On Facebook, they've been doing that "give you a number" thing, and then you post that amount of things about yourself that people may or may not know. I don't usually jump on the band wagon with all of those things, like the breast cancer awareness... going here for how long, etc. I figured I could share some things on here if anyone was interested...
1. I used to fish with my dad, and loved it! Every once in a while we go to a fish farm now, but that's not the same... I still don't have to ever touch the fish, though!
2. I only made it through one girls camp, while I was in young women. Every time I ended up having some kind of strange disease that landed me in the ER or broke my leg on a night hike, etc.. Once I missed it, because I went to Disneyland.
3. I broke my leg in the chapel at church falling down the stairs. No one got up to help me, and the deacons all laughed. I hobbled all the way outside before crying. I was 20. Haha! So embarrassing!
4. I'm an introvert. Probably not a surprise to my family, but probably is to my friends. I'd rather play with the kids then do anything else at family parties, because we can just play, and I don't have to talk to the adults, not that I don't love them, I just feel like, why/what would they want to hear about me. When I first started having to be in front of large crowds, I'd have to go off by myself, pray and then put my "I'm in front of people" hat on.
5. I totally hide behind my responsibilities so I don't have to be in uncomfortable situations.
6. A guy I dated for a while, last year, biggest complaint, that he stated to me, was that I didn't communicate very well. I don't think I ever called him more than twice. I decided I would work hard to be better at that in the future, when that was all done. I'm still not good at it. Maybe one day. Sometimes I'm too cautious about what I'm saying, and I just beat around the bush, which never works. Then other times I come straight out and say it, which hasn't worked, either.
7. I know tons of people! I know their stories, I know their hardships and their joys. I'm grateful that I get to know it, and support them. Only a tiny amount of people know me like that. I don't know if I'm scared to let people in, because they'll leave, or if I just don't like talking about myself.
8. I say that I love to travel. I do love seeing new places, and enjoying the beauties there. I don't like huge crowds. When we were at Disneyland last week, Akston kept throwing himself on the ground (he's almost 2), and I was nearly having panic attacks knowing he was going to be trampled.
9. My most favorite place ever is American Fork Canyon! Other favorites include Snowbird and Eden/Huntsville area... I'm a home body.
10. My piano is my greatest outlet! When I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm hurt or when I'm thrilled, when I want to share my feelings without saying them, I can play them!
11. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true! I don't know where I would be without this knowledge. I love reading the scriptures and the words of the prophets. I need to be constantly reading and studying in order for me to feel peace through all of the worries, concerns, fears that I often have.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
I know that Heavenly Father watches out for each of us, and knows each of us individually.
Last week we had stake conference at church. Mom and I were anxious about this one, because we knew that that would be the end of our serving in the stake young women's presidency. Mom had reached her 5 year mark of serving in that position, and I had been in for almost 4 years. We had known this was coming, since June, which made each activity more bittersweet.
We had a visiting member of the Seventy presiding for our stake conference. I had a MidSingles activity on Saturday night, so I didn't attend the Saturday night meeting or I would've known what I'm about to share a day earlier.
We had a "morning-side", like a devotional, but we had it at 8:00 a.m. with our youth and their leaders. We got there a couple minutes before it started, so we sat on the second row and near the center. The meeting was going, it was a nice meeting, and then the member of the Seventy started talking. He had this cute Spanish accent, and he was talking about growing up in Argentina. As I was listening to him, I thought that my cute dad would've loved to have been there. He served his mission in Argentina...
---Once upon a time Sandy Nicholes was shopping at Harmon's in Sandy, and overheard a young woman speaking Spanish, Argentine-Spanish. He followed her voice, and introduced himself to her. After talking for a short time, he invited her and her family to dinner at our house the next night. My poor mom, being the only one not able to speak Spanish, besides us little ones, made dinner and passed it to everyone without being able to communicate with them.
Our families hit it off right away! The girl at Harmon's name was Christina, she was married to a man named Rudy. Christina's mom, Maria, took care of Cristina's kids, and when I was 4 and Collin was 2, she babysat us for a while. (I have no memory of how long, but I don't think it was very long, because once I started kindergarten, we were babysat at Grandma Mamie's .)
Maria's husband, Hugo, owned Precision Time clock store. We moved to Layton, and Daddy died. We'd occasionally see them at their stores when we were downtown or at Fashion Place, but we didn't have much to do with each other after that. We saw them around Collin's mission farewell. They gave him a beautiful watch. Sometime in 2007 was the last time we saw Maria, right after her cute Hugo had passed away.---
So, back to Sunday... I leaned over to Mom, and said, "That guy reminds me of Rudy." His name was Elder Rudolfo Franko. Rudy/Rudolfo, I didn't put it together until the end. We were heading out, in between meetings to clean out the stake yw closet, and when I stood up, I looked down the row, and there was this woman, that although older, had eyes that I would never forget! It was Christina! I walked over to her, and Cyd was going to introduce me to her, and I cut her off (not even thinking), and said, "You're Christina. Maria babysat me!" What an amazing experience! We talked for a long time! I got to hear all about their family, and how everyone is. We talked about my dad. It was so sweet! Rudy... Elder Franko was up talking to some of the leaders, but then he came down, and Christina told him who I was. He turned to our stake president and told him what a great guy my dad was. He then told me that Dad has been a part of their family. They talk about him, and have wanted to be like him, because of his kindness and love for everyone.
Some sad news was that this sweet Maria passed away last Christmas. I wish that we would have known. She was an amazing, beautiful woman that was so kind and generous! Whenever I hear Peter Cetera on the radio, my heart jumps back to being in her living room listening to it with her, as she watched us, and taught us about her Argentine culture. We were so blessed to know her!
I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father gives me little tender mercies, when I need them!
Last week we had stake conference at church. Mom and I were anxious about this one, because we knew that that would be the end of our serving in the stake young women's presidency. Mom had reached her 5 year mark of serving in that position, and I had been in for almost 4 years. We had known this was coming, since June, which made each activity more bittersweet.
We had a visiting member of the Seventy presiding for our stake conference. I had a MidSingles activity on Saturday night, so I didn't attend the Saturday night meeting or I would've known what I'm about to share a day earlier.
We had a "morning-side", like a devotional, but we had it at 8:00 a.m. with our youth and their leaders. We got there a couple minutes before it started, so we sat on the second row and near the center. The meeting was going, it was a nice meeting, and then the member of the Seventy started talking. He had this cute Spanish accent, and he was talking about growing up in Argentina. As I was listening to him, I thought that my cute dad would've loved to have been there. He served his mission in Argentina...
---Once upon a time Sandy Nicholes was shopping at Harmon's in Sandy, and overheard a young woman speaking Spanish, Argentine-Spanish. He followed her voice, and introduced himself to her. After talking for a short time, he invited her and her family to dinner at our house the next night. My poor mom, being the only one not able to speak Spanish, besides us little ones, made dinner and passed it to everyone without being able to communicate with them.
Our families hit it off right away! The girl at Harmon's name was Christina, she was married to a man named Rudy. Christina's mom, Maria, took care of Cristina's kids, and when I was 4 and Collin was 2, she babysat us for a while. (I have no memory of how long, but I don't think it was very long, because once I started kindergarten, we were babysat at Grandma Mamie's .)
Maria's husband, Hugo, owned Precision Time clock store. We moved to Layton, and Daddy died. We'd occasionally see them at their stores when we were downtown or at Fashion Place, but we didn't have much to do with each other after that. We saw them around Collin's mission farewell. They gave him a beautiful watch. Sometime in 2007 was the last time we saw Maria, right after her cute Hugo had passed away.---
So, back to Sunday... I leaned over to Mom, and said, "That guy reminds me of Rudy." His name was Elder Rudolfo Franko. Rudy/Rudolfo, I didn't put it together until the end. We were heading out, in between meetings to clean out the stake yw closet, and when I stood up, I looked down the row, and there was this woman, that although older, had eyes that I would never forget! It was Christina! I walked over to her, and Cyd was going to introduce me to her, and I cut her off (not even thinking), and said, "You're Christina. Maria babysat me!" What an amazing experience! We talked for a long time! I got to hear all about their family, and how everyone is. We talked about my dad. It was so sweet! Rudy... Elder Franko was up talking to some of the leaders, but then he came down, and Christina told him who I was. He turned to our stake president and told him what a great guy my dad was. He then told me that Dad has been a part of their family. They talk about him, and have wanted to be like him, because of his kindness and love for everyone.
Some sad news was that this sweet Maria passed away last Christmas. I wish that we would have known. She was an amazing, beautiful woman that was so kind and generous! Whenever I hear Peter Cetera on the radio, my heart jumps back to being in her living room listening to it with her, as she watched us, and taught us about her Argentine culture. We were so blessed to know her!
I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father gives me little tender mercies, when I need them!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
"Anchored in Hope"
October has always been a crappy month for me, other than General Conference and our family tradition of celebrating my daddy's birthday at the Grand America for Sunday Brunch. We do it one time a year, because he liked to do it. Although, mom and dad would go at Snowbird during our week in August, it has worked out for us closer to his birthday. So, think of my feelings when my most recent mid-singles conference was coming right around the corner, and I planned it for October. However, I've decided that this was probably the best October I've had in a super, long time!
My conference was called "Anchored in Hope" from Ether 12:4, of the Book of Mormon, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
I love this verse! I love all of the action words. We have to move forward to have things work out for us. This time I got to present.
I taught "Hope On: Steps in Your Journey." I shared seven steps that have helped me have hope and happiness in this destination of life. So often we get caught up in the "...I'll be happy when I... get a new job... get married... etc...," we need to be happy on our way to those things.
Here are my 7 steps:
-Be prayerful and have faith!
-Read your scriptures
-Attend the Temple
-Be creative!
-Be active!
-Serve willingly
-Be happy!
(Yes, the first step is actually two, but they go so well together!)
Be prayerful and have faith!
In the New Testament when the father brings his son that has epilepsy, or something like that, to Jesus Christ and says, "If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." The Savior's response is, "If thou canst believe."
Sometimes it's hard to believe. We have doubts and distractions that make it difficult. I call these moments of doubts "Sariah moments," after reading 1 Nephi 5 of the Book of Mormon. She was the wife of a prophet, and she had her doubts. I'm an everyday, normal girl, and I too struggle at times with doubts.
In Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "The Infinite Power of Hope," he spoke of his mother. They were fleeing to Germany during World War II for safety, and they were fleeing by train. One night the train stopped for supplies, and his mother got off the train to find food for her children. When she returned to the location of the train, it was gone, along with her children. He said, "I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action." I love that! I hope that someday someone will be able to say that about me, that I didn't sit and wait, that I was actively moving forward!
Receive your patriarchal blessing, and read it frequently!
Read your scriptures
I know that even reading a few verses a day, will bring the Spirit into your day! The more you have the Spirit, the happier you will be. Pres. Boyd K. Packer said in the last General Conference that it really doesn't matter what book of scripture, just read them!
You can also receive many answers as you read them. One favorite scripture of mine, that answered my prayers, is Mormon 8:22: "For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled." That includes promises to me!
Attend the Temple
Temples are such beautiful places, where you can gain a greater perspective of things going on in your life! It's amazing!
Be creative!
Find something you love, and do it! I love to create! Watch this great video!
Be active!
Find things you love to do, and people you love to spend time with and do it! I find that in my life, I get tied down to the things going on, and I get so caught up in it, that I feel the need to escape! I escape to a soccer game or to my nephews and niece to play with them or outside and take pictures. Rio Tinto Stadium watching Real Salt Lake play is one of my most favorite places to be! I think in this step, it's anything that you can relax and let go of your concerns.
Serve willingly
This one is something that I've thought a lot about! Freely giving of yourself without expectations of what you're going to get out of it is one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone. Do it! There are always opportunities to serve, even something as small as smiling at someone, could be a great service!
Be Happy!
This one sounds easy, but sometimes it isn't. One lesson I have learned is that when I'm not happy, if I pretend I am, eventually I am. It's a mind trick that I play on myself, and at the end of the day, I look back and realize that I truly am happy. It doesn't always last, sometimes you have to start over day after day after day, and that is totally fine!
We have so much to be grateful for! Look for the beauty that surrounds us! If you're still reading at this point, thanks for letting me share my thoughts! The beauty of this life is that everyday is a new beginning, and we can start all over again! I'm grateful for that! I'm grateful for the Savior, and his atoning sacrifice! Hope on!
My conference was called "Anchored in Hope" from Ether 12:4, of the Book of Mormon, "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
I love this verse! I love all of the action words. We have to move forward to have things work out for us. This time I got to present.
I taught "Hope On: Steps in Your Journey." I shared seven steps that have helped me have hope and happiness in this destination of life. So often we get caught up in the "...I'll be happy when I... get a new job... get married... etc...," we need to be happy on our way to those things.
Here are my 7 steps:
-Be prayerful and have faith!
-Read your scriptures
-Attend the Temple
-Be creative!
-Be active!
-Serve willingly
-Be happy!
(Yes, the first step is actually two, but they go so well together!)
Be prayerful and have faith!
In the New Testament when the father brings his son that has epilepsy, or something like that, to Jesus Christ and says, "If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us." The Savior's response is, "If thou canst believe."
Sometimes it's hard to believe. We have doubts and distractions that make it difficult. I call these moments of doubts "Sariah moments," after reading 1 Nephi 5 of the Book of Mormon. She was the wife of a prophet, and she had her doubts. I'm an everyday, normal girl, and I too struggle at times with doubts.
In Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk, "The Infinite Power of Hope," he spoke of his mother. They were fleeing to Germany during World War II for safety, and they were fleeing by train. One night the train stopped for supplies, and his mother got off the train to find food for her children. When she returned to the location of the train, it was gone, along with her children. He said, "I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action." I love that! I hope that someday someone will be able to say that about me, that I didn't sit and wait, that I was actively moving forward!
Receive your patriarchal blessing, and read it frequently!
Read your scriptures
I know that even reading a few verses a day, will bring the Spirit into your day! The more you have the Spirit, the happier you will be. Pres. Boyd K. Packer said in the last General Conference that it really doesn't matter what book of scripture, just read them!
You can also receive many answers as you read them. One favorite scripture of mine, that answered my prayers, is Mormon 8:22: "For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled." That includes promises to me!
Attend the Temple
Temples are such beautiful places, where you can gain a greater perspective of things going on in your life! It's amazing!
Be creative!
Find something you love, and do it! I love to create! Watch this great video!
Be active!
Find things you love to do, and people you love to spend time with and do it! I find that in my life, I get tied down to the things going on, and I get so caught up in it, that I feel the need to escape! I escape to a soccer game or to my nephews and niece to play with them or outside and take pictures. Rio Tinto Stadium watching Real Salt Lake play is one of my most favorite places to be! I think in this step, it's anything that you can relax and let go of your concerns.
Serve willingly
This one is something that I've thought a lot about! Freely giving of yourself without expectations of what you're going to get out of it is one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone. Do it! There are always opportunities to serve, even something as small as smiling at someone, could be a great service!
Be Happy!
This one sounds easy, but sometimes it isn't. One lesson I have learned is that when I'm not happy, if I pretend I am, eventually I am. It's a mind trick that I play on myself, and at the end of the day, I look back and realize that I truly am happy. It doesn't always last, sometimes you have to start over day after day after day, and that is totally fine!
We have so much to be grateful for! Look for the beauty that surrounds us! If you're still reading at this point, thanks for letting me share my thoughts! The beauty of this life is that everyday is a new beginning, and we can start all over again! I'm grateful for that! I'm grateful for the Savior, and his atoning sacrifice! Hope on!
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