Come listen to living prophets

Sunday, December 25, 2011

The Greatest Gift


Today my ward was combined with two others for a combined Christmas sacrament meeting. There were several beautiful musical numbers along with an incredible talk by one of the most revered men in my community. He talked about the gifts that we could give our families and the Savior. What stood out most to meet was when he said, "The greatest gift that we can give our families is our testimony of the Savior". He went on to talk about a particular bible that had been handed down throughout several generations of his family and how it represented the continuation of faith throughout those generations. I too have been blessed to have members of the church as my ancestors, some of them pioneers that made the trek west to the Salt Lake Valley. This evening my family and I watched the film 17 Miracles, which gives an account of the Willie and Martin handcart company and the trials they experienced coming to the Salt Lake Valley. Some of my own ancestors were a part of that company, and I'm eternally grateful that despite the horrendous trials they had to endure, they maintained their faith and overcame those tribulations. I would most certainly agree that one of the greatest gifts I have in this life is knowing that my parents have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That knowledge has made all the difference in my life, and I plan to see that it has the same presence in my future family.

I hope that during this season we all remember what our Savior Jesus Christ has done for us through His infinite and eternal Atonement and all that He continues to do for us. I know He lives and that because He does, I will too after this life. I'm grateful to know that through His power on earth, I have the opportunity to be with my family after this life. Merry Christmas to you all!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Occupy Hollywood

It’s official. Hollywood has hit an all-time low when the likes of a horror/zombie film director decides to desecrate a timeless literary classic by blasting it with ridiculous action sequences and totally unnecessary 3-D. To see minds young and old are becoming deluded and contaminated by such material is unadulterated sacrilege to our greatest literary works. It is sickening to view a film whose only relation to the book from which it was inspired is the title itself. Such intolerable reinterpretations, revamps, and reimaginings must come to an end. Once, the likes of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings graced the silver screen. Now we must shed a tear as we preview The Three Musketeers and watch as an amazing novel is turned into pure CG drivel. There is something terribly wrong when 1% of the films on the big screen do justice to the books upon which they draw inspiration from, while the other 99% make untold amounts of money off of gratuitous special effects and terrible casting. We will not stand for such refuse to permeate our TV screens, laptops, or iPods. We call upon all directors, producers, and screenwriters to discontinue these horrid and cruel misinterpretations, these disgraceful portrayals of the greatest literary works of mankind. We, as the common people, refuse to purchase Redboxes, attend film screenings, and download Netflix versions of our beloved novels unless they contain an interpretation of those same novels which the authors would be proud of. OCCUPY HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!

Monday, December 19, 2011

4 Years Ago...

To the date, I made a decision that would change my life forever. I entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT in preparation to serve in the Colorado Colorado Springs Mission. If you had told me back then everything that was going to happen in the next 2.5 years, I'd have told you that you were crazy. If someone had told me that I would come home for six months due to unforseen medical conditions, I'd have laughed in your face and told you I couldn't do it. If you'd have mentioned I'd spend the last third of my mission in a town of less than 1,000 people, I'd have asked my mission president to never let me go there.

But, if you'd also have told me that those six months would teach me more than any six months prior to my mission, that I would eventually overcome those medical conditions, that in that town of less than 1,000 people I would have more baptisms than I did in any other area, I wouldn't change a thing. And nor would I today.

I hate to sound like everyone else in the church, but to all you young men out there, you really have to experience a mission for yourself to be able to relate to the experiences of mission life. They are so personal and unique. I gained a testimony in the field more than ever that our Heavenly Father knows us by name and is aware of our individual situations. I know I spent my last blogpost talking about this as well, but I don't think I can emphasize just how important this choice in your life is. Nothing in the world can compare to this experience. Those who choose to not serve missions are not less loved by God, nor do RM's necessarily receive a higher degree of glory than them either. But it will help build upon your testimony to give you a lifetime of experiences from which you can draw upon. To all those who have served, never forget what this experience means to you and stay true to the covenants you have made and the things you know to be true. Too many RM's are making rather poor life decisions and not living up to the standards they did before. Remember what you taught others on your mission, that our Savior Jesus Christ lived and died for us. He lives for us today and through the Atonement, we may become clean from our sins and live with our Father in Heaven again with our families. That knowledge is what keeps me going and I'll be forever grateful for my mission continually reminding me of the importance of that knowledge.

Friday, December 9, 2011

In the Service of Your God



I stumbled upon this video without really looking today, but man is it powerful. Growing up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there was virtually never a time where I questioned serving a mission for the church. As my testimony continued to grow as a teenager, so did my desire to serve. It wasn't until I got out into the field I began to struggle. I knew I was supposed to be serving but I didn't know for myself why. One young woman in particular challenged my feelings about serving a mission and made me rethink why I had come out to Colorado to share the gospel. That experience changed the rest of my mission and my life. As I took the time to pray earnestly and search the scriptures diligently for an answer to my questions, I learned for myself that whether or not I saw a lot of baptisms in my time as a missionary was irrelevant. What really mattered was my devotion to sharing this priceless message with my spiritual brothers and sisters and doing my best to help them recognize their relationship with their Father in Heaven. In so doing, I would be a lot more likely to bring souls to Christ.

I'm so grateful for people who I met on my mission that changed my life forever. I had the opportunity to be an influence for good in the lives of many, but I feel like so many more helped me personally. For all of you young men out there wondering if you should serve a mission, I strongly encourage you to pray earnestly to your Father in Heaven and find out for yourself the power for good you can be in someone's life by being a missionary, and the blessings that will come regardless of where you serve. Some may feel I mention the blessings of my mission a little more frequently than is necessary, but I don't think I can emphasize that point enough. My mission has made me who I am today in so many ways. You will be amazed at how many people you meet like the woman in this video who leave an imprint on your life that cannot be erased. If you know anyone who is currently serving, consider taking the time to write to them and remind them to never give up, especially when things get difficult. Letters from home mean the world to missionaries, and motivational ones even more so.

Monday, December 5, 2011

FHE Caroling!


Tonight as our last FHE group activity, we had the opportunity to go and carol to several houses nearby. We also collected cans for the food bank. It amazed me how much some people were willing to give when we asked and the happiness so apparent in their faces. We brought several bags and within fifteen minutes, one had been completely filled and broken. It was a great experience to be a part of. The kids we ran into were priceless as well. They reminded me what a special season this is and the power music has to bring the Spirit into our lives.
I knew no one in my FHE family when I first started attending FHE this semester, but I've made many awesome friends as a result. For all you YSAs out there, I know FHE may not sound like the funnest thing to do on a Monday night, especially when there's papers to be written, tests to be studied for, and sleep to be found. But I have no doubt that when we make attending these events a priority, the Lord blesses us beyond what we would expect. Thanks to all those in my FHE family this semester! It has been a blast getting to know you all and spending some great times with you.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Not Your Average Christmas Song



So in light of the awesome Christmas devotional given by the First Presidency tonight, I thought I'd offer up one of my favorite "Christmasy" songs. It's by a band called Flyleaf that typically does alternative metal (which I rather enjoy) but this song is pretty low key acoustics. The message of the song really speaks for itself. All I have to add is that I am eternally grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ coming into this world and laying down His life for me so that I could overcome both sin and death. Without Him, redemption and returning to the presence of our Heavenly Father would be impossible. I'm also so grateful for the earthly parents of the Savior, Mary and Joseph, for having the courage and willingness to bring Him into the world. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be given that calling, and I'm sure they felt like it was extremely daunting. They have become examples to me and I hope that I will have the same courage to do whatever the Lord asks of me.

Why (500) Days of Summer Should Be Required Viewing for all BYU Students


Romantic comedies are more than abundant around Provo and most students can quote them infinitely better than Shakespeare. And yet, a movie like (500) Days of Summer has the ability to take the genre and put a completely new spin on it. Perhaps not new, just untried in the world of film. The truth is, we all can relate to this story to some degree or another. Too often, we wish we could have a Hollywood-worthy romance story, when in reality, no one's life really plays out like that. (500) Days of Summer I think is one of the few romantic dramedies that really catches the essence of dating life, and its something that a lot of us here at BYU wish we could figure out.
The non-linear approach to the life of Tom Hansen is anything but conventional in your average romantic comedy. But, the sporadic narrator doesn't fail to inform us what kind of movie we'll be viewing before we see it. The ending is evident from minute one and shouldn't come as any form of surprise. Why I particularly liked this film is I feel like I can relate to SO much of it. Tom's uncertainty, frustrations about the relationship, anger and depression following the conclusion of the relationship, is all real. Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a perfect performance and Zooey Deschanel provides the flawless companion to play opposite.
I think what Joseph Gordon-Levitt had to say about why he wanted the role pretty well sums up why the film became such a success and why people can relate to it. He said, "I've had my heart broken before. Truly, truly broken. But when I look back at me in my heartbroken phase, it's pretty hilarious, because it felt so much more extreme than it really was. One of the things I love about (500) Days of Summer is that it doesn't make light of what we go through in romances, but it is honest about it and shows it for what it is, which is often profoundly funny".
In life, hardly anything goes the way we plan it. Sometimes, when we're in the moment, our emotions can have complete control over us, and consume our lives completely. But, as we return in retrospect, we find that those moments gave us incredible perspective and experience. That's what this story is really about more than anything and that's why I still keep coming back to it.
I too felt much like Tom in his recollection of days past. When asked by his younger sister where things went wrong, he can never really put his finger on it. Of course, he should have understood from the beginning what he was getting into. It's like everything makes sense in some ways, and yet there is still complete confusion. Sometimes things just plain don't make sense in the moment we're experiencing them. No matter how many times we rewind the videotape in our minds, no matter how we try and imagine how things could have been different, it doesn't change the past. However, we can choose how those experiences will affect our future. While there is a great deal of uncertainty in the ending, we can see that Tom chooses rather than to give up all hope on love entirely, to still be willing to take his chances.
I really wish this could have a sequel, not because I'm sequel happy, but because I'd like to see the reflections that Tom has upon this experience and how it affects his future. But I suppose, that could throw some interesting complications into the storytelling process.
So if this hasn't convinced you go to go find a copy and check out this totally awesome flick, I'll summarize what I learned from this pic (not necessarily in any particular order):
1. Don't read too hard into things. We're better at psyching ourselves out than anyone else.
2. The term "out of my league" is relative.
3. There is no such thing as "soul-mates" or "the one".
4. It is incredibly difficult for a relationship to progress or survive if both partners are not on the same page as to what the relationship means to them.
5. Expressions of affection mean different things to different people.
6. During relationships, we can be at our emotional highest of highs and lowest of lows, sometimes within short time-spans.
7. Some of the best dates don't cost a dime.
8. Life rarely goes as we plan it.
9. Sometimes, no matter how many times we rewind the memories in our head, we can't change the past. But, we can always have the courage to live in the present.
10. Breakups are tough, but you can get over them, no matter how deep the wound to the heart is.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Reflections on my 23rd Year

Two years ago this time I got some rather intriguing news. My mission president informed me that I might have a brand new missionary coming to my area, although it was halfway through the transfer. Thinking that it was my president just thinking well ahead of time, as he always did, I tried not to worry about it, given that so much could change in the next several weeks and by the time this missionary did arrive into the field, my president would find someone else to train him. The next day he called me on the phone and almost immediately after greeting me asked me, "Are you ready to train?" I swallowed my fear and just said "Yup." I couldn't have felt more unprepared for the situation. While I had been in the field for a total of about eighteen months, there was a great deal that unnerved me about training a brand new missionary. I knew that I would have a great influence on him, for better or worse. I didn't want to be the kind of trainer who's new missionary had to be "re-trained" as a result of my experience with them.
That experience was just one among many that taught me that if there's one thing consistent in life, its change. Throughout my first 23 years of life I've been taught this lesson, especially in this last year itself. I suppose I will continue to be retaught it so long as Heavenly Father wants to me to keep learning, but I can tell you this much about change: ultimately, it can always be to our benefit. For my Literature and Film class, I had to read A Grief Observed by the amazing C.S. Lewis. In this account by Lewis, he chronicles the emotional journey he underwent after the death of his wife. It is an incredible book, many passages of which are highlighted in my copy. One quote in particular stands out to me: "When I lay these questions [pertaining to the death of my wife] before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of 'No answer'. It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent, certainly not uncompassionate, gaze. As though He shook His head not in refusal, but waiving the question. Like, 'Peace, child; you don't understand.'... Heaven will solve our problems, but not, I think, by showing us subtle conciliations bewteen all our apparently contradictory notions. The notions will all be knocked from under our feet. We shall see that there never was any problem." In the moment of our trials, it's as if they are on a canvas the size of a wall, and we are right up against that wall, staring it in the face, trying to make sense of it. It takes stepping back and viewing it in perspective of everything else in order to have them make sense. I suppose we really won't be able to do that to the fullest extent until after this life, but I am grateful that the Lord gives us opportunities to see the bigger picture from time to time. I believe that it will take His knowledge and understanding to interpret the canvas upon which lie the details of our life, but knowing that He knows makes all the difference for me.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The Kind of Dad I Hope to Be

I have been so very blessed to grow up with and still have an amazing father alive and well today. I never knew how much influence he had on me until I left my home. I regularly turned to him for advice and help with just about everything and it was very difficult for me getting used to not having that same privilege on my mission. I'm so grateful he's no more than a phone call away, whenever I need him.

As I was glancing through articles on a website I frequent, I came across a particularly outstanding one. The author is pretty well known in the LDS community and writes a weekly column for this website. I don't always read his articles, but when I do, they are almost always exceptional. In this particular article the author reflects on his soon-to-be 16-year-old daughter and what he wished he knew when he was her age. I expected him to rattle off a typical list of dumb things we wish we could have avoided when we were that age in high school, but he placed more emphasis on his relationship with her. To quote, "I want my daughter to know that when I’m impatient, I love her. When I’m working late at my office on an immovable deadline, I love her. When she makes mistakes and hurts her mother’s feelings, I love her. She knows how much I love to write. But does she know I love her more? She knows how much I love my golf, tennis, church and political buddies. But does she know I love her more? She knows how much I love tacos, desserts, book signings, speaking engagements and ESPN. But does she know I love her more?"- http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395010/What-I-wish-Id-known-when-I-turned-16.html?pg=1

Again, I'm so blessed to have a father who always made me a priority and never failed to show his love for me. We weren't without our disagreements at times, but to this day, I know that whatever advice my dad gives me, he does it out of complete sincerity and love for me. I hope to have that same kind of relationship with my own children someday and plan to make it the best I can.


This song never fails to move me. It expresses the incredible bond that a father and his child can have. I'm also infinitely grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves me beyond my comprehension. I'm so glad He allows me to have trials that give me the opportunity to develop a better relationship with Him and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Monday, November 28, 2011

All's Well That Ends Well in the Twilight Saga... Almost

To begin, I'll spare everyone the poster image for the film. Really all you have to do is imagine the front cover of any romance novel you'd see on the shelves of Wal-Mart and you've got the right idea. So I had to go see Breaking Dawn: Part 1 this weekend for my Literature and Film class (and no, that is not some ridiculous excuse to hide a closet Twi-hard, this was a legit assignment) and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The more I say that out loud though, the more I'm starting to realize that's really not saying much. It's also a somewhat inaccurate definition that requires more explanation. I believe that the film as a whole was the faster moving than the first two, but slightly slower than Eclipse. There was same dull acting, same terrible script, and it was still as ridiculous as its predecessors, and I'll explain why.
Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT TO BE DISCUSSED (as if any Twi-hard reading this hasn't already read the books or at least is unaware of the plot summary). I'm truly baffled by where the filmmakers chose to end the film. From an unread viewer of these films, I didn't see a compelling need to have a Part 2 to the story. Bella became a vampire. Jacob imprinted on Reneesme (don't know the spelling on that one and don't care to figure it out for purposes of this blog). Where does this story really have anywhere to go? Even my sister, who read the books and watched the movie with me, didn't really understand what would really compel them to try and split it into another film. I mean, sure we could watch Bella have her first hunt, but I don't think that's really going to be anything more exciting (or painful) than action scenes we were subjected to view in Eclipse. Ok, so if you waited for 4 or 5 minutes as the credits began to roll you could see the Volturi (who appeared to be having a WHOLE lot more fun playing their role than in the past. I can't help but wonder if they weren't slipped the same thing that got put in Rick Perry's drink before one of his recent press conferences, before they began filming that scene) discussing their desire to possess something that Bella and Edward had. But it didn't exactly create a great deal of suspense for me. Perhaps just because I know that nothing of great significance will happen in Part 2. Perhaps just because I never cared to begin with. All I gotta say is, if the filmmakers were trying to create a huge sense of exhilaration to see Part 2, they pretty much failed in my opinion. Honestly, I thought they were going to cut off the film so many times. There were so many perfect moments: the preparation for war between Jacob's clan and the Cullens, Bella's constant struggle between life and death... I'm confused. I mean, even when I went and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, I knew what was going to happen. Voldemort obtaining the Elder Wand didn't come as a huge shock to me, but seeing them cut it off right there and knowing the impending war that awaited made me more excited than ever to see Part 2. There was no sense of that watching Breaking Dawn Part 1, so sadly, (or perhaps happily for those of you, like myself, that greatly dislike Twilight) there's a good chance you will not see a review for Part 2 on my blog. I have to hand it to the filmmakers and Stephanie Meyer though. Despite their lack of talent in writing and creating decent books and films, they manage to attract huge audiences to their films and books. May I just say in conclusion that if ever you thought the series was weird at any point, this film reaches the climax of weirdness, and were it not for its dedicated audience of teenage girls across the world, I don't know how these films/books would ever have gotten as far as they have.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Short Post On Gratitude

Since I tend to be long winded on just about everything I write, I'm going to keep this short, not to mention this is a little belated with the passing of Thanksgiving.

Top 5 Things I'm Thankful For (not necessarily in any order):

1) My Amazing Family
Having six younger sisters and a younger brother may not be everyone's idea of fun, but I wouldn't have it any other way for me. Each one of them is unique and easy to love. They do more for me than I recognize most of the time.

2) Food
Ok, so I didn't serve a foreign mission where I had to give up my favorite Thanksgiving foods for two years, but I met plenty of people who struggled to put food on the table for themselves and their families. It didn't take long for me to realize as a missionary that I might not have the money to buy all the food I wanted, but I certainly never had to worry if I was going to be eating the next day or not.
3) Memories
I don't get to see many of my best friends from my childhood very often, but on days like today where I get that opportunity, I'm so grateful I have great memories to look back on with them. There are plenty of memories that I wish I could erase from my mind, but there are so many more that I hope I never forget.
4) Movies
I don't need to say much here given my prior posts. This is something quite temporal and that I could learn to live without, but I hope I never have to. They are my favorite escape from reality.
5) A New Job
Early morning custodial jobs aren't the most desirable form of employment, but I'm so grateful to have something steady to help cover my bills and one that doesn't directly conflict with any of my classes.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Borrowing Faith and Light



So this is one of my favorite Christian/gospel songs (don't judge the song by the name of the artist!). I'm not sure if that's the proper genre designation, but that's what comes to my mind. I had never heard it until I was on my mission and one of my companions introduced me to a bunch of this kind of music. This one particularly struck me because at this point on my mission, I was really beginning to wonder if I was going to make it. I had to return home for six months because of unforseen medical complications and before I could return to my original mission in Colorado Springs, I was asked to serve in my home mission, Mesa Arizona, for a few months to make sure I was up to the task again. I wanted more than anything to go back out, but sometimes I just wasn't sure how I'd make the transition back to my original mission, if they'd let me at all. There was also a strong possibility I would stay in the Mesa mission, and as much as I grew to love the people there, I desperately wanted to go back to Colorado. I'm so grateful that I had the incredible companion that I did who always stood by my side and helped me through everything I faced at that time. This song reminds me of him because he reached out to me and helped me go forward when I didn't know if I could.

Now, let me make a clarification here. I don't believe that living on borrowed faith or light permanently is by any means a good idea. It is not a source that can be substituted for our own faith. However, in the moments when my faith is weaker than it usual, I believe its ok to turn to others for help to strengthen our faith. I'm so glad that I have people around me to turn to for help. I won't name specifics, but you know who you are. Thank you for helping me get through experiences that I couldn't possibly on my own.

I also believe that the Savior also says this to us in essence. In D&C 17:8 it says, "And if you [keep my commandments] which I have given you, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you, and you shall be lifted up at the last day". He knows that we are imperfect and that we are going to struggle at times, and He performed the Atonement so we could overcome them. I'm so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost, and how it helps us to feel the love and power of our Savior's Atonement not only for our sins, but for our hard times as well. We will be able to find peace in His love when it seems that no other source can provide that love we yearn for as we follow His commandments and keep our covenants with Him. Looking back on those moments of my life always fills me with gratitude knowing that the Lord has been with me the entire time, and will continue to be with me through the remainder of my days. I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

We Are Never Forgotten



This hasn't been the easiest of weeks for me, which explains my lack of posts since Monday. Usually I have a plethora of ideas coming into my head for my posts, but my mind has been a little more lost than usual. Today I decided to go to the temple and do an endowment session for the first time in too long. I enjoy doing other ordinances in the temple, but there's something special to me about doing endowment sessions.

As I sat pondering in the temple, I turned to one of my favorite sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 122, where the Lord is counseling Joseph Smith and reassuring him that even though his situation at the moment looks bleaker than ever, things will work out, and it will ultimately be for his good. As I read over verse 8, I was reminded of a truth I had forgotten for a moment. "The Son of Man hath descended below [all things]. Art thou greater than he?" I know the Lord doesn't play favorites, but if He did, surely the Savior would be it. And yet, even He suffered pain. Pain beyond that which I cannot comprehend with my mortal mind. Knowing that reminds me that the Lord allows me to experience trials to help me become the person that He wants to be, and even though I don't understand all the reasons why, these trying experiences will be for my good. This video is a musical rendition of this scripture, combined with Isaiah 54:10, from a recent musical about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. It is so powerful, and I never fail to hear this song in my head when I read either of these scriptures. They also remind me that the Lord is more than aware of us and our trials, that His kindness will never depart from us, and that we are never forgotten.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Movie Critics/Analysts: Can You Trust Them?


(Special thanks to Ashley Lewis for finding this priceless picture. I promise it totally relates to the post)
I don't think it's a mystery that I am a huge movie freak and know ridiculous bits of trivia about all kinds of movies, but if it was, it won't be after this post. I'm always interested in the top 10 movies of the week and although I can't always give exact figures, I can usually tell you what films are doing the best at the moment and for the year as a whole. That being said, I sometimes question the validity of movie analysts/critics. Let me rephrase that, I ALWAYS question their validity. They are about as trustworthy at times as the thought of Edward Cullen being a good boyfriend/spouse. Case in point, today I was reading the box office report for the past weekend on Deseret News' website. I was not the least bit surprised to see what the top film of the weekend was (Immortals, the latest outing from the creators of 300). However, I couldn't believe what I was reading when the writer mentioned that the opening of Breaking Dawn: Part 1 would only draw in the young women demographic. Following that was this quote: "There's really not another action movie until you approach the Christmas holidays," said Kyle Davies, head of distribution for Relativity [who distributed Immortals]. "Over the next few weeks, there's no real competition for us."
Now, Davies is right that there isn't any competition until Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows opens in a month, but he is DEAD wrong if he thinks Immortals doesn't need to worry about competition from Breaking Dawn. While it won't steal much of Immortals' main audience, it has an entire nation chock full of crazed teenage girls that will be rushing to the midnight showings and will likely beat the records of the first three films. Let's turn the clocks for a second and rewind to 2008 when Twilight first opened. Its midnight showings pulled in a meager $7 million, but went on to gross $392 million worldwide. New Moon broke all time box office records for midnight showings getting $26.3 million in its first night alone, going on to gross $570 million worldwide. Eclispe once again broke its records with about $30 million in midnight showings and nearly $700 million worldwide. As much as I personally loathe and despise the series and wish such money was not wasted on films that are even worse than the books, Davies is either in denial or completely ignorant of these figures if he thinks Immortals has nothing to worry about for the next month.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

An Awesome Weekend


Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer at the local teen book fair at the Provo Library. I got to be crowd control (in essence) in the Art Gallery for those who would come to get their books signed by the authors you see above: (L to R) Elana Johnson, Kristen Landon, Ally Condie, and Robison Wells. When people started to come in large lines, me and another girl would write their names on sticky notes and put them on their books to speed up the signing process. To be completely honest, I personally wanted this position to talk to Ally some more because I LOVE her books, but since she's so popular, she got a much bigger room entirely to herself for twice as much time as the other authors on the floor above. I stayed for another hour afterwards to listen to all four of the authors on a Q&A panel and asked Ally afterwards for her to sign my book. I explained I had been volunteering beforehand and didn't have a chance to leave during that time. She was way nice about it and signed my book. Rob (the author to her right on the panel) gave her a hard time for writing as much as she did and said, "Wow, you actually write a lot in there. i just sign people's books," and she told him to stop or she'd mess up what she was writing, which she didn't.
Today has been an amazing Sunday. The talks were so well done by the speakers. They had a central theme of The Book of Mormon, but each took a talk from the October Ensign from one of the apostles talking about the Book of Mormon and the role it plays in our lives. Then today in our New Testament class we covered a broad range of topics, one of them being making our calling and election sure. One particular scripture that stood out to me that we covered was 2 Peter 1:10. It reminded me how being diligent doesn't promise that our lives will be covered in butterflies and roses, but that we will be able to accomplish the things we need to and we will never fall. Sometimes I think Heavenly Father allows me to have the same trials, or ones similar to those in the past, because I never learn what I should have in the first place. I think one of those is having the ability to let go of things that we can't control. I'm so prone to want things to go just how I plan them and if they don't, there must be something that I can do to change them. But sometimes there's not. We just need to keep pressing forward with faith in Christ, knowing that someday, all the reasons for our struggles in this life will make sense, and they will be eternally worth it.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Letting the Savior Into Our Lives

I've been pondering a lot about some of the trials I've been facing lately and as I was listening to Elder Hales' talk in conference about Waiting Upon the Lord, this scripture and image came to my mind. I still remember this picture hanging in my room throughout my childhood and up until I left on my mission. I had no idea as a child how much this scripture would come to mean to me later in my life.
I can't tell you how many times I knocked on people's doors in my mission who would only yell from behind the door, but never open them. I can remember having an extended conversation from behind a door with a less active member that we had been trying to contact for some time. I remember just wishing that they would allow us to come inside so we could talk to them face-to-face and help them straighten out the things that were going wrong at the time.
Unfortunately, I tend to do this sometimes in my own life. I can get so caught up with the craziness of life that the Savior tends to get pushed out of my house, and He comes knocking again and again for me to let Him back in. I believe that our trials are one of the ways that the Savior continually knocks on our doors and pleads for us to let Him help us. I'm grateful that He never gives up on any of us, no matter how long we've left Him standing outside. He will always be waiting for us to let Him back in.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

2 Awesome Songs For The Day

So, many of you have probably seen the first video. I finally watched it for the first time yesterday and it is simply wonderful. I'm not entirely sure why I'm always hesitant at first with listening to new music by Hilary Weeks, but once I do warm up to it, I'm hooked. This video really helped put things into perspective for me yesterday.




This is just a song, not a music video, but it's awesome nonetheless. This has also helped me keep a good perspective and remember that "disaster has a way of remaking our hearts".




I'm so grateful for music and the incredible power that it has in our lives. I wish I was better at writing it, and I'm grateful for those who are so willing to share theirs.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Letting Go and Holding On


President Packer gave an outstanding talk tonight. At the beginning of his talk he told us to not worry about taking notes, but to pay more attention to what we would feel. I'm so glad that he did. He talked about so many things, but there were a few that really stood out to me. I was grateful to be reminded that through the Atonement, we can overcome all of our sins, and the guilt that comes from them can be washed away. It is incredible to consider that the One Being in this world, our Savior Jesus Christ, who did no wrong, would suffer for all of our sins, pains, and afflictions that we would ever have to face in this life. Through the Atonement, we can let go of anything that would attempt to hold us back.
Tonight as I have been pondering, I came across one of my favorite songs by Cherie Call called Holding On. In this song, she talks about some temporal things that she would like to get rid of, and some of the spiritual things that she will always hold on to. There's one stanza I absolutely love. It says:
"You can't keep a harvest moon, it fades away all too soon
And even the trees let go of their leaves
much quicker than you'd ever choose
So many people say goodbye, I see those
teardrops in their eyes And I start to wonder how I'd live without
love
And I'm glad I never have to try"
There's a lot of things that I've had to let go of in life, some of which have been very difficult that wish I never would have had to. But I know that despite my losses I will never have to worry about being surrounded by people who love and care about me. I couldn't ask for better family or friends in this life. I know that I sound like a broken record when I say this stuff, but they mean the world to me. I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ, the love that He has for me, and that His Atonement not only has the power to rid us of the guilt that comes from our sins, but that it can help heal our hearts and help us to overcome whatever trials that come our way. Through its power, we can eventually let go of any pain and sorrow that come from our hard times. I couldn't have possibly guessed a year ago what a year in Utah would teach me. There have been some very trying times, but there have been so many more good things that have come as a result. My trials have taught me so much and I hope that I will continue to learn all that Heavenly Father wants me to from them. I hope that I will continue to let go of the things that I need to, and hold on to those that matter most.
During the last transfer of my mission, it seemed Murphy's Law was working overtime on me. It seemed like every day I didn't know how I'd make it until the end of my mission. So many things that I had worked hard for seemed to backfire and fall apart on me. And while it didn't turn out how I wanted it to, I learned so much from those experiences, particularly that even when your world seems to be falling apart around you, The Lord can help you overcome all things. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything, because if ever there was a lesson I needed to learn, it was that one. The Lord knows the beginning from the end and He has a plan so much better than the one we do. That vision has stayed with me to this day and it helps me discern what I need to hold on to and what I need to let go of. I am so blessed.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Still Fighting Forward...


Earlier today this talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was posted by another one of my friends on her blog and I felt like such an amazing talk could use all the sharing it could get. As a disclaimer, if I could pick my favorite apostle to listen to, it would be Elder Holland. His talks never fail to move me. This one is among my most-frequently-referred-back-to-talks. As I was reading over it tonight, new things stood out to me that hadn't before. During the talk he refers to Moses and several of his experiences with receiving revelation and his efforts in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. He mentions how they lost sight of the amazing experiences that brought them out of Egypt and how they wanted to turn back.
In response to this, Elder Holland says, "How soon we forget. It would not have been better to stay and serve the Egyptians, and it is not better to remain outside the Church nor to reject a mission call nor to put off marriage and so on and so on forever. Of course our faith will be tested as we fight through these self-doubts and second thoughts. Some days we will be miraculously led out of Egypt--seemingly free, seemingly on our way--only to come to yet another confrontation, like all that water lying before us. At those times we must resist the temptation to panic and to give up. At those times fear will be the strongest of the adversary's weapons against us."
I would definitely say that fear is one of the greatest tools that Satan uses against me, and at times is effective in causing anxiety in my life. But, without fail, just like the Israelites, I can turn back to a myriad of experiences I've had where I know that I could not have possibly accomplished what I did without the help of the Lord. One of these experiences in particular was returning to the mission field after a combined six months of leave due to medical issues. In some cases, returning to the field after coming home, depending on the situation, is not a huge difficulty. But, in my case, it seemed the doors that lead back to returning to the field were being closed in every direction. I wanted desperately to go back to the field, and in time, it seemed I would, but the date seemed to be moving farther and farther into the future. Then, through the prayers and fasting of my parents, all the right doors opened at the right time, and my time for returning to my mission was put back on track. This experience, among so many others, always reminds me that ultimately the Lord knows infinitely better than me, and He will always be there to help me accomplish what He wants me to. Today I really needed to be reminded that, and to not turn back on those experiences that have brought me to where I am today.
Another quote that stood out to me was this, "Fighting through darkness and despair and pleading for the light is what opened this dispensation. It is what keeps it going, and it is what will keep you going".
Lesson learned: The fight isn't over, and I plan to keep on fighting it until the end of my days.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

A Visit from the Prophet!


Oh the joys of waiting in line for Pres. Monson's devotional today! I'm still amazed that there were people that slept in tents. I mean, I showed up at eight and the line was pretty small. But within twenty minutes of course, it was starting to get crazy. I'm so glad we got the chance to hear from Pres. Monson today. I love how the Spirit can teach us exactly what we need to know through people like him. Pres. Monson talked mainly about our influence that we can have on the world and the light that comes into our lives when we choose to follow the example of the Savior. He challenged us to be good examples so that others could feel the love of the Savior through us. I'm so grateful to the many people in my life that have done just that and have influenced me for the better. I think I came to see the greatest effects such an example can have while I was in the mission field through serving others and being served. This gospel is AMAZING! :)

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!





I'm not a fan of Halloween at all, except that it's another reason to get candy (as if I needed another) :). However, there have been a couple awesome activities that I've had the opportunity to be a part of the past few days. Friday night was a Murder Mystery Adventure at a friend's house and Becca and I got to dress up as Bill Nye's disgruntled lab assistants. Our objective was to knock off Chuck Norris, but we were a little too slow in figuring out exactly how to do that so we ended up just knocking off Bad Horse instead at the last second and became the new leaders of the Evil League of Evil. It was a lot of fun and I was surprised how well people stayed in character throughout the night!
Tonight we had a combined FHE activity. We made boats out of gourds and floated them down rain gutters that had been set up outside. Alas, I was unable to find good balance on mine, and by virtue of putting a sail in my gourd, it would not stay afloat. But it was great watching other people get so into it. Pretty heated competition. :) Happy Halloween!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

The Power of Temples and Covenants


Yesterday afternoon was an awesome stake conference meeting. Perhaps to the surprise of some, the focus was not eternal marriage, but the importance of temples and the significance they play in our lives. A member of the Provo temple presidency and his wife both spoke, along with members of the stake presidency and other members of the stake, and all of them gave outstanding talks. One of the best comments that I enjoyed was made by the wife and she said "The temple covenants are not restrictive, but that they are for our protection". The other day I saw an article in the New York Times that talked about the some of the restrictions we face at BYU and just the church as a whole like no tattoos and the like. In addition, they talked to some members that had found "ways around the rules" and what they did and listed their suggestions. You can read them here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/fashion/young-mormons-find-ways-to-be-hip.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=Rebelling%20if%20only%20just%20a%20little&st=cse&scp=1
Needless to say, I thought the concept was rather ridiculous. I mean, sure, I wish I didn't have to worry about shaving facial hair on a regular basis here at BYU, but I don't feel like its really limiting my agency or the ability to express myself. I know that the Lord has given us commandments for our ultimate benefit. Life's not really about what we're willing to live with sometimes; it's what we're willing to live without.
There were great talks given in the other session of stake conference today as well. There was a variety of topics covered. I was particularly impressed by a comment made in a talk by one of the Elders Quorum Presidents from my ward. He made the point that our futures will be glorious if we keep our covenants. I agree that no matter what happens in life, we can always rely upon the power of the Savior's Atonement and the covenants that we have made to give us strength. I'm so grateful that my parents taught me the importance of the temple, not just by putting up pictures in my home, but by attending on a regular basis. The temple pictured above is my favorite temple for many reasons, but especially because of the covenants that I made there and the many times I've been able to return to renew and remember them. I look forward to the day when I will have the opportunity to make more and receive the blessings that come from that. My life would not be the same without regular temple attendance. I'm so grateful to have one so close by here in Provo and I hope that we will all take advantage of the opportunities that we have to attend our own temples whenever we get the chance.
I had an interesting experience walking to campus Saturday morning. I made the commitment that I would focus my thoughts on what I had been studying earlier that morning from a General Conference talk, just to see if I could do it and I was amazed at how difficult it was. In just a matter of fifteen minutes, it was all I could do to not be distracted by everything that was going on around me. It was a reminder of how important it is to take time to go to the temple and take advantage of the opportunities to ponder and pray about the things that concern us the most. The Spirit is so strong there. It is my goal to not only endeavor to seek the Spirit while in the temple, but to bring it back home with me as well and make my own home a place where it can reside.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

One of the Reasons I'm Not A Big Fan of American Literature



So tonight during my American Literature class we got to talking about Emily Dickinson, but before we jumped into the discussion of her poems, we saw a brief PowerPoint presentation of her. On the first slide, beneath a picture of her, there was a quote from her that said, "I am one of the lingering bad ones". When I read that, I almost immediately thought of the girl in the picture above. For those of you who don't recognize her, she's a character in of of my favorite Disney movies, Meet the Robinsons. And if that doesn't jog your memory, here's the part of the movie she's in (you can skip to the last nine seconds if you only want to see her, I couldn't find a clip with just her, but the whole thing is pretty funny).



This is how I envision Emily Dickinson as a child. As you can tell, I don't think very highly of this particular poet. She definitely had some poems of impact, but I personally don't care to read her. I read enough in the newspapers about death. I don't really care to sift through her constant references to it in her poetry.

Anyhow, Dickinson is one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of early American Literature. But not just her. I don't really care for Melville, Poe, Rowlandson, or basically half the people I've read this semester. I've found shining rays of hope in Emerson, Whitman, and Douglass, but the rest of the semester thus far... eh, I don't really care to revisit. Most everyone up to this point that I've read from this era has some serious issues with their religious/political agendas in their writing, or like in the case of Poe, think they're the best writers on earth and no one can compare. So if anyone cares to dissuade me, I'd love to have a better appreciation for these authors, but so far, my teacher hasn't really been able to do that for me.

Monday, October 24, 2011

I Know That My Heavenly Father Loves Me



So to preface this, I'd like to say that I love and cherish many of the songs in the primary songbook. Among my favorite songs is this one. I was trying to download an mp3 of it from the church's website, but I guess they don't have it available. If anyone knows how to get it from there, I'd really like to know. Anyway, I decided to search through YouTube and see what I could find and this was the first thing that popped up, and not surprisingly, the best of the videos that I found.

Over the past few weeks, things have been pretty crazy in my life with trying to figure out if I really wanted to teach English at the jr. high/high school level and taking a class specifically for it. With it finally coming to a close this past week, I've been trying to get into the habit of reading my scriptures first thing and it's incredilbe how much that has made a difference for me. Its reminded me of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me and I am so grateful for that. I feel so privileged to have a knowledge of that. I truly took this knowledge for granted growing up in the church. It was heartwrenching to go out into the mission field and to try and help people not only learn this, but how their lives could improve as a result of that knowledge. So many people I met didn't have this knowledge or had forgotten it and had a very difficult time learning or relearning it. I'm so thankful that my parents took the time to teach this eternal truth to me, even when I wasn't the most teachable. I know that our Haeavenly Fatehr loves each and everyone of us, no matter what we've done. He wants each of us to feel of His love, and the love of His Son, Jesus Christ.

To those who feel like they have been separated from that love, or haven't felt it at all, I hope that you will continually seek after Him and realize that He wants to help you more than you want to be helped. In a world that tries to demean and demolish the things that we hold dear, it can be difficult to see or feel that love in our lives at times. But I have no doubt that even in the moments that we feel cast off from the Lord that we really aren't. I know that He has helped me through every challenge I've faced in my life, and I know that He will do the same for all of us if we allow Him.

I'm grateful for what the creator of this video wrote: "Despite all the darkness that is surrounding us, we can see, feel, and hear much beauty of our Heavenly Fathers creations. May you all find the time to still smell the roses and be grateful for life and hopefully this will help you to raise up your children for the future". I too hope that next to knowing that our Heavenly Father lives, that my future children will know that they are loved not only by their father on earth, but infinitely more by their Father in Heaven. This knowledge has changed my life and affects me in ways that I can't imagine. One of the greatest ways I've been able to feel His love is by reading the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon. If there is one resounding message throughout the book, despite the continual tragedies and trials that occur, it's that our Heavenly Father knows each of us individually and loves us. When Christ visited the Nephites after His resurrection, He said, "And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see [me]..." (3 Nephi 18:25). I testify that our Savior and our Heavenly Father will never command any of us to go away when we diligently seek Them, and we will be able to literally feel in our hearts the love which They seek to give us. :)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

This is Your Brain After Binge-Studying



O.k. not really, but this still an epic picture right? And truly I'm glad this isn't what happened after trying to cram for my midterms today. I've made a promise to myself that if I do end up teaching college, I will not create tests for my classes like the one that I took for American Literature. I am grateful to my teacher in that he did give us ample information as to what we could expect to see on the test. However, given that the majority of it was identifying quotes from our texts and giving really brief summaries of what we learned from them, it was A TON of information to try and pack into my brain in a short period of time. But even with several days of studying, it would have been too much in my opinion. Why you ask? I believe that our brains work a great deal like our stomachs when it comes to the intake of information compared to the intake of food. Ration yourself, have three good meals a day, and eating becomes a rather enjoyable activity. Subject yourself to a lot of food in a short period of time, and I mean A LOT of food in a very short period of time, and you won't be retaining a great deal of it. The same goes for studying. Reading and preparing for class discussions can be enjoyable when you pace yourself. Try to memorize sixty different quotes, what they mean, and fifty some odd key terms in a short period of time and you can bet that if I had to retake that midterm in a week, I'd probably flunk it. Granted, I could have taken some time earlier in the week to study some more, but when you're trying to put that much information in your head, unless you review it on a regular basis, you can bet that you won't retain it for long at all.
Well, enough on my ridiculous midterm rant, last night Becca and I went to the Nickelcade over in Orem and had a great time playing arcade games and winning tickets for intriguing prizes. I found out that my pinball skills have kind of gone down the drain since I last played and I should practice some more and that Becca and I are pretty evenly matched in Air Hockey. We ended the night with 361 tickets. Becca got a fan like the one you see below, only not quite as fancy.
And I got me one of these...
Ok, so it was more like this one that can fit in your hand, but you've got to admit, having something like that in your house would be pretty awesome.
We also got some WarHeads and got a kick out watching the faces we made as the candy made initial contact with our tongues.
I'm so looking forward to church tomorrow and not having to worry about midterms for at least a few more days :)!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Soccer, Misunderstanding, and Prejudice

So this is not the best of quality but you notice in the center left there is a goal which was used to play World Cup Soccer tonight for German Week. There was a pretty good turnout! There were several teams comprised of three people, with each team representing a different country. Among the countries represented were: China, South Africa, Brazil, and of course Germany! I believe the Chinese dominated, but if I'm wrong, I'm sure the Daily Universe will provide better coverage of the event in the next couple days. Thanks to all who came and supported tonight!
There was a rather interesting question written question in chalk towards the front office of Lone Peak High School today. I meant to take a pic of it, but it was washed away. In essence it said, "I was born gay. Were you born with hatred?" Above it was an intriguing quote from Ghandi, which I'm not sure how it was related to the quote below. Its truly saddening to see such reactions come from a very misunderstood group of people. While I personally don't agree with the question posed, I do understand how it feels to be so misrepresented and ridiculed for one's beliefs. Recent news commentators have reminded us that The LDS Church as an institution is anything but respected among some people. Few things get my goat more than those who refuse to try to understand our religion. I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I totally respect that right. Too many wars have been fought and too much innocent blood has been spilt over this issue. But, when someone tries to tell me they know my religion better than me when they themselves have not lived it, or they try to separate me from other Christian groups, I can lose it pretty quick if I'm not careful. To those who believe or question whether or not we are Christians, I refer you to a talk given by one of the apostles, or main leaders, of our church today. http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-thou-hast-sent?lang=eng
I am not asking that you conform to my beliefs, but I ask that you show the same respect that you desire for your own creed and beliefs and that you understand where I come from. Just because we as members of this church do not hold to some of the same beliefs as other mainstream Christian churches does not make us any less Christian than anyone else in the world. I hope that we will show people of all creeds, beliefs, races, sexual orientations, from every walk of life, the love that Jesus Christ wants us all to share. I pray that we will recognize that we are all brothers and sisters in spirit, sons and daughters of God, and that we will treat each other as such. :)

Monday, October 10, 2011

My Life as an English Teacher In Training

So the picture above is an activity we did in my English Teaching Exploration class. It's called chalk talk. You have a topic in the middle and anyone can come up and write anything about it, but they have to be silent. As you can see, it can get pretty messy, but its fun to change things up every now and again. This class has been a blast and I HIGHLY recommend it to any English majors at BYU who have an interest in teaching. I know that's a pretty limited amount of people, but I still think it's a very underrated class. There aren't enough colleges, even within BYU, that have a class like this. It has helped me so much in deciding what I want to do for a career.
FHE was awesome tonight as well. We had a lesson about "The Good Samaritan" and how it's also comparable to the main points of the Plan of Salvation. Then we played a game called "Celebrity Bowl", which is kind of a mix of several games like Taboo and Charades. It was great fun. I have an awesome family to be a part of.
Tomorrow night will be World Cup Soccer for German Week on campus, which Becca is spearheading, so if you're looking for something interesting and exciting to do tomorrow night on campus, come check it out. It's going to be great!

Friday, October 7, 2011

The Spectacular Life I Lead



So first off, tonight I had the opportunity to go the BYU Spectacular featuring just about all the amazing performing groups on campus and the legendary Brian Stokes Mitchell. I'm kind of ashamed to say that before tonight, I really knew nothing about him other than the fact that he was the singing voice of Jethro in The Prince of Egypt for the song "Through Heaven's Eyes". If you ever have the opportunity to hear him in concert, take advantage of it. It will be worth it!

Before the show I met up with Becca, her sister Jenny, and her mom at Zupas Cafe, which clearly is Utah's competition for Panera Bread. Extremely good sandwiches! I had Becca order for me since I was running late and she got the Honey Bacon Club (as pictured below and I must say, it doesn't do it justice at all). Simply a masterpiece. I must say my girlfriend has a great sense of taste. So, if you happen to find yourself in a similar situation, having to order something from Zupas, having never been there, I recommend this!
Today was my second day of teaching Senior AP English at Lone Peak High School. It went pretty good overall, but I have a LONG way to go with improving my teaching skills. I really need to work on asking better questions to get students talking more. That's one of the greatest challenges I've faced so far.
On a more serious note, I read a very interesting article on the front page of The New York Times this morning about the death of Steve Jobs. While for many of us, the announcement of this event was abrupt and unexpected, it was not so for many of his closer friends and family. However, he only allowed so many people to come and pay their final condolences to him. One of his closest friends once asked what he thought about having kids and Jobs replied, "It's 10,000 times better than anything I've ever done." Now, I'm no expert on all the accomplishments of Jobs, but I think it's safe to say that he brought about some pretty revolutionary achievements in the tech world. And despite those triumphs, he says in essence that having kids doesn't even compare. It's good to know that whatever I choose to do for a living that when I come to the end of my life, what will matter most is not how successful I was in my occupation, but in my own relations with my family. I look forward to raising my own family someday and plan to be the best father I can be for them. I'm so grateful to have the amazing family that I do and a father to whom I couldn't look for a better example. R.I.P. Steve Jobs, and thank you for reminding us all of what truly matters in life.

Friday, September 30, 2011

1 Day Until Conference!


So a little more background on my last post. I am currently taking an Exploration of Teaching class for the English Teaching major. It's mostly observing a teacher at the junior high/high school and teaching a little on the side. I had the opportunity to spend the three weeks prior with a junior high teacher at Pleasant Grove Jr. High and she was simply awesome to work with. I'm currently working with a Senior AP English teacher at Lone Peak and have spent the last several days trying to put together a lesson plan for when I teach in the coming week(s). It began as a lesson on Hamlet and has morphed into a lesson about improving thesis statements, so we'll see how it actually turns out when I teach it.
Also, Becca is a European Studies major and has a great deal of experience with German (I daresay fluent) and Swedish, hence paying a visit to the German Club. The next two weeks will be celebrating German related things on campus and she is in charge of the game night during the second week. I'll be intrigued to see how everything turns out :).
It was stunning to see the temple like it is in the picture above this evening. Tonight Becca and I decided to go and do baptisms for the dead at the Provo temple to help clear our minds. As I mentioned earlier, Becca will be taking the LSAT tomorrow, so getting to be in the temple helped relieve some stress. It was awesome getting to be there. I actually performed baptisms and confirmations rather than being the proxy, but it was very enjoyable nonetheless. Becca had to help me get around because I've never done baptisms there. I hope to have another opportunity in the future to attend and do baptisms with her.
I'm so excited to watch Conference tomorrow!!! I'm going to bed soon so hopefully I can avoid being a zombie during the day :). Hope you all enjoy your weekend!!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Families


I'd like to share some quick thoughts on family. This is my own and yes there are eight of us kids (the big guy standing up is Alyssa's husband). While we might appear to be a picture perfect family (no pun intended), we are anything but. However, knowing that we have this life to continually overcome the challenges we face together and grow closer together makes a huge difference. I testify of the power of priesthood, the power of God on earth today, and that it has the ability to bind families not only for this life but the one to come. I cannot imagine where I'd be without the one that I have today. I don't know if there's such thing as a normal day at my house because things are so crazy most of the time, but I know that we all have the same goal of being an eternal family, and that makes all the difference. I am especially grateful to my parents for having the courage to raise all eight of us and loving each individual one for who we are. Having a knowledge of these things inspires me and helps me to better learn how I will raise my own family someday. I know that all of our families are extremely different and we all come from various backgrounds, but I hope that we all can come to realize the power that such units can have in this life and eternity. I encourage everyone to strive to be the most positive influence not only in their immediate family, but in the world as a whole, for we are all children of God. I believe if that the world would embrace this truth, so many problems could be resolved. In the words of one of my favorite Book fo Mormon prophets, Nephi, "And I pray the Father, in the name of Christ, that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day."- 2 Nephi 33:12
Also, youtube isn't liking me very much tonight, so rather than attempting to embed the link, just google Familes Can Be Together Forever and click on the link with the title that has Mormon Messages attached to it. It is a simple, yet powerful video.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Communication and Modern Tech



So the other day I decided to write that I was simply happy with a smiley at the end on my Facebook status. Almost immediately, conclusions were being drawn as to what my apparently cryptic status meant. It is incredible to me how modern tech has changed so many of the ways that we communicate, especially Facebook. It is dumbfounding to think that less than a decade ago, Facebook didn't even exist, and now it has become something of a standard form of communication around the globe. In everyone else's defense however, I intentionally wrote my status the way I did so as to not make everything that was going through my head obvious. I could only expect that I would get more questions regarding it. It is still surprising how taking out the word "simply" wouldn't have generated near the amount of responses that I got.
On a different note, I decided to go watch Captain America with one of my best friends last night to see what all the hype was about. I have to say I'm still not sure why it did so amazingly well at the box office this past weekend, but it was still a decent superhero movie. Some have said that it is merely a prequel to next summer's "Avengers" showdown, but I would heavily disagree. Take out the first and last five minutes of the movie, and it would almost seem like a completely unrelated superhero movie to the other Marvel superheroes that have shined on the silver screen the past few years. If you're a diehard fan of the Cap, there's no question you'll want to go see this ASAP, if you haven't already. But if you're like me and just looking for a good superhero movie, you might want to wait until the dollar theatre or DVD.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Beauty of Film


I love movies. I absolutely LOVE them. They are my greatest escape from reality and I enjoy most any opportunity I get to watch them. Today I went with one of my roommates to see J.J. Abrams' latest sci-fi outing, "Super 8". Yes, I realize that it has been out for over a month now, but for once, I think that was to my advantage. Being a movie freak, I retrieve information about films usually long before they come out. I read critics' reviews and movie blogs frequently to obtain whatever info I can. It's a fascination I've had since I was a child and has never died with time.
That being said, I was initially quite excited about "Super 8" given that it was kept quite hush-hush before its nationwide release. Initially, there were rumors of it being related to one of his previous films "Cloverfield" which also was kept under wraps during production. However, there turned out to be no such relations, other than the nature in which the film was released. Anyway, I digress. I lost some of my initial interest in the film due to hearing mixed reviews from other people, and soon it became lost in my mind amidst the hype of superhero sequels. So, when I went into the theatre today, I wasn't expecting a great deal. I was just happy to be in the theatre doing one of my favorite things: watching movies. To my great surprise, I was AMAZED by the depth of the film. The plot revolves around a group of kids in the 60s making a zombie film for an upcoming contest. One night while filming, a train wreck occurs as the kids are filming, and their lives get turned upside down. I won't go farther than that because once I get started, I won't be able to stop.
I had heard that the kid actors were the best part of the film, but I didn't believe it until I saw it. Surprisingly, I don't think any of the kids in this film had any big productions before this one. But they will sure as heck be noticeable now. I was particularly pleased by Elle Fanning's performance as the love interest of the main character. Their chemistry was perfect on-screen. I'm not a fan of her sister Dakota, so I wasn't expecting much out of her. It was truly incredible watch her though.
Some have said that this was an attempt to revive nostalgia of the classic sci-fi films and pay artistic homage to them. While this is certainly a sci-fi film, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it reminds me of the greatest sci-fi films, rather, the best style of filmmaking there is. The kind that draws you in and never lets go. I felt like the sci-fi plot was almost more of a subplot to the drama that takes place in the film. There are plenty of explosions and tense moments to keep your eyes glued to the screen, but to me, it felt more complementary to the story taking place at the moment, rather than trying to be the story itself, as most action films tend to do these days.
Some have also had issues with the film's somewhat abrupt ending. I personally think that things could have been wrapped up a little smoother, but nor did I feel like too many loose ends were left untied. The only real downside to me was the language. I mean, I know that its everywhere throughout schools these days, but I really don't think it was necessary to put as much of it in the kid's mouths as they did. Other than that, it was a spectacular film. For me, it's a movie that reminds me why I fell in love with film and have never fallen out of it. For those of you who haven't seen it, I'd recommend you not go in with huge expectations, despite everything I've just mentioned. Just go to enjoy a good film, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, just as I was.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

First Post!

Welcome to the musings and memories of a twenty-something male at BYU! So the creation of this blog is mostly for personal reasons, in fact, it's all for personal reasons, so if you don't care to stick around, I won't be offended. I was talking to one of my friends tonight about hobbies that he could pick up and I suggested blogging. Then I got to thinking, "Why don't I start one?" So far it's going to be just a personal journal that I allow everyone to see, it might evolve into something bigger. For those of you who don't know, I'm an English Teaching major and I LOVE writing and reading. I'm trying to decide on whether I should teach at the high school or college level and I will make up my mind this coming semester when I take the English 276 class, or Exploration of Teaching class, for the first block of the fall semester. I also happen to love creative writing, so this may become a playground for that side of me as well. I am up way too late for the time I have to wake up for work in the morning, so for now, I shall bid you all adieu. :)