Judging by the title of this entry, I'm guessing that you've already assumed that this is my last post. Well, you're both right and wrong in thinking that. This is my last blog if you look at it as a class assignment, but I don't see my blog as solely that. So while this is my last required post for Writing 150, I still plan on writing blogs in the future! I've come to find that I actually really enjoy writing this blog and I think it will be beneficial for me to look back on, kind of like how a journal is.
Speaking of looking back, this required entry's topic is evaluation. I'm not exactly sure what type of evaluation my teacher is looking for, but I'll write about the following: my experiences in Writing 150, my thoughts on this blog, and what I've learned from my freshman year.
Firstly, I cannot believe how fast this semester has flown by. How can it almost be over? I feel like I walked into my first Writing 150 class, like, yesterday. It's funny how life is like that. Sometimes it seems like time is moving unbearably slow, while other times it feels like I blink and another day is gone. I also find it funny that I used to think that I absolutely hated writing, but I don't think I can say that's the case anymore. Throughout this course I've had to write several papers and they weren't always my favorite things to do. They also weren't the easiest, but I learned to appreciate writing and the different styles that I was assigned to write in. I can definitely say that I've learned more about writing and how to become a better writer. I hope that what I've been taught in this class will stay with me because I'll have to write papers in pretty much every class following this one.
Secondly, I guess I've already touched on my thoughts about writing this blog, but I'll further my opinion. At first I was a little skeptical about this assignment because I didn't know what I'd ever write about. It wasn't always easy coming up with blog post ideas, as you can probably tell from how random some of them turned out. But I'm glad I wrote them! I want to remember a lot of the memories I wrote about and the internet is forever so they aren't going anywhere. I also really enjoyed reading blogs posted by my classmates. It's interesting to read all of their different experiences, testimonies, and overall thoughts on various topics. All in all, I enjoyed this assignment and I hope that the people who may have read my posts liked them too!
Lastly, this past school year has easily been both the hardest and most memorable year of my life. My first semester was definitely harder on me than this one is, mainly because I was homesick a lot more then. But I think my blog's title "Changing Perspective" sums up my freshman year quite well. I have had to adapt to a lot of changes since starting college. I've learned how to live on my own, how to manage school-induced stress, how to deal with being away from home, and what it's like to be surrounded by so many Latter-day saints! When I look back at the girl I was this past September, I see a nervous, yet excited seventeen year-old who had know idea what was coming her way. I'd like to think that I've grown in a lot of ways, specifically in a spiritual way. Before coming to BYU, I didn't really see a mission in my future. I wasn't opposed to serving, but it also wasn't a top priority of mine. Now I'm extremely eager to serve and I feel like my testimony has been strengthened as well!
I'm so grateful for everything that I've been blessed with this past year. I know that even though some times were hard, I grew a lot from them and that Heavenly Father has so much in store for me if I just continue to be faithful and obedient. Well, it's been fun writing this blog for my class. Stay tuned for more posts coming your way this summer! :)
Sometimes I forget about how big this world is. It's in moments where I'll watch a spectacular sunset or hike to the top of a mountain that I think about how I'm only witnessing a tiny, secluded part of the earth. There is so much more out there that I haven't even experienced! There is a lot of the U.S. that I haven't traveled to and I've never been out of the country, so you can see how much I truly haven't experienced. Maybe someday I'll be able to travel the world, but until then I'm just going to blog about it. Here are the top 3 places I really want to visit:
1.) SAMOA.
Come on, y'all saw this one coming, right? I mean my mom was born there so it basically has to make my top 3. In all seriousness though, I've always wanted to visit Samoa because of that reason. I'd love to meet some of my relatives, experience the culture, and explore the island. From what I've heard and seen in pictures, Samoa is a very beautiful place and I really hope to witness that for myself one day! Additionally, I want to learn the language so that I can speak it with my mom, grandma, and other family members. Currently I only know simple phrases, I'll have to work on that before I visit Samoa! ;)
2.) ENGLAND.
I don't know what it is about England, but it's been a dream of mine to go for a long time. I remember while I was in middle school, I had my mind set on moving to London once I was an adult. Times have changed though, I'm content with just visiting now. I think my main reason for having England in my top 3 is my slight obsession with Pride and Prejudice. I know you can't base everything off of movies, but I can't help but long to visit England when I watch it. I mean how can one not swoon over this scene?
the feels are strong here
3.) VENICE, Italy.
I feel like all of my reasons behind this location are superficial. Honestly I really just want to go because it's beautiful. But isn't that reason enough? I know it's no where near its actual beauty, but my first glimpse of Venice was The Venetian in Las Vegas, NV. Even if it completely pales in comparison, I was still mesmerized by the idea of buildings on water, romantic gondola rides, and Italian cuisine. I can't even imagine how many pictures I'd take just of buildings, they're so pretty! Hopefully I'll be able to fill a camera full of pictures from my visit to Venice...here's to someday!
This past weekend was awesome! Don't get me wrong, pretty much all General Conference weekends are, but this time was different. If you would have asked me how I thought this past weekend was going to go last Friday, I probably would have said that it was going to be frustrating. For the most part, that was true...up until Saturday night.
You see, I had gotten tickets to the Sunday morning session of General Conference and I was really excited to go. The only problem was that I couldn't find a ride and I had asked everyone I could possibly think of. But nothing was working out! I thought about taking the frontrunner, but there were no details about it running during Conference weekend on its website. So I came to the conclusion that the only way I was going to make it was by renting a car and driving myself. This scared me because I didn't know how traffic and parking was going to be. Luckily I didn't have to go through that because my friend Catherine told me that the guy she was riding with, Parker, could take me as well! I was so relieved and my excitement for attending Conference was restored!
As the three of us drove to Salt Lake, we had to make a stop at Parker's uncle's house for their tickets. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up and his uncle accidentally got them tickets for the Sunday afternoon session. But we didn't let that stop us because we all pretty much figured that they would get in on stand-by, which they did! So that all worked out.
The first Sunday session was awesome! It was only my second time being in the Conference Center; my first was when I attended Women's Conference last October. It's so powerful to be in the same room with so many wonderful leaders and saints of the church. I wasn't expecting my day to get much better than that until Catherine and Parker told me that they weren't planning on staying for the following session and that I could have their tickets. Because they were my only ride, I was about to pass up on the tickets and just ride home with them. However, I changed my mind once Parker showed me that the tickets were for seats located on the bottom floor in row C! Apparently Parker's uncle was actually the second counselor of the General Young Men's presidency, Brother Ridd, who got released this past weekend. I couldn't let those tickets go, so I quickly made arrangements for a ride home and decided to stay.
I'm so glad I stayed because I don't think I'll ever be able to experience Conference the same way again! It was epic to be so close to the stand and just feet away from the prophet! I loved every minute of Conference this weekend and I can't believe how blessed I was to be able to attend both Sunday sessions. It was seriously the best General Conference weekend ever!
Now to fulfill another one of my blog assignments, which is to write a mini-analysis of a General Conference talk. I've chosen to write about the talk given by Elder Holland during the Sunday morning session entitled "Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet." I don't think I've ever heard a talk from Elder Holland that I haven't enjoyed and this one was no exception.
He began his talk with a story, a form of pathos that is very common among General Conference talks. The story is about two boys who went climbing in southern Utah without the aid of climbing gear. They quickly ran into a problem that left one of the boys in a life-threatening situation. He came to the conclusion that he had to vertically jump to reach a ledge to safety; however, missing it would lead to his death. Once he made the jump, he put his arms to the ledge only to find that it was sandy and that there was nothing for him to grasp. At that moment, the boy realized that he was about to die. But what he didn't know was that his brother's arms would quickly grab him and pull him to safety.
Elder Holland then related this story to the Savior and His Atonement. Although we were born into an inevitable fallen state because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Savior is always there for us. Just like the boy who saved his brother from falling, Christ is there to reach out His arms whenever we need Him. Elder Holland also emphasized that in order to see the significance of the Atonement fully, we must understand the Fall. Because this talk was also given on Easter Sunday, Elder Holland made this statement: "So today we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had---to say nothing of resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins."
I know that Christ's Atonement was the most important thing that has happened in all of history and that will ever happen. I'm so grateful for His sacrifice and for His arms that are always outstretched to help me during my trials. I know that because of the Atonement, I can overcome physical death and be resurrected. I know that the Atonement also always me to repent for my sins; thus, granting me the ability to live with my family, Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father again. I love this gospel with all my heart and I can't wait to share it with as many people as I can!
In addition to posting our narrative papers on our blogs, my class has also been asked to write a reflection on said paper. So that's what this post is going to be! :) I've decided to accomplish this by answering a variety of questions below:
What did you like about writing your narrative paper?
To be honest, I like how this paper was easier to write than the others I've had to write for this class. It was easier because I felt like I got to just write! Yes, I still followed the guidelines of a narrative paper, but it also helped that it isn't as rigid and restrictive as I feel like a rhetoric or research paper is. Because I was writing a story from my life, it was easier to pull information. The only difficult part was finding the best way to portray my central message to readers without just flat-out writing it.
What was the hardest part about writing you narrative paper?
Like I mentioned in the first question, the hardest part was writing my central message in an ideal way. I had trouble not just telling the reader what I wanted them to know. Being able to show through my words and not tell was a challenge for me. I could definitely still improve in this aspect!
Why did you choose the story that you did for your narrative paper?
It took me a while to figure out what it was I wanted to write about. I wanted to write about something that I'm passionate about, but also not make it all about me. I decided to write about the talent show because I really love singing and performing in front of people. Even though it terrifies me right up until the moment I'm on stage, I instantly love performing once it's actually happening.
What do you want readers to get out of your narrative paper?
I wanted to portray how grateful I am for my family and friends. It meant everything to me to have all of them there to support me. I don't think I would have been able to make it through the talent show, or any of my performances for that matter, without their continual love and support.
What are your overall thoughts on writing this narrative paper?
I really loved it! It's easily my favorite paper that I've had to write for this class. I hope the people who read my paper enjoyed it! :)
One of the required blogs that my class has been asked to do is to post our narrative papers. So without further ado, here's my paper:
Performing
for Neon Stars
Me, Summer, and Kayla
The muffled voices of the crowd
seemed to increase in volume by the minute, but I refused to sneak-a-peek
behind the curtain as if my life depended on it. I was sure that one glance was
all it would take to turn me into a helpless mess of nerves and fear. Instead,
I found refuge backstage in a dressing room that smelled entirely of hairspray
and that felt like the air-conditioning had iced the room over. My hands were
both covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably, but I knew the temperature of
the dressing room had nothing to do with that. Just as I knew that it also
wasn’t causing my heart to pound so hard within my chest that I was sure the
crowd could hear it as well. The crowd. Not
one minute could pass without the thought creeping its way into my mind. What
had I gotten myself into? In just a few short minutes I was about to find
myself center-stage, mic in hand, hopefully ready to sing in front of an
unknown amount of people.
A week before this, I passed the
sign-up sheet for my high school’s talent show while walking to chorus class. I
had always wanted to audition, but the courage to do so had never quite built
up enough for me to write my name down. But
it’s senior year, this is your last chance! I found myself participating in
a lot of things I normally wouldn’t have, only because it was senior year. I
had attended a majority of my school’s football games, joined clubs that had
always interested me, and even conquered my fear of donating blood all within
my senior year. So why not add the talent show to that list? Before I had the
chance to talk myself out of it, I quickly signed my name. However, without
hesitation I also added “and Summer Renslow” beside my name before capping my
pen and hurriedly making my way into class. I guiltily took my seat in the alto
section next to my best friend, Summer, who instantly knew something was off.
“What’s up? You look like something
bad just happened to you,” she said being the observant friend that she is.
I decided to get straight to the
point as I answered, “Not exactly. You know how I’ve always wanted to sing in
the talent show? Well, I just signed up for it…in fact, I signed us up
together.”
Not that I was very worried that
Summer would be upset with me, but her reply was a relief, “That’s a great
idea! We should ask Kayla to sing with us!”
Almost before I could comprehend
what had just happened, I found myself and two of my friends auditioning to
sing in our school’s talent show.
Knock-knock.
The sharp sound upon the dressing room door brought me back to reality,
deserting my flashback of how I had gotten in this position.
The door opened and Summer appeared,
“Hey, are you doing okay? The show is about to start. We are the fourth act, so
you can stay in here a little while longer if you want.”
Can
I stay in here forever? Almost against my will, the words “Yeah, I’m fine.
I’ll meet you out there in a minute” escaped my mouth.
She gave me a reassuring nod and a
smile before stepping out of the room. If
only my nerves could have left along with her. Just as I was attempting to
bring myself together, the voice of a woman welcoming everyone to the talent
show quieted the crowd. She welcomed the first performer on stage and
unknowingly started my inner-countdown of performances before my own.
The first performer, Michael, was a
very talented singer. His voice had the opposite effect on me than what I had
expected. The back of my mind was telling me that I should be worried, that his
talent as a singer should make me feel incomparable. But that wasn’t how I was
feeling at all. Where doubt and fear should have been, a feeling of peace
replaced it. Because over the sound of Michael’s singing, I could also hear the
cheers and shouts of support coming from his friends and family. I was
overwhelmed with this feeling of gratitude towards the people that had
previously told me that they would attend the talent show for me. I realized
that it was because of them that I would be able to make it through my
performance.
As I gathered the courage to stand
up, I caught myself in the reflection of the dressing room mirror. You can do this. You’ve rehearsed countless
times. After about a minute of giving myself a pep talk, I smoothed my hair
and smiled at my reflection. Let’s do
this. I opened the door and tried to find my way around the pitch-black
darkness of backstage. My eyes adjusted around the same time that Michael’s
song ended and I joined in on the loud applause that followed him. The big
smile upon his face surged another wave of confidence within me and I smiled
along with him. I found Summer and Kayla waiting behind the navy, felt curtain
just as the next act was being announced. Summer grabbed my hand, gave it a
tight squeeze, and a look on her face that seemed to say “we can do this.” I know
we can.
As the talent show went on, the
three of us went over our performance one last time. “Remember,” Summer made eye-contact with me and
continued, “Ashley, you’re going to be on stage first. Just like how we did in
rehearsal. The spotlight will come on you, you’ll sing for a while and then
Kayla and I will walk down the aisles next to the audience and meet you on
stage later.”
Although the idea of having a single
spotlight on me was a little terrifying, I smiled and nodded my head.
Kayla then said, “I’m really scared
that I’m going to forget the lyrics. I can’t sing that one part by myself.
Ashley, please sing with me on my solo!”
I knew she was really nervous about
her solo, not just because of the troubles it had brought her during our
rehearsals, but also because of the look on her face. In a way, Kayla’s
nervousness comforted me while the strong confidence that always seemed to
emanate from Summer left me feeling a little childish.
I agreed to sing with her and added,
“Also, don’t forget that at the bridge of the song we are going to wave our arms
towards the crowd to get them to do the same.”
After they both gave me their nods
of acknowledgement, it was announced that we were to perform next. We hugged each
other and smiled one last time before Summer and Kayla walked down the stairs
to take their places within the aisles of the crowd, leaving me backstage and
alone. I closed my eyes and thought about my family and friends in the crowd. A
member of the tech crew handed me my microphone, followed by a reassuring “Good
luck!” I smiled at him, turned my mic on, and proceeded to walk onto the stage.
I maneuvered myself through the
darkness to center-stage and took a deep breath. I looked up just as the spotlight
hit me and tried not to look like a deer caught in a headlight.
Just then, the voice of one of my
friends from the audience echoed through the auditorium, “You better sing,
Ashley! You’ve got this girl!”
I couldn’t help the instant smile
that appeared on my face because of that one cheer of support. At that moment,
Taylor Swift’s “Breathe” started playing and I began to sing. The feeling of
nerves and fear of forgetting lyrics immediately left me and I was completely
happy. The words left my mouth effortlessly and I became even happier once
Summer and Kayla joined the stage with me soon after. I was loving every second
of singing with them and I couldn’t imagine it getting any better!
Much to my surprise, during the song’s
bridge where the three of us got the crowd waving, my mom had given my family
and friends glow sticks. The auditorium went from being a vast wall of darkness
to a sea of neon blue, green, and pink. As they started to wave in time to the
music, the glow sticks lost their individual color and soon became a single
mixture of neon. That section of the crowd emanated a beautiful light within an
otherwise pitch-black auditorium. But it was more than the effect of the glow
sticks that brought me so much bliss, it was the support of the people holding
them.
The song came to a close, the stage
lights dimmed, and the curtains began to enclose the three of us back into
darkness. I stood frozen on stage as I looked out on the crowd before the
curtains completely closed. I will always remember the brilliancy of the glow
sticks against the darkness of the auditorium, like stars in the sky of a late
summer night.
Well, I hope you enjoyed reading my narrative and watching our performance! Unfortunately, for a good part of the song the lights crew wasn't paying attention and didn't center the spotlight, thus making me pretty much invisible. But it's all good, I loved singing with my friends and I'd do it all again if I could! :)
I'm just going to put this out there from the start: the title of this blog doesn't really fit with what I'm going to write about. I feel like when you read it you may expect some sort of metaphor that compares my life to, like, the beauty of the colors of this earth or something, but really I just want to talk about the Festival of Colors. And honestly, I felt like titling this blog entry with the event would be lame, but maybe a cliche title just makes it more lame.
Anyway, if it wasn't obvious, I got to go to the Festival of Colors yesterday! It was my first time, which was exciting because I'd always seen people from my stake back home go to BYU and then post pictures of them at this event. I've done the Color Run before so I felt prepared for all the chalk and the lack of oxygen that follows the countdown to everyone throwing their chalk up at the same time. I really enjoyed this festival! I mean it's hard not to love rockin' music, being covered in color, and beautiful weather. One of the coolest things about this event was it's location, which was at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. It was a pretty awesome building and my roommate and I loved being able to go to the upper part of it. The view up there was pretty sweet and the warm breeze that passed through felt great.
It was also a much-needed occasional escape from the constant cloud of chalk below, you'd be surprised at how much of that stuff gets in your mouth. Spoiler: it doesn't taste pleasant...like, at all. But it's not too bad, I wouldn't not go just because of that. However, I'd suggest wearing sunglasses and bringing a bandanna to cover your mouth if you're worried about it.
Since the festival is so popular, there were a ton of people there! It got a little hectic briefly because my roommate and I got separated from each other and cell service wasn't too great out there. After a while though, we found each other so it was all good. Then we had to find the other people we went with, which took quite a bit of time as well. So basically what I'm saying is that I've learned the importance of designating a meet-up spot...the hard way. I'll have to keep that in mind for future things!
Once everyone was together again and we were all ready to go, we decided to drive to a nearby creek and wash off. The water was really cold...at least that was what I was told. I honestly didn't really notice the temperature because just jumping in filled me with a bunch of adrenaline. We went to a part of the creek that was pretty deep and that had a rock that you could jump off into it. The only bad thing was that if you didn't jump far enough out off the rock, you risked landing in a shallow area. It took me a long time to build up the courage to make myself jump, but part of me must have hesitated because I didn't quite make it to the deep part.
Messiest and most crowded car ride ever, btw
Luckily the ground was muddy and really soft! It was like landing on a memory foam slide because my body slid down the ground and I was still completely submerged in the water. But yeah, what an adventure that was!
Needless to say, I had a lot of fun and I'm glad I was able to go! It was worth the hassle of getting all the chalk out of my hair, clothes, and shoes. Going to the festival yesterday made me realize that this semester, and freshman year, really is almost over. Now's the time to not only focus on finals and all of that, but also have fun and enjoy my time here at BYU. Sure school is challenging, but I wouldn't give up the remainder of my semester for anything!
This past Friday morning, the church released a new video and I felt really inspired to share it. I know that I've already written a blog about Mormon Messages before, but honestly you can never watch too many! This particular video was made with Easter in mind and I absolutely love it. Here it is:
Pretty awesome, right? I think that sometimes we forget why we really celebrate this special holiday. It's easy for us to get caught up in Easter egg hunts, candy, and presents from the Easter bunny. But those things aren't what makes it such a special Sunday. Don't get me wrong though, I love a good Easter egg hunt and an occasional Reese's peanut-butter egg (or dozens of them) just like everyone else. However, we celebrate Easter to remember that Jesus Christ lives! He came to this earth willingly and prepared to pay the ultimate price for our sins. He loved us so much that he suffered persecution, rejection, and eventually death so that we can return to Him and our Heavenly Father again. But just as the video testifies, the greatest miracle was the he rose on the third day and overcame death. I know that my Savior lives and what a blessing that is!
My favorite part of this video is when it turns into a personal application. Because He lives, we can always turn to Him. It doesn't matter what it is you need help with, who you are, or the things you have done in the past, He loves you and is always there for you! I know that this is true. I know that even during the times that I feel completely alone, I'm not. I know that my Savior is always there for me, it's just up to me to reach out to Him. I'm so grateful for Him and for the knowledge that He lives!
I hope you enjoyed this video. Feel free to share it with as many people as you can! Let us remember Christ always, but especially during this Easter holiday.
P.S. General Conference is this coming weekend! Tune in here for some uplifting talks and all-around awesomeness :)
You may have thought that these blogs were the only assignments I've been doing for my Writing 150 class, but let me assure you that I've also had to write a couple of papers! Currently I've been working on my research paper, also known as the most important and heavily graded assignment in this class. Yeah, no pressure! We've all been asked to write about a family story, which doesn't sound too bad at first, right? However, the family story also has to relate to an issue that is not only relevant to today, but interesting to us as well. After contemplating for some time about what I'm going to write about, I've decided to write about my Samoan heritage. My mom was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa, but moved to the U.S. when she was quite young. With that being said, I'm writing about how moving to a new country effects the cultural identity of generations to follow. I've seen in my own life that because I was born and raised in the states, I don't have as strong of a connection to my Polynesian culture, especially because I don't know how to speak Samoan. My plan is to share examples from my life of feeling distant from my Samoan heritage and connect them to research of other immigrants to America. I'm pretty excited about this topic and hopefully I'll be able to successfully write my research paper!
Below is an exercise for my research paper that my teacher had us do in class:
PART 1. How do I feel about my research paper right at this moment?
There are so many ways I could go about writing this paper that I feel pretty overwhelmed. But as time goes on and I research more, I feel better and better about my paper. I'm excited to see how it turns out.
PART 2. Create a dialogue between you and someone reading your paper.
Reader: Why did you choose this topic?
Me: I think sometimes I take for granted who I am and the family I've been blessed with. Being Samoan is pretty cool and I don't take the time to appreciate my culture very much, so that's why I chose this topic!
Reader: That's interesting. What do you want readers to get out of reading your paper?
Me: I guess I just want people to appreciate where they came from. If you feel like you don't have enough of your culture incorporated into your life, then take the time to change that and educate yourself!
Reader: Do you feel like writing this paper helped you appreciate your culture?
Me: I think it did. Just reading about Samoa made me realize how much I really I didn't know and I'm excited to learn more!
PART 3. Well it seems to me that...
We can always learn more about our families. As I said before, your culture is a huge part of who you are so you shouldn't take it for granted. Just like with anything else, there is always more for you to learn!
The reason for this exercise was to see where we all were with our papers. So if reading this didn't make sense, don't worry! It was more for the purpose of helping me with my research paper than anything else. :)
It's that time again folks! I'm a little over half way done with my second semester of college, thus completing my freshman year at BYU. Where has the time gone?!? Some days it feels like I've been here forever and that summer break is way beyond my reach...other days I feel like I just flew out to Provo and began this fun yet challenging adventure. The past six or so months have been a whirlwind of making new friends, stressing over school, eating just about every meal in the Cannon, and being surrounded by people who share the same beliefs as me - which is really cool! I've never experienced anything like BYU and the spirit that is felt here every day, I'm so blessed to attend this university.
College has taught me a lot. Aside from the brain rush of history, nutrition, biology, etc that I've gotten since being here, I've also learned a lot more about myself. My testimony has been strengthened so much as I've been taught in my Book of Mormon classes, in devotionals and firesides, and through hearing the testimonies of my peers in both classes and church meetings. It's truly amazing how much you can be taught by people your own age! I've always been so used to having adult leaders teach Sunday School and Relief Society lessons. Being in a YSA ward, where my friends teach the lessons, I've felt and been touched by the spirit just as much as if an experienced adult was giving it. My testimony of missionary work has been strengthened through this because I have witnessed that we are able to teach effectively, regardless of our age. It's not that I had any doubts before, but it's comforting to experience it. Although there are a lot of reasons why I know the church is true, I know it has to be true because in any other situation, 18 and 19 year old kids wouldn't be able to teach something so effectively if it weren't true. If you really think about it that way, you can see why missionary work is truly amazing! I feel so blessed to have made such great friends here, they are wonderful examples
and I can't wait to see them all again after we've all served our missions! Not only have my friends been examples to me, but everyone I'm surrounded by as well. You can't even imagine how many mission calls I've seen being opened since living here! Along with that, at work I'm also able to hear a lot of my co-workers tell funny and powerful missionary stories. BYU is truly a blessing! Even though school is hard and it stresses me out a lot, I'm always grateful to be here. This final stretch of my freshman year is going to require a lot of focus! Especially when all I can seem to think about is serving a mission. Although it's really hard to remain patient for my call to serve, I'm also kind of glad I don't have it yet. If I did, I'm pretty sure staying focused during these next 6 weeks would be way more difficult than it already is! I have a lot to look forward to in the next couple of years, I'm in an exciting part of my life. Pray that I successfully finish my freshman year and that I don't go crazy in the process! :)
This past Saturday, I got to do something that I've never done but have always wanted to do...shoot a gun! I guess the opportunity to do so has never really come up, which is surprising for someone who grew up where hunting is fairly popular. A couple years ago, my Young Women's group went shooting, but for whatever reason I wasn't able to be there. Luckily, I finally got to this past weekend! My roommate, Brie, has a co-worker who enjoys shooting and was willing to take us. So that's exactly what we did! He came and picked us up and off we went to this open mountain range to meet up with his roommates. I still have no idea where we were, but it was beautiful!
Utah always surprises me because I never expect it to be so flat and deserted. You'd think by now I'd be used to the fact that there are no trees and that aside from the mountains, everything else is completely flat. The cool thing about that though is that you can see for miles! Once we got to our shooting location, we had to quickly find another spot because the people next to us were shooting very close to us. I was actually kind of scared for my life because you could literally hear the bullets zooming by us. Brie cracked me up because she pretty much instantly dove behind the car for cover, but to be honest it was completely necessary! I've never been so genuinely scared of being shot in my life, which I now see is a true blessing. However, once we moved locations we were completely safe! (So don't worry, Mom and Dad...if you're reading this!)
Seeing that it was our first time, Brie and I listened to a brief set of instructions and gun safety (honestly we weren't told much) and then we were handed our first gun. Somehow it was decided that
I was to go first, so I positioned the shotgun properly and braced myself. Once I pulled the trigger, I was completely surprised at how easy it was! Don't get me wrong, I know pulling a trigger is easy...it was the kickback that I was worried about! But the gun I first shot with wasn't very strong (sorry, I don't know gun terminology) so it wasn't bad at all! I actually really enjoyed it, regardless of my lack in ability to hit any of the targets. The guys we were with on the other hand, had very good aim. They took turns throwing "clay pigeons" in the air and shooting them as if it were effortless. Maybe someday I'll be able to shoot that accurately! Aside from the first gun I got to shoot, Brie and I also had the opportunity to shoot with two other guns. The second one we used, had a much stronger kickback. Brie went first this time and her reaction was priceless! Unfortunately, we didn't get it on camera, but I can assure you that it was quite funny. All in all, both of us had a really fun time shooting for the first time and I can't wait to do it again some time!
Another adventure that we had was going off-roading. This wasn't something we had planned on doing, but I feel like spontaneous happenings always turn out to be more fun anyways! Like I said before, I don't exactly know where we were, but I do know that we were right next to Utah Lake. As we started driving, we got stuck going up this steep and rocky path. It took a while to maneuver our way up it, but after a good fifteen minutes we managed to make it up. I'm not going to lie, it was a little scary because we were really high up and there were no railings to separate our car from a very steep and long drop. But my fear quickly subsided as I looked out the window and witnessed the most beautiful sunset I've seen since living in Utah. The last rays of sunlight shined down on Utah Lake and the colors of the sky against the mountains was such a pretty thing to see. I kept trying to take pictures, but iPhone cameras can't do that sight justice! We drove all the way up to the top, next to some sort of observatory, and I got to walk around and look out over the valley. It was actually pretty cool to see BYU from a different point of view than what I'm accustomed to. Needless to say, the view was amazing and it was a great reminder that I'm blessed to live in such a beautiful place!
I'm so glad that I got to experience shooting a gun, it's been a long time coming. Hopefully I'll get to go shooting again this summer! Also, you might not be able to see it very well, but the reflection of the mountains on the lake was breathtaking. I find it kind of funny that even though there wasn't much, I still walked in more snow while on that mountain top than I've pretty much walked in since living in Provo. Apparently this winter has been the warmest Utah has seen in twelve years! I'm not complaining though! I'll take this warm winter over snow any day! Oh, and if you were wondering...
We live in a society where social media is everywhere. There are many popular sites that are used every day and so many different ways to access them. People all around the world use social media daily to share their thoughts, ideas, and to keep family and friends updated. Like most things of the
world, this can either have a positive or negative impact on those who are exposed to it. Although I don't necessarily like to point it out, I'm a strong user of social media. I believe that as long as one doesn't let social media control their life, than having those accounts shouldn't be looked down upon by say, the older generation that might not be accustomed to it. Elder Bednar addressed this same generation about social media and the influence that it has and can have on society in his talk entitled "To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood." This is the talk I'll be reviewing and adding my thoughts to for the remainder of this post.
Elder Bednar begins his talk by saying that we are blessed to live in a dispensation where technology is so advanced and easily accessible. He says that because of this time of "miraculous progression of innovations and inventions," the hastening of the Lord's work is now accelerated in a way that it has never been before. The church has taken advantage of this opportunity by creating hashtags like #BecauseofHim and #HeIstheGift, using pictures to display scriptures and General Conference quotes, and producing short, relateable videos that LDS members know as Mormon Messages. The church's use of social media is a powerful tool for not only full-time missionaries, but member missionaries as well. I personally saw the effects of the church's efforts during this past New Year's Eve. While watching Taylor Swift perform live in Time's Square on my t.v, I saw a huge advertisement for the church's popular video #HeIsTheGift behind her. Not only did I notice the ad, but some of my non-member friends did too and they texted me about it. I love that some of my friends were able to see the ad and that so many others around the world were exposed to it as well. It really testifies that social media can be used for good and for the hastening of the Lord's work.
Due to Elder Bednar's talk being addressed to an older audience, he discussed the different forms of social media and how popular they are. The five forms of social media that he focused on were Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. While he acknowledged that there are many other social media sites, Elder Bednar focused on the ones that are most popular and widely used. To further explain how social media can hasten the work, he provided five ways that the church has used it.
The first is the video, "Because of Him," which was shared by many people around the world, not just members of the church. The video testified of Christ and because of it, many people were exposed to the Savior's life and the blessing He is to the world. One of the other examples that Elder Bednar gave was the fact that the General Authority have their own social media accounts. I love and find it kind of funny that I can now "follow the prophet"...on Twitter! I love being able to see positive tweets that testify of the gospel on my newsfeed, especially when it's so easy for negative tweets to become more apparent. Whenever a member of the General Authority tweets something that really inspires me in that moment, I retweet it. It always amazes me when a non-member will favorite or retweet one of the church's tweets because I had retweeted it and they saw it through me. It's such an easy way to spread the gospel! Throughout the remainder of his talk, Elder Bednar goes more in depth on how we can hasten the work through social media. If you want to read more about it you can click on the hyper-link I provided at the beginning of this post!
Although social media can have a harmful effect on society, it is also a wonderful way to hasten the Lord's work. I know that technology is advanced during the time we live in because sharing the gospel is even more important to do now. So whenever you post, tweet, pin, or make a status update, be sure that the message your sending is one that is uplifting in some way. I plan to take Elder Bednar's advice to use social media for good...do you?
Don't get me wrong, I love living in Provo and being at BYU. It's just that as I've racked my brain for blog post ideas, the same thought has persistently come to mind. I haven't been feeling homesick or anything, but lately I've just been thinking a lot about North Carolina. I guess it started when a co-worker asked me where I'm from - a typical question you're asked when you attend a school where people are from all over the world. When I told him North Carolina, it seemed to pique his interest and he proceeded by asking me to tell him "what makes NC what it is." I paused for a moment because I wasn't exactly sure what to say, I'd never really been asked that before. His question has made me reflect on home and what it is about NC that makes me love it so much. So for those of you reading this who have never been there, or even for those of you who have, here is a list of my favorite things about my home!
Hanging Rock State Park
One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of NC is the mountains. Some people might think they pale in comparison to how big the mountains here in Utah are, but for me that's simply not the case. I would take green over size any day. Whenever my friends and I would hang out and try to figure out what to do, you better bet I suggested hiking. Not only do I love hiking, but I also love being able to look out and see green for miles and miles. I've done countless hikes on Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain, Stone Mountain, etc and they never get old. I don't really have an "accent," but
Pilot Mountain
one thing I have been told that I say weird here is "Appalachian." Everyone I've talked to at BYU says it like "app-uh-lay-shun" and they tell me that pronouncing it like "app-uh-latch-un" is not only odd, but incorrect. WRONG. The Appalachian mountains are on my home's side, you can correct me when they move to the west coast. ;)
"From the mountains...to the oceans," I love the outdoors. Perhaps my favorite thing about NC is that it doesn't just have mountains, the coast is just as beautiful. I've often contemplated if I'd rather live in the mountains or at the beach. But honestly, that's a tough decision so I'd rather just live close to both.
Senior Beach Week
Which is why I love the city I grew up in. I had the luxury of going hiking whenever I wanted and if I longed for the beach, the coast is just about a four hour drive. I think my favorite thing about our beaches is the sand. I've visited other beaches where the sand isn't really sand, it's just this sharp mixture of rock and broken seashells. I love the sand at NC beaches because it's so soft. At night, when the sand isn't hot from the sun, I love taking walks on the shore and seeing the way the moon shines on the ocean. It always amazes me, and kind of scares me, when I look out at the ocean and see how it goes on for what seems like eternity. There's so much about the sea that is unknown. I've never gone scuba diving, but someday I hope I get the chance to. If my description of NC beaches has fallen short for you, just rent any of the following chick flicks: Safe Haven, The Last Song, A Walk to Remember, or pretty much any of Nicholas Sparks' book-to-movie adaptations because they were all filmed in North Carolina. In fact, here's my mom and I in front of the house that was featured in Safe Haven.
Southport, NC
I wouldn't be myself if I didn't mention NC's food. I always knew that "southern food" was a well-known thing, but I didn't know that some of my favorite foods would be nonexistent to some people out here. The other day I brought up how much I wanted hush puppies and several people looked at me with puzzled looks. That might have just been a one-time thing because I feel like hush puppies are pretty normal. Cook-Out's hush puppies, however, are the absolute best! Another thing I've gotten confused faces from is collard greens. I thought they were a common vegetable, but maybe I was wrong because no one seems to know what they are out here. If you're one of these people, check them out! They're amazing. My favorite food ever, without a doubt, is barbecue though. Yes, I know you're probably thinking "hey, I know that one!" It's a very common food, I'm not discrediting anyone on this one. But I will say that you haven't had real barbecue until you go to NC and are asked if you'd rather have "Eastern style" or "Lexington style." Trust me, there's a difference, it's a real thing. I personally prefer Eastern over Lexington style, but they're both great. You'll just have to go and try it out for yourself! ;)
There are a lot more things I love about North Carolina that I haven't written about, but this post is long enough. It may seem like I'm biased since I've lived my whole life in the same city and that may be true, but who doesn't love where they're from? Even though I've mentioned a few of my favorite things in this post, my ABSOLUTE favorite thing about NC is my family. I love them all and I look forward to seeing them again! I guess you could you say that "I'm gone to Carolina in my mind."
As I've mentioned before, I was very excited to start college. Especially since it would be at my dream school, BYU. Yes, I know...you can call me a typical Mormon kid for that! But I couldn't help it, I'd heard so many amazing things about BYU and the opportunities that come with attending. So when I received my acceptance letter, it took every bit of patience I had to focus on finishing high school and enjoying the summer. But what I wasn't expecting once I got here was how much I'd genuinely miss my little brothers.
Vegas 2014
Growing up we didn't get along very well, as most siblings don't. We fought over trivial things like who drank all of the milk, who got to choose the t.v. channel, and who had to sit in the middle on the drive to church. Along with the annoyance that comes with having two younger brothers, I always had the weight of "setting the example" on my shoulders because I was the oldest. I can't recall how many times arguments ended with my mom saying something like, "you're the oldest, you should know better." Of course there were good times too, which I realize now I took for granted. Now that I'm in college and far away from home, I see how much they've benefited my life. I love my little brothers so much! Even after all the years of feuds and arguments, I miss the times where we'd laugh until my stomach hurt, harmlessly team up against my parents, and the countless nights where we'd make s'mores during family camping trips. I wouldn't trade any of the moments we've had together, even if they weren't all the best of times. I can't wait to be reunited with them again soon! But for now, I'll tell you a little about these two crazies.
Hugging Sefa before my 1st day of school
My first younger brother, Sefa, is about four years younger than me. He is currently fourteen, which is crazy to me...and not in the way you'd think. Normally people can't believe how old their siblings actually are, but for me it's the opposite. I feel like he's older than that! I swear he has been fourteen forever, not just shy of a year. Sefa and I have grown a lot closer ever since he was old enough to be in Young Men's and then even more so when he reached the age for church dances. I love when he includes me in the aspects of his life, it makes me feel like I'm fulfilling my job as an older sister. One thing that I love most about him is his passion for the activities he's involved in. Sefa has a lot of love for playing sports, more specifically football. He's always had the heart for being a better athlete and team player. Along with that, Sefa is very smart...which is good because he also has an obsession with all things BYU. I was lucky enough to have him and my dad visit me this past October during BYU's homecoming. I loved being able to spend time with both of them and see Sefa's excitement for attending here someday grow.
Sefa's 8th grade graduation
Unfortunately, I didn't get to share any of my high school years with him, and I also won't have any overlapping years here with him either. Although I'll be serving a mission, Sefa will be too before coming to BYU, so we won't be here at the same time. But that's okay, I know serving a mission first will be best for him if that's what he chooses to do. I love my brother and I can't wait to see all the things he will accomplish throughout his life.
My youngest brother's name is Pelu. He is crazy! Well, in the best way possible. I actually remember the day he was born a lot better than I remember the day Sefa was born. It was December, I was a fairly new kindergartner, and I was confused as to why my neighbor was picking me up from school instead of my mom. As I got inside her car (don't worry, she was a well-trusted neighbor), she told me that my mom had a baby and that that's why she wasn't there to pick me up. When I got home, I was introduced to my new baby brother and that's where it all began! Between the two of my brothers, Pelu has been the one that has always butted heads with me the most.
Giving kisses to newborn Pelu
This has to do with the fact that we are completely different from each other, aside from our love of music. If you were to talk to Pelu for the first time, you would soon find that he is very goofy. He loves to crack jokes! I haven't always been very accepting of that because usually his jokes annoy me. But now, being away from his humor, I really miss him. Not only does Pelu find joy in making other people laugh, he also loves to create art, learn how to play musical instruments, and make YouTube videos. Lately, he's been very interested in making videos. So much so that for Christmas my mom bought him a video camera so he could continue making them. But also so that he'd stop using her phone to make videos which used all her memory up. Pelu has always been very creative, it's one of the things that I love about him. Even though he sometimes gets on my nerves, I miss him a lot. I know that he is a good kid - which "kid" might not be the best word to use seeing that he is bigger than me now. I know that he'll do a lot of awesome things in life and I'm interested to see where his talents will take him. I never thought that I'd miss my brothers when I left for BYU. Even though I miss them a lot, I'm actually glad I have this time to be away from them because it has opened my eyes to how awesome they really are. Dad, you were right, my brothers are my best friends!
About two weekends ago, after coming home from church, I decided to look up some Mormon Messages. I always loved watching them when I was in Young Women's and I continue to love them now in Relief Society. There's just something about them that uplifts me and makes me have a better perspective on things when I'm feeling down - which is the whole reason the church has put out these messages! So I've decided to compile some of my favorite Mormon Messages and my thoughts on them in this post. I hope that they'll be able to strengthen you in the way that they have for me!
1) You Never Know How Much Good You Do - This is one of the longer videos (8:54), but it's also one of my absolute favorites. Although I'm not a mom (yet) like the woman in this video, and maybe you're not either, I still think that everyone can relate to the message. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed by life and that you aren't getting everything you want done. But what you don't see is the positive impact your actions have on others. You're not a failure. You never know how much good you do!
2) Moments That Matter Most - In life, we're often busy with all the things that demand our attention. Sometimes because of our busy schedules we overlook the things that matter most. I love this video because it reminds me to remember things like my family, the blessing of this earth, and the little things that can bring me happiness. I know that when we keep the things that matter most in our mind we our brought closer to our Heavenly Father.
3) Reclaimed - It's inevitable that we all mess up sometimes. That's why we were given the power of the atonement. Elder Holland has said, "It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines." Even though you may feel that you've done something that you can't be forgiven for, that is simply not true! Heavenly Father loves you. You can always be forgiven.
4) Good Things to Come - Yes, life is hard. Trials will come for every one of us. But this doesn't mean that you should ever give up. Sometimes you may be clouded by the sorrow or hardship that comes from a trial, but Heavenly Father has good things in store for you. Never forget that!
After watching these messages, can you see why I love them so much? Pretty awesome, right? If you want to see more, there's literally over a hundred of them on the website I hyper-linked earlier. Plus, you can find them all on YouTube! I hope that you'll go to them whenever you feel the need to. I know that they're truly uplifting and I'm grateful to have them!
Serving a mission was never part of my plan. The idea of leaving my family and friends for a year and a half to a place that I have no control over scared me. I also didn't think putting a pause on my life would be the easiest thing to do. But what I didn't understand back then is that that's the point! Missions aren't supposed to be easy. President Thomas S. Monson has counseled the following: "Missionary work is hard work. Missionary service is demanding and requires long hours of study and preparation that the missionary himself might match the divine message he proclaims. It is a labor of love but also of sacrifice and devotion to duty." If missions were easy, then we wouldn't be able to grow as a person by serving one.
I was 16 years old when the prophet announced the age change for missionaries. I remember some of my family members telling me excitedly that I had "only 3 more years" until I could serve. But even though the age change made a huge impact on missions, it had no effect on my decision. I still had no desire to serve and I didn't see that changing anytime soon. I wasn't even one of those "typical Mormon girls" who said they'd serve a mission only if they weren't married by 21, so why would I change my mind just because I was able to leave sooner? It was on my 17th birthday during fast Sunday, when I decided to bear my testimony in sacrament meeting, that things changed. I remember going up to the pulpit, something I don't do often if I can help it, and saying something that not only surprised my mom, but myself as well. I said, "I'm excited that exactly two years from today I will be old enough to serve a mission." This was news to me because I hadn't planned on going on a mission, let alone say that in my testimony. The Lord ALWAYS knows what is best for us and sometimes He has a funny way of showing us that. I know that by saying what I did in my testimony, Heavenly Father was letting me know that He knows what is best for me and to just have faith.
Flash forward to the present and everything has changed. Now I feel completely different about serving a mission. I can't wait to serve a mission! In fact, it's been kind of hard (in the best way possible) to see so many people opening their mission calls around me. I guess one of the "perks" of attending BYU is that there are so many people who are going to serve or have returned from missions. Seeing all these mission calls just makes me MORE excited to serve! Having a September birthday puts my mission a little further away from everyone else's, but I know that I just need to be patient because my time will come.
I love the gospel! I can't wait to share the happiness that comes from the gospel to others. I know that missions are hard. But I also know that it will be worth it not just for those I'll serve, but for me as well. I'm so grateful I had the experience that I did on my 17th birthday and that Heavenly Father knows what is best for me. So for now, I'll continue preparing to be the best missionary I can be! :)
Today I've been thinking a lot about how relevant the scriptures are to our lives. I haven't always thought about them this way, but lately I've come to realize for myself that the scriptures can give us guidance and answers to our questions if we truly study them. While reading my scriptures tonight, my roommate and I bounced back and forth our insight and some scripture verses that are meaningful to us. So I decided to come up with a short list of scripture verses that I want to live by and make my "life goals." I've noticed, through Twitter and other social media, that the idea of #lifegoals or #relationshipgoals has become a popular thing. Although most aren't very realistic and can be pretty "of the world," I decided to come up with "real" #lifegoals from the scriptures. So here they are:
1) PRAY ALWAYS. Not just for myself, but for those around me. "Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and for the welfare of those around you." Alma 34: 27
2) FEAST UPON THE WORDS OF CHRIST. "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 2 Nephi 32: 3
3) BE THIS KIND OF MOM. I want my children to know that I have a testimony of God. "47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." Alma 56: 47-48
4) FIND MORONI. I want to marry someone who strives to be or is as righteous as captain Moroni was. (#Relationshipgoals?) However, everything I'm looking for in a future spouse is something that I'm just as willing to be as well. "Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." Alma 48: 17
5) OFFER WHOLE SOUL &ENDURE TO THE END. This scripture pretty much sums everything up. "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." Omni 1:26
These are just a few of the MANY scriptures that you can relate to your life. I know that by reading the scriptures daily, you will see the Lord's hand in your life and be happier! I have come to love the scriptures and am grateful to have them. Read them, I dare ya. ;)
One thing that everyone told me before moving to Utah was that winter would be almost unbearable. In high school, I had seen pictures of my older friends at BYU surrounded by what seemed like a ton of snow and I didn't know how I'd feel about it when I got here. So when I returned from Christmas break, I mentally prepared myself for a very cold semester. It pretty much started off as I imagined. I got off my flight and as I walked down the terminal I felt the unwanted cold air seeping in. Once I got to the point where I could see outside, I saw a thick (at least thick to me) blanket of snow. And although I'm not a fan of snow at all, I had to admit it was beautiful. Everything was coated with the purest white snow I'd ever seen. But it soon melted within my first week of classes and hasn't really made an appearance since. Well, aside from the snow on the mountains. Now THOSE are breathtaking!
Lately, the weather has been amazing and I feel like I haven't been able to stop talking about it! The past couple of days have been sunny and in the high 50's/60's. I haven't wanted to do anything but lay outside and soak up every minute of sun that I can! Which, as you can imagine, made enduring lectures cooped up in classrooms much less appealing. However, I finally did get to lay outside today! It was actually pretty funny because it looked like just about everyone in Helaman Halls was taking advantage of the beautiful weather as well. I don't think I've ever seen as many people outside as I did today. But I don't blame them because today was a beautiful day and an even more perfect day to spend a Saturday afternoon reading my scriptures. Which is exactly what I did!
These past couple of days have made me realize just how blessed we are to have this beautiful earth to live on. I mean really, do you take the time to look around you every once in a while and admire the world? I have been working on trying to do this each day. Eventually, I hope to not just recognize the earth's beauty on the days that it's sunny and warm. Cold weather during the winter (especially in Utah) is inevitable. So whether these past couple of days have just been a tease and snow and freezing temperatures are coming my way, I hope to be able to still enjoy it. The beauty of the world is such a blessing! Take a moment to admire and thank Heavenly Father for it sometime! :)
Since I've moved to Utah, I've been able to do a lot more things that I never really had the opportunity to do before. For example, before coming to BYU I had only ever been inside the Raleigh, North Carolina temple. I had walked the grounds of a few other temples, but I'd only ever actually done work inside the Raleigh temple. I didn't grow up with the luxury of various temples within the radius of a short drive, as it appears most Utahans do. But this past weekend, I had the opportunity to add the Provo Temple to my list. A couple of my friends and I walked to the temple Saturday morning and I loved every minute of it. The temple is a beautiful place!
Raleigh, North Carolina Temple
Another opportunity I had was being able to attend a session of General Conference...in the actual Conference Center! My friends and I were lucky enough to get tickets to the General Women's Session. We planned a trip to Salt Lake and I was able to walk around Temple Square for the first time as well. To be honest, the Salt Lake City Temple wasn't quite what I was expecting. I feel like in all the pictures I've seen, the temple was really white. Also, the Raleigh temple is made out of white marble so I guess I was shocked to find that the SLC temple isn't as white as I had originally thought. But still, it's so beautiful! I'm grateful that I got to go to Temple Square and I take every chance I get to go back.
Me with the Salt Lake City Temple
One of the talks that was given at the General Women's Session that I went to, was a talk by Sister Jean A. Stevens, the First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. The talk that she gave was entitled, "Covenant Daughters of God." She begins her talk by recounting a time she attended a baptism where eight children would be making their first covenant with Heavenly Father. She emphasized that she saw each of them individually, just as God sees us. Sister Stevens explains how amazing it is that Heavenly Father holds a place in His heart for each of us individually and that by making covenants with Him, we can live with Him again. She says, "It is not only in making covenants but also in faithfully keeping these covenants that we are prepared to receive eternal life. That is our hope, our goal, and our joy." I was truly inspired by the story Sister Stevens gave of her parents' wedding. She said that her parents were married in the SLC temple without the usual celebratory flower arrangements, pictures, wedding dress, and reception. Just six days after their sealing, her father left for South Africa to serve his mission because back then, sometimes men were called for missionary service and asked to leave their wives and families. Sister Stevens bore her testimony of how important being sealed and having temple ordinances was for her parents. I admire the amount of faith her parents had and I strive to be able to make all the covenants I can with my Heavenly Father. I continually do everything I can to remain worthy to enter the temple and I am grateful for the blessing of temples. I know that the ordinances that we can perform within the walls of the temple are eternal and that because of the temple, I can live with my family forever.
If you'd like to read or watch Sister Stevens talk, which I highly recommend doing, here is the link to do so. Enjoy!
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