I Got It From My Mama

A goal for the rest of my life: take more pictures with my mommy.

In a furious hunt for a mug shot of the both of us to slap up for today's national holiday there wasn't much to pick from! I scrolled through pages and pages of facebook pics and vivid memories of college came flooding back. But where were the pictures of my family? It is true that I have lived away from home for a long long time in a galaxy far away (Idaho and Kentucky count as different galaxies right?) but that is no reason to neglect the people who mean the most to me for forever. My mother is the best I could have ever asked for. She is an example to me of Christlike living. The woman never stops serving! Sure we have had our share of screaming crying "you just don't understand" fights and all, but those are far outweighed by crazy memories, late nights eating too much sugar, and special spiritual moments. A mommy's job is to prepare her children for the eternities. Want to read the job description? It's right HERE

Not all moms are the kind that carry us around in their womb for 9 months. I was blessed to have two women in my life to celebrate. And apparently I'm equally bad at taking pictures with both of them! My dad married his wife when I was 9, she was 21. Granted we didn't live together but her influence in my life is everlasting. She is so hardworking, determined, ambitious, and I love to see how amazing she is with the 2 beautiful babies that they are raising now.

I think it's easy on Mother's day for those of us who don't have children of our own yet to be discouraged. I know that there is no greater calling in life than the responsibility of raising precious children. But you and I, my fellow members in the "waiting-for-the-day-the-babies-come club", we still have the same calling. We can be good role models for teenage girls we know. We can play with our friends babies (and give them back when they cry). We can love widows and widowers in our community who's children are far away. We can be a sister to someone who is lonely. The call of motherhood is not given to us when our uterus pushes out a human. We are women. And we uplift others!

From The Journal

Ok, as Brooke requested, here is an excerpt from a journal:

November 13, 2011

The Collier's were confirmed today :)
Sacrament meeting has been all about reverence. Not just being reverent at church but being reverent every day. Sister Jasper is writing in her journal right next to me right now. About me. But really about the baptism. 
It was the most spirit filled baptism I've ever been to. There was nothing different about the service to make it stand apart from any baptism that I've attended. What made it different was that I was part of it. These are my friends who I shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with. And they were willing to listen and change their lives to become members of His church. That is the best kind of baptism ever.

I haven't been able to attend the baptism services for many of the people I have taught but I feel extremely blessed to have been a part of the process for a few people.

And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! -Doctrine and Covenants 18: 15-16

Lessons Learned

Otherwise known as

"Things my mom tried to teach me but it took a mission to learn"

Be happy where you are.
Tell your friends and family you love them but show it too.
Support your Priesthood leaders. No matter what.
Read your scriptures every day.
Clean as you go and always drink your green smoothie!

I'm sure not perfect at any of these things yet, but I'm working on them and this woman right here taught me my whole life by her example. Moms are great. Mine is the best. Just sayin' :)

Giving Thanks Today!

I am a traditionalist.

Holidays are the most important thing to me ever.

But somehow it's Thanksgiving that gets completely abandoned. Thrown under a bus with no consideration from the Holiday Fairies. I've only been home once in November in the last 6 years. Even as a little kid I would trade off holidays with my Mom and Dad's families. It's Thanksgiving that has helped me to be adaptable and find family wherever I am. Here's a few clips from National Eating Day of years past:

In 2009 I went to help out the Christensen's in Boise with their holiday workload and we celebrated meatless style! (Ok, I cheated a little bit and made some chicken for myself). It was so much fun to work together on all of the dishes and to create fun memories together.

2006 was my first year in college and I had no idea what to expect for any of the holidays. All I knew was that I had no way to get home and my roommate Jaimee was awesome. We went to her parent's house in Eastern Idaho and worked off our meal in the most unique way we could think of. It was also my only experience in black friday shopping. Not something I would repeat.

 

Fall of 2008 I was fed up with just about everything and I went with my friends on a ride home. 16 hours in the car. Both ways. But it was worth it! My favorite Thanksgiving tradition that I DID get to do was making gumdrop turkeys with my Grandma and my little sisters.

 

2011 Is going to be a different story altogether. There will be no road trips home and no long distance phone calls with my family. But I do have family right here in Nashville. The members of the church here have embraced me and Sister Jasper with loving arms and welcomed us into their homes for the celebration. I'm excited for the many chances that I will have to share a message of gratitude for my Savior with these families. It's the gospel traditions in my life that are really the most imporant ones.

What are you grateful for this year?

Since I've been so long winded about everything else, here is a link to my list from last year!

Someday I'll Be

living in a big old city and you're ever gonna be is mean.

My head isn't really working straight today so I'm just going to write a stream of consciousness post. You can pretend I'm James Joyce if you like.
Although I'd like to think that we don't have much in common.
And there I go being mean again.



The rain here in Nashville has been pouring down hard enough to start another flood.
Thank you T*Swift for playing on repeat in my head today. I've needed a constant reminder to be a little nicer. I've been realizing just how hard I am on myself sometimes, but I can be just as hard on other people.

My reminder to be less judgmental comes from the New Testament. Sister Jasper and I watched the video Finding Faith in Christ with some of our friends the other day and Jesus's admonition to the crowd of accusers when they bring a woman before Him who was found committing adultery always cuts to my heart. "He that hath no sin among you, let him throw the first stone." I'm far from being sinless. (Drops the rocks clenched in my fists).

My "thanksgiving resolution" (because why should they only come at the new year?) is to be a little nicer. To myself, to my friends, when no one else is listening, when I think no one else is listening. Being mean gets me nowhere but in the dumps. It's time to be a little more friendly.

Books About Myself

I've always been a writer. My mom will roll her eyes and tell you about the dresser drawer full of journals tucked away in her office that I can never bear to part with. Most of them are probably filled with "Oh my goodness the boy that I loooooove was sitting next to me at lunch today. It probably means he likes me" and other such sappy 13 year old thoughts. Some of them are poetry books where I expressed my high school angst with phrases that didn't rhyme and meters that didn't quite add up correctly, and others have lists of what food we ate when we were on vacation...general oddities of life.

Its fun to go back to read how weird I was but I'm realizing how what I write is leaving a legacy for my family. One hundred years from now all that my posterity will know about me is what I have shared with them through my journals. My journals are most importantly written for me so I can go back and learn from what I didn't want to forget. Have you ever done that? Gone back to read the books you've written about yourself? It's GREAT! Sister Jasper was laughing at me the other day because I grabbed a highlighter and I was basically finding my favorite quotes from myself.

Want to know what is so cool about that highlighter? The journal that I was reviewing was one I filled with notes during my time at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) back in May and June. Those notes were taken during classes and meetings that were begun with prayer where we invited God to open our hearts to receive revelation so we could learn by the spirit as well as from our teachers. The things I have written in that notebook are my own personal revelation! They are in essence scripture for Elle!

I'm going on longer than I thought I would about this so I think we're going to have to leave it at this point TO BE CONTINUED....

(and if I wasn't so lazy I would have taken a picture of my own journal. The one I used is stolen from Pinterst)

Whoops!

I've promised a few people that a post would be coming about journaling and what do you know, I'm once again at the library with my notes left at home.

What I will share today is something that I wrote in one of those journals I forgot to blog about. When I was making a list of reasons I was happy am on a mission and the things I think I'm sacrificing to be here I had a realization. I left behind an ok life to experience a fantastic one! Lets face it I wasn't exactly the most dedicated person 6 months ago. My biggest determination was that I was going on a mission, not necessarily staying, but I would go.  Now that I have actually taken the opportunity to lose myself in the work and service for others it's turned into something that I love and I see the importance of sharing my faith with less hesitation when I'm in "the real world"

“We have to forgo some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.” -Dallin H. Oaks

Today a part of me might be wishing that I could be sitting at a sewing machine making fancy schmancy blocks for a quilt or listening to music with my brother or cooking with my mom and grandma for the holidays or laughing at some weird thing my little sisters said but in the eternal scheme of things my dedication right now to others is going to bring greater happiness for them and for my family! This one is for y'all back at home!

Some Counsel That I Love

President McKee's wise advice: Don't ever be afraid that you will offend someone by sharing what you believe. We all love to know that our friends care for us and there is no better way to show them your love than sharing Eternal happiness with them!

(Another great picture created by Elder Dallof)

Simplicity

I have a goal for myself. And I think its becoming apparent that I'm not super great at following through with goals that I set, but this one is easy. I want to write 5 things in my journal each day that I'm thankful for. And if I remember I'll share some of them here! I don't really know why I wanted to use these pictures for this post but I think they will be my first thankful:

1. I'm grateful for pictures from my childhood because they remind me just how awesome I can be.
2. I'm thankful for my new fuzzy on the inside raincoat. I'm going to need it today!
3. I'm grateful for my super awesome companion Sister Valentine.
4. I'm thankful for the US Postal Service! Hooray for mail!
5. I'm grateful for my family at home that sends me lots of love and support while I'm away for 18 months <3

&

(somehow Grandma double teamed it into both pictures!)

*Christ Teaching Mary and Martha*

Favorite rebuking in the scriptures time!

Are you familiar with the story of Mary and Martha? They were sisters (you may remember their brother Lazarus...) and their whole family seems to have been pretty close with Jesus. One evening while Christ was teaching at their home Martha was preparing food, or perhaps cleaning, making preparations so that everyone would be comfortable. I think she was probably the ultimate biblical homemaker. I can imagine her frustration that her sister Mary was not helping but instead sitting there with the Savior listening to Him teach.

*

 He said to her, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (found in Luke)

It's important to take care of a nice house and prepare food for those staying at the house, but Christ taught an important lesson to Martha that she should follow the example of her sister and put the things of the Lord first.

Sometimes I'm such a Martha. I read a great blog post the other day by Anne and I was really inspired by her sacrifice of fun design-idea blogs so she could put her focus more on her family.

The Anniversary of My Birth

I love then and now comparisons so I thought I'd throw some birthday footage your way! Yes, October is the best month out of the entire year because it's my birthday month and Halloween too! So here's a treat, a shot from my 5th birthday party! I'm the little blonde one :)

And my birthday as properly celebrated at a member's home this past week with AMAZING pumpkin cheesecake! It was seriously the best birthday I could have ever asked for!

And it was finished by opening a package from home! My mom has made it a tradition to theme the birthday packages she sends me based off of whatever I'm obessesing over at the moment. The only thing I'm really obsessed with right now is the Gospel and also...Menchies Frozen Yogurt (probably going to get a post all to itself) so I just said...hmm..bees! Here's what wonderfully amazing things my mom put together for me!

Isn't she the greatest? Such a fun day and I felt so loved by everyone I met. I think I want to always treat people like it's their birthday. Blink-182 may claim that "nobody likes you when you're 23" but I have different plans for this year!!

*First Blossom*

I had to start the week of art off with this painting for a few reasons. One is that it is my FAVORITE that I'll be sharing and well, today is my birthday! So of course the best things must be shown!

I was so excited to find out that this painting, First Blossom by Annie Henrie was displayed at BYU as a piece in the artist's BFA portfolio. On the website about the gallery display shared her short description of her work.



*

"This painting is about new life, and the process of regeneration, and how on spiritual, physical, and emotional planes we experience death and rebirth. This painting focuses on the wonder of that rebirth, and the miracle it is to be able to begin again."

I saw different significance in this painting. When I look at this I see myself with two of my sisters. I am the one on the left, S is in the middle, and R is on the right. I feel at peace looking at this painting and perhaps the blossom that we are gazing upon is symbolic of the joy found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Something about this image just makes me smile! I can't help myself!

My Happiness Boost

I want to introduce you to my favorite little brother and sister duo T & W. These children are the sweetest things you'll ever find! Last Sunday was our ward primary program where all of the children sing and testify of Christ. This year's theme was "I know the scriptures are true".  We went over regularly to see T & W and we practiced the songs with them. It has been so sweet to hear their testimonies through song!

When we were taking these pictures T said "Wait wait! Will you take one of me praying?" He says the sweetest most heartfelt prayers and you can just tell he knows that he is talking with his Father in heaven!

When we left their house yesterday Sister Valentine turned to me and said, "Aren't they just wonderful? They are the happiness I need in my day!" Its so true. Children understand that the simple joy in life comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ! They are so humble and they understand the love God has for them. There is so much we can learn from children.

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Mosiah 3:19

(click HERE for a list of scripture songs. I ALWAYS sing the one for Mosiah 3:19 in my head when I read this verse!)

 We give countless pass along cards to kids that we see every day and they are thrilled to have a picture of Jesus! W has one glued in the front cover of her Book of Mormon from the first time she met missionaries!

Eternal. That's What Real Love Is.

"I love to see the temple I'll go inside some day. I'll covenant with my Father; I'll promise to obey. For the Temple is a holy place where we are sealed together.

As a child of God I've learned this truth:

A family is forever."

-I Love to See the Temple by Janice Kapp Perry

Me with my mom the day that I went to the Rexburg, Idaho Temple.

I love the simplicity of a children's song and what it can teach us. Temples are the house of God and the peace and joy that come from being there are above anything else. I love the comfort that comes from knowing that my family will be forever, no matter what may happen or separate us in this life. Knowing that we will be together for eternity gives me a long term vision of how I should be treating my family with love and care. The little issues shouldn't be made into big problems. It sure isn't always easy but I know that it is worth it.

You Make The Sun Shine Brighter Than Doris Day!

Sometimes in your life you meet people who just melt their way into your heart.

After Sister Warwood and I leave a house one of the first things we almost always say to each other is "I just heart that family so much!" Yes. Stupid teenage girl talk. But its true! 

My dad told me once that you never stop loving a person, your heart just learns to love even more as life goes on. I think mine is as the exploding point. It is just full to the brim!

One family that I have met on my mission that is going to be etched into my heart forever is the Carmichael crew.  They are fun, supportive, and willing to drop anything to help out with missionary work! We would spend every waking moment of our lives at their house if we could.

Here is my rendition of their backyard:

And one of Cara eating a homemade popsicle in a camping chair.

"Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life. True love lasts forever. it is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us." -Joseph B. Wirthlin

Music Heals The Soul

Just watch the video. My words won't do it justice.