Covenants, Conference and Vineyards

This weekend I am very grateful for covenants and General Conference!  It struck me as I was at the temple preparing for Conference Friday night how blessed we are by our covenants.  All we need to do is remember and live our covenants with God and we are blessed and really nothing could ever go wrong!  I'm grateful for a temple close by and chances to remember.  Covenants--that's what it's all about!

Conference was wonderful, as always--especially having a chance to be there in person to learn from our prophet and leaders with my brother!  One of my favorite talks was Elder Holland's talk, The Laborers in the Vineyard where he talks about the importance of living our covenants and working in the Lord's kingdom now!  :)  Josh pointed out something neat to me in Jacob 5 as we were waiting for Conference to begin--in verse 4 "the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive tree began to decay; and he said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not."  The Lord loves us and will do everything for us, even if we choose not to follow.  I'm grateful for His love and promises and want to be a valiant laborer in His vineyard!  :)

Scatter Sunshine :)

"Forget not to be happy now." This is from a beautiful talk, Forget Me Not, given by President Uchtdorf last October. "While in the pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of everyday moments....Thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder."

Another way you could say that is SCATTER SUNSHINE... :) Not only should we be happy, but share happiness with others. I was reminded and touched by this great hymn today and want this to be my goal every single day:

In a world where sorrow Ever will be known,
Where are found the needy, And the sad and lone;
How much joy and comfort You can all bestow,
If you scatter sunshine Everywhere you go.

Scatter sunshine all along your way;
Cheer and bless and brighten Every passing day;
Scatter sunshine all along your way;
Cheer and bless and brighten Every passing day.

Slightest actions often Meet the sorest needs,
For the world wants daily Little kindly deeds;
Oh, what care and sorrow You may help remove,
With your songs and courage, Sympathy and love.

When the days are gloomy, Sing some happy song;
Meet the world's repining With a courage strong;
Go with faith undaunted Thro' the ills of life;
Scatter smiles and sunshine O'er its toil and strife.

Beautiful Life!

There's so much to catch up on! My favorite month of February was quite the month this year! I finished one job, packed up and drove across the country, started another and moved into a new apartment in the last few weeks. I'm finally back connected to the world and not living out of my car. :) I'm still kind of wondering what got me here, but I loved this song I saw posted on Facebook today ...."step back" and "look at your masterpiece" and "keep sketching it out"...."pick your favorite colors" and "create a beautiful life":

:)

Where shall I work today? :)

“Father, where shall I work today?"
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, "Tend that for me."
I answered quickly, "Oh no, not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me."
And the word He spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
"Ah, little one, search that heart of thine;
Art thou working for them or me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”
― Meade McGuire as quoted by Thomas S. Monson as quoted by Heidi Swinton

(Pretty much profoundly and exactly what I needed to remember today!) :)

OBX and I-40

The perfect way to end a chapter of life on the East Coast is a weekend in the Outerbanks (in a rain storm with friends and a Chinese murder mystery)!  :)  I'll need to come back some time.

Yeah, this is not so much how it looked while we were there, but still wonderful!  :)

I can't believe I didn't take a single picture of the journey along I-40 from OBX to Lehi, UT or stop at a single temple (we passed right by 5 before we even got to Utah)!  We had to have set some kind of record though....over 2600 miles in under 56 hours.....in the middle of February.

Priorities, Purpose, Passion....Potential

On January 23, Doug Conant, the retired CEO of Campbells' Soup came to speak to us at work.  I learned a lot from the discussion and ideas he shared.  Leadership happens in the small moments!  We need to walk through the world thoughtfully and purposefully being tough on standards, but tender on people.  Manage your moments!  :)  Our leadership should be authentic, on-demand and enduring.  Write thank you notes!  Wander around.  Network and find a mentor--Steven Covey was one of his great mentors (see Covey's priority quadrant below).  Good leaders are competent, persistent, build trust, have courage for doing what's right, work hard and purposefully, and are humble and always learning.

I really appreciated these insights and I think they inspired me to focus more on my priorities, purpose, principles, potential and passion....especially as it related to work.  Within the week an opportunity to live with purpose came along and I was kind of surprised by how I moved forward, but glad I did.  :)

2012!

I am excited for the new year and the possibilities and opportunities it brings. :) As usual, I have a long list of goals I want to accomplish and things I'd like to do better, but I have adapted it slightly over the course of the day today.

I really loved New Year's being on a Sunday today. I can't think of a better way to start off the year than by taking the sacrament and renewing my covenants and desire to follow the Savior. Considering my list of goals for the year, most importantly and simply, it comes down to living my covenants, following the Spirit, keeping the commandments, and pressing forward with faith, patience, happiness and love.

I know I won't be perfect in these things and that's why the Atonement is wonderful! Because of the Savior's love and sacrifice I can repent and wake up and try to do better tomorrow. I'm grateful and am determined to do my best this year! I want to be consistent in following the Spirit, being kind and being courageous.

A few specific things I'd like to focus on in 2012 that I think will help me grow and progress and have fun along the way include:

• learning a new recipe every month
• running another marathon
• using my passport!! :)
• taking a Chinese and/or engineering class
• creating a retirement and giving plan
• creating a home
• finding a place to consistently volunteer
• talking to someone new every day

2011 in Review

It was a good year! This was my full-year in DC/Virginia. I learned a lot and had some neat opportunities to grow and explore this year. Here are some of the highlights of 2011:

Family

I gained two new adorable nephews this year, Mason and Noah. :) I got to be at Matt and Megan's graduation, see Mike and Cari's new house and welcome Josh home from his mission!

Travel

I began the year with a weekend trip to New York City! I made another trip up to Palmyra in the summer and a weekend trip to Boston in the fall. I traveled out to Utah twice and spent two wonderful weeks in Hawaii with the whole family!

I also traveled for work a little bit this year. I made two trips to Chicago and a spent a week in Portland, as well as becoming very familiar with the Department of Education building across town. :)

Work

Speaking of work, I learned a LOT about the federal government and challenges managers and supervisors face. I worked with and learned to influence others at several levels. I learned about the importance of good communication and planning, understanding different personality and working styles, being open to learning and improving, working with lots of ambiguity, and the importance of exploring my passions, talents, and career goals.

Service

There are always so many interesting things going on in this neighborhood. :) I decided I wanted volunteer at a different service project each month. Some of my favorites:

• Japanese Cherry Blossom Street Festival (March)
• Community and Neighborhood clean-up (April)
• Passport DC -- Embassy Open Houses: Saudi Arabian Embassy (May)
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure volunteer (June)
• 9/11 Day of Service (September)
• ushering at Ford's Theater (December)
• Family Search Indexing (any time)
• translating for Helping in the Vineyard (any time)

Temples

I love the temple. I did really well with my goal of going every week. I think I only missed a week or two. :) I also love visiting new temples. This year I attended three new temples:

• Chicago
• Portland
• Palmyra

Learning

• It's important to be pro-active and involved and stand up for what's right.
• It's more important to love and have charity for all.
• There is great joy in service and relationships and friends.
• Life is about being humble and open, and learning and growing.
• Happiness is setting priorities and finding the right balance in life.
• It's important to know who you are. I find that some of the best places to learn and remember who I am is at the temple, at church, in the scriptures, through prayer and with family.
• DC is a wonderful place to explore at Christmas and throughout the year! :)
• Goals are important.
• I love to read. I accomplished my goal to read 50 books this year and look forward to more learning next year.
• Exercise is a great way to relieve stress and important to my happiness.

It was a good year...and I'm looking forward to an even better 2012! :)

Christmas this Year

I am very grateful for the Christmas miracles and blessings. It was a different kind of Christmas this year, but I enjoyed the magic and reason for the season. :)

Here are some of the highlights:

• Festival of Lights at the Washington DC Temple (and concerts and nativities)
• Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral
• Capitol Christmas Tree
• U.S. Botanical Gardens
• Christmas Carol at Ford's Theater
• Christmas Tree at the Library of Congress
• Arlington Cemetery wreaths
• National Christmas Tree (and state trees)
• Alexandria Christmas Tree and Boat Parade

Some other important highlights, not-pictured:

• "hangouts" with family and the reindeer :)
• Target salespeople bringing bikes out on Christmas Eve
• several really wonderful church musical Christmas programs
• watching people drop off presents and food to the homeless downtown
• busy airports
• Christmas parties
• ebelskivers
• secret Santa projects
• First Presidency Christmas Devotional and the beautiful new Bible Videos
• "Wise Men Still Seek Him" Mormon Message

Merry Christmas, Everyone! May we keep Christmas with us this year and remember to "seek this Jesus whom the prophets and apostles have written (Ether 12:41)."

Symbols of Christmas

I have been thinking a lot about the symbols of Christmas lately....bells, stars, light, trees. I'm grateful for the symbols of Christmas and think they are really important. They all point to the Savior and His life, His everlasting mission and His love that brightens every life. They remind us to think of Him and share His love at this time of year and always.

Tonight I went to a really wonderful Christmas concert where I was reminded of several important things that I love.....music, the Savior, my testimony of and love for Him, many different cultures and languages all coming together to sing praises to Him and of Him in their own tongue and tradition (German, Italian, French, Ghanaian, cowboy, Celtic, and Brazilian to name a few), the importance of a consistent and confident voice to share the JOY of the message of the gospel (like a trumpet), the light of the Star, the beauty of the bells and trumpets that herald his birth.

"Sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above!" :) We are all citizens of the same heavenly home blessed ultimately with the same wonderful gift of eternal life through our Savior Jesus Christ! I am grateful for the reminder of these important blessings....and a chance to think about my role and responsibility in this story and kingdom! :)

Love

It's all about LOVE! I have been thinking about love a lot lately. 'Tis the season, right? Really...it's always time for love! :)

Here are some of my thoughts about love and its importance lately:

• 1 Corinthians 13 is wonderful! If we "have not charity, [we are] nothing...charity never faileth."

• Christmas is all about LOVE! Jesus is God's gift of love for us (John 3:16). Jesus lived a perfect life of love as an example for us to follow.

• There is a wonderful talk in a recent BYU Magazine by Russell T. Osguthorpe called "When Love is Why." He asks, "What if our only motive were love? What if everything we did, we did out of love?" Wouldn't that be wonderful!?! :) We can reach out and make a difference for those around us.

• I just finished a neat book, This I Believe: On Love, where many different people share where they have found love. Really sweet.

• My cute nephew has been telling everyone this week, "No love you. No love you." That's often how we end a phone call or someone says goodnight to him. He doesn't want to go to sleep or stop talking yet because of the love. :) It got me thinking, why is it that we end that way. Why can't it be the way we greet others or start out? :) Why postpone our love?

Go out and share some love today! :)

More Christmas Miracles

I've decided to not let the joy of Christmas pass this year with the busyness of life. I'm making a plan to see the highlights, be happy, serve, and try to remember what it's all about! In an effort to do that I want to record some of the Christmas miracles everyday this month. :)

December 1 - Fedex is open until 7:00 PM, serving in the temple for ancestors I don't know yet, happening upon the first night of Christmas lights! :)

December 2 - two yellow line trains in a row, hearing my favorite song on my ipod (Love One Another), watching people give to a worthy cause

December 3 - Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral (wonderful chance to focus on the message of Jesus Christ and His life with other Christians), seeing the Christmas tree and boats decorated in Old Town, watching Hawaii on TV :)

December 4 - testimony, fasting, scripture study, repentance, FamilySearch Indexing, WONDERFUL First Presidency Christmas Devotional, taking the time to visit and talk with good friends

December 5 - family, love, packages, pictures

December 6 - Christmas music

December 7 - health, rain, umbrellas

December 8 - exercise, sunshine, life

December 9 - lights at the Washington DC Temple, the beautiful lessons of the Visitor Center and getting to teach them to a friend, bell choir

December 10 - sleep, exercise, cooking, showing friends around the magic of DC and the National Christmas Tree

December 11 - music, being a part of the ward choir at Christmas, gift of exaltation (and the really wonderful lesson in Relief Society today), visiting teachers, the best Stake Christmas concert ever -- music from around the world celebrating the Savior's birth (everything I love the most: the gospel, the Savior, music, world's cultures, sharing the joy of the Savior with others)

December 12 - direction, lunch break, a little book, a sweet movie, giving gifts

December 13 - Matt, last ED seminar, institute, being an instrument and unpacking your bags (Alma 18)

December 14 - institute, hymns

December 15 - temple, peace, guidance, I am a child of God, Jesus wants me for a sunbeam!

December 16 - Union Station, Capitol Christmas Tree

December 17 - time to relax, neat drive through DC (over the river and through the woods), friends, reunions, Temple, timing, direction, inspiration, Christmas parties, games

December 18 - Church, beautiful Christmas music, friends, invitations

December 19 - Christmas Carol, helpful people

December 20 - gym, Christmas cards

December 21 - packages, good talks, figuring out life

December 22 - kind friends, temple, sleep

December 23 - early release, Library of Congress Christmas Tree, Botanical Gardens, families together downtown, Target workers getting all the bikes ready

December 24 - Arlington Cemetery wreaths, "hanging out" with the family

December 25 - time to reflect, Jesus, ebelskivers, puzzles, more family "hangouts"

December 26 - day off, sleep, organizing, reflecting, exercise

December 27 - taking a vacation day, more time to reflect

December 28 - working from home, the temple

December 29 - pandora

December 30 - early release, relax time

December 31 - gym, phone calls, books!

Christmas Miracles

It's only December 1st and I've already enjoyed some Christmas miracles... :)

Remember who you are....

My trip to Hawaii this last week was AMAZING in so many ways. Just what I needed. It's BEAUTIFUL! Who doesn't love Hawaii? But, it's more than a beautiful place to me. I feel like it's more beautiful to me because it's home, it's family, it's learning and growing, it's where I learned who I was, where I gained my testimony and understanding of God and testimony of Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 18:30).

Those things are so important to me and so helpful right now in life. I feel like I've been searching for a while for the next step, what I need to be doing, etc. I learned a few important lessons:

1. We need to understand clearly who we are and where we are from to move forward.
2. The eternal plan of happiness and gospel of Jesus Christ are consistent and sure.
3. It's all about family! I love my family! Home is where family is. :)
4. It's important to identify what's most important and move forward boldly living and true to those beliefs.

I am so grateful I had the opportunity to grow up in Hawaii. I love the culture of charity, love, care, and aloha. The pace is slower, people are patient and you can be yourself. The pace gives you the chance to stop and reflect and focus on things that are really important (the beauty of the world around helps too).

In contrast (and I realized this trip how stark the contrast is), there are some interesting and wonderful things I have learned living in Washington DC this past year or so. In general, I think the culture is one of pro-activity. No one waits around for anything. It's a culture of busy-ness and getting ahead. Ambition is important and the work ethic is admirable in some respects, but I wonder how many priorities are compromised or forgotten in the busy-ness of life.

In comparing these two cultures I realize the importance of each. We need to step back and remember our priorities -- who we are, what we're here for, what we truly want to accomplish each day, how we can live with the aloha spirit -- and then go forward and do something about it. People focus so much on getting ahead professionally, but I think it's more important to live the gospel ambitiously. :) As we learn in D&C 58:26-29, we should not be "compelled in all things," but should "be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness."

This all goes back to two things my parents taught me:

1. Dad always talks about how Hawaii is amazing because of the consistency of the temperature. I love that, but I love even more the consistency of the gospel and our Heavenly Father's love and plan. Even in different cultures we know the standards and principles of our Heavenly Father's plan and need to be true to them.
2. Mom often teaches to not let things that matter most fall to the mercy of things that matter least. It's all about love and the Aloha Spirit! :)

"It's always hard to leave this place!"

I LOVE Hawaii! I LOVE my family! It was the perfect two weeks! :) I feel so blessed and it was VERY hard to leave.

Here are some of the highlights and things that I love and miss:

* Kayaking, going to the temple and talking with MOM and listening to her great Stake Conference talk.

* Running the beach, hiking Kokohead stairs and exploring the Waimanalo fishponds with DAD....and watching him distribute cookie dough via airplane. :)

* Hanging out with CARI at all our favorite childhood spots, watching her take thousands of pictures and just being together!

* Discussing politics with MIKE and watching him explain to Kai that the ipod needs to be recharged and how the DVD player is now unfixable. :)

* Making forts for 10 sleepovers and "good mornings" with KAYLA, "running" the beach with her and watching her make friends everywhere she went.

* Building sandcastles, looking for the fish and monkeys, cuddling "at" KAI and watching his first reaction to sand, the ocean and eating shave ice.

* Smiling and making fish faces with MASON and watching him enjoy the tradewinds from the window.

* Debating important issues with MATT and watching him be a dad....it's pretty cute!

* Hanging out and talking with MEGAN in a lot of wonderful places and watching her be a mom. So sweet! :)

* Meeting and holding the adorable and sweet NOAH.

* Running around the lake with JOSH and talking to him about so many fun and important things as we drove all over the island together.

Some of my favorite memories all together are:

* playing at Kalama Beach

* hiking to the bunker and Maunawili Falls

* swimming at Hanauma Bay

* sitting together at church in Kailua

* enjoying Lanikai Beach

* watching the kids play at the "paygounds"

* learning about Samoa and Josh's last two years

* exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center

* eating at Orange Grove

* hanging out on a siblings and spouses night out

* just being all together!!! :)

I learned a lot:

* Family is what makes a house or town a home. :)

* I am so grateful that I got to grow up in Kailua.

* Understanding and remembering where you're from (places, people, experiences) helps you understand better who you are and where you're going.

* Love and the aloha spirit is what it's all about! :)

* I'm grateful for consistency. (More on this a little later.) :)