Profound beyond words!

Life is full of the oddest yet simplest things that hit me like a ton of bricks, but a feather all at once. i look at the constant beauty all around me and am in awe of the things I have. From the car stopping sunset, i had to take a picture of to the knotted tree outside the temple I see every Saturday right down to my precious brand new nephews that are such different little guys that I could just stare at for forever...wow I am blessed, beyond everything I have. I love my life, even when it's hard and unpredicatable and when i open my mouth too much and say things that I probably shouldn't. When all is said and done. I am blessed beyond reason and so it's true, "If i'm not enjoying this, I must be doing something wrong!" What an amazing day this has been...the beauty has encompassed me beyond words...so for that i'm glad there's feelings and pictures!

Holy Cow!

Look how content he is just chillin in the dirty mud, gettin' a drink...simplify...that's what we learned at church today!

So if you know me you know I love cows! In fact my cow key chain mooed today during conference! Oops! Well, on the way home from conference I drove by the cows like I always do and this time i had time to stop and take a picture. So i pulled over and they all looked at me like, what the heck is this girl in a white skirt doing? And I proceeded to take really cute pictures of these amazing animals, we grow up to eat. (but that part aside) I have always admired cows, because, granted they don't have a complex brain (like their four stomachs) they are content with their lot in life. Rain or snow, sleet or Hail...they are just still there chewing their cudd. I loved this little one. He was running back and forth like a little boy, skidding out in the water. No worries whether he got dirty or not (not that the rest of them were clean!) but it made me happy that these simple creatures know how to enjoy the simple things, like grass, in life. I have always loved them, just like I love the other cow of the ocean! (that is technically the Manetee, but I like to think of th Killer whale as the other black and white cow, the most beautiful animal ever!)

Nanny Week

I look at these animals and wonder wow Heavenly Father and Christ are so creative! This long necked turtle is way cool. There are so many animals that just amaze me that are so different and yet the same and unique and wonderful. I love animals, as long as they aren't shedding on me and licking butter off the counter! (inside joke!) But wow what a week! I learned a lot about life and myself . i actually do want to be a mother, but i wonder about my abilities to be a mom and teach school at the same time...my patience level was really not where i like it...and i bet my students were like, "What the heck is wrong with her?" but hopefully next week will be better! The good thing is Julianne got a tan in Hawaii and had a nice vacation with no kids for the first time in 14 years...i think that was well deserved. I'm glad i coud be of service and i learned a lot about myself at the same time!

On ward we marched. past the deep ravine full of freezing cold water and onward to the girafes. This one was trying get my hand. it was pretty cool.

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A whole lot of but sniffing going on. It's amazing to me how animals have these natural habits and i love how they are so comfortable with their habits that we as humans are so embarassed about...how great to be so humble, I guess that's why animals are more obedient to the Lord than we are, cause they're humble creatures that want to do what's right the first time, unlike us, who take lots of tries to figure things out...but i guess that's why we're here.

Zoo day! We saw the elephants and they sure gave us a show. I had to take a picture, because well, i'm gross like that...but it was too "squat right in front of me good" to pass up...man he peed a lot, like a spout got turned on.

This was the beginning of our little walk to the end of the street, but it was pretty funny that before we even turned around everyone was crying because they were so cold, no gloves, but she's got her purse...it would have been helpful to at least have the gloves in the purse!

Brownie making. These kids love to cook that's for sure! I really enjoyed the help! We made some really good brownies al amode. It was great!

My calling...a time for reflection

As you can see I have a lot of interaction with a lot of different kinds of people in my calling! It has gone from once a week whole entire ward activities to small individual families on Monday and Tuesday nights. Often I find myself a little stressed trying to work with my co-chair Max and the 15ish people in our committee to figure out what activities are happening in who's house on what night, who's in charge and is the lesson spiritual enough...but I was reading this article by Elder Wirthlin this week and thought of how in the church we work so hard. And then today at Stake conference, President Lefler said, "If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong." Elder Wirthlin said, "Those who will work with you all have within them the potential to be heroes. AS you inspire those who serve with you and give them a vision of the great cause, help them set their priorities, and encourage them to settle into the harness, overcome their fears, and press on in faith, you may create your own company of heroes." After having read what Elder Wirthlin said about working with people in the church and at work, I thought, "I really need to change my attitude. I used to have so much fun with my calling and if I would forget about the calling and focus on the people I am serving (like all these fun people in these pictures) then i would probably find the real pleasure that is supposed to be found in serving in the kingdom of the Lord. How have I been doing this for so long and missing the point for so long? I have to get back on track with what the Lord wants." So yet again I am going to try to get it done better and do a better job of showing the Lord that i love His children more than I love His church, because essentially, we, his children make up the church and what it is, because without His children, Christ would never had needed to sacrifice his life in behalf of all us to return home again to him. What a great day it has been. Really, I have learned and felt so much about who I am and how knowing who I am and who we all are gives deeper meaning to our lives and our relationships, even to the cows (you've probably read the previous entry about my wanderings after church!) I am grateful to know that we can keep starting over. It's a new day. Always a new moment to start over and turn around and repent. How good it is to know the truth and reason for this life. We are ever blessed. Thank you to all of my friends and brothers and sisters who continually forgive me for my silly and sometimes hurtful mistakes in my haste to accomplish more and more, when I should be content as the cows are doing their job day in and day out, rain, snow, sleet, hale or shine. I'm working on it. But on a funny note, my cow key chain went off during conference. Luckily it wasn't loud enough for many to hear it!

I love our bishop. He doesn't just talk, he does.
Fun events like Ice Hockey games are always a nice addition to FHE! Thanks for inviting me Harvest Hill Monday group...you guys rock.
Service time with Kara...she's getting married on Friday. Yikes how time flies when you're serving people!

“There isn’t any doubt in my mind that the man who becomes the President of the Church is schooled and disciplined by the Lord over a long period of time for this responsibility. In that process his individuality is not blurred; rather it is sharpened. The Lord trains a man and disciples him. He tests his heart and his substance. And in a natural process that he directs, He moves through the Quorum of the Twelve a man to become the senior apostle who on the death of the President becomes the President of the Church. There is no campaigning but only the quiet operation of a divine plan that provides inspired and tested leadership. The Lord is at the helm of this work, and the President of the Church is an instrument in His hands to carry forward this work and to strengthen His kingdom.” –Gordon B. Hinckley “Forward with Faith” xvi

I think it's beautiful, that our very own prophet Gordon B. Hinckley said what the Lord himself would say at the passing of another prophet, so one could fill in his stead. He said this quote more than 15 years ago, probably describing his own life of growth and sharpening, when in essence it is what Heavenly Father does to each of his prophets as they are molded and strengthened into becoming the next prophet. It is easy to see how President Monson's life has been just what President Hinckley said each prophet's life is like. I sustain and love President Monson and feel a special kinship toward him. When all else fails, as President Hinckley has said many times, "If we have a prophet, we have everything. If we don't we have nothing." I know President Monson was raised up to be our next prophet. It is almost a bittersweet thing to see and say as I just started reading President Hinckley's biography today, but I know that no matter what, the Lord will always take care of His people and His church. It will always be lead at the helm by one who knows what to do, because that man will be directly guided by the Helm!

Happy Valentine's Eve Snow Storm

We got snowed in at school until 10pm with students. It was kinda fun! I thought we were going to get to have a huge slumber party at school, like the school up the street who had like 60 kids spend the night! Instead of spending the night, the kid's parents finally made it to school around 9:30pm after being stuck in traffic for like 3 hours, to get somewhere, it would have only take like 5 min to get to...i also had a little telephone call and a truck elf on the way, but he got stuck in traffic and decided to walk home, so Morris and I ended up driving in her bug over to Tamee's house. we got stuck in the snow. I got out in the storm and pushed. It was hilarious. Everyone around us going 1 mile an hour, was probably thinking, "those crazy girls." Luckily it was little bitty bug and i rocked it back and forth, put it into 2nd and off we went! We went to sleep on Tamee's floor and watched "The Office". I called up KBull 93 and got on the radio the next morning...i do believe that news and media blow things out of proportion to get a story, but it was fun! so here's some pictures of the during and aftermath!

Scripture of the day

Doctrine and Covenants 20:14 "And those who recieve it in faith, and work righteousness, shall recieve a crown of eternal life."


I needed this scripture today. Bishop shared it with us in ward council and I needed to hear that if we just have faith and keep working righteously, then we will recieve that crown of glory. I feel a little inadequate with my calling, because it's had it's ups and downs. I've had it for like a year and a half. It's my third time and I got frustrated with all the inconsistencies and then today at our meeting, it was like my last straw...ready to get up and walk out of the meeting, but you don't do that in the church. It's obviously there for a reason, something to grow with. So after a good cry, working hard today getting things organized and realizing that the Lord pulls and stretches us in ways that we need, I kept thinking about that scripture and that he just wants me to keep going and doing my best.

After all that, I felt a lot better and I think it will get better...we just have to open our perspective and look at things in a different way and the outcome will come. I just know it. A few different ideas came to me of how to get more organized. So I'm hopeful. It will get better! So onward and upward. Just like I learned at a devotional a few weeks ago, "As long as the Savior lives and is our Savior (which he will eternally be) everything will be okay." I truly believe that. It gives me comfort. I feel better and the scriptures are true and helpful always. I have recieved so much revelation from them lately, in the last 4 months, just tons. So if you want to talk to the Lord pray to him, if you want him to talk to you, read your scriptures.

Pep Rally

We, the teachers played bball against the students! We kicked their trash. We dressed up all funny and had such a good time. I was actually impressed with my mad skills! I made like 3 of the first shots! I haven't run like that in a long time though...my heart was like, stop, i might arrest you...so i guess i need to play basketball more it was an awesome work out!

Run in the snow!

Snow day at school! It was a lot of fun! We let the kids go early, but by the time they got out of here, it was as if it had been a regular day, but no productivity for two hours...but it was a good time and what memories!