Come unto Christ 2014 theme

Whoa!  Two blog posts in two days? I'm rockin it!

The year 2013 ends tomorrow. That means we have a new youth theme.

The theme for 2014 is...drum roll.... "Come Unto Christ"

Now I want you to click right HERE and watch THIS VIDEO

(I'm having issues with the embedded code and it won't let me put the video right onto my blog so the link will have to do.)

{Notice the first girl that sings. Her name is Noel and I used to tumble with her. I think she is pretty dang awesome and an incredible singer. Way to rock the 2014 theme Noel!}

 

I think this is a theme that is evenly applied to everyone on this earth. We could all come a little closer to Christ weather you have never heard his name before and are just learning of him, or you have known him before but you have let his presence slip from your life, or even if you have him in your life, you could always use a little more time with him.

I think that by coming unto Christ we are also coming unto happiness. Like I said In my last post Christ brings happiness and he is the only way to achieve true happiness. Like I said before, I know this because I've tried it. Christ brings happiness and who doesn't want to be happy?

One of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon is when King Lamoni realizes of the truth of Christ and the glory of God because of the example of Ammon.

"The light which did light up his mind,

 which was the light of the glory of God, 

which was a marvelous light of his goodness...

this light had infused such joy into his soul, 

the cloud of darkness having been dispelled."

           -Alma 19:6

Dispel the darkness and let the light into your life. Raise the curtains a little higher and open the window a little brighter, for he wants to shine his light on you, you just have to let him.

 

What are you going to do to let him in?

feel my sunlight

 

p.s. Um, so you know how most people take a break from things like exercise during the holidays? Ya somebody must have forgotten to tell my coach that because I can't move. Good thing we have Steph around to make us work because comp season starts in 20 days and ahhhhhhh!

exceedingly great joy

This blog post is going to be obsta quick because my mom has this weird disorder where my typing can wake her up when I am upstairs and she is downstairs. Also, "obsta" is now a new word. It has the same denotation as super, but has a connotation of something high quality. Therefore, this post will be super quick, yet it will lack nothing in the normal quality, because you know I have the highest quality out there.

What am I even trying to say? I'm loosing it.

I have several topics on my mind but I have two videos that are drawing me in. They need to be seen. Watch them.

These are real people. This is true happiness from true light. This light comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ.








These videos talk of peace. They talk of redemption. This peace and this redemption only come through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ can heal even the darkest of trials. It can touch the saddest of hearts, but it is also for the small pains. It is for the tears gone unseen to the world. It is there for you when you need that extra push or that small whisper of peace. It is for you.

Christ performed the Atonement for all of those on this earth, but if you were the ONLY one on this earth Christ still would have done it FOR YOU.

Feel the goodness of God and taste of the Atoning sacrifice of Christ, for it brings joy just as King Benjamin taught in Mosiah 4:11

"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have

 come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have  

known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, 

and have received a remission of your sins, 

which causeth such exceedingly great joy 

 in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember,

 and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God."

-Mosiah 4:11 

I have a testimony that Christ loves me and that he loves each of you. He hears your thoughts and he knows of your heartaches. Reach out to him and he will reach out to you. I know that through him we can taste of the only true happiness. I know this because I have felt it. He knows us. He loves us. He sent his only Son to die for us. He wants nothing more than to give us everything he has. May we ever strive to return to live with him again in his mansions in heaven.

feel my sunlight

p.s. Did everyone have an obsta awesome Christmas?

Christmas in a photograph

Remember how I promised pictures of random things HERE? Well, here it is. Christmas 2013.

feel my sunlight


p.s. Merry Christmas to all of my blog friends!

H A P P Y C H R I S T M A S

Guess what everybody! I'm a REAL blogger now!!

I got a big fancy pants camera from Santa and I'm very excited about it. For those of you who were wondering its a Canon Rebel xsi. Pictures of random objects to come.

I thought I'd do a quick post before we go to breakfast at our cousin's house to wish you all a very

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

Last night we had our annual Christmas Eve party at my Grandparent's house. We did white elephants and I think mine requires to be shared. This is my family... as the Avengers. Enjoy!

Here are a few free printables/e-cards for your Christmas holiday. Feel free to print/share/save them!

AANNNDDD... for the spiritual portion of this Christmas facebook post.



Here are two videos that I highly recommend you watch if you haven't already. If you have seen them feel free to watch them again. They are FANTASTIC! I especially enjoy the adorable little lamb in the first video. So adorable.













I'd like to add my testimony to the videos above. Christ's birth was the most significant event in the history of mankind, but without the things he did during his life his birth would be just that, another birth. I know that he suffered for our sins, our pains, and our afflictions, and he ultimately died for us so that we can return to live with him. We are here on this earth to become more like him and I pray that this Christmas can be a reminder to you of what he did FOR YOU. Let him in your life and follow him. He loves you.


Merry Christmas!


Feel my Sunlight


p.s. My readers are my favorite. They really are.

The dream lives on

This post is going to be different.

This post is going to be about Power Tumbling.

This is a topic that used to be among my repertoire and appeared more often than not among my writing. I mean, I did write a blog on just this topic alone for 4 whole years. (eatsleeptumble.blogspot.com) At one point in my life this was THE MOST important thing. Nothing else mattered. In ways this has changed, although in retrospect, it hasn't.

Let me give you a quick back ground since I know I have several newer readers who don't know a whole lot about this lovely sport and how deep my roots are tied in it.

I began this sport at the age of 7. This was 10 years ago.

I walked into the gym wide eyed and shy. I was a skinny toe head that never imagined where this sport would take me. I never thought it was anything more than "tumbling class" but still, I adored it.

This love for cartwheels and handstands continued as I traveled through a few years in this dance studio, a year in a lady's unfinished basement, and eventually landed me in a small gym called Flipside Tumbling.

This little place was where my story really began. This was the place that really started it all.

Flipside was run by Jill, who was also my teacher at the time. Jill would continue to be my teacher, she eventually became my first boss, and to this day I am proud to say I still call her "coach".

I learned how to do a back handspring and was invited to join Jill's first competition team. My wide eyed self still didn't know how much this would entail.

I walked into my first meet in my little pink and black leotard scared as can be. I did a few back handsprings and decided that this was the place I wanted to be and the thing I wanted to do.

Long story short (well, as short as a 10 year story can be) I continued in this sport for the next 7 years. I became better. I started to become obsessed with the sport.

I have competed in countless competitions including many State Championships, a few Regional Championships, The Kalon Ludvigson Invitational (an international meet), as well as the U.S. Power Tumbling National Championships 3 different time. I have met some incredible people, seen some incredible things, and had the experience of a lifetime.

Now I share this with you because I want you to get where I'm coming from. I am a well experienced athlete in the sport of power tumbling. I have been a part of this sport for a long time. I have had unimaginable opportunities, however, I will never be a house hold name.

At one point in my life amongst the trophies and medals I dreamed of becoming the greatest tumbler in the world. I dreamed of standing atop the podium with my face broadcasted to TVs everywhere. I dreamed of signing autographs and wearing USA on my sleeve. This has not happened, nor will it ever happen.

In truth, if I disappeared from the tumbling world very few people would notice. I am not great, I hold no real titles, I am not what you call "elite" and I ultimately have done nothing for this sport, however, this sport has done everything for me.

It has taught me so much. I have been forever impacted by the people I have met, the trials I have overcome, and the life lessons this sport has taught me. It will forever be a piece of my heart and will forever be one of the greatest pieces of my life.

Today I am preparing to enter into my 7th season of competition. I am training this year to compete in the Utah State Championships, the Kalon Ludvigson Invitational (international), and I am hoping to compete in my 4th US National Championships in Louisville, KY.

In conclusion I have discovered that I am still that wide eyed little girl that walked into the gym that one day 10 years ago. I am still in awe with the whole thing and want nothing more that to be a part of the fun. I am still that little girl that dreams of being great someday, and while I may never make it to the podium on the world stage, I now have an even greater dream.

Today I dream of standing on a much bigger podium. I don't dream of standing before thousands, but I dream of standing before my Maker. I dream of meeting my father in heaven and being called worthy of his kingdom. Because in this event medals and standings will not matter to him. What will matter is the love you show, the faith you acted upon, the people you helped, the good deeds you did, and the good you did in the world. I dream of standing before him on this great day being able to say I did all of these things. Today this is my greatest dream.








The dream lives on.



This is not a normal post. This is a   L   O   N   G   post and if you made it through the whole thing I applaud you.



feel my sunlight



p.s. Competition season starts in 26 days!!!

Watch the conductor

Sorry I've been a little bit absent... ops

So I wanted to do a quick post to catch up (and by "quick" I mean I have 13 minutes. I'm typing fast.)

I am going to refer you over to an article about the Lords second coming HERE and I ask you to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the time to read it! It is fantastic and I just love it.

So on the topic of the second coming I want you to imagine for a second you are at a concert hall, ballet, or some other performance with an orchestra. I want you to immagine the moment right before the curtains open. What happens?

It starts with a single note and surges into every member of the orchestra tuning in to be led by the conductor.

I imagine this in context with the second coming. Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson made the announcement on October 6th, 2012 that the missionary age requirements would be lowered.

 

A single note.

And we, the world, responded with tuning our selves to play that same note. The number of missionaries out today have grown significantly since that announcement has been made and they continue to grow. Those of us at home have also "caught the wave" of missionary work in sharing our testimonies with those around us.

What is this building up to?

This is building up to the moment when we turn our eyes to the conductor. The "conductor" is our Savior and when he comes again he will lead us in the most magnificent events the world has ever seen. We must always be ready and watching him for when the performance starts.

Be ready, and preform your heart out, for the time of His coming is soon at hand.




Feel my Sunlight



p.s. BOOM! How's that for 13 minutes?!

To Believe

Hey friends! I have had quite the eventful few days (and by eventful I mean PJs and Pinterest and cough drops) I have been home sick with bronchitis and I also discovered I had asthma. whoot! whoot! I got myself an inhaler! I am seriously the coolest kid on the block right now.

While bronchitis isn't fun, it's not bad at all compared to what others in this world have to deal with. All around I feel pretty dang blessed. I've had opportunities that are unimaginable for most people and I've had the support of a lifetime, I have had the chance to meet so many fantastic people, and I have had warm arms around me the entire time. I am so so thankful for these oppurtunities.

While I have been fortunate, and the majority of those around us have been fortunate to have enough, there are those around us who don't. There are those who don't know where there next meal will come or who don't remember the last time they laughed.

In a world full of so much darkness and fear it is often hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. But there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. We just have to keep moving forward. He hears your prayers and someday YOUR peace shall come. Someday we shall live in peace with our Savior, The Prince of Peace.

Now I as that if you only watch one video this week let it be this one, and if your like me, hit replay a few times. It left me dead in my tracks.

 

Ya. I know. I am blown away, but even more, I am proud to say that I believe that this day shall come.

feel my sunlight

p.s. Driving in the snow is a scary thing.

Evil never wins

It's a battle between good and evil but the twist is: evil doesn't win. Evil never wins. If you know the outcome of the battle what side will you choose to stand on?

"The only way     

  good can be 

       in us     

    is if we         

  freely choose it 

   above all else."   

Give like Emilie.







feel my sunlight


p.s.  Here is a virtual tissue to dry your real tears. Let's do something good with the world

his love

Christ, to the world, appeared as nothing special. He came as all do and grew as all do. He was despised of man and men failed to see who he really was and what he did. He carried the pains and trials of the very men who beat him and hung him on the cross. He came as a lamb to the slaughter so that we, his sheep, might live. But still, we reject him. He was the greatest loved by the Father, and the greatest forgotten by the world. He watches us as we go astray and he is forever calling for us to come home. He watches us run, but never, ever stops loving us. His is our savior, our redeemer, our protective brother, a perfect soul. He did everything for us, and he remains the person we know the least. He knows what we are going through. He knows every tear shed, every pain felt, ever wrong done, every guilt faced. He loved you enough to die for you. He loves you still. Go to him and feel his love.

I feel such peace knowing that the one who was perfect beyond measure, took upon the pain of the world so that he might be able to understand the weight of the world. He knows the world, but more importantly, he knows me. He knows my tears and my heartaches. He knows you.


Trials come inevitably. It is our choice to reach out to him.


feel my sunlight


p.s. If you liked this post, read Mosiah 13.
p.s.s. My team mates and coaches are the greatest. I love them all. Shout out to them!

Sunday Afternoon Bountiful Temple Photography Excersion

Bountiful Temple pictures up on the Photography blog! Check them out HERE!