amongst trial

Sometimes you just need mornings filled with sunshine and literature. Words and clear skies make for beautiful mornings.

This is going to be somewhat of a sporadic post with multiple subjects that have no relevance to each other and it will most likely resolve into some churchy topic. It should be exciting.

First off I'd like to give a shout out to Britney who opened her mission call last night to the Uruguay Montevideo Mission. She is going to be a fantastic missionary. Thanks for your example Britney!

(left to right, Me, Britney, and Lauren)

Secondly, I feel this picture needs to be shared just because it is funny and also 100% real.

Isn't this fantastic though?

So, let's talk about tumbling for a minute. This next weekend I will be competing at the Kalon Ludvigson Invitational. For those of you who have been reading this corner of the internet for over a year--which is only few of you due to the recent growth in readers I have had over the last few months--you would remember these two post when I wrote about the international competition competition I competed at and my experience with that.This is happening again this weekend and I can't wait.

I am competing at this same competition this weekend and I am ever so excited for it. It should be an exciting weekend. I'll keep you updated on how this competition goes. 

For those of you who haven't been around this blog long you might not know a lot about what I am talking about. I am a competitive power tumbler. This competition is in honor of Kalon Ludvigson who a year ago was the greatest tumbler in the world. He holds the record for the highest degree of difficulty, or in other words, he competed the hardest passes ever done. I was there when he did this. 

This last August he was injured while tumbling. He is currently paralyzed. I don't know many specific details about his condition and I am in no place to pretend that I do, so I am just going to say this; Kalon has always been an inspiration to me. I started competing in this sport 7 years ago. Kalon has been the greatest tumbler ever since then. I remember watching him tumble for the first time in shock that the human body was even capable of doing what he did. I wanted to be like that.

Over the years I was privileged to be able to see Kalon tumble at just about every meet I attended. Even more than his tumbling I was impressed with his sportsmanship and the way he was ever so humble about his incredible ability. I was also privileged to be coached by him and coach Justen many times at different clinics. I was able to catch a small glimpse of what he was like in the gym away from spectators eyes and this taught me that glory at the meet doesn't come from desire alone, but from lots of hard work which he undoubtedly gave.

Since the accident my respect for Kalon has only grown. His strength has made me realize that awards and titles don't define a person, but rather their actions and the way they treat people does.
Kalon is a fantastic person and I cannot wait to compete at this international competition held in his honor.

Maybe it is the fact that I just finished The Fault in our Stars by John Green which is inevitably about cancer, or the fact that I am competing at the KLI next Saturday, but I am currently in awe with the strength of people going through hard times. I am amazed with these people who have endured the hardest of times, yet still are able to see good in the worlds and who are still able to share good with others.

On this same note I want you to watch this amazing video by Stephanie Nielson who is also one of these incredible people.

I personally don't know what it is like to go through this kind of trial of this magnitude, however, I have through example observed others who do. I have know that amongst the toughest of trial and hardships there is always still good in the world. There will always be dark clouds, and we will always have vegetables to eat, but in the same, there will always be sunny days and there will always be ice cream with sprinkles for dessert. I see life as something to be thanked for. I know that God's plan, if followed, will carry us through the darkest of times until we eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

For me I had to crash your car at 4:45 in the morning to realize just how special mornings are. God teaches us lessons through trials and we will always be stronger for it. Kalon and Stephanie are only two examples of the incredible people I have observed go through immense trial with such grace. I am also amazed with the Carling family who lost their dear mother this last month, with the Winchester family, who lost Paul to Cancer just over a year ago, I am impressed Meg Johnson, with those who knew Clair Kenyon, and with countless other who have impressed me with their noble lives.

It is people like these who make me remember the things that matter most.

I hope we all, weather we or loved ones are amongst the deepest of trials or not, will take a moment to remember what matters most.


feel my sunlight


p.s. I just had the thought that I should write a book but then I realized that that is basically what this blog is, a long book about me, my life, and those things that matter to me. So to all of those who take the time to read this blog of mine I thank you, for you have made this "book" possible.