Sunday thoughts

These past few weeks have been thought provoking. With lots going on around me I feel that sometimes I forget to focus on what really matters. This past month has provided a wake up call for me. It has helped me turn my life to the Savior in a way that I didn't have before. A large part of this has been the change in curriculum for the youth. In my house we joke about the old lessons because it seemed all of the stories went something like...
 "Sally was babysitting and she needed to cook mac and cheese. She didn't know how to make mac and cheese since she had never made it herself. She prayed to Heavenly Father and asked him to help her. Right after she said amen she discovered that there where instructions on the box. She thanked Heavenly Father for helping her in a time of need. How have your prayers been answered?"
Now I know they were a little bit more realistic than that, but I personally had a hard time connecting to them. This new curriculum has already blessed my life and we have only had it for a mere month. I just thought I'd post a few of my thoughts from church this month and how it has blessed my life.

One lesson I learned that really stuck out to me today was that we should attend our meetings, not just physically, but mentally. To me this means actively listening, and taking notes. I have discovered I pay more attention when I am looking for things to write down. I also remember more when I write things down because It allows me to look back and read my thoughts. I first started doing this at EFY. I wasn't as quick to take notes during sacrament meeting since it's not a thing I normally see people doing, and I didn't know what people would think. Since I have started this I have been able to get more out of what I hear and I have been more open to promptings of the spirit. I encourage all of you to try it!
Another thing I love about the new curriculum is that it gives everyone an opportunity to share and through this we are able to teach each other through our testimonies. I have learned so much from my peers sharing what they know with the class and I am thankful for the new opportunities to share. I have also learned to participate more myself. I try to make an effort to raise my hand and make a comment. I encourage you to do the same.

So this week I am about 3 experiences away from getting my medallion. I am so excited and can't wait to finish. This week I also had a good friend and team mate of mine get his mission call to Italy, Rome! We are proud of you Stirfry! I also can't wait for my baby sister to get baptized on Saturday! She turns 8 tomorrow and I couldn't be more proud of her. Love you Miki!


Feel my Sunlight


p.s. This freezing cold weather and mountains of snow are taunting me. Why can't summer come faster?

  

Today was a fairy tale

{picture via Google. From Diter F. Uchtdorf's talk "Your Happily Ever After"}

"Once Upon a time" a phrase used to describe magical stories of pirates and princesses. A phrase that marks the beginning of adventure. These adventures are usually only prevalent in story books, however with a deeper look, these stories of magic and adventure can be found in the pages of our own lives, if we just take a moment to stop and read.
"In a land far far away" Those tales we all read as children all took place in beautiful places where nature came to life. Trees danced, and waters roared, the birds sang, and the earth lived. These places of beauty seem like paradise when compared to our offices and classrooms, but, if one ever takes a moment to stop, to feel the sunlight on your face, to watch the trees dance in the wind, or to observe the beauty of the flowers they will find that these lands of magic aren't far from our own homes. God created this land to be just as magical as the ones in books, but humans have destroyed much of this beauty, The greatest way to feel this beauty is to get away from the real world is to simply forget the technology and the stress, and spend time surrounded by nature.
"Lived a prince and a princess" We are all sons and daughters of God. We are sons and daughters of a heavenly king. We are of noble birth and we must always remember our great worth. Every soul is great in the sight of the Lord. We should make all of our decisions with this thought in mind; if we remember that we are princes and princesses we will begin to act like princes and princesses. One day, when we return home to our heavenly king, he will make kings and queens over our own worlds.
"Who met creatures of all kinds" Some creatures will fight with us, while some creatures will fight against us. Some people come into our lives to uplift us, and some come into our lives to tare us down. But whether or not those around us are here to help us or make our job harder, they are placed there to make us stronger. And when it comes time to say good bye to someone in our lives just remember that sometimes people have to leave our life so that others may enter it.
"and faced trial like never before" Some of us will face dragons while others of us will fight bares, yet most of us will fight more deadly creatures disguised as thinks that appear common to man. I believe that the hardest trials are not the ones that can be seen, but the ones that happen inside of us. For some of us it might be cancer, while it might be a battle of self worth, or a hard time making friends for others. Some may face death of loved ones, or the divorce of parents, while some may face depression. But there is something we must all remember; we are all fighting some kind of battle, and you never know how bad a persons battle might be. A terrible battle can look like a happy normal day full of laughter and joy. If we remember this we may think twice about the way we treat others. And if you are the one in the middle of the fight just remember that "God gives his greatest battles to his strongest soldiers."
"They showed the courage of a lion" In every story there great trials, and in every story the characters must show great courage to overcome these trials. We must be strong, and we must fight. We will face our greatest fears, but the only way to overcome those fears is to face them. Be strong my friend, and you will make it through.
"and tasted the sweet taste of triumph" We have all read countless stories, and in every single one of those stories have you ever read one where the hero failed? If we display courage, and face our fears we will be found victorious. It may not look like it now but you will make it out in the end if you just keep going through the middle. You are strong, you are courageous, you can do it. “I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious” -Vince Lombardi
"they remained until their work was finished" If you are still here your work is not finished. You may have fiercer dragons to fight, or bigger battles to win. You may even have a prince out there looking for you. Trust God, and let him guide you in the path you need to follow. He will help you. If you are still here you have work to do, and if it is your time to go, you will find a greater purpose in heaven.
"and they lived happily ever after" Notice how it doesn't say "The End". Because unlike the stories in books, our stories don't end when we finish this life. We don't close the book when we die, we simply turn the page. This remarkable thing we call life is only small when compared to our entire existence. Don't fear for the end because there is no end in eternity. Fight your battles, have courage, and one day you might just live "happily ever after", in a magical kingdom, surrounded by the people you love and who love you.






Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Have you ever cried because a Minotaur died? I have. 

Who ordered the ice rink?

 My town is a literal ice rink. All the parking lots are sheets of solid ice and I watched several people biff it in the parking lot and on the way to the seminary building. It's the craziest thing I have ever seen. I think  will wear ice skates  school tomorrow... until then... I'm going to Narnia.

teacher, you are fierce!

I have a dilemma. I'm not sure if I want to stab my kindle for rotating Phantom out of the Amazon Prime list or hug it for adding Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. So I figured I would write a blog post while I decide.
New semester tomorrow and I am so excited! I don't have to lug my annoying guitar to school any more! (But I vow to never stop playing since I do love my guitar.) I get to start photography again and I hope I won't be too bored sine I already took this class in Jr high. Oh well, there is always something to learn. So there you have it, my thoughts on the new semester.
Today I was coaching my children and one of my little girls says "Teacher, you are fierce!" uh... thank you? hahaha I love little ones and I can't get over it!
Sorry for the semi- randomness of this post but I would now like to say that I have decided to hug my Kindle, because if I stabbed it I wouldn't be able to post on it anymore, and I know that would make all of you cry. So have no fear! I will hug my Kindle.

Become Inspired

"I can see a blog post being written in your head." My dear friend, Hannah, said to me as we entered the crowded high school hallway to escape the frigged January air. We walked quietly reminiscing on what just happened. It was the final A day of the semester. The final time we would have Brother Fereday as our wonderful seminary teacher, since you can never have the same teacher twice. That class had done us both wonders. We left with that feeling, that feeling of quiet peace that only comes from spiritual moments. We walked away reluctantly because we knew that peace would soon be destroyed by the harsh reality of high school. That kid with the gauges, the ever present "F" bomb, the immodest clothes, It all destroys the spirit. The halls are a hard place to walk some days. I know it sounds dumb, but sometimes I want to cry at the sights and sounds of the high school halls. Some times I want to cry at the fact that nobody ever does anything about it. We just take it with a happy face and pretend it isn't happening.... but it is, and sometimes our only escape is the safety of the seminary building. I think that's why I love EFY so much, it is a total escape from the harsh real world, and the closest thing you can get to paradise as a teen. Seminary is the closest we get to EFY thought the year.
This particular semester was eye opening for me. It was my first semester at the high school since Freshman year is included in the Jr. High where I live. I had been told about how bad it was by one of my best friends. I didn't believe it would be that bad. It was during the first part of the school year when I was sitting in my drivers ed class. The kids around me all started discussing the first time they had ever gotten drunk. "The first time I ever got drunk I was with my mom. BEAT THAT!" "The first time I ever got drunk I was with my GRANDMA!" "Okay I think that wins." I was shocked as I sank down in my seat with the full intentions of becoming invisible. Realizing the majority of the class would hate me if they ever found out how I felt. I remained invisible for the majority of the semester with only a few comments here and there. This wasn't the only class I struggled to feel the spirit in this semester. I have heard way to much about the immorality and drugs, and the bad language never stops. So you can imagine the way I felt leaving that class for the last time today. I was so happy I felt like singing! {but I didn't.... because I didn't want to have a High School Musical moment.}
Looking at this I wonder why people are like this. We live in UTAH for crying out loud! Isn't this supposed to be the place filled with wonderful good people that want to bring you casseroles all the time? Isn't this the place where you call everybody brother and sister and everybody is a child of God? The answer is yes. People just sometimes forget that. It seems as though people in Utah who aren't LDS want to make sure every body knows it. It makes me sad inside. Even though there is bad, there is also unmistakable good.
Today we had an assembly. Assembles are usually boring and not that interesting {but we like them since we get out of class}. Today's assembly was different. We had the opportunity to hear from Meg Johnson, an awesome motivational speaker who has been paralyzed from the chest down with out the use of her hands. This was the 2nd time I have heard her speak, and It was just as fun as the first time around. She is so funny and has the greatest ability to find joy in her life. Her story is one everyone should hear and I recommend everyone in need of a little motivation to visit her website www.megjohnsonspeaks.com or her blog www.megjohnsonspeaks.blogspot.com. It was just the thing I needed today. So I leave you here so that you may now go click on some of those links and become inspired.  


Feel my Sunlight

worded expression

bitter cold air. fear. hope. fear. finality. joy. done. last time. please don't cry. bitter sweet. write. idea. write. learn. feel. walk. sit. Leo. laugh. smile. pain. frustrated. ashamed. want. go. fail. again. again. again. move on. church. SPIRIT. better. much better. peace. warmth. testimony. try. fail. fingers crossed. fail. eternal perspective. peace. try. try. almost. push. floor. success. stressed. trial day. unprepared. unmotivated. lost. fear. emotions. happy face. feel. rethink. eternal perspective. peace. white rice. joy. smile. laugh. grateful. still stressed. but less. 

FAiTh 

sTrEnGtH

TrUst

·NO REGRETS·

The words running through my head. Take from them what you will. Give me some back.

17 minutes

I have 17 minutes of free time. 17 minutes in which I plan to write an intelligent blog post. Ready..... GO!

It is the last week of the term, and the week of the first tumbling meet of the year. AHHHH! I pray I will be ready. I am so done with school and am already fantasizing about summer.... EFY.... Trek....girls camp.....National Championships...4th year hike....more EFY. That's enough to send just about anyone in a coma and I am so excited! Only 141 days left. Not that anyone is counting.

10 minutes... 10 precious minutes. American Idol starts tonight! I am so --stoked! I am also Psyched for Psych to start in 42 days!!! {see what I did there?! Ha I think I'm funny.}

Dang my time is up! Well I promise to post a more meaningful/readable/writer-like post later. Until then...



Feel my Synlight

All snowed in

Okay so here's the thing. I live in Utah. Utah is known for our snow. I am currently in my Sophomore year in High School and never in my 10 years of schooling have we ever had a snow day. Ever. The closest we have ever gotten to a snow day was a massive wind storm that blew over massive trees, destroyed garages, tipped over semis, and blew To Kill A Mocking Bird books past my English teachers window. But that's a different story.

So Utah has never had a snow day in the 10 years I have been in school... Until Today. And I couldn't be happier!

Yesterday it started to snow. Nothing Utah hasn't seen. People began to post things on Facebook like "Why can't we have a snow day?!" and "If you cancel school tomorrow I will never miss another day of church." With all of these posts I was thinking "ya right! We live in Utah for crying out loud! There is no way they are closing the schools." This is not to say that I wasn't secretly hoping myself.

This morning I woke up at 7:04. That is about 11 minutes before my friend Carina usually picks me up to take me to school. I panicked. Why hadn't anybody woken me up? As I started to scramble to get ready I decided to check my phone. My dad had texted me telling me that our school district had canceled school and to stay in bed. I was ecstatic! I ran to my sisters room to make sure she knew. We talked for a bit and I headed back to bed.

It looks like the kid who promised to never miss another day of church has just made a covenant with the Lord. The moral of the story is: be careful what you wish for. God just might be listening.


Feel my Sunlight


p.s. This storm got me out of a guitar recital today! I am a happy person. 
    

favorite conversations

My favorite conversation of the day:

Student- "Is the pit fixed yet?"
Me- "YA Santa fixed it!"
Student- {with extreme excitement showing in her little face} "Gee Wizz!...how did he do it?"
Me-"his elves helped him."
Student- "oh, he must be magic....did you see him do it?"
Me- "he came in at night when nobody was sleeping just like he does at your house on Christmas."
Student- "whoa."
Other Student- "Was that your Christmas wish?"
Me- "yes it was."

So there you have it! Santa fixed the pit!



feel my sunlight


 p.s. I hate goodbyes. They are hard and I don' t deal with them well. But I know there is a purpose behind it. I know God sees the greater picture. But they are still hard and they still break my heart.

New years resolutions

HaPpY NeW yEaR!

I know, I know, Its January 4th and I'm a little late... but I have a good excuse! Well okay maybe I don't. I got a new Kindle  Fire you see and it has taken up most of my free time for the last few days.

So it's a new year and like lots of people I do make new years resolutions. I always do. And I am actually pretty good at keeping them! So here they are

·Get my Personal Progress (so close)
·Place well at meets this year. (including Nationals)
·Eat healthier (more protein/ whole grains and less sugar)
·Work harder on my home work (and get better grades)
·Be a better friend (make new friends)

So there you have it! What are your New years resolutions?

feel my sunlight

p.s. Who else watched Les Misérables? I did and let's just say I'm glad my friend, Hannah brought a whole box of tissues.

p.s.s. Want to hear... okay read... a funny story? Okay so we had just gotten out of the movie theater and I had to go to the bathroom. So I run in there and all of my friends are still crying and loom like a mess. Well when I tried to open the stall door it wouldn't open! I kept struggling with it until finally I yelled "Hannah... I'm locked in the stall and I can't get out." So Hannah and my sister come and rescue me from the broken stall door while the rest of the ladies in line laugh at us. It was quite a funny site.

p.s.s.s. Is it weird that My "P.S."es are longer than my actual post?

p.s.s.s.s.American idol starts January 16th and Psych starts February 27th!!! Yat!!!

p.s.s.s.s.s. Comp season starts January 19th!

p.s.s.s.s.s.s. I can not wait for the new term! I can not even begin to express how happy I am about it!

p.s.s.s.s.s.s.s. I'm done now.

2012

 Well 2012... it's been good! This year I student directed a musical. I developed a love for theatre. I entered my first art show. I won my 1st art show. I finished Jr high. I competed at my 2nd national championships. I went to my 2nd session of EFY. I went to my 2nd youth conference. I went to my 4th girls camp. I finished the 21 mile 4th year hike, as well as a sunrise hike to the tallest peak in Utah. I started high school. I turned 16. I met the men and woman's Olympic gymnastics and power tumbling teams. I went to the Kellogg's tour of gymnastics championships. I passed my driving test (still waiting for my license though). I went to my first real concert (Carrie Underwood). I learned to play guitar.

It is going to be tough to top that this year. But I will sure try!  

feel my sunlight