Monsoon Season!

So I started school and it's good I really like it. Though I wake up every day at like 6:30am and I don't go to bed until midnight or later which is usually not that good of a thing to do. But I live through it, I really like the pace that it is set at; I like having a class for 4 weeks and then switching to a new one for the next four weeks, I am a full time student and I work part time. So it's good it keeps me on my toes, and school is at times so intense that when I have free time I spend it doing homework. But it will be so worth it in the end.

Last Sunday it was really windy and rainy so we have this little field next to our drive way and there is this really big huge tree that is very old so when I got home from church there was this big branch that had come down and was laying across our driveway and our front yard. Thank goodness nothing got damaged but also our power went out Sunday at 4:40pm and didn't come back on until 7:20 am Monday morning. Monday I went to school and did my power point presentation, turned in English homework worked on my essay paper went to work came home and worked on my paper some more and finished up some other homework that was due. Tuesday turned in everything that was due then went to work and then went over to Sunny's and Allie's for a girl's night out party and watched When in Rome. Friday was my day off I went shopping and then I went to a party with some friends that I haven't seen in like 6 months and had a awesome time it was really good to see them. Then Saturday I ran errands and then came home and made chocolate chip cookies, then I went to a party at Erica's and Heidi's new place and that was fun.

So yesterday at church we were combined with the boys and Brother Akerlow gave the lesson it was on weaknesses and sin it was good. Sunday school was good and Sacrament meeting I got an answer to a question that had been going through my mind a lot lately. Then I went to the mingle and talked to a lot of people in the ward and then went home to eat dinner and celebrate my aunt's birthday and we went to temple square then went back to my aunt's house and had cake and ice cream, and we watched some home movies.

Also it has been either super hott or thunderstorms off and on and it has been muggy so it has been like a monsoon season in the Valley also because of it raining so much the mountains are still pretty green it is awesome. Today I woke up to a huge thunderstorm that was raging which was pretty cool. I went to institute today I am taking a class on the New Testament and so far it's awesome. Much to my surprise when I got out of class today I saw a few of my friends that are in my ward. So that was pretty awesome. For now it has stopped raining but it most likely will start up again soon.

Speachify!

So I spoke in church on the 22nd of August so I thought I would share it with ya'll

I was really surprised when Brother Akerlow asked me to speak because this is my first time ever speaking in this ward. Also I don't like to stand up in front of a bunch of people and talk because I get really nervous. I have read the Book of Mormon many times and the the Book of Mormon is the first book of scripture that I have read from cover to cover.

But this time around I began to wonder why is this book so important? The first thing I though of was president Hinckley's promise. So I thought well that is true but there has to be more to the Book of Mormon than just that. So I remembered that Elder Holland gave a talk in Conference on the Book of Mormon last October. So Elder Holland said, "Love. Healing. Help. Hope. The power of Christ to counter all troubles in all times-including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which it ends, calling all to 'come unto Christ' and be perfected in him. That phrase -taken from Moroni's final lines of testimony, written 1,000 years after Lehi's vision-is a dying man's testimony of the only true way."

In addition the paragraph on the title page of the Book of Mormon says "And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS IS THE CHRIST, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations." But what I think sums it up best is when Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon into English through the gift and power of God. He said that it is: "the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." So why is this book so important? Well it came from God, it is a correct book, it is the keystone of our religion, and it is a way we can get nearer to God.

Another thing that really stuck out to me is the story of Lehi and his family fleeing out of Jerusalem and what Lehi did before they fled into the wilderness. Lehi is shown in a dream many amazing things from the Lord. And Lehi became so overjoyed that he went among the the people of Jerusalem and prophesied so Nephi writes in 1 Nephi 1: 18-20 he says, "Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard. And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations: and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world. And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

So I began to wonder why would Lehi go and preach unto the people even though he probably knew that they would want to kill him if he went out and preached unto them? Well I came up with the answer that Lehi knew that the words of the Lord are worth dying for and that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ is worth it, because we all know that this life is not the end, and that if we live worthy of the blessing to come, we can return home and live with our Father in Heaven and our Savior who is Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it does truely testify of Christ it is a wonderful and beautiful book that Joseph Smith translated with and through the power of God and I testify like Elder Holland says in his conference talk "No wicked man could write such a book as this, and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commandeed of God to do so." I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Kings and Queens!

So I realized that in my last post I didn't explain enough about the train ride; when I had thought that I did. Well so my ward had an overnight camping trip up in Midway and we all when on a train ride on the Heber Creeper. It was very cold because it rained the entire time but other than that it was fun.

So for the 4th of July I went with my family up to Sugar House Park and we watched the huge fireworks burst right over our heads it was gorgeous! Later on that week had a BBQ with some of the wardies for my birthday. I also celebrated with my family later on and it was a pretty good birthday! Played night games with friends in my ward another night then spent the rest of that night socializing.

I have come to realize that we are all kings and queens in charge of our own lives. We have to decide when to change and if we need to change. Sometimes we can't see the change and it takes a while to see it. Other times it takes someone else pointing out that we need to change. Change can be hard at times; and sometimes it just seems so hard that we don't want to do it. Yes it is so much easier to give up and not work for something that we want; and all just because it seems hard. Well for me I needed a change. But we have to take risks and have a little faith that everything will turn out alright. So I am starting school on August 2 at Stevens Henager College I will get my Associates Degree in 20 months in Medical Specialties.

School is going to take over my life for the next 20 months but it will be good even though I am a little freaked out about school and wondering if this will be all worth it and I am a little freaked out about wondering if I can do it! I really hope I can and I really want this to work out. Cause I don't want to be stuck at community college for another 10 years. So this is my only good option right now for school. I just hope that my life doesn't get anymore crazy that it will by August 2nd, I just really want to be able to handle school and get done with homework.

There are some really amazing people in my ward that are such good examples to me. They help me to want to be a better person. I have been thinking about the story of Hannah lately and how she would go to the temple everyday and tell the Lord her problems. Oh how I need to start going to the temple once a week again. I also need to start doing my Stake calling again and find out who is the the co-chair over everyone in my Stake calling. My Stake calling is the only one calling that I haven't been doing right now. So I need to get on it, and step it up.

Life Under the SUN!

So the train ride was fun, though it was so cold it rained the entire time. In the morning since they had a lame breakfast a group of us in the ward went out to eat for breakfast in Midway and that was fun. Sunday I taught the lesson and I was so nervous for the first ten minutes then I calmed down, but everyone told me I did such a good job which made me happy. I would love to teach again so I hope I get another chance because I loved it even though I was nervous. So then we started getting really really HOT weather, which I absolutely love! Also I went to guess who's coming to dinner and that was a blast. Then on Saturday I went and had a BBQ party with some friends of mine from institute and has been 3 years since all of us have been together in one place; so it was good to see them again.

Friday after work I went with Nicole to Mona and we camped out with some of her friends from Logan; it was good to get away. Then the next day we went swimming and we were going to go hiking but we were very hungry so we got food. We went to where we were staying for the night in Manti and then we got cleaned up a bit; and then went to the Pageant which was so awesome and fun. I crashed as soon as I got into bed; and since I had to be visit taught after church, Nicole and I went home and made it in time for sacrament meeting. Then went to the mingle and talked to a bunch of people. Finally I went home and had dinner with my family and then we had FHE with my aunts family. I went to Jen's place after FHE with my family, and few of the wardies were there and we played games it was a blast. I went to work early on Monday because I was so tired from the weekend. Went to Fhe after work and I got to see some fireworks which was awesome. Then I went with Julio and Rhett and got some food which was fun.

Wednesday I went swimming with Jen and Jourdan; and it was awesome since it was such a Hot day; and we got food at Sonic. Thursday I got my nails done and I got a pedicure which was so nice to do. After work I met up with a group of the wardies up at the capital to watch Sandlot. It was a blast and so warm out, perfect weather for watching a movie outside. Saturday I am going with my family to watch fireworks some where for the 4th of July. In the Book of Mormon I am finally done with Jacob chapter 5 I need to be in Mosiah but I don't see that happening just yet. But I plan to read a ton on Saturday so hopefully I will be in Mosiah by then.

Rain!

Well I finally think it will be summer in Utah, that is if it will ever stop raining. But when it does and the air gets warm, it smells like summer here in Salt Lake. The trees are finally filled out with leaves; and since it has rained so much this spring the mountain that has the big U on it, is so green. I don't think I have ever seen it so green.Lately though now it has been very warm, and I am loving it!

As a ward we are reading the Book of Mormon and we need to be done with it by 8-23-10 so hopefully I can do it. I will give it my very best to finish in time. I am on chapter 8 of first Nephi and it's neat to notice things that I didn't the last time I read this most wonderful book. I don't think I ever fully realized how much faith Lehi had in the Lord. He probably knew that the Jews in Jerusalem were not going to believe him when he told them that Jerusalem would be destroyed, but he still went out and preached risking his life. It shows me that being a member of our church is so worth it and that it is worth risking your life for.

Memorial Day was very warm and I had the day off from work, I was hoping that we would have FHE as a ward but for some reason they canceled it. I guess they figure a lot of people are going to be gone, I had BBQ with my family for dinner and then I went with some of the wardies to a bonfire party, it was a lot of fun!

I am trying to eat better again and not eat so much chocolate. I need to go and get a gym pass at 24 hour fitness again and get going to the gym 3 times a week. Work isn't too bad. I had Wednesday off, so I went to the institute class that some of the wardies go to on Wednesday night. I have also started going back to the temple once a week which is really nice and brings me such peace.

Gorgeous!

Ok so as a girl I am very hard on myself when it comes to my looks. Growing up I have never really felt gorgeous. Even now it's sometimes hard to believe, even though I am content with who I am. I guess it's just my personality; I love it when boys tell me that I look pretty; I love it even more when I get asked out by a really hot guy. I feel gorgeous when I get asked out by any guy.

Don't get me wrong I am content with who I am and I don't care what people think about me. But I do care what I think about myself. So that is why I like to have people tell me that I am pretty, beautiful or gorgeous. I like it when I get approval from other people it makes me feel good about myself. I mean who doesn't?

Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it's only skin deep. Really what matters to me most in a guy is personality. I want someone that I can talk to and has a lot of the same interests as I do. But we don't have to have everything in common, but just enough that I can have someone to talk to, and will tell me things. I love being the center of attention. I like to look pretty too; I like it when I look in the mirror and think to myself, that I am beautiful.

Whenever I try to say that my younger sister is more gorgeous than I am my mom gets a little angry at me. I mean I am not going to jump off a bridge just because I think my younger sister is more gorgeous than me. I just think that she is really pretty and she is in better shape than me. I know that I shouldn't think that I am not as pretty, as my younger sister, but I do.

I have known that I just need to be true to myself and to Heavenly Father and that's all that matters; and I don't need to worry about what other people think of me. I have been able to carry that since I was 24. I know who I am and I know what I want in life. But sometimes it's just nice to hear compliments.

Christ's Love!

So when I finished the Book of Mormon last time in my scripture reading I decided that I would read the New Testament. I must say that I have really been loving it. I have found a better understanding of the Savior's love for everyone. I have really enjoyed reading the 4 gospels again.

I absolutely love the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in St Luke chapter 18 verse 9. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray; the one Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shalt be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

That parable reminds me of the Rameumptom story in the Book of Mormon. It was a ah ha moment after I read the parable in the New Testament, cause it's just another testimony to me that the Book of Mormon is true.

A girl in my stake gave a talk about how many miles are we away from Christ and told the story about the women that had the issue of blood. She just had to touch his hem and she was cured. Then she told the story of the man that walked five miles or so to see Jesus; so that Jesus would go and heal his son. It made me think how many miles are we willing to go to see Christ and how far away are we really away from Christ are we right behind him like the woman with an issue of blood or are we farther than that? And how many miles are we willing to go to be near him again if we have walked away from him?

Another part in the New Testament that I love, is when Christ says a scripture over and over again that has been on my mind a lot and it made me see how much Christ loves everyone. It's near the end of St John in chapter 13 just after Christ has washed the feet of the Twelve it's verse 16. "Verily, verily I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."