Labor Day Ups and Downs

Jon and I began our Labor Day when the alarm went off at 5:30am. We convinced ourselves that we could affort an extra 15 minutes of sleep and then spent the following forty minutes rubbing sleepiness out of our eyes as we got dressed and ready for the morning. We were going to the Ogden Temple open house with Jon's crew from work. Outta the doors by 6:26, picking up two of his coworkers, hitting the road by 7:50, and making it there just in time: a little after 8. We spent the next hour watching a video about the sacredness of temples and then touring the Ogden Temple itself.

Temple open houses are rare. They only happen right after a temple has been built or right after a temple has been majorly renovated. In both cases, the temple is open to the public to come and tour for a short amount of time. After the temple is dedicated, or rededicated, it is only open to worthy members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is because members want to be sure that what goes on inside the temple is kept sacred and held with reverence and understanding. At temple open houses, however, members and non-members are welcome within the doors to see the beautiful architecture and to feel the peaceful Spirit that resides within the holy walls. (Click here to learn more about Latter-Day Saint temples).

The temple was beautiful. I was so grateful for the time we had to walk through and quietly observe the beautiful lights, paintings, stairways, rooms, doors, and walls. It was such a good reminder that we should all be striving to make it to the temple so that we can feel closer to God and be united together with our families forever.

After the long drive home, Jon and I were exhausted and a little at a loss of what to do. You see, we are still learning how to function in this whole marriage thing and sometimes it's hard to know exactly what to do. Something I've found myself struggling with a lot is knowing how to balance independence and personal to-do lists/goals with companionship. Often, Jon and I have found that one of us has things to get done while the other doesn't, and so the one who doesn't finds him/herself bored while the busy one finds him/herself feeling pressured to finish their stuff at an uncomfortable pace. As a single lad (or lady), you can just skadaddle and go play with your friends when your partner is busy, but we haven't quite figured out what you do in that situation as a married bloke yet.

Anyways. That's the position Jon and I found ourselves in this afternoon. He was tired and wanted to sleep. I wanted to get stuff done. We each did our own things, but four hours later found that we were both frustrated with feeling like we had been stuck in the house all day with little purpose and energy.

So, we fixed it. Or rather, we changed it. The situation. Instead of continuing to be bored and frustrated, we decided to make some super awesome plans. We Skyped my family. Jon helped me makes some tortillas for tomorrow's dinner. I made a super delicious meal, we packed it up in the picnic basket that my Grandma Sorensen and Aunt Janet gave me, and we went and had dinner on the water's edge up in Provo Canyon at Upper Falls. We came home, cleaned up, and had an awesome FHE (which began with my laughter springing around the room as Jon tried to get me to sing "There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today" in Spanish--which I do not speak--at a katrillion words per minute). We made plans for the rest of the week. We're excited about life.

It's so easy, when you're having a bad day, to just let the bad day keep bading. BUT, we each have the power to tell the bad to stop bading and to make some good start gooding. We are powerful people with potential and possibility perusing through our veins. The day we realize that and start living like it's true (which it is) is the day we enable ourselves who we want to be.

...Stepping off the soapbox, now...

Tomorrow's almost here, and I have a test to give and papers to grade and exercises to do and a dinner to make and a husband coming back from his first day of the semester's classes to love and a million other awesome and wonderful and worth-while things to do. Life is so much happier when you live it on purpose, and that's how I like to live mine.

Make the good keep on gooding.

Letters

Dear Alex, Logan and Jon, The rooftop concert on Friday evening was very enjoyable (even though the slanted seats weren't). Thanks for the fun evening!

Dear Jason, The food you made for us on Sunday was SO GOOD!!! You are a top-notch cook! Thank you so super very much for sharing your talents and your food.

Dear Jon, Hanging out at the pool after running 9 miles has to be one of my favoritest things you and I have done yet. It was absolutely divine. Thank you for humoring me by getting in the (not very, but I'll amuse you) "cold" (*cough, cough*) water. You're kinda' the best.

Dear Sunshine, Phew--you're sure staring to get hot! Bring it on!

Dear FHE Family, The hike on Monday night to Battle Creek Falls was fun, chill, and gorgeous. Thank you for the lovely evening.

Dear Ward Soccer Team, Watching you guys play Tuesday night was SO FUN! Thanks for playing a game that was worth cheering through and that got me to hold my breath more than once!

Dear New Car That Belongs to Me, Wait--what?! I own a car?!!! Oh. Yeah. Still getting used to that thought.

Dear Karianne, It made me so happy to see you Wednesday at work! Sounds like you're having quite the crazy adventure up in North Dakota. I'm sad that you have to leave and go back today, but hope you know that I've missed you like crazy and can't wait for you to come back in the Fall!

Dear Scott, You are such and absolutely AMAZING friend for taking me to pick-up my car and then for being willing to be late to work when things went slightly crazy. You are a top-notch guy and a superb friend.

Dear Rachel Smith, I loved talk with you on Tuesday while walking to my car. Let's talk more again soon, okay?

Dear Jon and Coworkers, I had so much fun joining you guys on Wednesday for lunch! It was quite the privilege to be able to sit with ya'll in your little shed and to participate in the vital conversation about Disney movie music. I'm glad that Jon has such happy, upbeat and awesome people to work with.

Dear Emily, Eating dinner with you on Wednesday and coloring with you last night was pretty much one of the bestest things I've done in a very long time! Please, please, please say you'll do it with me again!

Dear Jon, Sometimes I wonder why on earth you still want to spend so much time with me when, after a day like yesterday, I look back and realize how dramatic I can be. I mean, I was even starting to annoy myself! Whatever it is that keeps you around though--even with all my dramatics--I'm extremely grateful for because I really like being with you.

Dear Thursday Temple Visits, You're one of the best decisions I've made all summer. Thank you for the peace and clarity and calm which you bring into my life. I plan on keeping you up.

Dear General Conference Talks, Sometimes you hit it right on the spot. I love how easy you are to access and how wonderfully inspired you make me feel.

Dear Half-Marathon Training, You have not been the best of friends lately. Let's change that, yeah?

Dear Amelia, I really need to write you a letter. I promise, I'm working on it!

Dear Landan, WELCOME BACK HOME!!! I can't wait to hear your homecoming talk this coming Sunday!

Dear Wonderful and Amazing Coworkers, I'm so grateful and blessed to work with people as amazing as you guys. Thank you for providing me with a workplace where I know my needs are just as important as the needs of the office. Thank you for your kindness and for lifting me up when I feel down. I'm so lucky to get to work at such an amazing place.

Dear Heavenly Father, Only two more days until Father's Day! I hope that the way I live my life over those two days can be, in the smallest way, a gift to You. Thank you for giving me the most wonderfully blessed life in the whole world. I love you so very much.

Dear Friday, I'm so super very extremely much excited to make you the best day that I've lived of my life so far! Here's to productivity, living with purpose, looking out for and lifting-up others, feeling the Spirit, choosing to be happy, using my agency wisely and responsibly, keeping a prayer in my heart, loving unconditionally and being just plain all-around awesome!

Letters For a Special Night on Temple Square

Dear Amelia, Morgan, Rachel, Lauren, Emily, Sarah, Quaelii, Jeremy, and Ryan, Last night I got to go to Temple Square with you to hear Rachel play in the Tabernacle and to look around at the lights. I could not have spent my evening any better way. You are all some of the best people Heavenly Father has ever blessed me with. Thank you again and again for your friendship.

 Dear Rachel, You are an AMAZING violinist! You got to play in the Tabernacle! You blow my mind! I admire how you work so hard to develop your talents in so many areas. You are always going and learning and growing and serving. You are so genuine. I love you and love having you as a roommate.

Dear Amelia, I'm glad that your mission call isn't until May 1st so that there's a possibility that you could stay with us a little longer. Regardless of whether you do or not, I hope you know that there have been times when I have felt like there was no one else I could go to in the world but you. Thank you for your example of striving to follow the Lord, even when it's hard. I love you!

Dear Lauren, I am so excited for you and for the chance you have to go to Disneyland, but I am sad that you will be leaving us! You are such a fun, happy, energetic girl. I miss our mornings laughing while cleaning bathrooms in the Tanner Building. Know that no matter where your life may lead you, that you have been a defining part of mine. Thank you.

Dear Morgan, It was good to have your company with us last night. We miss you in the apartment. Everything always cheers up when you're around. You bring the best out of people and you're not afraid to be yourself, which is why I admire you so much. Keep being the amazing person that you are.

Dear Sarah, One of the things I'm most excited about for next semester is having you live here. I am so glad that you have made the effort to come over to our apartment and to include yourself in our lives. It has blessed me so much, knowing that I have a friend that loves me no matter what and whom I can go to for anything and whom I can talk to about anything, no matter how silly or serious it is. I have you to lean on when the days get hard. Thank you so much for the example you set, but even more for this friendship which you have given me. I love you sooo much, and am so grateful that Heavenly Father has placed you in my life. You are amazing.

Dear Quaelii, Over the past few weeks, I have observed you being one of the strongest people I know. I realize that life is not going how you planned it to, but I know that it is going the way it is for a reason, and I am amazed watching you take it all in and accept it with humility and a willingness to do what the Lord would have you do. I am excited to see the amazing things you accomplish over the next six months. You are going to work miracles for the Lord; I know it. Thank you for sharing your life with me so that I have had the opportunity to watch you struggle and shine. I love you.

Dear Jeremy, You are so smart, kind, thoughtful, willing to serve, and generous. I am flabbergasted that Heavenly Father placed someone as amazing as you in my path here at BYU. I know that if I were to ever need anything at all, that you would help me without hesitation. You are just so purely good and I am so grateful for your friendship, support, and love. Please don't be a stranger. I love you!

Dear Ryan, You are literally one of the most amazing people I know that I will ever associate with. You have such a genuine, deep love for the gospel and for those around you. You are the most brotherly brother I have or will ever have (I mean, you've even seen me walk out of the shower in nothing but a towel--how much more "brotherly" can one get?). I feel absolutely safe and myself around you and know that I can trust you with anything. I love you so much an am so glad that we're family. Thank you for all you do.

Dear Emily, Last night when we were driving home in the snow, the only thing I could think of the whole first half of the ride was you, in the other car. I didn't know if you were safe, but was praying so hard that you would be. I didn't care what happened to me at that moment--all I cared about was you. Then I had the bright idea to actually text you guys to see if you guys were okay. You were, and I began to feel okay because the roads became less snowy. You, Jessica, Abby, and Kate are the best friends I have in this whole world, and I'm so grateful that we can be together for eternity. I am so, so, so grateful for the chance to live with you here at school. You are so amazing. When you and I were walking around temple square in the snowy cold underneath my umbrella I felt so amazingly blessed to be there with you and to feel so much like myself. I loved looking at the temple with you and thinking about how awesome it's going to be when the day comes for us to be in there, or another temple like it, together. If you ever feel discouraged or that you haven't made a difference in the world, I hope you know that you have made a significant difference in my life and that I love you so much. Thank you for being so amazing and for being willing to be stuck with me for eternity. Best friends forever. Literally.

(Late) Letters

Dear Emily, Lauren, Rachel, Amelia, Lindsey, Gretchen, Spencer, Jeremy, and Brad, I realize that this letter is super late, but I wanted to give you all a huge thank you for going to the Brigham City Temple open house with me on September 1st. I'm so lucky to get to have such amazing friends to share such amazing experiences with. Being there, the overall feeling that I got was that there--the temple--is where Heavenly Father wants us to be. Let's make it happen.

Families are Forever!

The Gang!

The awesome open house volunteer who took our picture (this is a  self-portrait!)