RM updates

Hello my sweet friends!

I can't believe I have been home from Florida for seven whole weeks now. What a roller coaster it's been. I thought it was about time I gave y'all an update on what's been going on with my life. So here are my updates.

Update #1: Recently I decided I wanted to get into better shape. But then I had a piece of cake for breakfast this morning so that's obviously going well.

Update #2: I've updated my MISSIONARY BLOG (Citrus Fruit Sister) for probably the last time. You can check that out! I've also updated my PORTFOLIO WEBSITE so you can check that out too!

Update #3 Since I've been home I've gone back to coaching tumbling at the gym I've loved since I was eleven. I've just been substituting classes here and there, but I have absolutely loved seeing all my athletes and how much they've progressed.

Update #4 Since it's summer I've just been job hunting and spending a lot of time with friends.... and boys.... but we won't talk about that. Boys still freak me out. My handshaking days were simpler times. haha

Update #5: Last week I got to attend the wedding of one of my best friend's in the entire world! Lauren and I have been best friends since we were in diapers and I can't believe she's actually married! They were sealed in the Bountiful, Utah temple and I couldn't be happier for them! Congrats Lauren and Chris! I love you guys!

Lauren and I as babies

Update #6: One of my favorite mission companions returned home last week! I was so incredibly excited to be reunited with her! Welcome home Sister Glover... Aka "Gloves".... aka "Kathy."

It was also a blast to be reunited with these cute sisters who also served in the Florida Orlando Mission. Nothing beats partying with my Florida friends!

Shout out to our "gang" the 4ZHomzies!

Update #7: In the fall I'm going to move down to Provo to attend Utah Valley University. My plan is to go into Graphic Design. I'm rooming with a bunch of missionary companions that I LOVE and when I told my Mission President which sisters I was going to room with in college he just laughed and shook his head and said "Oh there's no hope for that school is there?!?!" and I'm sure he's right! So stay tuned because I'm sure I'll have some really good stories to share come fall.

Update #8: Like I mentioned earlier, I'm in the process of jumping back into the Digital Media world. It's a goal of mine to keep this blog more up to date so if you don't see a post on here for a while feel free to send me angry texts demanding more blog posts. I'm also working on getting back into Photography so if anyone needs Mission pictures or any other photography feel free to give me a call! I recently updated my DIGITAL MEDIA PORTFOLIO that you can check out to see all my latest Photography, Graphic Design, and Web Design projects! I'm also in the process of opening a new Etsy shop so stay tuned for that!

That's about it! Thanks for all loving I've gotten since I've been home! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I was still in Florida, but being back in Utah has been pretty great thanks to all the cool cats that have kept me company!

Y'all are the greatest!

Whit

I accept the challenge

Isn't life beautiful?

I worked on something awesome today. It may or may not have involved angel wings, climbing on a tall person's shoulder, almost dying, and laughing so hard my stomach hurts. Stay tuned to see the finished project in the near future.

You know all those Facebook challenges in which one gets challenged to complete some task, and then completes the task, and then tells other people to complete the task? Maybe you've heard of the ALS #IceBucketChallenge where a person dumps a bucket of ice on their head to head to help raise awareness for ALS.

I was nominated by Steve Celestin to complete this challenge.







Or the #BeautifulFaceChallenge where you must post 5 pictures of your beautiful face.

I was nominated by Michelle Harris to complete this challenge.

Or the #LiteracyChallenge where you make a list of 10 books that have stuck with you over your life.

I was nominated by Amanda Davis to complete this challenge.

1. The Book of Mormon by some awesome prophets of God (obviously)
2. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
4. The Little Gymnast by Sheila Haigh (I used to read this before every tumbling competition)
5. Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I emailed the author telling her how much I loved her writing and I received an awesome email back from her that made me love her even more.)
6. Landing on My Feet: A Diary of Dreams by Kerri Strug
7. The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan (my friends and I decided to write the 6th book together when I was 12. It didn't turn out well.)
8. Any of John Bytheway's books
9. The Giver by Lois Lowry (The beginning of my obsession for Dystopian Societies)
10. The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth



And last but not least, the #YouthTempleChallenge!

I have taken family names to the temple before, but I am going to do it again RIGHT NOW!

This challenge is to find and take a family name to the temple.

I was nominated by Niel L. Andersen to complete this challenge.

STEP 1: Accept the challenge
CLICK HERE to visit the challenge website. When you get there type your name in the box to accept the challenge.

Step 2: Find a name

I found 11! And I will print them as soon as I can get my not so awesome computer to print them. For instructions on how to do this CLICK HERE

Step 3: Take them to the temple to have their work done!

I will do this in the near future!

Step 4: Share with others

Share your experience with others. I will defiantly share this as soon as it has been completed! I do have to say that It is so powerful to take your own family names to the temple. I have done the work for over 60 of my ancestors and I must say that every time I take another family name to the temple the veil becomes thinner, and my testimony becomes stronger. I know that they are waiting on the other side for you to accept this challenge, and that they will be cheering for you every step of the way. I was once told that I could change the world, but with family history work I had the ability to change other worlds. I promise you that you can do the same!

I now would like to nominate he following people...

Marie-Rose over at Hope Always and Pray Constantly
Shelby over at This Little Light of Mine
Golda over at Le mie parole... (My Words)
Sarah K. over at The Sprinkles on my Ice Cream
Eliza over at Mark This Day
Whitney over at The Life of a Mormon Teen

aaaaannnnnddd.....

YOU! Yes, I would like to nominate ALL my readers. Accept the challenge, Find a name. Take it to the temple if you can. If you can't go to the temple now, go soon. I promise you that if you do this you will receive blessings and your testimony will be strengthened. Let me know how it goes!



feel my sunlight



p.s. I turn 18 in TWO HOURS! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Why Christ is the center of my life.

 

The Church posted this picture taken by John Power of the newly opened Gilbert Arizona temple that was dedicated this weekend. It is quite simply one of the most fantastic photographs I have ever seen. It just needed to be shared. Click on the picture to go to the original Facebook post.

Now, the first thing I need you to do is click play on this video. It's short, just do it.

This video is a direct representation of how I feel about the gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ. I agree in whole with everything it says and I hope that I can add my testimony in words that will help you understand why I choose to life my life differently. This video asks for me to share my story. This is my story.

I was brought up in an FM 100.3 kind of home. Where Sundays mornings meant smoothies for breakfast and nachos before church. I was brought up in a home where calling someone the "S" word was calling someone stupid. I was brought up in a home where prayers were said before meals and scriptures were read before bed. I was brought up in a home were we strived not only to be "good" but to be "great".

This idea of thinking extended far beyond my white tight years.

My idea of a good time was the time I spent with my wardies at activity days. I was that weird kid that LOVED seminary in jr. high. I couldn't get enough of it. I was (still am) that kid that proclaimed the week I attend EFY to be the greatest week of the year. I am that kid that goes to the temple before the sun comes up on Tuesday mornings and that goes to mission prep at 7 am every Sunday morning even though I don't have to. I'm that kid that would rather listen to church music thank Miley Cyrus and who gets giddy with excitement when conference rolls around.

Now, I don't say this to toot my own horn, but to tell you what I believe in. I am a generally happy person. Granted I do have some incredibly hard moments and I do have things that make me sad, but in general, I live a happy life. The source of my joy comes from these things. It comes from avoiding worldly things and living a Christ centered life.

I must add in a declaimer right here that I am far from perfect. I mess up on a daily basis an I have to repent more often than I would like to admit.

I have given you what I do because I believe, but I have yet to tell you what I believe. I believe in Christ and his ministry. I believe in his visit to the Americas and the record of this visit known as the Book of Mormon. I believe in doing good and avoiding evil. I believe in what Christ taught and I believe in living it as well. I believe Thomas S. Monson to be his representative as Prophet on the earth today. I believe he is a true Prophet and that Joseph F. Smith was called of God to reorganize Christ's church as it was organized when Christ was on the earth. I believe that Christ suffered for not only my sins, but also my pains and afflictions. He knows exactly what I am going through and he is always there to help.

I have told you what I do because I believe, what I believe, and this is why I believe. The reason for my action and my faith originated with the frilly white socks my mom put on me on Sundays, but they are not the reason I live this way now. I had a fantastic start given to me by fantastic parents, but their efforts in bringing me up in the gospel are not solely the reason for my testimony today.

I believe today because I had a desire to know for myself. I had a desire to know if the things my parents had taught me were true things. I read from my Book of Mormon and I prayed asking God to let me know what was right. I stand before you (figuratively of course, since I'm sitting right now) today to tell you that without a doubt I got an answer that this gospel was true. There were no earthquakes or explosions, there were no ministering angels. and I did not hear voices or see visions, but I did receive the quietest of answers that was significant none the less.

I share this with you because I have a desire for others to feel the same joy that I feel. Christ and the life he lived has brought so much goodness to my life that I want to share it with those around me. So I ask you: if you have never heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints until now, inquire to know more; If you know about it but aren't sure you believe in it, pray to know what is right and true; If you believe that it is true but are not living the way you should, make a change; If you are doing what you should, look at what you could do to be better.

Life isn't about being perfect my friends, it is about becoming like Him who was perfect. We do not start in perfection, but we can grow to it. we have been given this opportunity to be changed thanks to Christ and his Atonement.




Tell my your story.
#ComeUntoChrist


feel my sunlight



p.s. Took the ACT today. That was exciting...

Sunday Afternoon Bountiful Temple Photography Excersion

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