Jumping the Gun

I'm going to jump the gun and share a recent story.

While I do have a lot to say about the recent weeks, especially after that Sunday night I invited people to eat my tamales, I just want to share my favorite picture from the weekend of General Conference.

Even with my chubby cheeks (from getting my wisdom teeth taken out) this guy right here still said yes to spending Sunday Morning's session of General Conference with me and my parents.  He deserves an award.

Sometimes amazing things happen when you least expect them to.

The end.

Sundays are my favorite days

Sundays are my favorite days.  Fast Sundays are even better.

Today in church, we had a really great Sacrament Meeting.

The testimonies shared really edified my spirit.  There is a young man who is preparing to serve a mission.  He testified that he is where he is because of the atonement of Jesus Christ.  It was powerful and when I stood up to bear my testimony (because I was right after him), for a moment, I was at a loss for words.  His testimony impacted me.  It made me think of Jon and the experiences in his life that got him to where he is today.  There's no doubt in my mind that that the atonement can heal our hearts and cleanse our souls.  After I sat down a young man, who we visited last Wednesday and invited to church, stood up to bear his testimony.  It was very simple but very sincere.  It brought tears to my eyes.

I've been feeling a little bummed since last night and the spirit in today's meetings was much needed.  I still feel bummed but I'm working on having faith.  I was at the temple on Thursday and happened to read in Ether 12.  It says, "...faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."  There will always be trials.  Some might seem more silly/trivial than others but it doesn't matter.  The Lord cares and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all will be made right.  I can take a step into the unknown because I know that as long as I'm keeping the commandments, the Lord will never leave me alone.

Whatever happens will happen and whatever won't happen won't.  Regardless, I will be okay.

Stay tuned though.  More great posts are coming your way.  Life has been pretty great these last few weeks.

Pictures

I asked Shayla to send me some of the pictures she took when we made tamales.  Here they are!  Enjoy!

Embracing my Inner Latin

I have a good friend named Shayla.  Shayla's dad served his mission in Guatemala and fell in love with Xela (pronounced like Shayla, only less "aaaaayyy").  He wanted to name his daughter Xela but his mother wouldn't let one of her granddaughters have an X in her name.  Anyway, Shayla loves to cook.  It took like three years but we finally became real friends.  You know, the type of friends that actually hang out with each other.  

I don't know when but sometime during one of our many adventures we got talking about Guatemalan tamales.  I told her that one day I would learn how to make them and teach her.  Here's the thing about Shayla.  She holds you to what you say you're going to do.  And she never forgets!!  

So over Christmas break last year, Shayla reminded me to watch my mom and take good notes so we could make the tamales.  As you know, my new word this year was "gratitude".  Part of being grateful includes embracing the diverse culture I'm from.  I decided it was time I learned from my mother how to continue with our tamale tradition.

Two weekends after my parents left, that is exactly what Shayla and I did.  We made Guatemalan tamales and you know what?  IT. WAS. FUN!  It wasn't as hard as I anticipated.  I just need to be better prepared next time.  Yes, there will definitely be a next time.

Well poop!  I wanted to to share pictures but I didn't realize the only picture I have is the actual tamale.

It's not as exciting without the pictures.  

My  mom had extra rice flour that she sent home with me.  Thankfully, I didn't have to grind it.  That would have been way too much work.  We all know I'm lazy.  

Let's see....I really do wish I had the pictures.  I asked my aunt if there was a Guatemalan store I could get the leaves at.  She gave me an address downtown.  I decided to go on a Thursday night but the place was super sketchy and I was too scared to get out of the car.  I went Saturday morning instead and still was a little freaked but managed okay.  I don't really like going to places where the primary group of people are Hispanics.  I feel out of place.  Weird, I know since I'm one of them.  I'm more of a coconut though.  Brown  on the outside and white on the inside.    

Here's the picture:

Honestly, I was pretty impressed with how they turned out.  They were delicious and looked just like my mom's!  The taste wasn't exactly the same.  I also felt pretty proud of myself for actually doing it.  It was great!

Of course you always want people to try them and see what they think.  Shayla loved them!  Marianne and Val (Marianne's mom) tried them and loved them!  I invited Stephanie to try one also.  She loved it.  She brought her roommate Haley and she tried one too.  I also invited Matt.  Matt is this boy I met at ward prayer a week before.  He sat next to me during sacrament meeting and asked how the tamales had turned out.  I thought it was nice of him to remember (I received a group text about getting lunch Saturday with a few people in our ward and told them I couldn't go because I was making tamales).  He was the only one that asked about it so I thought I would see if he wanted to try one.  Plus, one of my roommates a few weeks earlier had pointed him out during FHE.  She said, "Matt looks real attractive right now."  He was wearing a hat and I guess she really liked that.  I figured inviting him over to try one was the least I could do for her to encourage that situation along.  He ended up coming over and it was just the two of us for awhile.  I hadn't planned on that so I was a little nervous but it was fine.  He's pretty easy to talk to and I noticed his eyes.  I think that's when I realized why my roommate finds him attractive.  He has blue eyes!  

We had other people come over for games that night and he stayed.  Overall, I think the tamale making and Sunday evening turned out great.

Oh, and I did save two for my parents.  I wanted them to try some from the very first batch I ever made!

My Parents, The Rock Stars

A week after our fun Vegas adventure, my parents came into town.  I love having them here.  I wish they lived here.

Almost two years ago, my dad got put into the presidency of the Spanish Branch in our Stake.  My parents were attending their own ward in English but would always volunteer in the Branch.  Sundays were busy days for them.  Sometimes they would go to church for six hours!  Bless them.

One of the members in their ward was getting married.  He and his fiancee decided they wanted to get married in Salt Lake.  I don't remember the guys name but he doesn't have any family in the US, so he asked my parents to step in as his parents.  How cool is that?!  My mom and dad said that it was such a sweet experience being able to sit next to this young man and his sweetheart in the temple and see them be sealed for time and all eternity.  With Lin's wedding so close and everything happening there, it was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father.

We ate dinner at Popeye's after spending forever clothes shopping.  

I love these two humans.  They are so silly but they love each other.

Visiting with Mary!  This girl instilled within me a desire to serve a mission.  I spent a few days as her mission companion when hers had to leave for home unexpectedly.

The Ordonez have no idea how to smile.  

Lin ended up joining us Sunday.