Tumbling stuff and also conference stuff.

They told me Jr. Year was the hardest year.

They told me third term was the hardest term.

They wonder why third term of Jr. Year makes me cry.

So, I started writing this post a while ago, but due to the above statement it never got finished.

Ah blogging world, oh how I wish I had adequate time to interact with you more often.

So.... meet results.


For those of you who don't know about this meet (you must be new, welcome) click here and here to get the prewrap (see what I did there gymnasts?!) on what went down this weekend two weekends ago. Anyways, I competed at the KLI this last weekend on the 14th and 15th and it went not as expected.

Unfortunately, I had a minor mistake that was sadly unfortunate. It was unfortunate because this kind of mistake discredits the rest of that pass giving you zeroes for the rest of the skills. I finished my first pass okay, and did a pretty good second pass, but unfortunately found myself at the bottom of the totem pole when it came to awards. Last place bites, but you know what? I was okay.

I was okay because of the experience I had at the meet. I had the chance to talk to the one and only Kalon Ludvigson a few times as well as give him a couple hugs. He said that the statement I made about him in THIS BLOG POST mad him "cry for like a week." I hate to make people cry, but in this case I am quite happy about it. Thanks for being the incredible person that you are and for inspiring so many people both inside this sport and outside of it. I will forever feel privileged to be able to say "I know him" when talking about you.

I enjoyed this meet so much thanks to the incredible people I had around me. I must say that I love my coaches so much. Not every coach can make you laugh moments after you make a mistake, but I promise you mine can. I couldn't do it without you.
I also thoroughly enjoyed running around the arena as well as city creek with this fun chick. Teri had been there for just about everything the past few years and I am so lucky to be able to call her my teammate. Love you Teriyaki!!

So, this blog is in need for a return to the gospel don't you think? I haven't written a good solid church topic post in a while. It's time.

I have a few things to talk about. First off, I'd just like to say that temples are the best. They are seriously the greatest thing. I feel so blessed to be able to live so close to so many temples and to have opportunity to perform God's work within the walls.

Secondly, let's talk about conference for a minute.

I love conference.

Last week we had a seminary assembly and I had the opportunity to team teach a short lesson about conference with the incredible Adam Dummer. This topic has been on my mind quite a bit since then and can I just say that I am SO excited for conference.

I want you all to take a second to watch this video. It speaks so clearly the words that I wish to portray to you through my blog

Conference is truly my favorite time of year. Conference morning just about edges out every holiday morning in its greatness. I love it so much because it is a time when we get to hear from real and living prophets.

In the times of the Bible the Lord spoke to his people through prophets. (Think... Adam, Moses, remember those guys? Thought you might) The Lord spoke to prophets in the bible, it would only make sense to me that he would continue to speak to his children through modern day prophets, and HE DOES!

Conference is a time where we are addressed by modern day Prophets, Seers, and Revalators. The Lord speaks through them just as he did in times of old. He speaks through prophets to talk to his people. He speaks through prophets to talk to you.

I have a strong testimony that the words spoken in General Conference are the words of the Lord.

The Lord has declared that...

"whether by mine   

own voice     

             or by the voice 

of my servants,        

      it is the same."

         -Doctrine and Covenants 1:38

Conference is a time of Joy, a time of rejoicing, a time of worship, and a time to turn to the Lord for council. I invite all, whether you are LDS or are not, to tune in on April 5th and 6th to see what this "conference thing" is all about and I promise you that if you sincerely listen, you will be changed in some way.

And to all women ages 8 and up I have another invitation to you.

I have a very strong testimony of conference. I know that these are true and living prophets that are speaking straight from the Lord. I have received answers to questions and comfort in times of trial countless times just through listening to these conference talks. I love conference and I want to share this love of mine with those around me so I ask you to tune in and to partake of this goodness.



feel my sunlight



p.s. Did I mention you can watch conference in your pajamas? Church in your pj's? Greatest thing ever.
p.s.s. This whole "blog post thing" needs to happen more. Don't you think?
p.s.s.s. Shout out to Dallin Checkets who is running for SBO! Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

It's a good day

So many great things are happening right now and I can't even contain myself. The world is so so good.

#TBT to this exact same weekend exactly a year ago. #KLI13 #KLI14

So, last Saturday I wrote this blog post containing a few words about the one and only Kalon Ludvigson. Justen and Kalon both saw it and read it and Justen was awesome enough to share an excerpt from it on his facebook page.

As you can see it has received quite a bit of attention. 234 "likes" to be exact. I stand by everything I said and I would like to restate the we all love you Kalon! I would also like to respond to one comment in particular.

Kalon, you are seriously the coolest. I cannot wait to see you and I cannot wait to compete tomorrow. And I hope you always know that we are all behind you and we are all proud of you. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who liked my words and to Justen for sharing them, but I must add this; everything I said was only the words that everybody else was thinking. Like I said, I am so excited for this incredible opportunity to compete tomorrow.


I don't have a ton of time today so I am going to refer you over HERE for some joy through the form of music notes. BONUS! It is all clean and also 100% AoF13 worthy (13th article of faith).

Sorry for the short post today, I will keep you updated on the competition this weekend! Thanks to all who have supported me. You all rock my socks!



feel my sunlight



p.s. I want to make this place more interactive. I want to know my readers. Shoot me a comment, Refer me to your blog, share your favorite scripture, tell me what color your toothbrush is. Let's be friends! :)

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.