I'M ASPIRING TO THIS

Post Post

I have learned another truth. And you know what I do when I learn truth! I write it down here so when I come back I can remember. :) I felt prompted to look up quotes from President Hinckley when I realized that my view of a lot of things had been pretty negative. In one quote President Hinckley said he repeated the same quote to himself every morning. I figured, if that helped make him into the optimistic GIANT he was, it is definitely worth a shot! So, every morning after I pray I repeat this quote by him to myself: "Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out." I have felt so much more positive since then! I feel happier, like I can overcome obstacles. Once I leave on my mission I think that quote will change to "Forget yourself and get to work." :) And I can change it to whatever my current challenge is! Lately I have seen the truth that so much of life is based on how we view it.

Also, I've realized that I need to focus on how Heavenly Father feels about my actions, not on how others feel about my actions. I want to pray every night to ask if what I'm doing is making Him happy, and then listen for the Spirit to guide me on where I'm doing well and also where I can improve!

I've ALSO realized that I need to apply the scriptures more by seeing how I can implement them in my life! It has made my life great so far. :)

P.S. Eight days til I leave, you beautiful people!

Semester in Review

Well, bloggy, I decided you are probably kind of hungry for pictures! It has been, after all, like two years since I last updated you with some! So. Here are some of the memories I was wise enough to record over the past few semesters! I am one lucky girl. :)

Awkward FHE family pictures

Them Idaho potatoes are huge! justkiddingthiswasasquash

Math tourneys! We all came up with different answers and we were all wrong. hahaha

SO AWKWARD. SO. AWKWARD.

We made a bed out of wood and plastic bags for my class!

What a beautiful woman! Mission pictures :,)

We are one ATTRACTIVE, HUMBLE family

This is probably my favorite picture of Mum of all time

Future Elder Scheuermann :,)

hahaha, this cake didn't really work out how we planned

I miss her!

I am definitely NOT baby hungry. Nope.

B-Kiss, erybud!

I love Griff Bear

"This season's hottest new show - All About Ally!"

hahaha HAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA - there are at least four funny things in this picture

We missed Joyce so much that we printed her face off and took her around town!

Blatant advertising - orphanagesupport.org!

Heather got engaged!

There's my honey shoving our wedding cake into my face! Just kidding, we're just PALS, AMIGOS, HE ROUNDHOUSE KICKED ME INTO THE FRIEND ZONE

I got to be a mentor for Get Connected! SO FUN

This is what Lia and I do. Our friendship began by looking at cat memes :,)

One of my best friends :,)

When I brought these out of Little Caesar's I told everyone they weren't for me. Their response: "Sure...you're just stocking up for fast Sunday" hahaha

It's true fellas! Start practicing!

Found this gem on Deseret News and I was surprised to see a rebuttal article as well as negative responses. There are extremes on either side, but I needed this this side right now, because I'm the first to admit that I spend way too much time on my iPhone. It is incredibly convenient, yes. But it also seems to have more power to suck me in than a Hoover 4000 (if those are real). So. This is to remind me that people always come first, and I need to make that habit right now.

"Editor's note: This content by Tonya Ferguson originally appeared on her blog, 4 Little Fergusons. It has been posted here with the author's permission.

Dear mom on the iPhone,

I see you over there on the bench, messing on your iPhone. It feels good to relax a little while your kids have fun in the sunshine, doesn't it? You are doing a great job with your kids: You work hard, you teach them manners, have them do their chores.

But Momma, let me tell you what you don't see right now ...

Your little girl is spinning round and round, making her dress twirl. She is such a little beauty queen already, the sun shining behind her long hair. She keeps glancing your way to see if you are watching her.

You aren't.

Your little boy keeps shouting, "Mom, MOM watch this!" I see you acknowledge him, barely glancing his way.

He sees that too. His shoulders slump, but only for a moment, as he finds the next cool thing to do.

Now you are pushing your baby in the swing. She loves it! Cooing and smiling with every push. You don't see her though, do you? Your head is bent, your eyes on your phone as you absently push her swing.

Talk to her. Tell her about the clouds, Mommy. The Creator who made them. Tickle her tummy when she comes near you, and enjoy that baby belly laugh that leaves far too quickly.

Put your eyes back on your prize: your kids.

Show them that they are the priority. Wherever you are, be ALL there. I am not saying it's not OK to check in on your phone, but it's a time-sucker: User beware!

Play time at the park will be over before you know it.

The childhood of your children will be gone before you know it.

They won't always want to come to the park with you, Mommy. They won't always spin and twirl to make their new dress swish. They won't always call out, "WATCH ME!"

There will come a point when they stop trying, stop calling your name, stop bothering to interrupt your phone time.

Because they know ...

You've shown them, all these moments, that the phone is more important than they are. They see you looking at it at while waiting to pick up brother from school, during playtime, at the dinner table, at bedtime.

I know that's not true, Mommy.

I know your heart says differently.

But your kids can't hear your words, Mommy. Your actions are screaming way too loudly.

May our eyes rest upon those we love, first and foremost, and may everything else fall away in the wonderful, noisy, sticky-fingered glory of it all."

Family Relations

I have had a superb family relations class. Absolutely superb! I wanted to share what I've learned.

Here are some of the most important things I have learned this semester:

1. The statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce is false. I still don't quite understand the actual ratio; something about how in a year, certain people stay married while others divorce. The good news is that I can point out that that statistic is false! I believe that to mean that although divorce is still quite common, it isn't as common as I thought. Hopefully that can give others hope in marrying, instead of giving them the false expectation that their marriage has a 50/50 chance of making it. It also helped me to look closer at the statistic I've heard that even 50 percent of temple marriages end in divorce. I need more evidence to be convinced now, instead of just a random percentage thrown out in the open.

2. Much of the research about the outcomes of same-sex marriage and the ability to overcome same-sex attraction is skewed towards those who favor same-sex marriage. There are a lot of people right now who are taking sides about same-sex marriage. I loved Dennis Prager's article (which has really good points) about how both sides have two different questions they ask, and that's where the problems come. Both facts are true: gay people need more equality, but that does not mean that gay marriage is the best for our society. Sound bytes are made out of skewed information about SSA and the public is confused and misled.

3. Much of the world lives in moral relativism, saying that things are only good or bad depending on how you label them. This concept is false. The truth is that there is absolute good and bad. I can definitely see this pull happening in our society, with people being too focused on tolerance. It's so important to be aware of the fact that this is happening, or it is easier to get sucked into doing it and allowing it ourselves. We must live according to Heavenly Father's law, or everyone will become a law unto themselves, only to find out how mistaken they were at the judgment bar.

4. A few of the most important factors in a happy marriage are that you think of your partner as your best friend and that you respect him. Without those foundations, you are in trouble. Best friends know what each other like and dislike, and they cater to those preferences. They know about each other. They talk about what happens day to day as well as deep things. Do the little things you know your spouse would love and avoid the things you know they dislike. Those little drops in the bucket add up to a strong marriage.

5. The most important things we can do for our children is help them learn to govern themselves and to have strong ballast. I learned this in the parenting class, but I have felt it reinforced this semester. Children definitely need freedom, but they definitely also need limits if they are to learn to have the discipline they will need to fuel their lives after they leave home. Instilling values that apply to many situations is more useful than constantly saying "don't touch that" and "don't say that".

6. About 70 percent of married BYU-I students said that the first year of marriage was bearable. I love this statistic because it shows reality. Many people fall into believing that once you are married, life is happily ever after. The truth is, we know that's not how it's going to be. We aren't going to be ecstatic every day and our level of happiness will stay pretty much the same, or (if our expectations were unrealistically high) they will decrease. If you aren't happy when you're single, you won't be happy when you're married. The truth of the matter is that although married life can bring happiness that can't be experienced in any other way, it is also hard. Hard and joyful don't have to cancel each other one - in fact, the struggle is often what makes the happiness rich.

7. Working together as a family is one of the most important things we can do, but it's also one of the things that has been nearly eliminated from our modern world. Adam and Eve were commanded to till the earth together. Our world has tried to go "back to Eden" where there was less work required. But work is a blessing because it gives us a chance to teach our children, give them good role models, and spend time together. Even the aspects of work that make it seem unappealing, like repetition and being mundane, are what make them perfect ways for families to connect. Although life is easier now, that does not mean it is more fulfilling. We sacrificed a lot when we let technology take over.

8. There is incredible power in labels. I remember Brother Williams told a story about a guy he knows who was labeled moody when he was younger. The man is very capable and bright, but that label followed him his whole life and he still lives in his parents' basement. In the same light, labeling someone as gay can have incredible power to change the course of someone's life. I am making sure that my children never ever label others because of the powerful repercussions it can have.

9. There is no perfect person out there for you, and even if there was, he's not spending every waking minute looking for you. He has his own life! I remember reading the devotional by Brother Chadwick about finding your future spouse. Everything he said is true! You reap what you sow. If you spend all semester in your apartment, the Spirit is probably not going to whisper to an imaginary Prince Charming, "knock on apartment 203 and ask for Ashley." The very best thing we can do is trust that Heavenly Father will help us in finding our future spouse as we go about living full lives while doing our parts to find him!

10. Recognize that research comes from humans. That means it can be flawed, skewed, misinterpreted, or done by those without credentials. Like I mentioned in my first point, it is so easy to want to believe anything that has a percentage attached to it. The implications can be huge! People can decide whether or not they are going to marry or have children based on a false statistic or false interpretation of a statistic. Also, the more people you have researching a topic with the same results, the more you can trust it. Law of witnesses! Also, as President Uchtdorf said in his CES devotional, "...it is always good to keep in mind, just because something is printed on paper, appears on the Internet, is frequently repeated, or has a powerful group of followers doesn’t make it true."

Weaknesses and Worries

I learned another important lesson.

A few nights ago I felt overwhelmed by my weaknesses; like I don't have the strength to ever overcome them. I prayed for comfort and went to Ether 12:27. I found that I had written some cross-references there: Philippians 4:13 and especially 2 Corinthians 12:9: "And he said said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my [Christ's] strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." My weaknesses can be a testimony of Christ's strength. I had this image come to mind of me with patches taken out. These are my weaknesses. Then I imagined golden light bursting from those holes - the power of the Atonement. I know that not only can our weaknesses be overcome through Christ, but that they can become our strengths, our testimony of Christ's strength. That gave me a lot of comfort.

That same night I had the thought that I need to set some guiding principles for my mission. One of the thoughts that came was that I need to go to Heavenly Father with my problems FIRST, ALWAYS. Of course I can go to others as well, but Heavenly Father comes first. So that night I told Heavenly Father each of my worries. I felt powerful comfort that did not come from myself. I felt His guidance through my thoughts.

I challenge you to take your problems to Heavenly Father first. He can help you.

He Is Risen

On this day we remember that the Savior rose again. The Resurrection is real. We will all live again with perfected bodies.

I love the lyrics to "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul":

Savior, Redeemer of my soul,
Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,
Whose wondrous pow’r hath raised me up
And filled with sweet my bitter cup!
What tongue my gratitude can tell,
O gracious God of Israel.

Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night?
Then let my lips proclaim it still,
And all my life reflect thy will.

O’errule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul till I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of thy love,
And fit me for the life above.

You Have Been Assigned to Labor...

...in the OKLAHOMA TULSA MISSION! 

(English-speaking) 

Report to the Provo MTC on May 8, 2013!



I'm so stoked!!! I really felt like I was going to go stateside before I opened my call. Thank you for the heads up, Heavenly Father! :)

So! Let me tell you a little bit about the OTM! (Oklahoma Tulsa Mission, aka Only True Mission, Obesity Through Members, or Ogres Throwing Midgets)

1. It is the best mission in the world! Of course. :)

2. They have fireflies there!



3. They also have tornadoes!



4. The people call shopping carts buggies.

5. I was thinking the people would have Minnesota-like accents, but they're really more Southern twangy!

6. Oklahoma is next to Texas...not Michigan. haha. When was the last time I looked at a map of the U.S.?! How could I forget that it's the only state that resembles a pot?!



7. It gets super hot and humid there in the summer - over 100 degrees in the summer! Luckily living in Idaho has prepared me for that?

8. My mission president and his wife are AWESOME! I found their blog...not creepy

9. Tulsa is also called the Oil Capital of the World, Tulsey Town, T-Town, the 918! haha

10. My mission also covers parts of Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas; in fact, it covers more of Missouri than it does Oklahoma. Holla!

11. Their state vegetable is watermelon. No, really! And listen to this! "State meal: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas." If I gain 30 pounds in the next 18 months...please still be my friend

12. High school football is huge out there.

13. Their state flag is hipster!

14. My friend told me that they have some sweet sayings out there like "Oklahoma - where the trees are made of wood" and "Oklahoma, Oklahoma - there, I said it twice". hahaha! These are my kind of people!

This mission just seems right for me. Just like my roommates' missions were perfect for them! I am excited to meet the incredible people out there! TWO MONTHS from now I will be there!

Sorrow the Eye Can't See

I'll tell you what. People have trials! And it can be so hard to see sometimes, even in the people you are closest to. I have been blessed with the opportunity lately to be allowed to know about the sorrows of those around me. I have been praying for opportunities to serve others and Heavenly Father has answered my prayers. I have learned that there is so much beneath the surface. I didn't even know that my roommate was having a hard time a few days ago until she opened up to me. The same has been true in at least four other instances lately. I'm grateful that these people have let me into their lives - some of the most tender aspects of their lives. It has given me fulfillment that I haven't found elsewhere.

(Russian Accent) Hiello.

Caitlin, this one is for you.

HHHHHI.

I am writing this because you are one of the only people who will probably ever read this.

I hope your ulcer is doing well. And by that I mean, I hope you ulcer is being destroyed and that you are doing well.

I luff you.

I mees you.

Also

My papers are in! My call should come by NEXT WEEK. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS IS ALL SO CRAZY

P.S. I have new tabs! You will notice right above this post are tabs "Home", "Tips for Life", and "Powerhouse Words". There are nuggets of wisdom there, if I do say so myself! ESPECIALLY in the quotes. Holla!

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

I love this video! I was thinking about my dream life yesterday and I realized that it would be a lot like this one. Preferably with a mint-colored Ford truck from the fifties. :)

How to Really Change

This has been a powerhouse week. On Tuesday I finished my papers and submitted them to the bishop! Ahh! So exciting and scary! I'll tell you what, the adversary worked on me really hard that day. I expected it a little bit because my roommate told me that's how it was for her before she left for the mission. She was right! haha. I was filled with doubts and passivity. All from the adversary. Finally, I called my brother about an hour before I had my appointment and he helped me through and broke down the lies the adversary was trying to get me to believe. He likened the First Vision to how I was feeling. He asked what Joseph Smith did when the adversary tried to bind his tongue.

me: "He prayed."
him: "Nope, what did he do?"
me: "He prayed."
him: "Nope, he prayed HARDER and HARDER."

He talked about how the adversary knew this was going to be a good thing and he was trying to stop it, just like he did when Joseph Smith was about to say a prayer that would change the world forever. It was such a good conversation; it strengthened me and helped me see clearly. After that I texted my family and asked if they would all pray for me. They did, and I felt it. My mum, especially. She told me that she had been cross-country skiing at the time and she knelt down and poured out her heart to Heavenly Father and the Savior for me. Mothers' prayers are so powerful and it's making me cry just thinking about it! I know that on my mission those prayers will sustain me.

Another thing that has made this week so good has been the inspiration I've gotten. A few days ago I had the inspiration that if I want my scripture study to be effective, I need to have a purpose for each study session instead of just reading. You'd think I would have thought of that after 20 years of living! But I never had. haha. So I started doing it and my scripture study has become so much richer! I highly highly recommend it to all of you. It will help you love the scriptures! Also, pray before you study, asking to have the Spirit during your study, and ask specifically to be led in your question or purpose for that day's study. I have also come to see the importance of studying the scriptures every day for half an hour (as asked of us by my stake president)! That was quite a stretch from five minutes a day during high school, but I have come to love it, and nothing less is adequate for me now. As my bishop told me once, it takes about 15 minutes to even get into really focusing on studying scriptures! Also, our stake president asked us to study in the morning, because the scriptures give us the Spirit, which we need all day, not just right before we fall asleep! I'm sure there are different circumstances out there for everyone, but scripture study is one of the most important things we can do. Make it a priority and see the Lord bless your life!

So, a few days ago I was discouraged. I felt completely stuck in my ways, like nothing I try to do will change me. So I took that concern to my scripture study. ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SCRIPTURE STUDIES I HAVE EVER HAD! First I searched through the Topical Guide about change. I was led to Mosiah 5:2. This is right after the Book of Mormon king, King Benjamin, gave his last words of counsel to his people before he passed away. After his powerful words, he asked his people if they believed his words - "And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."

So I learned that change is possible, and it comes from the Spirit. I also learned that true change comes from our desires being changed, not just the fruits of our desires, our actions, being changed.

So my next question was "How do I change my desires?"

I learned that this desire to do good comes from faith. Next question: "How do I grow in faith?"

I was somehow led to a page on lds.org about faith, and one of the headings said "How can I increase my faith?" Heavenly Father was definitely aware of me. This page said to grow in faith requires us to pray for faith, to live the Savior's teachings, and (most important to me that day) studying the scriptures. It quoted Romans 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

There is was! True change comes from the Spirit and desire. Desire comes from faith. And faith and the Spirit come from studying the scriptures!

Since then, I have tried to spend more time in the scriptures and all the good resources the Church gives us. I have felt the Spirit a lot stronger and I have come to love the scriptures more! I promise you that if you have a purpose to your study and spend more time in the scriptures, you will feel the Spirit more and have a greater desire to do what is right!

If you want to live my life...

...listen to these two songs at least 17 times per day:

-Walk On By by Noosa
-Go Do by Jonsi

Moderation in all things?

Real Men

My feelings are tender tonight. I just finished watching 17 Miracles. Those Saints are so faithful. They were so strong; words cannot express that strongly enough. As I watched I thought about the trials they went through and I thought to myself, “How can I be as faithful as they were?”. They are worthy role models to aspire to be like. As President Hinckley said, we should never stop being grateful for them.

I want to talk about heroes.

There is a scene in the movie where several men volunteer to carry the rest of the company across the Sweetwater River in the dead of winter. That scene touched me deeply. They are real men. The greatest indicator of a real man is someone who selflessly sacrifices all that is required for the welfare of others. I think about the men in my life and what they would do if they were at Sweetwater River in the winter of 1856. I have no doubt in my mind that my brothers and father would be some of the first to volunteer, and that brings tears to my eyes. There are so many other men I know who would do the same. They are real men and I am deeply grateful for their strong, selfless characters. I am grateful for the Levi Savages in my life and someday I hope to marry one. Brothers, if any of you are reading this, know that I and other women are so grateful for your sacrifices, for your priesthood service, for your being stalwart in such a corrupted world. I’m sure life can be hard for you and that it can be difficult for you to stay strong. There may even be times that you have fallen. Know that we stand behind you and we’ll do all we can to help you.