…I’m Sara Kay.” Boy, did I feel sheepish…but we laughed about it later. Here are some pictures for everyone so they can participate in the fun.

Here are four of my dad’s siblings and their spouses…and me. I’m the young one in the middle.

And some of the girls (that’s Sara Kay standing next to me…yeah, now you see why I didn’t recognize her…I think the last time I saw her she was like 11 or 12…)
Some more of the girls…

And the bride and groom. Aren't they cute?

Close to Glory

So, it usually pays off to have friends in high places. That was almost true for me last weekend. Because I know someone who is in ROTC, I was offered the chance to fire off George Q. Cannon. Yeah, I know! That’s like a dream, huh? Anywho, I was supposed to fire off touchdown number four. Long story short: got pushed back in the list and was standing down by the cannon…as the game ended. I was so close to doing it! Sad…oh, well. I got some good pictures though. Maybe someday I’ll get to live my dream…

"This one time, on my mission..."

So, has it ever made you laugh how often RM's use the phrase "So, this one time, on my mission...?" Yeah, i thought it was really funny too...that is until i served a mission! Then i found myself eating my words...so, to completely ruin myself, i thought I'd have a little fun and write a few funny stories from my mission. So.....

this one time, on my mission...

~ I ate Iguana
~ I accidentally slide tackled an elder playing soccer in the rain
~ I got clotheslined by my Trainer playing football
~ We did a mission-wide fast to turn a hurricane...and it worked!
~ I transposed an entire piano piece...by ear, from a CD!
~ I had to play the piano every week for a year in sacrament meeting
~ We tracted in the rain for 4 hours...really fun!!
~ The last day of the mission, i found the best investigator in the world -- she approached us and is now a faithful member!
~ Ran the car through a puddle...more like a lake...and blew out the radiator
~ Was called, "gordita", "llenita", and "gorda"... meaning "the fat one"...good titles to have! :)
~ Used Cholesterol in my hair, a foot scrubber on my face, and hydrogen peroxide to "beautify"
~ Convinced my companion to use Ex-lax because she was sick
~ Watched the sun rise in the rain
~ Was almost given a priesthood blessing by a woman (apostasy! she really tried!)
~ Was asked if my companion was my daughter
~ Developed Hypoglycemia (don't ask...it's a long story)
~ Ate four dinners in one night. After the 3rd, we had to come home and throw up just so the 4th would fit...
~ Got *punked* by all the elders in our Zone -- they told us that we were getting whitewashed instead of actually telling us what was happening at transfers...i wanted to kill them!

Hope you enjoyed that as much as i did! Aren't mission experiences fun?

"The Adjustment"

I’ve successfully been back from the mission for…9 weeks I think (it makes it hurt less to count by weeks…that means I can justify still being weird. By the way, at what point do I have to switch over and start saying months? Or even years!? Maybe I’ll wait till I get to like….4,598 or something…when I’ve fully adjusted…)…needless to say, life has been interesting. Everyone takes the adjustment differently. There are some adjustments that were easier for me like: hugging little children,
or wearing a swimming suit (although I do apologize to all those that are still going through eye therapy from the whiteness of my legs. Really sorry about that.).

The whole not have to wear a dress thing is just delightful, as I can now wear sweats to school, wear the cutest heels in the world, and not shower, just because I don’t want to! However, some adjustments just still make the world laugh…causing me to wonder how long it takes to adjust to:
~Not studying your scriptures all the time

~Being in the same room as a guy without your companion…
~Or, dare I say…date!?
~Doing your hair….AND makeup….on the same day! Or at all!
~Or what about getting used to styles? Since when did side ponytails come back in? does it make it not so 80’s if it’s a side bun?
Needless to say, I’m still trying to find out who this “new me is”, and apparently so is the rest of the world! Every time I see someone they say something like, “wow! You look so….different!” which I’m starting to wonder what the pause means before they say different… but still get a good laugh when people tilt their heads as if it were a better view of my face… I guess I shouldn’t mock it, I’ve never seen my own face from a head tilted view…maybe I should try it…

Who came up with the Word Blog?

So I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and start my own blog. Since I’m the type of person that it is way faster to contact me by computer than by phone and since we have such a big family consequently needing me to tell the same story 15 times in the same week, blogging my life seems to be the way to go. Although I’m not sure I will ever come anywhere near the hilarity of Michelle’s blogs, hopefully this will save us all some time…and in a strange way bring us all closer together. So here’s a few entries to make you laugh and give you an inside to my life! Luv you all!