Letters

Dear Four Hours of Sleep, It's so easy to fall asleep when you're all I have.

Dear Ems, Thanks for letting me go shopping with you yesterday and then for hanging out with Jon and I last night. Thanks especially for laughing really hard with me when everyone in the group (*cough* Jon *cough*) wasn't on the same page. That was fun.

Dear Jon, Thank you for running with me in the rain, for replying to my text even when you have no idea what I'm talking about, for smiling at me, for sitting patiently when Emily and I laugh and you don't quite understand why, for wanting to read a General Conference talk with me every night, for being patient when I'm dramatic and for everything else in between. I'm super going to miss seeing you every day when I go home to Washington for a week.

Dear Family, Yea for our annual backpacking trip!!! I'm so excited to see you all and to sweat and to play and to enjoy beautiful Washington and to make amazing memories. It's going to be SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!

Dear Hannah, Girl--I LOVE talking with you! Thanks so much for stopping by last night and just chatting up a storm while I failed at making tortillas. You and I are both awesome!

Dear Janell, It was so good to get to stop by last night to talk with you. Thanks for letting us come by and for taking the time to just chat about life. Good luck at work today!

Dear Tuesday, I'm quite determined to make you fantastic. Just thought you should know.

Link Fun

Why do I have the best life in the whole world?

I get to leave on Wednesday to go backpacking with the fam in Washington.

I got to go to church yesterday.

I spent the weekend having fun with my sister.

I have a job.

My home teacher came over yesterday.

I have kind, loving roommates.

I can pray to my loving Heavenly Father.

I can learn.

I can grow.

I'm dating the best boy I know.

I have, and can, overcome sin, mistakes and bad times.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I can smile.

I got to laugh with Jason Frizzell yesterday.

I am part of a fantastic ward full of people who love me.

I have found this song which I love!

I am me!

I get to be ALIVE today! I get to triumph, act, do, serve, uplift, achieve, love and live. What a quite absolutely wonderful thing.

Things I'm Grateful For

These are just a few of the reasons why today I am feeling so grateful...

I got to read my scriptures this morning.

Aunt Martha and Uncle David invited Jon, Ems and I to their place yesterday evening for a Pioneer Day BBQ.

Yesterday afternoon I got to spend time cooking and playing games with Jon, Ems and Jacob.

Yesterday morning Sarah, Ems and I got to go hiking up past the Y. It was perfect weather. It was perfect scenery. It was perfect company.

Tuesday night I went up to South Fork Park and had a bonfire with a bunch of friends from the ward.

Before the bonfire on Tuesday I got to grab ice cream with Kathleena and then the two of us talked for a while. It was so good to catch-up with an old friend.

Last week I was blessed to be able to go down to California with Jon to spend the week at his house. His family was amazing and it was an absolute blast hanging out with his little brother, David, while his mom and sister were at girls camp.

In a couple of days I get to go home for a week to go backpacking with my family!

I am dating the best man I have ever met.

In the past 24 hours I have laughed, cried, pondered, been silly and felt immensely blessed and loved. In essence, I have felt human.

I have used and seen the power of the Atonement in my life more frequently this past month than I have in a long time.

These things and more leave me sitting here at the computer, thinking and writing about them all, with a feeling of deep inner peace.

The Past Few Weeks in Pictures

Dear Jon, Thank you for taking me to the Summer Fest in Orem a month ago. You should not stress over planning fun dates--you're really good at it! I love how easily amused you are by the carnival games. I love that you make me want to eat goingtokillyouscones because it means I get to share something with you. I love how sick you got on the one ride we went on and that you let me laugh at you when we got off and you tried to regain a grasp on reality. It's doing the small and simple things like this with you that make me love spending time together so much.

Dear Ward Groupies, The water kickball activity in June was the best. I was so exhausted when we started from having just run 12.7 miles with Jon, but the cold water and all of your cheery, fun countenances energized me and by the time the activity ended, I was running all over the place. Thank you for being nothing but smiles and laughter and everything sunshiny!

Dear Emily, Marissa, Gabbie and Jess, Going to Stadium of Fire with you four on the Fourth made for one of the most fun Fourth of July's I've ever had! The Kelly Clarkson, Carly Ray Jepsen and Cirque du Soleil were highly entertaining, but your company was even better. I cannot tell you how good it was to be among friends that I could just let go and be goofy with. You ladies rock!

Dear Jon, I was so happy that we got to sit together and watch the fireworks on the Fourth because you were in charge of cleaning the very area I was sitting in. Best. Coincidence. Ever.

Dear Tyson, Adam, Mike and Jon, Hiking Timp with you four on Saturday was one of my favoritest things I've done all summer! The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. Your commentary was absolutely hilarious. The view was absolutely breath-taking. I can imagine no better way to spend a Saturday than exhausting myself by trekking out into God's beautiful world to explore it with good people and the best of friends. 5 coworkers/friends, 12 hours, 13.6 miles and perfection all wrapped-up in the mountains of Utah Valley. It truly was the best.

Priesthood Blessings

“Brethren, young and old, do not be hesitant to ask for a priesthood blessing when you are in need of spiritual power. Fathers and other elders, cherish and magnify the privilege of blessing your children and the other children of our Heavenly Father. Be prepared to give priesthood blessings under the influence of the Holy Ghost whenever you are requested in sincerity and faith.”  -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Yesterday in Sunday School was talked about the power of the Priesthood. One girl shared that since she's come to college, she sometimes really misses being able to receive father's blessings from her dad because they were very special to her. As I was sitting in class listening to her, a thought occurred to me. I realized that, as special as a father's blessing is, that ultimately every blessing is a father's blessing--a blessing from our Heavenly Father. Every priesthood blessing we receive--though it may be administered by different hands--originates from the same loving, caring, kind individual. The Father of us all is the one who gives us priesthood blessings and He has a very personal and concerned interest in our well-being and the affairs of our lives. The next time I receive a priesthood blessing I hope that I will be able to think beyond the hands on my head and remember what is at the heart of what is happening and being said. 

Thoughts on the Fourth

I am so grateful to live in a land with such a beautiful, rich heritage of brave men and women who sacrificed so that those who would come after them could enjoy the blessings of living in a free country. It has never been easy to stand in battle, to stand for truth, to go against the grain; yet so many have. For you. For me. Today, I am thankful for the Founders, the soldiers, the leaders, and the everyday men and women who have given their all so that we could have it all. We really are so extremely blessed.

"I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed His stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land [D&C 101:76–80]. I testify that the God of Heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and He has sent other choice spirits — even you who read my words — to preserve it."  -President Ezra Taft Benson, The Constitution--A Glorious Standard

Battle Creek Falls

I would actually consider this more of a walk than an actual hike. I've done this walk/hike twice this year already--once on a date and once for FHE. The hike is fairly easy to get to--it's just tucked away near the side of the mountains in Pleasant Grove. From Provo, the drive is about 25 minutes. Once there, the hike itself is only about half a mile. It goes uphill a little bit, but nothing too strenuous. Overall, this is a good place to go if you want a quick getaway, but nothing you'd commit your whole day to.

For more info about this hike: http://www.utah.com/hike/battle-creek-falls-trail

The Good Shepherd

Today I was studying why Christ has the title of "shepherd". In my searching, I came across this scripture:

"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."  -Isaiah 40:11

This scripture is so beautiful and tender to me. I cannot help but see a loving, compassionate Savior when I read these words. It is such a good reminder that at the root of everything Christ has done--and still does--for us is love. He loves us so much. He gave everything for us. And continually, day by day, He desires to hold us close and to lead us back to our heavenly home. He is patient. He is kind. He gives us the benefit of the doubt and sees us as who we truly are and can become. He is gentle. He is perfect. And above all, He is there for you and I. He did not give His life thousands of years ago on our behalf only to abandon us right now. I know that He lives and that He is just as invested in the daily dealings of your life right now as He was in the daily dealings of the people in Jerusalem two millennium ago. Come unto Him and He will lead you to still waters and there, with Him, you can find rest.