COTOPAXI QUESTIVAL

Traffic and Jams

As I headed north three times this weekend I was in traffic! This has never happened, although I did expect it this time. I headed to my mission reunion on Friday night, and so was everyone else, but on top of that there was an accident. I always feel more sorry for those in the accident than me in traffic. Saturday evening I headed to Kaysville to meet my aunt and cousins, while the boys were at Priesthood session of general conference (We barely made it because of more traffic, and accidents). YIKES! The girls went and saw Cinderella, ah!! Loved it! Super cute, made me want to be better. Love messages like that.

Stayed the night at cousins then went to Sunday afternoon session of conference and on our way back to cousin's house we hit more traffic, more accidents. No fun for those people in the accidents.

It was a fantastic weekend, it being Easter and General Conference. So much goodness. I love my family and I know that because of my Savior, who lives, I can live with my family forever! What an amazing truth to know! Because of Him, I am healed from sin.

As we were driving to all our various locations, we always had a good tune, or jam to keep us going through the traffic. It was interesting to catch myself sometimes unsettled not knowing how long we would be in traffic, or if we should have taken a different route, or left earlier to avoid, etc. I realize how often this happens in life, way more enjoyable when we can deal with the traffic in our life, and just jam out!!  :)  There is a cheesy analogy for you!

There is so much more to say about the weekend, but I must leave it at that.

Working For Salvation

Every Tuesday morning I wake up at 5:08am and get myself ready for TEMPLE TUESDAY. I volunteer, and every shift is about 5 hours. It is the BEST decision I have made in a whiillllllee.

Five reasons why it is so great to get up at 5:00AM!

1. Early to bed, early to rise. This has really helped me get in a better routine, which makes for a super productive day. I have most things done by noon..ha Ok not noon, but close!

2. I am meeting some wonderful people. Big hearts, kind souls, gifted spirits. Great friends.

3. There is much to memorize, it has stretched me and reminded me of the importance of memorization. Guess what I often have in my head all day. :)

4. The flowers smell amazing, I love just being on temple grounds, such a beautiful place.

Last, and most important

5. I get to be in the Lord's house every week. After my very first shift, I told my mom my cheeks hurt from smiling. I recognize more of who I am, and the potential I have the more I am in the House of the Lord.


I love to see the temple, and love even more that I get to go inside! If you have not been in a while, go! It is a win-win situation. Absolutely no bad will come out of it! This should be top priority.

Phone died

Well I didn't have my charger with me to plug my phone in last night, so I just let it die. My plan was to plug it in the morning before church and let it charge...and that is what I did, but I did not realize I would miss out on some exciting news.

MY SISTER HAD HER BABY! 

My other sister and I are in the same ward, so when people in my ward were asking me about my sister's baby I was sooo confused. Long story short, I eventually figured it out and just realized that phones provide a lot of information!  

Glad I was able to charge my spiritual soul and my phone at the same time, but I still missed out on some information...ha Take what you want from that analogy...

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FOR YOU! Sad I cannot be there to meet this adorable chubby cheeks Makenzi, but thank goodness for media! :)

 

 

Body Art...sort of!

I went to the Education in Zion gallery yesterday. It was super cool. The exhibit was on all the references of the anatomy in the scriptures! Did you know there are over 9,000 references! Whaaat? I had no clue. There were paintings of the specific anatomy part with the scripture.
A great question that was posed was, "How do you feel about your body now?"

It does show how important our body is and helped me remember how miraculous this gift is!

Everyone should take a study break or a date and go check it out. Really interesting.

Check out the website!

http://educationinzion.byu.edu/exhibition/bodies-filled-with-light/

I am media.

As I was reviewing the definition of media , I again came to realize ALL that it encompasses. Media is from someone sending and someone receiving. So I started realizing how I send messages all the time, and people receive them. Sometimes the messages are not portrayed correctly, or received correctly. Lots of different ways to communicate.

Then I was video chatting with my sister who is in London because she just had her baby!! So excited to meet him, but it will be a couple months. Everything went smoothly ( as smooth as birthing a human can go). But I started thinking about the miracle of life and how God sent us to earth, we have special gifts and talents we are to send and share with others. God has given us the gift of families and allows us to have children. What a responsibility to raise a family and take care of precious spirits. God sends, and families receive.

Just like our own messages can be distorted, God's messages too often get twisted and people loose the purpose of a family. We need to be those messengers of truth, and continue to spread good media, or create media( ??? ha)

Just lots of random thoughts, hopeful it sparks more questions and truth for you!

Letters

There is nothing like old fashioned snail mail. It shows effort, which shows care and love from the sender.  Sending hand written letters is not something I do often enough. It is like journal writing I love it when I do it, but I definitely do not do it enough. There is something about writing that brings a special emotion. Writing down spontaneous impressions from the heart, and sending them to others is unique. I can be an act of service. Serving others always makes me feel good.

I asked my mom yesterday if she thought in 10+ years we would still be receiving letters, have mailboxes, or postman/women? The technology world seems to be rapidly changing. How will I get items I order on-line?, is what I thought. It will be interesting to witness the future technology changes.

Emails are more common now than letters. Since my brother just got home from his mission I was so grateful for email, we could hear from him  once a week! My mom printed all his letters and now he has a binder of the great memories he wrote home about. When asking my father where his letters are, he said his parents threw them away. I was disappointed. His were hand written! Those will be precious to read one day.

Letters, emails, and who knows what next. Text messaging is already a form of writing,but not as precious and special as a hand written letter.

Do you think because technology is rapidly growing that we are loosing the uniqueness of communication? These days seem to be about speed, getting things a quick and as soon as possible.

How can we maintain that precious communication?!

PICTURES!!

I am so grateful for photos. I love taking pictures, and I could spend hours looking at pictures. It is amazing ALL that we can capture! Holidays, celebrations, craziness, scariness, food, scenery... anything and everything. Here this array of random photos.
Ps. This is why I love chatbooks, and companies like Shutterfly, so fun to compile photos into a book. You can call me an author soon because my next project is compiling all my mission photos together!