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“We honor and remember the the nearly 3,000 men, women and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93, as well as the six people killed in the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing.”
-Washington DC State Legislature Leaders Foundation

You know how old people used to always say, “Back in the good ole days…” “Back when I was a kid…” “I remember when…” and they were things like the Great Depression and World War 2 and times before electricity and such? Well, turns out that for me what seems “current” is actually history. Like, I swear Sept. 11 was like 3 years ago. But it was 10 years ago! And the ’90s are no longer current either. Weird!

So now my “I remember when…” is I remember when I heard about the attack on the Twin Towers. I was in 4th grade, and my teacher Mr. Rencher gave us a very important talk about it, with personal connections due to his experiences in the Vietnam War. I will also never forget the recurring image of the Towers blowing up, shown over and over and over again. And watching live news of the families and friends of those in the buildings, as they waited anxiously to hear any news at all. Then seeing cemetery gatherings of tribute, commemoration, and extreme sorrow.

It affected the entire country, (I remember when airports were entirely different than they are now. Back in the good ole days we used to be able to meet people right outside the terminal. And we didn’t have to hand over our entire lives and beings as we went through ‘security’.) but individual lives even more. Imagine the family who lost a father, or a mother, or a brother. Maybe the newly married wife who would never see her husband again. It’s interesting to think about how all the history we learn about is actually a collection of many personal histories. And that’s what it’s all about.

I will never forget, and I’ll try to remember each year about the magnificent effect this event had on individual lives.

*This is long. So don’t bother reading it if you don’t have 3 minutes, or a listening ear for my personal triumph.

All growing up, I never watched TV for one simple reason: we didn’t have one. Then I went to college, my friend Sara showed me an episode of the Office, I thought it was super funny, I got the 1-month free Netflix trial, and I was hooked. Suddenly, I had instant access to a delightfully relaxing and humorous form of entertainment. So of course I had to get my own Netfix account after the trial ended. …
Michael Scott: World’s Best Boss?

The Office was really funny. Really funny. I’m sure I can’t appreciate it as much as someone like my dad, because I haven’t actually worked in an office, but I know that’s a big part of the humor. The whole “mockumentary” deal is what really got me. I could at least understand that they were making fun of reality TV, and doing it in a very expert sort of way.

Why is Kelly standing on a chair?

As the show went on, and the characters became more developed, and we grew to love Pam and Jim, hate Meredith and Angela, and groan at every single thing Michael and Dwight ever did or said, that became the real draw, because we knew the characters well enough to predict what they would do, and laugh at their occasional/ frequent stupidity/ absurdity. This is an example of how attached to the characters one can become. And that is why I loved the show so much: I knew the characters so well that it was just kind of enjoyable to watch whatever random and ridiculous things they did.

Pam and Jim: one of the greatest couples of all time.

Unfortunately, as may or may not be inevitable at this day in age, the dry humor wasn’t enough to keep a wide enough audience, so drastic measures had to be taken. Of course the obvious answer would be to entertain the crazy viewers of our day, who require humor of a most distasteful range.

Blast.

My inner struggle can only be imagined. Ooh, that’s pretty bad. Dwight! Agh! Don’t be the moron that you are! Ahh! Look away! YES! Pam and Jim! Finally! Whoa. Meredith. Whoa. Andy is the best! I love Kevin! Ohhhh Michael. Oh wow. Hahahahahaha!

That’s the way it went over. Cognitive dissonance in a major way.

And so I’ve come to a new resolve. And this is it:

“I love the Office and I think it’s really funny. However, much of the humor is inappropriate, and it’s gotten wrse as the show has gone on. I remain uncomfortable with that kind of humor, and to prevent further exposure, I deem it wise to entertain myself with alternate shows and/ or (preferably) entirely other forms of entertainment. I also add that the show has lost a huge amount of appeal with the absence of Michael, and also with the significantly less (if not complete loss of) interest with Pam and Jim. For all these reasons, and also for the sake of spending both my time and mental capacity in better ways, I end my consistent viewing of it with the exit of Michael Scott (aka Steve Carrell). I will allow myself to watch the future episode with none other than Josh Groban, and possibly a few of the old classics (Casino Night and Fun Run specifically) but this must happen.”

Are you proud? That feels good.

Amber!

How are you? I couldn’t wait to write a letter to you today, which is a P-day. Life in MTC is pretty good. I already could feel God’s power the second day in MTC. Well, another thing is, I have got many friends now. They were really nice and funny, especially a missionary called Elder Vea, who is from Tonga. Just now we were tackling each other and he held me upside down becuase I was too small compared to him.

My companion is called Elder Hodson. He is from BYUH too. His frist name is Alex. I don’t know if you know him. He is smart and nice. But sometimes he is kind of cool to me. He doesnt’ talk as much as he does to his other friends.

I read the scripture you gave me whcih was awesome. In case you forgot what scripture you gave me, it was Alma 26. That was a really good missionary attitude. I like the part where it said how much power the God has. God has so much power that can overcome our weaknesses. Amber, I think you are going to love your mission too, I promise.

Well, I miss you and I am waiting for your letter. 🙂 Thanks for the compliment you gave me on the last letter. 🙂 And you should know that you are awesome too, and you are really nice to people. Thanks for picking me up from the airport and the awesome tour in the Temple Square. Tell me all the fun things you did recently. And I love you! I love all you guys. (it’s hard for my culture to say I love you, but I think I have to learn to say it.) Keep in touch!

*if you zoom in on this picture, you’ll note that the time is 1:52 a.m. Yes, this is a reflection on my freshmen year. Also, Lug, I say nice things about you in this, so you’d do well to read it.

SO ALL THE KIDS CAME BACK. And then some. I had lunch with Lucy and Aileen today, (well, rather, I watched them eat lunch) and in so doing, encountered about 800 freshmen skipping about.

Hey, welcome to Provo. Glad you could make it.

As I’ve watched them all drift in this week, I can sense their excitement, mixed with apprehension, uncertainty, possibly terror, and maybe shock. But honestly, college is awesome! They’re going to love it. I remember the Christmas before I graduated from high school housed some very traumatic feelings for me. This is my last Christmas as a kid! My life is pretty much ending after this! I’m not ever gonna have any fun! This is it! But in truth, I was just getting off the ski lift! This past year’s run had some intense moguls, a few patches of ice, and a couple of hidden jumps, but it was an awesome ride, and I can’t wait to run it again!

I learned a lot about myself and the outside world. It’s amazing what you can find when you leave Utah. It’s also amazing how misunderstood my poor hometown is. (I may or may not be way too defensive of my beloved motherland that is Provo.) I had some fabulous classes, made a bunch of wonderful friends, realized that Lucy and Aileen are my best friends in the whole world, realized that I have the most wonderful family ever, wrote like a zillion papers, strengthened my left hippocampus… Yeah. It was a great year. Oh, and I live in Hawaii. Just thought I’d mention that. I’m also going on a mission in 16 months.

1. “I’m 16. What’s such a baby about that?” -Leisel, The Sound of Music
2. “I’m 16 years old! I’m not a child anymore!” -Ariel, The Little Mermaid
3.

This is a video of the original, just so you can have it in your head.

Hey where did you go,

Back from the Mittons

Down in the Riverbottoms,

Ridin’ a new bike

Laughing and a biking hey, hey

Without a helmet.

In the Emergency Room with

Our hearts a thumpin’ and you

My black eyed girl,

You my black eyed girl.

You were just biking

On Wednesday and so fast

Going down Univsersity

With dozens of cars moving past.

Standing in the intersection laughing,

Impervious to all traffic,

Slipping and sliding [not sloppy though]

Into that curb, it’s you

My black eyed girl,

You my black eyed girl.

Do you remember what your name is?

Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da

So hard to find your way,

When you have no idea who you are.

I saw you just the other day,

My how your face has grown,

Cast your memory back there, Lug

Try to remember who you are

I’m not in Hawaii,

I’m in the hospital with you

My black eyed girl

You my black eyed girl

Do you remember anything about your past?

Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da.

Today Aileen taught the lesson in Relief Society, and something crazy happened to me. I was able, for maybe the first time in my life, to begin to accept the idea that my plan for myself (which everyone knows) may just not work out, and the Plan of Happiness, which pertains to eternity, is a lot more important than anything I have scheduled for myself in the next decade or so.

In other words, as she talked about the eternal blessings of a Celestial marriage and family, I realized that, although I’ve thought there’s nothing I’d rather do than go on a mission, and that of course remains my current plan and huge desire, there actually is something even more important than that. (I know that’s hard to fathom.) As Sister Miller told us today, marriage is the pinnacle of the temple, and all the ordinances lead up to it. I like to tell myself that I’m only 19, and I have no maturity whatsoever, and marriage is preposterous, and that’s way down the path, and I’m not even going to date anyone because I still have a mission, and I’m sick of hearing about marriage all the time, it’s actually wonderfully and eternally crucial.

I’m not saying that I’m going to drop the mission and get married immediately or anything like unto that. No. I’ve just begun to allow my pride and close-mindedness fade to a slight degree (and it will continue to fade) as I continue to learn and mature and widen my view beyond 5 years from now. I want to go on a mission to prepare for a family, but I always sort of skip over the marriage part. Now I want to do everything I can to prepare for that too. And if that comes before other plans, so be it. It’s all up to the Lord and His plan for my eternal progression.

So I guess that link didn’t work. This is the second option, and again, I would appreciate it from the bottom of my heart if you’d read this. The prompt is: Explain your commitment to the teaching profession. Part of your response should address why you want to be a teacher. The other part of your response should address any related experiences you have had that exemplify your desire to teach.

This is my very first draft, so I know there’s a lot that needs to happen. Sentence structure, flow, etc. Let me know what you think if you possibly could. I hope you read the story I posted just before this. So beautiful and inspiring!

I’ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher. Well, that’s not true. I went through my lawyer phase, my paleontologist/ archeologist phase, my graphic designer phase, my author/ editor phase, my Olympian phase, and of course my world- traveling professional gourmet food-tester phase. But as I think back, I realize that being a teacher is the only thing I ever really wanted to do. I remember playing School for hours and hours in my basement with my sisters and other friends, and even on my own with an imaginary class that would pay close attention and do everything I told them to. And now that I’m older, I can see that I’ve been happiest teaching others, and there is nothing I’d rather do.

I want to be a teacher because of the great influence each of mine had on me. The opportunity to pass on the wealth of knowledge and the gifts I’ve been given is one that I wouldn’t ever want to miss, and even one I feel I must take because of all I’ve been taught. I understand that it is in the early years of life that a child develops a sense of identity and perception of life, and I want to help them discover their own potential. My commitment to teaching is a commitment to unlock things rather than create them.

I’m also majoring in music, and that is because of the phenomenal music teachers I’ve had in my life, who helped me unlock the music within me, taught me everything I know about it, and gave me the tools to share these gifts. I’ve had the opportunity to pass them on with my piano students and children’s choirs I’ve helped with. I have a pedagogy emphasis because I have no desire to be a concert performer; I want to teach! The more children I’ve worked with, the more I realize that this is where I love the music the most, and this is where I’m the happiest. It’s so satisfying for me to see the progress each of them can make, and their own satisfaction when they master certain skills or pieces.

Mother Teresa said, “I’m just a little pencil in the hands of a God who is writing a love letter to the world.” I know that teaching is very closely connected to love, and is in many ways simply loving and guiding someone. I am committed to sharing this love that a child may not get anywhere else, and that is why I want to be a teacher.

My Grandpa Blair tells this story, and it honestly exemplifies why I want to be a teacher. If I were able to make this difference for even one child, my mission as a teacher would be fulfilled.

Mary had grown up knowing that she was different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children who teased her non-stop about her misshaped lip, crooked nose, and garbled speech.

With all the teasing, Mary grew up hating the fact that she was “different”. She was convinced that no one, outside her family, could ever love her … until she entered Mrs. Leonard’s class. Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face, and shiny brown hair. While everyone in her class liked her, Mary came to love Mrs. Leonard.

In the 1950s, it was common for teachers to give their children an annual hearing test. However, in Mary’s case, in addition to her cleft palate, she was barely able to hear out of one ear. Determined not to let the other children have another “difference” to point out, she would cheat on the test each year. The “whisper test” was given by having a child walk to the classroom door, turn sideways, close one ear with a finger, and then repeat something which the teacher whispered. Mary turned her bad ear towards her teacher and pretended to cover her good ear. She knew that teachers would often say things like, “The sky is blue,” or “What color are your shoes?”

But not on that day. Surely, God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard’s mouth that changed Mary’s life forever. When the “Whisper test” came, Mary heard the words: “I wish you were my little girl.”