Words From Winnie (the Pooh bear)

Sometimes great hope, encouragement, and wisdom can come from quite simple and unassuming sources such as a small child, a quotation or saying you read somewhere, or a friend. Sometimes it comes from that quiet, modest person who remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world, but for you they are a role model and hero.
Perhaps, like me, you find such profound ideas coming from a little bear. A little bear named Winnie The Pooh whom you grew up with all throughout childhood. He never needed much in the way of material things nor fame and fortune, but he did treat his friends with kindness and caring. And he did teach you things about loving others and having courage and bravery.
Here's a saying or two that I got from a beloved character and his friend Christopher Robin:

"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
~Christopher Robin

"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."
~Winnie the Pooh

I am a young woman and I believe!

I am a young woman and I believe. I'm just one - but there are thousands of us. Young women all around the world, trying our best to live up to our potential. . . And little by little, step by step, we are CHANGING the world.

Along with each of those girls, I am proud to be an example of the believers, the hope of Israel, a light set on a hill! I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who cares for us and has our best interests in mind. He wants us to be happy and to return to live with Him again, and the way we can do so is through faithfully living the commandments. King Benjamin stated in Mosiah 2:41 :

     And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.


I now echo the words of that great leader and prophet as I have experienced in my own life that the most I have ever truly been happy is when I remember the Lord, keep His commandments and count the blessings in my life. I encourage everyone to live to your potential as best you can, working on becoming the sons and daughters that our Father in Heaven would have you be. If you stumble along the way or find yourself lost on a darker path in life as we all do at one point or another, please don't lose hope or give up! Reconnect with God again through prayer and scripture and you can find your way back to the light and truth. Jesus Christ atoned for everyone personally including you so that when you fall and find yourself in hard times He understands perfectly and will help you. If you've done wrong, repent and He'll forgive. Let us all be examples of the believers!

The Mission Dream

So last night I had this strange dream where I had just graduated high school the previous day and I was trying to go to mutual opening exercises but all the young women and young men were shoving me so I couldn't get in the door. They kept telling me that they would have me stay and that they loved me but they knew that I needed to move on in life and go to institute and singles ward where I needed to be. They told me that there was still my divine calling and mission to fulfill and accomplish. Finally, I couldn't push against them anymore so I went home and got ready for bed that night. Then I found a letter addressed to me and it was a mission call (even though I was 19 in the dream). It didn't say where I was going to serve a mission but I knew that it was what I needed to do and that if I had stayed at mutual I wouldn't have been able to go on this mission. And earlier in the dream I really didn't want to move on in life and I liked where I was, but after getting the mission call I had this overwhelming sense of peace like I had never really known before. That sense of peace helped me to know that even though I would be leaving things I loved dearly like band and friends at school who weren't seniors, I was doing the right thing and even more good would come of it.

DAY OF INSPIRATION

"He was a special man because he decided to be." - The Lost Choice by Andy Andrews

"... my mission is to learn to do common things uncommonly well and to use those skills and that knowledge to change the lives of those less fortunate than myself... People're starving, child, and anything that helps fill the dinner pail is valuable." - The Lost Choice by Andy Andrews

"As you grow up, remember that you have... pledged to do something special with your life. You won't always have George around, but that won't matter. Because you have been made to make a difference. And I believe that you will." - The Lost Choice by Andy Andrews

"FIREWORK" PS22 Chorus & Ithacappella & Adiza (by Katy Perry )

And now for just a random moment. I saw this video and I think it is beautiful. I like this a lot better than the original singer. The kids and singers have great enthusiasm. It just makes me wish I could sing that well :)

It's A Late Post But It's A Post Nontheless: My STAR Event Experience

So this post is actually for Thursday, but I've been pretty busy so I didn't get to it until now.

Lydia, Jeannie, and I got to work together (and stress over) a STAR event for FCCLA. We chose the Food Innovations event. Basically what we had to do was come up with a food that was ready-to-heat for a busy family of about five. It also had to be low fat, low sodium, and high protein. We also chose packaging for it and a market price. What we came up with was "Rice Pockets". We based it off of a Korean dish and basically what it is is flavored ground beef mixed in with rice and minced vegetables and stuffed into tofu pockets. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!

We tested it on people and then put together a display board of our whole planning process and the results. We added an oral presentation onto that and voila! The judges loved us and we went home with placing gold and qualifying for state competition. Although we would really love to go to state, we're not sure we will because it will be $110 dollars for each of us and we don't really have that money right now.

The best part was getting to enjoy each other's company all day while missing school, finding out Ms. Zirbes, a Timpanogos school administrator, was one of our judges, and pigging out at the Cannon Center at BYU with our meal payed for! I seriously ate so much I almost made myself sick haha! I had a plate of pasta, a pizza the size of half a large dinner plate, a hamburger, two slushies, and a maple bar donut. Hehe I love buffets.

Thanks to Lydia and Jeannie for working hard with me and then having a good time with me.

Everybody Falls Sometimes

"Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes, and make a new beginning...

but you are stronger, stronger than you know...

It doesn't matter what you've heard,
Impossible is not a word.
It's just a reason for someone not to try.
Everybody's scared to death,
When they decide to take that step,
Out on the water.
But it'll be alright...

I've seen hope that doesn't ever end,
Even when the sky is falling...

Overcome the odds,
When you don't have a chance...

That's what faith can do"
-What Faith Can Do by Kutless

     For those of you who have never heard this song, I encourage you to listen to it. I find it extremely inspiring, especially recently with the really hard days I go through.
I kind of feel like I need to get out my frustration but I don't want it to be on something so open to the public. So I posted some of the lyrics to this song instead to give myself something to talk about.

Brilliant Day!

So I don't have a lot to say about today, except that it was very fun. Or at least it was after school. Last day of the semester so I had a couple of finals which I did better on than I anticipated. Then after school I had a school basketball game to go to.

First, I went with Chris and my sister Camille to Cold Stone and got their Cinnamon Bun flavor which tastes like your eating granulated sugar straight with some cinnamon! It was very good though, but I would only get small sizes if I were you haha ;)
Then I stopped by the Bath and Body Works also inside the mall and bought me some Midnight Pomegranate lotion! Mmmmm I love pomegranate and mango smelling things =]

After that we hit up the girls and boys basketball games. Our teams won both games! Go T-wolves!
Mr. Morris had a concert he was performing in that night up in Salt Lake, so he left me and the other bassoon players in charge of running the pep band. I was a little worried at first, but it went well, especially with LuSeba and Ninja's help. I had so much fun that night just being crazy and cheering so loudly I started losing my voice. We also learned a new cheer that day and it's fun to do because you pretend to ride a rollercoaster. Chris Clegg, Janette, and Kyla also all came and played along! I love those guys and miss them at school now that they're in college and all. I love all my friends a ton.

Finally Some Good News

And now the moment you've all been waiting for! After a hard week back to school, I managed to survive through to super Sunday :]
Today was very rewarding. I had a two hour Presidency meeting with girls who I just love and enjoy working with. We really had fun coming up with an idea for a skit to perform at New Beginnings come February. It's kind of a neat fairytale with real life application and a princess, but I can't tell you anymore!
Then in sacrament meeting today I had the privilege of giving a talk on repentance. Haha it was far too short but ward members claim it was good and I got a lot out of my reading anyway.
After the third hour block I conducted BYC and found out I can still go youth conference and girl's camp this year even though I will be graduating!

I got a lot done today and look forward to accomplishing more this week. I feel so happy and it's great!

5 more months - but who's counting?

So I only have 5 months left of my high school career. ISN'T THAT CRAZY!?!!
  
     I feel like my life is a theme park - sometimes I have good days where I am just walking around the park looking at things or winning little prizes but other times I am on the most sickening terrifying ride anyone could possibly design.
     I am kinda frustrated with school right now, mostly the grade aspect of it. I am nearly failing some classes and the truly frustrating part is knowing that it is all because I started to slack off! I thought I had senioritis back last year and even the year before, but you don't know how truly bad it can be until you are the senior.

I still have lots of good stuff to look forward to and I can always do better. So I can say I am excited for a new semester and a brand new year!

Sometimes life is a big hairy mess and all I can do is make like a vacuum and suck it up

Man those days were you just feel so down on yourself and for no reason at all are really hard to get through. And I even woke up happy but it was not to last. Thank goodness for church, the gospel, and super fantabulous friends to help me out!

And most of all, I am grateful for my loving Heavenly Father's support and care. I am glad he loves me so much that he'll keep on loving me even when I seem to fail at life.