The Power of God's Chosen Servant

The last few conference sessions I have always tried to prepare myself for the conference sessions and to pray during the week before and ask that I might be prepared for the messages and that the messages will contain guidance for my life today. Sadly I really hadn't had time to prepare this time. The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. I had been home mostly during sleeping hours. I had been working 10-12hr days typically leaving before 8am if not 7:20, and then working all day and then running to whatever other commitment I had had. Then I would return home around 9 or 10pm. Then I would quickly get ready for bed, quickly pray and grab my scriptures and quickly read a few verses, perhaps a chapter, and tumble into bed. And in the prayer I would mumble some expression of "please bless me to learn from Conference" if I even remembered to think about upcoming conference.

I had really taken no thought of what to pray about. I was just too busy to really think about what I truly needed. Or at least I allowed myself to be that way.

This year my roommates and I and a few of our friends from our branch were able to get tickets to Saturday Morning Session. We drove down the night before around 9:30pm and arrived at our hotel about 1am. And crashed around 2am. And got to wake up around 4 hours later at 6am so that we could get ready and take the Trax up to downtown and make it to the morning session. Thankfully we got to conference about 9am so we had about an hour to wait for conference to begin. We were able to get seats in the 3rd row of our section of the upper balcony. It was so calming to just sit there, without something else to day while I waited. To just listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir warm up and feel the spirit that was there. This time I truely had time to ponder and wait for the messages to begin.

Conference began and President Monson gave an opening address like none other. We were excited at the temples, but it was the topic that he addressed after those announcements that I know I and a couple of the guys that I was with, needed to here.

President Monson always uses some story or experience to share to help get his point across. But this time, this address, he did not mix words in anyway. This is what he said.

"Now before we hear from our speakers this morning may I mention a matter close to my heart and which deserves our serious attention, I speak of missonary work. "... "I repeat what prophets have long taught" ... "Young men I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary." At that moment there was no question that the prophet of the Lord had stated that it was the duty of each young man to serve a mission. Then he continued to say concerning sisters- "While you do not have the same priesthood you also make a valuable contribution as missionaries and we value your service. " Confirmation that I was making a wise decision to serve a mission. The song following that opening address was We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet I again had it confirmed to me that Thomas S. Monson is called as our modern day prophet and that he is our Father's chosen servant at this time.

There were so many amazing and powerful speakers in that session, and all of them seemed as if the topic was exactly what I needed. Especially President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's address about Simplicity and not adding business to our lives. A topic that I've greatly needed.

I am forever greatful for the tickets that we got to the Saturday Morning Session. This was the session that I and the others in my group needed to hear.

Pink Monkey Notes

In reference to the title of this posting, the next few postings are the Pink Monkey version of the last couple months. For those of you that don't know what Pink Monkey is, it's like Cliff Notes, but with a cooler name. So instead of writing a whole novel about my goings on since my last post I'm summarizing. There are 3 other posts so read on!

Pink Monkey Part 1

I went on vacation a couple times in since the middle of August. The first trip was my graduation gift to myself. I've always wanted to go to Europe or back east somewhere, but unfortunately I didn't want to wait long enough to save for that. So I chose to go to California and visit some friends.

My first trip I flew out of Idaho Falls to LA where I had lunch with my friend Karen at Johnny Rockets and then I flew up to San Franciso where I stayed a couple days with my old roommate Jamie and some of her family and then drove up to Healdsburg and Cloverdale to say goodbye to her family before she drove back to Idaho with me. She was coming back up to school this fall I rode back with her and then she stayed on my couch for a few days before school started.

The first night I flew into San Franciso about 10pm and then took the hotel shuttle to my hotel and then got to enjoy a lovely evening in the company of Me, Myself, and I. The next day Jamie and some of her family met up with me.

I loved San Franciso. We spent a lot of time on Fisherman's Wharf including Pier 39 and then went out to Alcatraz, drove over the Oakland Bridge, by accident (I'm happy to say I was not the one driving) and the Golden Gate Bridge. And we went to the shore where we found some sand dollars right on the beach and got to feel the waves come in from the ocean.

We bought a city pass for each of us and were able to go see a lot of incredible things while were were there. We went to the California Academy of Sciences where there was an incredible aquarium, an exhibit on Mammals, and an Rainforest habitat. We went to the Aquarium of the Bay and rode a cable car. And walked through the De Young and the Legion of Honor Museums.- Both museums were inside city parks. Pretty cool. I also ate at my first Hard Rock Cafe and at a really good place called Wipeout Bar and Grill. I also got to try some authentic San Fran food including Clam Chowder in a sour dough bread bowl at Boudin's Sour Dough which is a bakery right on the Wharf and supposedly the moist bay air makes all the difference in their Sour dough start.

Unfortunately I've been trying to upload pictures for an hour and my internet connection just doesn't like that idea, so I unfortunately don't have any pictures.

Pink Monkey Part Zwei

My second trip was a couple weeks later to Portland Oregon. Marlene Nelson one of my old roommates got married.

My roommate Maria and I got an awesome deal off of Priceline for both a hotel room and Portland and plane tickets from Boise to Portland both ways and a rental car, for less than we would have paid to fly out of SLC!

We obviously went to the wedding at the temple and the reception, which was cool because they had hung fabric in the cultural hall to make it a tent, did some touristy stuff such as visit Multonomah Falls (sp?), but really mostly we did a lot of eating. BowThai, All you can eat Indian food at a place called Nameste, Baby Back Ribs, P.F. Chang's, VooDoo Doughnuts,Moonstruct Chocolate Cafe etc. We had a ton of good food. We didn't really pay to do much besides eat and drive so we got to try some amazing food. Unfortunately my internet connection doesn't like uploading lately so I'm going to give you a link to VooDoo Doughnuts because they were amazing doughnuts! With names you will find no where else. http://www.voodoodoughnut.com/

We went to the Portland Art Museum and saw in person WaterLilies by Monet, another piece by Van Gogh

We went to the Rose Gardens in a city park there and they were just gorgous.

We went to Powell's bookstore which was several floors high and covered a full city block.

We bought a lovely wedding gift that didn't make Marlene blush, and just had an awesome time! It was kinda a sad trip home knowing we had no other future travel plans. Overall an awesome time! The more and more I travel though I've decided that I agree with Saint Augustine when he said "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." We all know how much I love to read, and I think traveling is becoming as big of an addiction for me. :0)

The most cliche lines known to Mormondom...

Well Mr. Guy Friend and I finally had that date he's been talking about since like December. After a million suggestions for dates via text message and questions about random "have you tried sushi?" and "what would you think about this" but never with any actual follow through.

Well finally about a month ago (I know I've done a crappy job updating you, but it's been a busy summer) I got a text me about 10pm asking me one night if I want ice cream. We went to DQ and had some ice cream. And although we touched on many topics including some of his regrets about how he wished that he actually did have something to show for the last 5 yrs since high school, he never breached the topic of dating. So I finally commented on it when he dropped me off. Because honestly this had gone on long enough. I could tell that he was still interested in me, but I could also tell that he wasn't going to ask me in person, I was going to get a text about it afterwards. Seriously!!! We're friends? Am I that intimidating? Well, because we were friends and really I wanted to make this as quick and pain free as possible so I could quickly climb out of the car and go to bed, I somehow I ended up saying a couple of the most cliche lines known to Mormondom. "I think you're a great guy" but "I don't want to get into a relationship because I'm planning on serving a mission." And then I told him that odds are that he'd be engaged to some cute little 19 yr old freshman while I was gone and that he could mail me an announcement. I know not the best way to tell someone you're not interested, but honestly it's the truth. And I think that it's nicer than saying "Well, you're just not really going anywhere right now and I don't want to risk getting into a relationship with someone who'd I'd have to support for the next few years." - Yeah I don't think that would go so well. So I went the cliche route, and I was being honest. I am planning on putting my papers in as soon as I save enough money to go and really comparing the two options or dating him or going on a mission I feel better about the latter.

"Vege" Day

“You pile up enough tomorrows and you’ll find you’ve collected nothing but a lot of empty yesterday’s . I don’t know about you, but I’d like to make today worth remembering”
-“Oh, so would I…”- Quoted from The Music Man
I whole heartedly agree!!!! I’ve definitely been making anything but empty yesterday’s at least this month.
So Maria and I are currently lounging here watching The Music Man. Today has turned into our “vege” day. You know the day you try to impersonate…. well mimic…. a vegetable such as a couch potato. It’s been a busy couple of weeks… even month…. for both of us. And being busy has been fabulous, but there comes a point where the thought of doing one more thing just makes you want to collapse. That one final thing that turned into the “straw that broke the camel’s back” or that caused Dee to collapse onto the couch around 1 am and say blow it was the thought of leaving before 8am to go hike to Iron Bog Lake. And apparently I’m not the only one that said to blow it. Maria my roommate collapsed on the couch at the same time as I did. Out of exhaustion!!
And when 8am rolled around- out of guilt somewhat, I suppose, since I had been so gung ho about the idea until last night- I texted first Matt who was supposed to go with us- and found out that he was sluffing to sleep as well, and then checked with Emerson to make sure we weren’t going to be sending him off alone into the wilderness- and low and behold he wasn’t planning on going either in fact he hadn’t made it back from working the week in Island Park. He was still sleeping… oopps!!.
So now here we rest watching The Music Man. And I’m going to try to give you a quick update of what I’ve been up to lately. – It’s been nearly a month since I’ve posted last- Unfortunately my internet keeps cutting out too so I doubt I’ll be able to get all my pictures up. (if any… ) but here’s how I’ve been making the “todays” of July worth remembering.
-4th of July weekend typical 4th celebrations plus my roommate and I went to Crater’s of the Moon and did some hiking, up cinder cones and across lava fields etc.
- My friends convinced me to sing karaoke at Applebee’s after FHE
-Survived an audit at work- Not a pleasant week while they were there, nor were the weeks leading up to it
-Walked the greenbelt a few times
-Walked to Taco Time from my townhouse and back with Maria (we figure it was probably close to 4 miles after we were done)
-My mom broke her ankle so I’ve been trying to help out at home and with my grandparents when time and work allow me too
-Was one of the people in charge of a trip to Casper, Wyoming with a group from my YSA branch- we stopped at Independence Rock, Martin’s Cove, crossed the Sweetwater River Pulling a handcart etc. and came back with around 25 mosquito/ horse fly bites
-Had a massive waterfight with some friends followed by a movie night, and had we not had to be responsible and be to work by 8 the next morning we would have gone hot tubbin’ at midnight.
-Had a stake Pioneer Day Celebration followed by Snow cones with friends
-Had a couple of cousins and several friends get married, which unfortunately I was only able to make it to one of them
-Finally hung the pictures that having been laying in our living room waiting to be hung since we moved in two months ago.
-Deep cleaned the kitchen counters and floors and the basement bathroom
-Add in 40 hour work weeks (with the exception of the couple days I took off for the branch trip and a family wedding) Institute on Thursdays, FHE on Mondays, Munch and Mingle, and Break the Fast and whatever other branch activities came up in the month and I’ve been an extremely busy girl.
Here’s to an exciting August and tomorrows to come.

If only!!

So I'm hoping to go on a vacation towards the end of summer with one of my roommates. Currently we're looking for tickets back east. However when I got onto Delta I saw some very attractive deals that would take me to a much more exotic destination. - Well not exotic, but definately amazing destinations! If I were to purchase a ticket by Monday I could travel from SLC to Paris for $469 or $529 for a flight to Tokyo (cost each way mind you) but still for Paris, that would be less than $1000 before taxes, fees and all that additional jazz. I can see me now, standing on the top of the Eiffel tower,

or spending hours in the LOUVRE!or check out Notre Dame

Or just hanging out in the middle of a ton of high rise buildings in Toyko (perhaps with my own camera hanging around my neck like the Asian tourists in Yellowstone).

Well those are going to continue to be figments of my imagination. Here's where the bummer comes in that says no not a good idea. I have a very small window of time for when I can take my vacation. It has to fall between now and August 24. After August 24, Jen the other full time Developmental Specialist will most likely go out on materity leave. Well these tickets unfortunately are for flights after August 29. Probably not the best time to be leaving. Andrea is another D.S. in our building and comes in 2 days a week and Lonna Joy the head tech would still be there, but I know how busy our building gets and it's nice to have at least 2 supervisors there when at all possible. That way one person can be handling the chaos and one person can try to get some work done. (We have well over 60 kids and over 30 adults passing through our building on a typical day.) The days that it's just been me there supervising that many people I honestly feel busy all day, but I don't feel like I got any thing done that I could honestly list out as an accomplishment. So taking a random flight across the glistening oceans to a foreign country, at least at the end of August.. not that wise of an idea.

Not to mention there are a few other things that I am trying to save for, and I think that it would probably cost a lot more to spend a few days in Paris or Tokyo than it would be for us to split a room in a couple locations on the east coast.

So these are the dreams, I'll let you know where I actually end up.