Friends

I wanted to take a second today to talk about how grateful I am for good friends. Friends can make such a difference in our lives. Most of the time our friends don't even realize the difference that they are making just by being a part of our life. They can help help you see what really matters in life. They teach you a lot about yourself because they can see things in us that we don't see in ourselves. As mortals we have a tendency to point out all the good in others but all the bad in ourselves...this is where friends come in and remind us of they see in us. Our job is to listen and truly take to heart the things they say.

I heard a talk today that pointed out how we can demonstrate our love for others without saying a word, but instead can be conveyed through a thoughtful smile, a heartfelt look, a listening ear, and a warm touch. Our eyes can say I care, I understand, I'm with you. Our ears communicate caring by listening in a truly open, non-judgmental way. By simply listening we invite friends to share without the fear of rejection. A touch speaks a lot louder than words. A friendly hug or pat on the back can have so much more meaning to someone than a bit of friendly advice. Even a simple smile can carry with it a heart full of love. I have found this to be true in my life and association with my friends. I only hope to be the kind of friend to others as my friends have been to me.

One of my favorite quotes about friendship comes from Elder Neal A. Maxwell when he said, "One of the reasons we love each other in the Kingdom is that our friendships are not friendships of initiation at all, but are, instead, friendships of resumption." (Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book pg. 132) I love this quote!! The reminder that we were friends before we met here on earth makes our friendship now even stronger.

Chances are if you are reading this you are a friend who has made an impact on my life. Thank you! I love you!!

Kindergarten Memories

For my writing class we are working on creating texts from our memories. Man, they are making me think. My assignment right now is to write a narrative about my favorite kindergarten memory! Ok, kindergarten was 20 years ago! I barely remember yesterday, let alone kindergarten!

I have been wracking my brain for days now trying to remember all I can about those days, and have found it interesting the few things that I can remember. For example, I remember "fruit art" day. My teacher had easels set up all over the room and we each got to put on a painters apron. We then took various kinds of fruit and cut them in half. I particularly recall using apples, oranges, and lemons. Once we each had our bundle of fruit halves we would dip the fruit into a bowl of paint and then stamp it onto our paper. The result was all kinds of bright colored fruit texture lines all over our paper. Funny huh! I also remember the alphabet characters. The classroom was decorated with letters of the alphabet that all had faces and arms and something that started with each particular letter. Each day or week or whatever when we would work on each letter my teacher would bring that particular alphabet character down and put it in the center of the chalkboard. Then one day toward the end of the year when we had finished we had an alphabet day where we each got to dress up as our favorite alphabet character. I don't recall which one I chose, but I do remember it was fun! Finally the last thing I remember about kindergarten was nursery rhyme day. This memory is pretty fuzzy, but I do remember that we all got to dress up and act out various nursery rhymes. I remember I got to be Little Miss Muffet!

So, these are my Kindergarten memories. I'm not sure yet which I am going to use for my assignment, but it has been fun reminiscing and recalling the innocence of childhood.

Snow Day!

Well, we have definitely had an interesting winter this year. I can't believe all of the snow we have had. There is so much snow that they actually canceled my church today. They asked everyone to go help neighbors shovel snow instead. I know we need the moisture so I don't want to complain too much...but I am getting a little bit tired of it all. I think what need to do is really go and play in the snow. I haven't done that yet. Pretty pathetic that we have had all this snow and I have not gone sledding, or even had a snowball fight! What's up with that!?! Anyone want to go play in the snow with me?? I promise I'll let you hit me with at least one snowball?? hehe...

I do have to say though that I love the timing of this current storm. As I watch it just dumping outside I can't help but think what President Monson said about how many had prayed for a "nice, bright, sunny day," yesterday, and we got it. The only nice, sunny, day all week. I think it is a great testimony to the power of prayer and that we have a loving Heavenly Father who was aware of all the people who would be out in the weather. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!

Beauty to God

"Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue, with an understanding of why she should do so...who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizons of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

I love this quote! Nothing more beautiful or more inspiring! God has created some very awe-inspiring and beautiful things. A sunset on a summer evening as the colors of the sky blend together in soothing pinks and oranges. A bright rainbow right after a spring shower, the air smelling as fresh as a newborn baby. These are beautiful and so inspiring to me. Yet, according to Pres. Hinckley a person who knows she is a daughter of God and lives her life in accordance with His teachings is even more beautiful and inspiring than these scenes. I can never turn myself into a sunset or a rainbow, but I can become the type of woman Pres. Hinckley describes here. I love that he did not say that it was a women who always had her hair done perfectly in the latest fashion, who had flawless skin, and always dressed in style. This is the type of woman the world trains us to believe is the most beautiful, but this woman is impossible to become! It is just another of satan's tactics to drag us down and make us feel bad about ourselves. Thankfully we have been taught that "the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)