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.

What happens in Vegas stays, well....IN VEGAS!!!

Last month Marianne and I decided to go on a mini road trip to St. George/Vegas over President's Day weekend.  The decision was made very last minute and that made for an interesting adventure.

We headed out after work on Friday.  One of our friends in the ward was coincidentally going down to her parents winter home in Washington and she let us tag along so we had a place to stay.  Her name is Sachi.  Three other people were going with her and we didn't know two of them.  We wouldn't all fit in one car so Marianne and I decided to drive separately.  Have you ever done the drive to Southern Utah from Salt Lake?  It's not that bad of a drive but at night time it's quite boring.  Thankfully, Marianne and I took turns.

So we get there Friday night and are introduced to the two very attractive boys.  Andrew and Aaron.  We all just kinda talk that night.  Nothing spectacular or anything.

Oh wait.  It was Valentine's Day weekend too.  Earlier I made the raspberry lemon cupcakes that I learned to make in Arizona over the summer.  I took some to my visiting teachees and then to Jake and Brad.  Those are two boys in our ward.  One has a girlfriend and the other I would date in a heartbeat but he's stupid (because he doesn't ask girls out!!!).

Anyway, we went to bed late Friday night and slept in on Saturday.  Although, small fact about me.  Even though I'm not a morning person, when I am on vacation or in someone else's home I can't sleep in.  I always wake up as the first rays of sunlight.  Sometime's it's real annoying.  I didn't sleep in as much as I would have liked but heck, we were pretty close to St. George and it was a gorgeous morning!  Sachi was so cute and made us an adorable Valentine's Day breakfast.  It was delicious!

Andrew was kind enough to take this picture for the group.

After breakfast, we all went our separate ways.  Sachi, Michelle, Andrew, and Aaron were going to hike Zions National Park.  Marianne and I headed down to Vegas for the night.

We got to Vegas and drove by our hotel.  Only, it was a hostel.  Yes, you read that right.  We stayed in a freaking hostel!  More on that later!  The weather was beautiful.  It was in the 70's!!  The first thing we did were the rides on top of the Stratosphere.

This is me at the very top.  I didn't get a lot of exciting pictures.  I was kinda bummed.  But it was high up and we went on all three rides.  It was fun!  Though there is a spinny ride and we did that one last.  It made me sick.

When we were done with the Stratosphere we went to grab dinner.  We ate at Smashburger.  I didn't really like the place.  Also, I was feeling the dizziness from the ride earlier so that might have been a contributing factor.  We got lost in Caesar's Palace.  I HATE THAT PLACE!!  Okay, maybe I don't.  But we got lost for a very long time.  We kept going around in circles.  We couldn't find our way out.  It is built like a labyrinth.  Ugghhh!  I have no idea how people find exits.  It took us more time than I will admit to make it outside (and I really wanted to go outside.  There was tons of smoke inhalation...we are in Vegas in a Casino after all...).  We finally reached outside and walked down the strip.  We made it to the Bellagio and witnessed the amazing water show they put on.  Some day I will stay in the Bellagio.  Even if it's just for one night.  It will happen!  That hotel is so elegant.  Oh in between finding the outside we did buy jeggings at H&M.  I had no idea they were jeggings.  If I had known I wouldn't have picked them.  It wasn't until the dressing room and so I tried them on and love them!

This is in the parking lot of Caesar's Palace.  Real classy dude, real classy.

The Eiffel Tower in Vegas

 We walked the strip for a while and then headed back to Caesar's Palace.  We made an emergency trip to the Walgreen's on the strip and let me tell you.  Everything there is over priced!!

It was probably close to midnight by the time we made it back to our hostel.  The place seemed quite shady and we contemplated driving back to Washington.  Not only did the guy at the counter tell us one of our reservations had been cancelled but he then tried to get us to sleep in separate rooms.  The hostel we had reserved was a room of girls only.  He told me he didn't have an extra bed for one of us (me) but that he could put me in the mixed room.  UMMMM, NOO!!!  We almost left but then Marianne made him feel stupid by asking to see our reservation and it said on there it was for two females in an all female room!!  So the idiot let us be in the same room together.  I slept like poop and I know Marianne did too.  Here's a picture of our beds.  Yes, they were bunk beds.  It reminded me of a bunker.  I've never actually been in one of those.

We woke up bright and early.  Really.  It was 6:30 and we were both wide awake.  We quickly got ready in our church clothes, naturally as it was Sunday, and left by 7:30.  We did not want to spend more time than necessary in that place.  We wanted to go to a ward in Vegas.  I don't know if you know but Marianne LOVES Brandon Flowers.  The lead singer from the Killers.  He lives in Vegas and a few weeks before some of Marianne's friends just so happened to attend the ward BF goes to.  They met him.  Told Marianne so it only made sense that we make the attempt to see him as well.  The ward didn't start until 11 or 12.  I can't remember.  We had hours to kill before then.  We decided to go to the Vegas airport.  We parked in the Walmart parking lot and watched planes land.  I took a nap and felt much safer there than I did the night before at the hostel.  Let's just say I will never be that adventurous again.  The hostel situation anyway.  We were so ready to go to church.  After having spent an evening on the strip and being in that creepy hostel going to a place that was familiar was refreshing.  I try not to take the Gospel for granted in my life.  I really do but sometimes it happens.  I was so grateful that Sunday morning to be able to partake of the sacrament and feel the Spirit.  Not that we hadn't felt it before on our trip.  It just was great being in church surrounded by the Saints of God.  The Lord tells us to be in the world but to not be of the world.  I love that the Gospel is the same everywhere you go.  No matter the language, the state or even country.  The Gospel doesn't change and when the Gospel is in someone's life the way they act is the same also.  People are full of love and kindness.  They have the light of Christ shining on their countenance.  We didn't stay for the whole meeting.  We left after sacrament where unfortunately, we did not see BF.  :(  I told Marianne that meant we would have to make another attempt soon.  

When we got back to St. George we met up with the other group.  We all headed to the Visitor's Center and watched Meet the Mormons.  I loved being back there and seeing the sister missionaries.  It always bring such great memories.  I loved serving there!

This is how we ended the night!

Back at Sachi's parents house we all stayed up and chatted for hours.  We played a few games: Battle of the Sexes and 5 Second Rule.  I didn't really like Battle of the Sexes but I sure loved 5 Second Rule!  You have 5 seconds to name 3 things that correspond with the question on the card.  It really makes you think on your feet.  Some of the questions: Name three mountain ranges.  Name three books.  Name three George's.  Things like that.  It was so fun and hilarious!!  We also made an after midnight trip to McDonald's where it took 10 years to get our food.  Poor girl that worked there.  I have never eaten so much McDonald's in my life.  I had my quote for the year and if I never have to go to another McDonald's again, I would be fine with it.

Monday morning was pretty chill.  We went to breakfast down in Ivins at a place called Xeteva Gardens.  It's pretty hipsterish.  Very healthy.  It was good!

Then we played some tennis and I made a fool out of myself.  I keep thinking I should ask Aaron...he's the guy I'm standing next to in the picture above to help me out.  He went pretty soft on me when we played doubles.  That was kind of him.  Haha.

So that's part of what I've been up to the last little while.  It definitely was a fun trip and it was so great getting to know those lovely ladies (Michelle and Sachi) better.  And it was definitely great to make two new very attractive male friends.  Though in case you're wondering we haven't hung out with them since we got back.

Also, just so you know I couldn't sleep.  I've been up since 6:35 Utah time which makes it 5:35 Arizona time.  

Busy as a Bee

Where have I been, you might ask?

Oh well, here and there, and everywhere.  Not too much has happened.  Just enough to keep me busy as a bee.  I feel like I haven't had time to catch my breath.  It's all been good things.  Fun things.

You have no idea how many times I have attempted to blog only to be interrupted by something far better.  Well, and sometimes not that much better but something that needs to get done.

Don't you worry though!  After this Saturday, I should hopefully have time to write about all of the activities keeping me busy.

In the meantime, here's a little teaser:

Is that me next to a boy??

Why yes, yes it is.

God Be With You Till We Meet Again

I've been thinking a lot these last few days.  About life.  About family.  About the Gospel.

I was in Arizona this last weekend for some "family" stuff that needed to be taken care of.  The outcome was a success but for me it remained stagnant.  12 years since the very first time and still nothing has changed.  I wanted to celebrate with my family-my parents.  They were so happy and it was a triumph that was desperately needed.  Great things are now in store for my parents.  If anyone deserves the outcome it's them.  All the tears, frustrations, late nights, calls, prayers, fasts, hopes, wishes, copies of paperwork, letters of recommendation, and thousands of dollars later, ALL finally coming together in perfect harmony to grant what was most desired.  I'm so grateful for my parents.  They have taught me to never give up despite the opposition we face and the circumstances we are in.  The weekend in Arizona finally blooming a rose amid the thorns.

Monday morning I awoke to the news of my paternal grandfather passing away.  I didn't really know him.  He lived in Guatemala and I live here.  I was surprised to find myself feeling sadder than I thought.  I don't know if it had to do with the fact that I never really got the chance to know him.  To really truly know the great man that he was.  Or perhaps I was sad because my dad was literally weeks away from seeing him again since moving to the US in 1992.  They hadn't seen each other in over 20 years.  They were so close and yet it was not to be.  My dad sent out a text to us all that made me once again grateful to be his daughter.

"I want to let you know that my father passed away a few minutes ago.  Don't worry, I am fine.  Fortunately, I have a testimony of eternal families.  It hurts but I am happy because now he will be with my mother."

Or perhaps my Grandfather's death hit me with a realization that people die.  People I know, people I love, people I talk to every day, people close to me, people far from me.  People, in general, all over the world die.  I've said this before but I have been fortunate enough to live 27 years of my life without the death of someone really close to me.  I fear that soon that luck will change.  I keep asking myself if I will be like my daddy and not just believe in The Plan of Salvation but trust in it.

Later that night, I went to my Aunt Gilda's house.  I knew she was going to have a hard time and I felt that I should be there.  We didn't leave on the best of terms because she's freakin' crazy.  But she is my family and I am hers and we needed each other at that time.  We held a special FHE via skype with my family in Arizona.  Those who had the opportunity to know and meet my Grandfather shared stories of him and his life.  The Spirit confirmed to me that evening that my Grandfather had lived a wonderful life.  I was filled with gratitude that I was his granddaughter and a part of his great legacy.  Not just his but also my Grandma who passed away in 2008 and whom I also never had the opportunity to know.  My Grandparents were stalwart in their testimony of the Gospel.  They sacrificed much for what they knew was true.  They gave away everything they had to be obedient to the Lord.  They were poor, extremely poor but they brought their nine children to the Mesa, Arizona Temple and were sealed together for eternity.  They served an honorable full time mission.  There is no doubt in anyone's mind that my Grandparents loved the Lord.

As I've pondered on the events that have occurred in the last week one quote has come into my mind over and over.  It's by Elder Uchtdorf.

"...We are made of the stuff of eternity.  We are eternal being, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number.  Endings are not our destiny.  The more we learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all.  They are merely interruptions-temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.  How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings."

I testify to you that I know The Plan of Salvation is real.  We can be with our loved ones again after this life.  Someday, I will get to talk to my Grandparents-hear their stories, laugh with them, cry with them, hug them, thank them for their example, and say "I love you."