Friend!

Today was a tiring day, because I stayed up so late last night, cleaning up my mess from when I was baking. And I just didn't want to go to sleep. So I wasn't very lively today. But after our Midsummer Night's Dream performance I was walking home with a friend from Music Therapy, and we were joking around, and I think I laughed harder than I've laughed in months. It's been so long since I've had a really good laugh! It felt good to have a friend that I can laugh my head off with from time to time! I'm really grateful, because it takes a long time for me to make friends with girls (guys are so much easier to be friends with, for some reason). And luckily it happened right at the end of the day, so I'm ending the day in a good mood (instead of focusing on the moldy french toast failure of this afternoon). =)

Inspiration

I woke up today feeling really well-rested. Then I looked at the clock and realized there was five minutes until church started. Oops. Needless to say, I was late to church today. Luckily Sacrament Meeting is last!

During Sacrament Meeting I randomly had all these ideas pop into my head about raising my future children. How to do Christmas in our home, how to help them develop personal relationships with Christ, how to help them live up to their potential... it was pretty fun getting all those ideas! I wrote them all down in my notebook so that I can save them and use them later.

After church I stuck around for choir practice. We have the best-sounding ward choir that I've ever heard! I was shocked! And pleased. I guess everyone has started coming now that it's Christmastime. It was a wonderful experience to participate, and to hear the strong harmonies, and to sing with soul. It was amazing! It was a good reminder to me of the power of music, and why I love it. It filled me with joy, and touched my soul.

My visiting teachers came after I got home. I have never had such consistent visiting teachers in my life! I love it.

Then I worked on the Scripture Sharing website I've been making. It can be visited at http://sites.google.com/site/scripturesharing/   I also worked on a few design details for this blog. All the pictures in the right column are links to awesome websites that I suggest visiting. =)

Went to the Christmas devotional by the First Presidency, and felt the Spirit there. Christmas is such an awesome time! I was able to brainstorm during the meeting about what kind of gifts to give this Christmas. I don't really have any money, so I'm having to get creative. Mostly it's gifts of time, service, or words. I'm excited. This is feeling like a really great Christmas season so far. I'm loving it!

The miracle I'm most grateful for today is personal revelation. The Lord is leading me! He gave me the idea of the things that I fasted for today. He gave me ideas of how to raise my future family. He helped me know what I could do for my friends and family for Christmas. He's been with me today, helping me understand His thoughts and His will and how I can come closer to Him. He's amazing.

Increased Confidence Again!

My miracle for today was how calmly and appropriately I reacted when the girl in front of me in choir fainted during our Christmas concert. She started swaying, and started stepping backwards, and falling backwards. I caught her, and helped her down to the floor, and waited for her to wake up. (Her eyes were open, but I could tell she wasn't there...)  She came to, realized she had passed out, stood back up, and got back into formation, insisting she could finish. Unfortunately she passed out again a few minutes later, but the girls standing right next to her helped her that time. When she woke up from that, she left, rather than risking passing out on stage again.

I consider this as a miracle, because I imagine that if this had happened a few months or years ago, I wouldn't have reacted calmly or been helpful. I passed out for the first time about a month ago, so I know how it feels now and all that, so it didn't surprise me too much. Interestingly, in Psychology we've been talking about social psychology, including the bystander effect, and I've been wondering if I would be helpful and contributing if something bad happened to someone in a large group. Tonight I was in a situation where I was able to see myself help, even while in a large group, without thinking about it. I just did what needed to be done, to the best of my knowledge. I'm not saying that I know I would do that in every social situation imaginable (though I hope I would!) but at least I can see that today I didn't fall prey to that way of thinking. And that's a great feeling! =)

Increased Confidence

My miracle of the day is that when I sang in front of all the voice students today during Voice Recital hour, I didn't feel nervous. No shaking legs, no frantic feelings. I didn't sing amazingly, compared to everyone else, but I sang pretty good for me. And I was happy to listen to myself singing.  The fact that I wasn't nervous makes me really happy. One of my main desires is to grow more confident. To not be afraid of others opinions, or the opinions that I imagine they have. I want to be a humble, willing-to-take-correction, yet confident, happy person. And today was encouraging in that respect, seeing that I'm making progress, and was more confident today than I have been in the past. =)

My favorite thing about the Gospel and about life, is that people can change. Really change. For the better. That really is one of the best miracles of all.

Happy thoughts

Miracles and happy thoughts for today:

The snowflakes were big, pretty and slow.

I got to help a friend understand music theory better.

Jeff looks pretty good with facial hair... (as far as I can tell from his webcam) =)

I have food in my cupboards (thanks to the kindness of my parents on Monday)

Christmas is coming!

Within and Without

Faith is huge. It's basically the most important thing in life. With faith in Christ we can and will be able to do anything. Without it we'll just stay natural men and women, going along through life, thinking we're progressing, but we won't be. And we won't be happy. Occasional good moments, but no real happiness. We'll be bitter at life because it didn't give us any of the joy that we instinctively thought it would. But if we have faith in Christ, miracles will occur within and without ourselves. All the dreams and hopes that we instinctively felt would come our way will come. We actually will have a happy ending (well, kind of - we actually won't have an ending, but we will have happy). Our progress will be real, and our joy will be real. We'll be grateful for every moment of our lives if we've lived it with faith in Christ. Is there really anything more valuable and important that we could do than cultivating and using our faith in Jesus Christ?

I'm still studying faith, if you couldn't tell. There's so much! I might be on this subject for quite a while... Then it'll be onto repentance. I'm thinking that one won't go much faster than faith...

Hooray for the gospel!!!

Changed heart

Miracle: I love!

The roof-tops crowned with snow...

Totally got a haircut. Some people do that all the time. But for me it's a big deal. Jami did an amazing job cutting my hair, and I'm loving it! I actually look like I'm in my 20s, I think. Jeff and his family all said they liked it, especially his mom. She said I look classy. =)

The miracle of the day is how astonishingly beautiful it is outside. The "blizzard" that was forecast ended up being a peaceful heavy snowfall. Jeff walked me home around midnight, and the moon was recently full and the snow was deep and mostly untouched. It was a perfectly peaceful dark winter night. It reminds me of one of my favorites poems of all time, by Sara Teasdale.

There will be rest, and sure stars shining
     Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,
A reign of rest, serene forgetting,
     The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising
     Out of a dream in my lonely mind.
I shall find the crystal of peace, – above me
     Stars I shall find.

It was nice to have someone to share it with. I would have enjoyed it even if I had been in solitude, because of it's beauty, but I think its beauty was magnified by being there to share it with someone I care about so much. =)

Robot Scorpion

I spent almost the entire day with my brothers and my youngest sister, trying to keep them entertained so that they wouldn't watch any movies or play the computer. It was exhausting. I got pretty grumpy. But I also grew closer to them, and had some awesome moments with them. In an effort to get out of the house (I ran out of ideas of things to do there, and I felt lonely), I texted Jeff and asked if we (Joshy, Charles and I) could come up to his house. We walked there, which was an adventure of its own, (but also included some awesome teaching moments and a gospel conversation), and eventually got there. Jeff took a break from his schoolwork, and we played Hide and Seek, then Sardines, and somehow Charles initiated a change to Monsters. The four of us spent a long time chasing each other around the house as monsters, killing by tickling, healing by kissing, and making things up as we went along. It was a blast. I love living like a child. I've done it a lot more in recent days, and I feel great. =) I'm learning to not care what others think, and just have fun, and do what's right. I'm sure it'll take a lot of time and practice to truly not care about what others think, but I'm working on it.

Though they are frustrating and rambunctious at times, I think I pretty much have the best little siblings ever. =) And I'm dating the best guy, who is willing to take a break from his work/study to cut off a robot scorpion's poisonous tail with a light saber and tickle said robot scorpion until he turns into a human. The best brothers, and the best guy. Am I blessed or what?

Tomorrow I get my haircut. Nervous!! I'm planning on making a big change in my hairstyle... We'll see how it goes.

"Alex Haley would be proud..." / Teaching with power, unto the convincing of others / Live with hope and faith!

So, I got some awesome personal revelation today. And I also went on a walk, which led me to the cemetery. I tried to find Gottlieb, my great-great-grandfather, but I haven't found him yet. Though I did find some people with my last name, as well as some people with the same last name as Gottlieb's third wife. It was enjoyable. The sky was overcast, but the air was pretty warm (about 55 degrees). It was very relaxing. I was there for quite a while.

The Relief Society meeting turned out okay. I hope the words I said sounded real, and touched their hearts. I only spoke for a few minutes. And it was kind of ramble-y. But I tried to really say what I was thinking and feeling.

Jeff had an awesome day too. He was able to be witness a miracle, a true teaching and learning experience. It was a meeting about immigration, and Jeff and his friend were able to teach with the spirit, in a way that everyone in attendance changed their stance and their opinions about the whole issue. And it all happened with no contention. That is truly a miracle! He sounded so happy when he told me about it. I'm so happy he got to experience that. I wish I could've been there to witness it. I wish so much that I could teach with power, through the Spirit, "unto the convincing of all those who heard." Someday. =)

I'm going to live with hope and faith. Not doubt and fear. I'm deciding that. I think its a pretty good decision. =) My life is going to be epic. At least to me. =D

"What a year it's been - are you still the same?"

It hasn't actually been a whole year yet since I got back from serving in Florida...but it's getting close. I was about to get in bed a while ago, but I got distracted (and stayed distracted for at least twenty minutes) by my screen saver, which is a random slideshow of all the pictures I've taken on my mission and afterwards. Each picture had so much to tell. I thought of how I never predicted my life to go the way it has so far. Before my mission, I wouldn't have predicted anything in those pictures. First of all, a mission to Florida, which includes the amazing members, investigators, and companions who would change my life, and who are now some of my closest friends, my sister Talita, attending Snow College and making friends there, dating Jake, going back to my old summer job (thought I wouldn't be returning, but it actually was great), dating Jeff, teaching primary, attending USU, and so forth. I could never have predicted things the way they are. And with every picture I saw on my screen saver, my gratitude increased. I've had an amazing 29 months... =)  Amazing people, amazing places, and amazing experiences. My prayer is going to be full of gratitude tonight. =)

THE Bike Ride

I saw an old friend tonight that I hadn't seen in quite a while, and seeing him reminded me of one of the most amazing times in my life. It was during a time I was going through a lot of stress, related to the guy I was dating. The friend that I saw tonight was friends with me back then, and he could tell I was stressed. He took me on a bike ride, probably around 8:30 in the evening, during March, in Rexburg. In other words, it was completely dark, and rather cold, but that didn't matter. The bike ride was exactly what I needed. I experienced a true escape for the next hour or hour and a half. No one, except the friend I was biking with, knew where I was. There was basically no one else outside either (too cold!). I wasn't tied down to anything. I felt at home on that bike. We were riding wherever we wanted to, in town, and even it into the countryside for a while. I really felt like I wasn't tied down to anything. I could go as fast as I wanted, wherever I wanted. I didn't have to worry about getting lost, because I knew my friend knew the way back. I also knew that he truly considered me a friend. He didn't take me on this bike ride so he would have a better chance of dating me. He was truly a friend. We talked about simple happy things. We sang. We tried to figure out some constellations. No pressure. No deadlines. No expectations. No limits. No fear. No stress. 

I've tried to explain why that night was great. I've tried to recreate it at times. But I've never had everything line up so perfectly since then, to produce such a free feeling. I'm so accustomed to living with stress. I hope I can find that same feeling again. It was a truly miraculous feeling.

And I'm so grateful I had such a good friend, to help me when I needed it. I'll never forget that kindness, and how much it meant to me. =)

Music the way it should be enjoyed

Why don't we allow ourselves to get this excited about music? I think this is another example of how we should strive to be like children.

Purpose

I miss the days when my purpose was summed up in one sentence and repeated aloud frequently. "My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." Life's not quite as simple now. Maybe it should be.

My purpose now is more like "Invite people to come to Christ. And prepare myself to be a competent loving music therapist. And prepare to get married and raise a family." Okay, so I actually thought that list was going to be a lot longer, but I can't think of anything else that big. Most of my other tasks fit under one of those categories. Sweet!  Still, it's more than one purpose, so it gets rough sometimes keeping it all going. Sigh.

But on the bright side, I am gaining more and more interest and excitement in music therapy. I still don't know which population I want to work with. For some reason I have always been afraid of working with people with intellectual disabilities, yet it really interests me. I'm focusing more on autism right now. I don't know if that's the population I will stay focused on, but I'm focusing on it right now...even though it scares me a little. (I have also been thinking of helping with childbirth, as a music therapist. That would definitely make my mom happy...)

Inviting people to Christ...I could definitely be doing better. I'm coming closer to Him myself, but I have the hardest time communicating honestly with others and inviting them to come closer to Him. I hope this changes soon....

Marriage and family? In its own due time. I'm working on it, at my own pace (which is rather a slow one). I'm preparing for the future the best I can, and I really look forward to being married to someone amazing, being amazing to him in return, and raising children of my own. It seems surreal, but I know it will actually happen to me someday. =)

Anyway, not a typical post, but I just felt like it.

I guess I better mention a miracle. Here's an excellent one: Temperature above 60 today! In November! And the leaves are still on the trees, in their beautiful colors. I went on a mini-hike today, and I don't think I'll ever get over the beauty that is autumn. =)  God's creations are so awesome!!

Impressive...

Slept in a little too much. My Music Therapy class starts at 8:30. I woke up at 8:37. I was in class by 8:42. Impressive? Yes. Impressive as having the discipline to get up when the alarm goes off, getting ready, and being to class on time? No.

Lots of homework and stuff. Nothing too exciting today, other than that the weather was absolutely beautiful for a November day. Loved it.

I'm going to get up early tomorrow. Happy day. =)

Gratitude 28 October 2010

I'm grateful for the temple. It's so much easier to feel God's love there than anywhere else.

I'm grateful that Jeff and I are focusing on listening and learning in our classes. It may be exhausting, but I'm actually feeling better about life now that I'm doing that. It feels really good not to have my attention so divided. I don't feel like I'm spread as thin. Time-wasters are dropping out of my life and becoming less important to me. It's a beautiful thing. =)

I'm grateful for my awesome home teacher who gave me a ride today! Saint.

I'm grateful for the kind man I talked to while waiting for my ride.

I'm grateful for the apple bread the ward missionaries brought over.

I'm grateful I got out of History class early (even though I like that class). It's just nice to have more time to do things than I thought I would have.

I'm grateful Jeff is coming up to visit tomorrow!

Don't Wait

Pictures I take as I'm walking to class. I try not to stop walking too abruptly, so that I don't get run over by bike, scooter, or pedestrian. Every time that I'm tempted not to take the picture, I remember Whitney's story she told me, when she saw a beautiful tree on the campus of Snow College and decided she'd take a picture of it the next day. She was all prepared the next day, but when she got to that spot, the tree was gone. All the grass around it was gone too. I think there may have even been a crater there. I'm not lying, ask her about it!

So I've learned my lesson from her. Here are the pictures I took today.

This last one was so much prettier in real life. 

The sunlight took all the color out of the photograph, but in real life,

the sunlight only made it more beautiful and vibrant.

Change can be beautiful

I stayed pretty busy the whole day. I've felt on top of things (for example, I actually paid attention in all my classes), and its been a great feeling.

Jeff and I had a misunderstanding on our blog, and had to talk through it. It's just so funny. I've never been through such a gracefully settled conflict. We're great for each other, I think.

The snow was so beautiful this evening. Snowflakes the size of quarters, falling slowly in the black sky. I started acting like my friend Aaron did years ago, when he moved to Idaho and first saw the snow. I just stood there staring up, amazed. I'm grateful the snow reminded me that it can be beautiful, otherwise I might have been pretty discouraged that it was snowing already. =)

Gratitude 25 October 2010

I am grateful that it didn't snow until today. I got to enjoy a beautiful two months of late summer/early autumn up here.

I'm grateful I got to help the other Music Therapy students today, singing at the old folk's home. I'm grateful I got to witness them smiling and enjoying themselves. It strengthened my belief that music really does have powers that I can learn to use, to help others.

I'm grateful for beautiful poetry. I'm grateful that some people have such a gift with words, and that they share it with the rest of us.

I'm grateful for Dr. Huff's choice in songs in choir (with the exception of "Sleigh Ride").

I'm grateful for my roommates. =)

I'm grateful I have several coats to choose from. I'm gonna need 'em.

I'm grateful to be dating such an exceptional friend. =)

I'm so grateful God answers prayers!

Miracle of the Week

I can testify that hearts can change through consistent prayer. My heart is changing for the better. Prayers are heard and answered! Faith works! Because God is kind. =)

To Suffer for the Sake of the Other

To Suffer for the Sake of the Other

This is Jeffrey's most recent blog post. =)

Gratitude 20 October 2010

I'm grateful for my Dad. He's a wonderful example of dedication in his church calling. He's a happy person. And he has taught me to serve others. A memory that comes back to me is the Christmas morning that he insisted we shovel the driveways of just about everyone on our street! I'm grateful for his example.

I'm grateful that I did so well on all my tests last week.

I'm grateful for my Old Testament class and for the amazing truths and symbols in the Bible.

I'm grateful to be living in such a beautiful place at such a beautiful time of the year.

And I'm grateful I found my gloves! Because it's not going to stay beautiful for too much longer (as far as temperature is concerned).

As you wish

My Aunt Kelli requested I post a photo of the young man I'm dating. I will acquiesce her request. =)

This is Jeffrey with my mission president's wife, at a recent mission reunion. He's pretty awesome.... Definitely one of the miracles in my life right now.

Autumn is a Miracle

I love it so much when the leaves change color.

Church Responds to HRC Petition

Church Responds to HRC Petition

The Church's message is one of love, not hate.

My thoughts: We all do things that are wrong, and we all need help from God and from our fellow men to overcome our temptations. We should all be striving to help each other and ourselves to work though and overcome our problems, not just pretending that our problems aren't actually problems.

The miracle is that we CAN overcome any problems we face, through the Atonement of Christ.
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."

Gratitude 11 October 2010

I'm grateful the cookies are all gone now.

I'm grateful I got my mandalas back (side-note: my professor said she spent three hours examining/interpreting my four mandalas! But she didn't tell me what they meant!). I'm grateful the last one came out so peaceful and beautiful.

I'm grateful for Whitney. I'm grateful she'll be home soon!

I'm grateful I woke up happy this morning!

I'm grateful I had time to study for my tests tomorrow.

I'm grateful my raspberries haven't gone moldy yet.

I'm grateful that the autumn trees are so beautiful.

I'm grateful that I'll be able to spend time with my family this weekend.

How I feel about President Packer's conference address and all the complaining from some people afterward

"Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent;

Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has testified unto us; for we know he has testified aright unto us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of our iniquities;

Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things."

All of us have need to repent. He is a prophet, seer, and revelator, and the words he has spoken are true. We either repent and align ourselves with God's will (as expressed through the words of His prophets) or we don't, and become unprotected, weakened, and alone. If we reject the words of the living prophets we will lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost. And really, what good is life without that?

I for one count it as a miracle that we have living prophets today who are courageous enough to speak the Lord's will even when it is unpopular with the world.

And of course, one of the greatest miracles of all is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through Him, we can not only be cleansed from sin, but our very natures can be changed. There is hope for everyone! All it takes is a sincere desire to change (and the willingness to try), and faith in Jesus Christ, and He will help us in ways we can not help ourselves. He can purify us, sanctify us, change us, give us another chance. We can be born again. He does not discriminate against anyone. Everyone has this same opportunity to turn to Him and let Him change you into someone who can enjoy peace, joy, and happiness in this life, and ultimately eternal life.

Everything that seems unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Gratitude 10 October 2010

I'm grateful I got to go to church today, take the Sacrament, and remember and testify of Jesus Christ.

I'm grateful I had so much fun with Jeff and my roommates.

I'm grateful for that eternal cookie recipe. They never stop being delicious, and everyone loves them. =) I'm grateful for white chocolate chips.

I'm grateful that I'm learning how to cook without getting stressed! The fettucine alfredo turned out great!

I'm grateful I had the opportunity to say the prayer at Ward Prayer. It was such a good experience. =)

I'm grateful to have so many exceptional people in my life.

I'm grateful I'm becoming a better person, through Christ's grace. I'm grateful He helps me think less often about myself and more often about others. Definitely still not perfect at that, but I'm grateful that I'm being changed.

I'm grateful for the testimony of my bishop about the modern-day prophets. I'm grateful to have a testimony of my own that they are God's spokesmen on the earth today. I'm grateful for them and their sacrifice.

I'm grateful that I feel so loved.

Long time!

Dear Family,

I used to send monthly emails to all of you, to let you know how I was doing! Then while I was in Florida you received weekly emails. Then I came home, and you have heard nothing. I've given your email inboxes a rest. =)  I would like to let everyone know how I'm doing on a regular basis, but I don't want to be bothersome. I'm trying to decide whether or not to only put updates on my blog (aliandria.blogspot.com) and my family's blog (elkridgehansens.blogspot.com), or to keep emailing updates monthly. If anyone has a preference, let me know.

Also, I would absolutely love to hear from all of you. I feel like this is a beautiful way to use technology: keeping in touch and having conversations with those who are important to us, but don't live close by. I don't want this to be all about me, I just want to become even closer to all of you.

Most of you have seen me since I came home, but not everyone has. So I'll start there. I got back from Florida at the beginning of December.  I spent all of December living at home and I was able to spend Christmas with my family. I think I also drove my mom crazy by trying to reorganize the basement (I had to keep busy!). In January I went to Snow College and was there for just one semester. I was roommates with Whitney, my amazing sister, and that was awesome. I really enjoyed going to school with her. =) While at Snow College, I also dated Jake, the tall redhead that most of you saw me with in December. Another thing I did at Snow College was prepare for the Music Therapy program audition at USU. I found a wonderful voice teacher who helped me prepare on my voice, the piano, and the guitar, and I auditioned in February. Miracle of miracles, I made it into the program!

Right before the semester ended, Jake and I broke up. It was a mutual decision, and we're still friends. Whitney and I moved home for the summer. After a few weeks of working with a temp agency, I was hired back to my old job in the IT Dept. at Phone Directories Company, now known as Ziplocal. It was great to be back with my awesome co-workers! I really enjoy that job. As far as church, I was called to be a Primary teacher, and got to teach the 5 year olds with Whitney and my mom. As far as dating, I went on dates with a few different people at the beginning of the summer, and by the end of June I was only dating Jeffrey, and we're currently still dating. I've known him since I was five (his younger sister Becca has been my friend since Kindergarten, and we were roommates for two years at BYU-Idaho. Also, his my mom and my mom have been friends since I was five as well). He's definitely a unique person, and his best qualities are his intelligence, his kindness, and his faith. He has incredible faith. =)

The summer ended, and I moved up to Logan to attend Utah State University, studying Music Therapy. This semester I'm mostly just cleaning up the messes and gaps that transferring schools made. I'm taking a lot of freshmen classes, in other words. But next semester I should be able to really start getting into my Music Therapy classes, and will get to start going deeper. I'm looking forward to that. I have a great ward, and I was called to serve on the Relief Society Meeting committee. I'm excited about that, and grateful I can help ensure that our meetings are focused on our purpose, and full of the Spirit. My roommates are great; they're all very considerate and happy people. I don't get to see Jeff very often because he's attending BYU, working on his master's degree in Psychology, but we try to see each other on the weekends. 

So...that's what I've been up to for the last ten months! For the most part. I would love to hear how you are doing. Please let me know! And I hope these long emails aren't overwhelming. Ignore them if they are.

Love you all, and hope to hear from you!

Ali

Gratitude 8 October 2010

I am grateful for mushrooms, butter, and how good they taste when cooked together.

I am grateful for the beautiful days in autumn.

I'm grateful I've never tried any drugs and become addicted. I'm grateful no one in my family drinks or smokes.

I'm grateful that the Spirit was present in Institute today and told me to get working on following the prophet's counsel to express gratitude!

I'm grateful I got to sleep in today.

I'm grateful it didn't snow.

I'm grateful I have a roommate who loves to testify of Christ!

I'm grateful the text for General Conference is online now, and that the online Study Notebook works with it.

I'm grateful I have a friend who doesn't mind giving me a ride to the temple.

I'm grateful for my mom's example of faith, diligence, and hope. She's constantly seeking for more and more truth from God.

I'm grateful to be dating someone who has never disrespected me in any way.

I'm grateful for the cheerful place that I found to study.

I'm grateful I got to help serve in the Institute building by signing up to play the piano in the lounge for half an hour each week.

I'm grateful Christmas is less than three months away.

I'm grateful that it's bedtime now. =)

Gratitude Video!

This is the video I mentioned in the last post... It makes me smile!

Go and Do - Gratitude

So. I am going to try to be more vocal about the things I'm grateful for. I'm not insisting to myself that I post my gratitude every day...but I hope I do. That will be my goal, but I don't want it to cause me so much stress that I'm not grateful for the opportunity to express gratitude. =P

To start off, I am really grateful that conference was a challenge for me, because now I am studying it more fervently, and looking deeper than I probably would have otherwise. I might have said to myself "I already got something from this talk, so its okay if I don't find anything new." Not so! I didn't find anything the first time. It was hiding from me. And by golly, I'm going to find it! And with the Spirit to guide me, I'll be able to find it. I'll be able to find exactly what the Lord needs for me to learn. It may or may not be big and grand on the surface - but if I repent and change according to what they say it will be a pivotal 6 months of my life. =) In addition to being a pivotal conference for the whole church, as I'm sure it is/was/will be.

Just to kick off this gratitude endeavor, I am also going to include one of my favorite videos.

"Barter" by Sara Teasdale

Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up
Holding wonder like a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.

Twice in One Week

I cooked. I totally just sauteed mushrooms, and I'm enjoying them at this very moment. =)

Me, cooking? And twice in one week? That IS a miracle.

That Ye May Be Filled With This Love

I've been praying for charity each day...and I have received it! I have had more thoughts of kindness, I've spoken more kindly, and I've provided more small acts of service for those around me. Anyone who knew me well in high school or early college knows I wasn't the most selfless person around. I am not perfect, but I'm doing better than I was back then. All through the grace of Jesus Christ and God's willingness to answer prayers. =)

"Pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ;...that we may be purified even as he is pure."
Moroni 7:48

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

The miracle of forgiveness amazes me. It amazes me that through one Man, Jesus Christ, despair and bitterness can be replaced with peace and healing. If that's not a miracle I don't know what is.
Having had the opportunity to forgive someone who had hurt me and led me to feel bitterness, I can testify that the peace that comes from the forgiveness and the peace that comes from Jesus Christ, are very real. He can heal every wound.
I want to repeat something I've repeated often in the last couple years:
Everything that seems unfair in this life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Return to Virtue

I've come to see that virtue truly does bring joy. My life is so much more peaceful than it would have been if I had allowed anyone to convince me otherwise. Every person living a life of virtue is a truly beautiful miracle.

Testimony of the Book of Mormon

I know that what Elder Holland says about the Book of Mormon is true, especially that the Book of Mormon has been given "to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the last days," and that the Book of Mormon provides safety for the soul, because it leads us to Jesus Christ, the Savior. The Book of Mormon is a miracle that means more to me than most any other miracle.

Lucky

One of the greatest miracles in my life currently is that one of the greatest men I know cares about me and considers me to be his friend.

And why is he one of the greatest men I know? He has a relationship with God, seeks to follow Him with all his heart, and he truly loves, serves, and cares for God's other children, everyone around him. I'm lucky to know him.

"The music of stillness, holy and low..."

The bigger and slower the snowflakes the better... then include one of the kindest men I know, no one else around, and the look in his eyes...

I'm one happy girl. =)

And romantic moments are currently one of my favorite kinds of miracles!

Chamber Orchestra

Music is a miracle. I LOVE it! I went to the Chamber Orchestra concert on campus, and loved every minute.

Transcendant Peace

Sublime feeling: The peace of the temple. I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to go this morning. There's nothing quite like it. It's a foretaste of heaven.

Phoenix

A truly sweet miracle: I'm beginning to be excited about things in my life. In 2007 I had some experiences that seemed to suck all the energy and life and happiness out of me. But now I am starting to find things that get me excited. I'm beginning to express my excitement without being ashamed or worried. I still have a ways to go, but if feels so nice to feel again. And to act, rather than living in fear. Music is coming to life inside me; I'm dancing in the living room; I'm having too much fun to go to sleep. I'm doing things I haven't done in a really long time, yet I'm moving on from the past. Holding on to the good and letting go of everything else.

It feels GREAT!

Statistics / 2 = Happy

Miracle: My statistics test took half as long as I thought it would.
Miracle: I became friends with someone who previously intimidated me.
Miracle: I practiced everything that I have been procrastinating.
Miracle: I am getting better at the guitar!
Miracle: The sun was beautiful and the sky was clear.

Revelation, Heroes, Friends and Family

I received personal revelation today during church. I felt the Lord telling me that any time someone was entrusted in my stewardship, I should go beyond the minimum for helping them. Go the extra mile, do more than what's expected. I went visiting teaching after church, and was given the opportunity to do just that. The Lord keeps giving me answers just hours (or minutes [like my "Patience is the key to success" answer]) before I need them. That is a wonderful miracle.

I was carried by my dear friend across a giant snow bank, so I wouldn't have to walk through the snow myself. =)

I visited a friend I've had since Kindergarten, and we can still laugh together just as hard as we used to.

I have the cutest little siblings ever. And there's nothing better than a child expressing pure, innocent and simple love.

All Better

Miracle that DID happen today: Swing dancing in the kitchen! Even better! As well as in the living room. Life is great.

Miracle: I cooked a delicious omelet.
Miracle: I have a friend who is patient and caring enough to teach me to cook.

Almost Miracle

The miracle that almost came true...swing dancing in the living room.

Awake!

I would like to use this blog again. I will give it a try. =)

The absence in writing is due to the mission I served in Florida. I'm so grateful I went! In the words of my new dear friend Ryan:

"We weren't talking about miracles - we were living 'em."