Just for the heck of it, i wanted to make a list of the temples that i've been to/been inside of so i can see how many i can visit for a portion of my lifetime. It'd be awesome to see how many i can!
-Denver, CO Temple*
-Mt. Timpanogos, UT Temple*
-Provo, UT Temple
-Columbia, SC Temple*
-Boise, ID Temple*
-Salt Lake City, UT Temple
-Rexburg, ID Temple*
-Jordan River, UT Temple*
-Idaho Falls, ID Temple*
-Oquirrh Mountain, UT Temple*
(*denotes i've been inside)
Fairly short list so far, but i have plenty more to be able to see and go inside!
Yep, that's us :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Thoughts
Recently in the news, a few things have stuck out to me where my opinion tends to jump out. In that case, writing them down tends to help a little bit
On Penn State:
-Being a sports person, this headline has been around since late last year. For those of you that don't know, for many years there was coach at Penn State who had been molesting young boys, a lot of on school owned property. The much beloved head coach, Joe Paterno, as well as the governing body of the school had known of such things that were happening, but failed to report any of it until it was too late and the story broke out to the public. Since then, the man guilty of the abuse has been sent to jail, Paterno lost his reputation and died of cancer, and the administrators were fired and the school has been tainted with a bad reputation. Last week, the school received punishments from the NCAA saying that they need to pay $60 million in fines, 20 scholarships lost over the space of a few years, and no postseason play (conference championship or bowl game) for four years. Harsh, but they were needed in this case.
When reading different message boards about it, it's sad to see people already calling Penn State, "Pedo State" and even trashing the players and community, the ones not involved in the problems that went on. For me, obviously i feel for those affected by the abuse and their families, but also i feel for the players that the sanctions punish as well. Penn State had been doing great in the recruiting, but this was going to make it pretty hard. Some de-committed and left, but a good number of current players and prospective players pledged that they are staying, regardless of the penalties. To me, that shows that they are at the school for more than just football and that they have integrity to stick it out. Good for them.
On the Aurora shooting:
-On friday the 20th, i woke up and was thinking how great it was that im done with school for the next month and a half. Imagine my shock when the first thing i see when i get online is that a shooting occurred at a theater i had been to many times in my hometown 2 miles from my house and that 12 people would end up dead. One of those killed was a girl that i didn't know personally, but knew of and was a friend of many friends of mine i had back in high school. Luckily, none of my brothers went to the theater and were safe. After tragedies like this, communities become closer and tight knit. Some, however, immediately want to politicize the event and point the finger not just at the psycho who did, but others that may have facilitated it. With the shootings at Columbine, they blamed video games, but no strong correlation was found. With this shooting in Aurora, many are saying that it was the lack of concealed weapons permits the patrons didn't have.....SERIOUSLY?!?!?! 12 die and almost 60 are injured, and you're telling me that if people in the theater had concealed weapons permits, it would've have been prevented? Wow...the guy who did it had tactical body armor on from head to toe and multiple guns on him plus he threw tear gas grenades up to make visibility hard for everyone else. If people would fire back at him in a moment of chaos like that, more people could've been hurt/killed. Maybe if the guy wasn't crazy, that could've prevented it. Acts like this are so random and confusing, you can't just immediately point the finger at this or that which "could" be the reason for it. Tragedies happen, ok? It stinks, but it shows that life is fragile and the need to cherish it that much more apparent. I trust God enough to know that those that were killed are in a much more peaceful place and are "are taken home to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40:11)
On Chick-Fil-A:
-Oh boy, has this been a stupid one. So we are pretty familiar that Chick-Fil-A is a very conservatively-owned restaurant owned by Southern Baptist people. I for one applaud that they are closed on Sundays to observe the Sabbath day. But the CEO of Chick-Fil-A spoke recently that they are "guilty as charged" when it comes to being against gay marriage and supporting traditional and the Biblical definition of marriage being between a man and a woman. This i also support and agree with. So imagine the outcry they took when pro-gay supporters are now calling for boycotts against Chick-Fil-A and calling them "bigots", "intolerant", and "discriminatory". The Mayor of Boston said that Chick-Fil-A is not welcome there and that the Chicago Alderman said that they are not welcome in his ward of Chicago.
For me, this is getting ridiculous. When one looks up the definition of a "bigot", it says that it is someone who is "utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion". Chick-Fil-A in this instance is simply stating its opinion. It is not going to go to each of its customers, ask if they are gay, and then kick them out if they are. THAT would be bad and show that they are "utterly intolerant". They are simply exercising their right to free speech in the Constitution. Those rights we have are lost only if they infringe on the rights of others and become hostile. One opinion by one man does not make him a bigot any more than those who then lash out at the CEO and even to the point of bringing his faith into it make them bigots. Chick-Fil-A took a stand, and i agree with them personally. Not enough people take firm stands today about what they believe.
ok, im done. it's dang hot my apartment and typing is getting more and more hard for now
On Penn State:
-Being a sports person, this headline has been around since late last year. For those of you that don't know, for many years there was coach at Penn State who had been molesting young boys, a lot of on school owned property. The much beloved head coach, Joe Paterno, as well as the governing body of the school had known of such things that were happening, but failed to report any of it until it was too late and the story broke out to the public. Since then, the man guilty of the abuse has been sent to jail, Paterno lost his reputation and died of cancer, and the administrators were fired and the school has been tainted with a bad reputation. Last week, the school received punishments from the NCAA saying that they need to pay $60 million in fines, 20 scholarships lost over the space of a few years, and no postseason play (conference championship or bowl game) for four years. Harsh, but they were needed in this case.
When reading different message boards about it, it's sad to see people already calling Penn State, "Pedo State" and even trashing the players and community, the ones not involved in the problems that went on. For me, obviously i feel for those affected by the abuse and their families, but also i feel for the players that the sanctions punish as well. Penn State had been doing great in the recruiting, but this was going to make it pretty hard. Some de-committed and left, but a good number of current players and prospective players pledged that they are staying, regardless of the penalties. To me, that shows that they are at the school for more than just football and that they have integrity to stick it out. Good for them.
On the Aurora shooting:
-On friday the 20th, i woke up and was thinking how great it was that im done with school for the next month and a half. Imagine my shock when the first thing i see when i get online is that a shooting occurred at a theater i had been to many times in my hometown 2 miles from my house and that 12 people would end up dead. One of those killed was a girl that i didn't know personally, but knew of and was a friend of many friends of mine i had back in high school. Luckily, none of my brothers went to the theater and were safe. After tragedies like this, communities become closer and tight knit. Some, however, immediately want to politicize the event and point the finger not just at the psycho who did, but others that may have facilitated it. With the shootings at Columbine, they blamed video games, but no strong correlation was found. With this shooting in Aurora, many are saying that it was the lack of concealed weapons permits the patrons didn't have.....SERIOUSLY?!?!?! 12 die and almost 60 are injured, and you're telling me that if people in the theater had concealed weapons permits, it would've have been prevented? Wow...the guy who did it had tactical body armor on from head to toe and multiple guns on him plus he threw tear gas grenades up to make visibility hard for everyone else. If people would fire back at him in a moment of chaos like that, more people could've been hurt/killed. Maybe if the guy wasn't crazy, that could've prevented it. Acts like this are so random and confusing, you can't just immediately point the finger at this or that which "could" be the reason for it. Tragedies happen, ok? It stinks, but it shows that life is fragile and the need to cherish it that much more apparent. I trust God enough to know that those that were killed are in a much more peaceful place and are "are taken home to that God who gave them life" (Alma 40:11)
On Chick-Fil-A:
-Oh boy, has this been a stupid one. So we are pretty familiar that Chick-Fil-A is a very conservatively-owned restaurant owned by Southern Baptist people. I for one applaud that they are closed on Sundays to observe the Sabbath day. But the CEO of Chick-Fil-A spoke recently that they are "guilty as charged" when it comes to being against gay marriage and supporting traditional and the Biblical definition of marriage being between a man and a woman. This i also support and agree with. So imagine the outcry they took when pro-gay supporters are now calling for boycotts against Chick-Fil-A and calling them "bigots", "intolerant", and "discriminatory". The Mayor of Boston said that Chick-Fil-A is not welcome there and that the Chicago Alderman said that they are not welcome in his ward of Chicago.
For me, this is getting ridiculous. When one looks up the definition of a "bigot", it says that it is someone who is "utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion". Chick-Fil-A in this instance is simply stating its opinion. It is not going to go to each of its customers, ask if they are gay, and then kick them out if they are. THAT would be bad and show that they are "utterly intolerant". They are simply exercising their right to free speech in the Constitution. Those rights we have are lost only if they infringe on the rights of others and become hostile. One opinion by one man does not make him a bigot any more than those who then lash out at the CEO and even to the point of bringing his faith into it make them bigots. Chick-Fil-A took a stand, and i agree with them personally. Not enough people take firm stands today about what they believe.
ok, im done. it's dang hot my apartment and typing is getting more and more hard for now
Monday, July 9, 2012
The Mustache Theory
So i have this theory for this upcoming winter semester that i think could work. Here's the backdrop:
Mi novia (Natalie) will be heading home for the winter semester since that is her off-track. It's mine as well, but i'll be staying here because of my job (for some reason, i really like earning money). She raised a concern that hopefully i wouldn't fall in love with somebody else while she is away. I quickly assured her that wouldn't happen for a number of reasons. While thinking of something to calm her fears, i thought of a brilliant idea....grow a mustache!
Yes, yes...i know how wrong that sounds. I, for one, promised myself that if i ever did grow a mustache, that i would punch myself in the face. Well...it's tempting, but we'll see. But still...i think it'll work great! Not only will my own fortitude keep other ladies away, but with that lip sweater sitting nicely above my upper lip, it'll drive the rest away! It's perfect! I hate mustaches, you gotta do what you gotta do.
It sure as heck won't look like this:
But close enough. I'm stubborn enough that this will work! It'll be worth it
Mi novia (Natalie) will be heading home for the winter semester since that is her off-track. It's mine as well, but i'll be staying here because of my job (for some reason, i really like earning money). She raised a concern that hopefully i wouldn't fall in love with somebody else while she is away. I quickly assured her that wouldn't happen for a number of reasons. While thinking of something to calm her fears, i thought of a brilliant idea....grow a mustache!
Yes, yes...i know how wrong that sounds. I, for one, promised myself that if i ever did grow a mustache, that i would punch myself in the face. Well...it's tempting, but we'll see. But still...i think it'll work great! Not only will my own fortitude keep other ladies away, but with that lip sweater sitting nicely above my upper lip, it'll drive the rest away! It's perfect! I hate mustaches, you gotta do what you gotta do.
It sure as heck won't look like this:
But close enough. I'm stubborn enough that this will work! It'll be worth it
Friday, June 22, 2012
Petey-Pie on: Communication
(DISCLAIMER: this are just my personal opinions, so you can add to them or discuss if you wish)
I figure that since i want to be someday a marriage & family therapist, so giving advice/council is what i'll be doing. So why not practice now? So this will be the start of a little series on things about relationships and such. A lot of it has come from or influenced by my marriage prep class, which has quickly become my favorite class full of useful info. So...
COMMUNICATION
For an analogy to help with this, i'll chose what i call the "relationship house":
The foundation is built on trust---without it, the whole thing falls apart. Trust is everything.
the walls with friendship---the basics to which you can build on and add to.
the windows of honesty---you want nothing to hide
the roof that caps it all off is love---seals everything in the house and protects from outside influence.
and I believe that communication is the mortar that keeps it all together---fills in all the tiny cracks to keep the walls and roof up.
(You can tell if one of these is weak and needs repair. If not, then the whole thing could crumble bit by bit until it's destroyed.)
To start off, in a relationship the communication is small. When a couple first meet and go on dates, things are at the simple stage of just asking questions getting to know the other person. Pretty innocent, right? But as the courtship/relationship increases, then there should be a positive correlation in the communication increasing. By the time the couple is serious and on to marriage, then the communication should be open and free with the other person, since you are supposed to be sharing many things as a married couple.
A quick tip:
-if you have something to tell someone, SAY IT! Don't coward away at the last minute or make it seem like a riddle that has to be solved. We're all adults here (hopefully). For instance, i greatly appreciate when im told something up front and honestly, even if the news i hear sucks. But at least i was told, right?I guess im one of those bold types that would rather hear that.
I firmly believe that so many arguments and fights could be avoided if people just communicated. Money problems, something maybe someone took offense at, assumptions, etc. could be taken care of if people said what they meant. Give it a try...
I figure that since i want to be someday a marriage & family therapist, so giving advice/council is what i'll be doing. So why not practice now? So this will be the start of a little series on things about relationships and such. A lot of it has come from or influenced by my marriage prep class, which has quickly become my favorite class full of useful info. So...
COMMUNICATION
For an analogy to help with this, i'll chose what i call the "relationship house":
The foundation is built on trust---without it, the whole thing falls apart. Trust is everything.
the walls with friendship---the basics to which you can build on and add to.
the windows of honesty---you want nothing to hide
the roof that caps it all off is love---seals everything in the house and protects from outside influence.
and I believe that communication is the mortar that keeps it all together---fills in all the tiny cracks to keep the walls and roof up.
(You can tell if one of these is weak and needs repair. If not, then the whole thing could crumble bit by bit until it's destroyed.)
To start off, in a relationship the communication is small. When a couple first meet and go on dates, things are at the simple stage of just asking questions getting to know the other person. Pretty innocent, right? But as the courtship/relationship increases, then there should be a positive correlation in the communication increasing. By the time the couple is serious and on to marriage, then the communication should be open and free with the other person, since you are supposed to be sharing many things as a married couple.
A quick tip:
-if you have something to tell someone, SAY IT! Don't coward away at the last minute or make it seem like a riddle that has to be solved. We're all adults here (hopefully). For instance, i greatly appreciate when im told something up front and honestly, even if the news i hear sucks. But at least i was told, right?I guess im one of those bold types that would rather hear that.
I firmly believe that so many arguments and fights could be avoided if people just communicated. Money problems, something maybe someone took offense at, assumptions, etc. could be taken care of if people said what they meant. Give it a try...
Saturday, May 12, 2012
"The Station"
Oh dang...it's been exactly a month since i blogged! I must've found something important to do, huh? Since then, i've been immersed with school and homework, started dating a very sweet young woman, and have enjoyed work, albeit with some cut hours since im in school again. (Dang you switching from off-track to on again...)
But anyways, this weekend i needed a nice weekend outside of rexburg and the wedding of a friend down here in Utah was a perfect antidote! So my good friends Jordan and Kristen were nice enough to let me tag along yet again down to Utah to take part in the wedding sealing. Along with that were some perks of eating In-N-Out for lunch today, not having the wind constantly blowing me away, and a lot of other tasty food with friends. Hey, it works. However, it did reaffirm my beliefs that:
1.) Utah drivers are 10x worse than Idaho drivers
2.) i could never really attend BYU as an undergraduate and/or single. The place weirds me out for some reason.
3.) The sun actually can stay out for periods of time with nice weather. I heard this is called "Spring".
My main focus however for this will be my feelings about what i felt today as i attended the sealing of brett and tara przybyla. So yes....this will be about marriage. If you're sick of me talking about already, then you can just stop reading and go with your day. Honestly, im surprised you've stuck with reading this far already. But in any case, i feel it's important....again.
To begin, this is my third wedding sealing i've been to. The first one was of my cousin miranda's wedding back in 2009, the second being jordan and kristen's last january, and then today. I felt a little bit out of place, since i was neither part of any of the families involved (i was purely labeled "guest"), and second i was and obviously still am not married. As the session started and the temple sealer started, it was a massive Holy Ghost juggernaut. Hearing all the promises and eternal implications hit me deep and has so for three times thus far. During it, i will admit that i teared up. One, it being a very powerful experience and secondly, i yearn for that in my life so freaking much. Is this a complaining blog? It's not, no. Just me reinforcing myself and hopefully doing the same for others how important it is.
As the sealing was over and the hugs were being exchanged, the sealer said, "If people only knew how important this is, they would crawl and their hands and knees to the temple to receive it." That's powerful stuff! So when i hear others whine or complain ay school, "Oh no here we go again...another talk/devotional on marriage!" Well....why do you think that is? Why is it harped on so much? Is it because they're bored and have nothing to talk about? Are the administrators just that eager to get everyone married? Go read Doctrine & Covenants 131 and come back to me...Along with that there a myriad of talks about the importance of it. Just go to LDS.org and type in "marriage" and look at the all the talks from PROPHETS and APOSTLES that have repeatedly and consistently given counsel on the matter. They're very inspired men with a great deal of insight from God, so what they say is very important in my book.
This is just me, but what is the fun about being single for a long time? Yeah you get to go out on dates with a variety of people and do things that you personally enjoy and so on. And those are great...up to a certain point. For me, some of it is losing its appeal. There comes a point when we have to face reality and take that leap of faith into something that won't be easy, but sure is heck very worth it.
Life is hard, yes i get that. Why go through it alone? Facing problems in life is best when you have someone to share it with. Someone that is willing to spend time and all eternity with you to start a family and progress towards exaltation sounds like a blast to me. If the Muppets have taught anything lately, it's that "life's a happy song when there's someone by your side to sing along".
Can we fully prepare for it? Not completely, no. We can do some things to prepare, like: living with roommates, cooking for ourselves, budgeting the limited money we already have, and so on. I know my list isn't that deep, but you get the idea. My guess is that marriage is a lot of on the job training, things we get to experience and find out as we're living it. Obviously, you should get to know your future spouse through dating and other activities like that, but trying to figure every single little detail about them is boring, admit it. Getting to know and find out after very careful and prayerful consideration is a useful tactic, i think.
I admit...i really don't know when that time will come. God knows that i long for it; sometimes when it aches because i want to be obedient to that commandment to get married and i want to have that kind of love. I sound probably crazy right now, but this is council i have been given from a Prophet of God, the scriptures, my parents, my ecclesiastical leaders, my former mission president, etc. I'm not crazy or in a big fat rush to do it, i just want that blessing in my life sooner rather than much later when i'm fat and old. I pray every night to be worthy of it, and i'm still waiting and longing for it....
To close this out, i saw a poem today and thought it might could possibly maybe kinda sorta perhaps most likely apply to this whole thing.
"Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows we drink in the passing scene of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village malls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering---waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
"When i reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. But, sooner or later we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive once and for all. The true joy of life is in the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto. It isn't burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fears of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough."-- "The Station", by Robert J. Hastings
But anyways, this weekend i needed a nice weekend outside of rexburg and the wedding of a friend down here in Utah was a perfect antidote! So my good friends Jordan and Kristen were nice enough to let me tag along yet again down to Utah to take part in the wedding sealing. Along with that were some perks of eating In-N-Out for lunch today, not having the wind constantly blowing me away, and a lot of other tasty food with friends. Hey, it works. However, it did reaffirm my beliefs that:
1.) Utah drivers are 10x worse than Idaho drivers
2.) i could never really attend BYU as an undergraduate and/or single. The place weirds me out for some reason.
3.) The sun actually can stay out for periods of time with nice weather. I heard this is called "Spring".
My main focus however for this will be my feelings about what i felt today as i attended the sealing of brett and tara przybyla. So yes....this will be about marriage. If you're sick of me talking about already, then you can just stop reading and go with your day. Honestly, im surprised you've stuck with reading this far already. But in any case, i feel it's important....again.
To begin, this is my third wedding sealing i've been to. The first one was of my cousin miranda's wedding back in 2009, the second being jordan and kristen's last january, and then today. I felt a little bit out of place, since i was neither part of any of the families involved (i was purely labeled "guest"), and second i was and obviously still am not married. As the session started and the temple sealer started, it was a massive Holy Ghost juggernaut. Hearing all the promises and eternal implications hit me deep and has so for three times thus far. During it, i will admit that i teared up. One, it being a very powerful experience and secondly, i yearn for that in my life so freaking much. Is this a complaining blog? It's not, no. Just me reinforcing myself and hopefully doing the same for others how important it is.
As the sealing was over and the hugs were being exchanged, the sealer said, "If people only knew how important this is, they would crawl and their hands and knees to the temple to receive it." That's powerful stuff! So when i hear others whine or complain ay school, "Oh no here we go again...another talk/devotional on marriage!" Well....why do you think that is? Why is it harped on so much? Is it because they're bored and have nothing to talk about? Are the administrators just that eager to get everyone married? Go read Doctrine & Covenants 131 and come back to me...Along with that there a myriad of talks about the importance of it. Just go to LDS.org and type in "marriage" and look at the all the talks from PROPHETS and APOSTLES that have repeatedly and consistently given counsel on the matter. They're very inspired men with a great deal of insight from God, so what they say is very important in my book.
This is just me, but what is the fun about being single for a long time? Yeah you get to go out on dates with a variety of people and do things that you personally enjoy and so on. And those are great...up to a certain point. For me, some of it is losing its appeal. There comes a point when we have to face reality and take that leap of faith into something that won't be easy, but sure is heck very worth it.
Life is hard, yes i get that. Why go through it alone? Facing problems in life is best when you have someone to share it with. Someone that is willing to spend time and all eternity with you to start a family and progress towards exaltation sounds like a blast to me. If the Muppets have taught anything lately, it's that "life's a happy song when there's someone by your side to sing along".
Can we fully prepare for it? Not completely, no. We can do some things to prepare, like: living with roommates, cooking for ourselves, budgeting the limited money we already have, and so on. I know my list isn't that deep, but you get the idea. My guess is that marriage is a lot of on the job training, things we get to experience and find out as we're living it. Obviously, you should get to know your future spouse through dating and other activities like that, but trying to figure every single little detail about them is boring, admit it. Getting to know and find out after very careful and prayerful consideration is a useful tactic, i think.
I admit...i really don't know when that time will come. God knows that i long for it; sometimes when it aches because i want to be obedient to that commandment to get married and i want to have that kind of love. I sound probably crazy right now, but this is council i have been given from a Prophet of God, the scriptures, my parents, my ecclesiastical leaders, my former mission president, etc. I'm not crazy or in a big fat rush to do it, i just want that blessing in my life sooner rather than much later when i'm fat and old. I pray every night to be worthy of it, and i'm still waiting and longing for it....
To close this out, i saw a poem today and thought it might could possibly maybe kinda sorta perhaps most likely apply to this whole thing.
"Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows we drink in the passing scene of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village malls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering---waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
"When i reach the station, that will be it!" we cry. But, sooner or later we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive once and for all. The true joy of life is in the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
"Relish the moment" is a good motto. It isn't burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fears of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough."-- "The Station", by Robert J. Hastings
Thursday, April 12, 2012
"Just Enjoy the Show"
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all our strength that God can give us. . . .That is our policy. You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory--victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror; victory, however long and hard the road may be." [Churchill: the Life Triumphant, American Heritage, 1965, p. 90]
Doesn't that get you just pumped up?!?!?!?!
Whatever good thing we face in life, there's always some sort of problem or challenge attached to it. It's guaranteed for the most part. "When you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other". Sure...a lot of the time you can endure while kicking and screaming until you're blue in the face and then after a while it subsides. For anyone that has any sort of friends, you all know that that is the waaaaaay hard path to take. It gets you there, but causing grief to you and others. Surprisingly, it is easy to avoid. (For someone like me who has been known as a big worrier, this is definitely something i should take the advice of, huh?) It is in the HOW you face it and deal with it; that is how you grow and succeed.
(To start...i have some self-incriminating. Recognizing my weaknesses right away isn't a sign of putting myself down, it's just making myself aware of something to work on.)
-When it comes to failing a test or an assignment, i get upset but i get over it soon after.
-When it comes to not landing a job that i want, again...i get upset but i get over it soon after.
-When it comes to dating and getting turned down......yeeeaaahhhh....not so much that soon after.
While i have my "Captain Obvious" cape on, i'll just say that im a vocal person certain facets. Particularly in competitive circumstances and when i'm being stubborn. When disappointment hits in areas such as dating, my family and friends and many-a-roommate have heard about it...many times, to say the least.
While being back home in Colorado for the week break before the Spring semester starts, i've done a lot of sitting and staring off into space; to contemplate of course...And while looking ahead to the next semester, im working on curbing my attitude when it comes to dating disappointments. Just recently, i learned about another situation where i got my ticket down to the "friend zone", where i have been a frequent visitor in the past. At first, it was a little bit bummed out, but minutes later after processing it, i came to terms with it. Why? Well why not? If that was going to happen, then there's nothing i can do about it. I'm not going to beg or plead for a change of mind. It's a "Dang...but, oh well!" Gotta move on, simple as that.
Some things tend to take awhile for my mind to soak it all in, but when it does it usually stays there.
There's a quote from my oldest brother's high school graduation many years ago with a line at the end that says: "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how i react to it."
To dig into the Book of Mormon, there's the story of Laman and Lemuel. Sure, they made the trip from Jerusalem to the wilderness, back to Jerusalem, back into the wilderness for the next 8 years and then a boat ride to the Promised Land...but we read how whiny and a bunch of murmuring pansies they were. They endured through the challenges, but not well. When Joseph Smith was incarcerated in Liberty Jail through a freezing Missouri winter, the Lord told him "if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes". (Doctrine & Covenants 121:8) Although the conditions sucked, he did endure it well and was taught many revelatory things by the Lord.
So the lesson i want to learn here is...just enjoy the show. Things come and go and happen for a reason. No need to give myself an ulcer constantly showing anger or emotion. Yeah, it'll show at first, but quickly getting over it is the goal. Speaking of "just enjoy the show", i took that from watching Moneyball the other night. To be more scriptural:
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
So...Just Enjoy the Show.
We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all our strength that God can give us. . . .That is our policy. You ask, What is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory--victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror; victory, however long and hard the road may be." [Churchill: the Life Triumphant, American Heritage, 1965, p. 90]
Doesn't that get you just pumped up?!?!?!?!
Whatever good thing we face in life, there's always some sort of problem or challenge attached to it. It's guaranteed for the most part. "When you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other". Sure...a lot of the time you can endure while kicking and screaming until you're blue in the face and then after a while it subsides. For anyone that has any sort of friends, you all know that that is the waaaaaay hard path to take. It gets you there, but causing grief to you and others. Surprisingly, it is easy to avoid. (For someone like me who has been known as a big worrier, this is definitely something i should take the advice of, huh?) It is in the HOW you face it and deal with it; that is how you grow and succeed.
(To start...i have some self-incriminating. Recognizing my weaknesses right away isn't a sign of putting myself down, it's just making myself aware of something to work on.)
-When it comes to failing a test or an assignment, i get upset but i get over it soon after.
-When it comes to not landing a job that i want, again...i get upset but i get over it soon after.
-When it comes to dating and getting turned down......yeeeaaahhhh....not so much that soon after.
While i have my "Captain Obvious" cape on, i'll just say that im a vocal person certain facets. Particularly in competitive circumstances and when i'm being stubborn. When disappointment hits in areas such as dating, my family and friends and many-a-roommate have heard about it...many times, to say the least.
While being back home in Colorado for the week break before the Spring semester starts, i've done a lot of sitting and staring off into space; to contemplate of course...And while looking ahead to the next semester, im working on curbing my attitude when it comes to dating disappointments. Just recently, i learned about another situation where i got my ticket down to the "friend zone", where i have been a frequent visitor in the past. At first, it was a little bit bummed out, but minutes later after processing it, i came to terms with it. Why? Well why not? If that was going to happen, then there's nothing i can do about it. I'm not going to beg or plead for a change of mind. It's a "Dang...but, oh well!" Gotta move on, simple as that.
Some things tend to take awhile for my mind to soak it all in, but when it does it usually stays there.
There's a quote from my oldest brother's high school graduation many years ago with a line at the end that says: "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how i react to it."
To dig into the Book of Mormon, there's the story of Laman and Lemuel. Sure, they made the trip from Jerusalem to the wilderness, back to Jerusalem, back into the wilderness for the next 8 years and then a boat ride to the Promised Land...but we read how whiny and a bunch of murmuring pansies they were. They endured through the challenges, but not well. When Joseph Smith was incarcerated in Liberty Jail through a freezing Missouri winter, the Lord told him "if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes". (Doctrine & Covenants 121:8) Although the conditions sucked, he did endure it well and was taught many revelatory things by the Lord.
So the lesson i want to learn here is...just enjoy the show. Things come and go and happen for a reason. No need to give myself an ulcer constantly showing anger or emotion. Yeah, it'll show at first, but quickly getting over it is the goal. Speaking of "just enjoy the show", i took that from watching Moneyball the other night. To be more scriptural:
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."
So...Just Enjoy the Show.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
What to say?
So i wrote a blog the other day about the end of the semester and what i learned and hope to accomplish this coming semester. Since then, i havent had much really to say or share!!!! WHAT?!?!
Which leaves me with this...what should i share about?
-It could be about my trip back to Colorado for the week. Yesterday was a reeeeeeeeeeeeeally long day. Got up super early to shower and finish up packing. On top of that, i had a bunch of my stuff from under my bed to put on top of my bed so that i wouldnt get in trouble with those sneaky Idaho White Glove people. Adding to that, i woke up and found out it was snowing after having a couple of gorgeous days in Rexburg....dang. I got all ready and headed out. Might i add and repeat once more for those who don't already know, i HATE driving through Wyoming. It's basically Kansas with mountains. Plus, when i stopped to get gas in Kemmerer, WY i got some basic beef jerky (Jack Links, baby) so i could eat on the go. No price tag on it didn't immediately tell me "hey, this is sketchy". When i bought it....$7!!! SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?! Paying that price it should've been the best dang jerky ever, and it wasn't!!!! Curse you, Kemmerer. But after 11 long hours i made it home to enjoy some Qdoba and watch the Muppets movie.
OR MAYBE I COULD SHARE...
-Today i reunited my mouth and stomach to the amazing heavenly taste of Blue Bell ice cream. I got my favorite flavor, too: Southern Blackberry Cobbler. AND it was $3 off at King Soopers so it only cost $3.99 for a whole half gallon! YEESSSSS!!!! And i also found out that underneath all that dirt and grime from the drive through the Idaho snow and Wyoming wind, my van is green afterall!
PERHAPS MAYBE THIS...
-I'm in definite "what is gonna happen this semester?" mode. I'll sit and stare out into space and try to think and overthink, but not too much. I know i've said much about that as well as dating, so i will try to not include that one here, haha. Besides i need some of that material once the semester is actually underway!
OR IT JUST MIGHT BE THIS...
-Easter is tomorrow, and we get to commemorate and celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ. That event gave me and you and you and you and you and you and everyone the ability to be resurrected after this life. It was the capstone on the Atonement, which is awesome in of itself. Gives you hope that in spite of the fact that life gets really hard and confusing sometimes, it really all works out in the end. Once again, i'll share an Elder Holland quote.
"My testimony to you this morning is that God does live and good does triumph. This is the true and living Church of the true and living Christ. And because of him and the restored gospel and the work of living prophets---there is for each of us individually and for all of us collectively, if we stay fixed and faithful in our purpose, a great final moment somewhere when we will stand with the angels "in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for [our] glory are manifest, past, present, and future" (D&C 130:7). That is a triumphant day for which I dearly long, and for which I earnestly pray for all of you. To earn the right to be there may we, as Alma said, "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death" (Mosiah 18:9) (Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Bitter Cup and the Bloody Baptism, Jan. 1987)
So what will i share and talk about?
Nothing, really. I just rambled on and on.
But kudos to you for staying and actually reading it all.
...You're welcome :)
Which leaves me with this...what should i share about?
-It could be about my trip back to Colorado for the week. Yesterday was a reeeeeeeeeeeeeally long day. Got up super early to shower and finish up packing. On top of that, i had a bunch of my stuff from under my bed to put on top of my bed so that i wouldnt get in trouble with those sneaky Idaho White Glove people. Adding to that, i woke up and found out it was snowing after having a couple of gorgeous days in Rexburg....dang. I got all ready and headed out. Might i add and repeat once more for those who don't already know, i HATE driving through Wyoming. It's basically Kansas with mountains. Plus, when i stopped to get gas in Kemmerer, WY i got some basic beef jerky (Jack Links, baby) so i could eat on the go. No price tag on it didn't immediately tell me "hey, this is sketchy". When i bought it....$7!!! SERIOUSLY?!?!?!?! Paying that price it should've been the best dang jerky ever, and it wasn't!!!! Curse you, Kemmerer. But after 11 long hours i made it home to enjoy some Qdoba and watch the Muppets movie.
OR MAYBE I COULD SHARE...
-Today i reunited my mouth and stomach to the amazing heavenly taste of Blue Bell ice cream. I got my favorite flavor, too: Southern Blackberry Cobbler. AND it was $3 off at King Soopers so it only cost $3.99 for a whole half gallon! YEESSSSS!!!! And i also found out that underneath all that dirt and grime from the drive through the Idaho snow and Wyoming wind, my van is green afterall!
PERHAPS MAYBE THIS...
-I'm in definite "what is gonna happen this semester?" mode. I'll sit and stare out into space and try to think and overthink, but not too much. I know i've said much about that as well as dating, so i will try to not include that one here, haha. Besides i need some of that material once the semester is actually underway!
OR IT JUST MIGHT BE THIS...
-Easter is tomorrow, and we get to commemorate and celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ. That event gave me and you and you and you and you and you and everyone the ability to be resurrected after this life. It was the capstone on the Atonement, which is awesome in of itself. Gives you hope that in spite of the fact that life gets really hard and confusing sometimes, it really all works out in the end. Once again, i'll share an Elder Holland quote.
"My testimony to you this morning is that God does live and good does triumph. This is the true and living Church of the true and living Christ. And because of him and the restored gospel and the work of living prophets---there is for each of us individually and for all of us collectively, if we stay fixed and faithful in our purpose, a great final moment somewhere when we will stand with the angels "in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for [our] glory are manifest, past, present, and future" (D&C 130:7). That is a triumphant day for which I dearly long, and for which I earnestly pray for all of you. To earn the right to be there may we, as Alma said, "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death" (Mosiah 18:9) (Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Bitter Cup and the Bloody Baptism, Jan. 1987)
So what will i share and talk about?
Nothing, really. I just rambled on and on.
But kudos to you for staying and actually reading it all.
...You're welcome :)
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