Friday, March 28, 2014

Letters

Dear Holly, I loved getting my daily dose of you via phone on Monday. You have such a beautiful smile! 

Dear Ryan and Shalyse, Thank you for the WONDERFUL dinner on Tuesday evening! I loved catching up with you! Good luck with getting things moving forward towards your move to St. Louis over the next several months, and thank you for the books!

Dear Kathleena, Even though it was quick, I was glad I got to see you Tuesday night. Thanks for always being a listening ear; you have been one of my saving graces this semester. I hope to see you before you leave for your trip in a week and a half, and then I'll see you when you get back and we're in the same ward!

Dear Sarah, The chat with you on Wednesday night was wonderful. I'm always amazed by how we often seem to be at the same place in life. I love you! 

Dear Teaching Lit Class, Thanks for the discussion yesterday. I'm still trying to figure out what sort of books I want to read and what kind of books to have on the shelves in my classroom. Leading everything back to having the Holy Ghost and letting him be our guide, like you guys pointed out in class, I think is a key to finding the answer.

Dear Nate, Dinner and seeing "Pride and Prejudice" performed in the HFAC with you last night was so fun! And we were so cool that we even coordinated wearing "Run Against Caner" bracelets! Thanks for the splendid evening.

Dear Today's Lesson Plan, It's the last time I'm going to be in the schools for my practicum class. Next time I'm teaching in a classroom I'll be the real teacher. Hope you go well today and that my staying up until 1am to get your gone was not in vain!

Dear Weekend, I love the idea of all you hold, waiting before me. Homework, teaching, going to the temple, watching the Women's Broadcast, break the fast, my last fast Sunday in the BYU YSA 41st ward, and who knows what else! I'm excited to get things done! 


Monday, March 24, 2014

Letters

Dear Anna, Thank you so much for joining me at the gym on Friday and for running with me at Nate's run on Saturday. I love being with you because you always have the Spirit with you and because you're always striving to do what's right. Thanks for chatting and for being a good example.

Dear Nate and Jon, Thanks for coming over to make cookies, play Monopoly Deal, and watch "Frozen." I had lots of fun and feel very alright with the fact that I won that last round. You two are both super fun and really good friends. It's so comforting to know that there are people in my life that I can fall back on when things get rough.

Dear McKell, You are so awesome for organizing the 5K for Nate on Saturday! I love your proactive-ness and your willingness to put so much work into helping those around you.

Dear Lindsey, I had lots of fun at the BBQ on Saturday afternoon! The food was wonderful and it was nice to have friends to just sit under the sun and chill with. I hope that we can keep doing awesome things like this after you graduate and we go separate ways.

Dear Wardies, The Talent Show was so fun! Thanks for all your love and support and help in pulling it off.

Dear Scott, Thanks for listening to me next to the drinking fountain on Saturday night. You're a good home teacher and an even better friend.

Dear Lauren and Ethan, So. Umm. Even though I didn't realize that I was interrupting your on-a-date-walk-home-from-the-HFAC when I ran into you on my walk home from Harold until halfway through, I'm grateful that you guys were there to protect me from any groper attacks (there have been many on BYU's campus over the past month). I'm sure that you two were similarly grateful to have me there chaperoning. I'm happy to chaperon on any of your walks home any time; just let me know when I should plan on walking home from the library in order to interrupt your otherwise pleasant evening.

Dear Tyler, Natasha, Dale, TJ, and Dylan, I was so grateful when you guys let me sit around and chat with you guys on Saturday night. Originally, I had planned on going to the library to finish my reading assignment for class today. After standing in the library entrance for about two minutes--feeling super alone and like a poor soul with her priorities mixed up--I walked back out and went straight to your apartment, hoping to find a good time. I did. Thanks.

Dear Roomies, I love having waffle Sunday with you guys every week. It's one of the best roommate ideas ever and I will miss it when I leave.

Dear Ally Lake, Our talk on Sunday morning was probably the best talk I've had with anyone in months. Seriously. When I started rattling off about how I've been struggling with my relationships with those around me you just reminded me of who I am and of who I want to be: someone who people love because they know that I genuinely care, someone who people can trust will listen when they're having a hard time. Not only was this exactly what I needed reminded of, it is a testament to me that God is involved in my life, because even though you didn't know me well before yesterday, you were able to say exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you for being worthy and able and willing to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

Dear Brandon, Your lesson on Sunday was so uplifting and taught me a lot that I needed to hear. I am definitely going to try and make it to your class every Sunday that you teach in my remaining weeks at CP.

Dear John Christensen, I had so much fun at the game night on Sunday. Thank you so much for inviting me and for being a good host. Hope to catch up again soon!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Letters

Dear Kayci, Good luck with your crazy week! Make it through this one and you just got three (?) more after that, then finals, then FREEDOM! And then you get to go on your mission! Not a bad plan, eh? Keep it up, girl!

Dear Sunshine, Come back maybe? Pleeeeease?!!!

Dear Besty, Elora, Hannah, and Elicia, Watching the end of "Enchanted" while drinking milk with awesome chocolate milk straws was super fun and very relaxing. I hope that I can start joining you guys for adventures more often during my last month as your roommate!

Dear Future Roommate Emily, Thanks for chatting last night! You seem amazing and I'm very excited to get to know you more over the next year or so as we share adventures living together in the tiny attic of the read brick house on 355 East 500 North.

Dear Kap and Ryan, Seeing you two on Sunday was like finding out, upon arriving, that they're giving away free ice cream at the Creamery (that's never happened to me, but it would make my day if it did). Thank you for being steadfast, strong, and stalwart men of God who strive every day to live the gospel. I want to be more like you.

Dear Kathleena, It was awesome to see you on Sunday. Thank you for showing me around the places in your ward so that I could find somewhere to live! I'm excited to be in the same ward as you!

Dear Heavenly Father, It's not very fun opening up after guarding myself for so long. I guess, though, faith is reckless, so this must just all be part of the plan.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Faith

Today in Relief Society we were talking about faith. During our lesson, I learned something awesome. I learned that someone who has sincere faith in Jesus Christ will also have sincere faith and confidence in themselves. Why? Because one who has sincere faith in Christ believes that He was perfect, that everything He did was for a noble and righteous reason. Therefore, that person must believe that the Atonement was not a mistake, that Christ did it for a noble and righteous reason. And what was that noble and righteous reason? It was so that you and I could return to Heavenly Father and one day be perfect. If you and I were not worth it, then Christ's Atonement was a mistake, which means that He is not perfect. But He is perfect, and He did perform the Atonement for a noble and righteous reason, because we are worth it.

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."

To Him, you were worth it. 

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Letters

Dear Zumba, I rather enjoyed skipping you think morning. I guess things just aren't working out between us right now. Sorry.

Dear Lauren, Happy stinkin' birthday, woman!!!!! Thanks for being born and for even one-uping that by being awesome too! Here's to memories of cleaning stinky bathrooms, staying up late talking, and for doing silly things.

Dear Tara and Nicole, I'm so excited to live with you two next year! Now we just have to find a place...

Dear Dr. Coombs, I loved your lesson yesterday. Thanks for being so energetic and all-around awesome. I secretly want to be you some day.

Dear President and Sis Samuelson, Yesterday I realized that you two have been working on being president of BYU for half my life. Whoah. Thank you for all your service, especially these past four years. It's been great. (And I'm now at a loss as to what we're going to say at basketball games!)

Dear Mom, Thanks for your text late last night. I didn't get it until this morning, but it made me super happy. I'm so grateful to know that I have a support team rooting for me up in Washington.

Dear Today's Motto, Optimism and gratitude...? Yes?


Monday, March 10, 2014

Living as the Savior Lived

One of my favorite church leaders is President Uchtdorf. I love his teachings on perspective and attitude. In a recent General Conference, he pointed out:
"I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished. 
I can’t see it.

Instead I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. He lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time."
I have a testimony that those who live their lives as President Uchtdorf narrates the Savior living His--lives full of sincere love, concern, awareness for, and time for others--will be happy. I know from personal experience that I am the happiest when I am more concerned for the welfare of my neighbor's soul than for my own. Happiness is something you can create for yourself only when you give yourself away in the service of those around you. It's one of the greatest ironies I know of.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Letters

Dear Scripture Study, Best. Thing. Ever. I'm definitely going to keep keepin' you awesome because you just make everything else awesome.

Dear Roomies, I love doing waffle Sundays with you. I also love and super appreciate the happy spirit that you each bring into our apartment. I feel grateful to live with amazing women who bring an amazing spirit into my life.

Dear Betsy, YOU SURVIVED BRAIN SURGERY!!!! Congratulations. We're happy to have you back home. :)

Dear Quincy, Thank you for your lesson today in Relief Society. It helped remind me of the importance of my family and of how much I love them. You are such a talented teacher. Thank you for the love you bring into the classroom.

Dear Kate and Abby, Thank you so much for talking with me today on the phone. I love hearing about your life and am grateful that technology makes it so easy to keep in touch. And by the way, you two are two of my four favorite sisters in the whole world!

Dear Ethan, Rachel, and Lauren, Dinner with you three was wonderful. I love that we can still be such good friends even though we've gone different ways. It's good to know that I have people like you guys in my life to fall back on when things get rough.

Dear Jamie and Garrick, Thanks for letting us invade your snazzy little abode tonight to make cookie bars (which turned out super good!) and to play Settlers. You guys are great. And I love the pillows on your couch.

Dear Chris, You company was much appreciated tonight as we braved the Gaffneys'. You were willing to make some needed trades with me while we played Settlers and you even know where both Jerome and Vancouver are, so you must not be that bad of a guy. I just hope that next time we can beat Jamie.

Dear Heavenly Father, I believe.