Sundays....I thought they were supposed to be relaxing...

So David and I were asked to talk today in sacrament on, "How the words of the prophets strengthen or empower your personal testimony." I believe that we did a pretty good job. I know David did. I also know that there were many that could not be there so I copied down my talk to share with everyone who couldn't hear it personally. It was slightly different because I didn't just read the whole thing some of it was improvised but this is the gist of it. I would have done the same for David but he doesn't write his talk down just thoughts that he would like to talk about but here is mine.

08/30/2009
HOW THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS STRENGTHEN OR EMPOWER YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY!!!

These past couple of weeks I have been feeling kind of lost. In the sense of where to take my life, and if the path I have chosen is what I should really be doing, and probably the most important is that I have been needing a reminder to know that Heavenly Father loves me and is aware of my situation and my feelings. So as I went to school on Thursday for my first day I was feeling slightly anxious and nervous about all my classes and how I am going to be able to handle all the classes, and work, and church and home life and then on top of those feelings, I was feeling that I somehow needed to fit institute into my schedule. I went through my first 3 classes with a battle going on inside my head. One thought saying that going to institute was what I needed to do and if I did school would be just fine, and the other thought was saying that if I took it I wouldn’t have enough time to put the time and hours into school like I needed, and work full time, and be a loving wife. So to try to ease the voice telling me to go I told my self I would just go look at the classes that were being offered between my 2 hour break, so as I got into the institute building I grabbed a little pamphlet that had all the classes. I probably stared at it for probably a good 5 minutes straight, then thinking that was all I needed to do I went to leave, but that little voice came back telling me that I needed to enroll and then the battle started again. I finally told my self that I would just go sit in one of the classes and see how I felt afterward and as I started walking towards the room I was stopped by that little voice. It just kept telling me that I needed to enrol,l so I walked back over to the table where they had a laptop to enroll students and probably stood there debating for another good 3 minutes and then I looked up at the laptop and right their on the screen as the screen saver is President Monson next to a quote that says this; “I ask that you make institute a priority. As we contemplate the eternal nature of our choices, educational preparation is a vital factor in our lives. When faced with a lengthy period of schooling, there appears at times to be no light at the tunnel’s end, no dawn to break the darkness. At such times, you need the light that comes from becoming acquainted with the lessons the scriptures teach. You should learn the background and setting of the Master’s parables and the prophets’ admonitions. Study them as though they are speaking to you, for they are....friends will be make. The spirit will be felt, and faith will be strengthened. I promise you that as you participate in institute and study the scriptures diligently your power to avoid temptation and to receive direction of the Holy Ghost in all that you do will be increased. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. That is a promise which I leave with you”

So after reading this it was like hello how much more of a sign do you need to go to institute. So of course I enrolled right then and went to my class. The whole 50 minutes was devoted to how Heavenly Fathers knows each and every single one of us. Knows how we feel, our fears and hopes, and how he has such a deep and unconditional love for each and everyone one of us.

I know that Heavenly Father speaks through prophets. Those words in institute were exactly what I had been needing to hear for weeks, had I not walked up to that laptop to see those words from President Monson, to encourage me to go to attend institute, I would have still been praying for the reminder of His love. And not only did I get the answer of Heavenly Fathers love I came out of that class knowing that this semester I was going to be okay with everything and that I was going to be able to handle anything that came my way big or small.

Heavenly Father speaks through his prophets. I was talking with a girl at work about my experience at the institute building and she told me about a quote my President Hinckley, that just reaffirmed that I will be okay, from this semester and on if I “be not afraid and only believe” It says “believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do good things. Believe that no mountain is too high that you can not climb it. Believe that no storm is too great that you cannot weather it. You are not destined to be a scrub. You are a child of God, of infinite capacity.”

I know that prophets are sent to be a help and a guide to us on this earth. The Lord has a plan for us, and he did not send us to this earth with out a way to accomplish that plan. He has given us helps and guides, especially the words of the prophets. I know that the lord speaks to our prophet President Monson, and I know that the words he speaks are the words the Lord wants us to hear and what we need to hear. I know listening to a prophets voice can help strengthen our testimonies, because it has strengthened mine.

I am reminded of a primary song that is called follow the prophet and the chorus says “Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet don’t go astray, follow the prophet, follow the prophet,, follow the prophet, he knows the way.”

There are so many stories in the Book of Mormon and Bible that tell of stories of prophets warning and teaching the people and the blessing that come after, when the people have followed. I have seen example of that in my life where the prophet has asked us to do something and we did, and later on we were blessed because of it.

I know the gospel is true, and I know that this church is true. I know Heavenly Father knows and loves each one of us. I know President Monson is a true prophet who Speaks with Heavenly Father and then tells us what the Lord wants us to hear. I am so grateful to have come to this Earth when the gospel is at its fullest and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

aren't the first days of school the best....

One day down and.................so many more to go. So I just have to say that my first day of school was a very very busy and interesting one. I am taking 7 classes this semester but two of those are a PE class and the other one is an institute class, but still talk about a full day. All of my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I start at 9 and get home somewhere around 8:30 at night. I start off the day with a powertone class, and if any of you are familiar with the P96 program of muscle confusion, that is pretty much what this class is but a little toned down for us in the class. Then I go to a woman's safety and self defense class where we are encouraged to swear and be loud. He actually told us he would give us extra credit for swearing....odd and awkward all at once. I have never sworn on purpose in my entire life and I don't think I am going to change that now. So I think that I am going to opt out of the extra credit. Then I head to institute where I am learning about the first half of the Book of Mormon (I am really excited for this!!!) then I have an hour break to get all the homework done that I had forgotten about till the moment I walked through the institute doors. (because I know it will happen) then I go to business communications, accounting 2020, computer something, then another hour break then it is off to calculus. My teacher seems nice enough but lets just say I am not the only one in the class that doesn't understand 95% of what he says. Then it is off to the math lab to talk with all of my new friends about all the things that I didn't just learn. Needless to say, I am so glad to be home with my cute little hubby. I have a busy semester a head of me, but I am so excited to be back in school. I really have missed it these past two semesters I haven't been going but I am back and not quitn' till I have graduated with my bachelors in accounting!!

What a good man I married....

Can I just tell you how so blessed I am to have married David. He is so good to me...especially when I can tend to be a little on the bossy side. For example when I say in the morning as I am just about to walk out the door on my way to work and David is still asleep in bed "David, when are you getting up?" as he kind of mumbles "right now" to which I reply "okay good, could you then wash the dishes, make the bed and water my plants, along with put the things away in the living room and make sure you don't forget to take the garbage out! Thanks hun, love you bye!" Thinking in my head there is no way he is going to get all that done by the time I get home! but really what do I come home to find..well it is not all done but I do have a very due diligent husband working as hard as he can to get everything done that I asked him to do....all at once!! oh man, he is what makes life good!

And so it begins....for me anyway

So school has not technically started for me but pretty much. Yesterday I had to start up this coming fall semester (UVU doesn't really start till the 26th and it starts a whole week before BYU so David doesn't start til 08/31)with a math refresher course and for all of you who don't know what this is, it is a workshop that is Th, F, M, Tu from 6-8 for what our teacher called a class for all the "high risk" students who haven't taken a math class for 2 or more years Well that is me, I haven't taken math since high school and I am kind of glad I couldn't enroll in my math class until I took this refresher. I have only been one day but I realized that really have forgotten a ton! The instructor said that the percentage of the students passing the class is higher than the whole passing class percentage put together. But the instructor has been really good. She separated us into our classes, so the people I sit by in this refresher are the ones that I will be sitting by for the next 3 months in math class, and I won't lie I am kind of excited to go back to school. I will be a nice change from the summer daily routine.

Just so you are all up to date....

David and I were married in the Salt Lake temple on January 10th, 2008 It was a very cold, busy, beautiful day. I worked until the day before my wedding which was a very bad idea because I tend to be a little bit of a procrastinator so little minor things like the sign in book, or the table decorations with our pictures in them weren't done. So it was a slight bit stressful but thanks to my ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL family and friends it went very smoothly considering the little things not being very planned out. The day flew by and it feels like yesterday that we were married, but here we are over a year and a half later still married and falling more and more in love everyday.

We are currently living in Provo, Utah in a cute little 2 bedroom apartment. (which we were able to find by a miracle and has been a blessing in both of our lives.)

David is attending BYU and currently studying his generals and still deciding what he wants to be when he grows up, but I would rather he took his time deciding, then to pick a major he hates and for the rest of his life, and be miserable in a job that he didn't like from the beginning. He is also working at BJ Plumbing Supply store in Orem and really enjoys it.

I also work and go to to school. I attend UVU where I am studying Accounting (which has been a long process for me to finally decide on a major) and I am currently working at America First Credit Union as a teller/loan interviewer.

We have been so blessed as a newly married couple and we owe so much to our parents and all of our other family and friends who have done so much for us! We are also so grateful for all the love and support we have been shown. We love you all!!!

TODAY IS A NEW DAY

Well I have finally given into blogging. I always thought I would never blog until I had children. Thinking that only then would I have something to really talk about, but don't get your hopes up I am not pregnant (and hopefully not for a few more years). I have just realized that David and I both have busy and sometimes interesting life's that I really think that some of you would like to hear about. I also thought this would be a good way to keep family and friends up dated on borht David and I, since I am not really good and calling and neither of us are very good at writing letters or e-mails.
So here I come blogging world!!!