We Will Always Remember

I have had so many thoughts today as I look back on the events of September 11, 2001. I was only 11 at the time, but I can remember how I felt that day. I remember laying in bed and listening to the news. I didn't understand at the time what was going on. After a while my mom came in and told us that someone was attacking America. It all made sense at that moment. The impossible was happening. I was eating breakfast as the towers fell. The feeling that day was eery. It was too quiet. I didn't feel like playing. I was so used to hearing airplanes fly over my head, but that day there weren't any and it was a horrible reminder of what had just happened. I was just a child. I didn't know about terrorists or hijacking or war. No child should. But that day I learned all about it. I was too young too fully comprehend what had just happened, but I knew it was evil.

One of the main thoughts on my mind today is that we never know when we will talk to our loved ones again. We should always let our family and friends know that we love them. I am definitely not the best at this, but I am trying to do better. You just never know what can happen.

Along with that, I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have that there is life after death. We will see our loved ones again. I can be with my family forever. This brings so much comfort. I wish with all my heart that everyone knew this. I wish that I could tell every soul about the glorious message of the restored gospel. Not only does the knowledge of life after death bring comfort, but we can bea comforted and our hearts can be healed through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

As I was thinking about the events of that day, I turned to the words of the prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley that he spoke in the General Conference in October one month after. His words bring comfort and remind us of what we need to be thinking about at this time. America is a blessed nation and will continue to be so as long as we put God first. I encourage everyone to read this talk.

Now we look back and remember those we lost and the impact that the events of that day had on all of us. We will never forget. The best way to remember them is to press forward in our lives and to live each day as best we can. Remember that our strength as a nation comes from putting God first. I know that as we do this, God will bless America.

Big Changes

Today I decided to move up to West Jordan. Since I'm not going to be going to school in the fall, I decided I wanted to be closer to where I work. I found I good apartment with nice roommates and decided to just go for it! It's a little bit scary to be out on your own, not really knowing what you're going to do, but I'm excited. I just keep telling myself that I have to grow up sometime and that there are a billion other people doing the same exact thing. I need to stop just waiting around for my life to begin. I need to make my life begin. This is just a little step in the right direction and I feel good about it. Here's to some big changes and a new adventure!

National Parks and a Solar Eclipse

My parents decided to take my sister and me down to Bryce Canyon and Zion's National Park to see the solar eclipse and to enjoy nature. First stop was Bryce Canyon. We hiked around for a little while and then went back to Ruby's Inn to watch the solar eclipse. It was really cool to watch! And we had fun taking goofy pictures of course.

Munchie was king of the world

I loved the hearts

And Munchie loved the buffalo

It was so bright!!

Solar Eclipse!

Mom wanted to do the sexy one...

Next we were off to Zion's! We did several easy hikes around the park. My favorites were the Weeping Rock and the Riverside Walk. The Riverside Walk takes you to the mouth of the Narrows and Munchie was dying to see it. When we were about halfway there, my injured foot started to hurt so I decided to stop and just soak my feet in the river as my family kept going. It was so pretty and the water felt so good on my feet. Not to mention it was about 100 degrees outside and so finding a nice spot in the shade was exactly what I needed. We didn't do Angel's Landing or the Narrows. I don't think I could ever do either of them because of my extreme fear of heights and claustrophobia. It's too bad because I'm sure the sight is beautiful!

The Court of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. With Moroni in front of Jacob. I wonder what people who aren't LDS think of all these names when they visit.

Just doing some exploring

The Weeping Rock

Mom and Dad in the shady spot by the river

After soaking my feet, I felt good enough to dance!

We saw lots of wildlife: Birds, lizards, squirrels, and deer

Zion's is absolutely beautiful. I want to go back, but maybe on a cooler day. We spent the night laughing our heads off in St. George. On our last day, we went back to Zion's and watched 2 short movies on the IMAX screen. One of them was just weird and I had no idea what was going on the entire time. The other was one that my dad and I have been wanting to see. It's called Tornado Alley. We wanted to see it because we love the show Storm Chasers and it's about the making of the movie. Yeah, we're nerds... Overall it was a nice little vacation!

Good, Better, Best

The past month has been kind of crazy, but I have learned a lot. I have learned that if I try to make things happen that it usually does not work out the way that I want it. I have learned to put my trust in my Heavenly Father and allow Him to guide my life. I know He will not make decisions for me, but if I listen to His council, I will helped in making the choice that is best for me. Some of the decisions I have had to make have not been easy. It can be really hard to give up something good for something better and even harder to give up something better for the best thing. I love this quote from Elder Oaks, "As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all." That last part really speaks to me at this time in my life. I know that I am doing my Heavenly Father's will and even though it's hard, it will all be worth it in the end. I am so happy right now and I am being so blessed because I have chosen to do what Heavenly Father knows is right for me instead of what I want to be right.

Happy Holidays!

I just realized that I completely skipped over Halloween in my blogging! Halloween was the best! Me, Seth, and Seth's roommate Sean dressed up as Little Bo Peep and her lost sheep. We went to Seth's ward's Halloween party and we won the costume contest!! Then we went to a dance that another ward was having. Seth and Sean would go hide from me and start baaing and I would go try to find them. Everybody loved it! Anyway it was so much fun and definitely the best Halloween I have ever had!

Seth surprised me with Thriller tickets

Carving Pumpkins!

Making pumpkin seeds

 

Little Bo Peep and her lost sheep

After all the partying so we're kind of frumpy looking.

Christmas was so much fun as well. I still made Munchie and my parents get up early and open our presents. I  got some really cute clothes and a few other things. Then after church my brothers and their familys both came down. It was so much fun watching the little kids play with their toys. We spent the day laughing and playing games.

Connor playing with Carter's toy car

Carter!

Connor and Millie reading books and opening presents

Munchie, Connor, and Millie sword fighting

Johnny and Mikey sword fighting

Me and Carter in front of the Christmas tree

Connor did not want to sit still for a picture

Connor and Grandpa

Carter and Munchie

Mom, the baby whisperer, calming Carter down

For New Year's Eve, I went up to Centerville and hung out with Seth and his family and his friends. It was so much fun to see everybody again! I got to see his niece, Kate. She is just a few weeks old and simply adorable! We played games with his friends and just had a really great time!

Next holiday was my birthday! I turned 22 years old. I'm getting old... But 22 is my lucky number so hopefully this year is the absolute best! My entire family came down for my birthday and we went to dinner and Red Robin. I love my birthday!

Millie dumped the box of cheerios out and then said "I did it!"



Thanksgiving!

It was so nice to take a break from school and work this week to just sit back, relax, and spend time with my family. We had Thanksgiving at my house and it was pretty crazy! My family is 11 people, my grandma makes 12, and then my uncle's family came so the total was 18 people at Thanksgiving. I know lots of people have more but I'm used to it just being me and my parents in this house so 15 other people was madness. We spent the day getting playing games and of course eating food. It was so much fun! I love that my family can get together and have such a good time. There were lots of laughs and not too many tears (just from the babies). I am so grateful for my family. They are the best! Thanksgiving is also special to me because it reminds me of my heritage. My ancestors came over on the Mayflower and so I love hearing about what it was like for them. It makes me feel more connected to them. I love it!

Thanksgiving weekend highlights: Me carrying 4 chairs up the stairs while my dad carried 2 and my grandma and sister carried 1 each. Thanks for all the help guys! We laughed really hard about that one. Eating lots and lots of delicious mashed potatoes! My mom makes the best kind! Playing rock band, pool, and foos ball with my family and cousins. Ganging up on my dad in Hearts with my sister and Grandma. He still beat us but at least it was a little bit closer. Beating my dad and sister at pool. Longest game ever, but I did it!!!! Playing with the babies is always so much fun! I have the cutest niece and nephews in the world! Also I taught Millie to say "Go Jimmer!" so that was fun. And we put up our Christmas tree!!! I think that's a record for us! Usually it's like the week before Christmas. My mom and sister were just excited about their new decorations. And it looks fabulous! Overall it was a great week!

General Conference

I am so excited for General Conference this weekend. The messages that will be shared are what Heavenly Father wants us to know right now. We have a prophet on this earth today and he is going to talk to us. Sometimes I think that it would have been amazing to be alive when one of the prophets in the scriptures was alive because then I could have heard him speak. Well, I get to hear a prophet of God speak every 6 months. What a wonderful blessing. It's sad, however, that more often than not people of this church don't listen. Or if they do listen then they don't remember or apply it to their lives. What did the prophets and apostles speak about 6 months ago? They are receiving revelation of how we are to live our lives. We need to listen and continue to study and apply their messages until they speak again.

I know that I have not been very good at this, but I've determined to be better. I have made the decision to download all the sessions of conference and listen to it in my car. I started this yesterday afternoon and I've already listened to the first session and President Uchtdorf's talk twice. I was previously using this time listening to a bunch of junk on the radio. It was amazing how happy I have been. Yesterday was a really frustrating day, but I was happier than I have been for a long time. I know that studying the messages of General Conference and really making an effort to push out the gunk of the world and to bring the spirit into our lives will make a huge difference. I encourage everyone reading this to listen to the prophets and apostles of God this weekend and over the next 6 months to make an effort to apply what they have said to us. I promise that it will only bless your life. Enjoy Conference!!