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Happy Mothers Day!


Today I’ve been thinking about my Mama… And these are some thoughts I’ve had:

1. My mama is probably the closest to the Spirit it is possible to be on this earth if you aren’t the prophet. And you know that scripture in Alma (Alma 56: 47-48) when he talks about the Stripling Warriors and how their moms had taught them? Yeah. I could never doubt that my Mama knew it, because she is a living example of a Christ-centered life and bears her testimony through all her actions. In fact, I think this scripture is a perfect description of her. So much so that I’m going to write it:

Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

2. As an education major, I’m learning a lot about teaching strategies and the most effective and helpful ways to teach, and I’m realizing what a good teacher and example my mama was/ is to me. I want to be a teacher/ mom like her someday.
3. I can’t even express how supportive she was during my surgery and recovery. First of all, she stayed in the hospital with me the entire time, which really means more than I can say. Although I wasn’t awake or conscious for a lot of it, she was there, sleeping on a chair and taking care of me.
4. She also made covers for my ice bags that matched my pajamas, and she froze all the ice I needed and brought it to me at all hours of the day or night.
5. And all those hours of driving to and from Timpview, for seminary and cross-country, and all the other things that happened… She was so supportive of everything we did– concerts and races and everything else. That meant a lot.
6. My mama keeps the fridge stocked with at least 5 gallons of ice cream at all times.
7. Packages. She understands what a big deal it is for me to get a package in the mail, and because of that, she sends them regularly. One time I called her and told her I was hungry. Soon thereafter I got a huge package with enough food to last a whole semester. Even in Hawaii she takes good care of me! Also, when she and my daddy dropped me off here in the Fall, they left me with a whole box of wrapped presents to unwrap each night for a month. I can’t even express how comforting that was.
8. I didn’t really fully appreciate her cooking until I left for college. Mmmm my mama can cook! I especially miss the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough we used to have on Sundays. And I remember that she used to always make after-school snacks for us. That was so great! I want to do that for my kids! That’s the deal– my mama is the perfect example of the mom I want to be someday.

And there’s so much more! I can guarantee that I’ll come back to this post and add more the more I think about my wonderful mama. THANK YOU MAMA! I love you!

As long as I’m thinking about mothers, I thought I should honor the other “moms” in my life. Because no one could raise a kid like me alone.






(Some people just don’t have enough pictures on facebook!)

Easter

Today is my best day so far.

I’ve tried to dedicate as much of this day as I can to thinking about the Savior and His life and all that He’s done for me, which should of course be a constant thing. But I tried extra hard today, and that’s why it’s been my best day so far. I was able to have a really excellent scripture study, wherein I studied the different accounts of the Atonement and Resurrection, as found in Matthew 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24, and john 18-20. I also studied The Living Christ, which bore powerful testimony to me today of the life of Christ.

The interesting thing about today is that the more I studied and learned about His life and what happened that week, the more my love and appreciation grew. It’s hard to imagine how love can grow so much in one day, but there more I learned, the more I understood, and the greater love I had. I was absolutely amazed at Matthew 26:45, after His apostles keep falling asleep when He needs them most. He says to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed to the sinners.” What complete forgiveness and compassion! And He knows that He’s already been betrayed by one of His closest friends.

This is a song by Kenneth Cope about the life of Christ and what we need to do because of what He did. I totally cry ever time I listen to it, but it was perfect to watch right after reading the scriptural accounts. That’s what I’ve gained today: a greater desire to do what’s right because of what my Savior has done for me.

It’s because of this that today is my best day so far. I still can hardly comprehend the Atonement, and I know I won’t ever be able to fully understand it, but I do understand that He did it because He loves us. As it says in the new Primary song that I love, I know He lives! I will follow faithfully. My heart I give to Him. I know that my Savior loves me! And as the apostles say at the end of The Living Christ, God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;
for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;
and for poise, walk with the knowledge that
you are never alone.”
-Audrey Hepburn

College

I just evaporated, and now I’ve reached the SUN! That period of precipitation was rough, and the time I almost drowned in the tempestuous ocean was a bit of a scare, but the cycle continues, and I have a bright future. I anticipate the time of condensation, and I do know that rain/ snow/ other precipitation is ahead, but I say that tsunamis are more exciting than many other natural disasters.

I’m Finally Done!


Exceptional Children

This is the link to the project I’ve been working on all semester for my Special Ed class. Whew! What a beast! I pretty much sold my soul and several hours of sleep for it. (When I say several, I mean SEVERAL.) So go ahead and view it and learn what you can. I may still edit it, but at least it’s done! It should be really educational. I know I learned a lot from it.

So interesting!

My Special Ed class is one of the best classes I’ve ever taken, and I’m really starting to think about that. I’m going to write more about that later, but for now, I’m amazed at what kids have to go through. This is a really fantastic video, and I’m putting it one the Exceptional Children website I’m building.

Then Sings My Soul

Music has always been a language of the Spirit for me. When I think of the times I’ve felt the Spirit the most, music is almost always involved.

The hymns speak to me as few other things can. One of the greatest experiences of my life so far was singing in the General Young Women broadcast. The songs we sang– I Stand All Amazed, I Am a Child of God, If the Savior Stood Beside Me, (THIS IS US!!!!!!!) and As Zion’s Youth in Latter Days (US AGAIN! I’m in this!), remain some of the most inspiring, spiritually uplifting, powerful parts of the building and strengthening of my testimony. The words to those and other hymns and Primary songs have come to my mind many times when I have needed them, and have touched, guided, comforted, and inspired me in ways nothing else could.

Music also really brings people together. Some of my happiest memories are when I’ve been making music. MOAG (sooo many memories there), playing duets with Lucy, singing with Kristen, A Capella, Madrigals, other school choirs, singing with the Young Women, (remember that time at camp when we sang for like 3 hours? Or Singing Trees? Or singing at our Young Womanhood recognition? haha) jazz band, playing with Joe, jamming with Sophie, playing with Lauren… Actually, happy or not, music is involved in many of my most memorable experiences. Solo and ensemble, certain track workouts, hours and hours and hours of practicing and lessons and master classes… And now some of my best college memories so far involve music! Each of my music teachers has been immensely influential in my life, and I’m amazed at how many lives we can touch through this universal language.

I think we all have music in ours hearts, which is why it speaks to everyone. That’s why there is so much out there, and that’s why we can feel it in so many ways. The soundtrack of each of our lives, which we are all composing together, showcases every genre, adding relatability to a new audience with each new scene. It is sometimes a full orchestra, sometimes a small a cappella group, sometimes a duet, and sometimes featuring a soloist. But it’s always under the direction of the great virtuoso master Conductor. Sometimes it gets out of tune, and the rhythms can sometimes get muddy, but our Conductor never misses a beat, and we can always catch Him if we listen. It’s during those times that He’s trying to make eye contact with us and help us find the right measure. It’s hard not to rush through some passages, and sometimes it feels like the song is dragging so much it’s never going to end! But the exciting thing is, with every new experience we have, a new flavor is added to the score and the music becomes richer. I’m excited to hear mine played back to me someday, and see what riffs I borrowed, and see if any of my themes were shared. All I know is that the times I’m following the Conductor the closest will be the best parts.

Wow. That metaphor sort of just took off. 🙂 This is a list of some of the most beautiful songs in the world. I decided on this genre for now because that’s what fits my mood. Tomorrow morning I’ll probably be feeling a more “get up and go conquer Monday morning!”, which involves Chariots of Fire. I hope my soundtrack has something like that in it. There are way way WAAAAY more beautiful songs out there, and they’re beautiful in so many other ways. But these are 10 that I especially love, in no particular order, and with no particularly fine youtube videos. Just good songs.

1. Into the West
2. In Dreams (Lord of the Rings)
3. Gabriel’s Oboe
4. Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 18th variation
5. All of the Rigoletto soundtrack
6. Theme from Rachmaninov’s 2nd concerto
7. Nessun Dorma
8. Pie Jesu
9. Remember When it Rained, Josh Groban
10. The Night it Had to End