Author: admin

I wrote this* for finals week, and I just never got around to posting it. So now that’s it’s all over, I post it in memory of the stressful week that I won’t have to deal with for several more weeks. It reminds me that it’s good to be back in the islands where stress doesn’t really happen until this special week.

Hello finals, I am a student
In the hills and islands
I fall asleep with books in my lap
And awake in the very same position

Hello finals, I am a student
Very near the blue waves
I’d like to crawl the sandy bottom of Temple Beach
And construct a sand castle

Hello finals, you are the blazing sun
Shining down and burning my face
I will disguise myself as an eagle
And ascend way above you

Hello finals, I am a cold student
Feeling freezing in your sand
I sing about the tide and the ocean surf
Wishing that’s where I was

Hello finals, I am a wet student
In the flooded hale courtyard
Studying my head off for hours on end
With a welcome break your in your rain and open wind

Hello finals, you are an old lighthouse
Throwing beams of bright lights
Red in the morning, blue in the evening sun
Turns out they are hallucinations

Hello finals, I am a student
In the hills and islands
I can’t fall asleep!

Take me home to Provo
Carry me through each final
Hold me secure in flight
Help me get through all this

Take me home to Provo
Carry me through each final
Hold me secure in flight
Help me get through all this

And you know? I did! I conquered those dang finals and left them in the dust to shrivel up and die. And I came back for more.

*special thanks to Owl City for his guidance this creation.

Have you read the book Born to Run? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. It inspired me on several levels in the running department. One big aspiration I gained from it was to be a barefoot runner. And now, thanks to my parents and one of the most awesome Christmas presents I’ve ever received, I’m starting! No more shoes for me!

I’d like you all to meet my uncle Spencer. I think I would describe him as the epitome of a cool uncle.

“Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only , for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.” D&C 135:3

Unbeknownst to some, the celebration of Joseph Smith’s birthday is a very important part of the Christmas festivities. At least it is at my house. So as long as we’re celebrating Christ’s birth, and thinking about His life and all He did for us, I think it’s fitting that we can also celebrate the prophet Joseph’s birth, and think about his life and all he did for us. I am so grateful to both of them!

But in special honor of Joseph Smith, I’d like to say a few words.

First of all, what a man! (Insert any other word of choice there that might be fitting.) I mean, he restored the gospel! And he was spiritually aware enough at the age of 14 (WOW!) to pray to God with enough faith to see Him in person. I really love verse 20 in Joseph Smith History. He says, “It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom.” Yeah he was! It makes me hope that I can be a disturber and annoyer as well.

On a side note, let me also say that Joseph was super athletic. Like, he was a champion wrestler and stick-puller. He was also super sweet to his mom and sisters and wife, and I gather that he really cared about everyone. A lot. I can’t imagine a man of greater faith! Oh, and he was a martyr for the kingdom. And something makes me think that he was musical. And he endured serious health problems– without any painkillers or anything. And I bet he had a great sense of humor. So yeah.

Now back to business. Joseph says, “For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.” I do too. I know for myself that Heavenly Father and Jesus did appear to that 14 year old boy, and the message they gave to him is the true and living gospel.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon that he translated is true. I have read it many times, prayed about it, and felt the Spirit manifest to me of its truthfulness. Christ did appear to the Nephites, and he did appear to Joseph Smith. His teachings when He was on the earth are the same ones we have now, and He continues to speak to us through President Monson, just as He spoke to Joseph Smith after the reorganization of the Church. I know the restored priesthood is God’s power on earth. My testimony of this was strengthened enormously during my recovery this summer. Heavenly Father called Joseph by name when He first appeared to him, and He knows and loves each of us!

Because of my testimony of the First Vision and the restored gospel, I can’t wait to be called to share this message to as many people as I can. I know there are those yearning for the peace and joy this perfect gospel brings, and I can only imagine the wonderful blessing it will be for me to bring that happiness that I have. I know the gospel is true! And in 2 years and 1 month, I will set out to share it wherever I am called. In the meantime, I’m going to try to be an example of the believers and share my testimony as often and in as many ways as I can.

I know Joseph Smith was a prophet, and I am so grateful to him and all he did for me and the rest of the world.

I just made one of the most responsible decisions of my life. (IRONY ALERT!! IRONY ALERT!!!) Anyway…

Okay. It’s Finals week. I have 2 finals tomorrow. So much work to do! Bre and Mari and Nicole want to go see Tangled tonight. I’ve been wanting to see that since it came out! But I have to study! But it’s Nicole’s last night! Well, I also need to take my laundry out in 20 minutes, so it would just sit if I left. But Tangled isn’t that long. It costs money. But I have a job. And it’s only $6. But I can see it when I go home. But I want to see it now with Nicole and Bre and Mari! But I’ll be spending all night with them. Oh yeah, and it’s also Denzil’s senior recital tonight. But I so don’t have time for that! I’ve been planning on going to it all semester. But I have 2 finals tomorrow! Well, they aren’t until the afternoon.

But I also have to pack (I only have one thing left. haha) and pick up a few Christmas presents from the PCC and turn in my elementary time sheet that was already due and give chocolates to the girls I visit teach and tell my supervisor that I was accidentally clocked in for an extra 2 hours and eat and say goodbye to the people that I won’t ever see again and make some cards for some of my teachers and write a composition and take those finals and conference with Brother Marler and go to the beach (I wish) and go on facebook (heh heh) and watch Pushing Daisies (ummm) and clean my room and breathe. AHHHHHH!

Guess what I decided? You are right! I chose to stay in Bre’s and Mari’s room all by myself and work diligently (pausing only occasionally for very brief moments to record news-breaking events) while they partied and saw a movie I’ve been wanting to see for a very long time. I’m not spending a few hours of Nicole’s last night with her. But I darn well better do well on those finals! And hopefully I’ll get everything else done tomorrow too. And then it’s all over!

Malfunctions, viruses, crashes, low internet, complicated programs… Sound familiar? It’s because you don’t have a Mac! I find myself saying that to many of my friends, on a fairly regular basis actually. Certain individuals profess to hate macs, strangely enough never being able to pull a single shred of evidence to back up her statement. But we all recognize and understand the superiority of this company and its products, specifically the computer, as it pertains to college students.

Please enjoy and be inspired by this little song.
(I may or may not have the entire song memorized.)

I was doing my New Testament homework the other day, and I decided I should make a list of my favorite scriptures. So I wrote down a few really outstanding verses, and then I continued with my reading. I was in 1 Peter, and before I made it though the first 3 chapters, I had already written down 5 verses! That’s the New Testament for you– full of gems. But this scripture really stuck out to me, and I’ve decided it goes really well with my life theme of My Best Day So Far. So this is my new favorite scripture. (Well, one of my favorites…)

For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
1 Peter 3:10

And Paul goes on to describe the righteous person and how they will be happy. Great chapter. I recommend the rest of it. Actually I recommend the rest of 1 Peter. Actually I recommend the rest of the New Testament. I just love it!

p.s. Wish me luck on my New Testament final soon! I hear it’s exceedingly difficult… :/

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can’t see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can’t see.
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There’s so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There’s so much sorrow
It’s way too late to say
I’ll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It’s so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can’t see
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There’s so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we’re all connected
Each of us can find each other’s light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can’t see
It’s up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There’s so much to be thankful for

This is long. So brace yourselves for 3 minutes (or 5 for good measure) of reading about a total gem of a week. It should leave you inspired. Thanks in advance if you make it to the end.

Without a doubt, this has been my best week so far. I take it back. These past two weeks have been the best weeks so far. I take it back. This last month has been the best month so far. I take it back, this last year has been the best year so far. I take it back, this past mortal existence has been the best one so far. I could not be more blessed! But really, I have had a spectacular week.

We’ll start with last Saturday. Last Saturday I got to volunteer at the temple Open House, and it was just awesome. I think I got the very best job you could get– I greeted all the guests at the entrance to the main tent where they watch the temple movie and then leave separately for the tour. So I got to talk to everyone that came that night! I asked them how they were, gave them temple brochures, and wished them a happy tour. We had a total of 43,000 guests over these weeks of the Open House. I also had a good 7 mile run that day, ending at Sunset beach, which is a personal favorite. The run felt so good!

On Sunday my visiting teachers invited us over for a delicious brunch before church. They live in Hale 1, which means they have their own kitchen and cook fro themselves every day. So we had non-caf food, which is great not matter what it is. But they’re both from the Philippines, automatically making the food fantastic.

Monday was ordinary, but still by best day so far up to that point.

I have New Testament on Tuesdays, and the highlight of the day was my reading before class. We’re in Ephesians right now, and I just look forward to the time when I do my homework for that class. Each reading I do I am amazed. I have found myself everyday saying, “That is the most excellent passage of scripture I’ve ever read!” I feel so privileged to be reading the New Testament.

On Wednesday I had a fantastic voice lesson. I’m really improving on the technique we’ve been working on all semester, and I did it really well at my lesson. But better than that, Sister Mooy (my teacher) told me that she and Brother Belnap (the other voice teacher) dated in college. That just made my day.

Thursday. Two words: Harry Potter. I have been looking forward to that day for an extreme amount of time, and it finally arrived! We went to the midnight show in Kaneohe, which is about an hour bus ride from Laie. But the best part os that I really enjoyed the movie. It’s so satisfying to go to a good movie, and I thought this one was great. (I did cry when Dobby died.)

On Friday, my friend Hon Xu got baptized! She’s been attending church for two years now, because she had a calling as the ward pianist, and then she finally decided to get baptized. I am so happy for her! The baptism was really nice. Convert baptisms are super exciting to me, especially when I know the person. And THEN, as though a baptism wasn’t enough, I went down to the PCC to buy tickets for the Night Show, and what should I see but a huge line-up of people, all waiting to see the prophet walk into the PCC. I was there when he came in! Then my friend Jenna offered me one of the Ambassador luau tickets she won from Haunted Lagoon. So we got to eat in the fanciest part of the PCC, with very very delicious, high-quality food, and with the prophet! he was in a closed off room, but when he came out, I was like a foot away from him, and he made eye contact with me. Definitely a high light of my entire life. He carries the Spirit with him. Then Night Show was of course fantastic, and President Monson was there in an aloha shirt. 🙂

The big event of Saturday was that I finally, with minimal breakdowns and much blood, sweat, and tears, finished my #*!!@%!* Term Paper!!! All 12 pages of that research paper house a portion of my soul, not unlike a horcrux. I also went to the beach that morning, which was just peachy, and I went to the cultural celebration for the temple. It was awesome! I went to bed at 5:30 in the morning, but it was worth it because I finished the paper.

And now today. Today. This is a day I have been looking forward to since January. Today our beautiful Laie temple was rededicated. So much has been put into preparing this, and it’s finally here! The rededication was amazing, and I’ve realized what a blessing it is to live here. President Eyering said that our temple is “one of the most beautiful temples in the whole world”, and “perhaps the most beautiful setting in all the world.” This is Paradise, and I live here.

Could I be more blessed? I submit that I cannot. Today is my best day so far, and this has absolutely been my best week so far!

*I apologize if this is a little long. I just wanted to publish an example of the best week anyone could ever have.