Whitney meets famous Mormons! [episode 1]

Whoohoo!!!

Here is the newest episode of "Whitney meets famous Mormons!"

JK that's actually not a thing... but wouldn't that be a cool show?! I think so.

It's been an INCREDIBLE month when it comes to meeting incredible people.

I mean... I don't think I'll ever write a post again where I can say I've met Mallory Everton, T.C. Christensen, Hilary Weeks, Al Fox Carraway, Dawn Armstrong, and Anthony Armstrong all within the last month.

Several weeks ago two of my friends, SaBree and Kenna let me know that Mallory Everton from Studio C was speaking in their stake. I'm a huge fan of Studio C and so of course I went! She talked a lot about being in the world, but not of the world. I adored everything about her talk, but my favorite was when she was talking about perusing your passions and she said to "go with what you love, because you will serve more people that way... And wherever you are in life, the gospel will only make you better at it."

She also gave me curly hair envy and inspired me to go back to my no-heat hair days.

haha thanks for being so awesome Mallory!

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Since I'm on seminary council at my school I had the chance to help organize a morningside for the students at Layton High. We were so lucky to get T.C. Christensen come speak to us! For those of you who don't know who he is, he is the directer of 17 Miracles, Ephraim Rescue, and he also helped with the movie Forever Strong.  He also has a new movie The Cokeville Miracle coming out soon. He showed us clips from his movies and gave us behind the scenes information about the stories in his movies.

What stuck out to me was the faith of the incredible saints that came before us. They went through a Hell that is unimaginable to me. If it wern't for them I wouldn't have the gospel in my life, which is the single thing that has brought me the most amount of joy. I will forever bless the names of my ancestors that came before me. While I may not be asked to die for my religion as many of them were, I have been asked to live for it. And I hope I can do it in a way that would make them proud.

This morningside also made it to the Standard Examiner! Read about it HERE!"

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Yesterday I got a text from my adorable friend Lexi saying that Hilary Weeks was speaking in her ward. I've met Hilary two times before and both of those times were with Lexi so she said that it just wouldn't feel right to hear her speak without one of the Reid girls there. haha Hilary is always one of my very favorite speakers and she is an even better singer.

What stuck out to me a lot in her talk yesterday where the words;

"He loves me & ALWAYS WILL"

God Loves us all the time. Not just some of the time. He knows exactly who we are and what we are doing. You matter so much to Him. Because of this love he has given us everything, but we can't accept this "everything" unless we decide to follow Him. He doesn't usually give us a long to-do list, so we need to follow with exactness. He will let our testimonies grow until He lets us graduate from this life. 

"The trick is to enjoy life and stop wishing away our time waiting for another day."

Here are a few of my favorite Hilary Weeks songs...

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And then TODAY was also a day for the books. If you've read my blog at all you probably know how much I love Al Fox Carraway. She is one of my all time favorite humans. I tell my mom all the time that "I want to be Al Fox when I grow up." I can never get enough of her enthusiasm for the gospel. It's seriously contagious. I've never seen a chapel so packed. I love love loved how when closing her testimony she said "in the name of Jesus Christ, my best friend, amen." Because he is my best friend and I want to be able to have the same kind of love and excitement for the gospel as she does.

After hearing her speak I just wanted to shout to the world that "I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE AND THAT HAPPINESS IS REAL!" Because that is the kind of feeling she gives me when she speaks. One of my favorite lines from her talk was;

"The Gospel is the greatest thing you will ever be a part of... and I love that."

I also love that she took the time to talk to us and take a picture with us even though there were a BILLION people there. Also she remembered who I am which made me extremely happy. Thanks Al! Love you!

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I'm not even done yet...

While at Al's fireside I saw a few familiar faces. All of which played major parts in the movie

I got to talk to both Anthony and Dawn Armstrong who are the "missionary" and "missionary mom" in the movie.

They are both such incredible people. While waiting in line to talk to Al, Dawn came over to our little circle and talked to us for a really long time. She was seriously one of the NICEST people I have ever met. I swear she hugged me like four times.

She also promised us that she'd go with us to go see Meet the Mormons in Salt lake at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in a couple weeks... Like who does that?!

She just commented on one of my instagram pictures saying "You are such a doll!! It was my honor to meet you all tonight. Yeah for kept appointments! They bring the greatest friendships! Whoot whoot! Stay sweet precious girl!"

She's seriously my new favorite person.

We also got to talk to Anthony for a little bit and I loved how when we asked him to take a picture with us he just said "I'm nothing special... just a regular RM."

Excuse me bro... but you're in like one of my favorite movies. haha

He was seriously one of the most humble "movie stars" I've ever met. haha Thanks so much for taking the time to meet us!

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I am so thankful for all the opportunities I've been given to meet such incredible sons and daughters of God. I only hope that someday I can be half as good as these people. Thanks so much for all your enthusiasm for living the gospel. It makes me want to be a better person.

I have such a strong testimony that Jesus Christ really did die for me. That weather we are someone "Mormon famous", or someone that writes a blog with 14 followers, He knows who we are, and He loves us.

GO FORTH AND FEAR NOT. FOR THERE ARE GREATER THINGS IN STORE FOR YOU.



feel my sunlight

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p.s. I promise my life isn't usually this cool. I just am an expert at crashing other peoples firesides.
p.s.s. I promise to blog more often. I've missed this corner of the internet.

I stand as Proxy

Live is best when it looks like this.

Hey lovelies!

I hope you are all having a marvelous day.

Guess what I did today! I helped 10 wonderful souls get into Heaven.

For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about I'll explain...

source

Before we were on this earth we lived in Heaven with our Heavenly Father (God). When we were born we passed through the veil which made it so that we would not remember anything from our life in Heaven. We were placed on this earth to be tested. We must show our faith in Christ by repenting of our sins and entering the waters of baptism. Baptism is a saving ordinance which means that it is required if we want to return to live with our Father in Heaven after this life.

Now, what about those who don't have a chance to get baptized in this life? What about those who die as young children, or who die old, but are never taught about the gospel? Are they lost?

Peter taught in Acts 10:34-35 that  

"34 God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

If God is no respecter of persons, and if He loves all of His children, and if He really does want all of His children to come to live with Him again, then he would surly provide all his children with the same opportunity to receive the ordinances that are required for them to return.

What about the little children who die before they are baptized? 

Baptism is for the unclean so that they might be made clean. Children are born innocent, and therefore, don't require baptism to make them clean. Children don't need to be baptized until they are accountable for their actions. This comes at the age of accountability, which is at age 8. (D&C 68:25-27) If children die before age 8 they don't require baptism. They are automatically accepted into God's Kingdom.

Now, what about those who die at an older age, but still never got baptized?

This is where baptisms for the dead comes in. If you read my blog or follow me on any other social media sites, you might have noticed that I "go to the temple" a lot. Well, what I am doing at the temple is in fact baptisms for the dead.

Here on earth we have the opportunity to stand in as proxy for those who have passed on to the next life. In a sense we stand in and act as their bodies. [When my little brother was younger and we went to go do baptisms for the dead he thought that we were actually baptizing dead bodies. So just to make that clear we are baptized "for and in behalf of" those who have died. haha]

After their ordinances are performed for them they are then able to accept or decline them, thus allowing them to enter into Heaven if they decide to accept.

Now I want to share with you why today's trip to the temple was special. Normally when I go to do baptisms I do "Temple names", which are names of people that somebody else has found and given to the temple for others to do. But today I did "Family names", which are exactly what they sound like. They are names of my family members that I found myself.

It all started HERE at FamilySearch.org where I found searched out the names of those in my family who have died without being baptized

I then took those names to the temple and was baptized for them. 

It meant so much more to me knowing that the people that I was doing work for were people I was related to, and I can honestly say that I felt their presence while in the temple.

So to the youth of the church, as well as to the "older youth", I offer you a challenge to spend a few minutes searching your family history for names that need work done, and then go to the temple and do the work. If you don't know how to get started shoot me an email at feelmysunlight[AT]yahoo[DOT]com! I'd love to help! (I am after all, a family history consultant. It is my calling in the church to teach people how to do this.)

I have a strong testimony of family history work, as well as temple work. I know that this gospel is true and I love it so much. All I desire is for others to have this same joy in their lives that the gospel has brought to mine.




feel my sunlight



p.s. Isn't summer just the most wonderful thing? I think I am in love with it.

p.s.s. Shout out to Sister Hartvigsen for driving us to the temple today. You rock!

for lack of a better title: I crashed my car

Today I am writing just to be thankful to write.

There are days were things like the color of your shoes, or how many boys talk to you, or the amount of time you spent doing on your hair matters. And then there are days where only the fact that you are still here matters.

Today is Tuesday. Temple Tuesday.

Temple Tuesday is the day were I wake up early (like EARLY) and go do baptisms at the temple. I often bring along a friend or two and we have a grand old time while the rest of you lay fast asleep in your warm beds. (And by "grand old time" I mean Mormon grand old time. It's the best kind.)

So today was Temple Tuesday.

I woke up at 4:20 am. By 4:35 am I was picking up one of my best friends named Lauren. By 4:45 am my car looked like this...




Right now it is 7:42 p.m. I am sitting at my computer with my only marks of the crash on the surface of my skin and Lauren is at her house with only sore muscles and a scraped knee.

While this isn't one of those stories where everyone walks away with out a scratch, it is one of those stories where everyone walks away.

Me, being the less than average height person that I am, took an airbag to the face where it should hit the chest, and now look like I got in a fight with a ninja and lost.

But I'm alive.

I'm alive.

I know there was divine help this morning on the icy freeway. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that there was nobody at all around us in any surrounding lanes of traffic when we spun out of control and hit the median.  As we were spinning and crashing there was this odd sense of awareness that I felt. I panicked, but for some reason Lauren didn't. For some reason she talked to me through the whole crash giving me play by play on what I should do. It was as if I had my tumbling coach on the side of the mat yelling things like "point your toes" "stretch" "faster" as I tumble down the mat to hit a perfect pass. I don't doubt that there was some divine power helping her do that.I know it wasn't a coincidence that when our car finally came to a stop it did so on the side of the road out of the line of traffic. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that the three men with construction vests in the truck were there as soon as our car came to a stop. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that we both walked away.

Now, for me it's easy to see the hand of the Lord in situations like this, but it is sometimes harder to see his hand in our everyday lives.

We live in a day where Satan does his very best to confuse people. We live in a day were confusion and chaos is a day to day thing. He wants us in distress. He wants us to fear. He wants us to forget our faith.

 In these tumultuous times many don't know where to go for peace. Its as if peace is hidden, when really, it is right in front of them. We live in a world where big calamities are seen as trials, but we often forget that there are more destructive. Jeffery R. Holland speaks of a type of destruction that is more destructive than tornadoes, earth quakes, and might I say, car crashes. This destruction is spiritual destruction.

I add my testimony to Elder Hollands that weather I am to die today or I am to die in a far future I want to be able to stand before God and say that I believe the Book of Mormon to be true. I believe in Christ. I believe in the words of Christ. I believe in his church. I believe that He will provide and I will treasure up his word.

AND NOW PICTURES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!

Lauren and I with my car on the tow truck. My face was swollen so this was the best smile I could manage.

tow truck at 5am!

Car crash face!

Me right after the crash

My at 7:00 pm

Me at 7:00 pm again

me attempting to smile. #fatface

feel my sunlight

p.s. Quote of the day: 

"my biggest regret is that we didn't take a selfie."

"WE ALMOST DIED"

"we need to sort out our priorities"

p.s.s. My second biggest regret is that I left my deodorant in the van. Have no fear! I got some more.

love life my friends.

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!

BFF photo shoot

Just a few from our photo sesh today. More to come at www.whitneysuephotography.blogspot.com!

forsaken week, and the first day of school

 I'm sorry I've forsaken you this week, I really am! This last week was crazy fun and jam packed with awesome. I could blame my lack of posts on that, but in reality, I was just lazy when it came to posts. Sorry.

So this last week I did a few things in my final attempts at living it up in my last days of summer. I mean, I went to the temple! I know that's not most peoples idea of "living it up" but it's sure mine! It was the highlight of my week just as it always is.

It was also my cool sister Danielle's 15th birthday on Sunday. Here is a picture of her with a fry that looks like a hat from her birthday dinner. Happy birthday beautiful sister of mine!

happy birthday Danielle!!!

I also had the opportunity to run The Color Run 5K in Salt Lake City with my dad and one of my best friends Lauren. That was so much fun! They aren't kidding when they say it is the "Happiest 5k on the Planet".

Before...

...After.... (sorta)

...The REAL after!

race swag

color color color

CTR remains clean!

Be happy

Be really happy

We got covered in colorful cornstarch and my hair (as well as my armpits, and pretty much everywhere else on my body) turned an awesome sickly color of green. I washed my hair 3 times before realizing my hair was going to need special treatment. When talking to Amberleigh (one of my super amazing EFY counselors, whom I love lots and lots.) days before going to school I realized that there was a large chance I would be going to school on Monday with green hair, I also realized that the situation wasn't going to change, but the way I looked at the situation would determine what I made of it. I thought of a quote by Marjorie Pay Hinckley...

             The only way to get through life is to               

          laugh your way through it.             

                         You either have to laugh or cry.          

         I prefer to laugh as      

crying gives me a headache.      

                         -Marjorie Hinckley

While I wanted nothing more than to go to school not looking like I had dip dyed my hair in pureed green beens, I knew that I needed to have a positive attitude, or I would ultimately have a terrible first day of school. I decided then and there that I would laugh about it. 

Now, I tried everything. Lemon juice, baby oil, hot oil treatment, 8 time shampooing and conditioning my hair, and lotion. Oh, and a few prayers. The lotion and the prayers helped the most and I was so blessed to go to school this morning with BLOND HAIR! I was more than pleased. So if you ever get green cornstarch in your hair that dyes it green, put lotion in it and start to pray. Ha

Me, in the truck, about to drive myself to my first day of Junior year. Crazy stuff.

 So like I said, today was the first day of school. It was surprisingly one of my better first days of school that I've ever had. I was not happy about ending my summer of fun, but I think it will be a pretty good year this year. (I mean, when you have a volunteer from an outlying district, that's something you can't ignore. #namethatmovie) But it really was a darn good day. I mean, I had TWO missionary experiences at school today and it was only the first day of school. Life is good. team mates make things fun. School is good. I hope tomorrow brings the same amount of joy as today did. Go read your scriptures, say your prayers, remember who you are, and so on, and so forth, and whatnot, and what have you. I love you all!

Feel my Sunlight 

p.s. I love people. Like a whole lot. And if you are reading this, you are one of those people I love a whole lot.

do his work

 My heart is full. I think that's how I always feel when starting blog posts. Today it is more than true.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a tumbling camp with Teri. While there, I got to catch up with some people that I had been missing dearly. Shawn, B, and Ashlie all used to be part of the Flipside team, but the Lord called them to other places. They have always been there for me and I love them all a whole lot. It was so much fun to be able to spend the day with them.

Camp was good for the most part. I hit a skill I haven't been able to connect in over a year on trampoline (tuck barani back tuck) and I also did double fronts (front flip with two flips) off double mini onto a large crash mat for the first time in EVER. That was great fun. I didn't accomplish the things I wanted to on floor because not long into the second session my back started to hurt and I had to stop. Have no fear, it's nothing serious, today it's just super tight muscles and a need for ice and stretching. The usual.

After camp and swimming and dinner we (Me, Teri, and B) headed to the Logan temple to do baptisms for the dead. The temple is so great and I have such a deep love for the temple and the peace I have received in attending the temple. 

I mean, isn't it the most gorgeous place you have ever seen? picture via Pinterest.

I was flipping through my journal. (Because I have an obsession with my scripture journals) And I noticed something I wrote on August 7th...

"God often does his work through other people. Make sure he can count on you to get it done."

At the time I had been writing about doing service for those around us in this life, but looking back on it I can see that by going to do baptisms for the dead we are also doing service for those who have passed on to the next life. Baptisms for the dead can only be done on this earth and the Lord needs us to do that work so that all his children might be able to have the opportunity to live with him again. This gives me even more motivation to attend the temple and to make sure he can count on me to do his work and to get it done.

Again, my heat is full. It is full with gratitude towards my cute little brother who made me eggs this morning. It is filled with love towards those around me who have been so great to me these last few years. It is filled with joy from knowing that I have taken part in helping God get his work done. It is filled with a love for my sport and gratitude that I have been given so many wonderful opportunities to go new places, and to meet such great people through tumbling. My heart is full of prayer for our friend Kalon that he might recover. It is full from knowing that I am loved. My heart is full.

And now, on an unrelated note, yet sorta related since I have been talking about temples, and marriages happen temples, here is a picture that my aunt Stefani just posted from her wedding 8 years ago that I just adore.

My sister Miki in her blessing dress, me in my baptism dress, and my Aunt Stefani in her wedding dress. Aren't we cute?

And before I sign off I just wanted to share with you this video about sister missionaries that I watched this morning. I myself am planning on serving a mission when I'm 19 and videos like this make me even more excited to do this work.

 

Life is so great.



Feel my Sunlight



p.s. We rearranged our front room and I can now look out the window while I blog. I kinda love it.