Lessons Learned

Not unlike any other time I sit down to blog, I don't know what to write about. I don't understand why that is! I mean, lets be perfectly honest, I am an opinionated lady! I get that from my mom. ;) The last blog I wrote was about starting anew and being an example of Christian behavior. I have been able to do that everyday, even if it is the smallest of things. The thing that sticks out to me most is something that happened today.

I <3 this

I was filling up with gas-a not so happy experience-and I noticed a man right away who seemed to be bundled up a lot for the cold and he was pacing, I assumed that to be because he was cold. He walked up to me, seemingly nervous, and said, "Excuse me miss, I know this is a lot to ask, I can see you're already spending money right now, but would you happen to have some change I could have. I haven't eaten in 2 days and I am looking to buy a sandwhich." I quickly pulled my wallet and asked him how much. I was fully willing and ready to give him everything he needed for his lunch. He turned it down and said he only wanted $2 from me. I finished filling up the car and went on with the rest of the day. As I drove away I thanked my heavenly father for the opportunity to serve someone today.

Goofy is my middle name!

Over the last few weeks life has been crazy busy. Myles' older brother got married. It was a nice ceremony and reception. I helped out with some of the decorating and did some sound things for the actual wedding portion of the day. It was a fun and exciting atmosphere, but I do have to admit the gratitude I felt that someone else planned my wedding. I was exceptionally pleased with the decorations at both receptions, and the Temple sealing truly is a great experience. Although there was some drama, by our own choosing we filled the night with fun! It was a long 2 days, but they were seriously fun ones! We were asked to give talks on the following Sunday so that was a little more hectic than we anticipated. Our talks were very much guided by the spirit.

Our job has some major ups and downs when it comes to a first week to the second kind of a basis. We get paid per car. We have absolutely no control over what lots have how much work for us. Because of that our pay checks can vary a lot, causing our money conscious minds to freak out a little bit. We started looking into new job opportunities, however after much prayer and a visit to the temple, we have been instructed to stick this job out. We don't know if that will be another month or until May when we move, but we are thankful to have a job, and we will stick it out as long as the Lord asks us to.

This might be my favorite picture

My new calling in the ward is Relief Society Activities Coordinator. I really had a hard time accepting this to be my call, but I told the bishop I would do it, and I started into my new job. It was a hard experience at first! You will all be glad to know that I have had a change of heart! I have my first activity planned and I am so excited! I am thankful for the people that have accepted to be on my committee. They are a real blessing to me! Our Valentines activity is going to be a great one!

I am in love with my visiting teaching route and my fabulous companion Christine. She is a great friend and I know it was perfect for both of us at this time. The Sisters we visit are strong, faithful, ambitious, beautiful women who are examples to me! I'm thankful that God has provided this program to women in the Church. It really is inspired, even if it takes me a while to get out of my dear mothers attitude. :P

Bridesmaids!

Our wedding pictures came! Sharlene Fagersten with Your Good Side Photography did a super amazing job! The pictures have an assortment of beautiful pictures, serious pictures, and down right fun ones! I am so thankful she agreed to do it, even while she was in school and working, both full time.

We are FAMILY!

Myles got a new tie from Hannah

We went to the Temple this past weekend. It was, as the Temple always is, a beautiful experience. I wanted so badly to have "more profound experience than I have before" moment. However, I asked in my prayers that I would only have what I was ready for. That proved to be a hard thing for me. It was wonderful! However it was the same wonderful as I always thought it was, and I was feeling disappointed that the feeling I thought I wanted didn't happen. I walked out of the temple, trying to keep my head high, but I had this nagging wish that something more would have happened. I became bitter and then saddened because I knew that isn't a feeling you are supposed to have when you come out of the temple. The following day I was able to be touched by the spirit and was finally able to be taught something. I have been taught this by friends, teachers, loved ones, and the spirit countless times. The lesson is: The Lord works in his own time, no matter how faithful and obedient we are. I am now beyond my negative feelings and proud to say that I love going to the temple! Despite my desire for a "profound" something to happen, I know that God is going to work in his time. He is constant. He always has done things in his all seeing time, and he always will. My little human mind sometimes can't grasp that concept. Good thing God sends me the same lesson over and over. Maybe one of these times I'll get it.

My hair is getting its length and curl back at the same time!

I hope everyone is doing well! We are so blessed and thankful to be where we are at right now. Be Faithful!

PS-If you want to see more pictures, there are tons on my facebook!

Starting something new

Myles bulding out table from Ann with tools from my parents

Our Christmas and New Year went very well. We had fun and spent them with Myles family. I wont say it was easy not being with my family, if I did, I'd be lying but all in all I survived and I know it may not get easier, but I will be able to bear it better as time goes. We were blessed by many presents by others and were able to stick to a strict budget for our gifts to others so we didn't go under! It was a fun time and we didn't forget the true meaning of Christmas. We skyped with my family at the end of the day and they called me when they opened our presents to them. That, for me, started the ever lasting fight over the tears. I tried so hard not to cry all day. It was really hard. I made it through though! It didn't help that they were hanging up with me to go skype my not-my-husband best friend, Brother Jon and I didn't get to.

He's so handy

We spent the rest of Christmas week working and new years eve was spent watching Pitch Perfect. (I enjoyed the music but it was very crude at some parts) and shooting fireworks. I think my inlaws learned for themselves that I like sleeping and I don't like the cold. Myles woke me up from my couch nap to get me to watch fireworks and I was crabby and freezing!!

  

Our pathetic claim to snow. It sure was cold!

We helped Gpa Nielsen harvest Pecans

We are glad to start this new year!! :) It will bring adventures of every kind!

Myles shaking the nuts off the trees

2013 is starting off with a chill! We have had snow falling for nearly 30 hours. Guess how much stuck to the ground?? Maybe a total of 2 inches... It's mostly gone now. It's crazy to me that people "can't drive" in this. The roadway is completely clear of any snow! Nothing stuck to the pavement. lol It makes me miss home more than ever. Especially today... Anyway, the down side to the snow is that we can't work when there is snow on all our cars. That made it a little difficult for us this week, with them being closed on new years day, and then the snow, we weren't able to get as much done and got no where near our goal. A goal is just that though, a goal! You can set a goal and not make it because of elements of life you cannot control. Such as weather and what days people close their businesses.
Through all of this I'm trying to remember something that my dear friend and Freshman seminary teacher always said. "During trials, don't ask 'why is this happening to me?' but ask 'what am I supposed learn from this?' And so, even though that is the one of the most difficult, humbling questions one can ask themselves, that is what I ask.

What am I supposed to learn? Sometimes I ask myself that when I'm at church and the speaker is boring, or the lesson is not grabbing my attention. At that point I can usually teach myself something pretty great with the help of the Holy Ghost. However, when this question is posed in the face of a trial, the answer always seems to come more slowly. The answer is never apparent until far after the trial is over. I have decided for myself that in the case of missing being with my family, and having rough work weeks, that my answer is faith. That must be it! It's fairly general, but I can always use more! Faith, Hope, and Charity, right?

Today Myles and I watched a man with his dog,
who appeared to be homeless or at least lived a very meager life style. He had just purchased a warm drink from Starbucks and he and his dog tried to stay close together through the snow to be warm. The man was trying so desperately to assist his dog to climb a wall, when he put his drink down on the wall and squatted down so his dog could climb up him. On the dogs first attempt he didn't make it so the man moved a little bit and the dog jumped up him again. Only this time the dog bumped the scolding drink and it spilled, melting what snow was around it. Not only did the man not have a warm drink to keep him through the cold, but it had spilled all over his shabby bag. He helped his dog up the wall the rest of the way and stood up. He looked up at the skies and shook his fists in anguish. He appeared to be cursing God. My very first instinct when his drink spilled was, "quick! Do we have cash in the car? Find it before the light turns!" I wanted him to have his warm drink in the cold. We were not able to find anything smaller than a $20 in the car, and I almost wanted to give him all of it. I missed my chance and as we passed by him, he and the dog we finding cover under the awning of an empty building. I wanted so desperately to stop but we had work to do. What a lame excuse! I have been thinking about this all day long. Why couldn't we have stopped? If only to see if he had been burned! I wish so badly that we had chosen to show him that God really was out there and looking out for him. There are days that I want to complain about the things that I don't have, or about how such and such a thing went wrong. On those days I still know that God lives, and loves me! He is watching out for me and my family, and he always knows my heart aches. I usually don't make resolutions, but this year I did. This year my goal is to find someone everyday, who I can be an example to. I want to let everyone I come in contact with know that I believe in Jesus Christ! Not by my words alone, but by my actions as well.

Jesus Lives!