I have such bad luck..

I have got to say, I DO NOT like the mission papers process. I am pretty sure that every time I take a step forward, I get knocked down again. I thought that because I was done with interviews and everything, I would finally be finished dealing with the health and dental information....NOPE. I was wrong. I am missing one thing. So I am still not finished and my papers cannot be submitted until I finish it all. I am disappointed with how things have played out. I just don't know why it is taking me so long. I feel like Satan is using this to discourage me, and it always works until I realize it is Satan discouraging me. I am learning great patience from this.  I just need to keep remembering the Lord's timing is not the same as my timing...There are great things in store for me and Heavenly Father has a plan for me.

I love Mercy River!!

Mercy River is my favorite LDS music to listen to. They sing a song about blessings and how they may not look like blessings at the time, but do later on. The title is Blessings. I think everyone should listen to this song!! I wanted to put the lyrics on here because they are so great!!

 

 

 

Blessings

By Mercy River

 

 

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

 

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

 

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

GREAT weekend!!

My family and I had the wonderful opportunity to go attend General Conference IN PERSON!! :D We got to Utah on Friday evening (WAY later than expected, but the explanation for that is going to be a totally different blog post haha). We were able to eat a late dinner with Ollie and Ashley, Italian beef sandwiches like that ones in Chicago. Delish! Owen, Olson, and I slept at Ollie and Ashley's so mom and dad stayed at the hotel. We had so much fun that night! We played Just Dance, Super Mario Bros, Super Smash bros! Haha, and we watched some old cartoons that Ollie and I used to watch when we were little, it was a blast. We always have a great time with them. We went to the Saturday morning session of General Conference. Which was my favorite because President Monson talked about how the number of missionaries has increased so quickly and mentioned ME! Well, okay, he didn't say my name, but STILL I am a part of the 6000 that are in the interview process...not for long though!! :D But it really made me cry because of the great work that is occurring. And I get to be a part of it all. I'm so thankful for the opportunity and am so excited. After the first session we ate some yummy food, then watched the second session in a building near Temple Square. We took some great notes, and it's always so great to listen to our church leaders. After that the girls went shopping at City Creek Mall (GREAT mall btw) while the boys went to the priesthood session. I got some new clothes for my mission, I'm excited to wear them! After the priesthood session we went out for a late dinner. We were all VERY tired so we ate quickly then headed back to Provo to get ready for bed....well mom, dad and Olson got ready for bed ;) Haha, Owen, Ollie, Ashley, and I played more games. Sunday we went to our wonderful Aunt Christene's for a delicious breakfast - butterscotch bread, monkey bread, breakfast casserole, and fruit. YUM! :D We watched the am session then headed to SLC so we could go to the pm session. We were able to be in the conference center for this session also! It was the greatest. I loved it, SO much!! I hope to go again with my future family one day. Sunday evening we went and spent more time with cousins, aunt, and uncle. We ate, had some great laughs and even a few tears were shed. It was great. I love spending time with family. Sunday night my brothers, Ashley and I played more games, then went to bed. Woke up, packed and had to go to the airport. :( Talk about a SHORT trip. Too short...But, I am very grateful for the opportunity. I will always remember this trip. I know it will come to mind often. I won't be able to stop talking about it for weeks!! :) I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know it is the true church. I am excited for the opportunity I will have to serve a mission and can't wait to get my call. I am thankful for the wonderful examples I have had in my life, they have helped me get to where I am today.

I love primary!!

Primary is the best!! I love being a primary worker. This is one of my favorite callings. Ever!! The kids crack me up!!  Kids are so stinkin hilarious. Like today, I was just sitting in the back and we all were going to sing the Hello Song for all of the visitors. In our primary, they like to say the hellos in different languages!! So today instead of singing "Hello, hello!!" We sang, "Gutentag, Nihow!!" Hahaha because the visitors wanted to sing it in German and Chinese!!! Pahahahaha, it was one of the greatest things. It cracks me up. Also, nursery is great! Today we played with play-do. While my mom and the other nursery leader were making blocks and triangles, the little girl I was playing with wanted me to make a HORSE...??!?? I am no sculptor!! Hahaha, so I tried, and she squealed of excitement when I was done because I had made a "horse." She was definitely being too kind because to anyone else it would have looked like a blob. Along with the pizza, car, and flower I made for her. Hahahaha, ohh man. All the nursery children are so sweet. I love them. I love all of the primary children. I don't think they will ever understand how much the hugs they give mean to me. I love it. It surprises me how well their memory is, most of them remember me. It's so sweet to hear their little voices say my name. They have such a special place in my heart. 

The Church is true!!

I just have to write about how thankful I am for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I love the Atonement, without it and Jesus Christ there is simply no point to life. The Atonement makes up the difference in my life. I am thankful for the knowledge that I am able to be forgiven of my sins if I sincerely repent. I am thankful for the knowledge that I am able to see all those that have passed on, I have been to a few funerals; It is nice to know that I will be able to see them again. I am so grateful that I am able to make the choice to be sealed to a husband of my own and be able to be with him and the rest of my family for eternity. I am thankful for temples. I know I've said this before, but I absolutely love going to the temple. I love going to church. I love my calling, being in Primary is just so great. The kids are wonderful, I love working with kids. I am thankful for the people that have been put in my life, and I know that most of the people in my life are there because of church. Without church I wouldn't know sooo many wonderful and amazing individuals. The best friends I have are people that I have met at church. Having the mutual beliefs and understanding of things makes us automatically that much closer. I was even at the mall one day with a BYU sweat shirt on and I got a tap on the shoulder. I turn around and it turns out to be an elderly couple and they told me how much they love BYU and asked what ward I was in. I'll be at work with my YW medallion on and someone will start talking to me about church. These kind of situations are fun because we could be total strangers but when we find out this mutual thing, we automatically are able to talk like we are good friends. I love it!! I love the scriptures, I get so many answers to questions that I have from them. It is seriously the best. I also love the insights and things I learn pretty much everyday from the scriptures. I am thankful for my family. My family is the best, they have seen me in just about every mood and state I have been in. They deal with all my emotions, whether it be angry and upset, or overwhelmingly happy and excited (I'm pretty sure either can be rather tiresome). But no matter what state I am in, they still love me. I learn so much from them. My parents are such great people. They have great advice, I feel closer to them now than I have ever been. I love that they will just sit down and watch a movie with me, just the 3 of us. I love spending time with them. It's not like we are perfect, we have our disagreements but I love them so much, and I know that they love me. I am thankful for parents that are strong in testimony. I am so thankful for soo much more!! I just can't put it all into words all at once, I guess it's good I have a blog so I can post thoughts and experiences when ever I'd like.

Can't believe it's been 11 years...

Exactly eleven years ago, my mom passed away. I honestly can't believe it. I will forever remember this day, February 27. My brothers and I were so young. But it only made our family stronger. My dad and brother, Ollie, took care of Owen, Olson and me. And they couldn't have done better. I am thankful for my dad and brother and the many sacrafices they made for us. I will always feel indebt to them. They still continue to sacrafice for me. I realized and appreciated Ollie's sacrafices for me even more this last year. He has continued to sacrafice and help me, he took care of me while I was out at BYU for my first couple semesters. He is the best older brother anyone could ever have. And my dad is one of the hardest workers I know. He is far from lazy, I am thankful he could do so well and provide for us. He has worked so hard to provide a comfortable life and succeeded, I am thankful.  

 

I have lived longer without my mom than I did with her. I was only 8 years old, and now I am 19! It is sad that I didn't get to know her better, but if she hadn't passed away I wouldn't have certain people in my life right now. And those people have blessed my life tremendously. I know that because of this trial and loss, I have been and will continue to be able to relate to others as they have similar trials. I have become more thankful for the trials that I have had throughout my live, which may sound weird but I know that they have strengthened me in no way anything else can. I also am thankful for the strong testimony I have of eternal families, I know that I have gained that testimony from the experiences I have had. I know that I will be able to see her, and the rest of my family that has passed on in the next life. I have a strong testimony of temples and how much they bless our lives. I love the temple. It is a refuge from the rest of the world, it's the only place I truly feel at peace.

 

 

But really, what I am saying is that though this is a sad anniversery, I still wouldn't want anything different in my life. I will have eternity with my mom. I just hope when everything is all done and over with I could have made her proud, and not only her but my entire family.

Oh the possibilities...

Charlee, Holly, Kristen and I are singing on Sunday for ward conference, THEN singing at Stake Conference!!!  Maybe we are kinda good...Haha :)  I think we really need to figure out how to get it recorded properly.  :D  I think it's possible too!  I'm really excited about it all.  We definitely do dream of becoming famous, atleast in the LDS world ;)  I think it could come to a reality, maybe not now, but one day.  After we get back from missions and such.  I don't think people really understand how serious I am about it all!!  Haha.