Attitude of Gratitude

November has come and gone and gratitude has filled me for the many blessings I have. Here are some  of the things I am grateful for (in no particular order):
My amazing and supportive family
The temples and especially so many in Utah
Covenants I have made with the Lord
The Atonement of Jesus Christ
My house, electricity, internet, cable, phone
My car with its many features
Time with my family
The ability to go to school an  learn more
I am grateful I can dance ad I can still learn more
My testimony
The opportunity to serve a mission
Amazing friends and teachers
My job and mentored research
FOOD
Church leaders
Book of Mormon
Clothes
Heated and filtered water
Doctors, modern medicine and natural oils
The testimonies  of my family and friends

I love the many things I am blessed  with. I recently finished reading The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox and it has expanded my love and understanding of not  only the Atonement  and the blessings associated with it but the whole Plan of Salvation as well. I would encourage you to read it if you need and extra boost.

This month I have also rediscovered my love for music. I love Yiruma`s River Flows In You. It is such beautiful piece of music an  has a great flow. It also has.  Beautiful easy arrangement that's helps me play it.

Hallmark and  lifetime have started playing cute Christmas movies. I love watching them and the spirit of Christams they share.

I am so grateful for my friends serving missions and I am so excited to serve with them. The Lord has  blessed my life  in more ways than I can express and I am grateful and excited to share His love with others.

I know the Lord has a plan for everyone and everything and as we put our faith in Him, He will bless our lives in ways we could never dream of. I know life is hard, and as we turn to Him, He will help us and never  leave us alone. He loves us more than we understand. he loves us through everything. He is our father. He wants a relationship with us, He wants to know YOU. If your relationship that isn't what it could be, I invite you to start today. Pray, give thanks, if you don't know what to say, just talk about things that make you happy or sad. It will get easier if it is awkward. If you have a good relationship with Heavenly Father, I invite you to pray out loud, by yourself sometime this week.

If you want to see a great and inspirational movie go see Saratov Approach. It's a movie about missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is an amazing  movies. So look for it in a theater near you.

Families are of God

I love spending time with my family. My family is very important to me. That being said it isn't always easy to love my family. Some of the most important things in my life are thing I've worked hard for. A good relationship with my family is one of those things. Challenges in my life have me a much better person although they haven't been fun and usually I complain about my challenge. Some of the things I love to do with members of my family are:
Go to soccer games with my dad. Quilt, and crochet with my mom. Go shopping, watch and quote stupid movies with my sister. Playing games with my brothers. I love playing with my nephew. He has such a big imagination and he makes me smile.
I love that we came to Earth as part of a plan and that we are in families here. We don't have to do it alone. Life with family isn't easy and we are here to learn. I am so grateful for all the things I have learned from my family. What are some of the things you're grateful for?

Another cute video

This is one of my favorite videos the church has done. take a minute and watch it (seriously it's only a minute long)

Family... isn't it about, time

I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ADs. They are creative, clean and usually funny. Here is one about the church.

   

 I would also like to share this video so watch it. It's only takes a couple minutes and it will change your life.

  

General Conference

The day after I opened my mission call was general conference. General Conference is when prophets speak to the Church members all over the world. It was such a great 4 sessions and I heard the Priesthood session was amazing as well. The week or so previous the Prophets also spoke held a general Releif Society meeting and it was marvelous to hear God's message for us TODAY. Here are some awesome printable quotes from courtneyaitken@blogspot.com

sus I am so happy and excited to share the gospel of JeChrist.

Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work

I have been called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the California San Fernando Mission. I go to the Provo MTC on February 12th 2014 and I will be speaking English.

I am so excited for this new journey in my life. I know it will be hard and worth every second. To watch me open my mission press play below. I can't wait for this exciting time in my life and i'm excited to share it with all of you.

Proud new owner of....

So after working with microscopes and computers for the last month I've noticed that sometimes after I've been working for a while I have to refocus the microscope and play around with it a bit. So yesterday i went to the wonderful Dr. Dunn and it turns out my eyes have trouble reading together. Mystery solved. Today after work my mom and I are going to pick out some cute classes. I will post some pictures later (Most likely an instagram).

The diagnosis is Exotropia:

Noun

• S: (n) walleye, divergent strabismus, exotropia (strabismus in which one or both eyes are directed outward)

Weird Story

Yesterday while I was hanging out with some family friends I got some calls from a number I didn't know around 7 pm. I noticed around 9 pm they left some voice mails so I listened to them and this lady was saying how she just got in a car wreck and it sounded like she had on-star or something and it kept beeping. But she was telling me her name and the other drivers name and their numbers and her insurance information or something. I had no idea what to do so I looked up the area code and it turned out to be from Seattle Washington. So I called the Seattle Cops (non-emergency number) and I talked with a cop and he said I should probably call her back and say she had the wrong number but not to give her any of my information. So I did that and I haven't heard back. I hope everything's okay.
The end of my story.

Also yesterday I got to dress up in a tutu for a cute 3-year-old and I was happy.

Missionary and life update

I am meeting with the Stake President and the Bishop on Sunday to submit my papers and I'm so excited.

Everything is working out and I know the Lord has a unique plan for me. This year has been full of prayer, hard work and faith. I can't wait for fall semester to start because I'm studying bugs in a entomology class, entomology lab and I'm working with one of the coolest professors ever studying bugs. My professor and I met on Monday after trying to meet since beginning of June. As part of doing research I will be getting credit for it that goes toward my major. Which is amazing because I was just trying to "Kill a semester" with enough credits to continue working but this contributes to my major. After this semester I will have to complete 10 more classes and 12 additional hours on top of that plus some generals. My professor mentioned that If the next four months go how were hoping for them to go,  He will help me get a grant and work on my own project when I come back from my mission. How cool is that?

The only downside to my entomology class is the textbook was over $200. But If I use it for a long time the cost will even out.

I don't know if I mentioned that I got a job in another lab that works with my professor I went to Kanab and Spanish Fork for. I'm looking at bugs and seeds there. This semester is going to be great.

I will probably open my call 6:30PM (Mountain time) on Sept. 4th via Usteam or Google Hangout.

Talk

Today I gave a talk in sacrament meeting. It was a fantastic talk. Listen here.

BoM Day 1

So I got a little behind reading the Book of Mormon yesterday (I didn't read anything). Today I recalculated the numbers and I need to read 28 pages a day to make it in 19 days, which really is an hour and a half of reading. Let's face it, I read all 7 of the Harry Potter series in less than 2 weeks while doing high school full-time, It's not that hard.

I LOVE the Book of Mormon and each time I read it I get more out of it and I see new patterns. It's like a never ending spiritual onion (watering eyes may be a side effect of the Holy Ghost testifying it's true not the smell).

With my recalculated number I'm ahead six pages (which isn't that much) because the temple was quite busy tonight. Also I noticed today while reading that when you get going and read a lot at once it's hard to put the book down.

Some things I noticed today were:
"go forth" - said by Nephi
"After we had completed all the commandment the Lord has given..."
"The Lamb of God" vs. "The Lord" when they're speaking
How many times the olive branch allegory is used before Jacob 5.
How many times the tree of life is used and interpreted and explained
How Lamen/Laman and Lemuel continually repented and continually murmured and did bad things. They must have had some belief to be visited by an angel and all the other things that happened to them. Like how Satan must have been pure at one point in time to be in heaven with us all before Earth.
The Lord/ Holy Ghost, other things Happen 3 times and on the third time they act on the prompting.
How the gospel is all about love of Jesus Christ and how to feel love by the spirit is amazing.
There are actual feelings written in the Book of Mormon, not just people who didn't have feelings.
Also that Nephi (and Lehi as well) saw the whole life of Christ's Ministry before it ever happened.

Well I will share more thoughts tomorrow.
Thanks for the support. There are 25 days till my papers open. :-)

Future Pack

So I have decided when i'm old[er] than I am  now and preferably have my own place that allows animals and may or may not be married, I would like a couple of dogs.
FIrst on my list is a Golden Retriever like this cutie

Isn't it adorable. and they're great family dogs and amazing, lovable creatures.

Next on my list is a Wire Hair Fox Terrier. I fell in love when I watched my bosses dog Picadilly over the Christmas Holiday. Natural hunter and the perfect size cuddle puppy. This dog is perfect and adorable.

Last on my list is a Weimaraner (apparently my mom used to raise them). They are big, beautiful dogs as well.  They will hopefully accompany my (imaginary/dream) Horses. 

This is my future pack. and Hey dogs are pretty good judge or character so they'll be good at keeping me company before the (post-mission, maybe don't even know who) husband and pick him out as well. 

My dogs will be loved but not spoiled, and they will know the rules. They are all different types of dogs but they are like children all unique and special. 

Update

Please go to my other blog for the update. :-)
if you don't remember it's http://sammerzblurbs.blogspot.com

My Nephew is Adorable

So last night while babysitting Matthew after he woke up,while trying to go back to sleep, He and I were laying on his bed and his light up musical seahorse was playing and he asking me what a shadow was. I responded that's a shadow and he was like a shower and I was like a shadow. Then he was like daddy takes a shower. I like bath. I was like "you're a lucky ducky to take baths." Then he was telling me about his 2 ducky's he plays with in the bathtub with daddy, and how daddy has a blue one (?) and he has a yellow one (?). and how he throws them down the stairs and daddy gets them , and how when he gets them wet daddy dries them in the towel so they can wet again. it was super cute!

quick life update

GREETINGS :-)
The semester is over and I feel amazing! I think I have the best GPA/3+ credit hour classes I've ever had. I have at least 2 B-'s, which, don't judge me, is very good for me. So I am incredibly happy! Today I started working for the Fabulous Charlene at BYU Alumni and I love it! It's only for spring and summer but I'm happy. I will also (I'm 99% sure) I will be published in the fall BYU magazine (HUGE NEWS). I am also working on my bear project. One of my professors offered me another job, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to to 10 days on 4 days off and work 20 hours a week.But I am grateful for the opportunity. I'm also working for one of my professors doing more work in the middle of no where with rocks.
I have been hanging out with the sister missionaries lately. We've been visiting my boss T* and things have been going great. Today we talked about prophets, baptism, Holy Ghost, repentance, and the Book of Mormon. It has been fantastic. I also learned how to play tripoly(?) it's a poker ish type game. I've been working on some baby blankets. I also decided most of the people I know are graduating, having babies, getting married or going on missions. I will try to update again soon.

LOVE LIFE :-)

Update

WE READ THE BOOK OF MORMON IN 19 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES!!!!! It was such a fun weekend. a little long, but good.

here are some pictures of my life in the last couple months
Me and Matthew

 My friend Hilary was the fairy godmother in sleeping beauty.

 Me and matthew

 My friend Courtney plays basketball for Timpview and they made it to the state finals! :-)

 Me and Dad at the quarter or semi final game.

 My Friend Courtney is #5 running down the middle.

 One of my Horse Friends (from a long time ago), Kristen King was on the state "dream team"

 Courtney Playing

 My friend Mattaya's Birthday. She turned 15.

 Me and Sister Tapahe at Timpview game.

 Bike ride along the river jordan trail for mattaya's birthday.

 Baby blanket in the process of being made

 

 Kenzie's cat Cookie Dough loves me

 Complete moose

 Kenzie's baby blanket is finsihed!

 I also watched Sandy and Pic again this weekend while doing the read-a-thon.

 Pic

 

 Sandy likes my shoulders

 Picture after the 28 hours we spent together reading the Book of Mormon. We had a coloring chart to mark our progress.

Yesterday we celebrated spencer's biirthday (big 33) and Matthew and I have been playing Mario kart on the N64. We won the majority of the games. He can also read the different names of the racetracks, how cool is that. I also talked to Bro. Merrill (home teacher, byu professor and taught my book of mormon class last year) yesterday and Saturday about things in the Book or Mormon.

My paper is done, I am not working grounds this summer, I am working for Charlene part-time, I am also trying to do research for a couple of professors. I have at least 2 finals this week and have to finish reading a book. I have 4 finals in total.