THEY CALL ME ABI

My farewell talk

2008-12-30T19:23:00.001-07:00

For those who want to read it....hear it is:

Sister Abigail McNeill
Ohio Cleveland Mission
MOSS

Just east of the temple mount on the base of the Mount of Olives lies a Garden. It is a simple Garden…the place of the olive press. It’s a beautiful garden, where one can find peace and serenity and a quiet place to think. It is a place called Gethsemane, and it is the place where the Savior did for me, and for you, and all mankind what we cannot do for ourselves, He atoned.
The definition for Gethsemane is “oil, or wine press”, and in knowing that, we understand how significant the symbolism is. In ancient Israel the olive tree was an important commodity, it became a symbol for Israel spiritually, scripturally and culturally. The olive is an important part of their economy. When a new tree is planted it needs great care to begin to grow. Once a new olive tree is finally established it is then considered almost immortal because it can last for such a long time. A considered dead olive root can quickly bring forth a new tree springing from the Earth in new life.
When the olive is harvested it is taken to an olive press. During the Saviors life, and can still be found on “display” in the city, an olive press was a great wheel like stone turned in a circle to get the juices. However, these stones were so heavy to push, and so hard to crush the olives that sometimes a large animal would have to turn the wheel in order to get the wheel to go. The olive was important to Israel in their everyday living, it was used as medicine and as the fuel for their light. It was used for sacred rituals in the temple, and because of its purity and symbolic reference it is still used in the church today. (blessings)
Now, think of the Savior suffering in Gethsemane…in the place of the olive press. The Savior was subject to such great pressure that He sweats great drops of blood, and it is by this “oil” that we are healed. The Savior is a never ending source of light; He is the ultimate “healer”. Symbolically we take of this fruit every week when we partake of the Sacrament. It is impossible to imagine what the Savior must have felt as the Father withdrew His presence from Him. The Savior, a perfect person, living His entire life in the presence of the Father, was now removed from Him. In Alma 45:16 the Lord says that He cannot look at the sin with the least degree of allowance, and now His own Son, was pressed into all the sins of the world.
Robert Millet wrote: “There was a tragic aura surrounding this night of nights, when he who had always pleased the Father and had thus never been alone (so far as being separated spiritually from his Father was concerned) was subjected to the forces and effects of sin that he had never known, forces that must have been poignantly excruciatingly intense…[He] knew all things…and yet there was something he had never known personally: he had known neither sin nor its effects…This was a night of irony. He who was sinless became, as it were, the great sinner…He who deserved least of all to suffer, now suffered most—more than mortal mind can fathom. He who had brought life…was subjected to the powers of death and darkness.” (1)
“The Atonement is the most basic and fundamental principle of the gospel—yet it is the least understood.” –Bruce R McConkie (2) Why? So many of us have a testimony of Christ, we know He is God’s Son. That He helped create the world, and we know that He suffered in a garden. But, do we understand when He says He suffered ALL things. There are stages to believing Christ that I learned long ago, they go like this.
Believe of Christ: We have heard of Him, and we know that we have family members that believe but we aren’t ready, or maybe we are just not willing to take the next step.
Believe in Christ: When we believe in Christ we believe that the scriptures are true, that going to church is a good thing…etc
Believe Christ: When we take out the middle word and we actually believe Christ…we believe that what He says, either through His messengers’ or directly to us, is the truth. He knows ALL! He will make NO mistakes in guiding us, therefore we will not fail. When we believe Christ, we believe when He says, “Yes even that, even that sin is covered through my atonement if you will but repent.”
Read Romans 3:23
Though I have never committed any kind of horrendous sin. I was never a heathen child…the atonement still works for me. Remember it applies to the smallest and the largest. In my life, applying the atonement has been the greatest preparation for serving a mission. How? I’ll tell you…
1. The Atonement has taught me how to pray. Throughout His ministry we can read in the bible the countless times that the Savior always pointed the glory back to His Father. He talks of how He can only do the things that His Father sent Him to do, or how He glorifies the Father after the miracle. And, even then, in that simple garden, when He performed the greatest event in all of mankind, He prayed to the Father. During that prayer He cried to the Father that the “cup might be removed from Him.” (Matt 26:39) and Heavenly Father said ,”No” and it was the good answer…the right answer. In my life applying the principle of prayer in all that I do, in asking for help and in thanking Him for my blessings the atonement has taught me that the Lord does know…everything and He will always give me the right answer.
2. The Atonement has taught me true self-esteem, true joy. You and I were purchased with a price, and the knowledge and understanding that someone loves me enough to die for me is to have an understanding of your true eternal worth. Russell M. Nelson said, “In order to experience true joy…at any time, at least three factors are needed. You need to feel good about the people with whom you live and work—your companions in life. You must feel good about yourself—not in any sense of conceit, but simply a proper esteem for yourself, well deserved. And possibly most important, you must feel good about your relation to God and sincerely love Him.” (3) When we can understand how much God loves us our own self-love and self-esteem fades into insignificance. The world’s yardstick will always measure things woefully short. But when you use the Lord’s yardstick, you learn that your worth is great, your purposes for being here are of incalculable importance, and your opportunities for eternal accomplishments are unlimited. (4)
3. The Atonement has taught me how to serve. Jesus Christ lived His entire life in the service of others…for you and for me. He ended His life that way, ultimately serving everyone by allowing us to one day return to His presence as well as our Father in Heavens and live with them and our families forever in a glory that we do not now understand.
4. The Atonement has taught me how to trust. It has taught me how to face the storms, to know that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. To trust that life is not supposed to be safe. It’s only in our mistakes, our errors and our faults that we grow and truly live. (5) I trust that the Savior, through the power of the atonement, can indeed fix the unfixable.
5. The Atonement has taught me how to love. The Savior loves ultimately, and unconditionally. There are never any preconceived notions. He never holds a grudge, and He always comes when you need someone to talk too. He paid the ultimate price for me, because He loves me…and it is with that love that I can build others, I can teach others, I can pray to see them the way the Savior sees them.
6. The Atonement has taught me how to be a friend. Just as the Savior was suffering in Gethsemane because He was separated from God, His greatest friend. I know that God was suffering also, because the greatest being to ever exist, our Heavenly Father, not only makes time for us…but He yearns for us! How great a blessing that is! And, in yearning for someone, you always make time for them. The way a perfect friend would. A phrase to the song “O, Holy Night” says, “In all our trials-born to be a friend. He knows my name, to Him I am no stranger.” Oh how beautiful! (Zane Grey)
7. The Atonement has taught me how to not be afraid. In a meeting with the Bishop I expressed to Him my deepest fear in serving a mission. Our wonderful bishop, after giving me his words of advice said, “After that, turn it to the Savior, because He knows…He’s felt it before.” Read Alma 7:11-12 He did that that He might know EXACTLY how I feel in my circumstances. (while bearing the weight of everything else) When walking out of the light and into the unknown, or that small moment of darkness, one of two things will happen. Either you will be given solid ground to run on, or you will be taught how to fly. Knowing that, there is no need to fear.
8. The Atonement has taught me that through my obedience I’m never alone. He is always there, and He always understands! Through my obedience to the laws of the gospel His presence never will depart from me. 2 Ne. 9:20-21
9. The Atonement has taught me how to work. Jesus Christ life was never easy. Isa. 53:3-5. The Savior was always busy doing the Father’s business. He was never idol. Even to the end of His days. The atonement was hard work. And repentance is hard work. Through the process of applying the atonement Jesus Christ gave us the opportunity to repent, to be better, to succeed! A Harvard theologian Peter Comes said this about success in spite of weakness: “Put your confidence in something that works. It is God who will keep you when all else has failed you; and it is to God to whom you will turn when you have exhausted all of the alternatives. It is God on whom you will call when you get that fateful diagnosis; it is God on whom you will call when the bottom drops out; and it is God on whom you will call when you pass through those seasons of doubt and despair, when life itself seems not worth the living and you cannot remember the last victory; and it is God on whom you will call with you very last breath.” (6)
10. The Atonement has taught me how to smile. It is because of the atoning blood of Christ, because of the hanging on a cross at Calvary, and because of being laid in a garden tomb, where He then did, in reality, take up His life again that I, too, can be resurrected. I can have an eternal family…I can be with my friends again, and I can be with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again, and knowing this, without a shadow of a doubt….I cannot help but smile. A smile of joy and a smile of gratitude, because I am forever grateful for that blessing.
All of these things, and more, to pray, to find joy, to serve, to trust, to love, to be a friend, to not fear, to never be alone through obedience., to work, and to smile. All of these qualities will help me to be a better missionary. I learned these things from the atonement, and I know that without the Atonement I will truly fail in the Lord’s work. I cannot convert people, nor can I change their lives. I cannot forgive them for their sins, and I cannot get them back into the presence of our Father in Heaven. But, Jesus Christ can, through the Atonement. That is the message I will share. That yes, even that, is covered by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through the everlasting atonement for our sins, and our pains, and our afflictions. When all is said and done, the value of my life as a missionary will not be determined by my accomplishments, but by what my Heavenly Father has been able to accomplish through me. (7)

Testimony
Sources
1. Millet, Life in Christ 66,69
2. Bruce R. McConkie The Purifying Power of Gethsemane Ensign, May 1985
3. Nelson, Joy cometh in the Morning,” 67
4. Anderson, Your Divine Purpose, 66
5. Beck The Christmas Sweater, 247
6. Gomes, Strength for the Journey 302
7. Anderson, Your Divine Purpose, 1

I love you all!

Goodbye Fans!

2008-12-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow is the day! I can't believe how quickly it happened but it happened! I'm going on a mission and I'm so excited. My mom is going to post my e-mails on her blog and mine every week so keep reading to find the good news....for those who are interested my address is...

Sister Abigail McNeill
The Ohio Cleveland Mission
2070 W. 117th Street
Cleveland, OH
44111

I love you all and ask for your thoughts and prayers!!!

writing my talk

2008-12-26T17:41:00.002-07:00

Okay, so as I've said before I'm speaking in church this Sunday...you know for my mission...well, I'm having the HARDEST time writing this talk. I don't know why. I keep using the excuse that I don't know what to say, or that I'm distracted or I can't focus where I'm currently at...all three of those are true.

I wish I was blessed with a better gift for the using of words. I'm worried my talk will be lame and all the people that have come to listen to it will be disappointed. I want to much to say something inspiring that I can't say anything at all. It's very frustrating. Mom says that it will be fine, and that my talks are always good...but there is a first time for everything.

I realize now why it was so smart for the church to do away with "farewells" because it's stressful enough just getting ready to leave on your mission, plus speaking in church, but then making a big deal out of it...I can see how that could be much worse. By the way...thanks SO SO much Aimee and Ryan for making it a point to come out! I can't wait for you to get here!

Well, that's the news of the day, is the struggle for me to write my talk. Any words of encouragement that you wish to offer would indeed be helpful. Thanks everyone!

Mom has a blog!

2008-12-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

No more just looking at everyone else....she has her own!!! Well, it's going to be the families blog, and whoever wants to update on it can..but I thought all would be interested to know.

http://sixmcneills.blogspot.com

About the updates

2008-12-23T10:04:00.002-07:00

Okay my loving and adoring fans...i apologize for not updating more often, I know how much that upsets you so please except this heart felt apology.

I'm on the eight day countdown!! I can't even believe it. It's come SO fast. It's been interesting to watch all of the little miracles that have happened along the way. It's crazy. People have been asking how I've been feeling and the only words I have to describe it are...numb. It's weird. You're just so busy that you don't have time to do anything except go through the motions and when you finally get the chance to slow down all the emotions come smashing into you all at the same time, it's weird. I used to think that 7 weeks was never going to be enough time, then I realized, once again, how much the Lord knows me because I'm at the point that I just want to go...now. There is no way I could have waited three months like some of these missionaries do. Kudos to them...but I know that the Lord knows each one of us and the callings and places and assignments that would be best for us as individuals. It's so GREAT!

For those who haven't heard I'm speaking in church this Sunday (the 28th). It's at 10:50am. Call me if you have any questions. Also, about getting my weekly letters, for those that are interested. My mom is going to post them here on my blog so she doesn't have to collect e-mails, rather she can just give them this blog address, or, she is going to start a blog and put them there, we are undecided which yet, but we will do something.

I'm happy to say that I've caught the Christmas spirit. I'm not as into it as I have been in the years past, but I've definitely felt a little bit happier to celebrate in the traditional ways. I just had to step back and decide what was most important and focus on that.

Okay, I got to go...I love you all. I'll try and keep you posted as the next eight days fly by. Oh, I've been thinking back on the last 18 months of my life and I realized that what I did 18 months ago feels like yesterday, and this 7 weeks has gone by so quickly...I can't even imagine how fast my mission is going to go!!! Loves!

Christmas with the Crank

2008-12-06T12:54:00.002-07:00

I don't know what it is this year...but I am just not in the Christmas spirit. And, it seems, that no matter how hard I try I just can't find it in myself. I've tried shopping, decorating, giving, serving, and am just not having any luck. In fact, yesterday I was about ready to cancel Christmas. Our family doesn't even have our decorations up yet and if it wasn't for everybody coming at the end of the month for me we probably wouldn't even put them up. (at least that would be my opinion.) I also went shopping and finally told my siblings that we either needed to draw names or I was canceling Christmas because I'm not in the mood to pick out a present for all of them. I guess I've been pretty ornery lately because I wasn't in the mood for Halloween, or Thanksgiving, and now Christmas. I really am the Grinch this year. I just don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm tired of being "alone" for the holidays and having nobody special invite me to ride the carriage in Salt Lake, or see the lights...or dress up to match me or invite me to meet there family at Thanksgiving. Maybe it's because I don't feel like we need holidays to remind us of the things we should be doing everyday. Maybe it's because I want to know I have a special present waiting under the tree for me...only to find that it's not there, not that I even know what I would want it to be. Perhaps, it's because, no matter how much I do for other people I feel like there is more to be done, or that those asking for help appear to be doing nothing for themselves.
Regardless of the reason, I have yet to find the Holiday spirit since last Christmas. All the holidays between then and now have been pretty bland for me. I try to get way into them, and that doesn't help. I try to step away from them, and that doesn't help. What's a girl to do!!!?? I am thankful for all my blessings and for the Saviors birth, death, and resurrection. But I haven't caught the holiday bug...perhaps it was that flu shot I got. Nobody said that would be one of it's side effects.

Christmas+Disneyland=MAGIC!

2008-12-01T14:27:00.006-07:00

Well, the rest of my California adventure turned out to be a great success. We went back to Disneyland and I fell in love all over again. I can't believe how well they do at bringing out the kid in everyone who walks through their gates. I truly and 100% enjoyed my time very well spent there.
I hope that everyone's holiday was as great as mine was. As I thought of Thanksgiving this year I tried counting my blessings...but I realized that I have to many to count. The Lord truly has spoiled me rotten in my life and I am forever thankful for that. As I went to bed that night I layed down quietly and thought to myself how I truly can say "it's a wonderful life" because it is. I have the best life! I love being alive and having "my turn on Earth" as Aunt Lani put it. In the end...all of our "stuff" can be taken from us. All the we posses and the material things that we hold dear...and after that all you have left is your story. And, that's what I'm trying to do...is just live a good one. A good one of laughs, of testimony, of strength and knowledge, but mostly a life that will Glorify my Heavenly Father in all that I do. I love Him, and He has blessed me so much in my life that I want nothing less then for all the credit to go to Him.
I also had the amazing chance to go to the Redlands Temple while I was there. I love the temple. I'm so grateful for the gift of eternal families and being with the ones that we love forever...clothed in a miraculous glory. It's fabulous!

I "heart" Disneyland

2008-11-26T09:09:00.002-07:00

"Heart" implies love...because the truth is is that I have discovered a new found love for the inner child within. Disneyland really is the happiest place on Earth and I loved it! I didn't get the best pictures in the world because when I got there my camera battery was dying so it was having a hard time focusing...and sometimes my camera does weird things at night...but I did get some and today I will get MANY more. I love being a young single girl..because I loved watching the parades and having all the boys flirt with us...it was the bomb...and they really did, you know by winking, shaking their bums at us and just looking at us smiling and I just love it. I love being the age I am...it's marvelous!
When I was coming to California I wasn't sure that I would enjoy the theme parks as much as I have. Mostly because I'm not really into "theme" parks per say anymore...I more into walking around, and looking at museums and finding people to watch and going to plays...I guess I'm getting old and boring. But Disneyland is all of those things wrapped up into one! It'was totally and completely FABULOUS! So here are the few pictures from yesterday...we are going again today and I will take a lot more and post them tomorrow. Love You All! ps. I've also added a few pics from Vegas.

Vegas Baby

2008-11-24T11:19:00.002-07:00

I'm spending the next week in California with one of my girlfriends from school. Well, we decided that it was much cheaper to drive then fly so we called it our first ever college road trip. She met me at my house Friday night...after driving from Rexburg...and then we took off early Saturday morning to begin the 10 and a half hour trek to Riverside California. It was a really fun drive actually and it was good to have two drivers. We only stopped for gas...the rule was that if you had to pee you just had to hold it because we weren't stopping. Well, we only had to stop once..in Vegas so we held it for a very long time. In Vegas we had the sweet opportunity to meet up with my cousins Steve and Emily and just make a quick stop to have lunch, some gellato, and a short walk through the Belagio. It was so fun...I love those guys, and I'm so grateful that we stopped and visited for 3 hours because Emily made a point during our visit that they are spending Christmas in Orgen with her family and so won't be able to spend it in Grantsville with my family for my farewell and stuff so I won't see them until after my mission...tear tear. So thanks Em and Steve for the bite to eat, and the quick visit. I love you guys!
We got to California late Saturday night, ate a small dinner and hit the sack. At least I did, I was SO tired! Sunday was so cool. That is definitly one of my most favorite parts of the church is that no matter where you go you can find a ward and the Spirit is still the same and ########## always remains constant. It is the only constant in my young life right now and I'm so grateful for my membership therein and my testimony.
During sacrament meeting man had a diabetes attack and we had to stop for 10 or 15 minutes to help him. It was so cool to see the church rally together, even in their simple silent prayers, to help this man. I love ##########! It's the best thing in this entire world!

Tagged by Lacey

2008-11-19T14:17:00.003-07:00

I've been seeing all these tag things going around and I thought it would be fun to do one. But, I don't have very many friends that have blogs yet so I've anxiously been waiting my turn. Thanks Lace!

Two Names You Go By: 1. Abi 2. Brigal
Two Things You are Wearing Right Now: 1. A scarf...that my mom calls an aunt jamima scarf. 2. flip flops..in November.
Two Things You Want Right Now: 1.Some Abreva 2. My nose to stop running
Two Things You Did Last Night: 1. Watched Dancing With the Stars 2. Got lost in Ogden.
Two Things You Ate Today: 1. Cereal 2. Bagel with cream cheese of course
Two Favorite Drinks: 1. Water 2. juice..all varieties
Five People I'm Tagging: 1. Whitney 2. Aimee 3. Emily 4. Courtney 5. Lara...sorry guys, you're like the only people that even read my blog. I only have 5 friends so it wasn't hard to pick.

Going through the Temple

2008-11-11T11:54:00.002-07:00

Okay my fellow bloggers. I'm going through the temple this Saturday, Novermber 15th at 4pm. I'm going through the Salt Lake Temple. Be there by 3:30. I'm inviting all who can to come because I would love nothing better than to be surrounded by my family and friends during this special occasion. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers this week as I prepare.

I have wanted this for so long. I CANNOT wait! It seems as though it's been a long time coming. However, these few weeks that I have to prepare for my mission are going to go by so quickly. It's already almost been a week and I can't even believe it. How am i ever going to get this all done? I'm not sure. I ask myself that question every day! Well, gotta fly! More later. Lots of love coming your way!

My Mission Call

2008-11-06T11:13:00.002-07:00

Cleveland Ohio. Yes, that is where I will be spending a year and a half of my life. In the blistering cold of North Eastern America, and the humid summers of Lake Erie. I'll be speaking in church on the 28th of December. I'm going to the Salt Lake Temple Saturday November 15th. It's the 4pm session and I'm inviting all my friends and family that can make it to be there. I'm so excited to serve the Lord and dedicate my life to him for just a small moment. For those of you who haven't heard there is quite the story in the opening of my call.

When I got my call out of the mailbox, I was the only one home. I was ready to rip it open right then and there. However, I decided that I couldn't handle the upsetness of my mother after. So, I called her and told her it was here. Well, Dad and Ethan are out of town for a couple of days and Emalee was...well doing whatever Emalee does...and Winston of course is down at school. So, we got permission to open it and I went up to the store where we got everyone else on speakerphone and mom and I and Emalee opened the call.

As I read the letter..."Sister McNeil you have been called to serve in the New Jersey Cherry Hills Mission Departing February 11." right on! I was so happy about this I've never been to the east coast so that will be awesome! Well, We opened my little booklet thing to see what my area was and mom says, "Abi, we have a problem" Oh dear, what could it be. Well, your booklet is for Cleveland Ohio! As you have probably guess we were in quite the predicament. We had to call church headquarters, figure out what the deal was. Well, after a while I discovered that the letter was addressed to a Sister Madeline McNeil. I just didn't notice at first because I was so excited to read the call. well, Yes, my call is to Cleveland Ohio where I will happily serve the Lord for 18 months. And my departure date it much earlier so that makes me happy.

Missionary Papers, Dancing with the Stars, the 1920's, and HSM3

2008-10-27T15:13:00.006-06:00

I am probably the most anti-halloween person that has ever walked this earth. I'm so anti-halloween that it doesn't even deserve a capital when typing it into my blog. I despise it. Well, I was invited to a halloween murder mystery party last weekend. It was supposed to be set in the 1920's at a bar and you were to stay in character the entire time. Now, I like acting, but I went where there was a place of total strangers that I didn't know, and it's hard to act off of people you don't know. Plus, my date is now interested in another girl so i don't even think he wanted to be there with me, and it was SO long. Well, I had to go because we had been invited like a month ago. But I would like to say that it hasn't changed my feelings about halloween at all. In fact, it confirmed the number one reason that I hate it. halloween just gives girls and excuse to dress skanky. Like for instance, this one girl even still had her garments on with her mini skirt. It was a long and boring party, and I'm so glad it's over. ps. that is the very costume I wore, just with a little modifications. sorry, I don't have a picture of me in it.

On a happier note, Saturday was much better. Okay, I'm going to be honest...first of all I'm a BIG fan of musicals. I enjoy watching them, being in them, and listening to their soundtracks. Perhaps that is because my life is a musical, or I just wish it to be. Non-the-less I am partially obsessed with them. Also, I'm 100% convinced when I watch them that you will see me on the big screen one day basking in the full glory of my fifteen minutes of fame. Basically, for me, they do exactly what they should...they take me away from the world I'm living in now, and totally engulf me into their world. It's absolutely fabulous and it is for those reasons that I had been anticipating the release of Disney's High School Musical three this weekend, and for those reasons also why I most definitely enjoyed every minute of it. For those of you that for just a moment would like to get lost in another world, and remember again the wo's and o's of graduating from high school I would highly recommend it.
Sunday only brings more good news as my Stake President changed my final interview to that afternoon. I did my last interview and my papers are now to church headquarters. It will now be two or three weeks and I'll have my call! Also, it was my last class for Temple Prep so as soon as the call comes I'll be ready as ever to go through. (to the Rogers clan: I'll let you know what the plans are but I would love for you all to come through with me. Especially Aunt Lan and Uncle Dave. Hopefully you can come down, will have to scheduele and see.) All I've wanted to do for the past year and a half is go through the temple and I'm so excited for the chance I will finally have to do that. I'm so grateful for the people in my life who have influenced me for good and encouraged me all along to live my life in such a way to always be able to worthily enter the house of the Lord.

Tonight will be awesome also. Dancing with the Stars is on again. It's on at 7 on ABC. Please join me in watching it. and call and vote for Cody and Julianne!

Goodbye to Toni and Alec

2008-10-22T09:28:00.004-06:00

I'm pleased to say that Cody and Julianne have made it through another round. Yahoo! and, one of my least favorites was kicked off! Yippy! Nothing new and exciting other than that for today. OH, Missionary Update: My papers are to the Stake President. I have an interview on Thursday October 30th. So, I'm predicting a call around Thanksgiving. Maybe I will get to go through the temple on my actual birthday. (dec 11) That would be awesome huh? Well, I'll let everyone know more as more happens!

Dancing with the Stars

2008-10-21T12:03:00.004-06:00

My TV show lately has been Dancing with the Stars. I'm not sure why but this year I've just really been into it. It's on at 7 on Monday nights and the eliminations are on at 8 Tuesday nights. watch it. It's good! go Cody and Juliann!

Another Trip

2008-10-21T11:58:00.001-06:00

Yes,I'm definitly a cowgirl. I got to spend the weekend with dad and Ethan riding. It was so fun. I cherish every moment I get to spend with them. It is so special. We went down by Castle Dale (southern Utah) and rode. It was beautiful. You cannot see the things we saw without being on horseback or hiking. It was wonderful. It's weekends like this and seeing the things we saw that make me think we had a say in the creation. Love you all!

Another weekend horse riding.

2008-10-21T11:16:00.005-06:00

It seems I'm turning more into a cowgirl then ever. Our family friend from Hawaii was in town for a conference for school and she was able to spend a day with us. It was so good to see her and just feel of her presence and goodness. Thanks Shanoa for a great ride and the chance to see you and get to know you even better! Love ya and Aloha!

What a weekend!

2008-10-07T13:12:00.002-06:00

WOW! I don't think I could have asked for a better weekend. I loved every second of it. One of my old roommates from school came and stayed with me. It started off with us going to the high schools homecoming football game. It was a lot of fun, mostly because she's from California and loves the hole "small town" thing. Well, the game got a little boring, to say the least, so we headed out with my parents to see "American Carol" it was a pretty funny movie and I would recommend it if your in for a short lived laugh.
Saturday, of course, was perfect because it was the start of General Conference. But what made it even better is I got up early, went for a run, and then dad asked me to come help him outside for a little bit. So, I got to spend some time with him and just talking to him. I cherish every moment I get to spend one on one with him, with each of my family members in fact. They are so precious to me and I cherish every one of those memories. Plus, the calm of a gentle rainstorm and a slight chill outside made a peaceful atmosphere for watching conference.
There were many things about conference that I liked, like many of you it was exactly what I needed to hear in this time of my life. I loved the laughter and council that we were given by many. Mostly, I'm grateful for the reminders from Elder Wirthlin and President Monson to laugh and to be grateful and to live in today, no matter how hard it is. There isn't a heartache out there that a little laughter can't help and the atonement can't cure. All shared beautiful messages and all filled my spirit with a great calm. After the sessions on Saturday my friend and I carved pumpkins and then we went and had a girls game night with our neighbors as the boys were at the priesthood session.
When Sunday came my entire family was happy to relax together and enjoy the words of our prophet. We love him so dearly. After the session my friend wanted to go on a horse ride so Ethan willingly took us on a simple Sunday cruise. It was fun and certainly enjoyable for the rookie. We had the neighbors over for dinner and sang Happy Birthday to Caitlin (My friend) because she turned 20 on Saturday. Thanks Caitlin for a great weekend and all the great memories.
In other short and quick news, I have turned in my mission papers and actually have an interview with the bishop tonight. I can't believe this is really happening. I've dreamed of it for most of my life and I'm so excited to go out there and share the joy that I feel, the knowledge of the restored gospel, and the blessing of a prophet on the earth today, with others. I'll keep you all updated as more things happen. Please pray for me as you can. I would appreciate all of them as I embark on this most wonderful, and most anticipated journey in my life!

What's in a Name?

2008-09-26T17:52:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about those infamous words written by Shakespeare and spoken by Juliet. What is in a name? What is it about our identities that makes us so special. Well, I've been testing this theory out. As I've gone to grocery stores, outlet malls, and restaurants all over I've been thinking about these words. "What's in a Name?" Well, I realized that at all of these various locations these people wear name tags, Well, I asked myself, why would these people wear name tags if it wasn't for the intended purpose to have you refer to them by their respected name on those tags. So, as I've asked employees questions, or said thank you to the clerk that has assisted me, or said hello to the cashier at the beginning of my purchase I quickly look at their name tag and say, Hey Janice how are you?" Or "Thanks Tim, I appreciate your help."
It is such a joy to watch the expression on the face of these people change. They always at least give you half a smile but many times their face goes to a full blown glow. People love to hear their names, because it was their identity given them at birth and in using that identity you automatically give that person your respect. and everyone wants to be respected. We talk and teach all the time about not disgracing our family names but why then is is so difficult for us to refer to a person in their name, showing respect for that name that was given them.
"A name essential is nothing. Just as Juliet says, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Which is very true, a name is just a name without a persons face to accompany it. But, go ahead, make someones day. Say their name as you greet them or thank them. And, like at "Tai Pan" yesterday, if they are not wearing a tag, don't be afraid to ask so that when a thank you is in order, it's not opened ended but rather truly directed at a person.

Proud to be an American

2008-09-18T11:10:00.003-06:00

I was driving through town yesterday when I passed the Macey's grocery store. In their parking lot they have a giant american flag that waves proudly over the town of Tooele. And, at the Miller Motor Sports Park, which is placed almost in the direct center of the valley there is an even bigger flag that waves proudly welcoming all who come from any direction. As I watched Old Glory proudly wave in all her beauty and splendor I began to think of all the reasons that I am PROUD to be an American.
I'm PROUD of this country, though in economic crisis it would seem because we know we will pull out of it, we will learn from this and be better because of it, just like other times in our history.
I'm PROUD of a Heavenly inspired government where we live in a place of so many great freedoms.
I'm PROUD to have my religious freedoms. To live in a country where I can share my testimony openly and willing with all that I come in contact with. I'm so grateful that I can worship my Heavenly Father in the best ways that I see fit and that I can believe because of my own free will, independent of any other person, not because someone is forcing me too, or because that is my only option.
I'm PROUD of our military who volunteer their time and their efforts to defending me and standing up for me.
I'm PROUD of its people who live with their heads held high because they know they live in a the greatest country of them all. I'm grateful that we can dream, and we can dream anything, because it is a reality that it can come to you and happen. In America if you dream it, you can believe it, and you can have it.
I'm PROUD of a country who knows how to work. Of people who work for things they have rather than just sitting around and waiting for the government to take care of them.
I'm PROUD to be an American for a countless number of reasons, I could go on and on. But mostly I would hope that others to are PROUD and that they would look around and realize how great we do have it, and that they would stand up and fight and defend and live for all those great freedoms that each and everyone of us can call ours. As OLD GLORY flies so proudly above our little valley I'm grateful to see her flying. To know that she bows to nobody, and it is in the time of crisis that we need to remember what we are, and who we are. We are Americans, citizens of the best country in the world, and now, in a time that she most desperetly needs it, we must stand by her side and be PROUD of all the things she stands for and defend them. Be so very PROUD to be an American. I know that I am.

The begining of a change

2008-09-16T20:20:00.002-06:00

These are the beginings of my Jerusalem Trip pictures. This is not all of them, and there are many more to come. These cover the "getting there" until our "Geography field trip" which is only about three days in time. Doesn't that make you excited to see more? Just drag your mouse over the picture and a description will pop up as to what you are seeing.

Spending hours on Blog

2008-09-16T13:36:00.003-06:00

Have you ever noticed how much time you can spend on your blog!? Holy Smokes! I just realized how quickly time can go as you just sit here and "work" away making your blog the cutest. Aunt Lan said I need to update more, and she's right. I just think my life is boring I guess, why would anyone want to hear about it? Then I got thinking of my cousins and how excited I get to read their blogs, and that no matter how boring it may seem to them, it's exciting to me, because it's their life and it's something new I can learn about them, and a way to strengthen my love for them. Plus, reading their blogs takes me out of my boring hum drum life for just a moment and gives me something to look forward to. So, yes Aunt Lan, my new goal is to start updating for you all more often. I'm secretly going to try once a day, but I'm not going to tell anyone that because I don't want anyone to be disappointed, but I am going to give it a try.
Well, the news of the day is this. I've decided to serve a mission. Those who haven't heard yet. I have begun feeling my papers out and it is proving to be a trying process. I say that because if I don't keep extremely busy in my life then before I know it Satan has laid hold upon my thoughts and feelings and makes me feel terrible, so I try to keep busy to keep the devil out. That's the plan. As more progresses I'll let you know. Ethan and I are doing are stuff together. The plan is that whoever gets their call first has to tape it on the fridge and wait until the other ones come so we can open them together. Not only are we going to open them together, we want to read eachothers. It's going to be really exciting. It's really great to have the opportunity to do this side by side with my marvelous younger brother.

Home sweet Home

2008-08-16T10:09:00.002-06:00

Hello friends and family! I'm happy to say that i have made a safe arrival back to the United States and am safely home in Grantsville. It was a hard departure from Jerusalem. A part of my heart will forever and always be there. I love that place, and I love that country. However, it is always good to return home and to realize how good you really have it. It was a long trip home, I traveled 8,000 miles, was in traveling for 36 ours and I was up for 48 hours straight...with a snooze here and there, but you can hardly count sleeping on the airplane for a little bit here and there as sleep, at least I don't. I'm still suffereing from jet lag. Thursday night I laid down at midnight and didn't really "sleep" much the entire night, I woke up at 6 to go walking with mom and then was up all day until 9:30 that night, man was I tired. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I still am way exhausted and I have a good feeling that today might be worse than yesterday seeing as how i already feel this morning. But, will see. I'm trying to tough it out as much as possible so that I can get on the right scheduele ASAP. I was excited to see all the little neighbor kids that I love so much, that was a happy reunion. I don't think it's really hit me yet that I'm home. Someone told me that Sunday will be the hardest, when I get to church and realize I can't look over the old city. Maybe I'm just to tired right now to even realize. Well, I'm starting to ramble. Just know that I'm happy and doing well. I'm not going to school in the fall because I have some big decisions I need to make. (more updates on those later) I would appreciate all the prayers I could get! love you all!

Galilee!

2008-08-08T04:27:00.001-06:00

Okay, so Galilee was probably the most fabulous experience of my life thus far, unfortunelty I don't have a lot of time right now because I'm trying to catch up on homework, laundry, clean checks etc etc, so I will update with plenty of pictures and such on Saturday(which is my Sunday) because I still need to organize pictures and everything. I can't believe how time has flown by. One week and I'll be home! AHH!

Until Tomorrow

2008-07-25T13:44:00.001-06:00

Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center, for Near Eastern Studies.

Well, I plan on updating a lot more tomorrow on all the rest of the stuff that has been going on. Also, in the near future I plan on going around and just taking pictures of the center so you can know a little bit about where I live, but for now, here is a little bit of a teaser.

Hezekiah's tunnel

2008-07-25T13:14:00.006-06:00

How wet we all got

Inside the tunnel

Getting ready to go inside the tunnel

The view that David would have had from his palace

Okay, so in the bible, when Hezekiah was king he built a underground water system so that when the Asyrians came to lay seige upon the city of Jerusalem so in the wisdom of Hezekiah he built an underground tunnel so that the people could get water but the enemy could not. The tunnel ends in the Pool of Siloam, which is the same pool that the Savior told the blind man to go wash his face in to see again. It was such a neat place to be and neat stories to here. The steps leading to the pool, from the temple, are long short, long short. They were built that way to cause a person to think as they walked up to the temple. Think about that as the blind man walked down those stairs slowly, knowing he would be healed when he got to the bottom. We also got to stand where the old temple of David would be, seeing how it would have been so easy for him to commit the sins with Bathsheba that he did....kit's very interesting.

Deep within a gardens walls

2008-07-25T13:03:00.003-06:00

The special gate that they let the mormon's into.

Olive Tree's in the Garden

Wow, so I actually got to go to the Garden of Gethsemene for the first time. It was incredibly awesome! I loved being there. What is really good is they have a part of the garden especially sectioned off for "the mormons" If you tell them who you are you can sit in there by yourself (they have to unlock it for you) and there are no disturbances, it's incredible. I loved every second of it and I pray that I will soon get to return.I know that Jesus Christ truly did what he ways he did. He suffered for the sins and pains and agonies of all mankind, nad for that I'm truly grateful! I will forever be in his debt.

Church of the Holy Seplucler

2008-07-25T12:48:00.006-06:00

The ramparts walk with the center behind me.

Inside the church, see what I mean about goddy.

On the way to the Church

Okay, this is the traditional spot, founded by Helena Constantines mother, where Jesus was laid to rest and then resurrected, it is owned by the christians and is very goddy and ornate. ps sorry it has been so long since I blogged. I'm going to try to update you now as fast as possible. Also, there is a thing called the ramparts walk and you can walk around the top of the old city wall, it's awesome!

Just for Fun

2008-07-17T11:13:00.006-06:00

giving new meaning to the "crown of thorns placed on his head" and these are the "soft"kind

Yeah!

Just for fun!

going to the traditional sight of the garden tomb

Me, Jon, Caitlin

I was going to add pictures on here from my last field trip to Hezekiah's tunnel for you all to see, but I forgot the camera downstairs in my bedroom and don't get the internet down there, so I'll tell you all about it and post pictures from it tomorrow. So, instead I'll just tell you that I took 2 finals today and they went pretty well, I'm fairly happy about it. Nothing really more exciting than that. I guess I'll just add some random pics and I'll add the field trip ones tommorrow, because they are awesome!

Day 4,5,6,7

2008-07-16T07:16:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I told everyone that I would catch you up on the rest of our Egypt trip. Here it is. I needed a little break from homework and studying for finals so this gives me the most perfect opportunity.
Day 4: Well, as you know the night of day three we jumped on a plane and headed 500miles to the city of Luxor. I loved Luxor. It's a beautiful place! Well, we woke up at 5am and headed for the Valley of the Kings. The reason we got up so early is because the valley of the kings is in the middle of the desert and it gets hot really quickly so we wanted to beat the temperature. I loved the valley of the kings. I remember studying about it in humanities so it was so cool to actually be standing there. They have the mummy of king tut still in the tomb so we got to see his mummy there where they discovered all of his treasure. So, after the valley of the kings we headed for the funerary temple of Rases the third, and let me tell you the pharoahs sure thought a lot of themselves. It was really cool to see the connection between the church and the apostate state that the egyptians were in. After that we just headed back to the hotel for free time where I took a nap, went to the BEAUTIFUL luxor museum and swam in the pools swimming pool. It was super cool, and super fun.
Day 5: This time we didn't have to get up so early but we did get up fairly early and took a horse and buggy to the Karnak Temple and then over to the Luxor Temple. Both of these are very interesting places especially with our knowledge of the church, because it is true that the knowledge was there but they just lived in an apostate state. Then we went on a Faluka ride down the Nile and that was killer cool because the driver and stuff started playing his drum thing and we all danced around and sang Arabic songs. Then we wen on our Camel ride which just adds to the list of transportations we have had on this trip. That was pretty cool and the camels were just led by some local boys, that was there job. They think American Women are beautiful here so we all got proposed to several times. After that we had more free time and I hit up the shopping center and swam around some more. We then headed for the stinky, gross, nasty train station where we would be taking an overnight train ride back to Cairo. The train wasn't actually that bad, I enjoyed it for the most part. At this point though I did just hit the point of exhaustion, where I didn't know what to do anymore. I started feeling sick, couldn't do homework, couldn't relaxing, it's a hard feeling for me to describe. After tossing and turning for a few hours I finally decided this was just not going to work so I got up and went and knocked on one of the boys bedrooms and asked them to give me a blessing, just for comfort and peace and the ability to make it through this rigirous program. They did and I'm so grateful that I knew I could just call on anybody. It was a beautiful blessing and I was able to sleep soon after that and have a better experience all together, not that it wasn't great before, this just made it better. I'm so grateful for the power of the priesthood and the faith I have in its ability to heal a person.
Day 6: We arrived in Cairo, with not even enough time to change clothes, shower, or brush our teeth, and headed for the Mohammed Ali Mosque which was super interesting and then had Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe Cairo. That was a fabulous place and it was nice to be back somewhere that felt a little more American. Then we headed to the HUGE Cairo museum where we got to see King Tut's treasures, a ton of statues, and then saw the mummy rooms where we saw some pretty famous pharoahs...as mummies. Then we went back to the hotel and had some freetime before we held our own little sacrament meeting. I had to speak at the meeting. That is my 6th talk in the last year. I'm never speaking again until I'm 60! :) It was a good meeting and I have never experienced a sacrament like that before. Well, the night ended early from exhaustion and I quickly went to bed.
Day 7:
We left early to head for the border crossing, and after we crossed we wen snorkling in the red sea! How cool is that!! It was beautiful and I thouroly enjoyed it...I would do it again for sure. We got back to the JC late but it was so good to finally get back. Well, That's the readers digest version of my Egypt Trip. I loved every second. Even though the water was dirty and we couldn't let it even touch our face let alone drink it (we had clean bottled water) and we couldn't eat anything that hadn't been cooked I still loved it!

To many pictures

2008-07-14T10:22:00.002-06:00

I'm sorry, I wish I could share all of my photos with you, but there are just to many, and I can't access slide.com so I can only share with you some of my favorites. Egypt was so incredible, I loved it. Even the dirty parts of it I didn't mind so much. This week I have three finals, so I'm super busy. But they say after we get through this week life is much easier because then we will only have two classes. I'm excited. So, this blog will be short tonight, because the pictures took a long time to load, hopefully I will get a chanc tomorrow to tell you more.
Okay so day one on the trip to Egypt: July 6th. We left the Jerusalem Center at 6:30 in the morning to head towards egypt. On the way we were planning to stop at several biblical sights, so we knew we were in for a very long day. First we stopped at Beersheba where the children of Israel would have come through. It used to be a little city with a huge watering system underneath it, Also, it was one of the great fortresses of ancient times. Next, we stopped at the Wilderness of Zin lookout which is this huge desert that has absolutely nothing in it. This is where the children of israel wondered for 40 years. Next came Ben-Gurions Grave. Mr. Ben-Gurion and his wife help to seek freedom in Israel(I think, my notes aren't sitting right next to me) Anyways, then we headed to Advat Yotvata which is a Jewish Kubbutz. A kubbutz is kind of like a wanna be law of consecration place. Everyone helps everyone and shares everything and nobody makes money but the kubbutz pays for everything. It's weird, but it was neat to experience that. That is where we stayed the night. When we had dinner that night it kind of turned into a dance party and they taught us some hebrew songs and we sang and danced around, it was super fun.
Day Two: July 7 We left the Kubbutz at 7:30 in the morning to head for the border crossing. Let me tell you, I felt like the biggest refuge at the border crossing. We had to unload all of our stuff and carry it through secruity and the border and then into egypt and back on another bus. At least we didn't have to swim accross but it was an interesting experience to have to walk. Anyways, after we crossed the border we drove through the Sinai Desert. That is quiet the desert. There is not even a plant anywhere. It's unreal. we stopped at a rest stop and it was the nastyest place I've ever seen. We went to the bathroom in holes in the ground...men there also think American Women are just super beautiful so they sit and stare and some even ask you if you want to marry them. It's flattering, but weird. So, the boys that are with us have to be a little bit over protective and just kind of put their arms around us to make sure we are safe and stuff. It's super nice. but it will be weird to get home and not have anyone pay attention to me, becuase even though it's from creepy men on the street and the super nice men here at the center, we do get a lot of attention. We drove straight through to Cairo to our hotel ( 6 hours) where we were all very ready for a shower and bed. In Egypt we can't eat anything that hasn't been cooked or drink any of their water...imagine how showering went trying to not get it on your face so you didn't lick it or get it in your eye...yikes! you would get the runs if you did. :)We also went to the sound and light show which is played on the Giza Pyramids. It was incredible.
Day three: July 8 We got up really early this morning...5:00am and headed with our tour guide to the great pyramids. They were awesome. It was at this point that I realized the center had hired about 12 "secret service" men to protect us. It was unreal throughout the trip how they placed themselves and how you would all of a sudden notice them and wonder how long they had been there. It was kind of cool to have body gaurds and a security car that follows the bus around...I felt really spoiled. The center takes good care of us. Anyways, at the pyramids we got to go inside one. Let me tell you 170 nations of persperation inside the little holes we had to crawl through and around in is not pleasant, but it was cool to do anyways. We also got to see the sphinx which is actually where they would mummify the body to take it to the pyramid. This was just unreal let me tell you. the great pyramids are something you only see in books, you don't actually go there right? Then we headed to the old captial of Egypt which is Memphis (where they believe Moses was) and looked around there. Then we went to a Papyrus factory where we saw how they made there paper and stuff and I bought some Papyrus. We at lunch at a cute little reastaurant and then packed a smaller bag and headed for the airport to go to Luxor...that's where the incredible sunset picture is from...it's awesome i know! I'm quite the photographer. Okay, well I need to get back to my studies and this is longer then I wanted it to be. So I will fill you in on day 4-6 tomorrow. Remember me in your prays, this week is going to be a hard one, academically!

Walk like and Egyptian

2008-07-14T09:47:00.010-06:00

kissing the Sphinx

Walk like an Egyptian

Yeah, that's me on a camel

An Egyptian Toilet

Room mates!

The beautiful Luxor Temple

our faluka ride across the Nile River!

The great pyramids of Giza

Some true desert peoples

The sunset in Egypt

Happy 4th!

2008-07-05T08:55:00.007-06:00

crawling through a little cave

Headlights rock!

my nasty toe

Hanging out on the town

Michael, Caitlin, Abi, Gregg

This is the view of the Jerusalem Center from the old city

I love the fourth of July. It is my most favorite holiday. How sad I am that I was not able to be in the greatest country of them all this year. I'm so grateful and proud to be an American and for all the many blessings that Heavenly Father so abundantly pours upon me.
Now, for some cool stories. Since I last blogged, which was a coupld of days ago, I've been able to so some pretty amazing things. First, we got to go to the western wall last night and welcome in the sabbath. We are not allowed to take pictures because that is working on sunday so I will have to take pictures of it a different day of the week, however it won't be the same because it is not as crowded. it was awesome. That was a neat experience. The western wall is the most holy place to the jews and it was neat to go there and pray with them, dance with them, and sing, well more like hum with them because I don't know the words. I love being here and just embracing different cultures and learning from them. The biggest thing a person can learn though is that we are all not so different after all. Though they pray and worship differently it is all the same God in my eyes, and so it's just neat to see how different we can be. The curriculum here at the center has proven to be quite the challenge. It's a lot of work and it all comes so quickly. We took a midterm yesterday, can you believe that, a midterm and I've only been here a week!! AH! It's a lot of work, but it's worth it because I'm learning a lot. I'm spending as much time out in the city as possible, I just love being out there and knowing where I am and what's happening.
We leave for Egypt tomorrow, we can't take our laptops, so I'm not sure how long it will be until I can blog again. But I'll do my best. Church today was completly amazing. It was such a fabulous testimony meeting and I loved everything about it! I love being here with these 79 other students and letting them change my life is so incedible. They are all such amazing people and I hope that I can one day have just a part of the light that is in them. There testimonies are amazing, they are good students, and they are great friends. I love them. We've only been here a short while yet we all are in agreement that we have known eachother forever. That's how great it is. I know that I was supposed to be here this semester and meet the people that are here.
I love and miss you all at home! I pray for you and think of you often!

Field Trip!

2008-07-02T11:22:00.005-06:00

Me being Daivid

A group photo in the chalk caves

coming through a little cave

In an underground storage thing, they mostly used them to grow pigeons.

This is us eating ice cream on the town. L to R Danenon, Caitlin, Tanner, Kristy

All is Well

2008-07-02T11:17:00.003-06:00

I don't know if you have heard from the news yet about the terrorist attack here, right in downtown, but you should know that we are all perfectly fine. Nobody was down there because we were all gone to a field trip today. So just know that I and everyone else is okay. We did have a really fun, and long day today. We went to the lower valleys, between here and the beach and saw so many places in the old testemant. We saw where the story of samson and delilah happened and we also saw where the battle of David and Goliath would have happened. As well as where both of them lived and would have come from for this battle. Also we saw a bunch of under ground watering systems and got to wonder around some of those caves and such. It was pretty awesome. We are seeing so many cool things and sometimes it is so hard to soak it all in because there is just so much information. It's crazy. I'm loving the people that I am here with. I'm just so impressed with the respect level that everyone has already established for everyone else. My toe is healing okay, it was doing fine all day in the dust and crawling around and stuff until caitlin accidently stepped on it and ripped a new layer of skin off. Gross, I know. But what can you do right? I'm trying to catch up on all the pictures I've taken to remember what they are and stuff so that I'll have a record of them, but it's hard with all the other stuff I have to do, but that's okay.
I'm sorry I don't have much to say today. We've been gone all day, and it's been a very fun and eventful day but I'm just so tired. Oh, we did go out last night and experience some of the night life. It was so fun! We went to west jerusalem, where we are a loud to go after dark and just walked around the shops and stuff. I felt like a true college kid again, it was so fun! Well, I love you all. This will have to be a short one, my brain is kind of fried and I still have a lot of homework to do!

2008-07-01T05:54:00.005-06:00

Okay, these images, one if of me being a true tourist. One is us singing hymns in the augusta victoria church, the other is the steps leading to the temple from the City of David, christ actually walked on these steps. Bethlehem is behind me. The one of just a field view is where the battle with the prophet Joshua happened, those are also the hills of Ephraim promised to his tribe. (cool huh?)This is the temple mount where solomons temple was and where christ will return to. It is now owned by the muslims and that behind us is the Dome of the Rock. More to come!

2008-07-01T05:51:00.000-06:00

This is the view from my bedroom.

Blog Works!

2008-07-01T05:43:00.000-06:00

Okay, so as you know. I first go here and the blogger wouldn't work. It was blocked, but appearantly it is now fixed!! Yes I'm so excited. Okay, well I have a lot to catch you all up on. I see mom let you all know about my toe nail, well, it's healing nicely. it still has it's occasional pain but it's almost done being red now and almost just skin. It is rather weird. I got the biggest blister on the side of my foot yesterday. "yes, I would like no toe nail with a side of blister please" and, it was on my left foot, just like me left toe. Poor thing.
I am absolutely loving life in Jerusalem! It is so fabulous!!! This is a once in a lifetime experience and sometimes as we are sitting in class and the teacher says...and we're going to go there....I always think to myself, no way. You can't go there, that's just a story in the scriptures. It makes me laugh. I love it. I have had the most amazing first week. It's just like the stories. for instance, when I was walking on the Mt. of Olives the other day, or when I was walking through the old city and thinking to myself the story of the women who touched the savior and he said who touched me and they were in this crowded area it's just so real. I love it.
The center is absolutely beautiful. It's incredible. I know, I've said incredible, awesome, wonderful etc. about seven times already this blog, but just continue to count on it. because those are the only words I can find to express my love for this place right now. It's fabulous!
I'm just so overwhelmed with all that their is to tell you since I've been blog less for a week, but now that I have it back you will hear from me more often. We will just start from here on out. I love you all. Thanks for all of your love and support. and remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

One less toe nail

2008-06-28T10:44:00.002-06:00

Well Abi's computer won't allow her on the blogger website, so I am going to try to pass along her info. Sorry no pictures, and no guarantees on quality........

I have so much to tell you. Yesterday after i got done e-mailing you four boys
invited Caitlin and I to come play basketball with them, which was a big surprise
because you know how sweet my basketball skills are. :) anyway, we decided to go and
get a little exercise. So, as we were playing with (John, Paul, Trevor, and Jared)
They were being super nice to us, but still giving us a little bit of a challenge.
Well, John was passing the ball to me and I jumped to catch it and landed only on my
left leg buckeling my knee and smashing my big toe nail into itself. Yeah, that
hurt. We stopped playing after that and I just went to my apartment, took some pain
killers did a little homework and then went to bed for the night.

Today was an incredible day!!! We got up bright and early for some breakfast. Update
on the toe: My knee hurt a little this morning and made me a little wobbly and my
toe was extremly black and blue and a little bit swollen. Well, we loaded the busses
and headed on our geography field trip. We took a lap around the city starting on
the East....which by the way is the Mt Scopus. After getting ourselves oriented
geographically from there, through a catholic mosque, where we sang many hymns
because it had great acustics, we headed just down to the Mt. of Olives, where we
looked at the same stuff from a different angle. We learned about the different
sections of the old city, and about the City of David, which by the way did you know
it was only 12 acres big in the time of the bible. Then we headed south, to the
mountain in which Abraham would have walked up when he came to sacrafice Isaac. We
saw what he would have seen when he expressed his view for the city of Jerusalem. We
say where he would have sacrificed Isaac, which is just slightly up from the Garden
of Gethsemane....interesting. Then we headed a little more south to the Shepherds
fields where David would have played his harp. We saw Bethlehem from a distance and
the place that Rachel died when she gave birth to Benjamin. Update on the Toe: By
this time of the day it's about one, and it is swelling more and I can feel fresh
blood squishing up under it. We then headed west where we ended at Nabi
Samuel...which is Samuel's grave. It's now a Jewish Mosque where they come pray.
from there we could see the borders of the west bank, The areas of Joshua's battle
when he first arrived from the wilderness and we saw the hills of Ephraim...the
place that is promised to the lineage of Ephraim....me.

We then got back in the bus to head home, by this time I had had three bottles of
water, and only half of a sandwich because it was just so hot that I couldn't eat.
My toe was now really beginning to throb.... Well, we made it back to the center and
I decided I better go and talk to the doctor here about this toe. When I got to him
he said that the nail would fall off as the new nail starting growing in because
there was now way off the old one repairing itself. He said it would be a month of
pain and that I would need that foot to be good, so....I asked him if he could just
tare the nail off now, he said yes. I went into his office, he grabbed some plier
type things and ripped it right off. It hurt me so very bad! I was hot, and dirty,
and now had this sudden intense pain going up my entire leg that I got even more
hot, and then as he was cleaning it (remeber this is not numb) I started to get a
little dizzy. He gave me a seriously pain killer and sent me on my way. I had 7 sets
of stairs to make it down, as I started walking i got very dizzy, then nauseated,
then flushed and right as I made it down the last stair I passed out. More like
fainted. I was conscious the entire time it was like my muscles just didn't know
what else to do...so I couldn't talk and let those who were at my immediate rescue
know that I was okay. Well, they called secruity and they came with the doctor who
said...didn't i just see you? he helped me to my bed, elevated my leg and in ten
minutes everything was fine. He said it was a post tramatic fainting and that it
happens all of the time. I felt so embarrassed. That has never happened to me
before. I was a little weak....still and didn't eat much dinner but everything
should be fine tomorrow.

Mom, i love it here so much. I wish I could tell you it all, but I can't. thanks for
everything. John just invited me to go walk around the center with him and just look
at the gardens...which by the way the Muslim brides love to come take pictures
at....cool huh! To the end of this e-mail we have come to the conclusion that today
was a great day, and it was only day 2. read psalms 122 and you will know better how
I feel. I can't believe I'm here, sometimes I just have to pinch myself to make sure
I'm awake....thank you for sacrificing for me, and the sacrifice of one toe nail was
definitly worth it! :)

Jerusalem

2008-06-25T02:15:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone! I'm just sitting in the Austrian airport waiting to board my last plane to Jerusalem. It's been a long journey and I just crossed the 20 hours of travel mark. Crazy. I'm not sure once I get to the center if I can download pictures or not. I will do my best, however, I will keep you updated in words, so keep checking often. I usually get sick flying but not once this time, I guess it's true, I was meant to travel the world. I know this experience is going to be a great one and that I will be able to learn so much. I'm here with some great people who are also going to make this entire experience memorable. Thank you all for your love and support and your prays. I will keep you all with me. More Later...when I actually have something exciting to say, not just about flying. (mom, check your e-mail....everyday also)

Dating

2008-05-27T10:06:00.001-06:00

I am not a big fan of dating. maybe perhaps it is because I'm not very good at it, or in the words of my roommates, "You're not a very good flirter..." Well, being at home is not helping my situation at all, the pool to pick from is very shallow. I have gone on a couple of blind dates that have neither turned into a second. oh well, I wasn't that interested, but mom always says if she would have given up on dad after that first date then I wouldn't be here. Dating now a days just seems so complicated to me. I can't quiet figure out why this is but there is a fine line between calling to much and not calling enough and who is supposed to ask out for the second date and etc. etc. Do you understand my frustration? I just wish I knew a better way. It's a huge compliment to me when someone asks if I would be interested in going on a blind date with someone they know, but then I'm always so sad when it just doesn't work or something. I never thought I was truly that bad at it, but I guess I am. I'm still young, and I'm not thinking I'm going to die alone and lonely but I think I'm just frustrated today and needed to vent. I'm not the type of girl to just put it all out there and make out with some random person at the drive in, (like Ethan) :) But, some say that's my problem...I don't know. Help!? (if this blog even made any amounts of sense.)

home sweet home?

2008-04-29T12:52:00.000-06:00

I made it home safe and sound. It was quite the experience getting home however, first my airling went out of business so then i had to get a entire new ticket. Well, I got on a plane Wednesday night..hawaii time, and met this very nice boy who talked to me the entire way home, at least it kept me from being sick. Well, he invited me to breakfast with him when we landed in Portland. We went to breakfast and then I went to catch my next fly and I got bumped, for two hours. Well, I got a two hundred dollar gift thing, and breakfast again but then I got bumped again. I waited at Portland for five hours. When I got to SLC it was a dissappointing sight to fly over the Salt Lake compared to the ocean, oh well. Mom and dad picked me up, told me to hurry and find a skirt and that we were going to the temple. It was the perfect first activity for being home. I was tired and beat, but I did go to the temple. the surprise for mom was I learned how to play the Ukulele while in Hawaii, I will record myself playing it and post it for everyone to see. Love you all!

2008-04-23T02:12:00.000-06:00

2008-04-23T02:04:00.001-06:00

Also, I fell a lot on the hike and we hiked in slippers/barefoot. I broke my slipper

Last night in Hawaii

2008-04-23T01:48:00.000-06:00

Well, my last night here has apporached so quickly. I've gotten really tired of saying goodbye so I'm almost to the point that I just want to come home so that I would quite haveing to say goodbye. It kind of stinks to get to that point, but that's where i am. So, for my last official free day slash night, here in Hawaii we went Kayaking. We kayaked out to china man's hat and then hiked up the top. We forgot a camera so we had to row back in and then back out and then up again so that we could take pictures of the beautiful view. The Camera doesn't even do it justice. After kayaking we went to the temple for the last time and it was really neat because we got to do family names for a Hawaiian and so I got to be baptized and confirmed for some Hawaiian sisters right at the font. It was a really special experience. Then, we came home and watched a chick flick and had chocolate cake and strawberries. It was awesome. I've loved this night and day very much. It truly was the most relaxing wonderful day! Ah! I can't believe that tomorrow is my last day!!! YIKES! ps. We also showered all together to save time after kayaking trying to get to the temple on time!

Finals!

2008-04-18T13:24:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! finals week is going well. I'm happy that it is almost over. i actually only have one more to go. I feel like I've done really well on them. The one that I got an imediate score to i recieved a 92% so that is really good. I'm loving life here in Hawaii, but time is running short. I will be home in less than a week. I've lived every minute, and I wouldn't take any of it back. I'm writing a poem about all the things I learned in Hawaii and how it has changed my life, once it's done I'll blog it. I have a huge surprise for my mom, but I can't say what it is. Once she knows I'll blog about it, but it's killing me to keep this secret from her. I'm ready to be home in the sence that I'm ready to hug my parents, and rub my bare feet on the carpet, and sleep in my big comfortable bed and have my own bathroom, and clean dishes. But, I will miss my roommates, the 3 minute walks to the beach, the afternoon naps, and the exceptance that a person feels here. You feel so loved not matter who you are, or what you look like, or what country you're from. That is probably the biggest lesson I've learned while here in Hawaii. That you can love and care for those who are entirley different then you, when your only common ground is the church, or even sometimes just the school you go to. Yet, you can laugh, love, and learn together. BYU-H is a special place where people that attended here are among the elect to help change and better the world, we will make a difference after attending such a school as this, and you realize how small the world has become. I do have friends in high and low places now, all through out the world and I couldn't ask for a better blessing than that in my life now. I'm truly a blessed person and it feels as though God as spoiled me rotten, but in the end all he wants is for us to find happiness, and as long as we listen to his promptings obey his commandments, acknowledge his hand in all things, and follow faithful and restlessly in his ways, then he will lead us to the things that will make us most happy. For that, I am forever grateful, and for just this experience alone...meaning my time in Hawaii, I owe my life and happiness to my Father in Heaven for the great blessings he so freely poors upon me. Hawaii isn't the end, it's just the beginning to a great life ahead, a life that where one door closes another seems to quickly burst open. I will only be home for a short time when the Lord will bless me with another great experience, that is to be in the Holy Land and see for myself all that there is to discover.

Room mate day!

2008-04-15T00:48:00.000-06:00

2008-04-14T04:28:00.002-06:00

Sorry mom, I didn't get the pictures put together but I promise I will today, monday, I'll let you know. Sorry. Love you bunches!!!!

A night of princesses

2008-04-06T20:35:00.002-06:00

Well, I'm happy to report that winter ball was a great success. It was almost like a dream. I was in this great dress, in Hawaii, on a cruise ship, with a great date, just floating around in the ocean. Who could ask for more? It was so wonderful. I loved it! We started off the night by all of us getting ready together. Then the boys came over and brought pizza and we provided the soda pop, what a great way to start the evening off right? well, I didn't get in my dress to eat because I didn't want to spill on it, but then I went and changed as we were getting ready to leave and as I came out of my room Ben's face just lit up with excitment! It was awesome! We left for the dance and upon arriving in Honolulu we checked in and walked on the boat. It was awesome! I know I keep saying that, but it's the truth! Ben was a GREAT dancer and we just danced for hours, I was pretty tired when it was over but it was so much fun. The top of the boat you could just go up there and see the stars and look at the lights. It was beautiful! The entire night was so much fun. I loved it so much and Ben was such a great date. My roommate also got engaged that evening so that has been exciting. My other roommate told her boyfriend that she loved him. It was a very eventful evening. That's the story of the winter ball. It was a wonderful evening and I'm so glad I got to go. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so just look at them and you'll know more! :)
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2008-04-06T20:35:00.001-06:00

Easter....Hawaii Style

2008-03-28T03:33:00.000-06:00

Easter

2008-03-28T03:28:00.001-06:00

Okay family....I know that it has been forever, I'm sorry. Life has just been so crazy busy it seems. So Easter was pretty boring around here, nothing special or anything. So, on Tuesday we decided that we wanted to have a better Easter. Well, Wednesday was a Hawaiian Holiday so we had no school, so Lisa and I decided we wanted to go on the best easter egg hunt of all time. We colored the eggs, six of them, got in our swimming suits, got the snorkling gear and then through the eggs into the ocean and snorkled for them. We came out with one egg and eleven golf balls. Not quite sure how that works out, but it was fun non the less. I got a little burned yesterday though and so for the first time I have my first Hawaiian sun burn. Well, it's late and that is all I can think to write about. I will try to stay more on top of this. Loves!

Winter Ball

2008-03-18T18:18:00.000-06:00

WAHOO! I got asked to winter ball! I don't know how that makes the rest of you feel but it makes me feel FABULOUS! The ball is on April 4th and it is on "The Star of Honolulu" a cruise ship!!!!! it's a formal dance...well, sorta. They want you to look nice. We load the ship, it pulls away from the harbor and then we eat and dance the night away for 4 hours and then go home. How awesome is that!!!! Well, to prevent having to spend money I am going to make my outfit, or, I have access to the costume shop so I might go find something cool to wear from there. I'm so excited to go though...maybe I could talk mom into buying me a new easter dress?....;) Dad said that being on a cruise shop might work out well because if Ben is a bad date then i can just push him overboard and the problem will be solved....:) ben is going to be a great date. he is a local and an RM. We are good friends and he is actually my roommates boyfriends cousin. It's going to be fabulous. I'm just so excited. I didn't think I was going to get to go and now and I do!!! WHOOPY

2008-03-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

A letter to Dad

2008-03-14T14:01:00.000-06:00

You know the most interesting part about the students at this univeristy is that most of them are first generation, and only memebers in their family. Such is the story with May. May was born and raised in Vietnam and when is was 13 years old she saw some mormon missionaries walking along the streets. She decided to go talk to these Americans. Well, as the story progresses we know that May was later baptized into the church. However, her family is not. Though they allowed for her baptism you wouldn't exactly call them supportive of her decision to enter the church. She has one older sister also. May's parents still live in Vietnam and it has been one year since she has seen them. Her sister moved to California to go to school and now is staying there because she likes it so much. She is not married, but does have a boyfriend. May chose to come to BYU-Hawaii for her education. She came because she wanted to know what it was like to be surrounded by LDS kids. Also, she wants to find a husband who can take her to the temple and live with her for time and all eternity. That is the story of Beautiful May. She has a great personality and has taught me a lot about Vietnam. The most interesting thing I've found is that we were talking about the language differences and I was telling her what all of the Asian languages sound like to Americans and then she said that when they first heard English is sounded like, "pspspospspsopspssssspspspsps" All they can here are p and s. It was so funny to hear that because I've never gotten the perspective before. May is also thinking about serving a mission, and if i come back here in the fall she would like to live with me.

Well, in other news. I have this huge crush on this boy at work and I'm not very good at the dating game. I'm trying to be, but it's not working out so well. School work and beach time are doing wonderfully. I counted the other day and I only have 45 more days here until I come home. INSANE huh? I was pretty sad about it. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. It's seems as though it was just the blink of and eye. Life just keeps going by faster and faster and I feel as though I can never catch up. Well, that's all the news I have for now. I love you all!

2008-03-11T01:28:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends. I don't have a ton to say today, but I'm a little bored so I thought that I would just update my blog. I kind of got homesick today. I just really missed my family and having a full time job that I could make good money at and everything. But, I got over it okay, it just happened so quickly. I'm so tired tonight. It's only 9:30 and I feel exhausted. I'm thinking that ignoring my body will be a bad thing and I should definitly just sleep if it's tired and get up early and finish all the homework and stuff. I've made a great new friend. Her name is May Pham, she is from Vietnam. She is the cutest little person ever! She is 20 years old like me and I'm about 4 times her size, she is just so tiny. She really is becoming one of my greatest friends. I met her at work and I adore her very presence! Well, that's all the news for me. I'll try to get more pictures posted soon. Still haven't figured out how to post that slide show...any advice?

a slide show

2008-03-06T00:36:00.001-07:00

I've uploaded a bunch of pictures into a slide show from slide.com for you all to look at but I can't figure out how to get them onto the website now...please help

Shaky Shaky pouw pouw

2008-03-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry that it has been so long since I blogged last. But, as you know the boys came out to visit and I've been spending all of my free time with them. It was so much fun to have them here and I absolutely loved it! We did all of the regular tourist things such as Pearl Harbor the Polyonisien Culture Center, the Beach. We also island hopped to Maui where we spent time with old friends, saw the houses we used to live in and did lots of the tourist stuff there also. It was a much needed and much enjoyed vacation, however, I was very excited for it to be done and to get back to my normal life. It's hard sometimes for someone to come visit you esecially when you live in a place like Hawaii because it's their vacation but this is my life and sometimes it's hard to balance out the difference. I loved spending time in Maui, and infact if I ever stayed in Hawaii for a long period of time I would choose Maui...it's so beautiful and just so friendly. You cannot find people like you find in Hawaii anywhere else in the world. They truly are marvelous. The boys also had a good time while they were here, picking up on the babes and basking in the Sunlight in the beautiful month of February.
There was a surprise waiting for me when I got home. I recieved a letter in the mail from the BYU Jerusalem Center program...and surprisingly enough I got in! They only take 80 kids a sememster, half boys half girls...and I got in! You can ONLY go for a semester and you can ONLY go once...so this truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm excited to take it though, though it is a very pretty penny. But, I'm going to exhaust all options on how to pay for it, because in 30 years I will be so sad if I look back and know that I didn't got because of the money. I got accepted for Summer semester so I'll be gone June 24-August 14. The Miss Grantsville pageant wasn't till the 28th of June but I talked to the lady and they said they would move it to the 21st so that I could still take this opportunity and get my scholarship money. Everthing just seems to be falling into place and I'm living the dream...I'm doing exactly what I've always wanted to do.
There is one slight problem though. I don't know if this happened to all you before you got married or if it ever happens to you now, but do you ever just get the urge to snuggle. Well, if you don't good for you, but sometimes I get it bad. All I want to do is just sit really close to someone and lean on his shoulder and just sit there forever and talk. Well, the problem with this senario is that I don't have that someone, and it's hard to find that someone when I'm leaving for the summer and stuff. So, that part kind of stinks, and not everyday, but sometimes I really get upset about this problem. It's a terrible kind of lonely feeling. Please tell me I'm not the only one to experience this?
Okay, I just saw the hugest coacroach ever! The bugs here are giant. It's so crazy how large they can get. School is going well, i'm definitly ready for a break. I had to walk out on a tennis class today because I got so stressed out at the teacher that I had to just leave before I voiced my opinion. I didn't know what else to do. I feel like a terrible person now and I know I need to go and talk to her one on one now but that will be so hard for me. But, I guess it's the hard things that make us stronger. Have you ever had an experience like this before where you just couldn't hold your anger any longer and all you could think to do was leave...or am I the only one to ever loose control?
Well, this blog is getting long, I better leave and I'll just add more later. Loves hugs and more!

VISITORS!

2008-02-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

YEAH! Ethan and Jeremey and Grant finally got here! I'm so excited for them to be here and the time that I'm going to get to spend with them. We are going to have so much fun. I went to pick them up from the airport and bought them some leis figuring they should be welcomed to Hawaii properly. Well, as I walked in Ethan and Grant had their backs to me but Jeremey was looking at me. I hollored at him and he just stared at me for like 10 seconds and then he went...oh....and tapped Ethan and said, "look it's Abi" Ethan turned around and said, "Holy Smokes my sisters a mexican." He thinks I'm really tan. I guess I just don't see it because I see myself everyday so I don't realize how dark I really am getting. Oh well. We're going to have a tone of fun.

I went on a Geology field trip last week and saw lots of cool things, including some whales. The picture you see here is a whales fin....it's all the way in the back I'm sorry you can't see it closer. Some of you may not even be able to see it, but trust me it is there. I also saw one jump completly out of the water but I didn't get a picture of it, sorry. It's in my head forever now though. We also saw some of the most beautful beaches created that way because of the volcanoes and the way the wind had hit them and such. It was really interesting. Love you all lots! More updates later!

An infection

2008-02-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family. Just incase you weren't aware tourists get a very sugar coated view of Hawaii. Hawaii is indeed paradise, but in all reality is is not the cleanest place around. There are bugs everywhere, and ants are inevitable. So, on with the story. I got a blister right on my ankle bone a couple of days ago, and thought nothing of it. Well, yesterday about half way through the day all of a sudden I couldn't walk. It felt like I had twisted my ankle really badly. Well, I still had to go to work and help backstage with the school play last night so I decided not to think about it or even worry about it. By the time I started walking home from the play (at 11pm) my ankle was hurting so badly that I thought for sure it was sprained or something. Well, I got home and expressed this pain to one of my roommates stating that I thought it was infected and she quickly jumped up to help me. They ran to the store and got me some epson salt and some hydrogen proxide to clean this blister out. So she got back and I soaked in the salt for about and hour and then decided it was time for bed. As I got up I went to the bathroom to rinse it out with the proxide and I found that it was even worse and I couldn't walk hardly at all. I tried to tough it out and just say that I was okay but I got in my room and just started crying because it hurt so badly. Well, my roommate and her boyfriend (Ammon) got home. Ammon is here all of the time and he is like a brother to all of us. He is also a local. Well they saw me crying and I explained the whole story to him. He said that it was definitly infected. He then told me that it was important for me to keep my foot elevated and so that it wouldn't swell.
He called one of our neighbors over to give me a blessing. They did and it was beautful. After the blessing Ammon had me soak my foot in regular salt water with a little proxide in it. At this point it was hurting so badly that it was making my legs shake, and then sticking it in that water was even adding to the pain. We sat it in the water for a while and then Ammon took it out and scraped the skin off of it that was blocking it and then dumped straight proxide in it and wrapped it good to keep anything else from getting in it. My roommate gave me her bed because it was the bottom bunk and we got my foot nice and elevated and I was able to rest. It took me a long time to sleep that night and I didn't sleep very soundly. However, I woke up this morning and the pain was mostly gone. It still hurts around the sore directly but it no longer hurts my entire ankle.
I want to testify to all of you that miracles do happen. After all that we can do and after all the effort we have put into it God will then step in and will heal us. I'm so grateful for Ammon and Brian and their willingness to give me a blessing and help me at 12:30 at night and pick skin off and just take care of me despite everything, no questions asked, never even hesitating. They let me cry and they talked me through the entire thing. I'm grateful for the atonement and for the knowledge that we have that in all reality Christ suffered all things for me and he knew the pain that I was in last night and that is why he could help me and succor me.

A weekend at the beach

2008-02-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family! well, we've had a long weekend and I decided to spend most of it at the beach, I got a nice healthy glow and a little bit of a red face, but you can't really tell, I can only feel it. Lisa and I headed up to the beach where we found NO waves. It was such a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky or even a breeze coming of the ocean. So we mostly just swam around...made up a synchronized swimming routine and then towards the end of the day the wind picked up a little bit and there were perfect waves for beginning boogy boarders.

We also through a birthday party for our friend Dane. I would like to point out that in this picture you can see how dark I'm getting. I don't feel like I'm getting very dark because I see myself everyday but in this picture while I'm sitting next to Dane I look dark compared to him.

Ethan, Jeremy and Grant are coming out to visit! I'm so excited. I'm counting down the days until they get here. I'm not home sick in the sense that I don't miss Utah, I'm just family sick and it will be really nice to have some of them around for a while. I hope all is well back at home. I'm happy and healthy and enjoying very much my time here in Hawaii! Love you all!

2008-02-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I just got chastised by my mother for not posting anything for a while. i'm so sorry. I didn't do that on purpose. I've just been so busy. What's new...well, Hawaii is still paradise (in case you were wondering). Since it is Valentines Day I guess I will share with you the Valentine I got. It was a brownie cup with a train on top built out of candy bars and there was a stick in it that said, "I choo choo choose you" Pretty cute Huh? I thought it was...it pretty much made my day.(I had just woken up in the picture you see there...) Valentines Day is probably not my favorite holiday, probably because I've never had anyone on Valentines Day..but that's okay. School is going well. I've loving every second of it, and I'm getting good grades too so that's a plus. I went and played raquetball yesterday with two of the boys I work with their names are Scott and Wolfgang. Yes...his real name is Wolfgang, he is from Austria. Scott is from Missouri. It was a ton of fun. I don't think I've had that much fun playing raquetball in a very long time! It's wonderful. Work is still going wonderfully. I love my job. Sometimes it's hard to go when I first leave but by the time I'm there I really like it...it's awesome! I get to associate with and meet some of the coolest people. It's a very neat experience. We also celebrated my room mate Kaelee's 20th birthday on Tuesday that was a lot of fun. I always like when there is an excuse to have a party. Ethan and Jeremy and Grant are coming out on the 26th, and believe my when I say I'm counting down the days for them to get here. This is the only reason I couldn't stay in Hawaii forever, it's just to far away from my family and I absolutely adore my family and I miss them very much. Well, that's all the news I have for you now. I'm going to go back to school and lift weights and stuff for a while. I love you all. I hope all is well back at the home front!

Rexbrug Idaho Temple

2008-02-14T02:06:00.000-07:00

Everyone! Go to this website! It's awesome, you can see inside the beautiful Rexburg temple. I'm so sad that I missed this open house after seeing the entire thing be built...anyways go check it out, it's breath taking!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PotAd3Gcgt8

A Smile

2008-02-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

A smile costs nothing, but gives much. It enriches those who recieve, without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it, and none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in buisness, and is the countersign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and it is natures best antidote for trouble. Yet, it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen. For it is something that is of no value to anyone until is is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile, give them one of yous, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

~First American Title Insurance Company

My Job

2008-02-07T23:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Thanks for all of your comments on my dating blog. I appreciate them. I know that I just need to be friends first, I just get so nervous. I need to get over this nervousness and just put myself out there....Anyways, back to the current blog at hand. I thought I should add a few pictures of where I work and give a few more details. First off I love my job! It's beautiful and I love doing what I do. I work at a luau that serves the same food, performes the same show, and goes through the exact same routines every day....but it's perfect. So far I've seen two people I know from Grantsville and that's been really excited. Usually I either wear my red or blue dress and do whatever they tell me to do. That is wait tables, make sure the buffet stays full, or fill juices. (p.s if it isn't water in Hawaii it's juice (even soda pop)) just a little Hawaii fact there for you. Anyways, everynight they have two employees of the same race dress up and be the "greeters" We stand at the entrance welcoming people and putting leis on them and saying "Aloha Family" It's a beautiful job and so far my very favorite of all the jobs I do. Tonight there were two gentlemen from Australia who came in and wanted to take their pictures with me with their camera. They did and after they were done they looked at me and said I was the prettiest thing/person they had seen in all Hawaii. It made me feel great...and I'm not even polynesian! I've had lots of people take my picture and I wonder how many walls or photo albums I will end up in all across the world. It kind of makes a person feel rather important! (I took the photo you see now at the end of the night, so I'm not sure if the Australians would say the same thing now...but you know The photos also done in the dressing room and on a self timer. I'll get a better one next time, I promis!) I hope and pray that I'm making some kind of difference in all of these peoples lives. I love you all once again. Keep smiling and working hard. The Lord is blessing our lives in ways that we can't even imagine!

Rachel Holste

2008-02-07T23:35:00.001-07:00

Rachel~ Hey, I always see your comments and stuff and I'm happy you are looking at my blog. Can I have your e-mail so that I can write you e-mails and stuff? Thanks!

high school

2008-02-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm in High School all over again! You see, what is happening is a rather funny story. There is this boy here at school who is SUPER cute...Well, I don't have any classes with him I only see him walking around and sometimes at work. (he is the super super supervisor over where I work) He does know my name and I have spoken to him several times. Anyways, everytime I see this kid I have the hole butterflies in my stomach, knees going weak, and don't know what to say except nothing because I think I'll feel like a big dork...so my fellow friends...what shall I do? I've already gotten the advice to just tell him, or to ask him to hang out sometime or something, or maybe to send him something on Valentines Day. It's not as bad as some may think it is, when I do get the chance to talk I do talk to him and we talk about the normal "how's life" questions. Why am I being such a baby and just can't decide what to do next!

House Guests

2008-02-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

Well, here is an interesting story for you all....We were walking to church yesterday when this older couple pulled over and picked us up. We gladly excepted the ride only to find out that they were attending our ward that day. They were visiting the couple missionary that was serving in our ward and they were happy to be here in Hawaii for a week. Their names are Elder and Sister Swain. Elder Swain is a retired pilot and he and his wife now use his benefits to fly for free all over the world. They have served 4 missions together and have had many extensive callings through out the church. Well, after they gave us a ride we had a bright idea to invite them over for dinner Monday night. We made them a card and told them if their vacation plans permit we would love to have them at our house. They gladly excepted and we had them over and had a wonderful dinner. It was so nice to hear their stories and to spend a few hours with "real people" It's hard sometimes when you only get to associate with college kids and it's nice sometimes to have people like them be willing to come to our house. We had a great time and they have truly made a lasting influence on my life in just the few hours they were here.

On another note, just to update, things here are GREAT! School is going wonderfully and I love my job at the PCC. I got to be the greeter the other night at work, what does that mean? Well, it means that I got to dress up like a true poly, in the hole tube top shirt, the flower thing around my head, no shoes, and the awesome skirt. Unfortunetly I didn't have my camera with me so I only got a picture with my phone, but it was awesome. Don't ask me why they asked me to do that job because I'm obviously not polynesien. They did have other poly's standing there taking pictures with the guests, I just said "welcome family" and put the leis' around their necks. It was an awesome job and I felt so honored that they would ask me to do that and be the first thing our custumors saw when they came into our restaurant. I'm so grateful for the blessings in my life that the Lord is so freely giving out to me. Bishop Phelps (that's my home ward bishop) also called and I got to talk to him for a long time just about how things are. I'm so grateful that he cares that much about me to call and check on me. He also asked me about my mission plans and if I would be home for the summer so they could give me a calling. Never forget that the Lord is aware of us and is watching out for us and he will never leave us. I love you all! I'm so grateful for the family that I got to talk to this weekend...just those calling to say hi that I haven't talked to for a while or at least since I've been here! I love to talk to anyone...just call me sometime! Thanks again for all your love and support.

A shout out!

2008-02-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a little shout out to my mom and dad. I just want them to know how much I truly love them and how grateful I am for their love and support in all these crazy adventures that I choose to take in my life. I love you guys! Thanks for everything!

Our Prophet....My Prophet

2008-01-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

President Hinckley always uses his cane, just not much for walking. Accra, Ghana.

See what I mean. He was told to carry a cane and that's what he does - he carries it.

Elder Russell M. Nelson is at far right. Accra, Ghana.

We marveled at the contrast of Joseph Smith's visit to the White House to meet with President Van Buren and President Hinckley's visit to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given aUnited States citizen.

The White House, Washington, D.C.

President Hinckley said that "Sister Hinckley would have loved this event."

The White House, Washington, D.C.

You just can't help breaking into a smile when you are around Gordon B. Hinckley.

Kirtland Temple.

President Hinckley is patient with all the photographers who are constantly taking his picture. He did say to us one time, in a quiet tone , that "if all the cameras in the world were thrown into the ocean, there would be a great flood." Kirtland Temple.

Who can resist President Gordon B. Hinckley's warmth?

President and Sister Hinckley were just the trademark of happiness in Ghana..

No one could keep their eyes off of them. Their warmth was infectious.

Their kind waves of the hand always made everyone feel loved.

Accra, Ghana
These two are love birds, no less.

I'll never forget when President Hinckley invited his precious wife to the stand in Moscow and introduced her to the 2,000 present as his "Babushka.''

It brought the house down - they loved it. Moscow, Russia.

When we first published it, one woman wrote to us and said,

"If people don't believe Mormons are Christians, just have them look at this picture of Sister Marjorie Hinckley." I so agree.

Nauvoo , Illinois

How blessed we are to live during the administration and ministry of President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Nauvoo , Illinois.

President Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-01-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

I'm sure we have all heard of the death of our dear Prophet. I do need to say though that I have not felt sad for a moment. I will miss President Hinckley dearly and am so grateful for the things he taught me throughout my life and I will always remember him as my prophet but I can not help but think of the happy reunion that is going on on the other side right now between him and his wife and him and Joseph Smith and all the people that President Hinckley has constatnly talked about meeting. I love President Hinckley so much and am happy for his influence and power in my life. I do thank God for a prophet and the knowledge we have that the church does not have to sit in limbo while we wait...it will go on never missing a beat!

You were generals in the War in Heaven and one day when you are in the spirit world, you will be enthralled by those you are associated with. You will ask someone in which time period they lived and you might hear, "I was with Moses when he parted the Red Sea," or "I helped built the pyramids'" or "I fought with Captain Moroni." And as you are standing there in amazement, someone will turn to you and ask you which of the prophets' time did you live in? And when you say "Gordon B. Hinkley" a hush will fall over every hall and corridor in Heaven, and all inattendance will bow at your presence. You were held back six thousand years because you were the most talented, most obedient, most courageous, and most righteous. Elder Boyd K. Packer

sand+water=SERIOUS CHAFFING!

2008-01-28T17:35:00.001-07:00

Well, I spent my first official day at the beach today, and let me tell you it was some adventure! The ocean was very angry the day we went and for a begining body border the waves were rather large. My roommates wouldn't even try it, but I did. There is a reason they call the beach that we went to "pounders" The second you got caught under one of those waves you were living proof that science was real....what goes up must come down. I was so sore the next day! It was really painful. But i loved it and am so excited for the opportunity to go do it again! Hawaii is beautiful. I know I've said this like a hundred times but it is a hundred percent true! I've never felt so loved and excepted before anywhere in my entire life. It doesn't matter here if you are fat or thin or silly or maybe not the best looking person people just love you here and you can feel super confident with the person that you are, no matter who that is. And that is how I feel, for the first time in my life I'm happy with who I truly am. Of course I still want to improve and become a better person but it's so good to know that people will love you despite all of your flaws and inperfections. PS just so you all know I got a pair of shorts to button comfortably and remain comfortably buttoned (it's actually a snap) all day! YES! I love you all so much and am so grateful for the love and support that I constantly feel and am getting from my family. Thanks for helping to be and feel beautiful! Also, just by way of information I got called to be the teacher development teacher in my ward that's pretty exciting. I'm a little nervous for the calling because it requires me to teach all the teachers how to teach...yikes! I was also sick for the first time, I was suffering from a chest cold and I thought it was developing into bronchitis, well I asked for a blessing and this boy from Japan and a memeber of the bishopric gave me one (the boy from Japan did the oil and he didn't know how to do it in english so he did it in Japanesse) and it was a most beautiful blessing. I felt one hundred percent better by the end of the night and my chest still didn't hurt in this morning. I bear testimony to you that miracles do happen and the Lord helps us when we put our full faith in him and trust in Him to help us in our time of need.

The Challenge

2008-01-22T23:04:00.001-07:00

Aloha my dearest Ohana...for those who don't know, that means hello family. I have a special challenge for all of you. Today(whatever day it be that you read this) I would like you to do something extremly special and nice to a complete stranger today. Make someone smile, and make them feel like that when they go home they can tell there ohana about the awesome thing that was said to them today. The reason? Because today at work I worked with someone (another employee) that was extremly unhappy and it got me very frustrated, yet the other night at work I helped a customer who gave me a beautiful compliment about my looks and how I reminded them of someone at home who was the sweetest most beautiful girl they knew. Thinking of these two situations tonight I realize the different feelings I have coming home from work. So, that is the challenge, make someones day. Let them go home with a smile, and let them always remember and realize that there are still great people in this world who understand the meaning of true happiness.

China Man's Hat

2008-01-21T23:58:00.001-07:00

And last but not least, we stopped at "The China Man's Hat" and did a little bit of touristy stuff on the way home! It was a beautiful, adventurous and joyful day. Now, I bet be getting to my homework. More post later!

It's jumping time!

2008-01-21T23:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, here is me finally jumping. Now, let me tell you, this jump is like the unltimate wedgy machine. If you turned your body at all and did not go in straight it was extremly painful, and let me tell you, I'm in a lot of pain. My butt and thighs just flapped against that water and I felt like I couldn't even move my legs...plus the wedgy was not helping the situation at all. It was a lot of fun, and I'm really glad I went and did it, but I'm happy to say that I only did it once! I'm sure I'll be feeling it for the next week! :)

The Pond

2008-01-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

The options for jumping was either 50 ft or 30 ft. I chose 30, that was plenty high for me, and once you climbed up, there was no other way down but to jump.

Cliff Jumping

2008-01-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

Climbing up to the jumping point was actually far more frightening then anything....it was like just super gripping the rocks to get up there...yikes!

Hiking, Mud, Cliff Jumping, and China

2008-01-21T23:43:00.000-07:00

We went hiking today. It was a lot of fun! We went to Kanohe and had to hike up about 45 minutes into this mountain. It had rained really hard last night so we were covered in mud....but we made the most of it and it was a lot of fun! We hiked up to this little pond that you could cliff jump into because it was deep enough, and it truly was. My roomates are fabulous...I love them dearly. There is Missy, me, Lisa, and Melissa. We have one more but she couldn't come with us today. Sad!

The Hawaiian Hula

2008-01-21T23:33:00.000-07:00

For my very first enrichment meeting here we learned how to do a hunla dance!! It was super windy, so I'm sorry you can't here the sound in this video, but we had a lot of fun and I am going to do my best to try to remember it so that I can show it all to you when I get home, Hey, maybe I can even use it for one of my talent performances in the Miss Grantsville Pageant! :) (ps, for some reason the other post that I've posted tonight won't show up automatically, at least not on my computer. If you are not seeing my cliff jumping post then just go over to the side and click on "January (2008) That's what I did and then it shows up, I'm not sure why this is happening, but that's how you fix it.)

The blue dress

2008-01-21T23:30:00.000-07:00

Mom wanted to see a picture of my blue dress...so here it is. I'm so glad for the five of you that read my blog, it makes me so happy. Mom, don't forget to spread the word and tell more people about me. I love reading the comments most!

Sad Day

2008-01-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a sad day here in Hawaii. I'm not quiet sure why, I just know that I was not my usually happy self today. However, I did figure out how to upload videos onto this cool blogspot though, and that's exciting...so, I'm a hundred percent sure that I'm going to film a cool video tomorrow of this beautiful place and myself and put it onto the blog so that you all can see it!!! YEAH!...That just made my day a lot better. :)

The Polynesian Culture Center

2008-01-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I officially worked my first night at the PCC. It was AWESOME!! I love working there. I love the culture diversity and all the beautiful people that I'm working with. This is my awesome uniform and I have a blue one just like it. The PCC is an awesome place. I missed a play audition to work, I'm hoping I can still get an audition in tomorrow, but, if not I will just have to do the play. You win some you loose some I guess. I also got to eat dinner with all the new hires the other night and I sat with someone from Samoa, Fiji, and Korea. It was really awesome to get four different nationalities together and to be able to visit with them and get to know a lot about them.(They also taught me and let me taste raw fish...they eat it in all their countries like it's noraml...it was great!) BYU-H and the PCC are truly wonderful. Nowhere else in the world can you get this many great people together of different nationalities eating and laughing together in such a simple manner. BYU-H truly is the churches biggest secret. If anyone could explain in words how great this place truly was than the line would be out the door for people to come hear and nobody would ever leave. I love it hear and I hope all of you are doing well at home. All my love! Aloha!

My friend Kent

2008-01-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Kent, we met on the tour. He's awesome. We became good friends and I'm so grateful that I got to know him even better. Yeah!

Pearl Harbor

2008-01-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

On my island tour I got to go see Pearl Harbor. I always have know what happened at Pearl Harbor and the things that occured there on that tragic day. But, actually being there makes a big differences. All of the sudden history becomes reality and you feel so conected to those people. Not only did going there make me so grateful for those men who died on that day but it makes me even more grateful for those who have ever died for my freedom or who are still fighting for my rights, and it makes me so sad to think of all those who takes these wonderful blessings for granted.

2008-01-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

This is my wonderful roommate Lisa. We went on a circle Island tour where we were able to explore the entire island of Oahu. It was beautiful. This is Poli Lookout...Probably a good place to take your special someone...instead Lisa and I just hung out.

2008-01-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

I went to my first luau! (I'm not really sure that is how you spell it) Well, none the less...I really enjoyed it! There was plenty of food, ice cream, games, and of course...dancing!!! These girls here (from left to right) Hannah, Ursula, and MingMing are the friends I made at the dance. We had so much fun. It even started raining so we danced the night away in the rain! It was super fun and I'm so glad I got to make new friends ad get soaking wet and was able to spend some time with these girls from Samoa and New Zealand. That is one of my favorite parts about going to school here is the true cultural differences that you find. People really do come from all walks of life but it's really cool to see everyone come together and just be so fun and loving. And, for the first time since I've been here, and in my hole life, I was referred to and called a Halea to my face....by Mingming...sweet of her wasn't it? :)

2008-01-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

This is just a picture that I thought you all would like as you are spending your winter up in those cold states! :) The beaches here are like nothing I've ever seen before. The water is so blue and clear...I guess it's all part of living in paradise huh? ALOHA!

2008-01-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

I have officially had my first Hawaian laundry experience. My clothing desperatly needed washed! It seems I have to change a lot more often here because the humidity that I'm not quiet used to makes me sweat more, plus, in the winter in Utah you could where your pants or shirt more than once before you have to wash them because they don't get all wet...definitly not here!

I love to see the temple

2008-01-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

You know, I used to think that nobody could talk me out of getting married in the Salt Lake Temple, now I have learned differently.

Walking onto the temple grounds of the Laie Hawaii temple is like nothing I've ever experienced before. No picture can fully articulate its true beauty and majesty. As you stand up at the top by this temple you can see the beach and as you walk down it's perfectly kept roads to the beach you can then look back up and see it's beauty shining over all around it. The temple is breathtaking, and the experience and chance that I had to now witness it for myself and set eyes upon it's true beauty I have forever changed. I know that this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the fulness of the gospel restored here upon this earth. I have a testimony of the Lord's temple's and know that they are his houses and that He does come visit them and manifest himself unto his children there. I love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ so very much and am so excited one day to finally get to go into the temple to recieve my own living ordinances and to kneel acrss the alter from the person that I will truly love for eternity!

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2008-01-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

The Ghetto

2008-01-09T19:48:00.001-07:00

This is the outside of my house...pretty ghetto huh? Dad says that it is typical Hawaii with the washer and dryer outside and everything looking rather rusty, however nobody's house is as quite bright blue as ours is....at least not anywhere in this neighborhood. I have four beautiful roomates, we get along fabulously. Two in one room and three of us in the other, it's wonderful. The house is small so it leaves plenty of room for us to rub shoulders.
We all share one bathroom, one refrigerator, and one small living room. The living room has the most random furniture, and the walls are bright green. Thus, the reason they call it "the geko den"

I took my first trip to the grocery store today, and walking back was quite the game. We didn't even make it half way before someone stopped and gave us a ride and then actually helped us carry the groceries into our house and put them away. It was super nice! I love Hawaii and I love you all!

West Nile?

2008-01-09T19:42:00.001-07:00

My very first misqiuto attack!!! Pretty huh? I don't really have west nile, at least I don't think so, but it definetly itches!!! We went to the PCC last night to watch the evening show because we got free tickets, it was awesome, however I made the mistake of wearing shorts (I was warned about the bugs, I just forgot because the weather was so nice outside, who wants to put on pants?) Well, anyways, as you can see I was over run. And that's the story of my first misquito attack!

2008-01-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

2008-01-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

No place like Hawaii!

2008-01-08T18:46:00.001-07:00

Well, life in Hawaii has started! It truly is paradise here and I love it! I spent Monday the 7th just traveling and upon arriving in Hawaii I sooned learned of it's beauty. It was 79 degrees and a beautiful clear day. My apartment is probably the most ghetto thing I've ever seen. It's a bright blue house with green walls inside, the most random furniture and bunk beds in the bedroom. My roommates are great and I actually met them on the flight here, all of us happening to be on the same flight.
I'm excited to say that I will be working at the PCC and will start that job ASAP. I woke up early this morning to walk to the beach and see the sunset. That was beautiful. The beaches here are like nothing I've ever seen before. The water is perfectly blue and the sandy beaches are truly sandy.
I'm excited to start my life here, and it's still sureal to be here. When it truly sets in I will let you all know. I love you all and am happy to be here!

2007-12-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Serving as Miss Grantsville!

2007-12-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and family!
I started this blog for a number of reasons...first of all my cousins(yes, Aimee, Emily, and Laura) all have blogs and my mom spends a lot of her time looking at them so we had the fun idea for me to create one. The other reason is because my life is taking me on all sorts of fun adventures and I have a hard time telling people all about them so long after they happen, so now I can just give people my website and they can come look here.
The final reason being that I'm moving to Hawaii in January to attend BYU-H and I want share my time there with all those that I love, so I have created this blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as I'm going to enjoy making it!
All my love!
Abi