Spiritual Sunday: Generational Gap

Is it me, or am I getting old?

Every Sunday when I meet with the Young Women, I see more and more how much has changed even since I was in high school. 

(which was really not THAT long ago...)

I have seen the changes technology has 

had on the lives of the youth. 

Both good and not so good.

I was thinking today how innocent most of us were 

when we were 12, 13, 14...

(maybe that was just me?)

And today the young women are not that innocent. 

(just like Britney Spears says)

They look more grown up.

They act more grown up.

It's scary how much is out there, how much they are in the know.

I remember one of my wise institute teachers taught us that the way to protect children is by 

reading the scriptures and praying daily.  

I really feel like I want to make sure my young women are doing so.

I feel so responsible for them and want them to know how much their decisions now will affect their later lives. 

First things first, I have to do the things that I teach them. 

I made a goal a few months back to 

read my scriptures for at least a 1/2 hour a day.

Things got shaky for awhile there, 

but I'm back on track 

and have been doing that for at least the past 2 weeks. 

I've felt so much happier.

It's crazy how much I can forget that 

those are the things that make me happy 

and help me be that example for these girls.

I've also been reading my favorite spiritual-guide book 

(and most recommended)

"Better than you think you are"

by Ardeth G. Kapp

This book can bring anybody out of a stupor. 

As I realize that I have to teach 

these girls things that I've learned and 

help them feel the Spirit and 

help them become converted...

it can become a bit overwhelming.

But I know that as I try and live the things that I teach, that the Spirit will help them understand in their own way.

I need to be in tune so that they can be.

I can tell how much they look up to me 

(not in a braggy sort of way)

and it makes me want to be a better person

and better example for them.

What a blessing it is to serve them right now.

Speaking of becoming a better person...

Tonight at the SED 

(in the old days this was just a plain old fireside)

we watched this video:

What a wonderful kid.

Such an example of friendship and service.

"There is no spirit but what was pure and holy when it came here from the celestial world...

H e   i s   t h e   f a t h e r   o f   o u r   s p i r i t s; 

and if we could know, understand, and do his will, 

every soul would be prepared to return back into his presence 

and when they get there 

they will see that they had formerly lived there for ages, 

that they had previously been acquainted with every nook and corner, with the palaces, walks and gardens; 

and they would embrace their father, 

and he would embrace them and say, 

'My son, my daughter, I have you home again.' 

And the child would say, 

'Oh my father, my father, I am here again.'"

If only every person could know where they came from.

Maybe we'd be more willing to help others... 

and sacrifice our "1st place" to help them get their "82nd"

For now, I'm trying my best to at least help 

my young women understand this.

I'm learning each day to trust more and more in the Lord and hopefully am helping them to do the same.

(even if I am just a tad bit older than them...)

Thoughtful Thursday

Thinking...Thinking...

We all think every day, right? 

Sometimes it's about trivial things, 

sometimes it's about life's most important moments or decisions.

Sometimes I just think about what 

outfit I might wear the next day...

or perhaps if I need to buy some more cheez-its.

Maybe I sometimes think about reading Harry Potter yet again.

Or what will happen on my favorite dramatic shows this week.

But most importantly...

I've been thinking about my life and the way it has gone so far.

I've had probably the hardest year of my life.

I constantly analyze and wonder if I had done just one or two things differently...

maybe that would have changed the outcome?

Maybe I'd be happier now?

I've learned that analyzing doesn't help anything 

(even though I still do it on daily basis...oops).

I have had to put more trust in God than ever before. 

I served in Argentina for a year and half 

and yet in the year and a half I've been home...

my faith has had its fair share of tests.

I honestly do not know what God's plan is for me 

with regards to many things. 

I've had to learn that that is okay for now. 

I just have to keep on going each day. 

Being happy. Trying new things.

Making schedules and goals.

Spending time with family.

Trusting that there is a great plan, 

even if I don't quite see it.

I like to know how things end. 

I look up movie endings.  

I look up TV series endings.  

I look up book endings.  

I want to to know how they all end.

If there is an ending to something, 

you can count on me to look it up.

The one ending I can't look up is my own. 

So, I can either sit around and wait and wonder when things will happen...

or live life and trust that it will end happily, 

just as many things do.

The latter sounds like the better option.

I may not know my ending, but I can know and control what happens until then.

So on this Thoughtful Thursday, 

I will worry a little less 

and think about adjusting my sails a little more.

Wishful Wednesday

Back to School, Back to School

to prove to dad that I'm not a fool

Not really, my dad thinks I'm super smart.

In June I went back to school...I never thought I'd actually do it!

I'm taking prerequisites to apply to an accelerated Bachelor's in Nursing program.  I have so many classes to take since my first Bachelor's degree has absolutely nothing to do with science. 

I think the last time I took a science class was 

my freshman year of college. 

(um, that was 9 years ago...WHAT!)

I've always wanted to be a nurse, 

but never thought I had the smarts or the dedication.

Turns out...

I do.

So my wish on this Wishful Wednesday 

is that I continue getting great grades in these classes 

and that I don't get sick of them or tired of trying.

I've had a few different thoughts about what I should do: teaching, lawyer, MBA, but I just never quiiiite made it into starting these things.

 Once I realized nursing was an actual possibility, I knew it was the right thing to do because I actually went forward with it. 

Even though it is definitely going to take awhile, I know this is the direction I need to be headed. (not like Anne Boelyn)

President Monson said this:

"Don't limit yourself and don't let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do.  Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.  You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith." 

I've only recently begun to believe these words.  

They've driven me to action and I hope it stays that way.

Traveling Tuesday

Traveling Tuesday

If I didn't have to have a job and eat, then I would definitely want to travel all the time. 

Going from place to place learning about different cultures, different people, and yes, even different foods, is the most appealing thing in the world to me. 

Austria.  

I've always wanted to visit this intriguing country. 

Maybe it's because that is where The Sound of Music was filmed.

Mostly it's because of the history of WWII and the gorgeous scenery that it beholds.

Living here would be a dream come true.  It looks so relaxing.  

"Travel makes one modest. 

You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” 

-Gustave Flaubert

We really do not occupy a lot of space in the world.  

The creations and beauty of God are unfathomable.

He made it a pretty great place for us, right?

My travel fund starts today. 

Happy Tuesday!

Just Another Music Monday

M u s i c  M o n d a y

The blog is back and ready to listen to music. 

My book reading is still going, 

but I've diverted from my previous list. 

I n s t e a d, 

for my daily outlet, 

the themed days will return. 

As today is Monday and I would not make it through Monday without 

M U S I C...

today is Music Monday.

The song for the day:

"These Days" -The Black Keys

Please enjoy whilst watching this beautiful sunset. 

Disclaimer: These Monday songs will not necessarily reflect my current state of mind.

They will all just be good songs.

Thanks, Black Keys, you'll be used here a lot. 

Happy Monday!

Listen and Learn

Thursday Book Group

NONE
by nobody

whoops!

(I mean, how many people actually read this thing anyway?)

The book I was going to read was super boring. I will have to read it at a later boring date.

So halfway through the week I switched to 

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

That will be for next week. (or whenever I finish it)

As for this week...

I'll write about a few things I learned.

The other day at work, Saul, my co-worker (so mature) that sits across from me started laughing a sneaky laugh.

So I said, 

"Saul, that was kinda creepy"

He said he was listening to a comedian while working.

I thought "hey, that's a great idea! I'd like to listen to a comedian as well"

But then... 

I decided to listen to general conference talks.

I listened to five in one day. Some old, some new.

But I was much happier at the end of the day.

I felt the Spirit during the day and that was great. 

I may not remember exactly what was said because I was working at the same time. 

(even if I did have to stop working for a sec to take some notes!...sorry work, if you're reading this)

Well, I learned again that 

God loves all of His children.

He wants us to be happy.

We should have hope always.

I have to give up my anxiety and 

l e t G o d t a k e c a r e o f t h e l i t t l e t h i n g s.

It works!

This has been the happiest week I've had in a long time.

I went to my personal trainer (ouch, my stomach muscles are sore)

I actually have washed my face both morning and night 

(I realize this was gross to not have done before)

I've been trying to go to bed with a smile on my face, but it usually fades because I can't sleep unless my face is relaxed.

I'm happy and that is all.

Here is my new theme song:
I can't wait to see them live on May 10th! 

I'm dreaming of The White City

Thursday Book Group

The Devil in the White City

by

Erik Larson

This week was a good read. It was all fact. 

Many creepy facts.

It starts in the 1890's and describes The World's Fair of 1893. 

They made it into The White City.

I learned many interesting facts about how disgusting Chicago was during this time.

Most all of the dead animals went into the river that flows through Chicago.

Gross.

Luckily it is a lot cleaner now. (or is it?)

It focuses on the director/main architect of the fair, 

Daniel Burnham.

It also focuses on the first known serial killer in America,

Herman Webster Mudgett. 

a.k.a. Dr. H.H. Holmes.

a.k.a. creepiest man that ever lived.

Here is something he said...just to TRY and grasp his intense creepiness.

"I was born with the devil in me. 

I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, 

no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing."

Ah! 

Anyway, it follows both of their lives.

So many things went into The World's Fair of 1893. 

Even Mudgett's hotel, that he specifically built to murder

women that came to the city alone.

It is estimated that he killed more than 200 people.

He was very slick. 

He didn't get caught in Chicago.

It wasn't until he was tracked down in Philadelphia for insurance fraud that detective Geyer finally started unveiling all of the heinous acts Mudgett committed.

Burnham built the White City with the help of many architects from Chicago and New York. 

I definitely will not go into all the detail...

but here are a few things that came about 

because of the World's Fair:

-The Ferris Wheel (it never faltered...worked on the first time around and held 2,000 people!)

-Shredded Wheat

-Cracker Jack

-Creepy serial killer

(he hearted Jack the Ripper)

Side Note:

I went on a Jack the Ripper tour when in London, and he was kinda scary.

Psychopaths maybe aren't too normal.

But I wonder if they think they are?

Interesting.

Anyway, The Devil in the White City is a history must read. 

It has lots of facts, but tells it in a story type of way.

Lots of depressing things happened leading up to the fair, but it provided America with a happy place to go in a time when many banks were failing and many people did not have jobs.

Unfortunately, it later burned.

I would have loved to see the city that set the stage for the American future.

I would not have loved to see the inside of Mudgett's 

"World's Fair Hotel"

Super wish this was still in Chicago.

It's still a marvelous city.

Go Cubs!

Next Week:

Guns, Germs, & Steel

by

Jared Diamond

Strange as strange can be

Thursday Book Group

The Stranger

This week I read The Stranger, by Albert Camus. 

Originally written in French, 

this version was translated by Matthew Ward.

"The Stranger" is a stranger to all.

To himself.

To us.

To his neighbor.

To his neighbor's dog.

To his girlfriend.

Let me introduce you...

His name is Meursault.

The whole book is written from his perspective, yet we do not delve too deeply into his mind. 

I wanted to believe he wasn't telling us everything that was going on up there, but he was.

At the beginning his "Maman" passes away and the story continues from there. 

He meets a girl the day after his mother's funeral.

Eventually,

She asks him if they are going to get married.

This is his account of how it went down:

"That evening Marie came by to see me and asked me if I wanted to marry her. I said it didn't make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to. Then she wanted to know if I loved her. I answered the same way I had the last time, that it didn't mean anything but that I probably didn't love her. 

'So why marry me, then?' she said

I explained to her that if didn't really matter and that 

if she wanted to, we could get married. 

Besides, she was the one who was doing the asking and all I was saying was yes. 

Then she pointed out that marriage was a serious thing. 

I said, 'no.'

She stopped talking for a minute and looked at me without saying anything. Then she spoke. She just wanted to know if I would have accepted the same proposal from another woman, with whom I was involved in the same way.

I said, 'sure.'

Then she wondered if she loved me, and there was no way I could know about that. After another moment's silence, she mumbled that I was peculiar, that that was probably why she loved me but that one day I might hate her for the same reason. I didn't say anything, because I didn't have anything to add, so she took my arm with a  smile and said she wanted to marry me. 

I said we could do it whenever she wanted."

Long quote, but it basically sums up his personality.

He says yes, no, sure, and adds little to most conversations.

Just a bit of a floater.

His neighbor, Raymond hits the girl that supposedly cheats on him.

They go to a beach with Marie and 2 other friends. 

The girl's brother finds them and comes after them with a  knife.

Raymond comes back with a gun and Meursault takes it from him so he doesn't do anything stupid.

The brother and his gang go away.

Meursault goes for a walk on the beach without realizing he's walking back to the same spot they just fought. 

The brother returns.

Meursault has Raymond's gun and shoots the brother.

He ends up having a trial, etc. 

**I won't give away everything!**

He barely shows any remorse 

and is never sure if he did it on purpose.

He blames the heat.

He only shows an opinion towards anything right at the end. The preacher talks to him of God, but Meursault doesn't believe in God.

He snaps and starts wailing on the preacher.  

He let's us know that life really has no meaning because we all are going to die in the end. 

He says this, "I had been right, I was still right, I was always right. I had lived my life one way and I could just as well have lived it another."

What a sad way to live life...

I like to believe life does have meaning, even though it might seem pointless to live it one way or the other. This book showed me that it's important to give our lives meaning instead of walking around with no real conviction.

Sorry to break it to you Meursault, 

l i f e  c a n  b e  h a p p y !

In the end, "The Stranger" remains a stranger to me.

I'm fine with that.

Side note:

I actually read this book in 2 days and decided to read another before the week was up.

"The Ordeal of Change"

I won't talk about it too much because it's not on my list!

Just wanted to remember one quote.

"Words shape thought, stir feeling, and beget action;

they kill and revive, corrupt and cure.

The 'men of words'-priests, prophets, intellectuals-have played a more decisive role in history than military leaders, statesmen, and businessmen."

How true. 

The saying 

"sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me"

should be true, but mostly isn't.

Words can do a lot more damage or a lot more good to one's soul than any broken limb.

For an uplifting video on words,

view this.

Next week:

The Devil in the White City

by

Erik Larson

A time for Pride and a time for Prejudice

Thursday Book Group

Well, it's about time I start a book group...with myself. 

Members include, alphabetically, as follows:

me. 

CNN has produced a list through Amazon of 

100 books to read in a lifetime. 

I have a l i f e t i m e...

so I figured I should read these books whilst here.

And lucky you, you get to read about my opinions, judgments, and musings of these 100 books! 

A book a week.

Let's start, shall we?

The first I chose to read was 

Pride & Prejudice. 

There are books, multiple movies, and even a mini-series dedicated to the greatness that is Pride and Prejudice. (um, there's even a Mormon version?)

Looks like "love met its match" in this version. Good job, love.

I never thought I'd enjoy this book, but it is actually a very witty, charming little book. 

Jane Austen is a marvelous writer. 

Who knew?

I guess every love-sick girl in the world.

She gives each character depth and meaning without saying too much. 

The Bennett family is the main subject of this book. 

5 girls. 

Expect drama.

Let's give a breakdown of the family: (my view of them, of course)

Mr. Bennett: sarcastic and stern

Mrs. Bennett: ignorant and a complainer

Jane: naive and pretty

Elizabeth: forthright and opinionated

Mary: introvert and bookworm

Kitty: follower and giggly

Lydia: haughty and materialistic

Mary, the quietest and most random character, 

a l w a y s  g i v e s  t h e  b e s t  i n s i g h t. 

Here is the best quote of the book:

"Pride is very common failing, I believe. 

By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity to what we would have others think of us."

She has many of these "one-liner" paragraphs. 

I think she is exactly right. 

Everyone has a little bit of pride. 

We need a little or we would all be very self-deprecating. 

This also describes the theme of the book. 

Pride & Prejudice.

The main love story involves Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. (swoon)

Elizabeth detests him at first upon thinking he is proud and judges him thus. She is prejudice against him and his behavior. 

She hears things of him that she believes readily.

He is prejudice against her family (mostly her out-spoken mother) and a little proud of his 10,000 pounds a year.

As the story progresses, they are both humbled. 

Elizabeth's pretenses are proved false, 

and Mr. Darcy falls easily in love. 

I won't go into all the deets. 

It is a marvelous story of overcoming the 

prides and prejudices 

we all face.

(and they end up happy and married from being a little bit humble)

To show that Mr. Darcy is worth a swoon...

This is what he says to Elizabeth,

"Such I was, from eight to eight-and-twenty; and such I still might have been but for you, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth! What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased."

He then says,

"[My object] was to show you, by every civility in my power, that I was not so mean as to resent the past; and I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill=opinion, by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to. How soon any other wishes introduced themselves, I can hardly tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you." 

I realize this book was written by a woman, but these are still lovely words to hope for some day.

I always had a prejudice towards this book because I assumed it was too lovey-dovey (and maybe it was not "Harry Potter" enough?)

But I have to say, my pride has subsided after reading the pages and coming to know the characters.

Here's to you,

{prevailing over}

Pride & Prejudice.

**My book blogs will progressively get better**

Next week: 

The Stranger, by Albert Camus