And then the snow came down...

My favorite present today arrived at a little after 8am--that's when the phone rang. Ikey! Yeah, the holidays are crazy (so is working on Christmas Eve, dear golly!), but it all turns out to be worth it when you watch your little brother and sister rip open present after present on Christmas morning. The bonus was talking to Elder Livingston on the phone for a while and hearing about Hamilton, Ohio. Yay for missionaries! Ellie sure was eager to get her hands on some goods, though. Mom and dad had to tell her more than once to slow down or she'd be out of presents soon, and we all know what that means. Her reaction: "But I don't wanna be done! I'm not done! I have more presents! I want more!" By that time her "tower of greed" was leaning a bit... I don't remember being quite like that but I know that I have learned to slow things down on Christmas morning so I can soak it all in. It's been snowing all day and since it's Christmas I'm trying to think about how pretty it is and not how I'm going to have to dig my car out of it tomorrow. :-) MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lessons Learned at a Nursing Home

• The first man we went to visit this past Sunday's name was Del. He was pretty talkative and liked telling us stories about his mission. After we sang him a few Christmas hymns, he pointed a trembling finger at me and said, "You remind me of my mother. She was a tiny lady." Then, as I shook his hand and said goodbye, he held onto it and said, "If I call you Mama, don't be alarmed." HA!
• Next we visited a woman named Helen who was thoroughly engrossed in an NFL game when we entered her room. She muted it and immediately started asking us each where we were from and what our names were. She knew where everyone's hometown was except for me... figures. Then we asked her which song she wanted us to sing and she said, "Oh, any song, any song! I have two loves in life: milk and music." (Courtney prodded me in the back when she said that and mouthed, "That's you!") Then she warned us not to sing "Silent Night" because every time she hears that one she cries. Let me just say that I got more laughs from this woman in fifteen minutes than I can get out of a whole day with...ahem...myself.
  
• Last we visited a woman whose husband was visiting her. She was in a hospital bed and he was standing very close by, watching over her. A girl in our group told him that he had a very beautiful wife, to which he replied with a smile, "Oh, I know that." Then his wife said, "She doesn't feel very beautiful right now," so he reached over and grabbed her hand. We sang "Joy to the World" to them, which we were told "would make the wife happy." I just love old couples...they really are golden!
  

The Runaway iPod+Music Fast=Answer to Prayers

Yesterday was one of those days that are just "days," when you wake up feeling awesome (like I did) and go home with your head hanging low (like I did). I had dutifully packed my workout clothes to take to class so that I could exercise afterwards...it's one of my new goals to work out every day. Well at the end of Spanish 102 I, for some reason, took my iPod out of my backpack and set it on my desk, not even thinking about it as I left the classroom. About 20 minutes later I realized what I had done, but since there was a class going on I couldn't retrieve it until 5:30. I decided to go work out anyway and then swing by the Smith building on the way home. It was really dark out and raining by the time I was done, which wasn't adding much to the mood I was in. When I got to room 431 I searched everywhere but the little music box was nowhere to be found. At first I was distraught because I thought someone might have stolen it; then I had this comforting feeling that I would find it eventually. Heavenly Father is always finding new ways to try me, which I thanked him for and then asked if He would please help me find the iPod. I told him I knew that we should "lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven," but that I would feel really bad if I lost this iPod. This morning I went to the gym again and tried to put myself into a good mood. In my morning prayers I asked Heavenly Father to help me focus outside of myself and forget about my problems. It turned out to be one of the best days of the whole semester; on the way to my classes I smiled at everyone, I tried to compliment all my friends, and I let the Spirit just soak into me. I was fully attentive in all of my classes today (which was also an answer to prayer) and feel like I learned so much. When I made my way to Spanish after another amazing devotional, I kept getting the impression that I would find my iPod and I didn't need to worry anymore. Actually I'd known that all day long but I had decided from the beginning that I was going to have a positive attitude no matter what happened. I walked into my class, sat down in my seat, and lo and behold, a note on the board (from my Creative Writing teacher...coincidence? I think not!) said that if anyone left their iPod in the room the day before to talk to one of the adjunct professors. A few minutes later my Spanish teacher walked in holding the little black thing which could have made my day (and others around me) worse; instead it turned today into one of the best. The ironic thing is that, for my music class, we had to go without music for 24 hours. My fast was going on from the time I lost my iPod to the time when I got it back, and they were some of the happiest I've had on this earth. It's funny how the Lord uses our weakesses to teach us lessons and to help us grow. That's what attending the Disciple Preparation Center (D.P.C. ak.a. BYU-Id) is all about! At least, that's what I hear... :-)

A Dozen Prayers in 60 Minutes, and Other Tales

Tuesdays at BYU-I mean one thing: D-Day, a.k.a "devo," (the latest abbreviation of a four-syllable word), or for everyone else not acquainted with these terms, devotional. The whole weekend it rained that good, clean rain I've been waiting for, and on Tuesday that rain had evaporated into not-so-good, bitter wind. This means that all us girls who wear skirts on Tuesdays for devotional get all of our leg hairs either frozen off or frozen stiff. On the way back from what was a stupendous devotional ( you can find the talks at this website if you so desire: http://web.byui.edu/devotionalsandspeeches/Default.aspx), my roommate Chelsea and I were walking across the street from the Hart to our (what we hoped was on fire) apartment when a gust of wind blew our skirts sky high. The wind was so unforgiving that we just started laughing deliriously between words like "this," "is," and "cold." That night, after tithing settlement, we all watched the Election results anxiously. As snow began dumping itself all over the parking lot and our rooftop, we said a prayer between every commercial break. We all knew what the outcome would be, so we just prayed for the country in general. After Obama swept the Electoral votes, we began to pray that Prop 8 would pass. We all rotated, so I'm not exactly sure how many prayers we each said in that hour, but I know it was at least 12. I remember my roommate Sarah telling Heavenly Father that she knew He was still a God of Miracles. When it was Christina's (another roomie) turn to pray, she asked for McCain to win, for the country to go in the right direction, and then she asked us all in the circle if she needed to pray for anything else. It was pretty funny at the time, but now when I think about it, I know that there's a lot I don't ask Heavenly Father for becaus I think it's mundane or unimportant. Heavenly Father wants us to have all things which we have need for; He wants us to ask. The next morning, when Prop 8 barely passed, we got down on our knees once more and said a gratitude prayer. I know that when the Prince of Peace comes, wars and contentions will cease, but until He does, I just have to have faith. P.S. There's still at least an inch of snow on my little car. It's defrost season again!

Da Party in the Crib (601)

So my parents have been complaining that I haven't been taking any pictures...and they're right. Oops. But my roommates sure have! So I think I have rights to this photo, even though I don't know whose camera it came from. This was taken a week ago today at Niki's birthday party (she's the one in the green stripes). As you can see, we college students know exactly how to throw a party...in fact, we've left all the decorations up and they will probably stay where they are for the whole semester. Sarah (the one who's pulling a vampire face in my direction) re-curled the ribbons the other day while the rest of us were in class (she's off-track right now). So we pretty much think our apartment is the coolest one in the whole complex now because we have decor. I'll post some more embarrassing photos of me later on. Teaser: one involves a hillbilly face, which I know is your favorite, mom :-)

Currently Homesick For:

• Portland Temple
• The McKenzie River
• Early-morning seminary
• Masterpiece Theater on Sundays
• Nintendo 64 with Ike
• Goshen Grange in Winter
• Camp Alpine
• Christmas-tree hunting in Oregon
• 567 Archie, 1338 Andersen, 311 Mint
• Schultz Cabin
• Oregon Coast
• Mercer Lake
• Griffey
• Liz's House
• Liz's Room
• Liz
• Pistachios
• Alpine Loop in Autumn
• Last Chance Trail (Sundance)
• Cocoa and toast
• River Bike Path (Eugene)
• Neptune Beach
• Heceta Head Lighthouse
• A good clean rain
• Homemade bread
• AF Fitness Center
• Dad's old movie collection
• TiVo, and by extension, Eli Stone, The Office, and Pushing Daisies
• Caleb's smile
• Caleb's frown
• Ellie's mischief
• Isaac's kindness
• Mama's advice
• Dad's understanding
• A quiet bedroom
• Mucho Gusto
• Pioneer Used Bookstore
• Church History Museum
• Frozen Yogurt Junction
• River Road Park
• Petersen Barn Park
• WinCo
• Free laundry

Saturday is a Special Day Because...

...It's the day we finally got to do baptisms for the dead in the Rexburg Temple. It only took three tries before we made it to the chapel early enough; if you arrive at or after 11 am, the line to get in the chapel stretches to 5 pm. My rommates and I felt bittersweet about the whole thing. On one hand, a lot of spirits were being baptized into the church and the Lord's work was moving forward like it always is. On the other, we couldn't participate in the work because we just weren't early enough. Yesterday morning Courtney burst in the bedroom from the living room (where she fell asleep the night before) and woke me from my long-awaited weekend slumber. It was past time for us to be at our home teacher's apartment (they were making us breakfast), and we still had to get the bacon!! Blasted meat-loving males.... Anywho, after downing some crepes, Niki, Courtney, Christina and I rushed home to get dressed and to the temple. I said a little prayer beforehand that we would get in. "Please" was the only part I really remember about the prayer. :-) We made it to the doors at precisely 10:50, and I was dreading having to poke my head around the corner and look down the hall at yet another long line. Who says prayers aren't answered? I looked for that line and there wasn't one. We went right inside the chapel and sat down, watching reverently through the glass as another child of God entered into His gospel. As we made our way down the bench (they have a system of rotating people throug the locker rooms because it's so busy), waiting to get our clothes, I started to think about Grandma Great. I am positive now that this was not a random thought concocted by me, because number one, I was in the temple, and number two, I was preparing to do work for the dead. I went back in my memory to the day of her funeral, and I replayed everything that was said that day and all of the silent prayers I felt. I remembered how many of the speakers talked about Grandma's testimony and how she wanted all of her family to have a testimony of the gospel too. That's when I felt her there with me, at that moment, and she let me know that I was where she wanted me to be. I am so grateful that once again, I live very close to a temple, and that I was worthy to enter therein. The Lord loves us so much--if you're not sure of this, just look at the temples. He wants us to be together for the eternities. This is why I love Saturdays.