Sunday Thoughts

I've been listening to last October's General Conference talks (again) while getting ready each morning and felt particularly inspired by Elder Eyring's talk from the Priesthood Session entitled "Help Them Aim High". In this talk he shares how he prayed to see the potential in each of his children so that he would know how to help them progress (wow, what a concept!) and then he carved height boards with an image and saying for each child.

 He said,

"The height boards I have described are only one way to help young people glimpse the grandeur God sees in them and their futures and the unique service He has prepared them to give. He will help you see how to do it for your children or for other youth you lead. But as you prayerfully seek to glimpse this future for yourself and to communicate it to the young person one on one, you will come to know that God loves each of His children as individuals and sees great and unique gifts in each of them.

God knows our gifts. My challenge to you and to me is to pray to know the gifts we have been given, to know how to develop them, and to recognize the opportunities to serve others that God provides us. But most of all, I pray that you will be inspired to help others discover their special gifts from God to serve."

I love these thoughts and shared them in our Key Scouters Meeting this morning (while blubbering of course) because as leaders of the Scouts (and also the Young Women as Girl's Camp Director) we are striving to help these kids recognize their potential and make good choices that will greatly affect their futures (no pressure). When I think back to my teenage years I am especially thankful for a wise Bishop who made the effort to know me. Whenever he talked to to me he looked at me with eyes of love and always made me feel like I was something special. He probably did that for all the youth, but he had a way of making me feel like he really saw who I was. This was an amazing gift for him to have and to share especially at a time when I was never happy with my parents!

Sunday Thoughts

Every morning as I put on my make-up I either listen to General Conference talks or Conversations on the Mormon Channel. Yesterday I was listening to Sheri Dew's conversation with Elder Christofferson and his wife. The whole conversation is great, but this part stuck out to me (I had to find it online and transcribe it).

"High expectations  is our potential and what over time we can become. We ought to accept His correction, we ought to welcome it, because He’s leading us into greater things. But also remember at the same time that He’s not just standing on the side saying “go do this be better”, He’s helping us,  He’s giving us the gift of the holy ghost, He’s giving us constant help, direction, comfort and protection. He’s got the gospel in our lives and the commandments that are really the blessings that point the way how we go. 

He knows what we can be, He knows what makes us happy, He loves us, He’s showing us the way, He’s giving us help all along the way. He provided the gift of repentance, we can change, we can back up and start again." 

This reminds me that Heavenly Father really is our father and He wants the best for us. I understand this feeling from being a parent myself. I can see potential in my kids, I know where they can do better and how with increased effort they can achieve more and be their best selves. This makes me want to try harder and it give me comfort knowing the Lord is on my side cheering me on.

Hoochie Coochie College Girl

One of my great aunts once said, "Oh you're just a hoochie coochie college girl" to my sister Lori and it has stuck with us because it's just plain funny.

I felt like the fat, gimp-footed aunt of a hoochie coochie college boy today as I accompanied my nephew Gifford to Heritage Halls at BYU today. From the moment traffic came to a complete stand still off University Parkway I was excited. The surrounding cars were all full of garbage bags stuffed with bedding and clothes just like ours. I have been thinking about all the exciting possibilities this time of life has for these new students, and it's just plain exciting!


Trying to park was crazy, but we found a place to unload and had him unpacked and set up within 30 minutes! Boys. I can't imagine any girl being unpacked and set up in 30 minutes time! He didn't even bring any pictures from home!

{click on photo to enlarge and enjoy}

Memory Tidbit: I was all about decorating my dorm room back in the fall of 89' (oh my gosh, it's mine and Michelle's, Kristi's, Jen's, Stacy's and Nikki's) 20 year anniversary of moving into the dorms and I didn't even think of that until this moment). I loved my wall of goodness so much that I used to joke with my roommate that we should switch beds so we could sit on our bed/couch and look at our side of the room.


After getting Gifford (he was named after his great grandparents' last name) all unpacked, we went to La Dolce Vita for a super tasty lunch. As we finished I said, "This is the kind of lunch you think about later and want to do all over again." (Is it wrong that I'm quoting myself?)

I didn't know how the farewell between Gifford and Daniela was going to go since I knew she was emotional about leaving her first child at college and then having to fly back to Illinois. But since there was no place to park, and since we were in a hurry for her to catch her flight they had a quick goodbye and a hug and we were on our way. She ended up telling me that she did her crying weeks ago while she walked the dog; I thought there was something rather noble and poetic about that.

**Have you ever taken anyone to college?
Did you decorate your dorm room?
Do you think starting college is exciting?
Would you do your crying before, during or after?**