Sabbath Delight: Testimony, Hymn 137

Today was a day of clarity and confirmation. After church, I was reminded of the final verse of a favorite hymn. As I sung that final verse however, I felt that the hymn was not yet over. There was still more in my heart bursting to be expressed. These next few verses flowed from the experiences and lessons that life as taught me as of late. Difficult, stretching, and tiring, yet hopeful, beautiful, and important.

The first verse comes from the LDS hymn book, the rest are mine to you. If you feel so inclined, here is a link to a piano accompaniment. It is my hope that some will sing along, however quietly, and feel at peace; regardless of the stanza they may now find themselves within.

As testimony fills my heart,
It dulls the pain of days.
For one brief moment, heaven's view
Appears before my gaze.

And then I see how all along,
His gentle hand did guide.
The clouds of fear are swept away
By Jesus the crucified.

Great voices loud and insincere
The light feels far and dim.
Some hearts may falter, steps fall back
But still I trust in Him.

Amidst the dark and foggy path
We can step faithfully,
With grateful hearts for what's to come,
By trusting soon we'll see.

And when that glorious morning breaks
The light again is known
I then look back and understand
The path I have been shown.

Art Stumbling in Salt Lake City

I love art. Every form it takes adds a great thrill to this human experience. Movement, music, words, paintings, photographs, 3-D--all of it prompts a fresh view of life and a deepened belief in the human capacity to create. Of all the forms, I suppose simply due to personal exposure and experience, my heart speaks most to movement and the written word. Absorbing a sincere dancer's energy or soaking in a honest writer's prose brings something to life in me that lays dormant in the dust of everyday life. My determination to never miss an opportunity to be in the presence of passion is renewed every time I find myself in such a situation.

Just yesterday, Jess and I stumbled our way into the LDS's churches 10th International Art Contest. The theme 'Tell me the Stories of Jesus' gave way to personal expressions of the Savior's teachings from across the world. I had clicked my way through pictures of the entries online a few weeks ago, but hadn't realized they were on still display. Jess and I's day trip to Salt Lake City became much more memorable than we anticipated. Entries from Cambodia, Italy, Malaysia, Japan, and elsewhere held our attention for over two hours on the second floor of the Church History museum.

I LOVE purpose of the contest: 'To showcase the breadth and diversity of Latter-day Saints cultural production and to make manifest the various styles, techniques, media and voices of Mormon art. Such efforts expand the canon from the familiar images that adorn the halls of ward buildings to include new approaches to depicting beloved gospel subjects, thereby adding to our cultural legacy and visual heritage."

Wow, right?! I love the familiar art in church hallways, but it is all so western. So American. As Latter-Day Saints, we believe that man was created in God's image. But, as my institute teacher once pointed out, we often take that to mine our own image, or that God looks like we do. This results in artists depicting the Savior in their own race and coloring. As we are not idol worshipers, meaning we don't pray directly to the pictures, I suppose it doesn't really matter. But it is so important to remember that Christ is the Savior of every nation, tongue and people. God created the every piece of land on this earth. Men's identification of which nations are Christian and which are not do not change that.

'Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?' ~2 Nephi 29:7

As each submission to the contest was so compelling I will not try and pick a favorite. But there are a few that stand out in my mind. Each brought with it a connection to my brothers and sisters, even as far away as Cambodia.

Early Morning with the Savior

By  Sopheap Nhem. And the accompanying description: "Nhem depicts the children of Cambodia surrounding Jesus, who knows each one of them individually and gathers them into His outstretched arms. They look to Him and gather happily around Him. The artist chose the colors of pink and orange because they are, for her, associated with peace and regality, symbolic of the Savior Himself. Said Jesus, “Suffer little children to come unto me, . . . for of such is the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16)."

Jesus and the Angry Babies

By Brian Kershisnik. "The New Testament records that young children were brought to Jesus and “his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:13–14). Here, Kershisnik envisions messy and wiggly young children, misbehaving while sitting on Jesus’s knee, and a compassionate Jesus, who loves us in our humanity."

Martha's Chair

By Shelley Mendenhall Detton. "Martha’s vacant chair is an invitation to listen to the words of the Savior. The chair suggests our heavenly origin and the need to make time for holy things. The ribbon refers to the blessings waiting to be given to us if we turn toward Christ daily. Today, many of us live in a culture in which we are expected to stay busy, yet such busyness can cause us to miss the “that good part” (Luke 10:42)."

Out of the 944 submissions, there are dozens of selected pieces on display at the Church History museum in Salt Lake City. Each as diverse and unique as a snowflake. For those living in the Salt Lake area, please don't miss this phenomenal showcase. Here is a link to the online gallery if Salt Lake is beyond your reach: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus International Art Competition

A Few Guys and a Piano

I love, love, love going to concerts. The passion displayed by true musicians is so refreshing. Talented people doing what they love with such ferocity and joy that it ripples out across the crowd in wave after exciting wave. And outdoor concerts are even better. The energy isn't stifled by enclosing walls, but grows and pulses with each song right up into the stars. In the past, I have attended loud, raging events; Imagine Dragons, OneRepublic, One Direction etc. But Saturday night found me in an attendance with a whole different sort of crowd. The Piano Guys. The group consists of four musicians with pianist Jon Schmidt and cellist Steve Sharp Nelson at the head. They are on a mission to reawaken a love for classical music among the public. And whooo-eee did they do a good job.

I loved every single number they performed. Some were original scores, others were genius mash-ups of popular hits and beloved classics. One of my favorite numbers was called Beethoven's 5 Secrets. It was a flawless combination of OneRepublic's "Secrets" and melodies from Beethoven's 5th Symphony. A youth symphony from the area joined Jon and Steve on the stage for added power and sound. My shoulder's began to sway and soon my entire upper body joined in. It was so beautiful! Afterward Steve said a few words. I found them touching in light of recent world events.

"Whatever goes wrong in the world, if I see kids with an instrument in their hand I know everything is going to be alright."

There is a whole lot of evil, hate and destruction going on right know. But there is also so much good to be shared. That evening under the beautiful full moon, as airplanes soared above my head, soothing sounds encompassed my soul, and in the company of thousands of good people unified through the arts, I decided something. Humans are pretty darn awesome. Don't let the actions of a few idiots rob you of that sweet truth.

The Piano Guys

Sabbath Delights: Of Which I'm a Part

Writing these weekly Sabbath Delights posts has been so enriching for me. It gives me motivation to focus more deeply on the feelings of my heart. By selecting one impression to elaborate on each day, the messages a loving Father in Heaven seeks to send me become more clear. During the sacrament service today, the final of my church meetings, I was quietly pondering over the direction my words should flow today. My heart burned as this thought entered my mind: 'Just bear your testimony.' There is so much I love and believe about this gospel, but there is one supernal truth I wish to testify of right now.

One of my favorite songs I learned as a little girl is called, 'My Heavenly Father Loves Me.' The second verse goes as follows:

He gave me eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
 He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sounds of things.
He gave my life, my mind, my heart: I thank him rev'rently
For all his creations, of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heav'nly Father loves me.

Whether you have never heard this song or have sung it since the age of three like me, I invite you to listen to the video above before reading further. It is less than three minutes long and brings me peace every time!

My favorite part is just five words tagged on to end of a line. 'For all His creations, of which I'm a part." This line once brought tears to my eyes as I was riding my bike alone through campus on a gorgeous spring evening Logan. The landscapers at USU are phenomenal; flowers, vibrant and varied waved from the front of every building. Mature, majestic trees bursting with white and pink flower buds lined every walkway. And the sunset was setting a warm glow of soft gold across the entire landscape. As a rode, I began to sing this song softly to myself. When I reached this line I brought my bike up short as a something surged through me. 'For all His creations, of which I'm a part." Surrounded my the calming yet tantalizing beauty of the earth I knew: God created all of this, and He created me. And because I am His child, He knows and loves me both perfectly and infinitely.

I love how the choir above holds out this line longer than the rest. It seems to symbolize the stunning awe that comes to each of us when we realize this great truth. We are known, and we are loved. In the hymn book this song is found, it instructs us to sing these words 'Expressively.' Having the word 'I'm' in the line makes it a powerful, personal moment of expression. Just singing those five words testifies of so much. I know God loves His children and I know it is important we are aware of His love. I love these words from Elder Holland:

"My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life. Indeed it is only with that reassurance burning in our soul that we can have the confidence to keep trying to improve, keep seeking forgiveness for our sins, and keep extending that grace to our neighbor."

God loves you. No matter your circumstance, lifestyle or belief's, God's love goes on unchanged. I only wish I could testify in person and not just through a screen. Turn to Him remembering that He is always turned to you, and let the greatest, purest love fill your life today and forever. :)

I testify of these truths in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sabbath Delights: Integrity and the Temple

If you are ever looking for something to do on a Sunday, scroll through lds.org. It is full of inspiring and instructive messages. Today I watched a short video explain the significance of temples in the Mormon religion. It reminded me of an experience I had at school involving the temple. From this experience I gained a personal testimony that the spirit of the temple helps us to be a better person. Simple, but so important. Decisions between right and wrong become obvious, temptations more easily identified and avoided, greater love felt and then shared. Here is the account from my journal:

So I missed attending a required band performance from my Creative Arts class. The response paper I was supposed to write about it was worth 50 points. That was enough to make a meaningful dip in my grade if I didn't get it in. It is the end of the term, and I am barely holding on to an 'A' as it is. So, I wrote the response paper.. I spent a few hours researching the band online and watching various YouTube videos. I tried diligently to convince myself that this was just as good, if not better, than seeing the band live. My research helped me learn more about the culture of the music and the history of the band.  In the paper I never said I went to the performance, but I never mentioned that I didn't go either. Not letting myself think about, I turned it in. There was a little guilt involved, but I kept my various justifications close in hand. 

Over the next few days, as much as I tried to shake off the incident it was always hovering when my mind wasn't already preoccupied. Later that week I went to the Logan temple and my mind was cleared. There was no question anymore: I had to tell the truth. It wasn't even a scary thought, I just knew I had to do it. Upon leaving the temple there was no question in my mind that what I had done was wrong and needed to be fixed. So I wrote a comment explaining what had happened and posted it alongside the paper. And sure enough, I received a zero. This brought my grade down to an 'A-' the only blemish on my transcript for the semester. I was so mad that I was going to get the lowest grade in my easiest class, but so relieved I had told the truth. If I had not, my integrity, especially concerning schoolwork, would have been lowered for possibly the rest of my college career. If I did it once, what would stop me from doing it again?

There was still extra credit to be added to my grade, but I wasn't hopeful. It would take a lot to save my grade at this point. But a few weeks later the extra credit was posted and it took me up to an 'A'! I was so happy and so, so glad I hadn't cheated. Especially now when it was clear that it would have been unnecessary. I would be feeling awful right now, or even worse I may have been perfectly okay with what I did, but instead I am tasting of the joy of integrity. It is always better to be honest. I promise to myself to never again try and take a short cut.

I plan to stay true to that promise to myself :) 

The beautiful Logan temple.

Here is that video about temples. I love it because it explains so much so clearly.

The Rest of the Story

I was scrolling through my own Instagram account the other day, (am I the only one who does that?) and had to laugh over the back-story's of most of my photos. Even a picture and a short caption doesn't give you the whole picture. Hopefully, we are all aware of the dangers of believing we know a person because of their Instagram posts. A good filter and properly placed emojis can make any situation seem desirable. The lives we see in those endless streams of squares are nothing but moments, seconds really, of somebody's journey. May we never over-estimate others and under-estimate ourselves because of a bunch of deceiving boxes:) Your worth and potential is not restricted to the frames of a picture, but extends infinitely in any direction you set your eyes on. With that in mind, I picked 5 of my favorite photos and gave you wonderful people 'the rest of the story.' Things your double-tapping thumb would never have considered on its way down the feed. Enjoy :)

Caption: Read above.
Rest of the story: This is really not as hard as it might look. The instructor even did a little pushing and pulling to get everybody up there. And despite what it looks like, I don't have my middle splits completely flat. I think it is just because my legs are pushed a little bit in front of my body by the silks. Also, this is the only remotely cool thing we could do haha. Most of the class consisted of flailing arms and legs, awkward grunts, and falling off of stuff. By the end of it, my arm muscles were shaking SO BAD. Driving home was somewhat precarious due to my inability to even hold on to the steering wheel. They continued to hurt like crazy for about a week afterward. Like really, I couldn't even muster the strength to pull up my pants. But all's well that ends well,  with a cool picture, right?

Caption on Instagram: "I'm a little late, but Women's Conference was beautiful. I can't even count the number of times the words spoken at this pulpit have inspired my mind, lifted my heart, and helped me feel God's love. My anticipation for the remaining sessions leaves a quiet, tingling joy in my heart."
Rest of the story: I wasn't just my post that was late. We underestimated the time it would take to park the car, and slipped in just before the first speaker began. The opening numbers and prayers were lost to us. My love and enthusiasm expressed in the caption is 100% genuine, but I was a bit flustered and frustrated from being late. Ah well, lesson in parking learned.

Caption on Instagram: "'Even now my heart has begun to glow over the memory of the exuberant joy that accompanies a perfectly twirled triple pirouette. Whether in the cool morning of a Saturday rehearsal or under the lights of a final performance, there is something undeniably sublime about dance.' Reflecting on one of my favorite and sharply missed passions. Click the link in my bio girls (and Connor :)) and let's remember Spring Concert for a minute."

Rest of the story: Cool shot right? Yeah it took SO MANY jumps to get this just right. I was huffing, puffing and sweaty by the time we got a good one. And for you non-dancers, that front foot is what we called 'sickling.' Not supposed to be pointing upward like that. And just for kicks and giggles, this was the picture I was trying to mimic off Pinterest. I sort of, kind of , ish  did it right? Haha not even! That girl could be in a shampoo commercial!

Caption on Instagram: "If you squint a little bit you can see my name on here :) Logan life is a good life and I'm in love with Autumn :)"
Rest of the Story: Does anybody notice the error here? It is staring us all in the face. See if you can figure it out before I clue you in. No? There is a misspelled word in the headline. The headline! *Heroes* not Heros. In my defense, I did not write that headline. I submitted what I thought to be a perfectly good title and the news editors came up with this one, didn't clear it with me first and then printed the thing. Oh well, at least I came up with a cool angle for the picture right?

Caption on Instagram: "I'm walking on sunshine over here! anybody want to come?;) #graduation:):):)"

Rest of the story: My talented friend Becca Manning took these pictures in the lovely peach orchards behind her house. Sounds cute right? Well it almost was. As we are walking down the hill into the orchard I tripped, and went down hard. To be fair, I was wearing heels and carrying a chair to use in the pictures but still. #clutz  It left the bottom of my left leg scraped and bleeding. You could even see the blood in the picture I sent out with my graduation announcements if you know where to look. And I even have a little scar on my foot from the incident. And if all that wasn't enough, Jon Moore had come along to help with the pictures.  And Jon Moore is hot. Plain and simple people. Tripped and bleeding in front of the eye-candy of Kaysville. Its fine. 

I could go on, as could every Instagram user, explaining my pictures, but I'll stop with these. Just remember, no matter how many times a person posts, you don't know the full picture. So just keep lovin' yo sassy self. :)

The Time Bob Ross Told Me How to Pick a Major

Everybody, meet Bob Ross. Painter, teacher and Afro extraordinaire. This is the man who has entertained, soothed, and inspired an entire generation of aspiring painters (and people like me who find great amusement in failing and 'Bob humor'). He is also the man who taught me how to go about the all so scary task of selecting a major in college. Here is the secret to it all. (As stated by Bob).

"Talent is just pursued interest."

Love how I quote Charles Dickens one day and Bob Ross the next? I do ;) Okay, so maybe Bob Ross wasn't actually referring to giant life decisions, but I think his statement is 100% applicable. Stick with me for a bit of background here, this is important. 

First, you need to understand something about my high school experience. Davis High is huge, my graduating class alone had over 800 students. And because there were so many kids milling around, people told me that I had to find my 'thing' or else I would inevitably get lost in the crowd. That terrified me. Everyone seemed to be categorized into their 'thing'. Sports, theater, academics, music, whatever--everyone had something. It freaked me out when I did not. I was so scared I wasn't going to find that one 'thing.' My inherent talent that would set me apart from the rest. This part of the story is really a whole another post, so for now I'll just make a long story short: I made the Dance Company and joined the newspaper staff and those became my 'things.' Phew, I dodged the bullet. Right?

Well at least the first round of bullets. Now I graduate high school and go to college. Questions of what is the 'right' school, what I am 'supposed' to do fill your head with the intensity of reality. For while you can cower in the blissful bubble of general education classes, but before you know it, that bubble bursts and drops you headfirst into probably the biggest decision you've ever tried to make. As the walls of my own protective bubble began to thin, I hesitantly chose to pursue one of my 'things' from high school--writing. 

Now, I had never considered myself a writer. It was initially just something I enjoyed because it earned me high marks in school and I loved seeing my name in print. After earning English Sterling Scholar and newspaper editor, I began to assume this was something I was good at. And it seemed other people began to assume it too. No one seemed surprised when I would say I was majoring in writing. I got, and still get, a lot of, 'Oh yeah of course, you'll be great at that.' So I kept going! My desire and drive to compose words doesn't come because of some inner talent I'd pulled out of a hat. It is not something I feel especially 'called' or 'destined' to do. Rather, it is an interest I choose to pursue in the hopes of creating a talent.

Talent is just pursued interest.

Bob knows what he is talking about friends. I think we all get so caught up in finding our 'thing', our passion, that we over analyze and deliberate every little action to the point of inaction. I see it in my own life all the time. I've come to know, however, that we can't obsess over making perfect decisions in every little aspect of our lives. If we keep searching, searching, searching for our talent, passion, calling, whatever you want to call it, frustration will be the end result. Calm down! I don't believe that life awards us just one slim path to success and if we miss it by some narrow degree of inaccuracy all is lost. Prayerfully ponder the question ahead of you and then go for it. As I once heard, God cannot steer a parked car. I am reminded of a quote from Elder Scott last conference:

"I remind all of us that the Holy Ghost is not given to control us. Some of us unwisely seek the Holy Ghost's direction on every minor decision in our lives. This trivializes His sacred role. The Holy Ghost honors the principle of agency."

We humans want the final answer wrapped up with a pretty bow delivered to our doorstep by a bolt of lightening, not the questioning, working, and exploring it usually takes to find it. So pursue an interest. Don't hold yourself back waiting for passion to come and seize your heart and move your feet. Because it probably won't. Life happens when we move our feet, not when our eyes scan the horizon. I LOVE this quote from President Monson about that spirit of exploration:

"God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease oAf finished things. He leaves the pictures of unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation."

I don't know if my current interest will actually produce the fruits of talent. Heck, I may switch my major to biological engineering before this is all over with. (okay.... I think we can at least rule out bio engineering haha.) But I have decided to confidently step in this direction, trusting that I will be given course corrections as I need them. My anxieties over the future are still as real as Bob's hair is fluffy, and they overwhelm me at times, but I am learning to control them. I find defying their nagging voices and moving forward in life so they can't catch me to be a solid tactic.

One last plug on this idea. As a college student, I have watched my fair share of  Ted and Tedx Talks. But one has trumped them all others in influence, impact and invitation to act: Stop Searching for Your Passion from Terri Trespicio. It is only ten minutes long and worth every second. Here is one of my favorite quotes from the talk:

"Just start doing because to live a life full of meaning and value, you don't follow your passion. Your passion follows you."

Thanks Bob Ross. Between you and Charlie, I just might be able to figure this out :)








P.S. I apologize for the overuse of apostrophes, I was trying to emphasize a point. Also, another link to Ted Talk. Seriously please watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MBaFL7sCb8 

Sabbath Delights: Don't You Run Out Ahead of Him

This morning while I was getting ready for church, I listened to a talk from President Erying called Mountains to Climb. Wow. I vaguely remember listening when it was given, but re-reading it has I was in awe at how perfect and inspiring it is! The whole talk is about how if we have faith in Jesus Christ, all times in life, hard or easy, can be a blessing. Read that sentence again because it is a truly remarkable. He talks about how each good choice we make, beginning even in childhood, strengthens our ability to endure trials when they come. He says,

"When hard trials come, the faith to endure them well will be there, built as you may now notice but may have not at the time that you acted, on the pure love of Christ, serving and forgiving others as the Savior loved and serving for Him. Your faith in Him led to acts of charity that will bring you to hope."

That truth of strength arriving in the moment we need it is something that has been brought to my attention somewhat recently. Earlier in the summer, I read a book called The Hiding Place. If you want an increase of faith and hope in humanity award this book the top slot of your to-do list. It is the story of an ordinary Dutch woman named Corrie Ten Bloom who lead a resistance group against the Germans during World War Two. She as taken to a concentration camp and experienced horror as potent as it comes. But she never forgot nor blamed God and Christ and sought them even in that camp. She survived and then dedicated the rest of her life to testifying that the love and redemption of Christ is ALWAYS deeper than any pain or injustice we face. I can't think of a more qualified person to testify of such sweet truths. Such a powerful book. Here is one of my favorite parts:
(This passage follows Corrie's first time seeing death as a young girl. Her father comes in to kiss them good night and this conversation ensues. Please note that at this time Corrie's father is in no danger of death.)

"I need you!" I sobbed. "You can't die! You can't!"
     Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. "Corrie," he began gently, "when you and I go to Amsterdam--when do I give you your ticket?"
     I sniffed a few times, considering this.
    "Why just before we get on the train."
    "Exactly. And our wise Father in Heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need--just in time."

Isn't that one of the most comforting, beautiful truths! I feel like I get really impatient and frustrated, not knowing if I have enough faith or will be prepared for the future. But this has taught me to be still have hope that all will be well. I even got to experience a bit of that at Golda's farewell. I was really dreading her leaving. It just feels like there have been so many good-byes since high school with no end in sight. But the day of the farewell came and I was SO HAPPY. I knew that this was what Golda needed to be doing and that the time would pass and we would still be friends. Even saying our final 'see-ya later' on Tuesday was filled with joy! Heavenly Father is so loving and merciful!

I shared this passage with my good friend Spencer Rasmussen who is currently serving as a missionary in Indiana. His response really just made me smile. What a powerful, humble missionary he must be. He says,  

"The book sounds awesome, and I feel that the quote "don't run out ahead of him" can be applied to so many facets of our lives.  We are always seeking our will, but if we just slow down and accept and follow our Heavenly Father's timing, we will be so much happier.  Its been something I think He is trying to teach me out here, to just accept his timing and keep working my hardest.  And the cool part is that as I have accepted that, I feel inner peace and happiness doing things like endless tracting without success, just knowing that things will happen in the Lord's time.  So I just choose to be happy and make the most of whatever the situation is, shoveling sheep poop or tracting, and you really can just choose to be happy, its pretty neat."

Don't you love that--'Its pretty neat." Haha,yeah Elder Rasmussen, it kinda really is.