CHANGE is a GOOD thing...

Wow! It's been almost a year since my last post and SO much has changed that I should publicly document it right?! For the very few who follow this blog, you might be shocked that I'm writing, so here we go. My mission taught me many things. One was the POWER of CHANGE. People change. Places change. Circumstances change. Change is a good thing.

Now I was not always a believer in change. Being the baby girl of my family, I grew attached to things and people very quickly and it was hard to let them go.

I have the best friends in the world. That doesn't change.

Example #1: Our family van was the van that we used to take on ALL of our trips. It was the van that we would all fall asleep in at 3 a.m. in the morning when my parents drove all day to take my sisters down to school at BYU. It was the van that I drove down my parents' driveway when I was 3 years old and they caught me just in time before I ran into something or someone. I LOVED that van. I remember the day we sold it. I cried and cried and vowed to my parents that I would never ride in the new stupid van that could never give me the same memories / experiences that my beloved brown van could.

Dad & I before he was set apart as Mission President.
I love him too much.

Example #2: Being the youngest of six kids is great. Between the oldest and myself there is a 13 year difference. So when I was five, my oldest sister went down to BYU. I remember being so sad when they left home, one by one, for school, missions, marriage...I counted down the days they would come home for the holidays and summers where I knew we would ALL pile on the hide-a-bed, eat chips and melted Velvetta cheese, and watch ALL the original Star Wars movies. As their families grew with exceptionally beautiful and brilliant children (I'm biased, but it's true), I couldn't wait to have princess parties, Star Wars parties and dance / sing to songs from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to One Direction.

Then it was my turn to change. BYU. Boyfriends. Mission. Boyfriends. Graduation. Finding the first job. Boyfriends. I've learned that from every experience, we gain insight, knowledge, maturity (hopefully) and wisdom...and in the long-run we change for the better (again, hopefully).

Mom & I before being set apart. I am her. She is me.

Last Thanksgiving, my parents announced to us that they had been asked to serve as a Mission President & Wife in Russia for my church. Both having taken one quarter each of Spanish in high school (over 40 years ago), it was both humbling and inspiring to see them accept this call, learn an extremely difficult language and leave their children, grandchildren, extended family, friends, career, house, cars, etc. for three years. They accepted this change with a heart full of faith, a little trepidation for this new task ahead of them and a love for one another and the Lord that grows daily. At the end of June, they left for Moscow, Russia. It was and has been a surreal experience. It is beautiful for many reasons, some reasons which words can't describe.

Now I'd be lying to say that I don't miss them. At times I still feel like that little girl who is crying over a sold van. But having left and served a mission, my joy and happiness for them to serve the Lord overwhelms those feelings and swallows them whole. It's been amazing to see them change and our family change because of it.

Some friends never change. Kindred spirits.

At the beginning of the year and honestly before that, I kept on feeling that I needed change. I love and will always love Spokane, but I kept on feeling the need to leave...which for a long time, I fought against those feelings. Things were familiar. Safe. I've never been one to take crazy risks. I get my adrenaline rush from performing on a stage, not bungee jumping. I like to be in control, who doesn't to some point, right?! I'm the girl who had a day planner at age 10...ridiculous, I know, but I like to plan, so shoot me (not literally though because I like my life).

Quotes that have helped me change.

So I took a step and started my job search. New York. Boston. D.C. Phoenix. Salt Lake City. London. Madrid. Months and months of searching, trying to figure out where to go to next. A couple of interviews. Several e-mails of rejection. Then August happened. My bro-in-law told me his work, a market research / consultant firm was hiring located in: not New York, Boston, San Fran, or Madrid, but Richland, WA. Two hours away from home. Talk about a risk, right?! Sometimes the biggest adventures in life happen in the most unlikely of places. The job however terrified me. When I was in school and after I graduated, I never wanted to work for an agency or marketing firm. It was not my style. But I applied. Got an interview. Got an offer. All in a matter of two weeks which was WAY faster than I had "planned". Then it actually hit me. I accepted this change in my life, now I needed to follow through with it.

My faith grows stronger. I fail at faith sometimes.
It sustains me to know that failure is a part of the process.
Sometimes what may be perceived as failure, is actually victory.

Since moving here two months ago, it's all been a whirlwind of crazy. Packing. Moving. Flying for business trips. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it! My job is AMAZING. It pushes me daily. Keeps me on my toes and the work is exciting. I'm near two of my sisters, which I love. They are my angels. Meeting new friends. Serving as the choir director at church, which is a blast. Change is GOOD. Hard at times, but GOOD.

Doing hard things can lead to great things and great people.

So lessons I've learned since coming home from my mission (it'll be 3.5 years next month), my time in Spokane and now with my new job and living in a new place. Change is good. People change: when and if they want to change and if you don't want them in your life or if they are not helping you change for the better or vice versa, you can or they can change and leave, that's a hard one to accept at times. Places change: where one place was the right place at one point in life, can also not be the right place at another point in life. Circumstances change: there are times when something makes sense at one point, and then at another point, that something doesn't make sense anymore, and that's okay. I change: this is the biggest one --> I can become better or not (it's my choice) learn from mistakes, repent, move on, make more mistakes, apply, rinse, repeat.

Truth.

However, there are a few constants that don't change, which I'm so glad for because it keeps me sane. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the same yesterday, today and forever. Isn't that incredible?! Their love and grace anchor me. They are aware of me. They love me. I can change for the better daily because their promise to me that I can, does. not. change.

So life is good. It changes. Thank goodness for that.
The end. Blab to you next year.

1st Business Trip: Miami Beach. I was meant to live by the beach.

Heaven on Earth. I miss our Heavenly Home.
It's here that I'm reminded why I'm here.

There is always good in life. Always.

LOVE LOVE LOVE 2013!!

Blogging is not my forte...hence the lack of blog posts...but since today I'm home not feeling that great, I thought that I should update friends and fam about the exciting happenings in my life for 2013!!! :)

Super old picture, but it's adorable! LOVE THESE people!! :)

So...MOST exciting news for 2013 is that my Dad got called to be a MISSION PRESIDENT!!! :) I'm super excited for him and my mom and I have complete confidence that they are going to be fantastic!! We've received permission to let people know that they've been asked to learn RUSSIAN! Which is SUPER exciting! They'll find out where they're going in the end of February/early March...so we're all excited/nervous/ecstatic to see where they will go! I told them to watch Rocky IV and Anastasia to help them embrace the culture and enjoy Dimitri (let's be honest, who doesn't LOVE him?!). Jokes aside, it's been the best to see my parents receive this call and learn a new language. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that where much is given, much is required and the Lord will always be there to be your strength, courage, rock and Redeemer. Who knows...maybe next Christmas, I'll be in Siberia?!?! :)

Work is going really well! I love the babies and toddlers who I work with. My greatest joy every day is to see one of these kiddos learn how to speak, walk, pick up a fork or use a wheelchair. Update: I work as an event planner/marketing/PR guru for a non-profit that helps provide therapy for kiddos 0-3 years of age who have developmental delays and disabilities. Right now, we have our two largest fundraisers coming up in the next couple of months...so to say that it is a little crazy would be an understatement. :) But I keep on trucking along and learning daily of ways that I can improve and become better at what I need to do. It's such a blessing to have a job that I still get excited to go to everyday. :)

Church is great! The Gospel is TRUE! Serving in the Relief Society presidency and I LOVE it because I LOVE the girlies in our ward! They are so fantastic and I learn SO much from all of them. :) Family and friends are fabulous and I love spending time with them! Havin' a BLAST!! :)

Fabulous news for 2013: I FEEL FANTASTIC!!! For those who know me really well, knows that I have kind of a screwed up body (don't we all right?!). Since I was 12, I've been getting sick by a lot of different foods, starting with milk and then as time went on...it just got worse. :) A lot of trips to the doctor, natural medicine doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, etc. etc. etc...I finally found a doctor/naturopath who is fabulous! I started seeing him in September and the past four/five months, I haven't felt as good as I do now for the past 10 years! I feel in some ways, that I got my life back...such a blessing! :) He ran a lot of tests and trials and came up with a couple of things. One...everyone needs to get their Vitamin D checked...my levels were SUPER low, I was super deficient and especially for those who live up in the beautiful NW know that during the winter months, you don't see the sun as often as you would like. So I swear I started taking Vitamin D on steroids because of the crazy amount that I was taking, but I started feeling so much better. I also began an elimination diet...again.

Merry Christmas Morning 2012!

In March, it'll be SIX YEARS since I stopped eating all dairy products and refined sugars. That seemed to help some, but let me tell you...in September I went off all gluten products...and voila...I started feeling so much better! I introduced it back again and started feeling crummy again, so I became completely gluten free and my life is starting to feel normal again! :) My saving grace: Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip cookies (gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free)...this goodness is one of my many weaknesses. I go through...hmmm...probably 4 boxes of these a week...and the best part, I feel no guilt whatsoever eating them. :)

Order this here: http://pamelasproducts.com/products/cookies-and-biscotti/cookies/chunky-chocolate-chip-cookies/#!prettyPhoto

Since eating porkchops, rice and beans and the goodness of my mission, I gained tons of weight on the mission, but since it has been 2.6 years since I've been home (AHH!! :( ) I've lost about 30 lbs. (crazy, huh?!). Life is grand! I've turned into one of those granolas who I would always joke about...but it's such a great life. Yoga, Tai Chi anyone?! LOVE it! :) So I'm just so grateful for gluten free menus and sweet potato fries and my cookies...I could go on and on about the blessing/frustration that my body has been for me for the past 14 years, but all I can say is I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me, my needs and who sends me people in my life who are somehow perfectly tailored to strengthen and uplift me, correct me and help me see how I can improve and who absolutely love me and I can't help but LOVE them! So I'm excited for 2013! It'll be a crazy, new year and I can't wait to see what it brings!! :)

I'm done blabbing now. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

EM

It Passes All My Understanding

And that's when it happens, when you least expect it, when it feels like the storm will never end...light cuts through the darkness, and heaven surprises you...when you least expect it.

- Hilary Weeks, "When You Least Expect It" 

I love this song by Hilary Weeks. I think so many times, during the most difficult times of our lives, we tend to forget our purpose here. To learn, to grow, to become like our Heavenly Father. I am SO grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and His Atonement. His love and my Father in Heaven's love passes all my understanding. It's incomprehensible, yet so tangible. 

Update on life: 

- LOVE my job! Learning so many new skills and feeling like I'm starting to understand what I'm doing...haha! But seriously...

- LOVE my family! It keeps on getting bigger. BABIES and MORE BABIES!! How can you not love babies?! So excited for the two little ones coming soon! :) 

- LOVE my life!!!! It's incredible to see how the Lord blesses you everyday and things that you thought would be the biggest tragedies in your life, turn out to be the biggest blessings! 

- LOVE my friends!! I am SO blessed with incredible friends! :) 

Lots of LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Ooh look...my hair is getting LONGER!

Love, 

EM

Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist...

When I decided to start this blog, I thought that I would be super good and write weekly...PSYCH! That hasn't happened...and I'm okay with that. But for some reason, I can't sleep and I was like, oh here's another time to blab...so here I go.

At BYU, I interned with a group called the Women's Services and Resources (WSR) office (check out their blog to your right...WSR...it's fantastic). I loved this experience because I was able to see how wonderful and great women and men are!! It kills me when people beat themselves up. Growing up, I had a lot of friends who would just rip themselves apart because they didn't like themselves for one reason or another. Some would starve themselves or throw up because they wanted to be thin, others would think that there was no purpose to their lives and tried to end their lives, others would throw away their virtue and honor by thinking that the only way to prove their love to their significant others was through engaging in immoral acts. Do I blame them for having these feelings? Definitely not. The world is a crazy place, with so many confusing messages about self-worth, body image, etc. that these feelings are valid. Satan is real and es un PUERCO!! My mission companion would always tell me this and I LOVED it! Satan is a PIG! He will do EVERYTHING to rip someone apart! I think the greatest attack that he has on people is by influencing them to forget who they are, which are divine Children of God.

I believe that we lived before this life as spiritual sons and daughters of our Heavenly Parents. For more information about this: click here. It's true. No doubt about it!

So I have to ask myself daily: How am I or what am I doing that helps me forget who I am?

1) Negative self-talk and thinking: This is hard for me. Why? Because I am a perfectionist. Correction: I like to call myself a recovering perfectionist because I believe that I am a lot better than I used to be and that I can get a lot better...haha. It's true. So often when people compliment me, I think of at least 10 reasons why that compliment isn't true or how I can improve. Why? I'm human. Get over it. :) Haha...so this is definitely one way that I forget who I am.

My remedy: When I look in the mirror, I try to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine because it makes us get over ourselves and stop thinking about ourselves and I just have to laugh because, unlike the adversary, at least I have a body. Beat that. :)

2) Yes-woman: I am the QUEEN of saying "YES." It's really hard for me to say no. Especially if people call me, "Emmy," or "Em" or flatter me in any way...tempting me with rolls and jam (not chocolate...I love bread)...or just laying on a thick slab of guilt on my conscience. Being a yes-woman is not what it is all cracked up to be. For the most part, I love saying yes to things, because I love to help! But there are times when I say, "yes" when I really should say, "no." This makes me forget who I am: an imperfect person that can't be superwoman and do EVERYTHING! How grateful I am for that.

My remedy: I live by my planner. If it's not written down, I won't do it...so I try to schedule my time well and just say, "No" sometimes. It's quite liberating. Try it. :)

3) Thinking I'm the exception: Is this a way that Satan uses to help people forget who they are? DING DING DING!! :) Are there ever times when you think that something doesn't apply to you because you are "different" or you have a different "situation"? I have used this excuse many times in my life and I don't do all the things that I could be doing to be better. I'm a TON better than I used to be...but still there is a ton of room for improvement! :) This frustrates me to no end when people think that they are an exception to prophets' counsel, guidance and direction. Wake up! Satan wants us to feel alone, that we are the only ones that are going through a certain experience, trial, heartache, stress, all of the above. When in reality...we are NOT alone.
The Savior's Atonement covers all infirmities, sicknesses, pains, FEARS and heartaches. When we feel alone, we can know with a surety that at least one person, Jesus Christ, knows how we feel.
My remedy: I have found in my own life, that when I feel that I am an exception, it is because I am scared out of my mind to live up to my responsibilities. One issue that I have talked with many of my LDS friends (men AND women) about is: the fear of getting married. How many times do LDS young single adults joke about this and yet, why do they? Because they are, for the most part, ALWAYS thinking about it, at least once a week, maybe twice? Don't lie. You've done it. :) There's always an excuse to feel like an exception: Men that won't commit because of other important things like school, career, lack of money, travel, fear of heartache, etc. Women that won't commit because of school, career, lack of money, travel, fear of heartache, etc. I for one, will admit that I am terrified of making the wrong choice in an eternal companion and when those moments come up, which come up often, I try my hardest to pray hard, work hard and suck it up. :) Satan wants us to feel fear. After Adam and Eve partook of the fruit, what did they feel? FEAR. The Lord ALWAYS provides a way to obey His commandments. In His timing, in His way. I know of SO many good and righteous people who strive daily to live the commandments, especially this one and don't receive this blessing quite yet. Why? I honestly don't know. But what I do know, is that the Lord will bless us and that He will provide for us. But we cannot progress if we don't work and give our all to obey His commandments.

How grateful I am to not be perfect. I wouldn't want to be. How boring. I am grateful that I am a spaz who talks too much, laughs too loud, has childbearing hips and has the tendency to want to save the world. I love my imperfections and I am proud to say that they make me who I am. I am grateful for the many times that my heart has been broken by loved ones, ex-boyfriends, friends, family members and the times when my eyes couldn't dry because of my endless tears and sobs. It isn't until we are broken that we can be made whole.

Once again, I am blabbing and on a soapbox...but to my good friends who read this blog, you're used to it by now. :) I love the Lord. He is SO good to me. It is through my understanding of Him and learning of His divinity that I learn of my divinity as a literal daughter of God. How grateful I am for this opportunity to be here on the earth.I am blessed.

Have a good night! I think I can go to bed now. :) Til next time, remember who you are and who you can become! :)

Turning, Turning, Turning through the years...

Les Miserables has to be my FAVORITE musical of all time! Why? Well the music is AMAZING...but mainly I love it because the characters are incredible and the way that they are portrayed in the musical is truly brilliant. Val Jean is the epitome of what it means to make mistakes, learn from them and improve your life and that of others because of the lessons that you have learned. Fantine and her dedication to her daughter and learning to live with a life that she never dreamed of, which I think the majority of people have these experiences often, where something unexpected happens and they think, "Why Me?" I know I have felt that. But if I had to choose my favorite character, it would have to be Monsieur Thenardier...he has SUCH a deep character! Okay, just jokes...he's a pig, BUT I just adore Javert. I LOVE him. His character is such a pivotal character in the play. He is a great example of someone who at first had the right intentions, but then became SO obsessed with it, that it consumed him and changed him into this bitter, obsessed, half-crazed man who eventually took his own life because what he thought was truth and justice, turned out to be wrong and he couldn't handle it. His character teaches me a lot about how it is so important to see people for who they truly are and not judge them by past errors, flaws and try to see them as the Savior would see them.

Now...when I decided to blog tonight, I didn't mean to write about Les Mis...but as I decided that this blog shouldn't be called a "blog" but actually a "blab" because that's what I do every time I write on this thing...it all works out right? The purpose of this blab was to update my sweet friends and fantab fam about my life. So here we go!

I moved back to the great state of Washington! It's SO great to be back! I am SUCH a fan! It's so nice to be around trees! It is also a huge blessing to be back around the majority of my family. I adore my family. They are SO fantastic! I love being reminded of that everyday! They are so good to me too...too good to me, but they are pretty great!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job! It stresses me out at times...meaning all the time...BUT it's exciting stress, so that makes me happy! I love the little kids that I work with. They remind everyday about the importance of living each day to the fullest! These little kids have so many challenges and yet they come into my office, flash a huge smile, give me a high five and giggle. I LOVE the sound of kids' giggles. It has to be the sweetest sound on earth and in heaven! The greatest thing that these kids have taught me is the importance of endurance, patience and the true meaning of faith. Whenever I see a little kid let go of his/her walker and attempt to walk, I can't help but be amazed. Here I am, a healthy 25-year-old, complaining about silly little things and this three-year-old is trying to take his first step. Children are the greatest blessing on the earth because their examples of faith, obedience and love teach us how to become more like the Savior. SO my job is great! I love it!

Church is great! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true! There's NO doubt in my mind about that. I feel like I just run around with my head cut off all the time...but I love being productively busy. In my 25 years of knowledge and wisdom (which isn't much), I keep on learning that everyday I need to focus on finding balance in my life. I am horrible at this at times, meaning all the time...maybe it's because I'm a Blue/Yellow personality and my deep emotional/business-minded side has a hard time gelling with my crazy/always looking for fun side. Being productively busy is important...meaning filling our lives with the best things in life. Taking time to ponder, think, work, pray, laugh, love, etc. is crucial to finding balance in life. Especially the laughing part...life would not be worth it if we didn't laugh once in a while...or at least 12 times a day. :)

Exciting news from the summer! One of my best friends, Chris got married to her man, Spencer. JOY! I adore these two people, especially Chris. She is such an amazing example to me. True friendship is a rare thing to find and once you find it, it's important to cherish it and never let go (I should write for Hallmark...I've got the cheese to do it...or I was inspired by Titantic's dialogue, I mean who wasn't inspired by that piece of goodness...). It's true though. God blesses us with people in our lives to bring us joy. I am grateful for Miss Chris. Here are some pics from the reception with some of my other dear, dear and crazy friends.

OH! I forgot! I got a CAR! It's fantastic!! He's a white Corolla...bringing me back to the mission (I drove a Corolla my whole mission...what can I say, it's a good car.) :) His name is Charlie...my White Knight...and he's a keeper. :) Not only is he reliable, dependable, takes me places, gives me freedom and is classy (all characteristics that I look for in a guy)...he has a great sense of humor (another important attribute)! After only owning him for three days, he just thought it would be funny to get hit in the parking lot by another car...he didn't even get the car's number who did it...he's kind of shy.

That's a WHOLE other story...but he's a keeper, dent and all. :)

OKAY! There's an update. I'm done blabbing now...

EM

I GOT THE JOB!!!! :)

~ LIFE IS SO GOOD ~

I am SUPER stoked!! Honestly, can I just say that I feel so blessed. Okay...I feel so blessed! This past summer has been an interesting one. Full of confusion, frustration, sadness, happiness, joy and finally, at last, peace.

The past two weeks I've been studying A LOT about this:

FAITH

Faith is such a funny thing.
Not literally funny...although, I did know this girl named Faith who was quite funny,
but I digress...
Why is faith such a funny principle?
Because we say that we have it so often,
but yet I don't think we really understand what faith is.
So how can we have something that we don't understand?

At least at times, I feel that I don't truly understand what faith is...maybe it's just me?
I've been pondering a lot about this lately. I've been trying to figure out
if I truly understand the concept of faith.

On my way to discover about faith, here are three instrumental scriptures that have helped me:

"Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates
for a WISE PURPOSE in him, which purpose I know not.
But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth
a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold,
he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words."

~ 1 Nephi 9:5-6 ~

"But behold, all things have been done in the WISDOM of him who knoweth all things."

~ 2 Nephi 2:24 ~

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things,
both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all
WISDOM, and all power, both in heaven and in earth;
believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the
Lord can comprehend."

~ Mosiah 4:9 ~

All of these scriptures come The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

What I love about these scriptures is that all of them have to do with the WISDOM
that God has and that as we put our faith (trust and confidence) in Him
things will work out. When they need to.

All of these SCRIPTURES were given by ancient prophets named:

Nephi

Lehi

King Benjamin

Haven't heard about these prophets before? They are GREAT, some of my favorites. Click the scriptures references above (scroll up just a titch...there ya go) or click on The Book of Mormon link and feel free to read more.
It will change your life.
It changed mine.

SO WHAT IS FAITH?

Here is an example:

In April 2011, I was just finishing up with classes at BYU. Trying to figure out my future and I was STRESSED. I didn't feel right about leaving Provo yet and there were
things that I needed to figure out. So I went with it. Found an AMAZING
internship at BYU Law School
and just pushed forward.

This summer, which I thought would be smooth sailing,
ended up being
ROUGH
Really rough, tiring, frustrating, humiliating and...I'll just spare the details! :)
It wasn't what I expected to happen in my life at the time
but I'm grateful for the time and that I had AMAZING people around me to help me through it!
Like THESE crazies:


My fantastic roomies (L to R): Cakes, Nae Nae & Miss Chris
(We're too LEGIT to quit)

SO...this summer has been an interesting one...but YET such a GrEaT one!!
SO MUCH FUN!!
But I was feeling overwhelmed with trying to decide what I was going to do after I officially
GRADUATED

Then one day, after months (and I mean MONTHS) of looking...I found a little gem

The Spokane Guilds' School & Neuromuscular Center
had a position open for an Assistant Events Manager

I was STOKED when I saw this because I have always loved this organization
and knew of the great work that they had done for children in the community.
The Guilds' School is a non-profit organization that helps children ages birth to three
who have developmental disabilities achieve their full potential
by providing physical, occupational, speech, sensory, etc. types of therapy to help them progress in life...ANYWAY...AWESOME organization!

So I saw that ad one night and the next day I talked with my Dad
about different jobs that I was looking at and told him
how excited I was about the Guilds' School job
Then a little bit later that day my brother called me and told me that he
was colleagues with the Development Director at the school
and told him about me
My bro told me that I needed to get my resume and cover letter in THAT DAY
because it was going to close that day

So I did that
Heard back the next day and they wanted to set up an interview
Luckily (but I don't think it was luck), I was going to Spokane in the next week for a family reunion
So they let me come and interview and a couple of days later they called me
and said that they liked me and wanted to run a background and reference check
I passed...WHEW :)

Then TODAY I heard back and they offered me the JOB
Great benefits
Great organization
GREAT GREAT LIFE

SO going back to those scriptures up there (you still have time to read them ;) )
I learned this summer that even though I didn't have any clue where
my life would lead or how things, I acted and things worked out the way they were
supposed to be and WHEN they were supposed to

So what I've learned
HAVE FAITH
meaning
HAVE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST
in Heavenly Father and His plan
then
GO TO WORK
and things WILL work out

I feel blessed and humbled to have this opportunity
I pray that I can help families and children understand their great worth and potential
I am SO SO SO excited to the new
Assistant Events Manager
for SUCH a great organization

LIFE IS GOOD

Time is a dear friend also...

So as I mentioned in my previous post, on June 24th I hit my year mark of being home from my mission. Can I just say that I LOVED my mission!! I did! It was fantastic. I learned so much and I can't imagine my life without my experiences there and the lessons that I learned.

One of the greatest lessons that I learned was that there is nothing as constant as change. :) I had the great opportunity to serve with A LOT of missionary companions! :) The MTC should've been a good indicator of how many companions I was going to have on my mission (I had 4 companions in the MTC…most missionaries usually have one, two at the most.) I'm just SO hard to get along with. ;)

I am so grateful for all of the lessons that I learned with each one.

1) Hermana Barnhurst (MTC):

She taught me about having charity. She is such a sweetheart and cares so much about people. I really appreciated her and what she taught me about seeing others as Christ would see them. Love this girl and she is just my little Starburst! :) More to come about her…she's great!

2) Hermana Wilder (MTC):

She taught me about teaching by the Spirit and following the Spirit in all that I do. She had such a passion for teaching and I just truly respect her. She cracked me up as well. Such an optimistic spirit and I just adored her to pieces.

3) Hermana Roberts

(MTC):

Holy Cow! This girl killed me! We had such a blast together. She just cracked me up all the time. We would eat a lot of bread (like good Dominican bread) together and always promise each other that we would cut down because we were starting to pack on the weight…haha…we never did though. The bread was just too dang good! On the serious side though, Hermana Roberts taught me SO much about faith and trusting in the Lord. I was so grateful for her example to me.

See that loaf of bread above…that's what I'm talking about…SWEET bread! SO good…oh good Dominican food…I miss it.

4) Hermana Altan (MTC):

She is probably one of the sweetest people that I know. She taught me about quiet humility and respect for everyone. She was such a great companion and I learned so much from her. She was convicted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I just adore her for it. She was an anchor to all those around her. What a great person. Love that girl!

5) Hermana Santos (Trainer-1st transfer:Aguas Buenas):

She taught people by the Spirit and she just was rockin' awesome. She taught me the importance of obedience and taking time to serve others. She also taught me how to plan with a purpose. I was SO grateful that she taught me those things. She had a rock solid testimony and she was hilarious! Very passionate about missionary work! :)

6) Hermana Fuentes (2nd companion-2nd transfer:Aguas Buenas):

She was such a good teacher. She taught me about finding balance in the mission life and how to serve others with love and compassion. She was such a good example to me about the importance of order, organization and cleanliness in all that we do. She is just such a sweetheart and good friend.

7) Hermana Lespin (3rd companion-3rd transfer:Aguas Buenas):

She is a rockstar! Just so full of the Spirit and knew how to help the people that we were teaching! We had a lot of fun together and became such good friends. It was fun to teach with her and we just had so many great experiences together. We taught a lot of interesting people together, especially one man who looked like Santa Claus. He was great…

8) Hermana Archila (4th companion-4th transfer:Aguas Buenas):

LOVED this girl! She is so smart and just SO hardworking. We were able to see a lot of miracles together. She taught me a lot about humility, forgiveness, charity, patience, virtue and strength. She was always full of great ideas and of ways that we could improve our teaching and serving those around us. I learned SO much from her. She is AMAZING! :)

9) Hermana Lucas (5th companion-5th transfer: St. Thomas)

I ADORE THIS GIRL!!! We had a BLAST together. It was such a great experience to work with one another. We shared so many amazing experiences together serving people on the island of St. Thomas. She is such an amazing teacher and friend to everyone that she meets. Her sense of humor kills me. She's married now and is pregnant…which is CRAZY to me…but she deserves every good thing that's possible. :)

10) Hermana Mijangos (6th companion-6th & 7th transfer: St. Thomas)

She is AMAZING! Not only is she a master chef…BUT just a master teacher and loved to serve everyone that we met. I cherish the time that we spent together as companions. She taught me a lot about teaching, learning and growing from my mistakes. She was always so encouraging and strived for her best effort to serve. She helped so many people in ways that I don't think she realized. She's fantastic!

11) Hermana Calderon (7th companion-8th & 9th transfer: San Lorenzo y Gurabo)

LOVED this girl! She is just such a powerful teacher and good friend. I loved to watch her teach because she had such conviction, power and love when she taught others. She was also a kick in the pants, very fun and funny. I loved all of our in-depth conversations that we had and how we were able to see many miracles together as well.

12) Hermana Castillo (8th companion-10th transfer: San Lorenzo y Gurabo)

This girl is SO crazy fun!! She is so energetic, passionate, talkative, happy and caring to other people! She taught me a lot about enthusiasm, energy, goodness and charity. She was always so much fun to talk to and I just learned something new from her each day. I am grateful for her example in humility, patience and diligence. She is fantastic!

13) Hermana Barnhurst (9th companion-11th and last transfer: Barbados) Yep we got the opportunity to serve twice together!

It was fun to serve with her a little bit longer than I did in the MTC. She taught me about having a lot of love for other people. Honestly, she is such a sweetheart and is always looking for opportunities to show her love to others and serve them. She is a champ, through and through and I was SO glad that I had an opportunity to serve with her twice.

14) Hermana Guzman (10th companion-11th and last transfer: Barbados)

I LOVE this girl. We were in the MTC together and we just bonded from the first day. We wrote each other a lot on the mission and were each other's confidants and friends throughout the whole mission. She taught me a lot about humility, patience, faith and putting complete trust in the Lord. She is a ROCKSTAR because she taught me about the simple things in life: like serving and loving other people.

Honestly the BEST part of my mission was developing relationships with people. Most importantly, I am so grateful for the relationship that I developed with my Father in Heaven, the Savior and the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for the things that They taught me and for Their patience, love, understanding and that the fact that They never give up on me. I am SO grateful for the wonderful people that I taught and served. I adore them. I love and miss the people of the Caribbean. They are a loving people who serve constantly. I am grateful for my companions and a Mission President and his wife who taught me SO much. I just adore them.

Every important mission in our lives involves developing quality and loving relationships with people. I am so grateful for the amazing people in my life and especially for the relationships and lessons I learned on my mission.

It kills me that it's been a year…but I've learned that time is a dear friend also.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

An Embem Summer...

The past couple of weeks have been fantastic! Okay, so parts of the past couple of weeks have been fantastic. But when I reflect upon my life…how can I not think that my life is fantastic? Sure, there definitely are moments in life where we freak out and think, "Oh my goodness…what am I doing with my life?" This has been my thought process for the past two months! :) BUT…I love how talking with certain people, mainly my Mom, helps me put things into perspective.

This lady right here, the one in the green…is my inspiration.

She has a way of helping every person feel that they are special, loved

and

honestly the most important person in the world. When I think of who I have learned the most from in my life, I think ofmy wonderful parents, and especially my mother. Both of my parents have taught me wonderful principles and been fabulous examples, but my Mom and I share a special bond…probably because I'm very similar to her and how she was when she was my age. Yep, she's crazy, fun-loving, outgoing and at times a little too enthusiastic for some… ;). (When my mom was an early morning seminary teacher (this is a church scripture class for 14-18 yr. olds that meets M-F at 6 a.m.), she would have her students sing this upbeat song to get them excited for the class…let's just say that were some who weren't as enthusiastic to sing at 6 a.m.

She is a woman of great faith, courage and wisdom. I ADORE this woman and pray that one day…I can be almost as good as her.

So my Mom is the best. So is my Dad. And I adore my siblings and nieces and nephews. One thing that was a blast last week, was my brother and sister-in-law and their kids came down to visit. SO great! We ended up chatting 'til 1 a.m. and it was just such a delight. I LOVE my family! A couple of Sundays ago, I was over at my sister's house and we ended up "Facetiming" with my Dad (for Father's Day) and the rest of the family. We all talked for about 4 hours…it was FANTASTIC! I think I've used fantastic at leas

t 10 times in this blog post, but that's how honestly I feel right now. :)

So…there really isn't a point to this blog post, or at least a theme per se…I'm just rambling…as usual, BUT can I just say that life is good? LIFE IS GOOD! :)

Oh…I got a haircut! I was so tired of having longish hair and it's so stinking hot…so I chopped it…and I LOVE it! :) So here it is:

OH! Also…on June 24th…I hit my year mark of being home from a mission…more to come later.

Life is Great, Outstanding, Optimisticly Dang GOOD!

Life is GOOD! This is what I've decided. :) Well, actually I decided that a long time ago...but I think it's important to have a daily reminder that life is SO good! So...if you're in doubt...just remember that everyday is good, because

1) you're alive and breathing and 2) Jack Black is too. This past month has been an interesting one. Full of fun, frightening and fantastic decisions to make. Can I get a job? Where to find a job? Where to live after August? Go to grad school? Yay for decisions! But honestly, the first month of being 25 has been a good one. Here are three reasons why:

3 Reasons

Why My Life is SO GOOD

#3: Jack Black exists...I have seen him...well kind of...

Two weekends ago I got together with some of my dearest friends in the world. We ate at the fantastic restaurant of Zupas. :) I have a confession, I have a not-so-secret crush on Jack Black. Yes, at times, he is inappropriate...BUT he is so hilarious. Judge me. Hate me. I can take it. But I adore him. I don't know what it is, but if a guy can make me laugh...I'm a goner.

Do I care if he wears his hair in a nasty part? No.

Do I love that he plays a sweet electric guitar? Yes.

Do I think that Jack Black can pull off the "blond" look? Yes.

Do I think that Jack Black can pull off any hairstyle? Yes.

Is Jack Black sensitive? Of course! How could he not be? He cares for de orphans.

Can men look good wearing "stretchy pants"? If you're Jack Black, yes.

Anyways...SO we were sitting in the Zupas, chattin' it up as girls do AND then this guy sits down, who looks exactly like Jack Black. I think my heart stopped. I looked at him and had a moment of silence to commemorate the experience, then I told the girlies to look over. Not gonna lie, there was a spark, but then he was with a girl and I thought better of it. But for one moment, one short moment, I saw Jack Black...well kind of. :)

#2: Coldplay released their new single, "Every Teardrop is A Waterfall."

Before my mission, I went to see Coldplay in Salt Lake. It was AMAZING!

Best concert of my life!

Click on the link. It'll change your life.

#1: Two weeks ago, one of my best friends, Sarah, made a surprise visit from AZ!

A couple of days before Sarah came into town, I was talking to Miss Chris and told her that I was wishing that Sarah was there so the 3 Amigos could be together again...and Miss Chris knew that Sarah was coming and kept it a secret. Then on Saturday, someone knocked on the door, Chris answered it...and let's just say that I was in shock! It was a fantastic weekend!! Life is SO good when you have great friends who are ALWAYS there to stand by you!

So this post is really long, which is usual for me...but these are three fantastic ways why my life is SO GOOD and why I feel so blessed! Life is good. The Gospel is True. I love my fam and friends. What more can I ask for?

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

EM

Memorial Day Thoughts...

So I've had the great opportunity this weekend to relax and be SUPER productive! Amazing, how that works out...ANYWAY...but since this has been a quiet weekend, I've had a great opportunity to think and ponder a lot about, well, a lot of things. First off: my weekendhas been full of watching, "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" (DQ). For my birthday present, I bought myself the complete series set...obsessed?...just a little bit. My good friends and I during my freshman-junior year of college would get together and watch episodes together and bond. :) One year, we were SO consistent with it, that we would have weekly, if not daily, times where we would watch it. We decided to call them, "Sully's Nights In." Me, being the ever-so bright person and dyslexic at times person,said, "Hey, let's call them S.N.I. nights...SINnights!" (Oh my dyslexic brain at its finest ;)...but the name stuck...so we would call them sin nights. One might say that we were a little ridiculous or purely evil, especially at church when we would ask each other if we wanted to sin that night and people would look at us weirdly...probably wasn't the wisest thing to say, but I digress...

Why do I love DQ? It could be because of my small ounce of feminist spirit that loves to see it when women prove to themselves that they can do anything, no matter what others say. It could be because of my love for Sully (some Twilight girls would hate me for saying this, but Sully could TOTALLY take Edward...I mean really? A vampire vs. rugged mountain man...no comparison). But let's get serious here...so my lo

ve for DQ began when I was a little girl and would go over to my best friend's house, who lived next door, and we would watch it with her family, every Saturday night. Her parents are like my second parents and we would just have a blast. I'm so grateful for family...not only my family, but people in my life who have become like family!

Secondly...I've been thinking a lot about Memorial Day and how grateful I am for war heroes and veterans. I love America!! God Bless America!! I am so grateful to live in a country where I have the right to live and have religious freedom. This country was divinely founded and established.

I love the Constitution. I truly believe that it was inspired by God. I pray that as Americans, we can remember the Constitution and what it says. I think too many times, we forget about it and the rights that it gives us. We are blessed and I feel at times that we take it for granted. At least, I do. So I am grateful for my ancestors who fought for my freedom and for the freedom of my family. I've been thinking a lot lately about my grandpa who served in WWII. He didn't have the easiest of jobs, not that any military service is easy. He was an ambulance driver and after a battle, he was the one that needed to pick up the battle remains. I can't imagine what that would do to a person. It's no wonder to me that for a long time he didn't believe in God, he couldn't imagine why God would allow those things to happen. But in time, he came to know that God does live and that He loves us and that He loved him.

So...not wanting this to be a novel, although it is, I just want to thank our military for their service and for our veterans and let them know that I appreciate it. God Bless America! We are so fortunate...and truly God Bless the World! We all need it.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

What Am I Grateful for? : LIFE!!

Okay so I promised myself that I was going to be good at this whole "blogging" thing because I am trying to become more of a social media guru and understand what the rave is about these blogs! SOO here we go!

The past week and a half I've been thinking a lot about a lot of things (shocker, I know...sometimes this little brain can think...it's an amazing thing) ANYWAY...so I've been thinking a lot about life and how grateful I am for it. I've had the great opportunity to be home with my family the past couple of days and I when I am with them, I can't help but count my blessings and realize how blessed I am. Here are some blessings to name a few:

1) My Mom and Dad are the greatest parents on earth. They care SO much about me and want the best for me and everyone around them. For my birthday, they took me to go see WICKED, which I've been dying to see for the past 6.5 years. It was amazing and it was such a great blessing to go with the two people that I love most on this earth.

2) I have AMAZING siblings. The other day I was talking to my brother and sister and they just knew exactly what I needed to hear. Isn't that the best? I mean, I know that Heavenly Father loves us because He provides for us people in our lives who can buoy us up and be great friends to us. My sibs are my best friends and for that I am really grateful. They teach me SO much about life and how to be happy. They are my heroes in so many ways. LOVE them!!

3) LIFE: Really life is so great! I miss the NW SO much!! It is so great and beautiful and SUNNY!! It's interesting to see how much a place can bring a person so much joy. Heavenly Father's creations are gorgeous and when you think about it, if He had wanted to, He could've created just a sphere that was ugly and plain, but no, He loved us SO much, He created mountains, valleys, trees, grass, beaches (Caribbean beaches-LOVE THEM!) and such great people and animals. Hmm...life is GREAT! I am a fan!!

Okay...well these are just some of my thoughts today. Life is GREAT! I am SO grateful for it and I am amazed at how much the Lord loves me and all of us!

So what am I especially grateful for today? LIFE!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

P.S. Yesterday, in the WICKED program, the cast member who played Elphaba said in her bio: LOVE LOVE LOVE...I turned to my parents and was like...HEY! I was meant to see her perform because we say the same things!! She was incredible! SO TALENTED!! :)

Emmanzaa Day #7: FiNaLe

Okay so I'm a little slow at posting this last one...SOOO my 25th Birthday was FANTASTIC!! I am grateful to have lived this short...and I'm grateful for the next 75 years that I have left! So in order to celebrate the final day of Emmanzaa...I thought that I would spread the love by passing on some goodness to others that I had received from another. I have great friends, they are the best and I am just so grateful for them!

So I had this delectable goodness called, "BYU Mint Brownies," if you've had them, you know what I'm talking about. I had a little box of them and I was going to go home and share them with my roommates, but as I was walking home, I walked past the bus stop and I just felt really strongly that I needed to give them to this girl that was sitting there.



It was like one of those things, I'm sure you've all had them...where you just get this feeling or thought that pops in your head and you're like..."Wait, a minute...I need to do something for this person." I've learned that it's always a good thing to listen to this little voice in your head, some people call this your conscience or an inner voice or their personal Jiminy Cricket...but whatever you think, believe, feel about it, I feel like it's always a great thing to listen to. So I stopped mid-step and stood by the people in the bus stop. Then I was like...okay this is weird because she's probably going to think, "Who's this crazy chick that's giving me brownies?" So, I just waited there awkwardly there for a little bit, and stared at my phone, pretending that I was looking up something...then I got up the courage and gave the box to a girl. She was taken aback at first when I asked her if she liked brownies, but then she just got this HUGE smile on her face and thanked me.



Lesson learned through this experience: a lot of the times when we think that people won't like something that we do for them, we're wrong and they're very appreciative for the things that we do for them...so as Steve Urkel would say, "Don't fret, my pet!" I think a lot of the time, we worry about what other people think and really, they don't care, and if they do care, then who cares! :) When you feel like you need to help someone or do something for them, DO IT! Don't worry about what they're going to think, say, etc. But just follow those feelings. You'll be blessed for it...and more importantly THEY will be blessed for it. (Stepping off the soap box now...)

I have loved my Emmanzaa experience and although I might not blog about my experiences everyday from now on about how I was able to look out of my selfish self and help people around me, I hope and plan to have these little "Emmanzaa" experiences everyday.

Life is great. Heavenly Father is so good to His children and I know that I need to treat others as such, Children of God, my brothers and sisters. It kills me when I think about how many world problems we could solve, if every person understood this concept. :)

OK..so here's the end of Emmanzaa....I'm super excited for my 30th birthday because there will definitely be a HUGE celebration!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

Emmanzaa Day #6: I Love to See the Temple!!!

So today was a different type of service which is honestly, mostly a service to myself. Today I went to the temple and feel of the goodness of life and the love of our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. Whenever I go into this beautiful and sacred place, I can't help but feel completely floored by the love that my Heavenly Father has for me and for everyone that has ever lived, lives and will ever live! We are SO SO SO blessed.



I am grateful for so many things. The greatest thing about the temple is that it is a place where families can enter into covenants or promises with God that last for not only this life, but for the eternities. I know that is true. This life is just a step to greater blessings and happiness that I can't comprehend!! I love the scripture in the Book of Mormon, where King Benjamin talks about how if we keep the commandments of God, we will receive EVERLASTING happiness! I often marvel at that concept because at times in this world of darkness, gloom and destruction, it is hard for people to feel joy and hope. That is the power of the temple, because in there we can feel of that everlasting happiness that King Benjamin was talking about! I love it. I don't deserve it many times, but I'm grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and Savior who love me so much that They have provided a way for me and all of mankind to receive that happiness.

Every commandment that God gives His children is for our benefit. I know that's true. I love the temple. I love eternal families. I love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, because they all testify of Jesus Christ.

Life is great. Tomorrow is the big day...WOO HOO!! Get excited!!

Lots of LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

EM

Emmanzaa Day #5: Fun, FUn, FUN! :)

Okay so YESTERDAY was a blast...EMMANZAA Celebration Day #5 was spent with my cute nieces and nephew!! My sister and brother-in-law needed to go somewhere and so I offered to watch their cute kids. Oh my goodness...they KILL me!! They are adorable and so much fun to play with! I just adore them and it kills me how fast they are growing up.

Children are the greatest Christlike examples that I know of! They amaze me by their humility, tenderness and most of all their ability to forgive so easily and not hold grudges. No wonder we are told so often that we need to become more like them.

I am so grateful to be the proud Auntie Em to 16 (1 new addition TODAY!! YAY!) adorable nieces and nephews...you might think that's a lot, but heck, there are still many more to come! :)

Life is grand...I LOVE it!! Happy Emmanzaa!! :)

Lots of LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

Emmanzaa Day #4

Okay, I forgot to post this last night. So for Emmanzaa Day #4: I was able to celebrate my Emmanzaa gift or service of the day by making dinner for my fantastic roommates and Spencer (my roommate's BF, who is like another roommate). It was a lot of fun!! We had Hawaiian Haystacks and for dessert, we experimented and made these apple pie turnover things...they didn't turn out half bad...so for a summary of the day, it was great!!



I've been studying and listening to General Conference talks that talk about service and giving back to others. I really loved this talk that I listened to yesterday by Ann Dibb called "I Believe in Being Honest and True." She talked about the importance of keeping our integrity and being true in all that we do. It made me think about different experiences and situations I've been put in my life where I had to choose whether to be honest or just fib a little bit. I'm not perfect by any means, but I am grateful that I have strived to be an honest person and treat others honestly. When we look at the world and ALL the dishonest people and actions that happen daily, I am grateful for people who have integrity and believe in it! :) There are SO many good people in the world who are honest and true and I am grateful to some of them! :)

Sometimes I wonder if I'm completely honest with those around me. Am I treating them the way that the Savior would treat them? Am I helping and reaching out to those in need? Isn't this honesty in a way, of how we treat other people? ANYWAY...these are just some of the thoughts that I've been having. Life is SO great! The past four days have been fantastic, because I've been trying to think more about how I can get out of myself and find ways to give back and serve others. I've learned this many times before, that service brings great happiness, but sometimes I think we can get SO consumed in our own lives, that we forget.

Okay, well this is more of a serious post, but hope that you enjoyed it! Continue to check in for more Emmanzaa adventures and if you have any exciting experiences of your own, please feel free to share!!!

Lots of LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM

Emmanzaa Day #3: Balloon Toots (Tootz)

Life is SO great!! I just LOVE EMMANZAA!!! It's SO SO SO much fun! Tonight, we decided to balloon attack our friend's room with balloons, tootsie rolls and we also stuffed little love notes and crazy notes in the balloons. It was quite fun! Giving back to others is SO much fun!! Here is a picture recap of the night, hope you enjoy:



Here we are writing notes to put in the balloons.



Blowing up the balloons



So Lee and I were posing for a picture and right when we were about to take the picture, Lee blew air from the pump in my face...love ya Lee! You're a peach!



Rachael wielding her sword



ShaNae got swallowed up

So, my videos are too big to upload on here...BUT they will be posted on my Facebook page shortly, so look out!!

Service is the key to happiness!! I LOVE IT!! :) Favorite General Conference talk that I listened to today was by Elder M. Russell Ballard entitled, "Finding Joy through Loving Service." It is fantastic! It is through the small and simple things that we do everyday which brings about the most happiness and joy. I am so grateful for a loving Savior that teaches me by example of the importance of love and service. LOVE it!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

EM