Random Tuesday Quote

"Return home with more that with what you left"


I first heard this quote a couple of months ago in a book (from a respected author and organization) and I was appalled that they said this. Then, I got thinking about it and I think I understand what it's teaching. Now it's one of my favorites and I have it in my room. It can take so many meanings, it just depends on how you look at it. I'd love to hear your take on it. In a couple of days I'll share with you the couple of meanings it has in my life

Devotional

So I wrote a devotional for seminary on Monday and I'm so excited to give it I decided to put it on here. I just got a bunch of quotes and put them together into a 'lesson' so to say. Hopefully it makes sense, it's a very rough draft. I'm very open for suggestions.

Italicized words are from me and my thoughts. Regular words are quotes. Hopefully it makes sense.


We all chose to come to Earth with a divine purpose. We all wanted to increase in knowledge and become like our Heavenly Father. Throughout time we have seen examples of great heroes, through small or great things. We all have potential to be just as great as a Child of God. We all were strong and valiant before coming to Earth and for that, we were chosen to come to Earth at this time. Heavenly Father reserved us for nearly 6,000 years so we can serve his purpose.

“God reserved spirits for this dispensation who would have the courage and the determination to face the world and all the powers of the evil one and who would build up the Zion of our God FEARLESS of all consequences.” Sheri Dew

We were all strong spirits who showed immense dedication to our Lord. We were sent to Earth as some of the strongest spirits willing and able to stand up for truth and right.

“Fear shall come upon all people, but you and I know that the Lord has prepared places of safety to which He is eager to guide us” President Henry B. Eyring

Those places of safety are simple steps we can take to prepare ourselves for temptation and build our testimonies up. Little steps like reading our scriptures, praying, going to church, heeding the teachings of the prophet and our bishop, and being an example. These may seem small and insignificant, but Alma 37:6 states; “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass”

“God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest children who will help bear off the Kingdom triumphantly for you are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God. There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short time, a short period, as it is of us.”

We have so much given to us, but we can't take it for granted. Heavenly Father gave us a beautiful land for us to live in where we can practice the religion we choose. We were given the location in this beautiful land. We didn't have to cross the difficult plains and plow them. We were given the gospel and words of the Lord. We have a lot to give back. We have to complete our temple work, be a missionary and spread the gospel, and continue to be an example of the believers.

“As the challenges around us increase, we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Casual prayer won't be enough. Reading a few versus of the scripture won't be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord asks of us won't be enough. This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so we won't be deceived.”

Do any of these excuses sound familiar? “I'll read my scriptures tomorrow” “I went to young womens last week” “I'll go to the temple next time.” “I'm too tired to pray” “I don't want to sound pushy by talking to them about the church”, “I'll skip Sunday school just this time” “I have to have that extra 10% to buy that shirt because I need it”. We need to remember that each activity, scripture, teaching, and opportunity to pray and serve our fellow men are there for a reason, and we need to take advantage of each opportunity to grow and become like our Heavenly Father. One of my favorite quotes is

“I want to live a life so that when I rise in the morning Satan says “Oh no, she's awake”.

We all want to live a life knowing who we are and where we are going, and we are doing everything we can to get there. We must step up and be the best we can be and make Satan afraid of the final battle.
If we were told tomorrow was our last day, we'd want to be able to continue living the way we are now, not making those last minute adjustments we should have been making a lifetime ago.

I'd just like to end with a quote by Thomas S. Monson-
“We know not the day nor the hour of His coming, but of this you may feel assured. You stand close to the great day of the Lord. In his words of modern revelation we say to you “seek the face of the Lord always.” You live in the midst of economic, political and spiritual instability. When you see these signs unmistakable evidences that his coming is nigh. Be not troubled but stand in holy places and be not moved until the day of the Lord come.”

And I'll end with my testimony.
Any suggestions?

Ande turned TWO!

Last night Ande came up to me and said
"Daddy sleeping?"
I said "No daddy buh-bye".
"Oh daddy buh-bye outside"
"Yes, daddy is gone"
"Where's Luna...outside?" (Luna is the moon to her)
"Luna's sleeping"
"Oh! Luna outside sleeping?" (at that point she brings up her two hands to the side of her face)
"Yes Ande, Luna's sleeping outside, you smarty"
Then she laughed and went on with her day

She can now count to three, sometimes both ways.
Whatever she does, she has to give it to everyone in the room (high fives, hugs, kisses, etc).
She tells me her name, and shows and tells me how old she is.
She gives us high fives, "bams" our fist, and tells us "peace out, dudes"
She can name basically everybody part, even back which shocked me when she said it.
She can name and make a lot of animal sounds.
She loves Tinkerbell, and wants to watch it everyday, and will look for her wherever we are. She also loves 'oobby oo' (Scooby Doo) and tells us about Ariel.
She has pride in the fact that she can jump.
She knows all of the close family members, and she asks about "bapa, mama, and doggy" frequently.
She loves being outdoors, and taking in all of the sites.
And she still loves her baba, and sleeping with her sisters on weekends.

Now we just need to work on potty training.

Texting and Driving

I strongly reccomend you check this out! It gave me a headache but still try to play. It made me realize how hard it would be though. I couldn't even drive (let alone text) because of the set up of the game. Hopefully its because it was going really fast and the buttons were weird and it had nothing to do with me and how I would drive.

Anyways, don't know what more to say about it. Have fun.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/19/technology/20090719-driving-game.html?ref=technology

My Blessings (in no particular order)

1. The piano in my house
2. Music
3. Examples in my life (Grandma, Young Womens Leaders, Mother, Prophet's Wives, etc)
4. My tender mercies
5. Sacrifices made for me
6. Celeste
7. Book of Mormon
8. Ande
9. Paying my tithing (it just makes me happy)
10. My home
11. Technology (computers, phones, ways of communication)
12. Concerned People
13. My Testimony
14. My trials (past ones that have taught me SOO much)
15. My calling in church
16. School (it's finally becoming challenging)
17. Chocolate
18. My clean house (I spent this whole week cleaning it, it feels so nice, even though I'm the ONLY one cleaning to keep it up, which pretty much stinks like a garbage can)
19. Prophet
20. Seminary
21. My voice
22. My opinions
23. My stregnth to stand up for myself
24. When I'm steadfast and immovable
25. You readers.

Sorry, that's kind of all over the place.

A Very Personal Post

I have no title for this blog. I have no theme, or subject for this blog. All I'm going to say, is I'm alive, I'm here and I'm at a loss for words.
Life is going on. Life will continue to go on. Life will never cease to go on. So here's me waiting for the storm to pass. I'm at the point right now where, I can't decide if I'm going to sit inside reading a book by the window with a blanket, or I"m going to put on my rain boots and go dance in the rain. I'm sorry if I seem distant to you. Sorry if I"m not being as outgoing as I should be, or if I'm not talking to you. Right now I'm fighting a battle within myself. I have a couple of paths I could take, and I'm not sure which one is the right one. So for now, I'm standing here waiting for the right opportunity. I really really don't want to make another mistake like in the past, after I already have had to go through that lesson. It would really be a stinky situation.
So give me a day, a week, maybe a month, and then I'll be back to normal, that is as normal as I can get, and as long as I made the right decision with my life.
Here's hoping for the best.

Lifes Not Fair Sometimes

People are being people. Parents are being parents. Siblings are being DEVILS. Friends are definitley NOT being friends. Commitement holders are NOT being commitement holders. Loads are too much to carry. Promises are being broken. Essays are not printing. Phones are being unplugged. Shoulders to cry on are not available. Clean houses are being messed up (in matter of seconds). Adult worries are being placed on teenage shoulders. Tears just keep coming. Adults are being careless, like 7 year olds. Teenagers are being, well teenagers and being obnoxious and loud. People are being hypocrites. Party's are failing. No one's supportive. Prayers aren't getting answered. And to top it all off, I just remembered I'm playing piano in seminary tomorrow, and I didn't practice a song.
Goodnight


(I'll take this off in a couple of days when I calm myself down)

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

I watched this video and it made me think, how would my life change...for the better.
I would speak differently to my siblings.
I would do more acts of service.
I would speak up for people and beliefs in school.
I would use a nicer tone.
I would use more self control over my thoughts.
I would waste less time.
I would improve each shining moment.
And what scares me, is what about the little things?
Like music, I think I'm pretty good at watching what I'm listening to, but how much better can I do?
With T.V., although I haven't watched it for about a month, when I do, what things are not good.
With what I say with friends. Gossiping, negativity, secretly putting others down, even when it's not my intent.

What does my character show to people? Am I an example of the believers?

So this week I'm going to try it. I'm going to remember the Savior is standing right beside me.
I know that if I do it diligently, and remember, this will affect my life completly for the better.
If you'd like to join me, feel free.

Book of Mormon

I started reading my Book of Mormon on August 8th. That Saturday and Sunday I read 200 pages. I couldn't put it down and I wanted to keep reading. So I made it a goal to read it that week, then it got pushed to two weeks, and finally a month. But I decided, a month is a month and I can't push it any farther than that.
So over the next three weeks I read three hundred pages. Then Friday (this one) came and I had 200 pages left. That night I stayed up until 12:30 reading. On Saturday I had 140 to read. But I was determined. I read from 10-1:30 and was so bored and tired, but I couldn't let myself down, and I finished.
I read the family version, so it helped me understand what was going on, and helped with the confusing scripture talk. I kept a journal of what I was reading and I also kept track of the hours since I'm doing it for my Personal Progress Virtue project. I have 20 pages of front and back standard paper filled with my thoughts on individual verses and things that connected while reading. Also, it took me 18 hours to complete. Such a small, at the same time large, amount of time that I gave to my Heavenly Father.
My final goal was to bear my testimony on the Book of Mormon the fast Sunday after I finished. It just so happens that that Sunday was the day after I finished so it was all fresh on my mind. I got up in the morning knowing I had to make it to sacrement meeting, and knowing that I was going to stand up there. When the time came I didn't even think about it, I just walked up. But when I got up there, everything I had thought over in my mind disappeared and I fumbled for words. I rambled on and couldn't put my thoughts together. I think it was terrible. After I was done, I walked out the side I was so embarassed, and I kind of wanted to bury my head. But I walked back in there and sat through the rest of the meeting.
I first read the Book of Mormon with my ward, a 60 day challenge and I thought I learned a lot. I've always heard that if you read it again, you learn so much more but I didn't realize it until I experienced it myself. Sometimes it was like reading a whole different book. It was amazing! I feel like I have a greater understanding and a deeper love for the book and the church. I now have a record of my thoughts that I can turn to when I feel the storm is too strong or the world has influenced me to doubt. I have such a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father and I'm so grateful for that.
If you have any extra time and you aren't already, I challenge you to read the Book of Mormon. It brought such a sweet spirit into my life that I really needed. It makes all the difference when I'm at school, facing such diverse values and comfort levels of teenagers around me. It reminds me of who I am, and where I'm going. I think everyone could use that reminder every once in a while.

"I Will Not Fail Thee" by Derek Hegsted

Just a quick picture that I love. I really want this to be framed in my room. I love it so much and sometimes wish that I was that girl in the painting. Then I remember, all of God's children are there, if they choose to be.

Musical Progress

Well, I'm not sure how to start this post so I guess I will just jump right into it.
For piano I can now play pretty much any song through for the Phantom of the Opera. I will make a couple of mistakes per page, but considering how many notes are being played, I feel blessed.
I used to cry when people could play and I couldn't. When my grandma offered to give us piano lesssons I was estatic. I knew that my dream would become reality. I wanted to be able to play Fur Elise. That was my only wish. But then something happened and I stopped taking lessons. But that didn't stop me! I kept taking the information I had learned in choir classes and reading my lesson book and I began playing. Granted, I don't know any theory, but I can play just fine.
Now I'm really getting into Phantom. I love it. It is emotionally captivating to me. I want to be sucked into the music. And now I'm starting to sing along with it. I love it. I wish I was in musical and plays sometimes. I really wish our ward did roadshows. I've heard a lot about them, and how they used to do them being in the small town that I live in, but they don't anymore. I looked up information for St. George Musical Theater and the next play is "White Christmas". Sounds interesting enough.
I wish I was taking voice lessons. I am in the school choir that's basically madrigals for girls, but I feel like I'm not getting out of it what I need. Something about my voice I just don't like. I wish I could fix it. I want one on one instruction on how to do it. I love singing along to the piano. I've been practicing and I can do it pretty well now. I just miss Celeste. She was the perfect singing companion for Phantom. I kind of want to sing in sacrement. Most people think I'm crazy for that fact, but I want a challenge. I think it would be spiritualy filling to duet "I Stand All Amazed" or "Love One Another". Plus it would be a fun challenge to work on.
I also wish I was in dance. When I see people dancing any type; ballroom, jazz, lyrical, ballet, etc., it makes me want to get up there and join them. I took a dance class when I was 10 but I only took it for one year and then it was too far to take me. I still loved it though. I want to be on a professional team. I know it takes a lot of skill to get to that level though. But while writing this I had a feeling. I wonder, if I applied myself like I did to piano I could do it. I think I'm going to talk to my mom tonight about getting into classes. Let's just see if I can being how old I am.
Well, I think this is plenty random enough. There's no point really to it, sorry.


P.S. Well, August 22, 2009, I put on a blog stat counter. I've reached 40 views! Thanks (:. I guess more people check my blog than I thought.