Tongue of Angels

For class we read a talk by Elder Holland called the Tongue of Angels. It was a really good talk saying how what we say directly effects the people around us and it's crazy how many members of the church will sing hymns on Sunday and then go and yell and swear at people the next day. That's horrible. My friend boots cars and he got a call from someone who was absolutely furious that he booted his car. So he went to go and take the boot off of the car and they guy is saying ef you you are horrible (on the phone) then the real kicker was that the guy said "I was just here to give a blessing!" then continued to yell at my friend. And my friend was just like, really I think you should really think about what you are saying, you just had the spirit with you in that apartment and you really need to think about what you are saying. And the guy was just so shocked and like oh yea you're right...

It's just really interesting the way that people think that you speak kindly when you're at church and not anywhere else.

Jump into it

At cheerleading I was put with Spring in a really awkward situation, and I really don't know what to do about it, but I was a very kind person towards her and tried to make it as un awkward as I could....I don't know how well it worked buuttttt....hopefully I continue to make progress with that...ugh

Sometimes....

Sometimes I just don't understand Jake. He is my husband and I love him to death but I just don't get him sometimes. I hate this silent treatment that he's been giving me pretty much for the past 2 days. It's driving me nuts. I've tried talking to him and asking are you mad at me or are you just tired or something? And he just says he's tired....but it really doesn't seem like that's the reason....

Self Concept

We were asked in the beginning of the semester to pick a song or an article or something that describes us. I picked Daft Punk- Harder, Better, Faster Stronger which is a song that I love and everyone should watch it. Well at least listen to it. I love this song it really is a motivator to me and really makes me want to try to be a better person. I also like the Kanye West version of it but you don't have to watch that because I don't know if you will be offended or not, but I really do like both of those songs. They are really motivational to me and helped me out in a time when I didn't have much else but the thought of moving forward and on with life.

The Great Measure of Discipleship

We were asked to read the devotional given by Kenneth L. Southwick on May 29, 2007 and write a paper on it. This is my paper and if you would like to read the devotional you can click on the link above.

The Great Measure of Discipleship

                I found this talk extremely interesting, because it really made it known that the way we view each other is different every day, that the view of other people is a choice, and it should be a choice to view people for the better as Christ would.

 There were five objects that the speaker talked about, which are relatively unimportant compared to the meaning behind them. The first meaning is that sometimes instead of seeing someone as a person to be served; we see them as a task to be accomplished.  I have seen this in my life, where when I really didn’t want to do visiting teaching, and didn’t really know the sisters that I visit taught, I would just go and share the lesson because that’s what was expected of me. This should never be the case, people are not part of a checklist that you just cross off, we need to treat them as the individual person and wonderful person that they are.

                The second view that was mentioned was that we see others not as an individual, but as a member of some group. This is typical “stereotyping” saying that someone will be some way because we have a general idea of how they should act, since they are a certain race, ethnicity or religion. For example you see someone that is African American, what do you think about them? He is wearing baggy jeans, a big white shirt, with some Timberland boots. What are your thoughts about him? 

                The third view that he mentioned was that we see someone as an annoyance, simply endured, or avoided all together.  When someone is calling you and you don’t take that phone call just because “you’re too busy right now” or you will call them back later. For some reason that person called you and you never know if they need your help right now. They need to be treated with respect and feel like they are a person as well, not an annoyance to you.

                The fourth view that he mentioned is that we view others as an interruption. We get so busy in our lives today that we rarely take time to sit down and really chat with someone. To honestly ask how they are doing, and want a real answer. When you are tired and want to relax will you tell your friend to hang on? Or you’ll call them back later, because you have to take a nap right now? They are interrupting your life and your schedule but did you ever think of why they were?

                The last and final view point is seeing other as a mirror. Meaning we don’t really care about helping that person or keeping them as a friend, but we are extremely aware of how it would look if we were rude or not nice to that person. Meaning that we do the things we do towards someone because we want it to look good for us.

All of these views are negative, and most of the time we don’t even realize that we are doing them. The best way to figure out how to better ourselves and try to view others better and more Christ like, is to realize that we are doing something wrong.  

A good example of this is me sitting in the Cross Roads just observing people. I did this for about 10-15 minutes just kind of watching people and trying to figure out my first impressions. Some of the things that I noticed was that one person came and sat with me that I didn’t know, he was very polite and nice, but I didn’t say a word to him I just ate some food and looked around. I don’t know why I did that, but it definitely was not very nice. Another person walked by and had kind of a limp/walked a little funny. At first I thought dang that really stinks! How does he get from one class to another with a back pack that looks so heavy? There are some other people that I observed as well, but I won’t go into telling you what I thought of every single person walking by. I just know that I definitely have something to work on for this next week, and this next lifetime to better myself. I have a mixture of all the viewpoints depending on what I’m doing at the time and what’s going on around me. I do know that it is a difficult task to not judge someone and view them in a different way that what you originally view them. First impressions are very strong and it’s really hard to get yourself to not have those first impressions about people that you don’t even know.

It’s extremely hard for me because I’m going to be transferring soon and I feel like “why should I get to know these people I’m just going to be moving soon?” But I need to learn to be more kind and courteous, definitely need to help myself to remember that everyone is a child of God and their soul is of great worth. When you think of people in this way instead of just an object it really helps to put things in perspective. 

Discouragement

A few days ago I had an interview with people who will decide my fate here at BYU-I. I am an animal science major and I want to go into veterinary medicine. This has been what I've wanted to do for a really long time, and I feel like I'm really good at it and really have a knack for it. Interviewing with these two professors, I won't disclose their names, really threw me for a loop. It was crazy they were very hard on me, which is understandable it's a hard field, but telling me that I will never get into vet school and that I have a low gpa and that I would be on probation if I did get into their program and I needed to give them progress reports like every other week.
Ugh honestly it just made me even more determined to do well. I am in their program for the spring but if someone comes along with a better gpa I get kicked out....awesome....sooooooooooo needless to say I have enough credits to graduate with my associates in animal science and I'm going to do that and go to a REAL school that isn't crazy! Sounds good to me :)

Other Projects

In my religion class I'm also doing another kinda semester project. We are suppose to pick something that we need to work on and work on it throughout the semester, finding scriptures that help us and we give progress reports about how we are doing throughout the semester.
I chose to try and not judge people so quickly. Which is also a good subject for this class, because first impressions mean a lot to a lot of people. I have really been trying to not have these first impressions unless they are positive. Everyone is a child of God and I need to treat them that way.

That wonderful Building on top of the Hill

Last Saturday I went to the temple with my good friend Missy. It was a wonderful experience and it really changed the way I viewed some things on campus. I know that I write a lot about campus and how I don't like it and how it's been really hard for me, but being screwed over, over, and over again really makes me dislike some things about this campus. And lately I have been really negative, so has my husband and Missy about this school. It really hit me in the temple that being negative about things doesn't change anything, it just makes it worse. I need to change my attitude, I need to be more upbeat because there's nothing good that comes from being negative all the time!

Pondering

While reading in my scriptures the other day for my D&C class I was getting really angry. Thinking that this teacher is ridiculous and that I'm really upset with the learning model, that it's stupid that my peers are teaching my class. To me I get really angry when teachers take the learning model to the extreme. I didn't pay tuition to pay my professors to tell ME to teach the class.
All the while I was thinking this I was reading in the D&C I can't even remember what section or where I was because I was so upset, but I do remember feeling the spirit, and having it speak to me asking me why I was so mad. I couldn't give  a good explanation, I couldn't remember why I was mad! I just sat there and really thought about it. The learning model still makes me mad, and I do still get angry about it. But I thought in the long run that it doesn't matter. This is the Lords university and I need to respect what's going on here, even if I don't entirely agree with it. I chose to be here just like I chose to do the right thing.
I really appreciate the fact that I am in tune enough with the spirit to realize that I am being crazy sometimes. :)

Love

One of the most meaningful moments or experiences in my life was when I got married. It was the most sacred and amazing time I have ever had. There are no words to describe how it feels to be sealed to the one that you love most in the world in the temple. Jake and I were sealed in the Nauvoo, IL temple on November 23, 2010 it was the most beautiful days in November, which is really weird for the midwest. There was a tornado warning the day before with hail and hurricane force winds, beautiful the day of not a cloud in the sky, and the day after a torrential downpour. I say that that meant we were suppose to get married that day for sure! haha But my life has felt so much more complete and whole with my husband in my life. Being with him everyday is more than I could ever ask for, he is my best friend and my eternal companion. He makes me want to be a better person and really does complete me. I love him so much!

Lovin' Myself!

So this is just one of those times that I get to say everything that I like about myself and boost my own self esteem by saying that I'm the coolest person in the world!...Which is half true ;)
1. I am a good cheerleader and love to do it!
2. I am intelligent and like to do well in school
3. I have a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints and love it's teachings with all my heart.
4. I think that I am attractive
5. I love that I have a wonderful husband
6. I love that I am motivated and driven to do well
7. I love that I am social and like to be around other people.
8. I love animals and love to be around them and help them
9. I love how short I am
10. I love that I am loved by my family and friends!

YAY

Yesterday I was able to get out of my shell and really talk to Spring! It was pretty difficult because my friend was there, and I think that she feels a little betrayed that I want to talk to Spring and actually get a long with her. It's not that I want to be her best friend I just want to be able to have things not  be awkward around us. I hope that I will be able to continue to get along with her and be able to maybe become friends.

At least I tried...

Last night wasn't the best night for working on communication with my husband. It was really hard to see things from his point of view. I did the very red thing of myself and was really stubborn and didn't listen to what he had to say really...I mean later I came back and apologized for what happened and for not listening to him and I really did try to see things from his perspective once we kind of walked away from the situation for a second. Once I realized that he wasn't attacking me and that he loves me and just wants the best for, then I knew how to approach the situation. I really wish that I did that in the first place instead of having to wait and have to come back...

Pillow Fight!

The other day in class we went over the Pillow method and how it could apply in our lives. The pillow method is where you approach a problem from different perspectives, first you think that you are correct, then you think the other person is right, then you think about how both sides are right, then you get to a point where you ask if it really matters in the long run? It's a process that will help you to not get so up in arms about differentiating views. I really tried to do this with a couple different people and it really helped me to be able to not get so upset about what they were saying, just because they thought one way doesn't mean that they are right and you are wrong or that you are both wrong it's just something that you have to deal with for a little bit to understand what is going on with the other person.

Sometimes we don't get along...

There is a girl on my cheer team that I just really don't get along with. I won't reveal her name because she doesn't really know that I am doing this about her. She is just one of those people that is silent all the time until you turn your back then she's super talkative about you. I know that she's not like that with everyone and that she has friends and they all chat and have a good time, but it seems like she has some sort of vendetta against me. I want to fix that. I know that I don't really get along with her because she kind of screwed one of my friends over and took her boyfriend, but how does that involve me? I feel bad for my friend but this other girl (lets call her Spring) didn't do anything to really insult or hurt me in any way. She is genuinely a nice person towards me so I don't know why I'm so bent out of shape because of  it! I really need to be more objective towards Spring and hopefully it will change my attitude about her.

My spirit to His

The other day I was reading in the D&C for my Doctrine and Covenants class and I came across a section that I really loved! The section is section 93 and it just really made me love and appreciate our Savior so much more! There's a couple verses that really struck me just because I have heard them before in my Patriarchal blessing. The verses are 22 and 23
"22 And all those who are begotten through me are partakers of the glory of the same, and are the church of the Firstborn. 23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth;"
This is talking about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and how being a member means that you were in the presence of God before this life. In my blessing it talks about this and it just really brought me closer to the Savior because why would he tell me these things twice, in pretty much the exact same wording?? It must be important for me to remember, so I know that I will remember these things for the rest of my life. That I am blessed and loved, that before I came here I was a part of a bigger family, that I desperately want to get back to!

Talking it out with the hubby

The other day my husband and I were getting out of the car with our friend Gary. Gary and my husband Jake were in the front seat and I was sitting in the back. We went grocery shopping and we all had a bunch of things in our hands except for Jake, so I asked him to hand me my phone and he through it at me over the seats in the car out the door. So automatically I was pretty upset, but I stopped and tried to think of things from his perspective (like the pillow method) and thought, what was he really thinking. So I stopped and asked "honey why did you throw my phone out of the car, did you mean to throw it at me or were you trying to hand it to me and it flew out of your hand?" He then replied saying that he was sorry and didn't mean to throw my phone at me and apologized many times. I'm glad that I was able to stop and think for a second that maybe he didn't mean to hurt my phone or anything he was just trying to help but it went wrong. I'm glad I stopped because normally I would just get angry and yell at him and tell him he did things wrong and ask what he was thinking etc. This class is really helping me with my patience with him!