In a World of Dance

(I am the yellow shirt to the left, ha)

As many of you know, this past winter semester at BYU, I participated in a dancing company called Kinnect. Last week, before we went to Texas, we had the opportunity to perform at the 100th birthday for the darling Aline Coleman Smith. She is the woman that first brought contemporary dance to BYU. The morning of the day of the performance, I didn't even know the womans name; after our all day rehearsal as a company, I became familiar with her story; by the end of the night, I came to adore the little woman herself. During our performance, she was constantly smiling amongst her friends and family that also attended the party. While we were cleaning up and getting ready to head back home, she spent some precious moments with us in our "dressing room" just visiting and giving us praise for our performance.

I am truly inspired by Aline. At 100 years old, she still does her own laundry, walks with coordination, cooks for herself, and can get by pretty well on her own! Before we even performed, she took it upon herself to make us cookies! What an incredible woman :) I would go on about her history, but if you go to this website, you will be able to read more about her and the experience we, Kinnect, had being with her. (The photos used in this post are from that linked website as well).

The world of dance has so much diversity in it, many areas of legacy, and such a miraculous spirit to it. As Albert Einstein said, "Dancers are the athletes of God". I am so grateful that my parents started me in dance at such a young age so I could experience so much joy while expressing myself through movement! I still find great joy in dancing, and I am touched by the spirits of those that I meet through the means of dance.


(That's me in the yellow shirt back there!)


(That's my head--- bottom center, haha. I promise, I'm dancing;)

Rubies, Diamonds, Sapphires

What am I doing right now? Watching the Justin Bieber movie, haha. Who does that?! I guess I do ;) While the movie is inspirational in its own way, I am kind of worried about all of the girls that it keeps showing... they cry a lot.... and I mean A LOT! They seem.... emotionally unstable. Now don't get me wrong-- I cry sometimes, and I have times when my emotions are just over the edge... but it just does not seem healthy in this movie!!!! I am happy that Justin has fans and that he is having a successful career-- I do like his music-- but I just worry about the poor little girls that can't get a grip on things. Bless their little hearts.
But that's not what I'm really wanting to blog about! Haha. But still keeping in mind Justin Bieber, it has been amazing to see how natural his talent is to sing, perform, entertain... He's really quite genuine. Like Justin, we all have our own talents. Some of us have musical, artistic talents that stand out and are easy to identify. For others, the talents don't stand out quite as much, but are just as important.

We all came into this world with our own special talents. These talents are given to us to bless our lives, but also to bless the lives of others. They bring us joy in this life and help give us unique personalities. Sometimes it's easy to compare ourselves to others and say that we are not as talented as another person. But when we are able to put that aside, we are able to see what we really are capable and take the initiative to learn, to progress, and to help our talents grow. To some, certain talents come naturally, but whoever they are, they have other talents that aren't as noticeable that have room for improvement.
I am always impressed by the people that recognize that they have a gift but aren't afraid to improve it. However, I am more impressed by those that recognize that they have the potiential for a gift and they work hard and developing it into something that can truly bless their lives and others. It's beautiful.

I have a friend that sometimes struggles with accepting herself for who she is. It is easy for her to compare herself to others and find her own faults. She's not the only one that does this. It is one of Satan's tactics to try and tell us that we are not as good as other people-- to convince us that we just aren't good enough and that we can't change. This is false! Whoever you are, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH! You can change. You have the power to develop and become a better version of yourself. Don't let Satan get the best of you and cause you to tear yourself down.

It is good to recognize our talents. It is unfortunate when someone has a gift but they just don't see it-- they are in denial that it exists because they feel as though it's not big enough to shout about there for it's not "good enough". It is also unfortunate when someone recognizes they have a gift but they let it get to their heads. There is a fine line to balance on. While I am in no way perfect, I find that it is easier to find that ideal place of balancing when focusing on blessing the lives of others with my talents. When I am able to forget about me and what I'm gaining from what I have and turn my focus to others... that's what makes a world of difference.
This has been a kind of random post, but I just felt like I wanted to talk about talents. So what's with the Rubies, Diamonds, and Sapphires in the title? To one it is given a ruby. To another, a diamond. And to another, a sapphire. These are all different, but they are all valuable. If we always saw diamonds as the only jewl in the world, it would lose it's value. Same with the rubies and sapphires. Just because because one has a different talent from another, it doesn't make their talent less valuable. It's the combination of everyones unique talents in this world that make it so diverse and exciting.

Well, my lovelies, it is time for me to get to bed! I will be waking up in the morning to choreograph part of a dance for the dance class I'm teaching this summer. I should have done it tonight... but I was watching Justin Bieber ;) I hope you all have a marvelous night and have sweet dreams. Much love.

Links to pictures:

piano

singing child

modern dancer

friendship

Savasana

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 5:55, I wake-up to my alarm. My warm, comfortable bed immediately begins to try swallowing me in order to prevent me from getting up and starting my day. With the warm sheets snug against my body, and my head resting on my ever so soft feather pillow, I immediately begin little debates in my head about whether it's worth it or not to fall back asleep. It's never worth it.
At approximately 6:15, I find myself sitting on my durable purple yoga mat and I am beginning what will be an hour and a half of yoga practice. There are about 15-20 of us that practice yoga together with one fine yoga master (at least I think she's a master) at the front of the room. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes I wonder how in the world these older woman that have been mothers for many years (which is everyone in the room besides me!) are doing everything! Granted, not everyone is at the same level of expertise in our gathering, but it is still impressive to me. I play mind games with myself to help time pass faster so that I won't think about how difficult some of the poses and stretches are. However, despite how much of a challenge going to this early morning yoga practice is, I love it. I love yoga. I love the stretching, the strengthening, the balancing, working the core.... it is wonderful. My favorite part of the whole morning, however, is Savasana.
Savasana is what we do at the end of every yoga practice. We all lay on our yoga mats in the proper Savasana pose, and our teacher goes around the room to give us a little shoulder massage and help us release any tension we may have the the head, neck, and shoulders. It is miraculous.
Side note: At the end of this last winter semester at BYU, two of my dance teachers offered me some wonderful advice when they said that Savasana would be a good practice for me to do every day in order to help me release my upper-body tension.
There is something about the way the soul (body combined with spirit) feels when it is completely relaxed and free of all pressures. I am so grateful for the times that I'm given to just relax and let all of the tension buildup in my body go. As we go through life, we are faced with different challenges and these challenges even come at a variety of levels of difficulty. I believe that it is important for each of us to remember to breathe and take time to relax even during these times of difficulty. As the world around us becomes more and more evil and turns more to the side of the adversary, it is important for us to keep our heads on straight and remain calm in order to keep in mind what's truly important in life.
Yoga isn't the answer to all of life's questions and trials, however I know that I have learned a lot from it. Not only is it an exercise and practice pertaining to the body, but it is also a practice that strengthens the mind and spirit, therefore the whole soul is involved. I encourage each of us to find some sort of daily practice or ritual to make a part of our lives so that we can remain calm and strong during the hard times. Many of us already have daily rituals that we participate in-- personal and family prayer, scripture study, service, going for walks, gardening, cooking, and so on.
Be grateful for the body you have. Treasure it. Protect from the evils in the world today. Challenge yourself with something each day to help protect yourself more and more. Turn off that rotten song on the radio that drives the spirit away. Give up that piece of chocolate when you know that you've already had one too many. Go for a light jog instead of sitting down to watch that pointless T.V. show. Help your mother or other family member with chores around the house when you would rather read a novel.
I am so grateful for the body that I have been given, and while I fail multiple times each day to treat it the best I can, I am continuing to strive to become better day by day. I pray that you all have a marvelous day and at least once today, consider what would be best for your body.

Image link

In Between Sunrise and Sunset

As life goes on, I see more and more sunrises and more and more sunsets. They are stunning. So much can happen in one day. So much more can happen in our lifetime. How sad would it be to reach your own sunset in life and realize that you didn't accomplish many worthwhile things? I hope that we are all doing what we can fill our lives with memories worth treasuring.

I have now been home for school for more than 2 months. This blows my mind! Time flies so fast... I feel like Harry Potter in the 3rd movie when Hermione takes him for a ride through time via the time turner. I cannot list every little thing that has happened since the last time I posted but here are some items worth mentioning:
#1. My older sister got married! It was a long courtship, but I am so happy to welcome by brother-in-law to the family :) They had a lovely wedding ceremony (which I got to attend along with my 2 brothers-- the three of us were endowed the week before she was married. What a special experience.) While she didn't get to have the reception outside due to weather, everything turned out lovely and everyone had a marvelous time! I got to wear new clothes, so that was nice ;)

#2. I got my mission call to the Hungary Budapest Mission! I report to the Provo MTC on October 19th!!! I am very excited about this! This is somewhere that I never even thought of as a possibility of being called to serve, but I full-heartedly accept the call, and I am so excited to go! I have been studying up on the history of the Hungarian people... it is amazing! Perhaps I will share a bit of it at another time :)

#3. I do have a job! I am working at a restaurant near home and it really isn't that bad! I never saw myself as the type to work with food, but I am learning a lot and I'm being given many opportunities to improve my leadership skills. I was hired on as the assistant manager, but since then, my mangaer became no longer a part of the company and I now work as a Floor Manager with one other girl. It is a challenge at times, but it is rewarding in its own ways :) I get to work with a cook that thinks he was once abducted by aliens, talks to me about intense nutritional facts, discusses religious viewpoints, talks about the dentist, and shares insight to music and other random categories-- I do enjoy it :)

#4. I got to spend a lovely day in Zions National Park with my parents and two brothers. It was marvelous! It was the last little trip with my younger brother before he would leave for his mission. My mother ended up hurting her ankle pretty bad on one of the trails (it is still healing-- 3 weeks time and counting...), but we all had a wonderful time experiencing the wonders of nature together and enjoying the company of one another.

#5. One of my bosom friends has returned back to his home-- sad :( However, things are quite well, and he has recieved his mission call as well! I do not know if that is information that I am allowed to post here without permission so I will leave it alone for now. But still-- Very exciting!!! It is more than likely that we will see each other at the MTC, so that will bring many smiles to my face! :) It is always good to see a wonderful kindred spirit after a time of separation, but it is definately more meaningful when seen doing work for the Lord together. (Yes, I did use 2 lines from Anne of Green Gables in this paragraph. I dearly love that series.)

#6. I have been blessed with a few opportunities to spend time with the best of friends! There is a location where we adore getting cupcakes, and we finally made a trip there a couple weeks ago after it had been many moons since our last visit! We have also attended a darling muscial concert on the rooftop of a parking garage, eaten out with mutual friends, and walked along main street to visit different shops. Time together is always priceless.

#7. Yes... my younger brother has now entered the MTC. We miss him dearly, but we are so proud of him and his decision to serve the Lord and fulfill his priesthood responsibility. He has been gone for a few weeks now and it still feels like yesterday that he left. Will time pass? Yes... funny how time passes so fast with some things, yet it passes so slow for others even though they may occur within the same time frame... strange. I have written him more than I probably should have over the past few weeks.... haha. I sent him over 10 letter one week, and I have been told that it's been advised that families send about one letter a week to their missionaries... oops! My bad :/ :) But all said and done, I am very excited for him and his mission! He is going to do marvelous things! (He is going to serve in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission! So cool! Both of my brothers will be speaking Spanish fluently before you know it!)

#8. I attended the Stadium of Fire two days ago!!!! It was outstanding! Definately better than I thought it would be. While I am not a fan of country, I knew that I would be able to have a good time at the show-- and a good time I had! Before heading to the stadium that evening, I was just have a little war in my head about weather or not I was excited to go. Knowing I don't really like country, I was unsure about how I wasn going to handle listening to Brad Paisley for that long. But deep down inside, I knew that time with my parents and little sister was going to be valuable there. I didn't even know what was coming! When we got to the stadium, we sat around for a good hour waiting for things to start. The sun was beating down on us like a cruel person that likes to burn ants on the sidewalk with a magnifying glass (yes, I actually have done that before in my life, haha... ha) and it seemed as though it was never going to settle behind the mountains across the valley. The show started and the sun still shone brightly in our faces--- however, it wasn't long before I was swept away in an emotional experience with the introduction to the Stadium of Fire. I soon forgot about the sun. It started. The National Anthem. An amazing choir. Lovely dancers. Skydivers. US Soldiers. The US Flag. Jets. My heart was ambushed by an overwhelming presentation of patriotism. Tears filled my eyes as my testimony grew for the reality of how wonderful of a blessing it is to be a US citizen, and to live in a free country-- a country that was preserved and promised for Gods people; a country where there is religious freedom; a country where I can dream big and live to make difference. What a blessing. Yes, David Archuleta was good. Yes, I kind of actually liked Brad Paisley's performance. Yes, the fireworks were remarkable. But the best part of the Stadium Fire... the beginnging--- bar none. I am so grateful for the opportunity my parents blessed me with to attend the Stadium of Fire with them, and for my increased testimony of patriotism and recognition of the Lords hand in the founding of this country.

#9. I bought a romper. Yes, a romper. Haha, I think it's so funny! No, I did not buy one of those silly little short-short ones, but one with long pant legs. (Modest is hottests, truly). I ordered it online and I wasn't sure if I was actually going to keep it. Once it arrived, I immediatley tried it on for size, looked at my reflection in the mirror wearing it... it became mine. I actually do like it :) My mom thinks it's kind of silly and that I shouldn't wear it in public, but she still loves me after I wore it to the Stadium of Fire ;) It is very comfortable! I fine purchase :) Perhaps I will take photos of me wearing it to post in the future.

And that is a fine list of things that have happened :) I am so happy. Period. I am so happy. Life is good to me, and I have so much to be grateful! Trials come and trials go, and there is always something to be grateful for. I am blessed. The little blessings of life enter my life every single day. These tender mercies come to me in many differences shapes and sizes of packages. For example, at work today and little boy came up to me and said, "I am Batman!" I asked him who I was, and he decided I could be Catwoman. He was no more than 3 years old! Not long after that, a little girl (the daughter of my boss from Heritage Halls) came up to me and said, "I'm a princess!" I said, "Yes, you are! You make a lovely princess!" And then she showed me her lovely little princess shoes. She was definately all dolled up for the 4th of July :) So these tender mercies appear in little children. They also show when I find things that once were lost, or when I recieve bits of personal revelation... so many different forms. So yes, I am happy. I am grateful. I am blessed.

I hope that everyone out there is having an outstanding 4th of July! Happy Independence Day :) Much love!

With Real Intent

Prayer.

As a member of the LDS church, I participate in many prayers given throughout the day. Prayers in the morning and night, prayers to bless food, prayers given in class, prayers offered among roommates, prayers in church settings, and so on and so on. When having a discussion with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago, we talked about the feelings we have when public prayers are given. He brought up a point that really stuck with me. More often then not, is seems as though some prayers are offered very monotone, beginning middle and end, and that the feeling is very plain. There are those that pray like this, but there are others that really do pray with real intent and with emotion. After he mentioned this, it made me reevaluate the way that I pray.

On Sunday, I volunteered to give the closing prayer in Sunday School. As soon as I stood up, I remembered those things that my boyfriend mentioned, and I made the concious decision to pray with real intent and with emotion.

It was powerful.

Although this experience was only a couple days ago, it is still resonating strongly throughout my body. When praying like this, I am more aware of my personal relationship with God, and I am more inclined to give so much more thanks for those things that I know I am grateful for but typically wouldn't think about. Thanks to my boyfriend, I have been reminded of how powerful and important prayers really are. We are opening in the name of our Creator, our Heavenly Father. We are closing in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. How powerful and meaningful prayers really are. I am so grateful for this key form of communication we have with God, and I challenge those reading this to become more aware (if you aren't already) of the way that you pray, and take it to the next level if necessary in order to make it more meaningful to you.

Much love :)

(image from here)

10 Minutes of Silence...

In todays world, how often do we give ourselves true moments of silence for an extended period of time? With phone calls and texting, busy schedules of classes and work, iPods, and the distractions found all around us, it isn't suprising to find that most people only quiet down when going to sleep at night or when preparing to take a nap. What would our lives be like if we made sure to schedule at least 10 minutes of quiet time to think, pray, ponder, and so on?

This morning, I went to the temple by myself to do baptisms for the dead. After sleeping for only 3 hours, I was ready to just get in, and get out so that I could shower and go back to bed for a couple hours before starting my busy schedule. As I was sitting in the temple though, I had to question myself as to why I was there. The more I thought about my reasons to be at the temple, the more I came to realize how much it didn't matter how long I ended up being in the temple. I followed this thought process to the point that I became grateful that things were running slowly and that I wasn't doing the whole "get in and get out" process that I tend to do on a day to day basis wherever I am due to busy schedules and such. Because of the slow moving lines for confirmations and baptisms, I was given the opportunity to truly ponder and let my thoughts take me to places that strengthened my testimony. I was given the time to consider those things that I should "KISS" in my life: Keep, Increase, Stop, and Start.

So the next time you have the chance and you remember to, put aside whatever may be distracting you or causing "noise", find a quiet place, sit..... and just think. Think, and listen for the promptings of the Spirit.

(I do not take credit for this photo. I found it when using "Stumble Upon" and forgot to save the website)

Serving the Lord

I am very pleased and over-joyed to announce that my older brother got his mission call! He will be serving in the Puebla Mexico Mission!!!! And he leaves August 3rd. This is just super happy :) To be honest, out of all of the friends that I have had leave for missions over the years, my brother was the very first person I have ever witnessed open a mission call. It was very power and super memorable.

I am very excited for my older brother to serve his mission. This fall, I plan to leave on my own mission, and my younger brother is getting set to leave on his mission this year as well. It is unbelieveable!!! Just being there when my brother opened his call was a tender mercy as the spirit manifested once again in my life that this is the true church on the earth, and that Jesus Christ, our Savior, is the head of the Church. I pray for the missionaries every night that they will find those that are ready to hear and receive the gospel. I am so proud of my brother and his desire to serve God for the next 2 years of his life. It is miraculous. I love you bro :)

My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee

This song is among my top favorite songs in the whole world. A little over a week ago, I was struggling through a hard time. My heart ached, and I could not hold back tears from my sorrows. Last Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to my little sisters choir performance with the Utah Valley Childrens Choir (their pre-tour concert). They sang this song, and I wept. It was just what I needed to hear. With my dads arm around me, I felt completely comforted for the first time in days after hearing this song.

This video is an outstanding and miraculous rendition of the song, and I hope you all will listen carefully to words, and let the message sink in. Gods kindness will NEVER depart from us. Fear not man, for he cannot hurt thee. I testify that God lives, and that the Son, Jesus Christ lives. They love us all so dearly. Hold on your way. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who provided the infinite Atonement for us that we may always be comforted in our trials, Amen.

Inspirational

I have completely loved General Conference these past two days. This is the 3rd General Conference that I have stayed awake for every session, and I have truely seen a difference in my life since making that adjustment. Growing up, I used to fall asleep at least during one or two sessions. My parents didn't really like this, but I just couldn't help it when I got tired! ha. But the older I got, the more I came to realize just how important General Conference is. We as members of the LDS church as so privelaged to hear from our General Authorities every six months. EVERY SIX MONTHS!!! Oh, the things we can and must learn from them! I am very grateful for this semi-annual event, and for the many wonderful treasures I find from it. My testimony has truely grown in so many ways since I have trained myself to pay close attention and take notes. I am so grateful.

SLC Temple

Testifying through Music

I love those Sundays where the music sung throughout the day touches your heart and strengthens your testimony. Today was one of those days for me. Although, I admit, I had a difficult time listening to the speakers, the music pierced my heart. One of my all time favorite hymns is I Know that My Redeemer Lives. I love how the song firmly testifies of the existance of Christ and gives such strong confidence to anyone who sings it.
I am so grateful for the power of music. I have truely been blessed with many opportunities to be touched by music, whether it be I am participating in the production or simply listening to it. I pray that we can all learn to appreciate music more, because it truely is a gift from God that we should love and never abuse.

1. Sheet Music

2. Violin

3. Infant Christ

4. Scriptues

Pathways

Today, I was walking to my dance class as I passed the house that sits on the edge of campus. I do not know if anyone lives in the home at present day, but I kept my eye on the home as I walked by, studying it's features. I noticed that there was a little pathway leading from the sidewalk I was on up to the back door of the home. I found this path to be very quaint yet attractive for the home.

Pathways are quite a symbolic thing in life. There are many wonderful metaphors that use them, and many meanings in life that pertain to them. It was a peaceful experience to analyze this pathway and ponder about it the rest of my way to class.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we often refer to the strait and narrow path when discussing our life here on earth. It can be looked at as a scary thing: strait and narrow. With good things in store as we stay on the path, there are also terrible things hidden right off the path.

I have attached a few pictures of pathways. Although the pictures don't depict a strait nor narrow path, I found the beauty of the surroundings to the path to be peaceful. (I know, this still doesn't relate to the 'strait and narrow path', but I am looking at the pictures for their beauty.) Enjoy!

The Blessing of a Lighthouse

In life, there are so many tempatations and trials that we all go through. At times, we may feel overwhelmed with what unpleasant suprises life dishes out to us. It can be a comfort to know that "God did not send us here to fail." He has provided us with many lighthouses along the way of life here on earth to help us stay on the path and keep our goal in sight.

In Relief Society today, the dear sister that gave the lesson showed us a picture of a lighthouse with Christs hands surrounding it; protecting it. I was touched by the painting so much that I searched for it on the web. The painting was done by the wonderful artist Danny Hahlbohm, and it is titled I am the Light. (Visit http://www.inspired-art.com/ for more of his work.)