Tender Mercies

It's interesting to think about the different places that we each receive our inspiration.

I usually just jump on the band-wagon and copy all my friends...

But today, I really wanted to just express my absolute gratitude!

The point is, I could start a "Tender Mercies" Blog and have something to post 

EVERY DAY.

That is how much the Lord has been watching out for me!

 I don't know if I just never noticed before...

But I am definitely aware of sooooo many great things that I just want to shout them from the rooftops!

1) I got to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

2) I survived 18 months! (Hardy har har... hard hard.)

3) I'm now at college again! Taking wonderful classes that I love!

4) I have my own room even though I pay less for a shared-room! (Woot!)

5) All my roommates are saints.

6) My scholarship that hadn't lasted through my mission has been blown out of the water by some miraculous grants that God (or the "Grant Fairies") have blessed me with

7) The laundry at my apartment is now FREE! (And believe me... it adds up!)

8) My counselor from before my mission is still available so she's helping me overcome difficulties

9) My mentoring job is literally the best job for me in the WoRLd! I love it!

10) Even though I'm alone, I'm not lonely. That has been the greatest tender mercy... 

PEACE.

I promise that if you start counting your blessings, you will be overwhelmed.

The greatest blessing that I have is my relationship & testimony of Jesus Christ. 

He's so real! 

He's sooooooooooo loving & caring & willing. 

I am so grateful.

And to end it all... A photo that still has me laughing:

Amen.

Know Your Potential

I am an analyzer.
I am a decoder.
I am a healer.
I am a friend.
I am a helper.
I am a hard worker.
I am an enthusiast.
I am a personality.
I am a dreamer.
I am a forgiver.
I am a companion.
I am a sister.
I am a joy.
I am a pursuer.
I am a confidant.
I am a cousin.
I am a believer.
I am a daughter of God..
...and I am the person I'm supposed to be.


"I would charge you to say again and again to yourselves...'I am a daughter of God,' and by so doing begin today to live closer to those ideals which will make your life happier and more fruitful because of an awakened realization of who you are." -Harold B. Lee

Loooonng.

About a month back, I got a blessing from my Father.
Which helped a lot.
One thing he mentioned was to: "Live day to day, not in the future."
And let me tell you all something...
That is much easier said than done.

I wake up everyone morning at 5:30am.
(5:40 with the snooze.)
I get ready, run to catch the bus, walk 1/4 a mile to work
then WORK,
What a weird word and concept.
WORK.
It kind of leaves a nasty taste in your mouth, doesn't it?

Everyone I work with has a story.
No one is LDS.
Except me.
Imagine that, right in Provo, UT
They think they're funny, I think they're pervs..
But one thing I like are their hearts.
Not in a creepy doctor way, but in a spiritual eye way

All of us have been born with Christs love.
Some of us show that,
while others have hidden, thrown away or misplaced theirs.
I don't know what I'm supposed to be learning.
I don't know why everyone at work calls me...
JIFFYPOP.
That's right, the popcorn.

(I guess they think they're funny)
But I guess this random blog post is to relieve some thoughts
some thoughts of annoyance
of loneliness
of pathetic-ness (is that even a word?)
Some days are harder than others,
but try to shine your light.
The light of Christ....

Sunday Sounds

I love waking up and feeling the Sunday feeling.
Hearing the sunday silence.
Smelling.. well hopefully something yummy.
Origin: "The day of the Sun."
The son of God.

From lds.org...
"The Sabbath is the Lord's day, set apart each week for rest and worship. In Old Testament times, God's covenant people observed the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week because God rested on the seventh day when He had created the earth. After the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which occurred on the first day of the week, the Lord's disciples began observing the Sabbath on the first day of the week, Sunday"

Some of my favorite Sunday activities:

-Talk to my family/friends on phone or Skype

-Write letters to loved ones

-Bake 

-Read/listen to conference talks

-Take a nap

-Read a book

-Go for a walk

-Relax......

A lot on my mind

There has been so much on my mind lately.

And lets face it, when you're always alone, you have time to think.

I miss Massachusetts.

I miss humidity which helped my hair be beautiful.

I miss my family.

I miss my friends.

I miss not knowing who I am anymore.

Since living on my own, it has opened my eyes to what I always do. 

I leave jam on the jam jar.

I always rinse the shower after I'm done.

I love talking on the phone in the dark.

I'm kind of lazy unless God motivates me.

I'm ridiculous.

Life is good.

God is gracious.

And I just hope and pray that there is something I should be learning out of all of this... 

An Invite for Bug Bites

 Idaho is beautiful.

Usually, when I think of Idaho, I think Napeloen Dynamite.

Dirt. Llamas and Pedro.

But 3 hours north of Idaho Falls, is the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen!

I didn't get to go inside, but I saw the Idaho Falls temple...

STUNNING!

Where we camped was very close to a small town called Hailey.

1/2 of it is owned by Bruce Willis!

Tons of famous people have cabins and summer homes up near that area!

One of them = Tom Hanks.

Below: Picture of a drive by shooting of his home:

It took 6 hours from Springville to get to where we were going.

So of course, I kept myself busy by doodling.

Here is an example of the doodles that I doodled:

When we got there, at the cabin.

I think a radar went out to all the bugs:

"Fresh Meat!!!"

(also known as... ME.)

You may think the below image is of my elbow.

NOPE. It's my very first bug bite/s

As most of you know, I am planning on being a Nanny this coming fall

(which I am VERY excited for!)

So throughout this entire week, I was with the children for most of the time.

My heart felt so... FULL.

Below are some photos of the precious angels.

(who weren't always precious!)

They were very ... cute.

One thing that I did with the older kids, was draw pictures on their fingers!

(genius right!!?)

They loved doing that! 

All in all,

Learning Experience.

But good, I just continued in reading my scriptures DAY & NIGHT 

I didn't want to chance anything :)

If you have never gone to Idaho.

Do it.

It's worth it.

Go with the flow

It's 3:03am.
I'm sitting all alone in my dark house with only the typing of keys and blowing fan to keep me awake.
I am utterly exhausted, sunburned and with a head cold to boot.
One word,
Idaho.
(sorry guys, not Wyoming! haha)
I'll have pictures to show and stories to tell,
but for right now, I just wanted to say a little something about God.

Honestly, those who know me, know that I dislike hiking/camping/out-doors-dirty-stuff

but for some reason, when Michelle asked me to go to her family reunion up in Idaho,

I said yes.

For sure, I wouldn't do it again anytime soon....

But I'm grateful for the experience and to learn more personally that God is always watching out for me.

ALWAYS.

Every single day when I awoke to the sun shining through my tent, it was a day to be......... alive.

On one of the days, I went for a walk on my own.

I was sitting beside this BEAUTIFUL stream that just kept saying to me...

"Go with the Flow."

Just like that, 

"Go with the Flow."

So, to make a long post short, That is my goal ---->  TO GO WITH THE FLOW.

Pennies for Plasma

When I was born,
(19 years ago from tomorrow)
There were many complications and my mother almost died.
But because of 4 pints of a blood transfusion from members of my families ward,
She lived.
And I did as well.

Today I had the privilege to save lives.
I donated my plasma.
It was a very rigorous process, but in the end, I felt extremely thankful to my Heavenly Father.
We are SO SO blessed.
How much do we take for granted?

"An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship." -Spanish Proverb

Papa Dog

Today i kept a secret!

I surprised my Dad by giving a Father's Day talk during church.

I wrote it this morning and was running late for church, but everything worked out perfectly.

and I wasn't even nervous.

This is right when I was born 

Kendra and I along with Daddy.

(a lot of our pictures look like this!) 

My Dad and I... 

All grown up and going to Prom.

Thanks Dad for being one in a million.

I owe everything to you.

I'm glad I was lucky enough to have YOU as a father.

I love you.

I love to see the temple

A safe haven

A place of peace

Calmness

God's home

When you go to the temple, everything in life seems easier to handle.

"We can find knowledge, understanding, and joy when we attend the temple."

40%

This is going to be a really random post, I can feel it. So beware. But... I asked a dear friend, "Out of 100% of your whole person, how much percent do I know you?" (Weird question, I know, but that's just me.) They replied..."Ohh, probably 40%." I was shocked, and I'll admit, a little hurt. In my mind, I felt it was closer to maybe 80% or at the very least, 60%. But it got me thinking... Our past,present & even future will all make up our entire 100% and ..well...that's a lot of information. Every little thought, every experience.. It would be hard, well impossible to know 100% of the entire being/soul of an individual. But it also got me thinking, God knows us 100%. And I repeat:  God knows us 100%.. How cool is that? Every single thing about our entire lives, God knows it all. If you think of the people closest to you, those that you trust, how much do they know about you? And how often do you turn to them instead of God? Just putting that out there. Lately, my life feels like an emotional teenage soap opera. Well, not quite, but it has been a tad rough with all the decisions I've been needing to make. I'm trying to turn to my 100% best friend but sometimes friends don't tell you all the answers. They just support you in what your choices are and stand by your side. The best ship is friendship. And guess what guys, God is the safest ship you could ever find. And the bestest friend as well.