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.

Easter Thoughts

I love Easter and the hope and peace its message brings!

Joseph Smith taught, "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."

We learn from the Bible Dictionary, "One of the most fundamental doctrines taught by the Twelve was that Jesus was risen from the tomb, with His glorified, resurrected body, as in Acts 1:21–22; 2:32; 3:15; 4:33. To obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection of Jesus is the most glorious of all messages to mankind."

I love this and believe it!  This year I have had a few thoughts about Easter that have brought more peace and direction:

First and foremost, I love the Lord, our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. Because He conquered death and sin He brings hope now and forever! We will be resurrected.  We will live again.  We can change. We can become like Him. That's why we're here on this earth. To learn of Him and walk in His ways. We need His help all along the way. He is there. We can walk with Him. I'm grateful for our Heavenly Father's love in sending Jesus to earth to live for us!

I had a thought about Mary Magdalene recently. Each of the gospel writers record the events of the Resurrection slightly differently, but we know that Mary was the first to see Him. What a special privilege. I started wondering what made that possible. Maybe He would have come to her first wherever she was, but I tend to think that she did some things that made her ready. She had come to the tomb with others and when they saw that it was empty the others left, but she stayed. Maybe she stayed because she was sad, maybe she wanted time alone to process and mourn, maybe she wanted to be close to Him or where he last was? Maybe? Maybe she felt like she should stay for some other reason? I don't know why she stayed, but I believe she was where she was supposed to be. She truly loved the Lord, that's all she could think about, she wanted to be with Him and so she was there when He came.  She was where she was supposed to be. And He came to her. Where should we be? Do we seek Him above everything else? Are we willing to wait? Are we open and vulnerable enough to express our love to Him? I was touched by a beautiful sign in the Mesa Arizona Temple that I visited for this first time this weekend. It was a simple, but powerful scripture from the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." I believe that's what the pure in heart would desire and work for and prepare for and focus on - above all else wanting to be with Him. 

I love the temples and feel like they are one of the greatest symbols of our Heavenly Father's love and  our Savior's triumph over the tomb. We visit temples to make covenants with God and to do work for our ancestors who died without the chance to make their own covenants.  In 1918, President Joseph Fielding Smith received a beautiful vision and understanding of the Spirit World (recorded in D&C 138) and how, during the time between His death and resurrection, the Savior organized His faithful followers in the Spirit World to preach the gospel and that leaves a lot of temple work for us to do.  This weekend I had the chance to spend a lot of time in the temple and I'm grateful for the peace and purpose and hope and direction I find there personally and for the promised blessings to each of our Heavenly Father's children offered there.  

"He is risen. Tell is out with joyful voice."  

"He lives, my one sure rock of faith, The one bright hope of men on earth"  

"What praises can we offer To thank thee, Lord most high?"  

"I believe in Christ; he is my King! With all my heart to him I'll sing;"

"He lives! All glory to His name!"  

"Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!"  

Peripheral Vision

Recently I bought a new winter coat.  I'm grateful, especially today, to be warm!  :)  A few things my coat has made me think about:

1. I have an increased gratitude for being warm and finding the right clothes to keep warm.  I think I'll enjoy winter more than I have in a long time.  ;)
2. Be careful with the furry hood - it might scare your three-year old niece.  ;)  
3. Another thing about the hood - it is so helpful in keeping you warm and dry, but it makes it hard to see.  It's tough to cross the street or see anyone or anything around you without pulling it back a little.  While walking in the blowing snow and waiting for Trax this evening and nearly running into a couple of people and things I started thinking about the importance of peripheral vision.  ;)

We talk often (and I actually read a book today) about the importance of staying focused on our goals and going after what we want.  Stay on the path.  Don't be distracted by things not on your path.  Some might argue that blinders or a furry hood are good for helping us stay focused and in the right way, but my experience today helped me remember the incredible value of peripheral vision.  Looking outside ourselves actually helps put things in perspective.  We can see better and are aware of what's around us.  We are not alone.  The people and things around us, their goals, their paths are also important, not only to them, but should be to us.

Yesterday we had a really great discussion in Relief Society about Elder Ballard's recent talk in General Conference, "To Whom Shall We Go?"  We shared testimonies of the joy that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to our lives and the unique blessings we receive from following His plan and teachings.  It is a blessing to find truth and direction in His Church.

We also talked about Lehi's Dream and how it relates to Elder Ballard's plea "that we will encourage, accept, understand, and love those who are struggling with their faith.  We must never neglect any of our brothers and sisters.  We are all at different places on the path, and we need to minister to one another accordingly."  Our teacher shared a sweet analogy of walking along the path, holding to the iron rod, and then noticing a "shiny rock" close by and letting go for a second to go and see what it was.  Then just farther than that there's another one a little bit bigger that grabs her attention and pretty soon it's hard to know how to get back to the rod.  The mists of darkness have come in and the only way she knew back was to start looking for hands of people she knew were on the path, holding to the rod.  ;)  We don't know what the "shiny rocks" are in others' paths or what distractions might be enticing to us that cause us to lose our way.

This little illustration helped to me realize that in addition to holding to the rod we should also be looking to see who we can help along the way.  We can #LIGHTtheWORLD as we share our Savior's love and light with others in large and small ways.  I think the key to doing so has to do with being aware of what's in our peripheral vision.  He will put people in our path, but we need to be looking for them, praying for them, loving them.  That was my prayer today.  <3

Now, What...?!

May and June were busy.  I had trips to look forward to and goals and new adventures to accomplish.  I was a little overwhelmed and focused on surviving those, so once they were over it was nice to have a little relief and time to reflect, but soon (within about a day) I found myself asking what's next?!  :)  Thinking about what's next I realize how important it is to have goals, to have a purpose and to focus on moving forward.  Without goals for progress we hit a plateau, get comfortable, and maybe even a little bit lazy (at least I do).

At the same time as I'm sitting here thinking about what to do now....I've come across a few ideas in some books I've been reading and in talking to some friends and family that have been insightful about the topic of "now, what?!"  One thought is from a book called More Holiness Give Me.  The author shares the story of a faithful couple, active in the church, raising a righteous family and doing their best to live the commandments. They wonder, "Is this it? Is this all there is? Is this what we prepared all our lives for? Where do we go from here (p. 2)?" I think this is an interesting question that many of us get to at different points in our life, usually when we're on some kind of plateau, but we must see and remember the end goal to become like and return to God. There is much to learn and more progress to be made in coming to know Him.  In another quote from the book:  "Like the brother of Jared we too often fail to 'cry unto the Lord' in the sense of seeking his mind and will, striving to find new ways to accomplish his purposes, and going to work to achieve his ends.  We get comfortable.  We get content.  We even get lazy.  We pause on life's plateau's too long.  We lose our spiritual momentum and eventually our interest in climbing higher (p. 34)."

Another thought is from a great book called Strengthening Our Families, which includes this great tidbit:  "Many forms of wholesome recreation, require thoughtful planning, creativity, and effort--they are intentional, deliberate activities....To Aristotle, the crowning virtue of the good life is leisure. But leisure does not refer to idleness or napping; it refers to activities by which human beings learn and acquire intellectual virtues. The intellectual virtues, such as art, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, are the highest virtues of the good life. For Aristotle, thinking or using our minds is a distinctly human activity and the ultimate purpose of leisure (p. 194)."  So, I need to find a passion, be creative, set another goal to learn something and progress....some of the first things on the list - a Spanish class, family history, a half marathon, and maybe a trip somewhere new.  :)

One thing I learned as a part of my most recent adventures is the importance of enjoying the journey and forgetting yourself.  Looking back on recent experiences I wish I had been less worried about myself and more focused on learning and loving and experiencing the people around me and the moment and being open to how to help and support those around me.  I think I did do this to a certain extent, but in the future I'd like to try to stress less, enjoy the preparations, and help others, in order to enjoy the journey....basically forget yourself!

On a related note(s)....

I was inspired by our lesson in Relief Society today (you'll notice I'm in the habit of posting things a bit behind schedule).  The sister teaching shared the sweet story of how she grew up gardening with her mother and she looked forward to the day when she'd have her own house and could build her own garden.  Her life hasn't progressed the same way she expected and since she doesn't have her own home yet she'd been putting off starting her garden.  She was waiting for something....waiting for a house in order to move on.  Finally, after realizing she'd been living in the same apartment for four years and she had a little bit of garden space she decided she should go ahead and plant something, start a small garden with the area that she had.  Because she had neglected this little spot of ground for the past several years many weeds had grown in.  It took her the whole year just to clear the weeds and she didn't have time left to plant anything that year.  Although she was a little bit discouraged that she hadn't had time to plant, she was glad she had at least made progress and gotten rid of the weeds.  She would have to wait one more year to start her garden.  Then, a beautiful thing happened.  As spring came the next year a full box of tulips came up.  They had been there all along, but the weeds had crowded them out.  She just needed to clear the weeds and the flowers were always there for her.  This story brought tears to my eyes as she shared this blessing in her life.  I feel like this often.  Waiting.  Overwhelmed.  Discouraged.  Wondering.  But then if we get out there and work a little bit, move forward, pull the weeds, make something happen....the flowers come!  :)

Elder Oaks attended our ward today, too.  He shared his testimony at the end of the meeting and said something about how old people talk about and look to the past because they have no future, young people look to the future because they don't have an experienced past yet, but he said that we were somewhere in the middle and have both, which to me means that we should be doing something meaningful now.  We have some experience and lots to look forward to.  He also said that with many decisions to make we need to stay close to the gospel.

And here's another sweet reminder, Fear Not, Little Flock, from President Howard W. Hunter in 1989.

So, all of this is saying (I think) press forward, saints!  :)

Life Philosophy

I'm very practical and I try to keep life simple. I usually think that my presence at an event doesn't mean much, but I recently read an NPR article entitled Always Go To The Funeral. This article, along with other things I've seen and thought about lately have helped me realize the importance of connecting with and celebrating with and mourning with others.

I haven't always done this well, but I think it's important to go to the funeral, go to the reception, go to the shower, send gifts, be sure to send thank you notes and other kinds of letters when you feel like you should....don't assume that someone knows what they mean to you! Be there! I was touched by my Grandpa's sweet friends who recently came to his viewing and funeral or wrote notes to the family - people that he home taught for years, travel companions, handball partners, and barbers. It's a blessing to understand how we have and how we can bless others lives and these are opportunities to share that love.

I think that a good life philosophy is to be there! :)

Looking Forward

I started this post just after Thanksgiving last year....and since we're starting to try to coordinate Thanksgiving plans for this year and they've been putting up Christmas lights at Temple Square for about a week, maybe it's okay that I finally finish this post now - somewhat related, right?  :)  It was fun to be together with the whole family at Thanksgiving last year and one thing we talked about while we were together was "looking forward" to things.  I do this a lot (and have been thinking about it again)!  I always like to have something to look forward to.  I think it actually makes the regular-ness of every day more fun and helps me find more joy in the small things, too.

It was fun to drive home from St. George with my three-year-old nephew.  We were nearly home when he wanted to turn around and go back.  He was pretty insistent!  We had had a really nice weekend and it was so special to all be together, and I have to admit that as we finished the weekend I just wanted to stay there too, but we had to move on....we had to come home...we had to move forward, not just look back on what we had looked forward to.  :)

Here are a couple of interesting articles and then three wonderful videos that shed a little bit of light on how we think about the past, present and future.

How do you look forward, but live in the present and enjoy each minute of where you are?

Community Building

WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD! That's why I came to the MPA program. I want to change the world and make it a better place. We can each make a difference and be change agents. In fact, we've got to do more. :) I was inspired today in my nonprofit marketing class by our professor's passion for the nonprofit sector. He is the CEO of United Way of Utah County and works with nonprofit leaders all over the country. Today he told us not to lose our drive to change the world and make things better. He told us that they need more help and we all need to do more.

It all sounds really good as we're in school and dreaming about what we'll do in the future, but I thought about how easy it could be to forget some of my dreams of doing more and changing the world once I settle into a job and new life routine. We've got to do more! :) We must always have passion, determination, hope. We can't lose the drive to make things better. We have to be restless. We can't be content with the problems we see around us. We must learn all that we can, be good at what you do, and earn others' respect so we can make a powerful difference.

We must each ask ourselves:

• What are my passions?
• What do I want to change?
• How am I going to make a difference in the world?

We each have more potential to influence and make a difference than we think!! :)

We can't be content with the problems we see around us. They aren't distant stories. They are real and unless someone steps up and does something to reach out to someone who is struggling or looks for a way to help nothing will change. I saw the greatest movie tonight: The Blindside. I was so inspired by Leanne Tuohy's desire to do something when she saw someone walking down the street that needed help. She was so giving and selfless in her outreach. I want to be more aware of those around me and not be afraid to step up and do something to help someone and empower others to change their lives for the better.

When Alexis de Toucqueville toured America in the 1800s he saw an America where people watched out for each other. That may not happen as much as it should today. We don't sit out on our porches and talk to the neighbors or play baseball in the streets as much as we used to or should. :) Our communities are important. We can see a community in two different ways--as a system (that has order, services, clients, and needs) or as a community (based on consent, care, citizens, and talents). The system focuses on needs, creating needs, and sometimes giving people things they don't need. The community focuses on what everyone can do and what talents each person can share. There are two secrets to community building (according to Bill Hulterstrom and John McKnight). We need to remember that:

1. Everyone is gifted. Everyone has a gift!
2. A caring community is where as many people as possible can share their gifts and talents.

This reminds me a lot of what I learned in Stake Conference last month. :) In other words, systems are important, but we don't want the systems we put in place to overcome the natural caring aspects of a community (which are about our relationships and our intentions). We need to give and serve correctly. Different people need different things and we definitely don't want to do something for someone that they can do for themselves. We need to serve "with all our heart, might, mind, and strength" (D&C 4) meaning that we really think about what would be best. As we really love our neighbors and know them and their needs and their talents we will create a happier and more productive community. A true community will be like Zion where we are all of "one heart and one mind" (Moses 7:18).

CHANGE

I am fascinated by change. Change is hard, but it is so necessary. We see it everywhere. It's inevitable. It seems to be surrounding me in my life now--family moving, graduation, looking for a new job, traveling, moving sometime soon, etc. :) Change is about innovation and becoming better. We need to look for ways to change ourselves for the better and help influence others as well. Good leaders understand that they must prepare others for changes and help them adapt, but they can also help to influence others to change.

I am taking a great class this semester where one of the authors of the book Influencer: The Power to Change Anything is teaching us how to influence change. It's a great book. I have learned a lot going through it and realizing how important it is to understand how we can influence others and make positive changes in our own lives. It all comes back to two main questions we must ask:

• Do I want to do it? (motivation)
• Can I do it? (ability)

There are three levels to each of these questions: personal, social, and structural. We can have personal motivation and ability, use social motivation and ability, and put some structural motivation and abilities in place to help influence change. I am learning how important each of these principles are and I believe we can make a difference for good as we understand these processes better.

I had a profound insight while sitting in class tonight. We need to be open and ALLOW other people to change. I think that too often we assume that we know and understand everything about a person, when really we are all changing everyday (or we should be). I think that sometimes we look forward to and welcome change or moving to a new place or situation because it will give us the opportunity to start over and almost be a whole new person. :) What if we each really cared about each other's progress and understood better that we all change everyday? I think we would be better able to help each other succeed and improve and progress.

After all, the purpose of this life is to change and become better.....to repent and become like God (who never changes). :) Interesting. :) There are so many neat scriptures about hearts that are changed (because of the Atonement): Mosiah 5:2, Alma 5:12-26, Alma 19:33, Helaman 15:7. I think that's where it begins. I know that we have the power to change our lives and change the world! :)

Trusting in the Lord

I am so grateful for personal revelation. Even in the midst of a lot of uncertainty I have felt very blessed the last couple of weeks with clear guidance. :) I know the Lord lives and loves us! :)

I heard this quote at FHE tonight. It's from a talk by Elder Anthony Perkins in October 2006, The Great and Wonderful Love. Just what I needed. :)

"Place your burdens on Jesus Christ. When you feel overwhelmed by expectations and challenges, do not fight the battle alone. Follow the example of small children, and drop to your knees in prayer. [I immediately thought of my wonderful three-year-old niece who wouldn't stop singing "Follow the Prophet" for us last night. It was so sweet! It wasn't prayer, but another important gospel principle of trusting in the Lord's servants that she taught with gusto. It brought me peace and joy as I thought about it again today.]

Jesus Christ has commanded us, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." Doubt, fear, and worry indicate we have taken all of life's burdens and anxieties on ourselves. When plagued by thoughts that you are inadequate, confidently say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Then as you "cheerfully do all things that lie in [your] power," you can rest assured that the Lord will do the remainder and things will work out all right.

The Savior promised, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." As you "cast [your] burden upon the Lord," you will feel the peace of the Spirit."

God is Love (하나님은 사랑이라)

I am so grateful for the beautiful world we live in and enjoy! It is a testament of our Heavenly Father's love for us. I was reminded of this great blessing in our Relief Society lesson today. I have also been thinking a lot about the beautiful mountains and scenery of Utah (since I will probably only be here a couple more months), the amazing beauty of Hawaii (and the chance I'll hopefully get to be back there a little bit more since mom and dad are moving back soon), the blessing of exploring Korea as a missionary (it was eight years ago this weekend that I got home), the excitement of China (I'm going to be there in June and July--so excited!!!), and contemplating what other beautiful and exciting places I'd like to visit next (still to be determined, but some on the list are Monticello, Moab, Haiti, Belize, Thailand, and Peru).

A song that I love and was reminded of today at church was "God is Love." This song will forever remind me of my last couple of months in Korea as a missionary. Our district sang 하나님은 사랑이라 together at least weekly. Everything, from "earth and her ten thousand flowers" to people God places in our lives, testify that God lives and that He loves us. I am grateful and feel that love each time I look around and enjoy His creations. All things testify of Him! :)

JOY!!

I had so much fun recording my blessings and gratitude last month. It really helped me focus on what's important in life day-to-day and see the hand of the Lord and His tender mercies in my life! :) So, this month I'm going to record daily moments of JOY! :) After all, that's what life's about, right? :) "Men are, that they might have joy (2 Nephi 2:25)." Here's another video to get in the spirit of the season of JOY!

Joy to the World!! :)

Dec. 1: being inspired by the Spirit while listening to two different General Authorities today--faith is the power, we're stewards, do the Lord's will, astonish the world, rise up and make a difference, miracles will happen, be happy, these are the best of times; being inspired to change and be better--be grateful, be happy, simply seek to do the Lord's will and let go of the rest, focus on what's critically important; friends who say hello or talk or help or share or visit
Dec. 2: finishing our ethics presentation, inspiration to verify lunch for tomorrow, institute, Mosiah 18, relationships, covenants, writing my personal code of ethics, learning, aha moments! :)
Dec. 3: a great class today on diversity that opened my eyes to new ideas, free lunch, nice compliment from a stranger, finishing a lot of little things, the temple and inspiration, good advice
Dec. 4: sleep, my scriptures, fun distractions, Christmas festivities
Dec. 5: learning, working, the Book of Mormon, Christmas songs and praises to the Lord, celebrating with friends
Dec. 6: Church, my testimony, fasting, gratitude, good music, a nap, scripture study, Christmas Devotional
Dec. 7: a covered parking spot, watching the SNOW!, an email from Samoa, pulling into the MTC (oh, all the memories!!), the Engisn
Dec. 8: beautiful and white winter wonderland, early morning scripture study time, personal inspiration and revelation while walking through the snow, learning the need for and striving to have a humble heart, finishing a class for the semester
Dec. 9: great roommates who bring things to school when I forget them, discussing with my fellow MPA class and friends how we will hold ourselves accountable to each other ethically going forward in our careers (after all, we do have a collective reputation), giving and how it makes us happy, one more presentation down, the sunset light on snow-covered Timpanogos, institute, books, Barnes and Noble, a schedule for the week and then no schedule for two weeks, a heart at peace
Dec. 10: finished with classes!!, an almost relaxed feeling, interesting thought-provoking discussions about Santa Clause, an amazing opportunity to go to China next semester, attending the temple!!!!, Gmail :)
Dec. 11: maps, helping others, work, chocolate cheesecake :), visiting teaching, Christmas music, completing a business plan
Dec. 12: SNOW, present deliveries, getting ahead on grading, pondering the coming of Zion, a nap, ward Christmas fun!
Dec. 13: Matt! :), singing in the choir, church, our Savior's love and life, chance to stand up for what's right, freedom, agency, constitution, reminder to be a good citizen, Joseph Smith and his life and mission, restoration of the gospel, Heavenly Father's plan, good uplifting music, Moroni 7:22
Dec. 14: studying with friends, finishing up work, FHE, the end of the semester in sight, time to play soon!!! :)

Dec. 15: steady progress towards my goals
Dec. 16: being done with finals!!!!, inspiration to take my phone :), warm day, my coat, pen and paper, my WONDERFUL sister and adorable niece and nephew, dessert, Loto Taha!!!, chance to learn Chinese, did I say being done with finals??? :)
Dec. 17: time to plan and organize and study things other than homework! :), scripture study, Temple Square!! :), missionary work, good friends and examples, good music, knowledge of our heavenly home
Dec. 18: warm bed, the BYU Bookstore during Christmas and end of the semester, the temple, HOME and family, flute-piano duets with mom (especially Christmas songs!!), trying on all the nativity costumes
Dec. 19: errands for/with dad, reading, dancing to Christmas music with Kayla :)
Dec. 20: testimony of Christ and giving, testimony of Joseph Smith, Sunday study time and discussion, grandmas, family togetherness, graham cracker houses, "The Nativity Story"
Dec. 21: EXERCISE, reading, efficient Christmas shopping, lists, email from Samoa, helping prepare for family gathering festivities, family nativity, service project, family discussions

Dec. 22: spreading out the Christmas celebrations all week long, discussions with Matt, just hanging out with the family, snow for Christmas, shoveling the driveway
Dec. 23: Joseph Smith, the Restoration, scriptures, more shoveling :), opportunities to meet new people, work, books, music, family
Dec. 24: impressions, guidance, some plans and goals for my life to tell family about, traditions
Dec. 25: sleeping in, a quiet Christmas with my wonderful parents, family!!!, I don't have a boil, talking to my great missionary brother in Western Samoa, relaxing at Grandma's
Dec. 26: getting organized, exercising, finishing things, starting new things, the temple, hanging out with the parents watching "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
Dec. 27: church, family, naps, gospel discussions

Dec. 28: exercise, more organizing, job ideas
Dec. 29: sleep, morning study time, shoveling the driveway some more, exercise, reading, getting a couple more job applications done, inspirational pondering time, learning new things
Dec. 30: someone else shoveling the driveway for me today!! :), Matt and Megan are home, gmail, being VERY productive, running errands with mom, biking, hanging out with Cari's family, finishing a few more job applications (a few that I'm actually kind of excited about)
Dec. 31: sunshine, finishing work, family togetherness, live saxophone of "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight :)

I'm THANKFUL for.....

I love (and am grateful for) November! :) It's the beginning of the holiday season and feelings of family, love, selflessness, giving, gratitude, coziness, etc.... Here is a great song (by Josh Groban) to get you in the mood. :) To celebrate and get in the spirit of the season I'm excited to record things I'm grateful for each day. I learned this year from a great roommate that verbalizing gratitude each day is a method of stress relief. I'm grateful for that!! :)

Nov. 1: beautiful weather, inspired lessons ("Take Time to Be Holy") and testimonies, seeing and hearing a prophet, good music ("How Gentle God's Commands"), chance to stand up for marriage and family
Nov. 2: leftovers, free email (if I had to pay for all the emails I sent a day I would be a poor person), chances to learn, FHE, chatting
Nov. 3: a dryer that works, paying tithing, waking up to the sunshine, getting to cross things off the to-do list, the chance to get to work with many good people
Nov. 4: getting a lot done, institute, the Book of Mormon, prophets, having fun with friends, pondering the need to be less busy and being "familiar with all and free with your substance" so that you may be rich (with eternal life)! :)
Nov. 5: emails from Joshie!!, a job, chance to learn from the Stake Presidency--do good, build upon the Rock, look unto Him in all things and then you will doubt not and fear not! :), learning opportunities--what would I have done at Morton Thiokol in 1986? or how do I create a social venture management team? :)
Nov. 6: Fridays, no school, taking a little break from homework/work--sort of, being with family!! :), enjoying the BEAUTIFUL, awe-inspiring fall colors and warm, peaceful afternoon in Zion's National Park--it really was AMAZING!!! :)
Nov. 7: the chance and ability to run, a BEAUTIFUL day in GORGEOUS Snow Canyon, time to spend with family, time to relax, the blessings of the temple
Nov. 8: no stress for 3 days, time to remember what's really important, being with FAMILY (even when that means sitting between a 3-year-old and an 8-month-old in VERY close quarters for 260 miles--they really are the cutest niece and nephew ever), scriptures, great listening and caring roommates
Nov. 9: two weeks until Thanksgiving break, Christmas music on the radio!!!!, family for a few minutes, slowly starting to make a dent in all the big assignments, a little intrigue :), re-learning some Crucial Conversation skills through others
Nov. 10: ten minutes to talk to Joshie on his way to SAMOA!! :), missionary work, the National Parks (and the beauty of the world and its creations), a free day to get a lot done, warm weather
Nov. 11: veterans and all those protecting our freedoms, the ability to work hard and keep going, health, a job--or really 3 jobs I guess I should say :), opportunities and small directions slowly opening up and things working out--class schedule and consulting, inspiration--voluntourism, pictures from Samoa! :)
Nov. 12: seeing little parts of life come together--God is mindful of us!!!...even the very small details (a class time change helping me be able to take one more class I didn't know I needed and there's one spot left, great possible job opportunity opening up and obstacles being removed to have it really be an opportunity, overlapping projects helping me be able to actually get my homework done), family, the energy to keep going (even on 4 hours of sleep), opportunities to learn, 1 1/2 hours to sit still :), more to do tomorrow! :)
Nov. 13: having the time and resources and opportunity right now in my life to be in graduate school--what an amazing learning experience, a little bit of time to sleep in, morning scripture study vs. the 2 a.m. bedtime version, feeling accomplished for the day, Friday (even if it is the 13th)!!! :) , Pandora--my new favorite music resource....try Pachelbel Canon in D radio station! :)
Nov. 14: feeling accomplished and organized and on top of at least some things, a clean room and apartment, great MPA friends to study with, a relaxing-ish yet accomplishing Saturday--work, homework, cleaning, job application
Nov. 15: Sundays!!!, church, the words and teachings of living prophets to re-read in the Ensign!!, President Uchtdorf's words on seeking pure divine truth and LOVING, scriptures, a nap :), good uplifting music, prayer, the guidance of the Holy Ghost, agency and commandments that help us use it well, nice boys who volunteer to help put chairs away :)
Nov. 16: visiting teaching!! :), less than 4 weeks of school, job opportunities, stress (sort of) and opportunities that push me to do more than I ever would have guessed possible! :)
Nov. 17: someone wonderful who scraped the ice off my car windows this morning :), chance to learn at devotionals and forums, getting a lot of work done--school and work and other things in between, my memory that serves me well in the the midst of craziness (most of the time), Abinadi's example
Nov. 18: no class today :), an AMAZING educational/service/learning/networking opportunity at an exquisite home on the top of the moutains in Deer Valley, chances to meet new people and collaborate and synergize, great and fabulous and wonderful roommates :), new and exciting opportunities and friendships :)
Nov. 19: a job (even if it is 12 hours a day on 3 1/2 hours of sleep), the AMAZING opportunity to be a part of an advisory board meeting for an awesome organization--Romney Institute of Public Management, networking opportunities, the chance to be at an amazing university and be connected to amazing people--students and faculty and staff, the MPA lounge, supportive and loving family, the temple and its blessings, a chance to sit down :)
Nov. 20: my WONDERFUL, AMAZING Dad!!! :) and all that he helps me with in my life, including encouraging and inspiring me to do new and good things, teaching me and talking to me about important things, and spending time to do fun things with me--from hiking, running, walking around the neighborhood, shoveling the driveway, boogie boarding, traveling, hometeaching, and making cookies :)
Nov. 21: scripture study, time to go for a run, beginning to see an end of the big projects for the semester, chance to be involved in learning the social venture process, chance to learn and have fun with other good people, good and courageous people who stand up for righteousness historically and especially today
Nov. 22: how the Lord blesses and magnifies us in our callings and talents, spiritual gifts and the reminder to identify and develop them, Elder Scott's reminder on the importance of seeking the Spirit and guidance and knowledge and inspiration: "Is there more I should know [or do]?", Global Pursuit
Nov. 23: the chance to be in school at BYU now, MPA family, ward family, the fact that I did not have to worry about planning and coordinating and carrying out the annual ward thanksgiving dinner, a six-day break from school!!!, family that is close by that I can be home to see in less than an hour :) (without having to fly across the ocean or drive for 10 hours to see)
Nov. 24: sleeping in, sunshine, being at home, getting lots of work done, time to play the piano, an email from Samoa!!! :), playing with Kayla and Kai
Nov. 25: getting to go to a new temple, going to the zoo, discussing important ways to be better (and what to write one of my 3 papers about) with dad, getting some work done, cooking with mom, movie and fun with the family!! :)
Nov. 26: gratitude, memories, home, FAMILY, health, food-- especially mashed potatoes and rolls, time to talk, soccer and fun with cousins, puzzles, maps, time with grandma, movies, scriptures, music, traditions
Nov. 27: time to relax, playing with the CUTEST niece and nephew in the world, the greatest mom and dad in the world and getting to spend time with them, the greatest brothers and sister and sister-in-law and brother-in-law and the chance to spend time with (most of) them, movies, Christmas decorations!!!! :)
Nov. 28: more fun with the family!!! :), beginning to check some things off the to-do list, Christmas music!!!, fun new ringtones
Nov. 29: my REMARKABLE, FANTASTIC, Mom!!!! and all that she has taught me and continues to teach me, the time she spends with me, her amazing selfless love and care for all of us, and her meaningful friendship and advice
Nov. 30: my gratitude list!!! :) (your blessings sure can make you happy on a stressful day), Alma 26 (especially the first 10 verses or so), a phone call, FHE, smiley faces :)

It's Autumn Time! :)

I love the fall! It's fun to be back at school. I love my classes and the chance to learn. Life is busy and stressful, but I'm trying to stay balanced and have fun, too! :) Today was a wonderful day. I love the chance to rejuvenate and refocus on Sundays. As important as school and classes are, the real reason for learning is to prepare myself to better serve and stand up for good in order to make a positive difference in the world. So, I'm trying to do that in the process. :) I spent some time up in the fall leaves in Provo Canyon and at one of my favorite spots in Provo, up above the temple today. BEAUTIFUL, inspiring, uplifting, happy, wonderful!!! :) So, now I'm ready for another week! :)

Lessons Learned

It was an amazing summer! :) I feel very blessed with the many opportunities I had to travel, work, learn, play, explore and grow spiritually, professionally, and socially. I’m grateful for this time I have in my life to travel and learn about new people and places and spend time getting to know who I am. Here are just a few take aways from the summer that I hope to remember and use in my life to be better:

- Find your passion and circle of influence and make a difference where you're at! :) It's neat to see people living their lives and making a difference in small towns (in between Hatch and Panguitch, UT) and villages (Tema, Ghana) while others "run the world" from the big "powerful" cities like Washington D.C.

- Be as a little child! So wonderful to observe my sweet niece and nephew. Be quick to smile and laugh like Kai and concerned about others and open and meek like Kayla. :)

- Sometimes we are in a holding pattern. When you're on an airplane and there is bad weather below (like huge thunderstorms in Denver) sometimes you need to circle the airport for an hour or so and just WAIT! :) As you're circling be patient and have faith that everything will be fine. :) Maybe all of the waiting I have done in my life is Heavenly Father protecting me from storms below and he will bring me down at the right time.

- Don't let the storms distract you. Pilots fly on! :)

- Weather changes quickly. You have to adjust and LISTEN to air traffic control where they see the bigger picture. We can't see all the problems. We must listen and follow these guides with faith.

- Once you get above the clouds, the sun is ALWAYS shining! :) Sometimes we just can't see it.

- Go to the temple often! Covenants are wonderful universal, invaluable blessings! I want so much to always live near a temple that I can go at least once a week!

- I LOVE my family!!! :) Each member of my family is such a good person and wonderful example to me!

- It's important to build relationships and come to know someone intellectually, socially, spiritually, etc. It's great to study and discuss books together (like a cute engaged couple on a plane reading and discussing "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus").

- I LOVE Washington D.C.! I love the East Coast. I love the history and examples of people who have gone before and I enjoyed the time to reflect on their lives and sacrifices.

- But, even though it is so fun and amazing to see new things and experience new places…all that really matters is people and relationships! It's really not as fun to explore and experience things on your own. Relationships are what make life rich and rewarding! :)

- Be proactive, out-going, friendly, and helpful EVERYWHERE you go...at work, in the neighborhood, at church, etc.

- It is so important to ALWAYS be positive! Be happy. Look for the good. LOVE others. Love EVERYONE! Don’t say anything negative about anyone ever!

- Study the scriptures and live their teachings. Always be ready to share the gospel and your testimony of it. Be a good example don't be afraid to be open and stand up for what you believe.

- I love the idea of an internship. It is great to have the chance to learn all that you can and share all that you can with an organization in a set amount of time and then move on. I already suspected this about myself, but I have had it confirmed this summer that I LOVE to be busy and I do actually enjoy change sometimes. Once I feel like I have learned something I am excited to move on to the next adventure. So, a 12-week internship is ideal. I am a generalist and a love to learn a little bit about everything, but I think I have a hard time getting really deep into anything unless I'm really passionate about it. Maybe that explains partly why I’m not married yet. I need to be deep! :)

- Don't be afraid! EXPLORE!

- I could really enjoy living on the east coast for a while (D.C., Boston), but I think I see myself more long term on the west coast (maybe Washington?)

- I LOVE to be around historic monuments and learning! :) I need to focus on life-long learning as I was inspired at the Library of Congress that feels like a temple of learning.

- I’m grateful for my car, grocery shopping outside a big city, good books, the ability to travel, the ability to run, and the opportunity to work.

- Have faith.

- Be yourself! Don’t ever worry about what others may think! Just be you! :)

- Be dependable and loyal.

- To live a happy life you need to be FLEXIBLE, patient, kind, loving, and forgiving.

- Be confident.

- Be friends with everyone, even older graduate students, interns, and Mormons! :)

- Management skills are very important: build effective work teams (know each other and have desks near each other), facilitate open communication, delegate and follow up effectively, manage expectations well, trust employees, take accountabilty and responsibility, be proactive, work hard, be exact, be positive and encouraging, give compliments, coordinate, collaborate, communicate, cooperate, clarify roles and responsibilities, be prepared for meetings and be sure there is a purpose, stick to time limits, be clear, concise, and take time to think about what you're doing to consider if you're doing it the best way.

- I'm not sure that I want to work for the federal government when I grow up, but I'm keeping my options open. Some organizations I may be interested in include: National Geographic, Census Bureau, NOAA, National Weather Service, Corporation for National and Community Service, Smithsonian, DOE?, OMB?, Library of Congress, Millennium Challenge Corporation, NASA, Institute of International Education, Partnership for Public Service, and Make A Wish Foundation. But probably more than being set on a specific organization, I learned that a company culture is probably most important and I am very interested in organizational strategy, change management, and training possibly including university administration or education. Now I have some great places to begin looking to figure out the next adventure, but the first step is enjoy one more year of graduate school! :)

I ♥ DC!

I moved from Capitol Hill today. It has been an amazing, wonderful experience to live so close to the center of decision-making in our country and the symbol of power and freedom.

I love that I’ve had the chance to walk everyday by the Capitol, Union Station, and down Massachusetts Avenue towards Chinatown and experience the city on my way to work. I felt connected to the world around me as I saw business professionals on their way to work (some obviously with very important jobs, but all of us making a difference in our sphere of influence), tourists coming to see the sights, vendors selling papers and breakfast, and homeless people sleeping on the grass or sharing their musical talents.

Seeing so many interesting people has made me think about what an interesting world we live in. We really are all the same. Whether you're a Senator, a President, a government employee, a bus driver, a security guard, a CVS clerk, a homeless person....we are all here trying to do our best to be happy. :)

Last night a few famous people became more real to me when I got to watch one of the last Senate voting sessions before they take their long summer break. It was so amazing to watch the process....the Senators walking around the floor voting, talking, wandering...kind of chaotic, but very interesting. Each party gets one minute each to say why they are for or against a certain bill and then the roll call and voting begins. The clerk reads through the names, marks their votes, and the presiding Senator gives the results and they move on to the next vote. There were all the famous politicians I've seen and heard about on TV...John McCain, John Kerry, Daniel Inouye, Robert Bennett, Orrin Hatch, Burris, Dodd, Feinstein, Harry Reid (who congratulated everyone on a productive week and told everyone to have a nice vacation)....just wandering around the floor taking care of the business of the country. It was cool to be there. (We just missed the historic Sotomayor vote, but were there for the Cash for Clunkers extension vote.)

As we were leaving we went down the wrong elevator and ended up walking around the first floor of the Capitol right near the Senate Gallery (I think where all the Senators' hideaways are). No one was around. It was quite amazing to be exploring the historic Capitol so closely. :) We quickly turned around once we realized where we were and headed back to the Vistor Center. It was pretty neat though. :)

I also just finished "Team of Rivals” which is the story of Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet. It was a wonderful and inspiring book. I am encouraged by the example of others who were brave and stood for right! I am grateful for leaders that held the Union together and helped make our country what it is today. After my readings, I was really touched last night re-reading Lincoln's second inaugural address ("with malice toward none; with charity for all") at the Lincoln Memorial ("the temple" where the "memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever") and then listening to the U.S. Army band play the national anthem on the Capitol steps. What a symbol it is of "the land of the free and the home of the brave" and to think that Lincoln was the one that insisted work go foward on the Capitol dome during the Civil War as a symbol of the strengh of the Union. It's neat that Lincoln was inaugurated there when it was finished, right before the War ended and he died. It's wonderful to have reminders of heroes that have gone before and let them inspire us to move forward in righteousness today!

Gettysburg + a few pictures of the week

This week I got to see a little bit of Old Town Alexandria (and the Masonic Temple) and walked around some neat streets near Dupont Circle a little bit.

But the highlight of the week was a trip to Gettysburg on Saturday. There is a fantastic video and museum teaching the history of the area and the Civil War in general. It's hard to imagine people lined up against their own countrymen to fight. Wandering around the monuments and battlefields it felt like hallowed ground where many died fighting for liberty and freedom!

"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham Lincoln

Some lessons learned:

- War is horrible!
- I'm grateful for brave people who sacrifice much.

- Communication is important (flag signals, leaders, press, etc.).

- Courage is important.

- Staying on and in control of high ground is the key!