My Little Soap Box

"One's real life is often the life that one does not lead." Oscar Wilde

2012-02-07T21:55:00.005-07:00

Through the glass and a world away is a face gazing back at yours.

She wears your smile, your retainer and the make-up you keep inside your drawers.

You fix her hair and bleach her teeth... fuss, fussy, fussing, every little thing you edit.

Always wishing she looked like someone else, never giving her due credit!

So who is she, throughout the day, what does she do when you walk away?

Have you not ever wondered, even just a little? From start to end, hasn’t there got to be middle?!

That girl who you say has so many flaws, the one whose beauty your gaze never draws, she has a story too and this is just a part. This story has only begun and what I say is quite simply a start.

A daily game you play with her, it consists of selling yourself short.

You compare the virtues of others to your weakest weakness for sport.

So, who is this girl, I ask you about? What could she matter, that girl, too tall, thin or stout?

To you, my writing may seem silly, daft, dare I say nonsensical? However, I do have a purpose and it is not merely whimsical.

For you see, she has your face, your hair, your clothes yet she is not bound by the fear that you chose.

She lives her life in paths unknown to you, the sky her limit! She fears nothing new!

She is at the beach, in Europe, in mountains glen, does just what she pleases, every now AND then!

She rolls down grassy hills and dances for all to see never stopping to wonder "who is judging me?"

She colors the world outside of your lines, she paints and dreams and sings that song a million more times!

You know which song I mean to say, it’s stuck in your head! It wont go away... You must set it free and watch it fly upward over the most tippy top tree!

Her life is fun, exciting, each day it is new... And if you listen closer than close, you can hear that she is calling for you!

If you could just see beyond the flaws in the glass, your life may begin to sparkle and fear, may become a thing of the past.

Fear is a silly thing you know. It will always wait for later! Because you see, it cannot exist nor will it linger, in the heart of a true creator!

So, start living life now, don't wait for tomorrow! Because if you wait and wait for time to fly, it’s not her parade that will pass you by!

Please, please, promise me this! Though this poem is long, this part, do not miss!

Don’t judge that girl, in the mirror, you are seeing...

For, when all is said and done, it is her you should be "being"!

Follow her childlike example and your life shall bring joy to you! If this proves a challenge, you could always imagine you’re stuck together with glue!

Get to know her and prove my theory! Just thinking of your adventures… gee, I’m getting a little teary!

So, when you are old and grey, this life almost through, I hope you are glad to have lived your life with you!

I have been forward, a bit harsh, even scolding… but look inside and see the treasure you are now holding!

I have given you truth and self-love in poem form, and when you are done reading; I hope you feel a bit fuzzy and warm.

That warmth is a hug from deep within! Don’t feel sheepish, it’s okay to grin!

My wish is that you look at that girl as your very dearest friend, and love yourself that way, until your journeys happy end!

When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world. ~Author Unknown

2012-01-03T22:34:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking about my new year and I feel really grateful to have been so blessed these past 23.

And in all I have to be grateful for, I still have much to better about myself. There are dreams that I gave up on, put on a shelf and left far behind. There are dreams that I am dreaming, and there are dreams yet to create!

My first resolution of the year is to begin swimming again. I am very happy to return to it.

There is nothing quite so freeing as water. It liberates the mind, body and soul.

... I wish I could express to you what water is to me...

I guess the closest I can come to is to say that, water is a second self to a swimmer. It never stops calling you and even when you have long been absent, it remembers your touch and welcomes you home.

I have also been looking into Scuba Diving and I am pretty excited for the adventures that this year will hold!

This is the story of a 91 year old man. He is the worlds oldest active Scuba Diver! I found his article inspiring and I think you might as well. Have a look.

http://www.scubadiving.com/training/advanced-skills/what-its-be-worlds-oldest-diver

"True love stories never have endings." -Richard Bach

2011-09-29T17:13:00.000-06:00

These are my Grandparents. Aren't they an ideal couple??
Something even better than that is that they are still together and have just celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary! In my last post I talked about the desires of the heart and what matters most in this life... Well my friends, this is it!

Harold and Marcelene are the parents of 5 Daughters and 2 Sons. The Grandparents of 34 and the Great-Grandparents of 24.I am proud of my family history and I look forward to adding my own story to its pages!

My Grandparents have taught me many things and while visiting them last week, I decided to interview them and document their answers in this blog... its sort of my way of learning from the past and keeping them

with me forever! Among the things I have learned from them are qualities such as:

Love Faith Respect Tradition Quality Time Humor Work & Music

I will be sharing with you Quotes from Grandma & Grandpa,

General Authorities, Scriptures, and even some of my own thoughts.

One of the things I admire most about them is that my Grandparents have set an example of how to

"establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."-D&C 88:119

And as President Monson has advised, they have made "Time for family, time for work, time for study, time for service, time for recreation, time for self- but above all, time for Christ."

When I visit their home, I not only feel their love for the Gospel but I feel the bond that they have made with their family. Its real and its powerful! This bond has many different threads and I believe that it started many generations ago!

What legacy do you want to leave to your posterity?

Their answers, I feel are very true to who they are and what they have taught us all.

"Work, weather they like it or not. I've always preached to them about work. When they come visit me they get to work. Weather its the mother and granddaughters working in the home or the Grandsons working in the feild. Everybody needs to work. Not only to help take care of one another but work is healthy, mentally, spiritually, physically." -Grandpa

"The legacy that I would like to leave to my family is a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your Great Grandpa Westover really wanted to go on a mission and when it didn't work out he raised his children to serve the Lord. He put the desire of missionary work in our family. Our legacy is Missionary work, and a testimony of Jesus Christ."- Grandma

These two distinctive answers go hand in hand and I am forever grateful to my dear Grandparents for instilling these great truths into the blood of my family!

Elder Neil A. Maxwell said;

"Our Heavenly Father has described His vast plan for His children by saying,

"Behold, this is my work and my glory- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life

of man"-(Moses 1:39) Consider the significance of the Lord's use of the word work.

What He is doing so lovingly and redemptively is, nevertheless, work-even for Him!"

If His glory comes from work, how much cause have we to rejoice!

The spirit of Missionary Work is in us and it has impacted my life forever! My father served a faithful mission following the example left him by his parents and grandparents, all of his children have likewise served the Lord as missionaries in varied places throughout the world. This work has given us much joy and has bonded us together as a family.

"Do you have advice for your grandchildren who are just starting out in their lives together?"

*"Yeah I do! You know there will be times in your married life where you will have disagreements and arguments and you just need to remember what you felt like on your wedding day. And there will be times

where it will be hard to do that (Chuckles) But if you do that you will remember that you had a reason for marrying them."-Grandma

*"This life is the time to prepare to meet God. A time to preform all your labors and one of those labors is Marriage. To bring your family to meet God and so you have to make your marriage work. In other words you've got to hang in there and have... a daughter that lives the commandments, full of joy and faith and even cuts your hair." : ) -Grandpa

Love is the first great commandment. I believe that if you truly love God, you can't help but love His children.

Causing you to become more like Him by serving Him and living His Gospel plan.This makes a fantastic foundation for any relationship especially and more specifically marriage.

-How do you keep your love alive?

Their relies I thought were pretty funny... but there is also a lot to learn from them!

"It just got to be habit." -Grandma

"Our health problems, You don't think about it but in hard times we feel sorry for one another and worry about the other one and I think that helps our love life.(hahaha) You get so you depend on the other one and she does a lot more for me than she used to have to do, but she does it with a smile and a kiss and that's how its supposed to be. I think the Lord knew what He was doing when He had us grow old."- Grandpa

Grandpa always makes me laugh! He is wonderful and although his comment was humorous, President Hinckley has said -

"I have long felt that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one's companion. That involves a willingness to overlook
weakness and mistakes."

What traits do you admire about your spouse?

*"Well the one big thing that impresses me about Grandma is the love and the time she puts on her Grandkids. And the thing that really brings this out is the birthdays. With 34 of them it keeps her hopp'n but she pretty well knows all her grand-kids birthdays.
Grandma has always had a knack to make a house a home. I don't remember and it don't worry me about what she knew when we got married but when we got into it she always had a knack to make our house a home for me and the kids and whoever came.

One night the bishopric came and we were sitting here and they said ' we want to invite you to do something. because of the spirit of this home, we want you to invite different members of the ward into your home and teach them how to have Family Home Evening."-Grandpa

"One is his love for the Gospel. There was a time in my life where I had a lot of ill health, and if Grandpa hadn't urged me to come with him to Church I may have slipped into inactivity, not for lack of belife but just because I was so sick and it would have been easy not to go. But he has always been so strong,
he makes me better."

"He makes life fun. He has a cheerful out look on life and he just makes it fun. He always had all-day suckers stashed away in his drawer and I used to get after him because he'd pull out the candy just before dinner. But he always loved to give the kids sweets."-Grandma

What is it that helped you get through the hard times?

"I went to the Stake President to get my Temple recommend to get Married and he asked me
'Are you ready to be married for time and all eternity'

and I said 'Yes.'

There are times that I have had to look back on that and you know, its a decision. Like being happy is a decision." -Grandma

" Happiness in marriage and parenthood can exceed a thousand times any other happiness."

-Elder James E. Faust

"We had 15 years of hard times and I think probably our

kids really helped us get through them. Living the Gospel and Family time. "-Grandpa

"So frequently we mistakenly believe that our children need more things, when in reality their silent pleadings are simply for more of our time. The accumulation of wealth or the multiplication of assets belies
the Master's teaching:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.But lat up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt

and where thieves do not break through nor steal." -President Monson

Do you have any traditions together?

"The 4th of July was always a big holiday. We'd go up the canyon just as far as we could drive the pickup and have pick-nicks. During hay hauling days we'd meet Grandpa at Twin Lakes for lunch and have a pick-nick and Swim while it was hot. He made things fun.

If he had been one just to work, work, work we wouldn't have had much family time." -Grandma

"We've always been big on Bon Fires. The younger ones were in on it enough that they still want it."
-Grandpa

I have to say, I have a lot of wonderful memories with bonfires in them! As a family we would gather and sing songs and bear testimonies. I love to hear the stories and songs of the past. And hearing my Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings bear testimony of our Savior and His Gospel greatly
impacted my life! This is a tradition that I will carry on!

Do you have a song?

"On moonlight bay"

Do you have a family song?

"Don't go away and leave me" is the family song."

I really wish I could play these songs for you... I just love them!!

"We used to sing in the car and when we had visiters. We would sing harmony songs.We used to like to go explore the area and one reason we sang was so the kids wouldn't fight so much!

But the kids had such beautiful voices and Grandpa always liked to sing. He'd be out on the tracktor just singing away! Something I really missed when the kids went away was hearing them sing together. My Father had a beautiful voice and so did the Westovers, so I guess the kids got it double berrle. "-Grandma

"Part of the idea that 'if you Pray and play together you stay together' Its just that you're doing things together wether its singing or playing hide and seek." -Grandpa

What was it like to be a parent 50 years ago?

"Probably a lot less complicated than it is now, there weren't as many distractions. It was just a really different time. Until you have children you don't know how much fun they are."-Grandma

"Its just a feeling that you don't get anyother way. Having a family, a little girl or a little boy, its special. Life changes and circles around the kids, like it should. If it don't then it don't last."-Grandpa

My Grandparents are really neat people. They are farmers and live a very quiet and simple life. A life to be envied! They do most things together, its really sweet. They have a large garden that they work together, they read together, they drive together,and 3 meals a day they set the table, pray and eat together. That's also a tradition that I admire and want to add to my family one day.

Whats your favorite meal to eat together?

"Well what do you mean? We eat all our meals together."-Grandma

"Probably Breakfast. Oh I think its my favorite meal of the day, Its in the morning. Its nice, especially when she fixes my favorite breakfast." -Grandpa

Grandpa went on for about 10 minutes telling me what his favorite breakfast is... it was so funny! When he was done, Grandma asked,"Well when do you get that??" and His response was "Often enough, I guess." :)

What gifts do you remember receiving from each other?

"Well I loved her and I knew I loved her and I got her. So I guess I got the whole package! I just got a feeling one day that she was the one. Shes added to me a gift of a quieter side of life."-Grandpa

"Well I have always been a big Jell-o fan and never thought I could get my fill. For our first anniversary Grandma made a dinner of about every Jell-o salad ever heard of, I had my fill that night."-Grandpa

" I liked it and all but I liked it because Grandpa was so excited to buy it for me. He bought me a Bosch Mixer and he was just so tickled to give it to me I thought it was really cute."-Grandma

What is the best advice you ever received?
"I was taught to respect older people and I had an experience where that came to benefit. I was raised in the day when we were taught to say, yes sir , no sir. When I was about 45 I said yes sir to a guy and he made a comment to me that I must have had great parents and it made me really feel good that because of me somebody thought my parents were great." Grandpa

"Live your life as the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says 'Oh crumb, she's awake!'"-Grandma

I am so grateful for my wonderful grandparents who have given their lives to the Lord, and building His Zion! They planted the seeds of Testimony, so that my generation may glean the harvest! From them, learned that it is about the little things, like the love that is felt in my family. It is a bond that is eternal because my grandparents made it so! We are creative beings. We have the privileged of creating a life for our selves and our families filled with joy and peace... What happiness it is to see that fulfilled in my own family! Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma! Your legacy lives in me!

Make sure your sweetheart always has their fill of Jell-O! : )

"It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." -e.e. cummings

2011-09-04T19:38:00.002-06:00

I have been giving some thought lately as to what exactly my desires in life are...

When I was younger life seemed simpler some how & often the phrase

"when I grow up"
was used in a sort of whimsical way, suggesting that I may never actually do so.

Seeing as how I haven't grown since I was 18 & am now 6 feet tall, all in all, one could say that I am "up". But being "up" doesn't come with the automatic knowledge of who or what I should be, the way I always supposed it ought.

You find me now, in a state of total wonder & perplexity.I know what it is that I want in the big picture. That's easy.The thing that I am learning now is what it is that the Lord wants for me... This isn't always an easy thing to discern either.

Thinking back on the carefree days of childhood I find that there have always

been mile markers, of sort, guiding me to the next stop. I think we all have them, Some
generic and some personal. Nevertheless, having had something exciting awaiting me each year, I have lived in anticipation of growing older, gladly hopping from one little stepping
stone to the next. All the while never thinking of the day when those stepping stones would
come fewer and farther between.

I don't know where to go from here but
in its own way, not knowing has its charms...

"The ability to qualify for, receive and act on personal revelation is
the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life."
-Julie B. Beck

You know the saying that 'it's not the destination it's the journey'?
Well maybe the wisdom in all this is that there is time for us to refine ourselves and gain divine attributes through communion with our Loving Father in Heaven.

This I know,the questions will come.

To career or not to career?
To travel or not to travel?
To marry or not to marry?

I may not always have the answers in myself,
but I do know to what source I may look to find them.

And no matter what adventures my story will hold, I have decided that I must be happy being me. Meaning that I must be totally and explicitly happy in my current life phase, learning whatever lessons I need to take me successfully to the next.

If one designs to be happy in the future, ought not that person be happy in the present?

I believe so.
If you cannot accept yourself now, what on this green earth
makes you think that time or circumstance could possibly change that?

My heart has been drawn out in prayer. I have found that I am heard. I feel Gods love and I know that He is there! He is my Father. That brings me peace. As His daughter, Naturally, He has a plan for me and He will guide me through it

Line upon Line
Precept on Precept
Here a little and there a little
Until ultimately a fullness is received.

Until then, "Cool running's"!
(Peace be the Journey)

2011-06-29T16:38:00.003-06:00

Forget Me Not's

Hand Made Just for you!

I am so excited to share these with you,

Thank you for your support!

I have fun making them

& I hope you have fun wearing them!

Shipping is an option,

just work it out with me Via email.

Nikellew@Gmail.com

More than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you've been bad and good. ~Linda Sunshine

2011-05-26T13:42:00.004-06:00

So, I have been wondering what to blog about for a while now... It seems like I have rainy and dry seasons when it comes to words.
This happens to be a 'dry spell'. However, there are a few things that have been frequent visitors in the vast windings of my mind.
The topic I would like to blog is

my wonderful sister ...

Brindy. :)

Do you ever wonder what the 'future you' will be like? I confess, I do. I look forward to the future with great happiness and at times with fear. I have so many dreams and hopes that it seems I may never actually become what I desire most. This is where my sister comes in...

When we were younger, err... until she got married that is, we shared a room as well as a life, it seems! We were always together!

And while we were sharing everything... We would talk. She would talk to me about anything and everything even and especially when she didn't know how she felt about the topic herself...

from dating to morals and daily living to Gospel centering, we always knew the mind of the other and nearly always shared the same view.

I thought then as I do now, if anyone was ever deserving of the desires of their hearts, its would be Brindy!

Ever see Anne of Green Gables?? I am currently reading this hilarious book and I do not exaggerate when I say hilarious!

I suppose it is more so for me seeing as how Anne is as wonderfully dramatic and delightfully charming as is Brindy. :)

Each time I turn the page I find myself loving 'Ann with an E' even more and laughing heartily at something I can full-well see my lovely sister saying or doing...

When she was merely 18, I remember her one night, in a state of woe over the fact that she feared she would never marry.

As girls in the 'Mormon Community' must surly be out cast, or at least deemed an 'old maid', if found single over the age of 19.

I was only 14 at the time so naturally I was taken in by the whole of her dramatics!

Happily from 18 to 27 she has retained her sense of humor as well as her passion! She was not out cast or deemed an 'old maid' but went on to serve a full time Mission in Taiwan and is now married to a wonderful man! Together with their little boy they seem to live a rather idealistic life!

Brindy keeps house, make her own baby food, bakes the most heavenly bread & cookies, blogs tips about being a House Wife and creating a Happy Home, Sings like an Angel, reads continually, is constantly learning new things and takes care to keep her little family healthy, happy and well balanced! She has become the very definition of success!

While I was on my mission I missed her so much! I missed talking to her!

I missed listening to her! I missed her whole pregnancy and I was sure that when I got home she would have little or no time for me.

I am happy to be wrong! In all of this, she still makes time for little ol' me! :)

Its simply more fun now a days! When I walk into her home I see a little munch-kin grinning up at 'Auntie Kell' and I get to play with this little bundle of joy while I reminisce with my big Sis!

In her I see the hand of God, I see that He has a Master Plan and that if we are patient we can see it unfold into a beautiful life! We may not see the end from the beginning but He knows what adventure lies around the corner and how it will shape our lives!

Brindy wasn't married by 19, she wasn't married by 23 but she is living the plan that was created *Special* just for her by her Creator and she is happy! What better example to follow?!

In these, now priceless, moments I have learned what is most important in life. And when I see who she has become and how she has
stayed faithful to the promises she has made,
through it all, my fears melt away!
I want to be just like my big sister!

( Really, that is why I am writing this blog :)

I have watched her and listened to her and I feel the passion
she has for life!

I admire her for her boldness and for her strength of character and willingness to be exact in her obedience to the laws of God.

She has had her fair share of trial and heartbreak and she bears it well.

Never have I known a more valiant and virtuous woman

and I am proud to be her sister!

"A few feathers short of a whole duck”

2011-04-20T12:44:00.004-06:00

Today I watched a movie from my childhood

'Fly Away Home'

And it got me thinking along the lines of pet birds,

as the film is about a girl who raises Wild Geese.

As a child, I was enchanted by the whole of it! I also remembered that my family has recently been throwing around the idea of getting some chickens

to farm our own eggs...

But after watching that movie, chickens simply

don't seem as

idealistic and not anywhere near as much of a loyal

friend as would be desired...

and that is, after all,

the most important quality one must consider

when choosing a bird to farm eggs. :)

Feeling warm and fuzzy I went hastily to Google!

However, I don't think that pet Geese would go over

all that well with my Dad.

So as my mind wandered it caught hold of another

childhood favorite!

The Million Dollar Duck!!

For those of you who have not seen it, you should!

In this film an unlikely family ends up with a rather

special pet Pekin Duck.

So naturally, I employed Google to teach me the facts about

this cute bird and my heart is now wound very tightly

around the idea of having

Pekin Ducks!

Not only are these little guys super cute,
but they are quiteloyal, friendly, easily trained,

produce eggs that are good for use,
help by eliminating yucky bugs from your garden
and

they are even less maintenance than chickens...

I AM SOLD! :)

Now to convince Dad.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. - 1 Corinthians 9:24

2011-04-14T11:54:00.004-06:00

Attention! Allow me to introduce y'all to my new obsession...

Vibram Five Fingers!

Those of you who know me will agree when

I say that I am a Barefoot child!

I don't like socks. I don't like shoes. I like my feet to be

free & comfy.

No restrictions nor limitations.

So you might be wondering why this post is all about shoes that look like socks... :)

Well, while I was in Lubbock I had 6 companions. One of these AMAZING young women was

Sister Sam Peavler, Track Star Extraordinaire!

Since she is a Cross Country Runner, she herself owns a pair of these magical shoes & was able to educate me.

When I learned the purpose of these shoes

I was instantly smitten!

Here is some info from the VFF web page.

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com

5 Reasons to Wear Vibram FiveFingers:

1. Strengthens Muscles in the Feet and Lower Legs—Wearing Vibram FiveFingers will stimulate and strengthen muscles in the feet and lower legs, improving general foot health and reducing the risk of injury.

2. Improves Range of Motion in Ankles, Feet and Toes—No longer 'cast' in a shoe, the foot and toes move more naturally.

3. Stimulates Neural Function Important to Balance and Agility—When wearing Vibram FiveFingers, thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information to the brain, improving balance and agility.

4. Eliminate Heel Lift to Align the Spine and Improve Posture—By lowering the heel, your bodyweight becomes evenly distributed across the footbed, promoting proper posture and spinal alignment.

5. Allow the Foot and Body to Move Naturally—Which just FEELS GOOD.

Were you made to run barefoot?? I was!

In fact, before my mission I got to the point where I would run barefoot because it felt much better on my feet & ankles to do so. I can’t even tell you how excited I am for these little beauties!

"I can read in red. I can read in blue. I can read in pickle color too." Dr. Seuss

2011-03-16T19:25:00.012-06:00

While I was a missionary I seemed to grow more ambitious
and a bit fevered for learning. I had an odd urge to read about anything and everything from dinosaurs to weather to sewing be it history or fiction! I was bewitched by the thought of going into a dusty old library,finding a well light corner and sitting among
a heap of thoroughly loved books.

Learning became a great adventure and morning study became an essential.

I feel, whole heartily, that what you focus on consistently is a great indicator of what you will become. And if thats so, then I am eager to fill myself with positive and worthy thoughts.

I came home and as soon as able, acquired a personal Library Card.

This card is my key to every book in Salt Lake County! Its been great fun!

I have explored many of the Libraries and have lived in constant amazement

at the number of wonderful books to enjoy!

... I may have just convinced you that I am a bit of a nerd...

and you would be right in thinking it! :)

But if you would be so kind as to hear my reasoning... it may bring

clarity to my enthusiasm.

I really love the "Be attitudes" that Christ used in opening the Sermon on the Mount.
And If we want to learn and become, who better to learn from than our Creator?

In Matthew 5:5 He tells us that

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the Earth."

In my studies I have come to understand that the word 'meek' means

submissive, humble, patient, full of love & teachable.

When we are meek we are submissive- "even as a child doth submit to his father"

(Mosiah 3:19)- we are also humble and are willing to learn.

Knowledge is Power and as Dr. Seuss put it:

“The more that you read, the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

Because knowledge is power, it is a gift from the very Author of it.

And that means that whomever is endowed with it has responsibility to use it to bring

others to Him.

While I was a missionary I was learning a new depth of meekness and it filled me

with great desire and joy! The more I learned the more I was able to love the children of my Heavenly Father and help them on their way Home.

I was happier than I have ever been! learning to be submissive and humble

also allowed a greater abundance of the Spirit into my life.

So not only was I able to aid in the building of the Kingdom of God...

I was also able to learn its mysteries.

I know that the purpose of this life is to become and to

ultimately receive a fullness of joy, or all that The Father has!

The world is ours, for inheritance and all we have to do is follow the example of

The Son who so readily submitted to the will of His Father.

What mysteries will you unlock today??

Gods High Wisdom Knows A Way

2011-02-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

The week before I returned home from serving in Lubbock Texas I was given the opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting, in the Canyon West Ward, where I spent a year of my Mission. We didn't know it at the time, but it turned out to be a sort of farewell to Lubbock. This is the address I gave. I would like to dedicate this Blog post to all of my dear Lubbock-ites! I love and miss y'all!

"Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings." President Monson

Toady I feel that this talk is very much for my personal growth. I will be sharing about Gratitude, Service and Missionary Work. All of these things go together rather nicely to summarize the last few months of my life, the trials I have faced and the lessons I am learning. I am grateful for this opportunity!

One of my favorite stories in the Scriptures is that of the 10 Lepers in Luke 17:12-19

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Leprosy is a heartache far beyond my coping skills! To be cast away from family, friends and culture- including religion- to have body and sense of identity slowly taken away would mean a world of sorrow and despair

Imagining the elation of these 10 men, now cleansed and returning to the life they once lived and now only dream of, brings my heart pure joy! However, being cleansed from Earthly ailment simply is not enough. Though I am sure their hearts were filled with Gratitude, only one paused to express it and because of his willingness to exercise faith is Jesus as his Savior and to give the Thanks he felt he was not only cleansed but made whole.

President Monson also said,

"We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings.... gratitude is a divine principal."

For me it was the gratitude for a Loving Heavenly Fathers plan and the realization of my ungracious acts and unwillingness to serve that caused a mighty change of heart to take place, to cause me to act and to share the beautiful blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I have enjoyed all my life! Gratitude has changed me and continues to mold me into the instrument that God designed me to be in order to bless His children around me.

In the April 1988 General Conference, President Ezra Taft Benson stated:

"During this testing time the righteous must continue to love God, trust in His promises, be patient and be assured, as the poet said, that--

"Who does Gods work will get Gods pay,

However long may seem the day,

However weary be the way.

No mortal hand, Gods hand can stay,

He may not pay as others pay,

In gold, or lands, or raiment's gay,

In goods that perish and decay;

But Gods High Wisdom knows a way,

And this is sure, let come what may---

Who does Gods work will get Gods pay."

(Anonymous)

The Work which merits "Gods pay" is Service. For as King Benjamin said; "...When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17

This topic, I feel, is well covered in our culture as Later Day Saints. I have spent 11 months in this ward ( Canyon West- Lubbock) and have visited most of your homes... I am happy to report that your homes and families are focused on the service of others!

The Woman of this ward think nothing of themselves as they sacrifice every ounce of time and energy serving the families around them, taking care of neighborhood, civic and Church affairs and implementing all the beautiful and inspiring programs into their own homes... and all the while asking nothing in return!

The Men give endless hours to providing for family needs, filling Priesthood responsibilities and almost living in this building at times caring for the spiritual needs of all of us.

The youth sacrifice time with their parents, siblings and time for the constant demands of homework to serve each other and to learn the great lessons of the Gospel through the Young Men and Young Woman programs. They seek to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen home and family and are ever reaching out to those in need. At school they answer sometimes attacking questions from their peers in attempts to bring others unto Christ and help them see the reasons behind our peculiar nature.

All of these things I commend! However, there is another aspect of service that I would like to focus on today... one that I am recently learning the full meaning of.

I will start with a question for you to ponder:

When was the last time you let someone honestly, truly serve you?

In Mormon culture it is a well lived practice to give to and serve others endlessly, willingly and happily while when asked:

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

It is natural to respond:

"Oh! No, thank you! Life is wonderful and I have no needs of my own!"

I for one have lived my life in this exact way and until near late September of this year... I was not fully aware of it! I have struggled with my health for a while now and I would like to share with you what I have learned about service... as the recipient...

As a missionary, we serve others from 10am to 9pm 7 days a week for 18 months to 2 years. When we are not serving others we are studying to know how to serve others, we plan to serve others, we serve each other and sometimes we even dream about serving others! In essence it is our life! So imagine my frustration when illness set in restricting my time and ability to serve and requiring others to focus their service on me... This has been one of the most trying times in my life and I must admit the reason being Pride. It is one matter to wear out your life in the service of others. this brings joy and satisfaction to life! But to allow another to learn and to grow by showing you love and kindness is quite another! It takes patience, long suffering, and it takes trust. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He knows you and that His plan will allow for greater joy at the end of all Earthly trials.

I didn't want to accept that I needed help. I wanted to go on with my normal routine... However, God had a different plan!

Instead, I got to know my new companion, that was then doomed to suffer my fate with me for the next 6 weeks, on a deeper and more personal level. We became true friends and built a friendship that I believe will last forever! We spent time at doctors offices and in interviews with President and Sister Robison, consulting together about my medical needs... all of which opened a well of unwanted emotion!

I have never been one to seek attention, nor do I welcome it when it is given! However, I put up with it as I was certain that God would not allow His work to go unattended so long and would quickly heal me and get me back to it!

Blessing after blessing, week after week His promise came of healing......... in His own time.

I searched, I prayed and I cried as I failed to find the reasons behind my illness and the lessons I was to learn from it. In fact, I still wonder and I may never know all of the reasons. But what I do know is this:

Had I not been compelled to learn this side of service; I may not have ever felt the love that has deepened within me for my Savior and His service! For ALL things testify of Christ and the service of others reflects the love that He had for each of us as He took upon Himself the full weight of our sins, our sickness, our heartache and every temptation and trial we would ever know!

I testify that Jesus Christ knows us each individually and He desires our happiness! We find this happiness as we serve others because it allows us to feel the very purpose of Heaven and to attain Charity. But none of us ever can or ever will earn enough of "Gods pay" on our own to buy our way into those Heavenly Realm's. No, we must have our debts paid be the only one who could.

Mosiah 3:7-9

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even through faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath adevil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

I know that God lives! I know that He loves us and because He loves us, He sent His Son to live for us and to bring us back to Him through His Atonement. I know that it is in and through Him that we can be cleansed and made whole to live with Him and to be with our families throughout all eternity!

Of this I testify in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sister Nikelle Westover

"Time is said to heal all wounds"

2010-12-16T20:45:00.009-07:00

"It's not about your scars, its all about your heart."

Yesterday my little brother, Byson, left for the MTC. Having just returned home, I took over his phone for just a bit. He had some music left on it and as I was looking, I found this song by

Mindy Gledhill. "All about your heart"

I felt like I was guided to it because I had been hurting and thinking a lot about my scars. This song is beautiful to me. I have many scars that seem to be constantly reopening.

I came home to a lot of change in my family and learning how to be a part of something so foreign is somewhat difficult.

I keep saying that I need time... hoping that with time, I will find true and complete healing. However, I know that no amount of time will ever be enough

if I will not open my heart and let my Savior in. He is the only one who can totally purge my soul of all of the pain that dwells there.

I now know why Alma teaches us, in the Book of Mormon,

not to procrastinate the day of our repentance.

Time is ours to prepare to meet our God and meeting Him with our hearts

unhealed and our eyes flowing with painful tears of the past will only

prevent us from feeling the true joy we are meant to feel

when being with our loving Heavenly Father again.

Jesus Christ came to this beautiful earth that

He created to live for us, to suffer for us, to die for us and to rise again,

to plead for us above.

I have been stubborn. I have been holding on to my pain and I have not

accepted His sweet Atonement in its fullness.

It has been hard for me to let go of the past. To let my scars fade.

But its time for true healing! The thing is, healing is not possible in a

world of plastic expression and bottled emotion.

No! Healing comes in the beating of your heart. It comes in earnest and unguarded love and sincerity of repentance.

Repentance allows us to feel the love of God, unrestrained.

It helps us to know the love He has for all of His children and it allows us to extend the same forgiveness we receive to those who have wronged us. This forgiveness not only helps healing to take place, but it frees us from the past and allows us to work on turning our dreams for the future into the very realities of today.

So in the end...

"It's not about your scars, it's all about your heart."

In His Hands

2009-09-27T19:32:00.007-06:00

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 4:540).

That statement is one of great power and comfort. It instills joy

and enthusiasm for the work of God. Knowing that in the end the righteous shall prevail! But how will the work be done? Today I want to focus on becoming an instrument in the Hands of the Lord, in building the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. And I pray that the same fire that calls me to serve will move your hearts to action as well.

In Alma 17:9-11 we are given the steps to become doers of the Word.

"And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the

knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.

And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.

And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls."

The first principal of the Gospel is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To become an instrument in His hands we must first have faith in who He is and in His infinite Atonement.

In Preach My Gospel it says this of having "Faith in Jesus Christ":

"When you have faith in Jesus Christ, you believe in Him as the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the Flesh. You accept Him as your Savior and Redeemer and follow His teachings. You believe that your sins can be forgiven through His Atonement. Faith in Him means that you trust Him and are confident that He loves you. Faith leads to action, including repentance, obedience, and dedicated service. When you have faith in Jesus Christ, you trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments-- even when you do not completely understand the reasons for them. You accomplish what the Lord wants you to accomplish. You help bring about good in your own life and the lives of others. You are able to do miracles according to the Lord's will. Your faith will be manifest through diligence and work. Faith is a principal of power. God works by power, but His power is usually exercised in response to faith. He works according to the faith of His children. "

I share this with you because I have seen evidence of this in me. I have always known that this is the true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ it is wonderful to me and my heart ponders it continually. However, believing, even knowing is different from being truly converted. It wasn't until I exercised my faith as a principal of power that I was able to trust in Him enough to let Him guide my life and ask that His will be done, even when it meant uncertainty. But when I did, my heart became as a well of living water. There was nothing I wanted more than to share what I knew to be true. My heart was opened and overflowing with His love which love and faith in my Savior moved me to action and I will serve Him with all my heart!

Once we have faith in Jesus Christ, we must pray for the companionship of the Holly Ghost. He holds the power to sanctify our souls and to prepare us for the work.

"The gift of the Holy Ghost comes after one repents and becomes worthy.... The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth and impresses upon the soul the reality of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ so deeply that no earthly power or authority can separate him from that knowledge."

- James E. Faust

the Holy Ghost is also called the Comforter. Because He only impresses truth upon our hearts, it is easy for Him to convey the love our Father in Heaven has for us and the truth of our divine nature. It's difficult at times, to remember who we are. But this we must never forget! For we are the Children of God and our purpose is to become, in every way, like Him. The Comforter is to remind us of these things and to give us the necessary strength and courage to prepare the world for the coming of her King and to prepare ourselves to be worthy in His holy presence.

The Holy Ghost also has the power to bring to our remembrance all truths that we have learned. And by so doing it can help us bring others unto Christ. We must live in a way that the Spirit may speak freely to our minds and to our hearts that we can continually edify and teach one another. To do this is to speak with the tongue of Angels.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught of the tongue of Angels saying;

“After ye have … received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, ye can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels. … And … how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.” Indeed, Christ was and is “the Word,” according to John the Beloved, full of grace and truth, full of mercy and compassion."

When we are living in harmony with the will of God and are able to speak with the tongue of Angels we can't help but to do His work. Because to speak with the power of the Holy Ghost is to touch hearts and enlighten minds in a way that the philosophies of men never could. When we do this, we will see lives change, hearts heal and testimonies born, including our own. But as the sons of Mosiah, so must we also be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that we may show forth good examples in Christ.

"Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my names glory, saith the Lord."

-Doctrine & Covenants 98:3

I believe that the Holy Ghost knows who I am. He knows me better than I know myself and He is the same for you. I know that I have been given opportunities, blessings, challenges and heartaches not only for my own personal growth but also for the benefit of others. And I pray that as I share my testimony the heart of the hearer will know that they have a Savior who loves them, who Atoned for them and who has sent me, one of His daughters, to find them and bring them Home to His fold.

When we have Faith in Jesus Christ and live worthily of Holy Ghost we will find joy in the work and will desire to do the will of God. This is how the work is to be done. Heart by heart we link back to our Heavenly Home and as we seek first His Kingdom and feed His sheep we will find Zion in our midst His work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39) The Word shall be fulfilled and His work will be accomplished.

I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. That He is at the Head of it. I know that He lives and that He is the way the truth and the life. He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth where He came to die that man might live. I am grateful for His love and His sacrifice for the sake of my soul and for yours. There is not a deeper love than that of our Redeemer. it encompasses all and spans eternity! I know that He appeared with our Father in Heaven to Joseph Smith, that they called him by name and restored the gospel in its fullness. That we may receive "all that the Father hath." I know that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, another testament of Jesus Christ, spoken from out of the dust, translated by a Prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the true and living Prophet, Seer, and Revelator today. I love him and I sustain him. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to spend the next 18 months as a representative of Him whose name we bear. To walk hand in hand with Him and to bring His children Home. Jesus our only Joy be Thou! I pray that I can be an instrument in His hands and do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Dear Friends,

2009-09-22T17:33:00.003-06:00

The countdown has begun! I have very little time until I report to the MTC. You are all so important to me, so I would like to exchange addresses with you! I will receive my PO Box number when I get there and I will have someone in my dear sweet family update this blog with information throughout my Mission. But if you would like letters from me, on occasion, please post your address below! I

look forward to going back in time with y'all and getting to know you through letters!

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart. ~Phyllis Theroux

With love,

Sister Westover

♥

Mailing Address at the MTC:

Sister Nikelle Westover

Texas Lubbock Mission

Provo Missionary Training Center

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT 84604

Mission Office:

Sister Nikelle Westover

Texas Lubbock Mission

Sentry III Plaza

5214 68th St Ste 202

Lubbock, TX 79424-1523

CALLED TO SERVE! ♥

2009-09-22T17:23:00.007-06:00

On July 29, 2009 I received my Mission call! I am hereby called to serve as a Missionary of theChurchof Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Lubbock, Texas Mission! I confess it was the last place that I thought I would go but the Spirit burns deep inside of me whispering truth into my soul. I know that the people I will be teaching in Texas are those whom I knew and loved in the Home of our Father in Heaven. I will be testifying of Christ and of His gospel in English. I am glad of that. I have spent my entire life gaining and building a testimony in English and now I will be able to go forth and share it in its fullness. I pray that the Spirit will be my constant companion for now and forever more but especiallywhile in the field.

I leave on September 30, 2009. I am so anxious to go! I am

really

looking forward to this experience. But I am not serving a Mission because I think that the people are evil or wicked or because I hate all other religions and I am not going because I want to sell ours. I am going because I know that this is the true and everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and I want all others to have the opportunity to know Him and to partake of His fullness! I have always found this gospel to be

beautiful and peaceful! But until I went to the Temple I had no inkling of how glorious and beautiful it truly is. It is so complete. God loves us so much and He offers us the same eternal glory that He enjoys. This is why we came to earth. Each and every one of us desired more than anything to become like unto our Father. We knew of the hardships that would find us here. We knew that we would be separated, to come down into distinct family organizations. And even live in different dispensations of this worlds history. But it was worth it to us. We knew of the future glories and we did what we had to do. But most of our Fathers valiant children were not even born into the Covenant. This is why we become Missionaries! Because we know who we are are, why we came and what awaits us! Exaltation would be a blessing beyond dreams but to reach that point and find that there was someone waiting for me to show them the way, whom I failed, would be a Hell that I could not endure.

1 John 4:8-11"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

I am happy that the next 18 months of my life will be spent hand in hand with Christ. I hope that when I teach the people in Texas that they will feel my love for our Saviour. For I do love Him. I know that He lives! I know this with every piece of my soul! This is a gospel of love and through love it is received. I am so grateful for my family and friends! You are all a huge part of my heart and I owe much of who I am to you! Thank you! I will serve with all my heart, might, mind and strength! I will find those who are ready and I will love them! I am grateful for the blessings that I have received in my life. Especially that of being born into a Home where the gospel truths were lived and the Priesthood was honored! I know that this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ I know that the Atonement is real. I know that we have living Prophets today and that God never ceases to give direction to us. I know that God loves His children and that through faith in His Son all things are made possible!

Tagged! <3

2009-08-25T12:17:00.011-06:00

A: Age- 21, Mission age!

B: Birth year- 1988

C: Chore you hate- You know, if I'm in the right mood... anything can be fun! But I have to say that I don't really like to sweep up hair.... it gets EVERYWHERE!!

D: Dog: Cougar, Lorenzo & Max. We had to give Cougar and Lorenzo away but we now have Max and he is the sweetest dog ever!

E: Essential Start to your day - Prayers and brushing my teeth!

F: Favorite color- Green! Its the color of life!

G: Gold or Silver-I don't wear a lot of jewelry but I like them both.

H: Height- 6' 0" On Sundays 6'2"ish

I: Instruments you play - I play the Guitar a little... sadly I'm not very musically talented...

J: Joyful occasions- When I opened my mission call! Anytime that I am with family, and anytime I get to go to the Temple!

K: Kids - Someday!

L: Living Arrangements - I live at home.

M: Mothers Name- Michelle

N: Nicknames - Nikki, Kell, Kell-kell, Kell-bell, Sweetsie, PoogieDoo... all from my family. To the world I am simply Nikelle.

O: Overnight Hospital Stay Other Than Birth - No, thank goodness!!
P: Place you want to go- Ireland!! I would LOVE to go to Ireland!! And of course, TEXAS!!!

Q: Movie quote- "I'm a good girl, I am!" -Eliza Doolittle

R: Right or Left Handed - South paw.

S: Siblings -Four brothers and two sisters!

T: Time You Wake Up - 6:30am.

U: Underwear - Yes, and I highly recommend it to others....

V: Vegetable you dislike - Eggplant... yuck!

W: Workout Style - Yoga and running

X: X-Rays You've Had - Many, mostly my lounges. Never broken anything though.

Y: Yesterday's Best Moment - When I was reading Preach My Gospel! I love to read and study that book with my Scriptures!

Z: Zoo Favorite- I like the Butterfly exhibit and the Giraffes!

Tag you're it!

Aunt Shelly

Brindy

Lisa Chin

Anyone else who wants to join in!

Post Script ♥

2009-07-30T12:03:00.014-06:00

My dear friend posted this as a comment under my blog about Ashton. It moved me to the point of tears. Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem Aillie, I love you!

Autobiography

I, one of God's noble spirits came to Earth one day.
Lingered just a moment, then hurried on my way.
But, I left a body in face and form complete
which must be buried tenderly, in Earth for quite sleep.

And because two hearts were breaking they could not hear me say,
I'll claim it my darling parents on Resurrection Day.
Thank you Father and Mother for giving it to me.
With it I'll know progression through all eternity.

With it I'll be your son and make you proud and glad
Know that I work and study and never again be sad.
In God's great world of spirits there are many to be with me.
I'll learn to love and cherish all those of our family tree.

Others are waiting my parents who will love and stay with you
I had to hurry onward I had other work to do
But remember I'll be waiting, true to your earthly test
And when we meet we'll smile and say,
"What Father does is best."

"Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love." -Fanny J. Crosby

2009-07-28T13:41:00.008-06:00

Yesterday was the Birthday of my littlest brother, Ashton! He would be 15 years old. How strange it is that he has been gone from us for so long. I am glad that time has been kind to my memory and that it moves so swiftly. How I ache to see him again! How I long to know him. I don't know him as I know my other siblings and yet my love for him is eternal! He came into our home as an Angel and left the same way. I think out of all of us, a side form our mother, Bryson enjoyed the most time with Ashton. He never let him out of his sight. When mom would put him in his bouncer, Bryson was always there to keep him company. He would ask her to put Ashton in his car seat and then proceed to scoot it around on the floor like a car. They had a bond that was unbreakable! He was the proudest big brother that ever was! And at the age of 3 he was the most understanding when it came time for Ashton to leave. That morning my mom was trying to explain to Bryson where Ashton had gone. He looked at her with a puzzled face and simply said "Well duh! He went home to Heavenly Father." Where else would Ashton be? It upset him to think that we didn't understand it the way he did. I think that this is why Christ urges us to become as a little child. Why would a child ever have need to question something so pure and simple as our Heavenly Home and those that await us there? They understand because they trust.

I didn't spend as much time with Ashton as Bryson did but that little baby changed my life forever. I have a great love for him. Aside from our Savior his is the gift that I will treasure most. He came to receive a body, a Tabernacle of flesh so that he can become like unto our Father in Heaven. He came for only 5 months, such a short time and yet he altered the very fabric of our family forever. He taught me to hope and have faith in our Saviors love and Atonement. He gave me the foundation of my own personal testimony. Because of my baby brother I have a knowledge that God lives and that He has a plan for us. Its not chance. Its not a mistake. We are not alone! Our Savior lives! He lived for us, He died for us and He took up His life again that through Him all mankind might have Eternal life and Exaltation. Ashton is already worthy of this great blessing. He dwells with our Savior and aids in His works. His spirit lives on and I know that if I live worthily I will see him again! I know that Family is an eternal concept and that mine will continue on forever! I am grateful for this knowledge! I am grateful for the love of God! Indeed the more I know Him the more I feel that God is love! Happy Birthday Baby Brother! ♥

I love to see the Temple!

2009-06-25T11:06:00.008-06:00

" One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple."

-Psalm 27:4

Last night I received my Endowment in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. It was beautiful in every way! I'm grateful that we are children of a Father who has so much love! He has given us everything that we could ever need and more to return to Him. I'm grateful that He commands us to build these Houses unto Him that we may prepare our selves and enter therein to be part of these glorious Covenants and receive the blessings of Heaven! His love surpasses all love. I hope never to forget last night. I love my Heavenly Family and I know that they were there with me. I am so grateful that my family could be there to share that with me as well. My Mother was my Escort and my Dad, Brother and Sisters were all there to support me. It was wonderful to join them there! It felt like we had been there before. Just like going Home. This is a hard blog to write because of the nature of the topic but I can tell you that Eternity never seemed more clear to me than it was last night. I didn't want to leave! We went to the 8:00pm Session. I had to be there by 6:30 and by the time we left it was well past 10:00pm. My mom leaned over to me and said "... you know sweetie they open really early in the mornings... you can always come back!" Ha ha, I knew that and I plan on going back often but I simply could not make my self leave that spot. The Temple is the only place where Heaven and Earth colide and exist together. Its as if the weight of the world has been lifted off of me and I can breath. There is no more pain in my heart, only gladness and rejoicing! I am clean and I have been given promises of the most sacred and beautiful nature. Such joy I could not have imagined! I love the Lord! I love Him and I will serve Him all the days of my life! My heart is flowing with gratitude! The Priesthood is real. It is the literal power of God and I am ever grateful to those who hold and honor it! Thank you!

"The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion." Dallin H. Oaks

2009-06-02T16:12:00.020-06:00

Its amazing to me how fickle the Human "heart" is! It can change completely with no warning what so ever! Well.... maybe I did have a little warning.... In fact, this last change has been in the works for quite a while, although it did take me by surprise. It was an experience that I will never forget and it testifies to me that the Lord knows who I am... more than that... He knows my heart and how to prepare it for these changes.

I have felt the spirit of Missionary work many times in my life. It is powerful and sweet and very contagious! But as wonderful as it is I have never before had the desire to serve a full time mission. I suppose that I let my fears take the place of my faith.

My older brother, Brant, served in Guatemala. My older sister, Brindy, served in Taiwan. Do you know what its like to be the younger sibling of two successful returned missionaries??? People say things to you like "Are YOU going to serve a mission?!" or "Well, YOU'RE next!" And with your sweet, wide-eyed, grinning sister standing next to you, you simply smile and say "I'm preparing either way...." (Secretly hoping that the other part of the "either" you were referring to would swiftly come in place of the said mission!) or "Maybe someday...." (Trying not to give a straight forward answer or disappoint your lovingly eager R.M. sibling!)

But the more I heard things like this the more I ran from it! And the more I ran it seemed the more it was placed in my path.

I would pray about the plan that Heavenly Father had for me and the next week in Sacrament meeting the missionaries would be there, I would be called as a ward missionary my self, the talks in Sacrament meeting would be on Missionary service, the comments in Gospel Doctrine would be given by returned missionaries sharing things they learned on their missions and even the talks in General Conference would be centered around Missionary service! There was just no escaping it!

I felt guilty but aren't woman supposed to have the choice? And if so, shouldn't I be allowed to make that choice for the right reasons and not simply because everyone expected it of me? So, about a year ago, I made up my mind. I was not going to go on a mission. I had other plans for my life, worthy ones, but as far as I was concerned they did not include sacrificing 18 months of it at such a crucial time! But the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I have always had a love for the Temples. Ever since I was old enough to know what Temples are, I have earnestly awaited my turn to enter in and receive of the fullness of the Gospel! Well, in January of this year I started the Temple preparation class. I felt peace and joy as I went to the class each week. Excitement grew and so did my desire to serve in the Temples! But the Stake felt strongly that all young single adults who were not going on a mission, getting married or at least 24 years of age should not be admitted.

Crushed, I submitted myself and accepted this to be Gods will. I continued my preparation and hoped that 24 would come to greet me before I died! (I know, but that's how it felt!) Its a strange thing but I think that the Lord knew that I would be more incline to enter the Temple than to go on a mission... ironically one has to be Endowed before one can serve a mission. And so this was simply the beginning...

The process continued and my heart grew increasingly more open. I had that anxious feeling... you know the one where you know that it is true with every fiber of your being and you just need to share it so that you don't implode?

Well months passed by like they do and two weeks ago, Sunday, I went to Church, as usual. There was a Sister there who had just received her call. She spoke in Sacrament meeting and the Spirit was very strong. Keep in mind, I still had no desire to serve a mission... only by this time I felt like the worst person under Heaven... I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know that this is His restored Gospel and I know that there is a living Prophet who guides us with Divine direction. I know this without a doubt! Why then would I be so selfish not to share it with the rest of Gods children?! I sat there during the meeting and pondered this for a while. The questions grew and the more I thought, the worse I felt.

I had a meeting with my Bishop after the meeting block that day and he told me that he and my Stake President felt like I should consider a mission.... I should have seen that coming.... But the funny thing is that from the time that I entered his office to the time I was exiting I had decided that I was going to serve a mission. I went home and asked my Dad for his thoughts and the Spirit grew so strong... I found myself smiling as I said " I think I am going to serve a mission!" I have never said that before and honestly never expected to do so! I said it over and over again in my mind that night and the more I said it the more I wanted it. By the next day I realized all of my fear had been replaced with rejoicing! I called my Bishop and set up an appointment to meet with him. That Wednesday I had my papers, well the online link to them. I started work on them this Monday when I got back from Idaho. I am now waiting for the Doctors portion and then I will have them ready to be sent in!! I know it has all happened so quickly, but I can't deny the Spirit that I have felt. It has become a part of me and I know that it is part of Gods plan.

"... the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done" (History of the Church, 4:540).

I am so grateful for the love that Heavenly Father has for His children. He truly is mindful of us and knows what we are capable of achieving, even when we don't! I know that this is just part of His plan for my life. And I know that I can accomplish anything with His help. I love my Savior! I know that He lives! I know that this is His Gospel and that it is the ONLY way to become like Him! I am so excited to represent Him and teach others this great Plan of Happiness! It means everything to me! I am a "Future Missionary" for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints! Yea!!

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” -Rachel Carson

2009-05-19T11:41:00.014-06:00

Its amazing how renewing time in the country can be! I went to Idaho this week for Maddie's Reception and for Meredith's Bridal pictures and I had a long drive both ways all to myself. Its not the first time that I have made the drive... in fact I have been going to and fro like a titer-toter this year! But it was nice to be alone this time. I was able to think about some things that I have been avoiding. I just really needed the time away from the world. It seems funny for me to say... seeing as how I am from Utah and its not exactly known for its city life... but My Grandparents live in Homedale, up by the Oregon border, and I love how open it is! It's space not just air. Time doesn't rule over you when you're out there. I love that! You are simply free to be who you are. You are surrounded by the Lords handy work and the people who cultivate it. They work hard but they seem have their priorities in order. Its a simple life, but its full of joy and they measure their success based on how hard they work at something worth working for. I went to church with my Grandparents on Sunday and I was very impressed with the ward there. We had our Sunday-school lesson on Doctrine & Covenants 109. It's the Kirtland Temple Dedicatory prayer. We were talking about the sacrifices that the early saints made compared to those that we make for Temple service. It really struck me that for the majority of the members, it is a big sacrifice to make time to go to the Temple... the nearest Temple from Homedale is an hour away... within one hour of my house there are 10 Temples... It was heartbreaking to me that they were so far, yet they rejoiced that they were so close! Here too it is a stretch to find time, as sad as that is. It's so easy to get caught up in the feverish rush of life. Going here and there with no time in between to keep our spiritual tanks full. I have to admit that there was a time when I became very selfish. The world was dark to me and held no glory. Color was dull and I was so consumed in my own misfortune that I could not see things clearly. But I have been trying... I really truly want to live the plan that the Lord has for me and the more I want this the more I can feel the Constance of the Holly Ghost. The world is full of splendor! It grows with the strength of the Sun. It falls from Heaven to Earth. It sweeps around us like a whisper and breathes Gods love and it is when our desires are in line with His that we see things the way they truly are, we see things the way He sees them and they are beautiful!! It was so hard to leave this time! I wish I could just stay but I know that I can have that same joy and success in my life if I just remember what its all about and strive everyday to be closer to Heavens arms!

Mother of mine, how you shine & I will love you forever! ♥

2009-05-10T18:19:00.009-06:00

"The sweetest sounds to mortals given are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven."
-William Goldsmith Brown

Today I celebrate the mothers that not only gave me life but have brought the Gospel light into my life! I celebrate my Mother & my Grandmother! These woman have taught me to love my Savior, to trust Him, to seek His Spirit and allow Him to dwell in my heart. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for woman, He loves us and He knows our potential! I am grateful for Mothers who teach us that plan! I love you Mommy! I love your sweet spirit! I love that you taught me the gospel and that you always urge me to listen to the still small voice! I love that you taught me how to pray, that you taught me reverence and respect for family and all things that pertain to the Gospel! Thank Heaven for Mothers!! I am grateful for Grandmothers too! I love you Grandma! Thank you for always being there with a hug and a smile! Thank you for being such an example to my Dad! Because of you, I have two parents who know and love the Lord and have taught me to walk in His way! I love these woman! What strength they are to me!

Today is also a day for pondering the mother that I will be one day... I actually think about this all the time... I know that no one ever feels like they are a perfect mother and I know that I will certainly have my moments but I want to be the best I can be! I want to aid in the building up of Zion. I know that this will begin in my home and that I will need to have the Constance of the Spirit to accomplish this! I want my children to know & love the Lord. I want to be a mother like those of the Stripling Warriors!

Alma 56:47-48
Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Their mothers knew the Lord, they loved him and they knew that the He would bless them for their faith. This knowledge was a comfort in their lives and they were able to teach their children to have that same faith. They were then able to go forward with hope knowing that they would be blessed in their trials.
We are fighting a spiritual war and there are time when we lose the battle. We are defeated and feel tattered and warn but the Lord will win the war. His light will encompass the whole Earth and we will be set free, if we fight on the side of righteousness and truth. This is why it is such a wonderful thing to be a mother! We are entrusted with the children of God and it is our job to arm them for this war that rages all around us. I am so grateful for the love and strength of my mother! I know that she loves the Lord and that she has given me that armor! I want to be like you mom! Happy Mothers Day! ♥

"The greater your ability to trust in the Creator, the greater your ability to create." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

2009-04-28T20:51:00.007-06:00

I have been really deep in thought lately, I talk to my self all day every day... Sometimes I wish I could find the switch to my inner dialog and at least turn the volume down! I took a trip to Logan last week and on the drive I got so lost in my own thoughts that I missed the Exit to Brigham City and had to go through Tremonton... I didn't realize this until I saw the sign pointing to Pocatello Idaho! Haha, I probably would have missed the Exit anyway but as I drove, I couldn't help but stare at the beauty of the Earth around me. I really enjoyed my little adventure! I was just awe struck and I wished I could paint each ray of light, each tree and the contrast of its new leaves against the aged bark, each misty cloud sitting on the gray mountains all around and the lush green grass in all the Fields I passed. I wanted to somehow capture it and soak it all in so that I could keep it with me forever. I have been thinking a lot about the Temple and in my preparation I have really been drawn to all of Gods creations, I see the beauty and marvel at His love for us! It really makes me excited in a way too... I mean think about it... God is the most accomplished, knowledgeable, artist in every medium possible. He knows the law of color, of light and every facet and detail that is remotely relevant to what He is working with and this is what He offers to us! What a wonderful future we have to look forward to if we are faithful and true to our covenants! He truly is our Master, the Creator of Heaven and Earth the very Father of us all and He cares about us. He cares that when we see a beautiful Sunset or a field of lavender and green, it lights our hearts and makes that moment seem to sing... I love Him for that! I love Him for never expecting us to make it on our own, I know that I never could! I rely on Him daily and I am sure He wearies of my endless babel... and yet I know that He doesn't! Such love is incomprehensible to me, but oh how I am grateful for it! I am grateful That He is always there, because I know that I am never just talking to myself... I have a loving Father in Heaven who is listening, a Savior who understands and Heavenly Hosts to aid me in my trials. What a beautiful thing that is to know!

Change always comes bearing gifts. ~Price Pritchett

2009-03-10T21:11:00.007-06:00

Once again life is changing all around us! I have really learned to like this aspect of life. Without change there can be no growth. I love the winter, the wold all in white. How appropriate it is that we celebrate Christmas in such a season. But how I have longed for this next stage in the worlds progression, and in my own. I took a short trip to Idaho this last week to visit my wonderful family and I saw the most beautiful thing since the first snow... GREEN! My Grandparents live in Homedale surrounded by hills, planes, orchards, vineyards, farms and the homes of the families that own them. I always love to visit this seemingly idealistic spot. But I cannot express how glorious it was to see that rolling green hill! I made my mother pull over so that I could take it all in and capture a picture to show you! Spring is such an exciting time! New life budding all around. And as with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, what once was dead, now lives and quite literally the world springs forth her fruit! How true it is that all things shall confess the Lord and at His hand all things come forth. I feel my Saviors love in all the world around me! How marvelous and complete our Heavenly Fathers plan for us is and how beautiful the symbolism that surrounds us! Not only has He offered us this gift of Salvation but He placed us on an Earth that constantly reminds us of Him! Happy Spring to us all!

Be My Valentine ♥

2009-02-14T14:14:00.003-07:00

Happy Valentines Day! Although it does, generally speaking, bring sore feelings for those of us who are single, I have always really loved this wonderful holiday! What a neat thing that the world actually sets aside a day to celebrate the ones we love and to be grateful for the sweet things in life! Just as with Christmas, there is always an excitement in the air that just seems to linger around and tickle at your curiosity. I want to take a minute to express my love and appreciation for my wonderful family. I could never ask for more! I am grateful for the love and care they have for me. I know that the bonds that we are building started long ago and they will continue on forever. I love that I can be with them forever and always! I love them all so dearly, I can't imagine my life without them. Isn't it amazing how much you truly can grow to care for someone? I am so glad that we have such a privilege, to give of our hearts and become close to someone else... what a lonely place this Earth would be without that! In fact, its so important that it is a commandment, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12
The more we extend this great gift of love, the more we will become like our Savior. For in Him is the infinite source of Unconditional Love. I feel my Saviors love. I know that He lives and that His arm of mercy has enfolded me. He is mindful of me and I see evidence of it daily. How it bemuses me that He can have such a love for a person like myself. I hope to become like Him, to love all around me and feel of the joy that comes with it!

"To love another person is to see the face of God."-Les Miserables

I hope that you all have a wonderful Valentines day! ♥

X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥ X ♥

A friend is a second self. -Aristotle

2009-01-30T12:15:00.007-07:00

Okay, so I was tagged in a Note on Facebook and decided that it was fun enough to bring to the Blogger world! So this is 25 random, quirky things about me and I fully expect you to do this too! I would really like to get to know you all better! :)

1) I love to see the Temple!

2) My favorite color is GREEN!

3) The sound of running water calms me.

4) I love the smell of chlorine....

5) I loved the show "Mr. Goodbody" Don't ask me why, I was just intrigued by it.

6) I love to read! I’m currently reading “The Majesty of Gods Law” by: W. Cleon Skousen. And "Jane Eyre" by: Charlotte Brontë , so far its wonderful!

7) I only have one sister who is four years older than I am.... but she is my best friend! ♥

8) I collect tea sets/ tea cups.

9) I dream in Black and White.

10) I love ART!

11) I like to collect neat quotes. "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves" -James Barrie

12) When I was little, the toys we had required imagination. So, when my friend introduced me to Teddy Ruxpin, I ran all the way home screaming out of pure terror! Haha.

13) I love our fireplace! We haven’t had one for the last 12 years…

14) I love the snow but I'm ready for the spring.

15) I like to play with anything moldable… like, clay, silly putty, sticky tack, rubber cement…

16) I love to do hair and make-up.

17) I have a dog named Maximus who looks like a miniature Wookiee.

18) I am left handed but do most things with my right hand.

19) I love to laugh, long and loud and clear.... :)

20) I love Yoga.

21) I want to see WICKED again! It was amazing!

22) My favorite flower is the Peony.

23) I would rather have appercot preserves than strawberry or raspberry jam…. Then again, just give me the appercot!

24) I'm decisively indecisive. Wait! No....yeah I am.

25) I LOVE my Family!

TAG YOU'RE IT!

Lisa

Caroline

Lauren

Aunt Shelly

Aunt Pam

Tiffany

Kirsti

Rachael

Brienne

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” -Vincent van Gogh

2009-01-26T14:43:00.032-07:00

I wish I had anything of substance to say to you... but I have had the most awful cold! The sad thing is that it hit me on the weekend, making my "free time" completely miserable! So, what is there to do when you are stuck in the house, without a voice feeling like your head is full of dust and an elephant is sitting on your chest? Well, I grabbed a box of Kleenex and chose something to watch to take my mind off of not being able to breath... But, did I watch the usual Musical? Or Doris Day movie? Or perhaps one of my Jane Austin favorites? Nope! I watched.....dun dun Dunn... STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION! It was really fun! I watched the entire 6th season in about three days... Of course, I didn't know that it was the 6th season until Brindy informed me while I was watching the LAST DISC! I was pretty upset... I don't usually watch things out of order... things like this typically have an order for a reason and I like to stick with it! But, I was left with no other choice. I simply have to watch the rest of the seasons knowing that Counselor Deana Troi and Commander William Riker will STILL NOT BE TOGETHER after 6 SEASONS!!! Such troublesome news, some people are just meant to be together! Haha, I'm just glad I don't have to wait for them to air before I can watch them! My parents watched the show when I was younger but it was always on right around my bed time. So even if I had understood the adult humor, I didn't have the late night privileges that Brant and Brindy enjoyed being 6 and 4 years older than me. Oh well, it's finally my turn to discover the galaxy with our Starfleet friends! One to beam up! I think I will wait to watch anymore until I'm better though... Cold meds and Star Trek don't seem to mix well with me... I'm not very fond of dreaming about Wharf or the Farangi at night... Haha!

* WARNING * This post may contain "cheese"

2009-01-15T15:51:00.011-07:00

I think that there is a Princess or Prince (for you boys… if boys actually read my blog…) that each of us can relate to. I also think that there is something that each of the stories can teach us regardless.

I grew up watching old movies. One of them was the Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Okay, so this one isn’t that old… but still, I loved the songs and the magic of the story came to life for me each time I watched it! One of the songs, that Cinderella sings, goes something like this "In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be. On the wing of my fancy I can fly anywhere and the world will open its arms to me." I think that the point of the story of Cinderella is often misunderstood. It is not about magic. It is not even about "rags to riches". It is about realizing your dreams. BUT there is a difference between losing your head in the clouds and dreaming your life away and knowing what you want and doing everything you can to make it a reality. Cinderella, if you take away the magic, is just a girl who knew what she wanted and found a way to get it. But, how did she achieve her dream? She allowed herself to believe that it was possible "For a plain country bumpkin and a Prince to join in marriage" Haha, really though, she believed that what she wanted was a real possibility. I think that too many times we have a dream and then convince our selves that that dream is unattainable. "In my own little corner... I can be what ever I want to be!" Everyone has a place where they are free to be and not worry about what is supposed to be. That place is the imagination. We just need to visit more often! There is a quote that I love by Albert Einstein "The imagination is everything; it is the preview of life's coming attractions."

Okay, although I learned something from our dear little cinder girl... she is not the Princess that I am most compatible with. Can you guess? I would be surprised if you did. I didn't even come up with the similarity my self! Brindy and I were talking one morning, as we were getting ready for the day, about this very topic and I think she hit it right on the nose.

I am Snow White! Haha... If you know me personally you are probably laughing too... because I am quite pail. But this, surprisingly, is not the only comparison that we can make between me and Snow White. I pulled the video off the shelf last week, out of sheer interest, to see if it was true. I haven't seen Snow White since I was little and frankly, it always scared me! But I really liked it this time! When Snow White is introduced to us she is cleaning the steps in a courtyard, day dreaming, she goes over to a well and sings the wishing song. Her company is a flock of Doves. She is then joined by Prince Charming, for lack of any other name, and it frightens her. She goes inside but soon after regrets that decision! He sings to her as she stands on the balcony and she falls in love. Now before you think I am just rambling, I found this interesting because in this one scene, they show the spectrum of her personality and the motives for each color that represent the different traits. I happen to be a white personality with blue & yellow as my secondary colors, according to "The Color Code" book written by Taylor Hartman, and from the looks of it, so is Snow White. I'll explain more about this as we go

Whites are motivated by peace.
Blues are motivated by intimacy.
Yellows are motivated by fun.

Okay so we all know this story but here is a quick recap. Her Step Mother, the Queen, was vein and jealous. She instructed the Hunter to take Snow White out to "pick wild flowers" and bring her heart back in a box... eew! The Hunter falls at her feet and begs her to flee and never return. While she is running, it seems as if the world is attacking her! She is completely overwhelmed and falls to the ground, crying. When she looks up, the world is just how it should be, and all of the eyes that had been peering out at her, she could now see, belong to fluffy little bunnies and other cute animals, just wanting to be her friend. This, sadly, I can relate to. Sometimes it seems as if I haven’t a friend in the world and everything is out to get me. But if I can just have a minute to collect myself and be reassured that someone cares, the world is set to right. And my idealistically optimistic side comes out to play. Well, she ends up in the care of the Seven Dwarfs or rather; the Seven Dwarfs end up in the care of Snow White. Ha! During her stay with the dwarfs, something funny happens. We get an opportunity to see her White, Blue and Yellow personality traits and how they work together!

She opens the door to the cottage and takes a look around and, oh my! It’s such a mess! Naturally, being a girl, she thinks to clean it up. But her motive in doing so is that when they, the strangers who live there, see what she has done for them, they will be accepting of her and wish her to stay. - (White) However, it’s a lot of work! So, she tries to find a way to make the time pass happily. -(Yellow) So, one of the things that Snow White teaches us is that when a task seems daunting and completely unpleasant, Like cleaning a house that seven men live in that has never been cleaned before, you can always find something to do to make it fun. Like singing a song about whistling and delegating most of the work to furry little animals! Now we know that white personalities are the unmotivated peace keepers and that yellow personalities are the day dreamers and fun seekers... so how on earth did she manage to be so on top of it? She has a touch of blue! Blues are nurturing but are also natural leaders. Thus the fact that she was able to lead the animals in the task of cleaning the house... I think it’s very neat that an animated character can have a personality so in depth, its fun to see the similarities!

So next she meets the dwarfs. At first they think that she is a monster and when they find out she is in fact the Princess Snow White and that she can make Gooseberry Pies, they are thrilled to keep her! I just wish I was as good at making pie crust as she is… : ) The next day while she is making the pies, the wicked Queen, dressed as an old peddler woman, comes to the cottage and suggests the apples instead. Snow White invites her into the house and the Queen tells her that one of the apples is a “Magic Wishing Apple” and convinces her to take a bite. She falls into a deep sleep. However, there is a catch! She can be awakened by loves first kiss… so the dwarfs obviously arrive too late to save her and assume she is dead. But they can’t find it in there hearts to bury her, so they fasten a glass coffin and place her in a beautiful grove with the seasons changing all around her. Prince Charming finds her, shares a kiss with her and when she wakes up, carries her away to his Castle in the clouds. I can only relate to two things in this part of the story… first, neither of us know the name of our Prince and second we both have yet to give loves first kiss. Haha! Okay, okay! I’m done, so now it’s your turn! Which one are you?

Tag YOU'RE it!
Brindy
Lauren

Caroline

Aunt Pam ;)
And anyone else who wishes to join in on the fun!

“So live that your memories will be part of your happiness”

2009-01-12T18:10:00.008-07:00

My Aunt Shelly tagged me. I am supposed to post the 4th picture from the 4th album in my computer and I must say, its very silly! What a fun way to share random memories though!

This is my little brother Bryson. We took a family vacation to California, twice, this summer. Once for my cousin Erin's wedding and a month later for her sister Kim's wedding. We stayed in Vegas on our way to the weddings and this particular time we stayed in the Venetian. It was a blast! This was taken right before we went down to the pool... When we got there we found that the pool was right next to a formal restaurant with large glass windows looking into the pool area. The only people that were at the pool were sitting around it... It sat in a room that gave one the feeling of being in a Venetian garden. It was beautiful! There were statues all around. Plants lined the walk ways that lead from the main pool to the warm pool and back around to the hot tubs. There were Beautiful fountains in the pools. Even the tiles were amazing! Each piece unique in size, shape and color. The sealing was made of glass and the brilliance of the stars shone down on us. We first situated in a hot tub that was hidden by shrubberies, as we were somewhat intimidated by the formality of it all. Until we were joined by a couple that made it a tad awkward for us to stay. So we moved to the main pool and there in front of the restaurant, with glamorous people inside it, we played "Marco Polo"... Haha! We had so much fun! I'm glad that we were able to let go and play together like we did as kids! I love my family!

Tag YOU'RE it!

Lauren

Connie

Lisa

United We Stand... Divided We Fall!

2009-01-06T18:09:00.009-07:00

Life is a crazy thing. One moment you have it all figured out and the next you are upside down, or in my case, on my bottom on the ice-covered parking lot floor, wondering, "How on earth did I let that happen?!" Now, the fact that I fell is not the purpose for this blog. It's really more the things leading up to that point. I let myself become vulnerable. I put my self out there hoping that others would do the same. Although being open is a good thing, I realized that I was afraid of what would happen to my unguarded heart if rejection should come my way again. I had an experience once, where I held nothing back, I gave and gave and in the end, I wasn't wanted. I blamed myself and became like a little girls diary, I put a lock on my heart and nervously guarded the key from prying eyes. It took time to open up again. To trust again. This expiriance was not a good one... but I admit, my reaction was worse than the events that caused it. We should never be afraid to love, to be loved or to accept people for who they are. Sometimes, in an attempt at saving myself from the pain of rejection I avoid it altogether. I unknowingly and quietly step into the background, causing me to seem uninterested. Unfortunately, this prevents people from getting to know me beyond what they see. I am not ignorant, naive, or shallow. I am a thinking, feeling, beating, breathing, living, human being. I am just like you. I know that we are all different. Our thoughts are unique and we all have our own needs. But if we could step outside of that, just for an instant, we would see that we are not so very alone in what we feel. We all have a need to be accepted. We are all looking for someone to care about and to care about us in return, and none of us can do it alone. Have you ever wondered why we weren't just sent down to Earth one at a time? Haha, of course not! Because we all know that would be absurd! But truly, its because we can't do it alone! I will be the first to say it... I NEED YOU! :)

Joy to the world!

2008-12-19T13:22:00.009-07:00

This season has always been one for great reflection in my life. On December 25th We acknowledge the birth of the literal Son of God come to redeem all mankind with a promisse of eternal life. And the very next day, my family remembers one who left us with a reason to have hope in that marvolous gift the Savior gave. Ashton Mark Westover is my youngest brother and he returned to our Heavenly Home 15 years ago on December 26th. This heartache has also been a blessing to me personally. I know it sounds wrong to say that... but you must understand that God gives us opportunities to experience pain so that we may learn to rely on Him and gain grater faith in His Son. As a child, I came to an understanding of Gods plan and how it can truly be the "Plan of Happiness" for me and all of those who believe.

As I think of all the things I have learned and felt this year, my heart is ever more filled with His love. I know that He lives! I know it with all that I am. I have learned to depend on His strength instead of my own. Because of some trials this last year, I was caused to think about a few things, the most important being, "What is the mission of the Savior in our lives?" These are some of my thoughts on the matter.

To understand what His mission is, we must come to knowledge of who He is.

In Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie It says this of the “NAME OF CHRIST”

“Christ is the name given of the Father whereby salvation and all things incident thereto may be attained. It is the name the saints take upon them in the waters of baptism the name by which they are called and which they worship and which they use to seal their prayers. It is the name in which the saints serve God, work miracles, speak prophecies, and do all things.
Use of the name of Christ centers one’s faith in him and constitutes a solemn affirmation as to where all power and authority lies. For God the Father “Hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and in the earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”- (Philip. 2:9-11.)”

Use of the Name of Christ surly has more power than we think. The times that I need it the most are often the times when I forget to ask. As I have struggled this past year, I have come to rely more on Him and have found refuge in His name. I have found a love within me, a love of my Savior and thereafter a love for all of His children. I know that He lives, that He is Omnipotent and that He is willing to share all that He has with those who believe on His name.

“President Harold B. Lee often said that our testimonies have to be reborn everyday. I believe that is true. My testimony of this wonderful work grows every day. I know that God lives. I know He lives. I have seen too much and experienced too much to ever deny it. He lives. He is my Father, and the Savior is my Savior in every sense of that word. If I can just be one more voice to say that God lives and that this is His work, I will be satisfied.” -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

She goes on to quote a scripture in; MATTHEW 16:15-17
“Jesus saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven.”

“Surly a testimony is something that we cannot get in any other way. We must get it through the Holy Ghost. If one person could give it to another all parents who possessed it would give it to their children. It cannot be bought with money. It can be had only when we have made ourselves worthy and have sought the Lord in humility and diligence. Then it will surely be ours.”

Her sweet testimony, simple though it may be, is the testimony of one who knows the mission of the Savior in her life. This is a knowledge that we must come to personally and through the Spirits revelation as we pray in His name and study His words and the words of His Prophets.

We are all familiar with the painting that depicts the Savior knocking on the door without a latch. It symbolizes the fact that we must receive Him into our lives by opening the door. I, for one, have seen this picture countless times in my life… but always struggled to know how I was supposed to actually open that door. It was in study that I came to know, it is not in some monumental event that the door to our soul is opened but in small things. It is through taking His name upon us daily, in sealing our prayers with it, in serving others and having willing hands and obedient hearts. As we do these things we will be worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit and will receive the love of the Savior in our lives. We will come to a more perfect understanding of the Atonement and how to apply it personally.

We read of the Atonement in ALMA 7:11-13
“And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.“

I love verse 13. It says that “the Spirit knoweth all things” Still He chose to Atone for each of us that He may know our hearts individually. He knows our Sins, our Temptations and our Infirmities. And He is the only one who can help us overcome them. He does so because He loves us and He wants us to be worthy to live with Him again and to receive all that the Father has.

In Preach My Gospel, It says this, speaking of the Atonement
“As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
In paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus did not, however, eliminate our personal responsibility. We must show that we accept Him and that we will follow His commandments. Only through the gift of the Atonement can we return to live with God.”

This is the mission of the Savior in our lives. He is our advocate with the Father. He is the One Sure Way, The Rock, and the Redeemer. He suffered all things for us and He pleads for us to hear and follow his voice… but the choice is ours.

I know that God lives. I know it and I love His work! I know that the power of the Atonement is real. I have used it in my own life and have felt the peace, joy and relief that it offers. I know that Jesus is the Christ, that this is His Church. I know that it was restored with the proper authority through the Prophet Joseph Smith and that it was organized with the same ordinances and principals that Christ established during His mortal ministry. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Him. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the true and living Prophet today and that he guides us through inspiration. My prayer is that each of us will be able to open the door to our hearts and let Him in. That our testimonies can be reborn every day and that our faith in Him and in His infinite Atonement will burn deeper into our souls. I leave this with you in His name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

" Be true to who you are and the family name you bare." - Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-11-04T18:46:00.012-07:00

The thing that I love the deepest is family. Family is where we belong. It is what makes a house a "Home". It is where our stories begin and the only thing we can take with us when our stories end. I don't believe that there is anything more important in this life than family. I come from a very strong "Family Tree" and I strive to be true the name I have been given.

On October 27, 2008 Damon Brant Westover was welcomed into our family as the son of Brant and Sheleen Westover. I am so overjoyed to be the Aunt of this sweet angel! He couldn't possibly be more loved! Damon was born 5 weeks early and was only 5 lbs 13 oz. But he is healthy and strong and every inch a Westover!

"A sister by blood, A friend by choice."

2008-11-03T15:13:00.006-07:00

I have a sister called Brindy. Brindy makes me laugh! She tells me everything she thinks (most of the time while she is in the process of thinking it.) She tells me what she likes, what she doesn't like and all of the stories that she collects from day to day life. She tries very hard to listen to me, and cares about me more than anyone could. I love my sister!

"A Sister is God's way of proving He doesn't want us to walk alone"

This MUST be true because my sister absolutely, positively, does NOT like to be alone! Brindy and I have shared a bedroom for many years. Mostly by choice. Well now that we are in our new home we all have our own rooms and I admit, it has been a bit of an adjustment even for me. Its a strange feeling to be in a big, quiet, room all by yourself! Well last night something happened that will make you giggle a little, I am sure! Just as I was finally ready for the night and on my way to dream land... Brindy and our little brother Bryson started calling my name from the other room. "This better be good." was my reply as I stumbled into Brindy's room to ask her what she needed. On the floor of her room was a pile of blankets... I knew them at once! They were the ones that live on Bryson's bed. Bryson appeared in the doorway behind me holding a VHS and Brindy announced, with glee, "Heidi!" "NO! I wont leave my nice, warm, perfectly tucked in, soft bed to sleep on your floor..." I said, on my way to collect my bedding. Just then I heard, " OK! We'll come to you!" Well they all came in Brindy, Bryson, Max (the dog) and Heidi. Bryson and Max on the floor cuddled in a mound of quilts, Heidi in the VCR and Brindy and I both taking half of my TWIN size bed. I should explain to Brindy that "twin size" doesn't mean that two people should sleep on it... Haha! It's funny but I don't mind. I could probably tell you many more such stories. I'm glad that I have a sister who loves to spend time with me. I know that we have a bond that others don't and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

我爱我的姐妹 ♥

"Shake and Shake the Ketchup bottle, none'll come and then a lot'll!"

2008-10-22T16:50:00.002-06:00

I'm not a big shopper. Never really have been, in fact, I believe the last time that I bought pants for school was last fall. I have been going to school year round so naturally some of my pants have died off since then. Actually my last pair perished yesterday.

I was at school and some of the girls decided to make a poster for a girl who was coming back from a leave. If you know me, you know that glue and I are NOT friends! But I thought, why not? So I dug deep down inside me to grasp at whatever "craftiness" I had in there and started work on "bedazzling" the poster. I was squeezing the tube of glue and it seemed stuck, so what did I do? I squoze HARDER! And what did it do? It all came POURING out of the back of the tube! It took me a while to get it off my hands but it was impossible to save my poor pants. Sad day! I didn't get to work on the poster at all... :(

So today, I ordered myself a pair of pants from the GAP online (they don't sell pants long enough for me in the actual store.) And when I went to check out, it asked me if the purchase was a gift... well, I thought, Its like a gift, from me... to me! So for free it wrapped my pants like a preasent and even let me personalize a card for myself! This made up for my loss of the year-old, glue-stained pants for sure! If only there were a place I could go to get the "craftiness" gene. Oh well, I guess for now I'll just abstain from playing with glue.

* So, the moral of the story... Our trials will work together for our good and if we look hard enough we can find a gift in every life experience!

"The imagination is everything, it is the preview of life's coming attractions." -Albert Einstein

2008-10-17T10:49:00.000-06:00

I wish I could live in a dream. My dreams are so simple and peaceful. It makes life seem so rash and complex. I dream in black and white. Sometimes, I see color, usually in someones eyes... I'm not sure what that means. I don't see the world before me as in real life. I don't usually even see the people in my dreams, just a glimpse now and then. I just know that it's all there. I know the texture without feeling it. I know the scent without smelling it. I know the color without seeing it. I know the tone without hearing it. I know shape and size and emotion without ever being told that it's there. The dream world is a wonderful place where our hearts desires and fears are all made known to us in the most bazaar ways. Just as in life, in dreams we must take the bad with the good. But think if we could allow our selves so see the way we see in a dream. Just think, if we could be so perceptive in our waking lives...

The real discoveries in life are the ones we make inside ourselves. To really know and understand myself and to honestly seek and follow the will of God for me would be the most remarkable thing I could achieve in this life. Most of the time I am afraid to believe in myself enough to make my dreams a reality. I get caught up in the fear of the unknown and end up locking my heart and living as if my dreams were simply something that I visit in a world beyond my own. How much I am missing! I have slowly been able to turn the key that keeps them bound and slowly into my world are being let the beauties that have been created within me.

"Make beautiful everything around you..."

"The greater your ability to trust in the Creator, the greater your ability to create."-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I hope to have the trust in Him, one day, to live in a dream.

Just a Spoon full of Sugar!

2008-10-14T11:09:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to be a baby-sitter again! Something that I have missed very much! This particular family I have baby-sat, from time to time, for about 10 years. I woke up early and drove the car-pool to school and even got to stay for the first hour to be the "Room Mother". The Teacher must have missed it when I introduced myself as the Nanny because at the end of the time she came up to me, with a puzzled face, and asked "Now... whose Mother are you?" I had to laugh to myself... the class was full of 11 year old kids...I must look good for being in my mid 30's... haha!

There is nothing sweeter to me, then spending my days with children. I wish I could just forget all about money and school and just be a nanny again. There is however one drawback to this... you get emotionally attached to children that are not your own and one day, its time for you to go. But the hugs and the sward fights are so hard to say goodbye to!

"Listen to and sing the music of heaven." - Elder William R. Bradford

2008-10-07T18:11:00.002-06:00

I watched "Emma Smith, My Story" the movie this week. I wasn't looking for spiritual guidance at the time, honestly, just something to do. I watched it alone, but the Spirit was so strong that I didn't mind. In the story, it shows her compiling the Hymns. In all the things she was called to bear in her life, the Lord chose to have her focus on the Hymns, a seemingly simple thing to do. But why?

"Inspiring music may fill the soul with heavenly thoughts, move one to righteous action, or speak peace to the soul."
President Ezra Taft Benson

My Dad told us, growing up, that as a child he noticed that his grandparents never used the Hymn book. They knew the Hymns by heart and sang them as an active part of their worship. That made an impact on him and he has made it a goal to be the same.

To my surprise, the Sunday before Conference, I was able to sing all of the Hymns, in the meetings I attended, without using my Hymn book... I didn't notice this until the closing song in my last meeting when I found myself not knowing the words to the second verse... this troubled me! I found that when I was singing without relying on the book I was able to focus on the words of the Hymn and extend and deepen the level of my worship. It was a very sweet feeling, one that I hope to continue to have throughout my life. As I learn the words to these precious songs, I feel a deeper connection to the Gospel truths I have known since I was a child.

My personal testimony started when I was 6 years old. My littlest brother, Ashton, passed away that year. At the Funeral we sang, Families Can Be Together Forever. I felt those words Peirce my soul each time I sang them. Music had a profound impact on my life. I am grateful that the Lord understands the power of song and that He saw fit to admonish Emma to compile the Hymns to bring us closer to Him!

"Come what may and love it." -Madeline Bitner Wirthlin

2008-10-04T19:23:00.002-06:00

Hello!
Thank you for reading my first Blog Post!

-A little about my self, I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. I was born into this faith and as a result have lived my life knowing of the truthfulness of the Gospel.

It has rained all day today and I have felt as if it were a symbol of a new beginning for me. I have had some trials in my life lately that, as much as I hate it, hardened my heart a little. In this stage of change I have come to know that the adversities we face in our lives can be blessings to us. Joseph B. Wirthlin gave us 4 steps in realizing this;

1. Learn to Laugh
2. Seek for the Eternal
3.Understand the principal of compensation
4.Put your trust in God

The Lord has taken me in His arms and has given me a chance to replace the despair with hope. Gratitude is growing in my heart and this blog post, although it quite possibly will never be read, is a way for me to express it. Kind of like a Journal... neat!

Today I watched the first two sessions of The 178th Annual General Conference! They announced 5 new Temples this morning!
They are;

Calgary Alberta Temple
Córdoba Argentina Temple
Kansas City Temple
Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple
Rome Italy Temple

This news was not all unexpected but surly wonderful! The Lords promise that Temples will Dot the Earth is being made manifest in my life time... this brings joy to me! I love the Temple! It is through the Temples that everything that is dear to me, can be mine for eternity! And now, more and more of Gods children will be able to receive these blessings!

So, one of the talks given was by Silvia H. Allred. Her topic was missionary work....
She said this;

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift we can give"

This brings up a very hard thing for me... now don't run away with your thoughts silly... I love missionary work and I believe that what she said is true. However, I have been in constant conflict with myself for the past few years. You see, I am 20 years and almost 8 months old... "Wow, so old..." you may be saying, most likely while rolling your eyes... well allow me tell you why this matters to me.
When a young woman reaches the age of 21, she is available to serve a mission. Young men are told that it is their responsibility. It is a mater of duty and they get to go at a much more convenient age... well young women are told that it is their choice. What does that mean, my choice? I have asked myself that many times. What I have come to realize doesn't make my choice any easier. The Lord loves me. He gave me agency and with that agency I get to choose between two good things. He will not take that from me and tell me to go, although sometimes I wish he would. He will not tell me to stay home either because me going on a mission would have life changing consequences (good ones of course) not only for me and my family, but those who I would serve. Part of me longs for this. To serve in a part of the world that I don't know. To meet and love people who need to know what I know. To be able to go to the Temple...wow, I can't tell you what that would mean to me! But Part of me, well is scared. What exactly is my work supposed to be? Where am I most needed? This is where my conflict is. I feel the spirit when I hear about missionary work, I served as a ward missionary, I went on "Splits" with the sisters when I lived in Lehi.... I know what missionary work is and I know that it is wonderful. My older brother, Brant, went on a mission to Guatemala. We had some amazing experiences with his mission, as a family. My older sister, Brindy, went on a mission to Taiwan. The blessings of Heaven were opened unto our family yet again! Do I go and follow in their footsteps? Do I stay and serve in other ways? I know that it is for me to choose and I know that either way, I can do the Lords work but wow! What food for thought, yeah?