Shocking

10 Things That I Sometimes Find Shocking that Really Shouldn't Be... Shocking

1. How little time it actually takes to do the dishes
2. How ridiculously hard it is to get up in the morning
3. How amazingly helpful teenagers can/want to be
4. How many songs from high school choir I still have memorized
5. How quickly my body responds to exercise
6. How many friends I have who rally around me even when I'm un-rally-worthy
7. How good I am at math
8. How miraculously flowers bloom in the spring
9. How hope keeps springing up when all hope is lost
10. How quickly Heavenly Father responds with love, and hope, and peace, and comfort and guidance when all I've done is ask.

BFFs

I saw Jeanette and Hayden today.

Hayden remembered me and let me hold her and hug her and carry her around.

This is remarkable considering that Hayden is very shy 

and will acknowledge almost no one but Mom and Dad.

While we were walking down the hall, I asked her if I could keep her and she said "Yes!"

Mom wasn't too pleased.

Kids have never really taken to me, but for some inexplicable reason this child loves me.

June 2012 - Ballerina Skirt and Future Supermodel

 Already the baby girl I fell in love with is turning into a long-legged child. 

I can't believe how much she has grown since I saw her in June.

I can't wait to see her baby brother Connor.

I get to babysit them this Friday night while Mom and Dad are out on a date. 

So excited!!

Laurels, Maids, and Busy Bees

I don't have a church calling right now. It feels very strange.

Last week we were released from our callings in the Stake Young Women presidency. (We meaning Pam Naugle, Shauna DeBuck, myself, and Taffy Lovell.) What a fun experience that was, to serve and work with the young women in the Timpanogos stake. I learned a lot about the gospel, and a lot about myself.

In the four years that we were together (along with amazing Amy Cobbley who is currently the YW president in her ward), we planned 2 stake summer girls camps, 4 winter camps, 1 pioneer trek. We traveled more than 2000 miles while visiting ward summer girls camps. We attended close to 60 Young Women in Excellence and New Beginnings programs. We handed out dozens of temples to young women and leaders that earned a YW medallion. We presented gold ties to over a dozen men who completed the Virtue value project. We shared our testimonies a hundred times. We cried a lot and laughed even more.


Stick close to the Savior girls. Remember who you are. Don't let anyone convince you that anything in the world will bring you more happiness than living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I know that we can receive guidance and personal revelation through prayer and scripture study. I know that by living the values we learn and teach in the Young Women program, we will be strengthened and protected.

They're not old-fashioned. They were fashioned just for us.

Knock

A Night Visitor

Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I heard a knock on my door. I hesitated to open it at first, because it was quite late, and I was not pretty. But curiosity won out over caution, so I opened the door to find my sweet friend Shauna, standing on my step with a worried look on her face, wringing her hands in the moonlight.
Earlier in the day, she had made a flippant (and rather funny) remark, which caused Taffy to spew water on the sidewalk and made me and Pam laugh (although I'll admit it was a bit scandalous). Several hours later, Shauna's conscience started to prick, and she began to worry that, for various reasons, her comment might have hurt me. So after stewing for a few hours, she made the pilgrimage to my house to ask me to forgive her for being insensitive and thoughtless.
I was surprised by her appeal because I had not thought twice about what she had said, but naturally we both started to cry and had a good heart-to-heart for a few minutes.  I was touched that she took the time to come see me personally, and her concern made me feel loved and important - something that I was desperately needing to feel that day.

Ask, Seek, Knock

How often do we ignore the promptings and impressions to knock? The great peace that came to my friend's heart, and the increase of love - for her and from her - that I felt as a result of her confession were tender mercies that we each received because she was willing to swallow her pride and knock. How glad I am that I was brave enough to answer.

"Even more amazing than modern technology is our opportunity to access information directly from heaven, without hardware, software, or monthly service fees. It is one of the most marvelous gifts the Lord has offered to mortals. It is His generous invitation to “ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

This timeless offer to provide personal revelation is extended to all of His children. It almost sounds too good to be true. But it is true! I have received and responded to that heavenly help. And I have learned that I always need to be ready to receive it."

Elder Russell M Nelson

Isn't it wonderful to know that we can knock and have doors opened for us? Isn't it wonderful to know that we can both ask for and receive divine guidance from the Lord? Isn't it wonderful to know that if we truly seek, we have been promised that we will find what we need?
Oh, how wonderful it is to know that if we go to the Lord in humility, often shamefacedly wringing our hands in the moonlight, we can knock and receive forgiveness.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

John 14:15

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him..."

Revelations 3:20

Never be afraid to knock. And never be afraid to open the door.