Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Testimony
Moroni 10:5
"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
I have a testimony of this gospel. I have felt the comfort and the confirmation of the Spirit in my life. On many occasions and in daily occurrences I have felt the power of this gospel. I am very thankful for it. I know that this church is true, and I know that I can return to live with my Father in Heaven.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Perfect? Think Again...
In 2 Nephi 4:17-23 it states:
"17 ...O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sibs which do soceasily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and ge hath preserved me upon the waters of te great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time."
To give a little explanation, this is when Nephi is lamenting how wicked he has been and how he doesn't deserve to be a prophet of God. When I first read this, I was completely surprised. Nephi? Being wicked? When I was younger I thought that Nephi was one of the most righteous prophets! Clearly though, we are not perfect.
This scripture has helped me to realize that even though someone may seem perfect, we may not know the truth. In all honesty, nobody is perfect. Hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's true. The only perfect person to have ever walked the earth was Jesus Christ. I believe that even though we may not be perfect, we can always do our best. It's not our actions that define us in the last days, it's who we have become.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Love Your Enemy
3 Nephi 12:43-44
"43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;
44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you,do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you."
This scripture states that normal society tells us to hate our enemies. But in this scripture it tells us that it is better to love your enemies. You need to be nice to both your enemies as well as your allies. This is important because we ever know what people are going through. Though they may seem annoying or rude at first, by being nice to them they may cease to be our enemy. In fact, they may even become your friend!
I had one such experience with this. In seventh grade there was this girl in my PE class. I thought that she was really stuck up and was really rude, even though everyone loved her (she actually wasn't stuck up, but that was my view back then). I avoided her like the plague until the end of eighth grade, when I was against her team in badminton. Then in ninth grade for one of our english assignments, I had started to walk towards one of my friends. She spoke up and asked me if I wanted to be her partner. I hesitated, then agreed. Through the experience of being her partner, I gained a friend. I cane to realize just how awesome she was - how kind, smart, understanding, and beautiful she was. I don't see her often, but when I do, I feel joy, rather than disgust. I consider her to be a great friend.
Though she didn't start out as a real enemy, by being "tolerant" of her, I gained a friend. I am grateful for that english assignment for bringing me closer to her.
I truly believe that by being nice to your "enemy", you can gain a friend. We need to be kind to everyone becase you never know what they are going through. It may be tough to be nice to a particular person, but by trying you will be happier for it.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Religion Is More Than An Idea
In this video, Clayton Christensen talks about how important religion is - not just in our daily habits, but in our government as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZdlI_ZVPHY&feature=share
If we take religion away from our society, everything will collapse. Religion is what connects people in the world - even if they are of a different faith, we respect them. We know that they are dedicated to what they believe, and that is very honorable. My favorite quote from the video is: "If you take away religion, you can't hire enough police". The government is actually ruled by the people. If they (as a whole) chose to revolt or not obey the laws, the government would useless. The reason people are okay with being ruled by a leader and their laws is because they not only feel a sense of duty to their country, but also to their God(s).
I believe that if everyone read their religious texts at least most of the time, the world would improve greatly.
I know that religion is a very important part of the world today. By holding fast to what we know to be true, we can help to make the world a better place.
I have a testimony of this gospel. I know that it is true and that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. I know that we have prophets on the earth today. I know that by learning and living the teachings of the prophets we can become better people and become more in tune with the Spirit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZdlI_ZVPHY&feature=share
If we take religion away from our society, everything will collapse. Religion is what connects people in the world - even if they are of a different faith, we respect them. We know that they are dedicated to what they believe, and that is very honorable. My favorite quote from the video is: "If you take away religion, you can't hire enough police". The government is actually ruled by the people. If they (as a whole) chose to revolt or not obey the laws, the government would useless. The reason people are okay with being ruled by a leader and their laws is because they not only feel a sense of duty to their country, but also to their God(s).
I believe that if everyone read their religious texts at least most of the time, the world would improve greatly.
I know that religion is a very important part of the world today. By holding fast to what we know to be true, we can help to make the world a better place.
I have a testimony of this gospel. I know that it is true and that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. I know that we have prophets on the earth today. I know that by learning and living the teachings of the prophets we can become better people and become more in tune with the Spirit.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
To Thine Own Self Be True
This post is to talk about how sometimes you need to be yourself. Sometimes you have to stand up for what is right, even if you don't know what the outcome will be. In this video, our Prophet - Thomas S. Monson - speaks of a time when he had to go through the same thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_92mKlQOlk&feature=youtu.be
This post is going to be relatively short. Basically, stand up for what you know to be true. "This above all; to thine own self be true." If it's a personal standard, or a cultural thing, it is important to do what you know to be right. Sometimes we forget this, and end up making mistakes. But that's the beauty of the gospel - you can still repent. Through our Savior's love we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. You can be forgiven of your sins.
So remember, stand up for what is right - and if you slip up a bit, you can always repent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_92mKlQOlk&feature=youtu.be
This post is going to be relatively short. Basically, stand up for what you know to be true. "This above all; to thine own self be true." If it's a personal standard, or a cultural thing, it is important to do what you know to be right. Sometimes we forget this, and end up making mistakes. But that's the beauty of the gospel - you can still repent. Through our Savior's love we can return to live with our Father in Heaven. You can be forgiven of your sins.
So remember, stand up for what is right - and if you slip up a bit, you can always repent.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Self Worth
For this post, I don't want to go into to much detail about what I think. I want you to be able to experience this topic for yourself. The topic is: Self Worth.
This first link connects to an article on lds.org about your self-worth. It compares the world's ideas of how you should view yourself to the church's perspective.
This second link is to Lindsey Stirling's profile on mormon.org. I have often thought that she was amazing, though I never knew her background. After reading this and watching the video, I realized that even those you look up to aren't perfect. They've gone through tough times like you, cried like you, feared like you, and even loved like you.
To be honest, I struggled with my own self worth for a little bit. I didn't really realize at the time that it was an issue, but looking back now I can see very clearly that it was. Here is my "life story":
When I was in elementary school I firmly believed that I was the angel child. I thought that all of my teachers loved me and there wasn't anything wrong. I was in a great soccer team that I had been on since I was six and I had friends. Turns out, I was wrong. And it took a little kick to the head to figure out that I was a brat. A downright jerk. One day when my mom picked me up from some extracurricular activity (I can't remember at this point in time), she had a letter for me. It was from my soccer coach. I don't have a copy of it anymore, but the main gist of it was: "We don't want a member on the team that we have to babysit. Shape up or ship out." Not quite that harsh, but in the mind of a young kid, that was devastating news. I cried the rest of the day. Now the happy news: I did shape up. In fact, I got to stay on the team until I turned 14, when the team disbanded and I was forced to go from AA competition to Rec league. In 7th and 8th grade, I was weird. Socially awkward. When I was placed into the advanced honors classes at my school, I gained friends that stuck with me all throughout junior high. But it started out rough. When we were first starting to get to know each other, we formed groups within our group. The nerds of the nerds, the more popular of the nerds, the downright weird of the nerds. Let's put it this way - I definitely was not one of the more popular of the nerds. I'm still not. But the difference is - now I don't care. But back then, I was jealous. I wanted to be loved and respected. I wanted to be like the girl who sat across from me in history. The one with the perfect hair, perfect personality, perfect clothes, perfect smile. Everyone loved her. They still do. The thing is, it's fine to respect someone - as long as you don't compare yourself to them in a way that downgrades your self worth. For the longest time I wanted to be like her. I tried to change who I was. I tried to be what was in my mind the perfect image of "beauty". I never succeeded. There is no "perfect" image. Don't try to be someone you're not. You're perfect the way you are - tears, bruises, and all. I'm definitely doing better with my self attitude. It's not perfect, but I'm working on it. I'm more confident and I have a purpose in life. When you commit to a team sport or a musical program or a club at school, you lose yourself in what you enjoy and you forget about what other people think of you. Find a passion, and stick with it. And most of all, "Don't be afraid to seem ridiculous." ;)
My point is, the Lord loves you for who you are. I have often felt His love in my life. He comforts me and is willing to help me through my trials. He wants each of us to return to live with Him. I know personally that His love is never ending, and that he will offer us opportunities to become a better person. In reference to my previous post, no matter what happens - it's for your own good. Always remember, "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God." (D&C 18:10)
Monday, February 3, 2014
Take Comfort, He Understands
In D&C 122:7 you will find:
"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that lal these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
To me this is a scripture of great comfort. When you first glance over it (or at least when I did) it appears disturbing. Nobody wants to have every terrible thing in the world thrown at us, but neither does our Heavenly Father. Though He would rather let us go through life with no harm, He knows that it is for the better. He was willing to send his Only Begotten Son down to suffer for all of the pains and afflictions of the world.
Alma 7:11-13
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how o succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
When this scripture says that He suffers for pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind, it literally means every kind. For each person individually. This is absolutely amazing to me - to know that He truly does know everything I've gone through and will go through - both mentally and physically. The most amazing part of that is - He did it all for us because He loves us. Not because He felt obligated to. Because of the Atonement we can repent and return to live with our Father in Heaven. I know with a surety that this is true. I have been grateful for the Atonement throughout my life and I have felt our Savior's love for us. Jesus Christ loves us, He understands us, and He personally knows each and every one of us. I can honestly tell you that if you seek out His help you will be comforted, even if it seems impossible.
Matthew 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 10:27
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that lal these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
To me this is a scripture of great comfort. When you first glance over it (or at least when I did) it appears disturbing. Nobody wants to have every terrible thing in the world thrown at us, but neither does our Heavenly Father. Though He would rather let us go through life with no harm, He knows that it is for the better. He was willing to send his Only Begotten Son down to suffer for all of the pains and afflictions of the world.
Alma 7:11-13
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how o succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
When this scripture says that He suffers for pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind, it literally means every kind. For each person individually. This is absolutely amazing to me - to know that He truly does know everything I've gone through and will go through - both mentally and physically. The most amazing part of that is - He did it all for us because He loves us. Not because He felt obligated to. Because of the Atonement we can repent and return to live with our Father in Heaven. I know with a surety that this is true. I have been grateful for the Atonement throughout my life and I have felt our Savior's love for us. Jesus Christ loves us, He understands us, and He personally knows each and every one of us. I can honestly tell you that if you seek out His help you will be comforted, even if it seems impossible.
Matthew 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Mark 9:23
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 10:27
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
The Thief and The Cobbler
My brother just introduced me to this film, and I think my reaction during it might be a good summary of it. "I think I might have a new favorite movie."
It's terrible how few views this has. It's definitely worth the watch, and it features some of the greatest technical animation that I've seen.
You'll see that some of the scenes are unfinished. Somebody has spent 8 years of reasearch and 2 of actual work just getting it to where it is. It's amazing. And, in his own words,
"Most people haven't seen it, you know. Not this version, the version I spent two years restoring in HD. They've seen the old versions of the Recobbled Cut, which weren't nearly as good. The war machine finale was viewed 760,717 times on Youtube.
And some spammer stole and posted my old version as the "Original Cut - Full Length!" and has 390,503 views to date.
The actual, good, Mark 4 Recobbled Cut? That's got 7,758 views as I'm writing this, for part one. By part 4 it's 2,841 views."
This deserves a watch. Actually, it deserves many.
Further story/history/inspiration to share it with others: http://tygerbug.tumblr.com/post/70454317392/http-www-youtube-com-watch-v-yzibuph-ame-list-pl1
By the way, this is all hand-drawn. It came before Disney's "Aladdin". Aladdin took some of the concepts. Sorry - I couldn't resist. :D
Also, Tack is my favorite character. :)
http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/artists/82225279?view_mode=2
And four of my drawings (the first is based off the one above):
Monday, December 2, 2013
Watch Your Words
Today during lunch I was sitting with a few of my friends. We were all excited about new movies that have been out, and of course, we wanted others to feel our excitement. Many of my friends were talking about the new Disney movie "Frozen", which I haven't seen. I tuned out of their conversation because I didn't want anything to be given away. Basically what I got out of it was "IT'S AMAZING!!!". So, no spoilers there.
The other movie they were talking about was "Catching Fire". I've personally never been a fan of those movies/books, so I tuned out of that conversation as well. I did hear that it was better than the first movie, just in case you were wondering.
The movie that I saw over Thanksgiving was "Ender's Game". I personally liked the book more, though it had some...inappropriateness. I mean, it's a bunch of boys in battle school. What do you expect? Anyway, I was talking about how much I liked the movie. My friends wanted to know if they should read the book. I tried explaining my thoughts on the matter, but I was slightly out-of-it from the weekend (I actually forgot my friend's name, so don't think it's just an excuse). I couldn't think of a good way to explain why I thought it was iffy. They kept asking me and I just could NOT think of a good explanation. Apparently, I painted a pretty detailed picture inside my friends' heads. They got grossed out and left the table.
This post is to say, don't exaggerate. Think about what you're going to say before you say it. THINK BEFORE YOU ACT. Unless, of course, you rely on intuition. Then feel free to think after you act. :)
The other movie they were talking about was "Catching Fire". I've personally never been a fan of those movies/books, so I tuned out of that conversation as well. I did hear that it was better than the first movie, just in case you were wondering.
The movie that I saw over Thanksgiving was "Ender's Game". I personally liked the book more, though it had some...inappropriateness. I mean, it's a bunch of boys in battle school. What do you expect? Anyway, I was talking about how much I liked the movie. My friends wanted to know if they should read the book. I tried explaining my thoughts on the matter, but I was slightly out-of-it from the weekend (I actually forgot my friend's name, so don't think it's just an excuse). I couldn't think of a good way to explain why I thought it was iffy. They kept asking me and I just could NOT think of a good explanation. Apparently, I painted a pretty detailed picture inside my friends' heads. They got grossed out and left the table.
This post is to say, don't exaggerate. Think about what you're going to say before you say it. THINK BEFORE YOU ACT. Unless, of course, you rely on intuition. Then feel free to think after you act. :)
Sunday, December 1, 2013
El Día De Gracias
Sorry I haven't been on here for a while...
Anyway, I just thought that since Thanksgiving was this past week, I would do a post about what I was thankful for. I'm going to about... 13-ish different things, because 13 is a good, lucky number.
1.) I'm thankful for the gospel in my life. Without it, I would be an entirely different person, and I'm not sure that would be a good thing. Throughout my life I have been blessed and my testimony has been strengthened. Through many trials and frustrating events, I have felt the hand of the Lord in my life and I am glad that my ancestors were introduced to this church many generations ago.
1.) I'm thankful for my family. My silly, wonderful family has been a great support to me. Though sometimes I get frustrated with my brothers and vow to never speak to them again, I often can't hold that promise to myself for more than a few minutes before I'm smiling and laughing with them. When I struggle in life, the different personalities of my brothers help me in different ways. The philosophical one, the funny one, the snarky one, the nerdy one, the quiet one... Their different attributes all come together to help me with whatever I need, and for that I will forever be indebted to them.
3.) I'm thankful for my friends. My crazy friends, my nerdy friends, my shy friends. They make annoying teachers so much more bearable. They fangirl with me over my favorite actors and TV shows, and they help me smile when I think of them. It's fun having them show up in my dreams unexpectedly - then I get to enjoy them 24/7! More than just having a good time, they help me when I need help and comfort me when I need comfort. They always know exactly what to say, and it's weird to think that if one of us hadn't moved here when we did, we never would have met - and my life would be a whole lot different.
3.) I'm thankful for books. Books that carry me to far-off places, imaginary worlds, and different times. Books that help me see life, that make me cry uncontrollably and love unconditionally. Stories that I become fully immersed in, that I never want to leave, that make me lose all of my senses in the real world. Books that make me stay up late at night with a tiny flashlight under my covers, books that will make me carry them around days after I finished them - just because I don't want the story to end. Books that change the way I perceive things, change my thoughts and interactions with others, and most of all - books that make me love who I am.
3.) I'm thankful for music. Music is my escape in life. It all started with an overeager 6-year-old substituting for her sick brother at piano lessons and a confused 7th grader making up her own fingerings for a clarinet, using keys that didn't exist. The band room is my safe haven in school. If I could, I would spend the whole day in there. Music expresses emotions in a way that words and language never could. The way the notes and melody flow and intertwine like a forest and a river, in constant harmony with one another. Music can change how you feel in the moment and it can bring back forgotten memories. Music without words (I feel) is the music that does this. Instrumental music lets the listener interperet what the composer was trying to convey, rather than lyrics forcing you to think instead of losing yourself to the rhythm (unless, of course, the lyrics are really well-written).
3.) I'm thankful for a healthy body. Every time I break an arm or a pinky and have to get a cast, I am reminded of how much I love being normal. We don't think about it very much when we feel fine, but once we're sick, the only thing we wish for is to be better again. When you're truly sick, you don't wish for an X-box or a vacation to Disneyland, because your body knows that you wouldn't be able to enjoy it - you would spend the whole time sitting there with a headache and a tissue box at your side. I'm thankful that I can run and jump and play, that I can join my family in activities and (as much as I hate (or really, love) it) participate in PE.
7.) I'm thankful for my imagination. It lets me come up with crazy stories to write. It lets me read books as if I'm watching a movie, or watch movies as if I'm the main character that never gets mentioned (it's hard to explain...). My imagination lets my friends and I come up with fun things to talk about, and it helps me help my friends with the books they're writing.
7.) I'm thankful for nature. For being able to escape from life. I love being able to go outside, lie down in the grass, close my eyes, and listen to nothing but the sound of the birds and the crickets, to feel the wind on my face. The night is my favorite part of the day (haha). But really, the way the moon and the stars and the dark blue of the sky blend together is just perfect. It's peaceful.
9.) I'm thankful for holidays. This allows me to spend time with my family and bond with them when normally I would be stressing over a school project. They boost morale no matter where you live. It's kind of like...a car getting an oil change. Everything just runs more smoothly and other people are more willing to talk to you.
9.) I'm thankful for boys. Yes, boys. Not in a "I want to date every boy I meet and then I'm going to marry them!" sort of way. More in a, "they have a fresh outlook on life" sort of way. It helps that I grew up with many brothers, which gives me this view on them. This doesn't mean I don't "like" boys. Just ask my friends - because I do. I just enjoy their company and personality more than their looks.
11.) I'm thankful for water. Plain and simple as that.
11.) I'm thankful for light. Without it, this would be a very scary world. ;)
13.) I'm thankful for prime numbers. Even numbers disgust me. I also don't like anything to do with the number 5. Strange fact about me, but it's true. Just look at this list.
That's not all I'm thankful for, but I decided to stop writing epistles towards the end. Anyway, have a happy December!
Anyway, I just thought that since Thanksgiving was this past week, I would do a post about what I was thankful for. I'm going to about... 13-ish different things, because 13 is a good, lucky number.
1.) I'm thankful for the gospel in my life. Without it, I would be an entirely different person, and I'm not sure that would be a good thing. Throughout my life I have been blessed and my testimony has been strengthened. Through many trials and frustrating events, I have felt the hand of the Lord in my life and I am glad that my ancestors were introduced to this church many generations ago.
1.) I'm thankful for my family. My silly, wonderful family has been a great support to me. Though sometimes I get frustrated with my brothers and vow to never speak to them again, I often can't hold that promise to myself for more than a few minutes before I'm smiling and laughing with them. When I struggle in life, the different personalities of my brothers help me in different ways. The philosophical one, the funny one, the snarky one, the nerdy one, the quiet one... Their different attributes all come together to help me with whatever I need, and for that I will forever be indebted to them.
3.) I'm thankful for my friends. My crazy friends, my nerdy friends, my shy friends. They make annoying teachers so much more bearable. They fangirl with me over my favorite actors and TV shows, and they help me smile when I think of them. It's fun having them show up in my dreams unexpectedly - then I get to enjoy them 24/7! More than just having a good time, they help me when I need help and comfort me when I need comfort. They always know exactly what to say, and it's weird to think that if one of us hadn't moved here when we did, we never would have met - and my life would be a whole lot different.
3.) I'm thankful for books. Books that carry me to far-off places, imaginary worlds, and different times. Books that help me see life, that make me cry uncontrollably and love unconditionally. Stories that I become fully immersed in, that I never want to leave, that make me lose all of my senses in the real world. Books that make me stay up late at night with a tiny flashlight under my covers, books that will make me carry them around days after I finished them - just because I don't want the story to end. Books that change the way I perceive things, change my thoughts and interactions with others, and most of all - books that make me love who I am.
3.) I'm thankful for music. Music is my escape in life. It all started with an overeager 6-year-old substituting for her sick brother at piano lessons and a confused 7th grader making up her own fingerings for a clarinet, using keys that didn't exist. The band room is my safe haven in school. If I could, I would spend the whole day in there. Music expresses emotions in a way that words and language never could. The way the notes and melody flow and intertwine like a forest and a river, in constant harmony with one another. Music can change how you feel in the moment and it can bring back forgotten memories. Music without words (I feel) is the music that does this. Instrumental music lets the listener interperet what the composer was trying to convey, rather than lyrics forcing you to think instead of losing yourself to the rhythm (unless, of course, the lyrics are really well-written).
3.) I'm thankful for a healthy body. Every time I break an arm or a pinky and have to get a cast, I am reminded of how much I love being normal. We don't think about it very much when we feel fine, but once we're sick, the only thing we wish for is to be better again. When you're truly sick, you don't wish for an X-box or a vacation to Disneyland, because your body knows that you wouldn't be able to enjoy it - you would spend the whole time sitting there with a headache and a tissue box at your side. I'm thankful that I can run and jump and play, that I can join my family in activities and (as much as I hate (or really, love) it) participate in PE.
7.) I'm thankful for my imagination. It lets me come up with crazy stories to write. It lets me read books as if I'm watching a movie, or watch movies as if I'm the main character that never gets mentioned (it's hard to explain...). My imagination lets my friends and I come up with fun things to talk about, and it helps me help my friends with the books they're writing.
7.) I'm thankful for nature. For being able to escape from life. I love being able to go outside, lie down in the grass, close my eyes, and listen to nothing but the sound of the birds and the crickets, to feel the wind on my face. The night is my favorite part of the day (haha). But really, the way the moon and the stars and the dark blue of the sky blend together is just perfect. It's peaceful.
9.) I'm thankful for holidays. This allows me to spend time with my family and bond with them when normally I would be stressing over a school project. They boost morale no matter where you live. It's kind of like...a car getting an oil change. Everything just runs more smoothly and other people are more willing to talk to you.
9.) I'm thankful for boys. Yes, boys. Not in a "I want to date every boy I meet and then I'm going to marry them!" sort of way. More in a, "they have a fresh outlook on life" sort of way. It helps that I grew up with many brothers, which gives me this view on them. This doesn't mean I don't "like" boys. Just ask my friends - because I do. I just enjoy their company and personality more than their looks.
11.) I'm thankful for water. Plain and simple as that.
11.) I'm thankful for light. Without it, this would be a very scary world. ;)
13.) I'm thankful for prime numbers. Even numbers disgust me. I also don't like anything to do with the number 5. Strange fact about me, but it's true. Just look at this list.
That's not all I'm thankful for, but I decided to stop writing epistles towards the end. Anyway, have a happy December!
For The Greatest Happiness
When I was younger, my mom always said one particular quote. "For the greatest happiness, work must come first. The pleasure follows." She would often quote this whenever I complained about doing chores or procrastinating homework *cough cough*. Though I try to remember this, sometimes fun things make it hard to. I had an experience with this over the weekend.
My mom had been petitioning to get a new mattress because the one she and my dad shared was practically a taco. In her words, "the bed gently slopes down until you get to this cliff and *vhoomp*, you're stuck and can't get back up." She had been talking with my dad about it for a while, but he didn't feel the need to get a new bed just quite yet. Then they both agreed to flip the mattress 180 to feel what they were each experiencing. My mom woke up the next morning feeling great! My dad on the other hand, decided that yes, it was time to get a new bed soon. They didn't know when they were going to get it until later the same night.
My friend and I have recently become sucked into the show "Merlin" (you should watch it if you haven't - it's a great one). Anyway, she had come over so we could watch more episodes. She stayed through dinner, when my family discussed the bed topic. It turned out that my mom was considering switching around all the beds in the house, not just hers. After dinner, my friend and I got to work.
We started by taking apart the full guest bed in my basement. We then went up two levels to my bedroom to take apart my twin bed. After we had taken mine apart and moved it down the hall, we went back down to bring the full bed up. Now, mind you, we were two teenage girls trying to move a bed by ourselves up two flights of stairs. Not an easy task... Eventually we got my bed set up and we were able to relax for the rest of the evening. And when I say relax, I mean collapsed on the floor laughing so hard we can't breathe and tears streaming down our faces (or at least mine). She eventually had to go home, and I was able to have the best night's sleep I've had in a long time...
The next day I woke up to a surprise. I was to spend the whole day moving more beds! We took apart the bunk beds in my brother's room and set up my old bed in there. We then moved his bunk bed into my other brother's guest room (when he visits from college). We moved the older bunk beds that had been in there into my other other brother's house. After that, we moved my mom and dad's bed into the true guest room. Then my friend came over and (what do you know?) we watched more Merlin. We were also drafted into making the beds.
I tell this story because my whole family has benefited from hard work. We've all slept better than we have in ages, an we're all happier because of it. Yes, it seemed like an impossible feat when we first started, but now we get to relax and enjoy turkey and pie for Thanksgiving!
So remember, "for the greatest happiness, work must come first. The pleasure follows."
Friday, November 22, 2013
Good times...
I love friends. It's so nice to realize it's a Friday, have a friend come over for hours, watch TV, get a bigger bed, and lie down on the floor laughing about who-knows-what?
Here are some quotes from my friend and I today:
Me:
"It could be like an early birthday!"
My friend:
"Who's birthday is coming up?.... Oh yeah! Mine!"
Me:
"Now I can sleep horizontally!"
My friend:
"Don't you already?"
Me:
"I meant diagonally!"
My friend:
"Do you ever pull out your phone to see what time it was, think 'Man, I really like my phone', put it away, and then realize that you forgot to see what time it was?"
My friend:
"It's like praying to God. He doesn't just say 'Here you go! And have a pizza.'"
Yep. Good times. All those moments when you end up on the floor laughing for half an hour only to sit up and say "Why are we laughing?" Which of course, sends you into another fit of laughter. Friends are great. I totally recommend having one. :)
Thursday, November 21, 2013
YW in Excellence, A Dream, and Biology Class...
So yesterday my ward held it's annual Young Women in Excellence (for those of you who don't know what that is, I'm not one to consult. I would go to lds.org for information on that). One of my ward members gave a talk about how you need to stay steady and strong in life. Then she told a story. You're probably expecting "The Tortoise and the Hare". I know I was. But instead, it was something new to me. Here is something similar to what she said:
"There is a huge race in Australia that goes on every year. It's about 22 marathons put together back-to-back-to-back (or something close to 2,000 miles?). Most people who participate in this race are world-class athletes that have been training for that single event their whole life, and almost none of them are over 30. One year, a farmer (I can't remember his name) decided that he would like to join this race. You see, he took care of about 2,000 square miles and about 2,000 sheep. When it came time to gather the sheep, he would be constantly running to find them all. Sometime he would have to run multiple days and nights without sleeping. He had been doing this his whole life. When he showed up to the race in overalls and boots (as opposed to the sponsored, latest-fashion-wearing other contestants) the news media quickly spotted him. They asked him why he thought he could run the race and he explained to them what I just did to you. Once the race had started, it was clear that the farmer was one of the slowest runners there. But when night came and the other runners were force to stop at hotels along the way to sleep because they were so exhausted, the farmer was able to keep going. He eventually finished the race. Not only did he finish the race, but he finished in first place and set a new world record - he had run the race 9 hours faster than the previous record."
Though this is similar to The Tortoise and the Hare, I felt like it held more meaning and was more realistic. I'm not going to explain it any further, because I don't wan to influence your thoughts on it.
***
My dream, a prelude to the Biology section:
From the night before 11-16-13 ---> A Prince, a Marraige, some Ninjas, and a Semi-Truck...
My name was Sophie. Who knows why it was different? It just was. I was really good friends with the prince of the kingdom. He was the perfect man - even NOW I would be willing to marry him (mind you, I'm awake! I still think he's attractive and has a great personality...). I don't know if he was based off of someone in real life... Anyway, we were good friends and old enough to get married. I kept acting like I already had the throne, but I tried not to. One day, the prince and I were sitting next to each other during court or something when my best friend (she had long dark hair and she was tall) went up and kissed the prince! Not just a you're-a-great-prince kiss, but an actual kiss! I was super mad and jealous. The prince then handed me a note with some code on it. After a little bit, he told me it said "Sophie, will you marry me?" I was so happy that I can't even begin to put it into words! I hugged the prince.
Next scene (since dreams tend to skip the inbetween stuff)
I was getting ready for my wedding. My hair was super messy but I had to grab my wedding dress. Between the room i was currently in and the room my wedding dress was in was a revolving door (solid - not glass. Kind of like those library secret ones...). I went through it and found the prince holding my wedding dress and waiting for me. I was embarrassed with my hair and tried to grab the bag and go back, but the prince wouldn't let me leave until I had kissed him. I wanted our first kiss to be after we were married so I hugged him instead (although I think I recall something about how we had already kissed before). Once I was back in the room my best friend explained that the reason she and the prince had kissed was to make me more humble.
Next scene
This part is a little more hazy. These ninjas were chasing the prince and I through these really tall glass buildings and a pretty sweet courtyard. I can't remember why. I kept getting cornered but somehow I would escape. The prince and I also kept getting seperated. We were eventually able to stick together and run away to a semi-truck that was alive. We hid in the back while it drove away from the ninjas that were chasing us. We watched some movies in the back I think... Somehow the semi turned upside-down and disconnected. We fixed it and kept running. But I still think the prince was the handsomest, most chivalrous, attractive man that I have ever encountered - in real life and in my dreams.
I wrote that so you would have a background for the story I'm about to tell. During biology class today, we were taking a test. It was on computers and my friend and I both finished early. We went on google docs to work on books we're both writing. We were typing on the doc to communicate because we weren't allowed to talk out loud. We were talking about a character in my friend's book that was based off of someone in one of her dreams. We were kind of cluttering up the doc, so I started up the chat. Here it is from where we started:
me
11:10 AM
Like in my dream a few days ago! I don't think I'll ever find a handsomer, nicer man...
-
My Friend
11:11 AM
Just picture this with me for a minute.....
tall
tan
dark wavy/curly hair
big hands
-
me
11:11 AM
So basically tall, dark, and handsome
-
My Friend
11:11 AM
i think his eyes were brown...
-
me
11:12 AM
So average. Honestly, go for the tall, skinny, geeky guys!
-
My Friend
11:12 AM
ya. which is wierd cuz i usually picture guys having blue eyes
I'm sorry random people pop up in my dreams!
-
me
11:12 AM
Although, the man from my dream was slightly less skinny and geeky. He had blonde hair. *
Can't remember what eye color...
Which is also weird, 'cause that's what I normally like to look at...
He was also a prince.
-
My Friend
11:13 AM
Dude. Once I had a dream about my wedding actually the reception
-
me
11:13 AM
We got married.
He was nice.
And tall.
And attractive.
-
My Friend
11:14 AM
but i couldn't see the guys face
This was exactly when my biology teacher walked behind us and read our whole conversation. He asked us what we were doing - which startled us both. We all cracked up, but of course, since the class was silent, my classmates just stared at us in confusion. We hurriedly tried to close the chat so our teacher wouldn't see more. My biology teacher just chuckled and walked away. Later he came back to ask about our stories, since I had a third friend there that was also writing a story. And that's my friend adventure for today!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
School, Band, and Scripture Study
LCurrently I am enrolled in 3 band classes, volunteering in another, and taking piano. This makes my time very limited, and I've found that I tend to procrastinate homework - not a good idea. In the past few years, I would write down all of my assignments and look at them when I got home. I would complete my homework and turn it in on time. "Magically", I got straight A's. This year, I rarely pull out my planner and when I do, I haven't written down what I was supposed to do and I forget "just what page were we supposed to read to...?". Now I'm struggling to crank out the good grades, and I am constantly emailing my teachers about assignments that I had to make up. Now, not all of this is because of me being lazy (or rather, busy). Most of it is because I have been absent on the days in class when we take tests or do reviews (or whatever junk teachers assign). This first part is to say that I pledge to do better with remembering when assignments are due. This is going to make my friends relieved, because I've kind of been pestering them lately...
Okay, now on to band. Another part of my being busy is that I have to practice. And I mean PRACTICE. I am in band on two different instruments, and my mom is very strict about the piano - 45 minutes each day, no questions asked. Now, add 120 minutes of practicing on clarinet each week and 60 minutes of trombone to that. This makes a grand total of 225 minutes of practicing per week. Not counting lessons.
Like I said, I'm busy. Busy with school and busy with band. Throughout all of this, I still find time for scriptures.Yes, I do read them right before I go to bed, causing me to stay up longer. But I read them. It's like the piano, practicing, and homework. I'm very strict with it, but I'm telling MYSELF to read them. In Seminary we're supposed to set a scripture study goal, and we record how many school days we accomplish it. We then get rewards each term/every couple of weeks if we stay within a certain average. This is fun and it's a good incentive - but it's not good enough, at least for me. To me, reading the scriptures isn't just an "I'll do it to play games in class" sort of thing. To me, it's reading them every day - weekends included - and wanting to read them every day. Sort of like practicing. The more often you do it, the better you understand things and the more fun it becomes. Last year, I carried my scriptures with me everywhere. They were the only thing I read. Soon enough, I became sort of addicted to them and never wanted to do anything but read. I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time this February. And I must say, the amazing feelings I got when I read the Book of Mormon are the reason I read them every single day - without fail. Even if I'm collapsed on the couch throwing up all day. It's because I want to understand, I want to know, I want to read my scriptures and feel the spirit.
To sum it all up, be responsible. Be self-motivated. And most of all, care about what you're doing and think about WHY you're doing it. It isn't enough if it's just to humor your parents...
Okay, now on to band. Another part of my being busy is that I have to practice. And I mean PRACTICE. I am in band on two different instruments, and my mom is very strict about the piano - 45 minutes each day, no questions asked. Now, add 120 minutes of practicing on clarinet each week and 60 minutes of trombone to that. This makes a grand total of 225 minutes of practicing per week. Not counting lessons.
Like I said, I'm busy. Busy with school and busy with band. Throughout all of this, I still find time for scriptures.Yes, I do read them right before I go to bed, causing me to stay up longer. But I read them. It's like the piano, practicing, and homework. I'm very strict with it, but I'm telling MYSELF to read them. In Seminary we're supposed to set a scripture study goal, and we record how many school days we accomplish it. We then get rewards each term/every couple of weeks if we stay within a certain average. This is fun and it's a good incentive - but it's not good enough, at least for me. To me, reading the scriptures isn't just an "I'll do it to play games in class" sort of thing. To me, it's reading them every day - weekends included - and wanting to read them every day. Sort of like practicing. The more often you do it, the better you understand things and the more fun it becomes. Last year, I carried my scriptures with me everywhere. They were the only thing I read. Soon enough, I became sort of addicted to them and never wanted to do anything but read. I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time this February. And I must say, the amazing feelings I got when I read the Book of Mormon are the reason I read them every single day - without fail. Even if I'm collapsed on the couch throwing up all day. It's because I want to understand, I want to know, I want to read my scriptures and feel the spirit.
To sum it all up, be responsible. Be self-motivated. And most of all, care about what you're doing and think about WHY you're doing it. It isn't enough if it's just to humor your parents...
Monday, November 18, 2013
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