Halloween Flashback

2009

2010

2011

Reality

After reading this talk, and even before I have been thinking about the effects of technology in my life. I know that as a college student, technology and the internet are a big part of our lives out of necessity. But I think that I have (as many do) a little bit of an addiction to my online life. I have "the rounds" that I check, blogger, twitter, pinterest, facebook, instagram, the list goes on and on. And I still believe this is healthy, but to an extent. I have seen that this "cycle" has become an ever increasing part of my daily life. It's easy, it's mindless, and it becomes a habit so quickly and so easily. I don't want this to go any further and I want to ease myself back to a healthy amount of my online life. Still trying to figure out just what that balance is though. I have never though of it quite in this way, but Elder Bednar puts it in a way that I have never thought of before. When we are living our life "virtually" we are degrading the importance of our bodies and Satan wins. Crazy to think about, but it completely makes sense. 

"Today I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls. The concerns I raise are not new; they apply equally to other types of media, such as television, movies, and music. But in a cyber world, these challenges are more pervasive and intense. I plead with you to beware of the sense-dulling and spiritually destructive influence of cyberspace technologies that are used to produce high fidelity and that promote degrading and evil purposes.

If the adversary cannot entice us to misuse our physical bodies, then one of his most potent tactics is to beguile you and me as embodied spirits to disconnect gradually and physically from things as they really are. In essence, he encourages us to think and act as if we were in our premortal, unembodied state. And, if we let him, he can cunningly employ some aspects of modern technology to accomplish his purposes. Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, ear buds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience."

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html

Week Wrap Up

Saturday: Announcement at General Conference changing the ages of missionary service. freakout.

Sunday: Conference, Canadian Thanksgiving with the Cousins

Monday: Go to Dentist, School, Work, Canadian Thanksgiving with the first counselor in our ward.

Tuesday: Classes, paper due, Meet with Bishop to start Mission Papers

Wednesday: Paper due in class, work, true blue, trying to sell my contract

Thursday: Go to Doctor, class, sleepover at John and Haley's while doing homework and online mission stuff

Friday: Take Math Test, go to school, work, roommate dinner at Awful Waffle, go to 3 homecoming dances

Saturday: Go to Homecoming Parade/Breakfast, Volunteer at booth at the McKay School of Education reunion, Lunch with Ashley and Heather, Take math test, go to temple, do 3 hour assignment, go to Neon Trees concert. 

Needless to say, it was an awesomebusywonderfulstressfulhecticsuperfunpsycoticreallyhardreallygreat week

faith and timing

Heavenly Father has taught me this principle time and time again. 

Every time I try to make a "plan" for my life, or even for the next month,

God gently laughs, says "that's a nice thought, but here's what we are really going to do"

But this time I am really learning it the hard way.

And I really being forced to rely on him and trust Him.

which is one of the coolest and hardest experiences of my life.
It's really doesn't sound like a big deal but to me it is.
I have to learn to trust God completely with my whole heart in the small things, so one day when bigger things come I can trust him completely with my whole heart in those things to. 

Ever since the announcement of the mission age change, really 

I have felt that I need to go on a mission as soon as possible. 

 I have met with the Bishop and finished my papers today.

Put my availability as December 26th. 

I finished everything and it is set to go. 

1 week. 

Done. 

But turns our our Stake President is out of town for 3 weeks.

Convenient.
In the grand scheme of things, 3 more weeks is not a significant amount of time.
For the next three weeks though, it will be a greatly significant amount of time. 

Sometimes (okay pretty much all of the time) our will is not His.

Our thoughts are not His. 

And I am ok with that. 

Because His plan is always much better than anything I could imagine for myself. 

Please bless that I will maintain my sanity in the next few weeks. 

note to self

When you have a ginormous assignment due Monday, 

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT procrastinate it/forget about it until Saturday Night.

 Bad idea. 

Saturday Night plans=shot

Whoops....

Stop to smell the roses

This is where I go to school? Seriously? Sometimes I forget how gorgeous it is. 

Obsessive.

The definition of obsessive: 

Checking your email every 2 minutes for an email from your bishop saying your papers are ready to fill out. (My papers are supposed to go online today)

Wish me luck, the next few weeks will probably drive me crazy, until I get that white envelope in the mailbox!

God answers prayers

Wow. What a day. As many know, I have been planning on serving a mission for my church for a while now. My birthday is in April however and I couldn't serve till then. My best friend Heather has been preparing and doing papers for a while now because her birthday is in January. I have been envious that she can turns hers in and patiently waiting for the day when it is my turn. Feeling at a standstill. But the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ announced at General Conference today that the ages of missionaries have lowered to 18 for boys and 19 for girls. I was shocked and so giddy, grateful, and had a hard time focusing on the other talks. My little brother Steve has been also patiently waiting for his turn to serve. He is only 17 years old and is a freshman at BYU. It has been really hard for him to watch all of his friends go on missions while having to wait for almost 2 years for his. But his prayers were answered and he has been blessed by this announcement. We are so excited to be able to leave in January together. I am so glad to have a prophet on earth today who leads and guides the living church of God on the earth today!

www.lds.org
www.mormon.org

Bridal Veil Falls

Once upon an October my class got cancelled, and Heather and Natalie don't have class in the afternoon. So we decided to be spontaneous and go up to Bridal Veil Falls. It was absolutely beautiful. I love Fall, and I love the Holidays. I can't believe it is October already! Fall Bucket list post comin up. Here's a Halloween song to get you in the Halloween spirit :)