Dear BYU,

Christ wore University of Utah colors.

 

That is all.

Rapunzel and I

One of the great things about EFY is that it gave me cause to look at myself in a different light.  I wanted to let my kids know why I'm jaundice, but I wanted a fun and positive way to explain it.  So I thought of something brilliant.  I would tell my kids that my skin glows like Rapunzel's hair in Tangled.  It worked for them, for my fellow counselors, and even for me.  The past four weeks when I've told people they've been like "It's so true, you glow."  It's so much better to be told that you glow rather than looking at yourself like an ugly neon light.  And as we discussed the theme Arise and Shine and how these kids can get the glow of the Spirit by living the gospel I realized that "glowing" is a good thing.  I'm glad to "glow".

Arise and Shine

Wow!!  I have learned and grown so much the past few weeks doing EFY. I have made many new friends and I've learned lots of parenting skills.  I have also learned to trust in the Lord and He has given me strength beyond my own to do the things that I need to do for my children at EFY. It's so awesome to see the change that happens in just a week with these kids as they learn to apply the gosple to their lives.  This whole experience has really strengthened my testimony too.  My girls strength amazes me, they all have so many hard things going on in their lives.

Not too mention that I feel so much more hip now.  I'm all up on what's cool with 14 - 15 and the 16 - 18 crowd.  I've learned a lot about the Bieb's and One Direction, COWs (crush of the week), and that apparently the music I grew up with in elementary school is cool again, especially Backstreet Boys and N'Sync!  It's pretty much awesome!!

These past few weeks have been some of the hardest weeks of my life.  I've gone to bed every night absolutely exhausted and woken up still exhausted.  But it's the best feeling ever.  I've felt tired for all sorts of reasons but the best tired is tired out from doing the work of the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength.  Because of that these weeks have also been some of the best weeks of my life.  I have seen miracles.  And I can't wait for more EFY weeks.

Basically the moral of the story is that I have the best job ever in the history of best job's ever!!!

'Nuff said.  

Enjoy the pictures.  :)

Cute note from an unknown boy to all the girls at EFY.

The Celestial One's

My Celestial Girls

Amore Girls

My Co-Co Fonzie

My Co-Co Kelsey and I

Me and Fonzie

Josh and Kelsey

Amore!!

The Woman With An Issue Of Blood

I've always loved the scripture story about the woman with an issue of blood.  I could always relate.  She had an issue of blood for 12 years.  I've had an issue of blood for 20 years.  And I'm starting to think that I've had every issue of blood possible.  I've had to have blood put in me, blood taken out of me, they can't get me to start bleeding, then they can't get me to stop bleeding.  I've got to few red blood cells and clotting factor, too many white blood cells and platelets, my hemoglobin is too low but my iron is too high.
It's never a good sign when the nurse trying to place your IV keeps saying over and over again "Oh shoot.  Shoot!  Shoot!" Or when the picc team requires three tries to get a good vein to take your blood, and thats with an ultra sound assisting them in the search for the vein.  Or when your nurse leaves and you start bleeding like crazy and the nurse call button doesn't work.  Or the appointment that was supposed to take two hours taking five and drugs you weren't expecting to have to take.  And bruised arms for a week that would probably scare little children are no fun (thank goodness for long sleeve shirts!)  Neither is having no energy - even if you see it coming from a mile away.  Or being told a week later "yeah you probably should've had stitches..."

I'm not gonna lie, I was wondering where my miraculous instantaneous healing like the woman with an issue of blood got was last week.  But if I got the miraculous blessing of healing than I wouldn't get lots of other miraculous blessings.  Like the miracle of perspective.  Or the miracle of compassion.  Or the miracle of understanding. Or the miracle of humility.  Or the miracle of being the one served and allowing others the chance to serve. 

I wonder what the woman with an issue of blood did after she was healed?  Did she just go on her merry way, quickly forgetting the hand of God in her life?  Did she go on to serve others who were suffering, understanding in an intimate way what it means to suffer with no relief for so long?  Did she continue to follow Christ?  Did she bring others to Him to be healed as she had?

I don't know the answer to those questions.  But I know that I'm really grateful for the miracles in my life, especially the miracle of perspective.

Playlist:
"Only the Brokenhearted" - Cherie Call
"If You're Going Through Hell" Rodney Atkins

Reading List:
"Waiting Upon The Lord" Elder Robert D. Hales
"It Is Better To Look Up" - Elder Carl B. Cook

That's All I Have To Say About That

Thoughts From The Book Of John

I've been reading the Book of John a lot for my Institute class and for my new calling.  I've really enjoyed studying it and I feel like I've come closer to understanding my Savior.  The main thing I have noticed through my reading is just how amazing Christ treated everybody.  I've also started noticing how often the people He taught asked "Who is this?".  Most at first would start just seeing Him as a Jew.  Some came to respect Him by calling Him Sir.  Slowly some of them would recognize Him as a Prophet.  The next step that only a select few would take would be to see Him as Christ.  I think that we today are the same way in the way we see the Savior.  Before we can see Him as the Christ we have to get to know Him, study Him, and get our own testimony.  It takes time and only some people are willing to take that time to go through all the steps.

I Am a Child of God

So cute!  A little cheesy, but still so cute!  Made me smile!

Addiction: You Will Be Freed

Another amazing Mormon Message about the powerful atonement and the hope that it brings.

So I got a new calling....

I'm only going to be in the ward for the summer...

Yeah, my records aren't even in the ward yet...

I guess that's what happens when the Bishop is your neighbor and has known you since you were 12...

The calling?

Gospel Doctrine Teacher.

Yeah.

I'm more than a little intimidated by this calling...

And the people I'll be teaching...

I guess I'm getting out of my comfort zone?

But I am excited to take this summer to learn more about my Savior and to learn more about the New Testament.  I love reading the words of the Savior and learning from the miracles He performed and from His life.  As I read about His life I feel such love and hope.

Having it all and Hanging out and Other lessons learned in school

So my classes have kinda got me thinking lately.  It's weird, I know, but I guess that's what college is supposed to do, make you think.  First I came across this loverly quote in my parenting text book (yes I am taking a parenting class, no I am not in college just for my MRS degree I actually have plans for a very meaningful job and this class just happens to be a requirement to get that job!)  :)

"We are a generation of young women raise to believe we can do it all. We also need the self-displine and wisdom to understand we can't do it all right now." - Jennifer Regen Bisbee

I think that is so true.  Yes we are able to do whatever to do whatever we want to do.  But we can't do everything right now and all at the same time.  The hard part is deciding what is the most important thing to do first and balancing everything you want and need to do.

In my institute class we were discussing the difference between "hanging out" and "dating" like it is talked about in this amazing article.  A lot of the guys (notice the usage of the word guys)  got very defensive as all of the girls in the room talked about how we want to go on dates not just hang out.  It was very interesting because this had been on my mind for a little while now.  I just don't know how to make it any more clear to the guys and men out there that we actually want to go out on dates and not just hang out.  Elder Oaks talks about "lock[ing] the pantry and bolt[ing] the front door [and] . . . hang[ing] up a sign, 'Will open for individual dates,'"

Well boys, guys, and men, my door is locked and there is a sign on my door.

Now dates don't need to be expensive or a big deal.  Anything that lets you have a chance to get to know the other person is a good date (ie not a movie).  And the great thing about dates is that they have a start and end time. 

But other than that, we girls aren't very picky, we just want real inexpensive dates that let us get to know you and have a start and end time.  That's all.

Then I was reading one of my textbooks about early childhood development and it was talking about how early childhood is from the ages of 0-8.  I found that rather interesting.  What happens to LDS boys and girls when they turn 8?  They are baptised.  We believe that they are then old enough and have learned enough to know basic right from wrong and to start making some of their own choices.  We believe that before the age of 8 children are learning right from wrong.  It was interesting reading about how important learning up to the age of 8 is in a secular world.  It made me think, "Hmm, I wonder if Joseph Smith was an Early Childhood Development major and realized how kids view the world before the age of 8?"  I don't think he did.  I believe that it was inspired revelation to a prophet of God from a God who is an Early Childhood Development major, who would realize the learning that takes place at such a young age.

Then I was reading in my parenting textbook about the three styles of parenting, Authoritarian, Authoritative, and Permissive (Authoritative is the good one.)  I believe that I have Heavenly Parents, so I applied that to what I was learning and thought to myself, "Is Heavenly Father Authoritarian, Authoritative, and Permissive?"  Now of course the answer to this is "the gospel according to Kelsi" but the conclusion I came to is that He has to be Authoritative.  Think about it.  He isn't authoritarian because he gave us our agency, our ability to choose.  He doesn't force us to do anything.  And He explains why He wants us to do things (or why He doesn't want us to do things.)  But He isn't permissive either.  While we have the ability to make choices, we do not have the ability to choose the consequences, and He let's us know what the consequences are.  He is an authoritative parent.  He sets down clear guidlines of what He would have us do, He explains the "why?" behind most of it, and He keeps an honest open relationship with us (if we choose to accept that relationship and put forth the effort required.)  He truely cares about us and if we slow down long enough to listen, He will let us know that.

Anyway, that's my long ramble of the night of what I've been paying to learn in college.  I hope I didn't bore you too much.  :)