If a child

I received a gift today from a coworker-a book of different thoughts and quotes. It is really nice. It had a thought in it that I reminds me why I teach, that I might be that lifting, building force in a child's life.

If a child
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with fear, he learns to be apprehensive.
If a child lives with jealousy, he learns to hate.
If a child lives with self-pity, he learns to be sorry for himself.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns self-confidence and integrity.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to be appreciative.
If a child lives with acceptance, he learns to love.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with honesty, he learns what truth is.
If a child lives with friendliness,
he learns that the world is a good place in which to live.
-Anonymous

I heard something similar to this years ago and this reminded me of it. The power you have in how a child grows up-you can build them up or tear him down-all in how we treat them. May we build and not destroy these little lives that Heavenly Father has intrusted us with. I have no children of my own, but I have been blessed with many around me as a teacher, as an aunt, as a friend. I am grateful for such a blessing and for the love I feel for each of them. I know it is a gift from God.

In the strength of the Lord

I am alive!! :) Finals week is over and I am very grateful for that. We all managed to survive finals week here, although I felt I was 'almost dead'. I have been fighting some kind of sickness during this time and haven't been able to really rest and recover BECAUSE of my schedule-so I thought I was going to die. :) In my exhaustion-as maybe some of you might experience-emotions are heightened and EVERYTHING seems insurmountable. I felt that this week. I know satan was aware of that and knew the importance of my final tuesday and tried to play into my exhaustion. But, something I know to be true, satan can have NO power over us IF we don't give it to him. We must not give him any stage time-shut him RIGHT OUT. Another truth I know is that before something good happens, we can sometimes feel an increase in adversity beforehand. Again, because satan is aware of the importance of that event-whatever it may be. He is very aware of those events and people who will be 'disturber's and annoyer's' in his kingdom. He is good at throwing tantrums. :)

So I took my math final on tuesday and received the results on thursday. I passed!! I did better on my final than on any of my other exams. I was afraid to really be excited about it at first sight of the grade as I thought it might be a mistake and maybe I still need to retake the course. (awful attitude, I know) I think I had been praying so hard and thought I had surely not been as prepared for the exam as I would have liked to have been that Heavenly Father can only do so much with such preparation. But, once again, He has taken my meager offerings and has made them far greater than I could EVER do on my own; far greater than I feel I deserve. I can now move on to the second portion of the course that I need to work toward graduation.

This semester has been challenging for me for several reasons, all of which I better understand the promise the Lord makes to us that '...I will make weak things become strong unto them.' If we go to the Lord in our weakness, He will strengthen our weakness to be what it needs to be. How blessed we are to have this knowledge and be able to call on our Heavenly Father for this help, to be strengthened.

the sun will go on rising and setting whether I fail Math 157 or not...

"...as Mrs. Lynde would say, the sun will go on rising and setting whether I fail in geometry or not. That is true but not especially comforting. I think I'd rather it didn't go on if I failed!"

A quote from one of my all-time favorite books and it has been ringing in my ears since I finished taking my math final this evening. I finished at around 8 pm and my head is reeling!! I just regurgitated a semesters worth of information onto 9 sheets of paper. It was exhausting!! I am not sure how I did as I tend to do horribly on exams like these, especially in math. I DO know however, that the Spirit was with me and helped me to recall those areas I had studied well. The Spirit cannot bring to our rememberance information that we have not taken the time to study and learn in the first place. I am so grateful for such a precious gift that continues to bless my life as I live worthy of it.
The sun still set this evening and I am pretty confident it will be up in the morning to greet me regardless of how I did today. I am anxious to see what the future holds.

Finals week

Well, it is Tuesday: first final is today at 6 pm. This final is the one I am most nervous about as alot is depending on the grade I get. The outcome of this exam determines my future: if I do well, I don't have to take this course over again this summer. Then I could focus my efforts on preparing for the first round of exams (PRAXIS) I need to take to go up to the next level in my classes. I am trying to supress my anxiety, but it is not working very well. Although I am nervous, I also feel strongly that all will work out as it should-that Heavenly Father is mindful of me and I have been praying that I will be at peace so I can hear the promptings of the Spirit to recall the information I need for the exam. I will sign off for now. I will post my grades as soon as I know them.

Creeping up on finals week

I am failing this week miserably at posting. :) I have been feeling poorly and have continued to sleep any extra time I have had. I am on my way to bed now after taking a variety of vitamins, emergen-c and aspirin hoping I feel refreshed in the morning for a 3 hour study session for my math final. My professor is offering an open class for tomorrow and we can come and study and use the manipulatives and ask any questions we might have for him concerning any part of our final. We had a 2 hour study session for class time on thursday this week that was very helpful. I am excited to get another 3 in preparation for our tuesday exam. I know that if I am supposed to pass the exam, I will. I have done everything in my power to prepare for it and with my busy schedule to study each week. All will work out as it should.

Well, it has been a few FOUR days since I last posted something. I have been out of commission with a mild illness that has caused me to sleep any extra moment I have. :) Which is why I haven't written the past few days. But now, I am back!! I have just returned home from school and am now planning out my schedule on how to survive this next week and a half until finals are over. Not only do I have a busy schedule with finals but I am also busy with work as I am required to do a home visit as is customary at the end of the year. We were supposed to start them yesterday but I have yet to even get all of mine scheduled. All will work itself out as my load lightens, so I am not too worried. I'm not sure how it will-but I know it will. Not much to say today, just that I am worn from the events of the day. I will post more again tomorrow.

Saturday May 3, 2008

Yesterday (saturday) was a busy day, hence I am writing today instead. :) I got up early and worked on my sunday school lesson for today. Afterwards I went to a cycling class at the rec center: it was another endurance ride. It was a good ride, although I wasn't feeling very good. It was still a good workout even though I didn't have as much strength as I usually do: the veggie salad. It has a homeade tortilla on the bottom; then beans and rice, salsa, romaine lettuce, guacamole, and tortilla strips. This became my favorite when I was living in Utah and I worked right by the restaurant there and became my comfort food here. Trina and I both had dinner from there. Afterwards I relaxed for a little bit and then went back to my homework. I did some math homework-finished the worksheet due for tuesday-then sat down to finish the last 30 minutes of the lion, the witch and the wardrobe that was being played on TV. It felt good to accomplish homework and relax for a little bit after such a crazy week. I think next week will be just as crazy in preparation for finals.

Elder Madsen's special visit

I returned home recently from a special fireside for our stake from Elder John M Madsen of the Seventy. He was called in August of 1992. He is here for a stake conference in a different stake and as a favor to his brother who is in our stake high council, he came and spoke. He focused on many powerful principles that are found in the History of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He started with Joseph Smith History 1:11 to help understand how we receive revelation- 'laboring under extreme difficulties' and reading epistle of James'; comparing the labor to what we face living in this world and Joseph's reading to the importance of reading the scriptures. He also spoke of the importance of pondering what we read in the scriptures (v12), of acting (v13), and communing with God (v15). Elder Madsen said about daily scripture study and it's importance, "In that atmosphere, the Lord will whisper instruction to your mind." He also reminded us of another principle of truth using Joseph's example as he kneeled to pray in the grove to understand truth and was siezed upon by some unseen being. Elder Madsen then said, 'when the adversary attacks, it means great things are about to happen', just as Joseph experience following the darkness-he saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. He opened the dispensation of the fullness of times by God's hand following this event. Satan was very aware that Joseph would be an annoyer and disturber of his plans, just as he is aware of us and how we are able to thwart his work. "We are only chosen if we are righteous" as my bishop said last week at ward conference. Satan is very aware of our potential and purpose here and will stop at nothing to keep us from accomplishing our work here: the Lord's work.

It was a wonderful meeting full of truth and the whisperings of the Spirit. I am grateful I was able to attend.

a day late

So, maybe I fell asleep last night typing on my laptop. I guess that's what I get for trying to type laying down in my bed. :) So, I lost the entry I had started. Yesterday was a busy day: I was at work from 7:30 am -7:30 pm. I taught my regular class during the morning then we finished the preparations for our art show that evening. We finished hanging the art and getting everything ready. The art show to the public started at 4 and the gathering with the family was from 5:30-7 pm which included the art show, dinner and a craft with the children. We had a great turnout of people-lots of families came that we haven't seen for awhile at an event. It was great-a long day, but great.

Afterwards I headed home and my roomate and I stopped by a birthday party for a friend of ours at our church. We met at a local burger joint called 'Big Juds'. This particular place is famous for their 1 lb burgers served with real idaho potatoes in the form of french fries or tater tots that, if you can eat it within the alotted time, you are made an official member of the big jud's club. This hamburger is INSANELY large!! The bun looks like the size of a small birthday cake, sliced in two. About 5 of the 15 people there took part in the challenge, including the birthday boy. It was crazy to watch. Here is a picture of some people (not sure who they are, found it online) taking the challenge as well.

Can you see the cake size burger? Since last night, I have been contemplating what the fascination is with contests of gorging ourselves to the point of illness-why do we do it? I have yet to figure it out, I don't know if I really want to either. Better left a mystery. :)

As we were there in the restaurant, I met a man that was there having a late supper. (He told me) We were a pretty rambunctious group, so I wondered how he was feeling about us taking over the restaurant. It is a pretty cozy environment. I got up to walk around and see how everyone was faring with the challenge. I passed by his table and just said hi and that I hoped we weren't spoiling his dinner. He then invited me to sit down, so I did and we chatted for a bit. He asked how we all know each other and I told him we all attended the same church and he was happy to hear it. He was an older gentleman, retired officer from the navy. He was very kind. He asked what church we were a part of and I told him the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He said 'oh! The Mormons! yes, I am familiar with your church. He said he has known many people from our church. He asked if we believed in the multiple partners thing, referring all that is going on with the FLDS in Texas. He thought that we were one in the same in beliefs. I assured him that we were in no way affiliated with them and that we don't share that belief. It was nice to be able to clear up that confusion that are shared by many concerning the church as all this is going on with the media coverage in Texas. We had a really nice discussion that was ended as we were leaving. I felt that we had planted a seed of understanding, of correcting error, which is what it is all about. It is what Elder Ballard had hoped would become as well of being a part of this 'new media' that we share through blogs and other forms of communication on the world wide web. I am honored to be a part of it.