A Not So Big Sacrifice

OKay so I know that I just blogged but thats okay.

So my entire life people have always told me that by paying your tithing

you receive huge blessings. I know that I have received blessings,

but today may have been one of the greatest blessings

that I could have received.

The timing could not have been more perfect.

I have needed a job for what seems to be the longest time.

But finally, a job has come through!

Well at least I hope so.

I am going to be a nanny for a set of three year old twins!

Keenan and Kaiya.

Their nanny needs a replacement because she is having surgery,

so she can't work anymore.

So luckily for me, Sister Eads, knew about this a few weeks ago, and

so I called and she said that she would get back to me within about 24 hours,

and I never heard back from her..

SO I wasnt really holding my breath for it to go through,

just like every other job I have ever applied for.

[A little bit of background information, I have been saving my tithing for a while,

I've been either forgetting to pay it, or just waiting until I have more to pay.
BUT, I just kept getting the prompting to pay it,

so I paid it all on Sunday.

Like two months worth of babysitting,

dog sitting, allowance, etc.

and so I paid it all on Sunday.]

So anyways, I know that I got this opportunity for this job because I paid my tithing.

Heavenly Father was testing me.

By sacrificing only 10% of my income,

I will be blessed.

10% really has never seemed that much. I have never wished I didnt.

I have always received blessings from Heavenly Father, and suddenly..
10% doesnt seem like so much..

But my testimony of tithing has grown so much from this experience,

I know that by giving only a little bit,

my Heavenly Father just gives me more in return.

I am grateful for the law of tithing in my life.

Even if this job doesnt go through, I know that I am always blessed for paying my tithing.

Pray that this goes through. I really need the job.

Examples

I am so grateful for the examples in my life.

My mom and Dad are really great.

Yesterday we walked into church and these four guys were sitting on our row,

at first me and Emily were like,

"Man. Too bad none of them are cute."

But man, were we wrong.

Haha so right after sacrament meeting, one of them turned around and was like

"Who was singing alto??"

And I was like "I was"

and he was like "That was really amazing"

and I was like "Oh thanks,"

haha keep in mind that we were pretty sure that they were all returned missionaries.

So anyways we knew they were just traveling because Bishop Hart had talked to them before

sacrament meeting had started and they travel for work,

so they were just here for a few days.

Anyways, so after the one turned around, my dad stood up

and was like "So you guys are traveling huh?"

He got talking to them about what they do for work.

So then my dad said "Well do you guys wanna come over for dinner tonight??"

Emily and I looked at each other like "what??"

But anyways the night was alot of fun, and those guys were awesome.

But I'm really grateful for the examples of my parents.

For helping people around us, and always inviting others into our home for dinner,

or game nights or movies, etc.

I'm really greatful for their examples in my life. :)



Oh Remember, Remember

Today was the last day of seminary and as we were wrappin things up,

Brother Goss (only the greatest teacher on earth). He explained that in his opinion, Alzheimer's was one of the worst ways to past away. He then went on to talk about spiritual Alzheimer's, 

he encouraged us to remember throughout the summer what we have learned this year, 

and to apply it to our lives and to never forget.

So I thought I could reflect alittle bit about a few things i've learned.

The book of Job: Every cloud has a silver lining.

Job lost everything. His animals, and his kids,

and never once did he blame or turn away from God.

To apply this to our lives, we were all given a sticky note.

And on our sticky note we had to write our "Job" trial.

Once we were done writing, we were asked to put our sticky notes up on one of the walls.

Then we walked around the room reading some of the sticky notes,

and let me tell you.

I was so overcome with the Spirit as I walked around,

and read others trials, I realized just how truely blessed I am.

Suddenly my trials didn't seem so bad.

I feel like we have these reminders alot.. But I feel like we all need them,

to remind us that we don't have it so hard,

and sometimes it's kind of nice to have that little kick in the butt, to remind us to

"mourn with those who mourn, and comfort those who stand in need of comfort".

So we all left seminary that day, pretty depressed actually,

but our next day in seminary, we continued with Job.

We were each given a picture of Christ, in which we all taped over our trials.

It was to symbolize Christ is always there through our trials.

So think about some of your "Sticky note" trials and remember that Christ will always be at the center of them. 

It was a really cool lesson.

Another lesson I really liked, probably one of my favorties was:

Trust in the Lord in Every Footstep.

We were talking about how our faith is always on trial throughout our life. But how we need to put our trust in the Lord in every footstep. This was the last lesson we had before Spring Break,

and so we were each given a penny because

 on every single penny it says "In God We Trust".

So we were challenged to keep the penny's in our shoes until the Monday after Spring Break.

So that in every step I took, I would feel the penny in my shoe and remember that

I TRUST IN THE LORD IN EVERY FOOTSTEP.

I still have my penny, it is a 1980 penny and sometimes I still put it in my shoe if I remember.

Over Spring Break, Krista, Emly, Allison, and went to Manitou Springs for the day,

and after we went to lunch, we went around the corner and found this!

It was awesome! So we took a picture and gave it to our seminary teacher Brother Goss.

It was totally awesome. :)

Another really really great lesson was:

"But If Not"

Brother Goss started the lesson off by asking us what are three difficult words for us to say,

just a few that were thrown out were

I love you

I am Sorry

Please forgive me

I forgive you

I miss you

But Brother Goss said,

But If Not.

And he went on to explain that we always pray to our Heavenly Father asking him for things,

but we often forget to say "but if not"

He gave the example of a student preparing for a test, asking that he/she will pass it.

But thats all they say.

He explained that having "but if not" faith is saying but if not.

Im not sure how to explain it. Haha - cause maybe passing that test is not the Lords will.

So when we pray we need to say
"but if not, then help me to cope with it patiently."

Or something along those lines.

And let me tell you, those three little words are really hard to say

But the Lord has a plan. He can see the whole picture.

So I really liked that lesson because it was the reminder that we all need "but if not" faith.

So even though there are so many other really great lessons from this past year of seminary,

I just wanted to bring up a few. So as our lives are always moving forward,

let us always remember what we have learned each Sunday at church,

and at conferences, and seminary, etc.

These programs are inspired from God, and I am grateful for them.

So let us never forget to remember. :)

Taking a step back

Okay so I obviously haven't posted anything in a while, but instead of trying to get all caught up i'm just going to    talk about whats going on now. 

First off, I got into the fall play!! It's called "Almost, Maine" and I play the role of Marvalyn. I am so excited. After being involved in theater for so long, I can't imagine not be. I absolutely love it. Of course, I am extremely grateful to my awesome theater teacher Mrs. Keating. I absolutely love her. She is always to loving and caring towards me and always knows the right thing to say. Also, theater has really helped me come out of my shell and comfort zone. People always tell me that I am so outgoing and am not afraid of talking to people, but the truth is, before theater, I was scared out of my mind to not only talk to others I didn't already know, but especially what they thought of me. Joining theater has helped me with stage presence, stepping out of my comfort zone and of course to make new friends. I have so many great friends that I know really will always have my back and I am so grateful for that. Auditioning for the play was extremely out of my comfort zone. Yes, I have done the musicals but I did them because I felt stronger ins singing than I did in acting, but my friends and Mrs. Keating convinced me to audition and I am so grateful I did! ALSO. It gets better! Yesterday, Mrs. Keating told me that I can go to Thescon in the Fall!! EEK! I am so excited! Hopefully next year I will also be inducted to the national thespian society.

Happy Graduation Season!

The school year is coming to an end, and great friends are graduating.

This time of year is extremely bittersweet, as two of my absolute best friends in the entire

world graduated today from Pine Creek High School.

So congratulations to Krista Reed and Emily Downing!! I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished in the last four years. I am so grateful for our friendship and I love you both so so so much!!

Although its sad, part of me is just ready for it all to be over because that would mean that..

I AM A SENIOR!!! 

Can I get a WOOWOO?!?!

I thought this year would never come!! But it has, and after a short summer I will begin the last leg of High School. My last year of free, public education. 

As excited as I am, I am feeling so overwhelmed. Everything is coming so fast. 

It's a little scary, to think that at this time next year, I will be packing my things for college. 

This is also very bittersweet.

I feel like I ahve been complaining about how much I hate high school for the past three years and now that its my last year, I dont want it to end! I have decided that I actually love going to school everyday (mainly because I have gotten so involved, again, thanks to theater). I just wish it wasn't so early... BUT next year school doesn't start until 7:45 in the morning. It is going to be fantastic.

If there has been anything that I have learned over the past few months, 

it has definitely been that I am so blessed.

 Even in the hussle and bussle of life. I have learned to just take a step back and enjoy the little things.

 To seek out the positive. And I have realized that it has blessed my life immensely. I am so grateful for a loving and merciful Heavenly Father in Heaven who loves me unconditionally. 

Another little life lesson I have learned is make every second count. Act as if every moment you have is the last. Make the best of the time you have with those you care about. Have fun and just enjoy the time that you do have. And remember that it's never goodbye, its just see you soon. :)

So with all this in mind, I have realized that I am just really happy, with who I am
and where I am at in my life. :)

So here's to my last summer of high school,

sleeping in,

memories made with best friends,

the barbecues,

the crazy adventures

soaking in the warm sunny days,

driving with the windows down,

the flip flop tan lines,

the starry nights,

So here's to the SUMMER OF OUR LIVES <3 <3 <3