My Ideology

This is all that really matters:

The church is true and I love being an active member of it.

I'm a daughter of God who loves me dearly and I love Him.

I have a Savior who died for me so that I can have the power to do impossible tasks and overcome my weaknesses.

Temples are vital.

Joseph Smith restored the true church and was a living prophet.

Thomas S. Monson is today's prophet and leads and guides God's church.

The scriptures are the word of God.

I can and want to talk to God through prayer.

People are innately good.

There is right and wrong.

I love and care about those I associate with; especially family, roommates, coworkers and classmates.

I like working hard because it helps me feel purposeful.

I like doing hard things because I love the feeling of triumph and achievement.

I love to serve because it makes me happy.

I love being happy because it feels good and helps me to put things into perspective.

I love taking care of my body because it gives me energy.

Being an amazing wife and mother is very important to me even though neither of these roles have yet become realities.

I'm getting a degree in English Teaching, but ultimately I want to be a homemaker.

I believe there is value in getting an education especially because I'm going to be a mother someday.

I like to be successful so that I can give back to God.

When I fail, I rely on the Atonement to get me back on my feet.

My life is a gift, my life has a plan.

I want to give my whole life to serving God, following His commandments and forwarding His work.

I want God to trust me and to use me as an instrument in His hands.

"This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

Everything else is secondary to these uncompromising principles.

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

Dear Bed, I really do very sincerely miss you. We have not been spending enough quality time together lately! As much as I miss you, however, I do have to admit that the things taking your place have been quite worth it. Maybe in a couple of years (or probably in the next life) I'll actually have enough time for you. For now though, hope you enjoy the little time that you do have with me!

Dear Hook (the movie), I haven't seen you in FOREVER! I forgot how fun/silly/good of a movie you are! I'm glad that I got to watch you on Saturday night with my friends.

Dear Lori, Thank you so much for letting us come over to your place to plant flowers! I miss having a yard and being able to work outside in the dirt. The black beneath my fingernails was a happy sight. Thank you even more for taking us out to eat afterwards at the Trolley Cafe. That salad was so good!

Dear Latino Ward Members (and their white friends/roommates), Sunday's break the fast was one of the best break the fasts I've ever been to! Thank you so, so much for spending all of Saturday evening and Sunday morning slaving over delicious enchiladas, rice, beans and horchata. My stomach and taste buds were quite appreciative!

Dear Kate, I'm sorry it took me so long to call you back! I'm super glad that we FINALLY got to talk on Sunday and that you got to tell me all about the awesome girls camp and school and life stuff you have going on and that I got to tell you all about the crazy stuff going on in my life. I love you super tons!!!

Dear Half-Marathon Training, I'm surprised--besides the waking up super early to go running (which sometimes makes me feel like I'm gonna DIE) you're actually not that bad! After running 9 miles on Thursday evening, running 13.1 isn't feeling quite as intimidating. I might actually be able to do this!

Dear Activities Committee, I love being part of a group of people as amazing as you. Every single one of you is so kind, loving, serving, outgoing and all-around stupendous! Thank you for being who you are--it inspires me to be a better person and to love and serve those around me more perfectly.

Dear Ems, I'm glad that we FINALLY decided on a time to hang out. It's been forever! Tomorrow evening is going to be the best.

Dear Day of Rest, You really are my favorite day of the week. Thanks for always getting me ready for the other six.

Dear Tale of Two Cities, Lets see if I can get you read in two weeks. That's the goal, at least!

Dear Jon, Water coloring and coloring outside the lines and endless french toast at Kneaders and planting flowers at Lori's and going to Jamie's wedding reception and running and shopping and making yummy pesto-based food and painting my nails and watching Hook and making banana bread and reading general conference talks and talking and talking and talking all with you at my side are, I think, some of my most favorite things ever. Thank you for being so good and for always leaving me with a desire to be a better person. You're quite the top-notch best friend, and we make quite the fantastic team.

Dear Heavenly Father, I would be selfish if I didn't acknowledge and thank you for all the good that is in my life right now. Thank you for answering my prayers and for knowing exactly what I need and when I need it, and then for giving it all to me even though I don't deserve more than (maybe) 0.9% of it. You are the best part of my life.

Sleep vs. Action

This semester I moved to a new apartment and since then have been living with amazing new roommates! One of my roommates, Betsy, likes to wake-up at 5am, no matter how late she stayed up the night before. Her example has made me want to be getting up earlier too. I have noticed in my life that I usually feel better--physically, emotionally, spiritually--when I wake-up early, excited and with purpose, and get going with my day. 

So last night, when we were getting ready to go to bed, I mentioned to Betsy that I wanted to get up early. We started talking about the whole getting-up early thing, and I really like the way she put it. She said that her dad always told her there were two parts to the commandment we receive about getting sleep: to "retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary," and to "arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." (D&C 88:124). Even when we don't follow the first part (going to bed at a decent hour), her dad told her, we can still follow the second part--to "arise early." Then, if you need to, just take a quick nap later in the day. 

I really like that. Sleep--as much as I want to sometimes barter limb and soul for it--is not my favorite thing in the world. I hate getting too much sleep. I don't like sleeping in because it makes me feel like I've wasted my day away. As President Hinckley said: "We have work to do, you and I, so very much of it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get at it, with a new commitment, putting out trust in the Lord." (We Have a Work to Do, April 1995). I don't want to waste away my time sleeping when I could be up and doing and alive an at 'em. I'd much rather follow the counsel found in D&C 58: 27-28:

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."

Letters

Dear Lauren, WAY TO GO!!! Good job getting fifth place in the dance competition today by doing your awesome tango! I admire you so much for doing the things you are passionate about. You are amazing.

Dear Sarah, I have been waiting ALL WEEK to go and get ice cream with you today! It was perfect. It was just what I needed. It was so good to do nothing but just sit and talk to you. Especially the "you" part. You amaze and inspire me in so many ways. Thanks for your example and friendship.

Dear World Religions Test, That was fun, wasn't it? I'm pretty sure that I'd never even seen at least a fourth of the words on the page. Lucky for me, the test wasn't in the testing center and wasn't multiple choice, so I still get to forget it and still feel good about myself until the scores get posted. Perfect.

Dear Eric, I'm so glad that you came over to make cookies with me tonight. Thanks for the cookie making and the Piano Guys video watching/listen and the talking and the translating my letter and the playing Banana Grams and the even more talking. The cookies we made were amazing. Magic, you could say (or rather, did say). You are such a good, understanding, caring, spiritual, fun, awesome friend. I'm excited to get to listen to General Conference with you on Saturday morning up in the mountains!

I think someone was just trying to remind him of home...

Dear Jeremy, Thanks for stopping by tonight to help us eat our cookies. I'm so glad that your dance number in today's dance competition was 667--our apartment number. Some things are just meant to be. Our FHE family is one of those things. Also, I admire you so much for being willing to help so many people when they struggle with their homework. Your dedication to service is just so super awesome. Air five, brother! Good night (This time, not in sign language)!

Dear Lori, Thank you so much for buying us pizza to eat today at work. You are one of the best bosses ever!

Letters

Dear John and Gentry, I forgot to mention the other day, but thank you for inviting me to see The Amazing Spider-Man with you in the dollar theater on Friday night. I was feel overwhelmed and, even though I didn't realize it or think it was a good idea, I needed to get away and to go and have fun. The movie was wonderful, and so was your company. P.S.--I hope you warm up to my sarcasm soon (and no--there wasn't any in this letter!)

Dear Kristi, Thank you so much for trusting us at work enough to talk about your crazy life. It let me feel comfortable enough to talk to you about mine today, and I really just needed someone to listen. I hope you know that I admire you so much for the good person you are and for all the good choices I have seen you make. You are an amazing women. Sorry I couldn't make it to the party tonight. I hope it was a blast!

Dear Mary, This is going to be one super awesome French party. I hope you're ready to go all out!

Dear Elder Hardy, If you want a reply to a letter, don't write it completely in Portuguese to a girl who only reads English and signs ASL. It will not encourage her to write back faster. Especially if that girl is me. I will leave the rest of my thoughts on the matter to myself.

Dear Jared McBride, When I got home from the library last night at 11:45 pm after a very long day and saw a postcard from you sitting on my bed--it meant an incredible amount to me! Immediately  the stresses of the day vanished. Thank you for making me feel so special and loved. You better know--and if you don't, listen up!--that I think you are an amazing person and that I admire you very much. I can say that because I have seen you do amazing things. You are motivated by a love for others and for your Heavenly Father. More people need to be like this. Even though this first year of teaching for you might be going crazy, I'm sure you are doing fine. Know that back here, at CP, I'm rooting for you. Keep up the awesome-ness.

Thoughtlits

Today I am determined to be an agent. Today I am determined to be proactive. Today I am determined to become a better person. Today I am determined to be decisive. Today I am determined to help and love and serve. Today I am determined to do good. Today I am determined to be active. Today I am determined to go to bed a better person than I was when I woke up. Today I am determined to work hard and play hard. Today I am determined to be awake. Today I am determined to uplift others. Today I am determined to use my life for good. Today is a good day. Here. I. Come.

Letters

Sitting at the top!

Dear Emily, Hiking the Y with you yesterday afternoon was the best. Thanks for being patient with me when I stopped a kagillion times to fix my shoes or take a breather. I promise I'm not usually that slow moving up the mountain. This morning I even ran up part of it without stopping. Yesterday I was just tired, or at least, that's my excuse. Either way, spending that time with you was so much fun. I love how I can be my complete, normal self when I'm around you. Let's hang out again sometime soon.

Dear Jim, You were such a kind, nice man. Emily and I didn't even know you, yet when we ran into you at the bottom of the mountain you stood and talked to us for at least 15 minutes, talking about wrestling and trucking and Utah and your kids. Best wishes to you, Sir!

Dear UVU Wrestling Team, Hiking past you while we were going down the Y and you were running up it was...kinda' interesting. Next time, would you consider wearing something along with you tiny spandex shorts? Awesome.

SOme of the old FHE family at Josh's BBQ. Good times, good times.

Dear Josh Duncan, Thank you so much for inviting us to your going-away BBQ on Thursday night. It's the first time I've been to Rock Canyon Park, even though I've run past it a million times. The food was good, rolling down the hill was fun, but seeing you one last time before you leave for grad school was the best of it all. Thank you for being the best adopted FHE brother in the world!

This is what Costco's frozen yogurt will do to you. Maybe we should be more careful next time we order  from their food court.

Dear Rachel Munyan, Going to Costco to get huge cups of frozen yogurt and then going to Rock Canyon Park to eat it and talk and have fun was a blast. Emily and I both love you (and that was the first time Emily's ever even met you!) I hope you have the best time ever with your sister today, and that you and I get to go have fun again sometime soon. I really like you.

Dear Audrey Pister, I really, really, really like talking and cooking and watching movies and laughing and being with you. You are pretty much awesome. Even if things don't work out and you're not our roommate in the fall, I hope you will drop by to say hi often. We all think you are really cool.

Dear Graduations, I don't know if I'm going to enjoy my own graduation very much after having to help put on so many others for work. Oh well?

Dear Alma, The words of counsel that you gave your sons in Alma 36-42 are some of my favorite in the whole Book of Mormon. Thank you.

Dear Sarah Porter, Thanks for talking the other night. It's good to have you back home for a bit.

Dear Stephen, I'm so excited for you to be here at CP next week. It's going to be so much fun!

Up and Doing

"I am an old man!... I’m given to meditation and prayer. I would enjoy sitting in a rocker, swallowing prescriptions, listening to soft music, and contemplating the things of the universe. But such activity offers no challenge and makes no contribution. I wish to be up and doing. I wish to face each day with resolution and purpose. I wish to use every waking hour to give encouragement, to bless those whose burdens are heavy, to build faith and strength of testimony."   -President Gordon B. Hinckely

Today's a day to be happy. A day to serve a little more. Be a little more grateful. Look to God a little more frequently than we normally do. I want to help those around me to have a better day. I want people to feel noticed and loved because of the time I take to be with them. I want others to feel that I genuinely care about them--because I do. This life is not meant for easy, idle pursuits. We are meant to work. We are meant to serve. We are meant to give. We are meant to love. That's what I want to do with my time.

Letters

Dear Kristin, We missed you today at work, but I hope you're having the funnest time ever in California. See you next week!

Who's on the Lord's Side? Who?

“Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.”   -D&C 128:22

“Guided by the Holy Spirit, we will learn from our mistakes. If we stumble, we will rise. If we falter, we will go on. We will never waver; we will never give up. As a mighty brotherhood of the everlasting priesthood of God, we will stand together, shoulder to shoulder, focused on the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and gratefully serving our God and fellowman with dedication and love.”   -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, The Why of Priesthood Service, April 2012 General Conference

Now is the time to step up, unite together, and to be stronger and more determined than we ever have been before. Satan is not going to win. He may win at first. He may win today and tomorrow and many, many days after that; but I promise that he will not win in the end! He cannot win. We already know the outcome of the battle. It is not a question of who will win. God will win. It is instead a question of which side we will chose to fight for.

I chose to fight on God’s side. I want to throw in every last bit of energy I have proving myself and bringing forth good and helping lift up others and advancing the work of God. I want to be strong. I want to be steadfast and immovable. I want to be a solider for the Lord

I know that this church is the true church. I know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ. I know that he restored the true church upon the earth. I know that he was a prophet. I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book because when I read it I feel closer to God and I receive inspiration and revelation for my life. I know that God’s priesthood power is once again upon the earth and that this power makes it possible for us to be sealed together as families in the Lord’s temples. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He atoned for our sins, that He died and was resurrected for us, and that He lives and helps each of us daily today. I know that God lives. I know that He is our Father. I know that He knows each and every single one of us more perfectly than we know ourselves. I know that He desires us to succeed and to do well in this life so that we can return to Him. I know that He loves us with an immeasurable amount of love.

I want no one to doubt whose side I’m fighting on. I am for the Lord. He will uplift, and help, and strengthen us all as we dedicate ourselves to fighting more earnestly to serve one another and to become better brothers and sisters in the gospel.

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who? Now is the time to show. We ask it fearlessly: Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Letters

Dear Kristen Herrscher and Rachel Munayn, You guys are AWESOME for amusing me by listening to me talk about my life at work every day. Five high!

Dear Heavenly Father, Being reminded of my insignificance today was very humbling. It makes me even more astonished at the fact that you know, love, and care about me. Thank you for taking me as I am and for loving me perfectly.

Dear Paul, Thank you for Romans 8. Today is the second time I have found lots of personal meaning and help in it. You were awesome for sacrificing so much for a people so far in the future. I hope that I can serve and inspire people the way you do.

Letters

It's true; don't doubt it!

Dear AnnaLisa Maddox, Thanks for talking to me the past several night. It's good to know that someone else is on the same page as I am. We're both AWESOME and we CAN do it!  Keep up the being amazing-ness!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thanks for helping me use the atonement to turn my bad day around. Thanks also for directing me to Romans 8 yesterday. You always answer my prayers, even the ones I don't even utter.

Dear LIFE--You're AMAZING! Yes--you are! And so is everyone on this planet--including me! I know that this is true because if it wasn't, Satan wouldn't try so hard to drag us all down. So yea for being amazing and for  having amazingly challenging, wonderful, mortal lives! Let's all start living like the amazing people we are.