2024 in Review

It was a great year with a lot of time spent at work, serving in Church callings and at the temple, visiting with family and friends, hiking, and exploring some new places! I could have been more focused in my study and learning this year and need to work on my goals for this year better in the coming year, but I'm grateful for all the opportunities and experiences of 2024.

Service

I finished my service as ward Relief Society president in July.  It was a wonderful learning experience that opened my eyes to needs and situations I wouldn't have known, and expanded my heart in multiple ways.  It has also helped me look for those that might need a visit or someone to sit by them or talk to them.  I'm enjoying continued visits with neighbors without the stress of planning for events and all that a Relief Society president worries about.

I also helped with a couple of Christmas events.  I love hosting at the Festival of Trees each year and this year I helped to coordinate part of our stake/community nativity event.  I learned a lot and am grateful for the chance to celebrate the true meaning of the season.

Temples

I attended 13 new temples this year:  Orem Utah, Fort Lauderdale Florida, Orlando Florida, Red Cliffs Utah, Feather River California, Sacramento California, Taylorsville Utah, Layton Utah, Raleigh North Carolina, Richmond Virginia, Hartford Connecticut, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and Deseret Peak Utah.  I've decided to make a goal to attend 100 different temples before I turn 50 (that's a little less than 5 years to get to 31 more).  It's an amazing time to be alive when more and more temples are being dedicated and available for so many more people all across the world to make covenants, receive ordinances, serve ancestors, and worship God!  I also visited a few temples I hadn't been to for a while and love (St. George Utah, Washington D.C., Portland Oregon, Mount Timpanogos, and Bountiful), which was wonderful!  

I had the unique and wonderful privilege of attending the Orem Utah Temple dedication and the Manti Utah Temple rededication.  These were special occasions. 

I love working as an ordinance worker again.  I started again in February at the Draper Utah Temple and it's a blessing to spend Saturday nights helping people to receive eternal blessings and joy.  

I personally performed 200 ordinances this year for 120 different ancestors.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life and the opportunity it provides to serve others in a meaningful way.  

Traveling

I'm really grateful for opportunities to travel!  I learn so much when I can explore a new place, and I had some really wonderful adventures this year, some with family, one trip with a friend, and three solo trips that I really quite enjoyed.  Here were some highlights this year:

• Florida -- In January, I flew to Fort Lauderdale to attend the Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple.  I haven't spent much time in Florida, so it was fun to drive up the coast and explore a little bit on my way to the Orlando Florida Temple.  I drove out to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Station before flying home.  My way home consisted of a missed flight and overnight in Denver before about 12 hours in St. George to spend time with my parents and go to the Red Cliffs Utah Temple open house.  It was nice to take the shuttle home and enjoy a book on the way back.
• St. George -- In March, for Easter, I made one more trip to St. George, via Manti to see the Manti Utah Temple open house.  While in St. George I attended the newly renovated St. George Utah Temple and the Red Cliffs Utah Temple with mom.  It was so nice to enjoy time there and with my parents.  Luckily, the weather was good enough to make another trip to St. George for Thanksgiving.  It was nice to spend time with Mom and Dad and Cari's family for the holiday.
• California -- In May, I flew to Sacramento with a friend for a couple of days to attend the Feather River California Temple and the Sacramento California Temple.  We also drove down to Modesto to see the play "Come From Away" that was playing there that weekend.  We also drove by the Modesto California Temple site.  
• North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C. -- In July, it was fun to spend a couple of days in Washington, D.C.  I walked around the Mall and the city twice, after having attended the renovated Washington, D.C. Temple which was so nice!  I love that special place and city!  I started the trip in Raleigh, North Carolina where I attended the temple and then drove up to the Richmond Virginia Temple.  They were both so wonderful!  Such peaceful and beautiful places!  And it's a lovely drive through the trees the whole way.  This is a wonderful part of the country!
• Oregon -- In August, I spent my birthday and Labor Day weekend in Portland with Josh, Kirsten, Lia, and got to meet baby Miles.  He's darling!!  Highlight!  We drove out to the coast, visited Oceanside and Tunnel Beach, had dinner at Tillamook, and I even got to go to the Portland Oregon Temple again.  Love that place!
• Colorado -- In September, I spent a few days with my parents in Snowmass Village and Aspen, Colorado.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  The fall colors were perfect!  Dad and I hiked to Buckskin Pass a couple miles past Maroon Bells and Crater Lake.  It was amazing!!!  The next day we drove up to Ashcroft (an old ghost town) and took some pictures and then rode e-bikes up to Maroon Bells again.  Amazing!  Saturday morning (before the afternoon rains and exciting BYU football game), Dad and I drove up to Independence Pass and hiked most of the way to Independence Lake before it started to flurry.  It was a BEAUTIFUL fall scene!  We also walked through the ghost town of Independence, hiked to Weller Lake, and walked around the Grottos.  We attended sacrament meeting in the Aspen Branch and then drove home via Moab, with a quick stop at Double Arch and Dead Horse Point State Park.
• Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio -- In October, I spent a beautiful fall weekend driving across Pennsylvania.  I flew into Hartford and attended the Hartford Connecticut Temple, and stopped at the Wilford Woodruff birthplace, before driving to Ricketts Glen State Park to explore some of the waterfalls, and then drive on to Williamsport where I spent the night.  I stopped to see the Little League World Series Complex and then drove on to the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple, and then to the Kirtland Temple.  I toured the Joseph and Emma Smith home, walked around the temple grounds and Kirtland town area, as well as the Morley Farm.  I went to see the sunset over Lake Erie.  I went to church at the Hiram Ward and then toured the Johnson Farm in Hiram before going back to the temple for a tour there and at the Whitney store.  On a rainy Sunday afternoon, it was sweet to explore these areas and think of the sacrifices and growth and blessings the Lord poured out and continues to send.  I was struck by the faith and goodness of Joseph Smith and others who unequivocally put the Lord first and followed His direction without question and hesitation.  We can continue today to choose Him and follow where He leads.
• Hawaii -- It was another lovely week leading up to Christmas in Kailua.  This time I got to see Matt's family for a few days, and spend time with Mom and Dad and Josh's family who were also in town then.  The highlight was the daily sunrise beach walks, Christmas caroling with family to friends, Church, being with family.  What a dream!

Hiking

I think my favorite hike this year was with Dad to Buckskin Pass in Aspen, Colorado, on a beautiful fall day!  Desolation Lake the next week with Cari was also a highlight and gorgeous!  I loved Lake Blanche with some co-workers on Juneteenth.  And Albion Basin is always a highlight all of July!  I made it to Cecret Lake a couple of times and Lake Catherine a couple of times, too.  Willow Heights Lake and Bell Canyon Reservoir are beautiful in all seasons.

Reading

I read too much this year--122 books (including several children's books and 16 audio books, which aren't my favorite--I can't remember or follow quite as well when I'm listening; I like to hold an actual book in my hand--but it is nice when you're driving a ways).  Here are some of my favorites:

• The Joy of Movement
• Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West
• Establishing Zion: Foundations for a Millennial Society
• Faith: A Journey for All
• The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt
• Saints #4: Sounded in Every Ear (1955-2020)
• The Rock of Our Redeemer: Facing the Future with Faith, Hope, and Power
• Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues
• Both Things Are True
• Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith
• May You Love and Be Loved: Wishes for Your Life
• Crucial Influence: Leadership Skills to Create Lasting Behavior Change
• The Paris Daughter
• Filled with His Love: Strengthening Our Attachment to God and to Others
• Just Add Water: My Swimming Life
• The Secret Life of Flora Lea
• Jane of Lantern Hill
• The Last Love Note
• To Always Have His Spirit
• Four Thousand Weeks
• Tree. Table. Book.
• The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an Epidemic of Mental Illness
• Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
• Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parent's Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age
• Mostly What God Does
• The Amen Affect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World
• Book of Mormon Insights: Letting God Prevail in Your Lives
• Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
• The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
• Restorations: Scholars in Dialogue: from Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• The Women
• Where Courage Calls
• Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People
• The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age-Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance
• The Second Coming of the Lord
• Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World
• Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning
• The Unexpected Deliverer
• Enough
• When Tomorrow Comes
• Outlive
• The Wish
• The Warsaw Orphan (I listened to this one, but need to go back and read it--my favorite audio book this year)
• Spells for Lost Things
• The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times
• Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again
• Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall
• How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
• Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
• All the World

Of course, the best and most important book I'm always reading, and with a little more focus and study this year, is the Book of Mormon.  I read it twice.  Once focusing on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Disciples of Jesus Christ:

• recognize God's hand in their life and know He is with them
• pray always, speak with the Lord
• obediently follow God's directions
• offer sacrifice and thanks to God
• keep the commandments with steadfastness
• desire to know and diligently seek to understand the mysteries of God
• trust God and do as He commands
• encourage others to be faithful and obedient and come to Jesus Christ
• follow the Spirit, not always knowing beforehand what they'll do
• receive strength and courage from the Lord
• are filled with joy and hope and trust in God's promises
• forgive
• press forward continually holding fast to the iron rod
• heed not the wicked
• hearken to voice of the Lord and His prophets
• look unto God and praise Him, even in afflictions
• read, teach, testify of Christ
• have faith in Jesus Christ
• are determined and persevere
• seek the glory of God and welfare of others
• invite others to look to and come to Jesus
• know Who they trust and wait for the Lord
• know the covenants of the Lord and His wisdom, mercy, goodness, power
• abhor sin, seek righteousness
• remember the words of God
• delight in the Lord and His covenants
• counsel together
• sanctify the Lord
• believe in Christ
• labor diligently to persuade others to believe in Christ and look forward to Him
• talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, prophesy of Christ, write according to prophecies
• have charity
• invite all to come
• believe in a God of miracles
• be meek, have joy in the Lord
• repent
• humbly follow Christ
• receive the Holy Ghost
• think of brethren like selves, serve fellow beings
• seek the kingdom of God
• look to God with firmness of mind and pure hearts
• lift up heads and feast on His love
• love families
• seek not to counsel the Lord but are reconciled to Him
• nourish their own faith and the vineyard
• labor with diligence
• enter at straight gate and continue in the way
• offer whole souls to Christ, fasting, praying, enduring to the end
• receive His words
• beware of contention and pride
• yield to Spirit and put off the natural man, becoming a saint through Christ--as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to Father
• know goodness of God
• believe and do--repent and retain a remission of sins by calling on His name in faith
• live peaceably, walking in truth and loving and serving others
• administer of substance
• remember to retain Jesus's name written in heart
• are steadfast and immovable, abounding in good works
• turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart
• apply hearts to understanding
• believe words of prophets and flee wickedness
• repent, are baptized, and filled with grace of God
• look forward with one eye and hearts knit together in love one towards another
• observe the Sabbath
• give thanks
• labor with own hands
• impart of substance
• establish peace
• bear His name
• are instruments in hands of God
• walk in the ways of the Lord
• establish the Church
• remember the captivity of fathers
• are spiritually born of God and have His image in countenance
• exercise faith in redemption of Christ and look forward with faith
• come to Him, fearing not and laying aside every sin
• labor in the Spirit
• stand with boldness
• remember words of the prophets
• prepare to meet God
• teach His commandments
• preach repentance
• humble selves and call on His holy name
• have all things equal
• have courage
• expound plan of redemption
• call on name of the Lord
• rejoice and praise God, glory in the Lord
• observe commandments and ordinances
• desire to believe, plant word in hearts
• have faith, are humble and patient and charitable
• improve time while in this life
• remember Jesus
• are diligent in fulfilling His words
• abhor wickedness
• counsel with the Lord in all doings
• prepare strongholds
• are valiant and true
• stand fast in liberty
• trust God will deliver them
• seek not for power
• gather together
• build upon rock of Redeemer, Jesus Christ
• preach with power and authority
• declare His word that people may have eternal life
• open ears, listen, hearken, seek to understand
• come and see and feel Him, are healed and saved
• hold up His light
• don't judge
• beware of false prophets
• watch and pray always
• pray for Holy Ghost
• search scriptures
• teach and minister
• love God
• hearken to words of the Lord
• are wise
• ask, believe
• do good
• commend selves unto God
• walk humbly before the Lord
• have faith in Christ
• seek Jesus
• meet together, fast, pray, speak concerning welfare of souls
• have faith, hope, and charity
• search diligently in light of Christ
• labor diligently to conquer enemy of all righteousness
• are faithful in Christ
• remember how merciful the Lord has been, receive His words and know truth by Holy Ghost
• deny not the gifts of God and lay hold upon every good thing which comes of God
• awake and arise
• come unto Christ and be perfected in Him denying yourself of all ungodliness
• love God with all your might, mind, and strength

2021 in Review

It was another interesting year.  While life hasn't returned to normal yet (whatever that is), I'm grateful for opportunities to learn and grow and I've never been more grateful for a vaccine (actually three of them)! ;)  Highlight!  I think due in part to the loneliness and quiet of last year, as soon as I had the chance and things started to turn around, I found opportunities to get outside my house, spend time with people, and serve.  I felt inspired in April to make a few changes and have been grateful for the blessings that have come because of them.  

• I've had the chance to get to know my neighbors better as I returned to a neighborhood congregation at Church (after too many years in a variety of singles wards).  It's been a great blessing to get to know new people and to spend time with the children!  I'm inspired by their goodness and the simplicity and beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ they can learn from such a young age.  
• I have also had the wonderful opportunity of serving as an ordinance worker in the Draper Temple.  What a blessing it is to be in the temple again and serving and learning and feeling the peace of our Heavenly Father's plan and truth and power of His gospel on a regular basis!  
• I have also had the unique and enjoyable opportunity of teaching as an adjunct professor at Ensign College.  I just finished teaching an Interpersonal Communications class.  It was a lot of work, but it was wonderful!  I learned so much and am grateful for the chance to help students in their quest to become capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ.  I'm looking forward to teaching a Physical Geography class next semester. 

In addition to my full-time job, these things have filled up much of my time and I'm grateful.  It's been a blessing to be involved in meaningful work and service.  With so much that is confusing or contentious or discouraging in the world, it's nice to have things keeping me busy that I know will bring ultimate joy and peace for me and others.  I also recognize that I might need a little less busyness and stress in my life again.  It's the pendulum swing of life balance and I'm learning and working on finding that.

Here are a few other highlights from 2021:

Things I Learned

This year I've been reminded of the need to:

• come unto Christ, listen to His words, follow His Spirit, trust Him, and move forward in faith
• learn, explore, use and expand your talents, communicate, and love everyone
• be still and quiet (my pace up a hiking trail qualifies), and look for beauty and goodness
• do what you enjoy, help where you can, make sacrifices, and don't be too hard on yourself
• work hard, do your best, rest, relax, and take care of yourself

Family / Relationships
We've continued our almost weekly family Zoom calls, which has been a blessing this year!  I'm grateful for family and especially a new niece (who's darling and who I finally got to meet at Thanksgiving)!  We actually had two chances to be all together as a family this year.  We spent a week together in Sun River and Otter Rock, Oregon in July.  Highlight!  Then we were also able to get together for a few days at Thanksgiving in Highland, Utah.  I also really love my Christmas break tradition of spending time with my parents in St. George.  I'm really grateful for a loving and supportive family and chances to be together or talk to any of them any time I can.  My sister might disagree, but for me, on a stressful day, one of the best things I can do is spend some time with her kids who help put life into perspective and make me smile and laugh.

Walks and hikes with friends and family, as well as Come, Follow Me study groups via Zoom continue to be a blessing.  It was nice to get to know some people at Ensign College, particularly the students.  I was inspired by their goodness, their desire to learn, their testimonies, and their hope for the future.

Traveling
I was grateful to be back at church, the temple, and on a college campus again.  I loved getting away to Oregon and California for a couple of weeks.  And I'm still so grateful for the peace of the mountains and outdoors.  Here are some of the highlights:

• The office - Construction continues right outside my windows on Temple Square this year.  It has been fun to observe the progress, but I can't wait to see the tulips again someday!
• The mountains - I love the mountains and enjoyed time at some favorite spots and a few new ones--Willow Heights Lake, Alien Tower, Ensign Peak, Horsetail Falls, Three Falls Trail, Mount Olympus section of the Bonneville Trail, Tibble Fork, Gloria Falls, Albion Basin, Catherine Pass, Lake Mary, Dog Lake, Primrose Overlook, Snowbird Tram, Lofty Lakes Loop, Causey Reservoir, Lake Blanche, the Suspension Bridge, and the Draper trails.
• Oregon - Oregon is beautiful!  It was so much fun to explore Sun River!  What a fun little town with more bikes than cars.  It was fun to bike and hike around with the family.  Then we spent another few days on the coast at Otter Rock (driving via Sahalie Falls which was really pretty!), searching the tide pools and exploring the beaches.  It was nice to have some time to slowly drive home along the coast--Cape Kiwanda Dunes, Yachats, Heceta Lighthouse, Bandon, Gold Beach, Secret Beach, and the Samuel Boardman Scenic Area.
• California - The Redwoods are AMAZING!  This was a real highlight to see and wander through and ponder and explore these huge, awe-inspiring trees.  We went to several forests (Stout Grove, Boy Scout Tree, Fern Canyon, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees, Avenue of the Giants, Rockefeller Grove, and the Founders Grove) and also enjoyed the sunsets and views and vineyards of Cresent City, Fort Bragg, Caspar, Mendocino Headlands, Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, the Jedediah Smith Memorial bike trail near Sacramento, and a view of Lake Tahoe and the Salt Flats while driving home.
• St. George - St. George has become the perfect place to relax and regroup between Christmas and the New Year.  I'm grateful for my parents, books, puzzles, hiking trails, and no alarm clock!

I am hoping that next year will include a little bit more traveling... hopefully a trip to Hawaii, and maybe a visit to Washington and Iceland?  We'll see.  Here's to hoping. :)

Reading
This year I loved reading and studying the Doctrine and Covenants.  It was such a blessing to be immersed in the words of God and His revelations and teachings!  These words are just as important for us as for those who wrote and lived them and preserved them for us.  I was inspired again by Joseph Smith and others who sacrificed much and had great faith in the Lord through great challenges.  They are an inspiration and I'm grateful for their important efforts to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dispensation.   The blessings of the temple seemed to be an important focus of the early Saints and the Lord's teachings to them and to us.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life and the added light and truth and peace that come from continued study.

I also read the Book of Mormon twice this year.  I love this book and how it helps me feel the Spirit and understand our Heavenly Father's constant love and His plan for His children.  

• The first time through I studied and made notes of all the invitations of the Lord to "come unto me."  Jesus Christ is constantly inviting us to come to Him.  He is there and helps and lifts and shows us the way.  What a message of comfort and peace in our day.  It's not always easy to come to Him and it requires action on our part, but it is very much an open invitation!  I think one of the most oft-repeated words in the Book of Mormon teaching us how to come to Him is repent.  The Book of Mormon is full of that invitation and it is possible because of Him.  What a hopeful and joyful reminder!  Other invitations include: pray, keep the commandments, follow the prophet, listen to His voice, believe, give thanks, remember the things He has done, forgive, rely on Him, have faith, be humble and patient and full of love, harden not our hearts, heed, feel His words, gather, see, plant, be baptized, declare truth, be obedient, endure to the end, serve God, stand steadfast, praise Him, delight in Him, choose Him, worship Him, lay aside our sins, seek Him, look forward, be meek, feast upon His love, awake, rejoice, trust, continue in diligence, ask, give, serve, wait upon Him, walk in His ways, know Him, publish peace, labor, pour out our hearts, covenant, stand as witnesses, be led by the Spirit, fast, nourish seeds with care, exercise faith, minister, look to God, take upon us His name, don’t doubt, unite strength, do good continually, fortify, cleave unto Him, turn unto Him, stop, don’t go home, return and declare His word, bury weapons of war, build on His rock, have an eye single to His glory, be one, sing praises to Him, have hope, be faithful, and be sanctified through Him.  There are just as many instances in the same scriptures of the Lord giving examples of how he's reaching out to us to show that he really means... COME!  ;)  One of my favorite verses this year was the Lord's invitation in 3 Nephi 9:14: "if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
• The second time through I spent time studying how our Heavenly Father communicates with us (coinciding with my communications class).  It reminded me of how much He wants to communicate with us!  Heavenly Father truly wants to communicate with us.  He speaks constantly… directly to His children, inviting us to pray, introducing His Son and our Savior to minister and teach and heal, sending His Spirit to guide us, speaking to His prophets, asking them to teach and testify and record His words, sending angels, controlling the elements, sharing His gifts and power, and making and keeping promises.  We can choose to hear and heed His loving words and recognize His mercy in our lives. 

I also loved reading a number of articles about intrapersonal and interpersonal communications.  It was good to be reminded of the importance of communication in every aspect of our lives.  I learned more about perception, self-esteem, strengths, spiritual communication, listening, digital communication, emotional intelligence, nonverbal communication, relationships, communication with family, conflict resolution, and problem solving.

In addition to this study, I read 106 books. Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order, but roughly most recent read to least recent):

• Whole in Christ by Robert L. Millet
• We Cross the Bridge and It Trembled by Wendy Pearlman
• Anxiously Engaged: A Biography of M. Russell Ballard by Susan Easton Black
• Real vs. Rumor by Keith A. Erekson
• The Savior in Kirtland by Karl R. Anderson
• The Spirit of Revelation by David A. Bednar
• What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child by S. Michael Wilcox
• Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree by Edward Dube
• A Walk in My Shoes by Ben Schilaty
• First: The Life and Faith of Emma Smith by Jennifer Reeder
• Caste: The Origins of our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
• The Spiritual Physics of Light by Aaron D. Franklin
• Remembering Joseph by Mark L. McConkie
• Reaching for the Savior by Reyna I. Aburto
• Know Brother Joseph
• Drawing on the Powers of Heaven by Grant Von Harrison
• I Think You're Wrong, But I'm Listening by Sarah Holland
• God Will Prevail by Kery Muhlestein
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
• Wilford Woodruff's Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine by Jennifer Mackley
• The Rabbit Effect by Kelly Harding
• The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel
• Leaves from My Journal by Wilford Woodruff
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Restoration by Patrick Mason
• The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel
• The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
• In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley, Jr.
• The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
• Everything Beautiful in My Time by Jenna Bush Hager
• Legacy of Mercy #2 by Lynn Austin
• No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox
• I'm Still Here by Austin Brown
• Silence and Walking by Erling Kagge

Learning / Service
I'm grateful for new opportunities to learn and serve this year, and want to be more aware and intentional in focusing outward in order to help meet others' needs and give where I can. 

• Family History - During the first half of the year, when I couldn't be in the temple, I increased my indexing efforts, which was a great blessing.  I also spent time learning about and compiling some information about my ancestors, particularly learning about the first ancestors in each of my family lines who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (all of them between 1831 in Ohio and 1883 in Switzerland).  I'm grateful for their legacy and examples and faith!  
• Temples - I have loved being back in the temple and have tried to be there as consistently as I can find an appointment available.  My weekly service as a temple worker has been a great reminder of the power and blessing of temple ordinances and covenants.
• Church - I enjoyed teaching Sunday School for the first few months of the year (all on Zoom), and then I had the chance to get to know some sweet new Relief Society sisters on the activities committee for a few months, before being called to serve in the Primary.  I haven't spent time in Primary since I was there as a kid, thirty years ago, so it's been a learning experience, but a great joy, too.  Children have a way of gladdening the heart, believing, seeing the good, and making you smile. :)
• Fitness / Nature - I walked more steps this year than last year, and explored some great new hiking trails and nature highlights, especially in the Redwoods, but otherwise I need to work on diversifying my exercise.

I'm grateful for all that I've learned this year and am looking forward to a brand new year to keep learning and growing and hopefully progressing and helping others, too.

40!

I made it over the hill, 23 miles of hill, one of my favorite hills in fact.  I'm grateful for my family that helped me get there.  To be honest, thinking of turning 40 was hard for me.  My family was very sweet and helped plan something they knew I would love--hiking and being with them in one of my favorite places! ;)

With my very patient and kind mother as the driver and goodie bag party planner and best supporter, my dad and three siblings and I set out on Saturday, August 31 for an all-day hike from Driggs, Idaho to Jenny Lake, Wyoming.  This same group of five did this same hike together 15 years earlier.  It was fun to be together to do it again.  It was as great as I remembered, with just a few more blisters.  It's a beautiful walk up to the Teton Crest Trail and Alaska Basin, right past the Grand Teton, and then down Cascade Canyon into Teton National Park.

I'm grateful for thoughtful and generous parents, supportive siblings, and a kind brother-in-law and sisters-in-law who not only helped make this adventure happen, but are always so kind and supportive and loving along this whole adventure called life.  It's such a blessing to have such a fun, happy, willing, and good team helping to encourage and lift and cheer all along the way! ;)

50!!

I made it... to all 50 states in the United States of America!  I'm grateful for opportunities I've had to travel and explore and visit so many wonderful places and to live in such an incredible country!  Some of these places I saw when I was young and traveling with my parents back and forth across the country, but many of them I've seen in the last 15 years or so.  My last trip was on purpose to North Dakota... it's harder to pass through on your way somewhere.  ;)  And it was lovely!  Here are some of the highlights and my favorite things about each state (the states in bold are states I've lived in)...

• (AL) Alabama - I don't remember this family trip across the country from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982, but I did travel through. ;)
• (AK) Alaska - Anchorage, Alyeska, Seward, Denali... mountains and animals and flowers and fall in August.  I probably hiked at least 50 miles on 10 trails in a week.  STUNNING!
• (AZ) Arizona - Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Page.  I've made a few trips to and through Arizona over the years.  I think my most memorable adventure was hiking rim to rim of the Grand Canyon in 2009.  Beautiful!  I also loved my trip to Phoenix for a temple tour with Cari in 2017.
• (AR) Arkansas - I drove through the whole state across I-40 in one dry lightning storm of a night in 2012.  I should probably visit some sites off the interstate in the daylight. ;)
• (CA) California - I lived in Los Angeles for a summer as an almost one-year-old and have had many opportunities to go back... Yosemite, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, the Redwoods, Disneyland, Huntington Beach, San Diego, and Carlsbad to name a few.
• (CO) Colorado - I lived in Colorado Springs for five years (from three to eight years old).  It's where I went to kindergarten, where I was baptized, and where I spent a lot of time in the mountains with my family.  I still have a few pictures in my mind of our neighborhood, my school, and life in Colorado.  We had a view of Pike's Peak directly outside our living room window.  I've loved "America the Beautiful" ever since.
• (CT) Connecticut - I lived in Stamford, Connecticut for six months as a three-year old and I can still remember and have pictures in my head of driving through the fall leaves to get to friends' houses along the Merritt Parkway.  We picked the right six months to live in Connecticut. ;)
• (DC) - Okay, it's not official a state, but I lived there, two blocks from the Capitol, for three months, so it more than counts and is the cherry on top!  ;)  I really love Washington, D.C.!  Living within running distance of the monuments for a summer was magical!
• (DE) Delaware - I've mostly just traveled through Delaware on my way to or from other places
• (FL) Florida - This is a place I need to return to.  We passed through on our drive from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.  
• (GA) Georgia - I visited Georgia as a little girl, but the trip I remember was in 2002 for my cousin's wedding.  We saw Stone Mountain, the Appalachian Trail, Atlanta, and Gainesville.
• (HI) Hawaii - This is home.  My growing up years from 8 to 18 were spent in Kailua on Oahu.  Paradise!  Grateful!  Yep, people do live there and we actually took FULL advantage of the beach and the mountains nearby.  "I'll never forget where I'm from." ;)
• (ID) Idaho - I've made quite a few trips through Idaho... to and from Rexburg, to and from the Tetons, to and from the PNW.  I could live and retire in Idaho... one of those mountain towns near Wyoming. ;)
• (IL) Illinois - We visited Chicago as a family on one of the hottest days of the year in 1999.  Then we went on to Carthage and Nauvoo.  It was a special trip.  I've been back to Chicago a few times since for work trips--walking around the city, attending the temple, eating pizza.  
• (IN) Indiana - My best memory of Indiana was staying with cousins in Indianapolis on my way to Washington, DC in 2010.
• (IA) Iowa - I love the Iowa cornfields.  That's what I remember about Iowa... driving for a long time... seeing the cornfields... and looking for the baseball field.  ;)
• (KS) Kansas - I remember driving across Kansas a few times, grateful the storms weren't coming our way.
• (KY) Kentucky - This is one I only saw as a kid.  I drove through with my parents in 1981.
• (LA) Louisiana - We drove through on our way from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.
• (ME) Maine - York Beach, Maine.  We finished up a fun family trip to New York City and Boston at York Beach, Maine in 2005.
• (MD) Maryland - Kensington, Maryland was a weekly visit while I lived in D.C.  I loved being in the temple there.  One of my most memorable visits to Maryland though was visiting Fort McHenry in 1992.  I loved seeing the place where "The Star Spangled Banner" was written.
• (MA) Massachusetts - I really love Boston!  We visited when I was little and as a whole family in 2005.  I went back in 2009 and 2011 with friends.  I love the history, the Freedom Trail, Boston Common, the Charles River, Harvard, the Old North Church, Lexington and Concord.  I took the T and walked in the pouring rain to the temple in 2009.  It was a great adventure!
• (MI) Michigan - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (MN) Minnesota - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.  This is on my list to return to and explore more.
• (MS) Mississippi - This was also along our drive from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.
• (MO) Missouri - I've visited Missouri twice.  Our family visited Liberty Jail, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and Independence in 1999.  It was memorable and wonderful!  I went back again with my parents in 2012, driving from Kansas City to St. Louis.  We visited both temples, saw Truman's library, Independence, Jefferson City, the Missouri River, Columbia, and the Gateway Arch. 
• (MT) Montana - I love Montana!  Glacier National Park is one of my favorites!  We spent several days hiking around as a family in 2002.  We saw bears, drove the "Going to the Sun" road (after a great ranger talk on how it was built), and continued on to Banff and Jasper, Canada.  Beautiful!
• (NE) Nebraska - I've driven through Nebraska a number of times, but none more memorable than the drive to Lincoln in August 2010 in pouring rain.  I was grateful for the hotel hot tub that night to relax after some white knuckle driving.  I've also spent a little bit of time in Omaha and Winter Quarters.
• (NV) Nevada - I've driven through and stayed a time or two.  Family trips to and through Las Vegas in 1994 and 2015 are probably highlights, and a friend's broken down car in Primm on the way home from Disneyland is another memory.  
• (NH) New Hampshire - We stayed in Franconia, New Hampshire for a night in 2005 and hiked in the White Mountains.  It was really beautiful and steep.  Those mountains seemed rockier than the ones I'm used to out West. ;)
• (NJ) New Jersey - I've mostly just driven through New Jersey to or from New York.
• (NM) New Mexico - We visited four corners while living in Colorado and I've driven through New Mexico a few times since.  I remember driving through Albuquerque on my way back from Washington, D.C. to Utah in 2012.
• (NY) New York - I really like New York!  I love the countryside and the city... Buffalo, Palmyra, New York City, Manhattan, Central Park, the Upper West Side, the Brooklyn Bridge.  Our family trip in 2005 to the city and Palmyra were great!  I made trips back to the city in 2011, 2017, and 2018.  I visited Palmyra for the Palmyra Pageant in 2011.  I visited Buffalo and Niagara Falls in 2012.  
• (NC) North Carolina - North Carolina is a big state.  I drove across the whole state in a day in February 2012 when moving to Utah from Washington, D.C., but not before spending a wonderful Presidents' Day weekend in the Outer Banks.  Beautiful!
• (ND) North Dakota - State #50 was a fun adventure.  I flew to Bismarck with a friend, visited the temple and the state capitol building before driving on to Dickinson and then visiting part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  This is really a beautiful state and I've heard the sunflowers are incredible a little later in the year. ;)
• (OH) Ohio - I'd driven across Ohio a couple of times, but I flew to Cleveland in August 2012 to meet my parents who were traveling slowly across the country.  While my dad rode his bike, I spent the day in Kirtland with my mom.  It was wonderful!  We also saw Lake Erie and continued on to Buffalo and Niagara Falls.  This was a neat trip!
• (OK) Oklahoma - I drove across Oklahoma and I-40 in February 2012.
• (OR) Oregon - I really love Oregon.  Oregon is probably the state I've visited the most without ever living in.  It feels like another home, party because both of my brother's married girls from Oregon, so I've attended two weddings in the Portland Temple and had fun side trips each time.  We visited Bend, Eugene, Aloha.  I spent a week traveling along the whole Oregon Coast in 2008 which was beautiful!  I traveled back to Portland for work for a week in March 2011.  I love the bookstore, the rose garden, and the greenery. ;)
• (PA) Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania is really a historic and beautiful!  I've visited several times.  We visited Gettysburg as a family when I was little and again in 1992.  I returned to Gettysburg in 2009 and also visited Philadelphia.  We visited the Susquehanna River in 2005.  This is one of the most special places I've ever visited.  We spent a lot of time there (not only because we lost the car keys for a bit, but because it was so peaceful).  I spent a week in a small resort just outside of Uniontown in 2011 for work.  We visited one of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes there.  I returned to Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River and Priesthood Restoration Site in 2016 with some friends which was wonderful.  Philadelphia is full of wonderful history.  I loved visiting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal, and the Schuylkill River.
• (RI) Rhode Island - We drove through Rhode Island in 2005 as a family.
• (SC) South Carolina - This was another home for three months as a child.  We lived in Lancaster.  I don't remember much, but my parents enjoyed the experience.
• (SD) South Dakota - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (TN) Tennessee - Tennessee is a long state.  I drove all the way across it one night in February 2012.
• (TX) Texas - Texas is a big state.  I think I made some other trips and probably need to make more, but my most recent and memorable trip was finally stopping in Amarillo to sleep after driving all the way from North Carolina while moving across the country. ;)
• (UT) Utah - I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I lived my first two years in Provo while my dad was in graduate school and then six more years in Provo for my own college years.  I've now lived and worked in Salt Lake City for another twelve years, so that's a total of 20 years (or half my life) in Utah, through a variety of times and experiences.  I really do love Utah, the mountains, the people, the seasons, the school opportunities, the work opportunities, and it's where family is generally, so it's got my heart. ;)
• (VT) Vermont - We visited Sharon, Vermont (the birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith) as a family in 2005.  This was a beautiful and peaceful place!
• (VA) Virginia - I lived in Crystal City, Virginia for 18 months.  This is a special place.  I was still in running distance to the Washington, D.C. monuments.  Virginia and D.C. is where I learned to love to run.  I spent a lot of time on the metro and walking around the Crystal City area, along the Mount Vernon Trail, and even over to the Pentagon.
• (WA) Washington - I really love Washington!  I lived in Everett for a few months as a two-year-old, but learned to say Mukilteo. ;)  I've been back to visit many, many times and am grateful for family that lives just outside of Seattle and gets me back there often.  It's beautiful!  Some of my favorites include Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, Skagit Valley, Mount Rainier, the North Cascades, Pike's Market, Kerry Park, and Snoqualmie Falls.
• (WV) West Virginia - We visited Harper's Ferry in 1992.
• (WI) Wisconsin - We drove through Wisconsin on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (WY) Wyoming - I really love Wyoming--the Tetons, the Wind Rivers, Farson, Devil's Tower, Martin's Cove, the 6th Crossing of the Sweetwater, Rock Creek Hollow, Star Valley.  It's kind of amazing!

Explore. Dream. Discover.  There's more to see and explore, but I'm grateful for opportunities that have allowed me to see and enjoy so much of our wonderful country and look forward to seeing and learning more!

(Some day I'll have to go back and pick a favorite picture from every state, but for now here are a few I have handy on my phone from a few recent travels.)

2017 Highlights

2017 was a great year!  I worked towards some of my goals - I tried to simplify, pray, express gratitude, build relationships, learn, travel, serve, read, hike/exercise, and I think there was a little more purpose and light.  Here are a few more specifics and highlights of the year....

Traveling

• St. George - I made it to St. George twice this year - President's Day weekend and Thanksgiving.  It was nice to relax and spend time with my parents.  This year included hiking in and around Snow Canyon; biking the river trail and into Zion's National Park on Thanksgiving - really fun; putting up Christmas decorations and watching Hallmark movies (two of my favorite things); and the temple.
• Phoenix - Cari and I went on a first ever sisters' trip.  It was really fun!  We spent Easter weekend in Phoenix attending the three temples in that city (Mesa, Phoenix, and Gilbert), watching the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant, and hiking most of Camelback Mountain.  It was a great weekend and fun new tradition (I hope)!
• Kansas City to St. Louis - I spent a long weekend meeting up with Mom and Dad on part of their cross country trip.  I got to drive across Missouri with them.  I flew into Kansas City and we attended the Kansas City Temple, visited the Independence Visitors' Center and the Harry Truman Library.  Then we got to visit Sedalia and head on to Jefferson City for a couple of nights.  We stayed near the state capitol building and explored that as well as the path along the Missouri River (which was extremely high and muddy this May) and the MKT Trail in Columbia.  We watched a few tornado clouds along the way, too, which was kind of exciting!  (We're not in Kansas anymore.)  Then we made our way to St. Louis.  We biked part of the Katy Trail in St. Charles, attended the St. Louis Temple, saw the St. Louis Arch, and walked across part of the famous Eads Bridge.  It was really fun to explore Missouri and spend time with my parents.
• San Diego, Oahu, and The Big Island - The big trip this year was to Hawaii and it was wonderful!  We met as an immediate family and spouses on the Big Island for a week.  Some of the highlights included Waipio Valley, our own private beach (with manta rays and sea urchins), Pu'uhonua O'Hanaunau, swimming/kayaking with the dolphins at Kealakekua Bay, sunset at Kahaluu Beach and Makalawena Beach, Punaluu Black Sand Beach with the turtles, Volcanoes National Park, waterfalls of Hilo, Saddle Road, the Waikaloa, Pololu Valley, Kailua-Kona town walking, and the Kona Hawaii Temple.  I left a few days early to stop in San Diego where I visited the San Diego Temple and the Mormon Battalion Historic Site and the sea lions at La Jolla.  Then I got to visit Oahu for a couple of days to do all my favorite things - sunrise at Lanikai, hike to the bunker, run the beach from the boat ramp to the rock, swim at Kalama Beach, Kailua pool, Makapuu, hike to the lighthouse, Kokohead Stairs, and friends at church in the Keolu Ward.  It was a wonderful trip!
• New York City - It was a real highlight to spend Christmas weekend with Matt and Megan and their family in New York City.  It was rainy and freezing but wonderful!  I walked nearly 50 miles while I was there from Times Square, to the Upper West Side and all the "You've Got Mail" sites, to Riverside Church and Columbia University, to Central Park (and the Columbus Circle Holiday Market), to the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Wall Street, the Freedom Tower, Washington Square Park, Soho, Greenwich, the Flatiron Building, to Bryant Park, the Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall (and the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular), the High Line, Chelsea Market, Christmas Eve Children's Nativity Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church, the Lincoln Center and to Church/the Temple.  It was fun to see the city all decorated for Christmas and to explore, but the best part was spending time with Matt's family.  Some of my favorite things - scootering around town and the Bryant Park "race track" (even in the cold and rain), learning about all the subways, finding all the best parks and bagels and books, watching and singing Star Wars, racing cars, putting together puzzles, acting out the nativity, eating chocolate and all of Megan's delicious dishes, praying, playing, and just talking and being together. :)

Reading
I read 90 books this year, plus the Book of Mormon twice.  The first time through I studied about love and charity - and it's FULL of love!  ;)  The second time through I studied about Jesus Christ, his names/titles, his words, his characteristics, and his mission - I learned a lot about our Heavenly Father, as well, and our Savior's mission and love.  Truly the Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation, our purpose here on earth.  I'm grateful for it and know it's the word of God.  This was a wonderful experience and I hope to continue this focus as I read the Old Testament next year!  I also read much of the Doctrine and Covenants, and about 1,100 General Conference talks (from 1983 to 2001).  I'm grateful for chances to learn and study.  

Here were some of my favorites books of 2017: 

• Seek This Jesus by Neill F. Marriott
• That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith & Family by Tom Christofferson
• One by One by David A. Bednar
• Be Thou An Example by Gordon B. Hinckley
• Changed Through His Grace by Brad Wilcox
• Worth the Wrestle by Sheri Dew
• Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt by Patrick Q. Mason
• Love Kindness: Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue by Barry H. Corey
• Let God Love You: why we don't, how we can by Wendy Ulrich
• Loveable: Embracing What Is Truest About You, So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life by Kelly Flanagan
• Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
• Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson by Gordon S. Wood
• Joseph Smith: The Prophet and Seer by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
• How We Got the Book of Mormon by Richard E. Turley, Jr.
• The Inevitable Apostasy and the Promised Restoration by Tad R. Callister
• The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-Day Saint Women's History by Jill Mulvay Derr
• At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women by Jennifer Reeder
• The Witness of Women: Firsthand Experiences and Testimonies from the Restoration by Janiece Johnson
• QB: My Life Behind the Spiral by Steve Young
• An Unseen Angel: A Mother's Story of Faith, Hope and Healing after Sandy Hook by Alissa Parker
• Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
• Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Girl With Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story by Hyeonseo Lee
• A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming
• The Lightless Sky: A Twelve-Year-Old Refugee's Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half the World by Gulwali Passarlay
• The Boy Who Spoke to the Earth by Chris Burkard

Service / Learning / Other Exploring

• Temples - This year (in addition to the weekly temple visits here in the Salt Lake valley) I attended six new temples - Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Arizona, Gilbert Arizona, Kansas City Missouri, St. Louis Missouri, and San Diego California.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life!
• Service - I finished my weekly teaching at the ESLC in May, but have filled in as a sub a few times and still enjoy being a part of the community and learning with the sweet refugees.  I also helped at a Mother's Day event for homeless women in May, and was a hostess again at the Festival of Trees in November.  I also started to develop a giving strategy, setting aside some money that I'd like to give each year to worthy causes to help make a difference for good in the world and community.
• Church - I was involved in my ward this year and got to know a lot of people, mostly through visiting teaching and missionary outreach - we had two baptism this year.  I also enjoyed our ward choir and a chance to sing in an interfaith concert in April.
• Fitness and Nature - I ran the American Fork Half Marathon in June (my new favorite half - I might have to do it again).  I also spent a good amount of time hiking and in nature - my happy place!  I tried to bring along friends and family a few more times this year, which was fun.  Some of the highlights include Lake Blanche, Red Pine Lake, White Pine Lake, the Snowbird Tram, Willow Heights Lake, Dog Lake, Cecret Lake, Albion Basin, Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine, Bell Canyon, The Living Room, and lots of other adventures in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and the Draper trails.  I'm grateful for our Heavenly Father's beautiful creations and how being out in them helps me feel close to Him!  
• Relationships - This year I tried to focus more on individual relationships with family, friends, and everyone around me.  I don't know that I made it to my goal of 365 thank you notes, but I was more conscious of goodness and blessings around me and tried to express that any chance I got to friends and strangers.
• Other Events - I finished up as our BYU MPA class rep this year, but not before I had the chance to help out with some presentation reviews for the EMPA graduating class, and attend our yearly board meeting.  I also attended our yearly picnic and an Education Week fireside which was nice.  The best MPA related news this year though, was a Loto Taha reunion - it was so fun to spend time with my first team of great friends!  A couple of other fun events - I don't see many movies, but this year I did really enjoy La La Land (by myself on Valentine's Day - kind of great!) and Wonder.  I also loved seeing the Nutcracker, hearing the Christmas concert at the Cathedral of Madeline, and taking a tour of the Provo MTC's new addition - brought back so many sweet memories!  

Life is great!

2015 in Review

Looking back on 2015 it's kind of remarkable all that has happened!  In no particular order here are some of my adventures, highlights, and take-aways:

• I worked as an ordinance worker at the Salt Lake Temple.  Highlight!  Although I do appreciate a Saturday morning sleep-in or run or free weekend all the more now.  ;)
• I attended two new temples - Payson and Seattle.  Wonderful!
• I sang in three different choirs - ward choir, the Witness Music presentation of Rob Gardner's Lamb of God during Easter (really neat!!), and I was a part of the Salt Lake Temple Workers' Choir for the yearly devotional (incredible experience!)
• I bought a house!  Kind of exciting, kind of terrifying, very educational.
• I ran a marathon (my version of the Ogden Marathon which was more accurately two half marathons with a little drive in between) and two official half marathons (Big Cottonwood and Snow Canyon).
• I read a lot of books!  Some of my favorites:  Press On by Joseph B. Wirthlin; Return unto Me by Kerry Muhlestein; The Conservative Heart by Arthur Brooks; Essentialism by Greg McKeown; Gifts from the Sea by Anne Lindbergh; Truths Most Worth Knowing by Boyd K. Packer; Wonder by R. J. Palacio; Ezra Taft Benson: A Biography by Sheri Dew; The Wright Brothers by David McCullough; Power to Become by David A. Bednar; Teaching Your Children Joy by Linda and Richard Eyre; Belonging to Heaven by Gale Sears
• I spent time with family!  Always a highlight!!!  We enjoyed a wonderful week together in Las Vegas at the pool and remembering to 'stay by the tree.'  I spent several Sunday evenings and Thanksgiving with extended family.  I visited St. George a few times and spent lots of quality time with my parents - they're pretty great!  I got to be hostess for a few family gatherings (thanks for coming, Josh and Kirsten!) and visited my sister's house more (she and her family really know how to be host(esse)s).  I loved being in Seattle for an extended Christmas weekend - highlight!  Washington is beautiful and meeting a new nephew is the sweetest and getting on an airplane at least once a year is a must!  Thanks, Matt and Megan!  :)
• I deepened relationships.  I learned a lot about who I am, what I'm looking for, having confidence, and getting to know and be inspired by good people in large and small ways.  Relatedly, I learned again the importance of being happy, being grateful, being open, being vulnerable.  I'm grateful for friends, friendships, relationships, and opportunities to give and grow.  Much more to learn!  ;)  
• I enjoyed opportunities to share and teach the gospel.  I watched three new members join the Church and saw part of their conversion as I had the chance to teach Gospel Principles for much of the year.  HIGHLIGHT!!  I love the simple gospel truths, the plan of salvation, and the chance to testify of Jesus Christ!  What it's all about!!!
• I enjoyed lots of BEAUTIFUL wildflowers, fall leaves, and sunsets while consistently hiking and enjoying being outside and appreciating our Heavenly Father's creations!  One of the ways I see and feel God's love!
• I have a renewed testimony of the importance of and gratitude for prayer, scripture study, studying the gospel of Jesus Christ, learning the words of the Prophet and Apostles and following in faith.
• I have a greater appreciation for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the hope and peace and joy and change it can bring!