My tender mercy today was being able to volunteer at an event today--it was really fun to be that busy and helpful! All the people there were so laid back and nice. That was basically my whole day! Plus I got to see some of my mission friends, so that was fun. I didn't think I'd be able to!

Today I got to spend quite a bit of time studying! I realized that, if affirmations really do attract things into people's lives, then I need to stop saying I don't have enough time. Today I tried to turn that around and envision having time to get all my assignments done early. It was really nice! I am loving all of my classes and teachers. Yaaay

Today's tender mercy was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. :) I was on campus all day today and didn't have time to pack lunch, and they had free PB&Js at the institute, which I found out about by accident! sniff. Also a tender mercy that I'm starting up my goal program again and Mama's going to keep me accountable. Also, the thought that it really helps me to be speedy if I count my time down backwards--for example, I feel like I have a lot of time to get ready for bed in half an hour, but realistically, it takes about ten minutes to get ready for bed, ten minutes to pray, and ten minutes to index and write on here. So...I have zero minutes, and that makes me be more speedy. I'm going to try it out with homework, since I always think I have more time than I do to do it!

Quickly now! My tender mercy today was--although it sounds worldly, perhaps--finding a Jamba Juice. I had just finished a run and had been discouraged, but Heavenly Father gave me that little treat--probably because He knows that I've been missing my fruit. Also, my apartment is getting more lively and cozy. SO NICE. And, Mama's going to keep me accountable to my goals, one of which is five minutes of indexing per day. I've GOT to do it!

Random Nutrition Facts

I am interested in nutrition, and I try to keep track of the little facts I've found, so I figured that I'd share them on here! They may be true or false, but I'll believe it!

-Potato chips have more potassium than a banana. Thus, they would be more helpful for muscle cramps than a banana! Also, apparently avocados have twice as much potassium as bananas.
-Broccoli has more vitamin C than an orange. Tomatoes and broccoli are also a good source of vitamin C. Broccoli also has more calcium than milk and is more easily absorbed.
-Also, I've heard that once you've got a cold, vitamin C doesn't do much. You've got to have it before the virus comes for it to be helpful. So, once you're sick, just try to eat healthy so that your body's natural immune response has an easier time!
-Honey has all the nutrients necessary to sustain life.
-Dairy, sugar, wheat, soy, and even peanut butter can all allegedly make your complexion worse. I definitely know that dairy really does affect (at least my) complexion. There is a direct correlation between the two and I always see the effects really quickly.
-Sugar is addictive--the more you eat it, the more you want to eat. Your brain can become dependent on it for the chemicals it transmits. Also, apparently it can have the same effect on your liver as alcohol. It's important to keep it out of sight and out of mind! Eliminate temptation. I gave up treats for a few months and whenever I have them now they just don't taste as good as fruit! So, lasting chance is possible!
-Water...tastes way better out of a glass bottle, in my opinion. Plus, you don't have to worry about the plastic getting hot.
-I think...the American diet is terrible. Empty calories. That's it. My plan is to have most of my family's meals be Ethiopian food, Thai food, Hispanic food, etc.
-Lemon water is good for balancing your pH level. Sugar and meats put your body in a more acidic state.
-Tomatoes and berries can possibly help against cancer. Food plays a huge role in health! ("Let food be thy medicine." -Hippocrates)
-Protein is more difficult to absorb from meat than from other sources.
-Apparently onions help to detoxify the body.
-Garlic can help to fit against a sore throat/cold. If you mix it with apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper (diluted) and gargle it...it will hurt. But apparently it helps. haha
-Okay, this is just a life hack--if you've just cut onions, rub your hands against a metal spoon under cold running water and the spoon will absorb the smell! Really!
-My favorite life hack--to get the pit out of the avocado, just quickly put the knife into the pit and twist it out. It's so fun :D (safety first)

I just had the most delicious salad I have ever created...and maybe I only think that because I'm nutrient-deficient...but it seriously is delicious. Black beans, tomatoes, avocado, lime, honey, olive oil, cumin...ohhh that's why. I love Hispanic food...black beans...avocado...lime...cumin. Yep, it all makes sense now.

1. I went to a really good class tonight for returned missionaries and the speaker mentioned that RMs often stop praying as frequently. I realized that I was definitely guilty of that, and the speaker mentioned that we could try to pray every hour. I like the idea! I'm going to try it out.

2. I was also looking for ways to be more effective in my homework since it always takes me SO LONG, and I found a website about how it helps to have specific goals for each study session. Maybe I already do that, but I'm not sure...

3. Another thing I'd like to be better at is retaining the information I learn, so I Googled that and found a really good article! The author said:
"Listening or reading something is just listening or reading.It’s not real learning.
Real learning comes from making mistakes.
And mistakes come from implementation.
And that’s how you retain 90% of everything you learn."

So basically, it's like BYU-Idaho's Learning Model--you have to teach other people in order to really learn. When you teach, you make mistakes, which makes you have to concentrate. Really, it makes you into an active, concentrated learner instead of a passive listener. I like it! I think I'll try to make my own private blog where I teach what I learn in my classes.

4. One of the biggest tender mercies today was having the inspiration to examine my thoughts. I've been feeling super overwhelmed and discouraged lately with decision-making, and it really helped me to remember that I can tell myself the truth about things. For example, I will admit that my room was kind of messy this morning, which contributed to feeling overwhelmed. So I thought to myself, "I have five minutes. I can give five minutes to clean up." The power to change your life by what you tell yourself is one of my favorite principles! It has helped me to have better scripture study, and I'm excited to apply it to every area of my life.

5. Speaking of principles, one of my Education Week classes today was about how powerful principles are in helping us make decisions. They apply across every situation, and the scriptures are full of them. He mentioned that blessings we receive are full of principles, so even if we don't receive a direct answer, we can receive something more useful--principles that will apply to not only that moment, but every circumstance. Hopefully it's okay that I'm sharing these insights...

1. I had really good insights about creating my vision yesterday. I need to ask myself questions that help me fill in the details about my goals. That makes for powerful planning!

2. Man, this article is SO GOOD! Every time I hear it I get something new out of it!

3. A note in my scriptures reminded me that one way out of spiritual sloughs is to pray sincerely, even if that prayer is only "I really don't want to do this. Please help me to not feel that way."

4. I've got good friends! Great friends!

5. Mama's so good to me, even when I'm distraught and grumpy because I'm the most indecisive person in the world. She is endlessly kind. love love

6. I asked her tonight what she thinks Heavenly Father's character is. For some reason, it has been difficult for me to understand His true character. She gave me the perfect example of an older man we know who helps her see who Heavenly Father is--everything good.

7. This awesome quote: "To those who feel defeated and downtrodden, look to the early hours of the day for your rescue." (Elder Russell M. Nelson)

8. And this fact about grades--the later we wake up, the worse our GPAs get. (from this article)

9. The article also explains that the commandment to go to bed early is a simple command--so simple that we might dismiss it, like the children of Israel when they were bitten by snakes.

Man, today has been weird, namely because...I'm not sure why. DECISIONS

Tender mercies:

1. I got to go to the temple today!

2. I had some fun text conversations

3. This weird mindset I'm in today has made me a little bit more sassy...which is good? Sure

4. This is why I shouldn't go to bed at 3:30 am

5. Insight: big things are just made up of a lot of little small things. That makes things less intimidating.

6. Neiler moved our furniture around today, so now it looks more like a room and there IS more room! yaaaay

7. I found my salad dressing: hummus. That sentence probably makes no sense.

8. Oh, and I hiked Ensign Peak today! Check that off the bucket list. I was going to run up it, which I did...for fifteen feet...then I realized that I can't run up 30- and 45-degree hills. #InShape

Today was fun :) I realized today that maybe sometimes I assume that Heavenly Father doesn't want to give something to me, when really, He is willing to do so!

1. Alastair, the institute choir group, and I watched a meteor shower tonight at Emigration Canyon! We had our own little dance party listening to "A Sky Full of Stars"--what could be more fitting, I ask you! And I made a friend there, named Todd. We're going to watch Princess Bride on Friday! Yaaay

2. A guy from the group sent Aly a text that I wasn't supposed to read, about how he thought I was cute...unfortunately for him, I had Aly's phone in my hand when he sent the message...so I saw it. hahaha. I bet Heavenly Father sets some things up just so that we can laugh sometimes.

3. I figured out some more details for housing tonight, and got the grade I needed for one of my occupational therapy prereq classes!

4. One of my favorite parts of today was making burritos and passing them out to people on the streets. I just love how down-to-earth people are! If I was staying longer, I would definitely want to keep doing that.

This is my 300th post of all time--hey-o

Yis. :) Today was good! My tender mercies of the day...

1. I ran up to the university today! It was kind of a tough run, but it was a highlight of my day.

2. After that, we dropped the Mama off to work, and I met one of her coworkers, who mentioned a field of study that I want to get into, with using the Montessori method with the elderly!

3. Papa and I had a good discussion about goals and visualizing today. I also had the good insight that if I want my dreams and goals to be really vivid and detailed, I need to ask myself questions.

4. I got to go to a school that I applied to, to take a math placement test...oh man, it's been like three years since I've had a math class. The whole time, I was remembering all these things I had forgotten about! haha

5. I got to go dancing with one of my friends tonight--even though I'm not super good, it is fun to be able to do some of the steps. I'm so blessed! This entire summer has been so incredible. I was thinking about all the fun things that have happened. Even with dancing--I've gotten to dance several different times. One of my favorite parts: a country dance instructor asked me if I wanted to do a cool move...and then all of a sudden I was upside down with my feet in the air. hahaha, SO FUN :D I wish I had kept a better record of all of these incredible things!

6. I finally got a planner again. Yaaay, now I'll know what day it is. haha DON'T JUDGE ME

MY LIFE IS SO GOOOOOOD

Bloggy...I need to be better at thissss...seriously, I only have three goals right now: go to bed at 10, don't eat sugar, and keep up on my tender mercy journal...and of course those three goals always somehow stretch into ten goals...but that's unrelated. Right? I am going to listen to "Filled with Life and Energy" every day until I can just understand how important it is to go to bed early! Seriously--it's a practical way to follow the Savior--He arose early, and Church leaders do too. OKAY. Tender mercies!

1. We got to go to church in Utah! I am so glad to be back. I have missed it here!

2. I ended up going to my friend's ward. It was good to see him again--he's a good example to me of a valiant man! I am so grateful for those examples who give me a vision of how I can be better.

3. My scripture study tonight was what I needed--it's been a bit off lately, but I think I've found a higher plane of scripture study, and I'm grateful to see the progress that has come from that revelation!

4. Little Baby Beluga is getting more smiley when I hold her--it's SO CUTE! :D She's especially happy in the morning. I looove her

5. I ran into my old roommate at the temple after my brother's sealing! I forgot she was going to be there!

6. This is my favorite quote of all time from the General Authorities and I'm trying to memorize it: "Prayer can solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment to the soul than can be obtained in any other way." (President Monson) I needed that.

7. My brother's wedding was SO GOOD!!! I am SO happy for him. He has waited so long to find the girl of his dreams, and she's finally HERE! It was the happiest day ever. Everything was perfect. Including the delicious Ethiopian food and "Miracles" by Coldplay playing through my mind the entire day--perfect background music.

8. Okay, so my double-timing here is to listen to "Filled with Life and Energy" while I write this every night. That gives me eleven good minutes to write and then I'm done, plus subconscious learning about the importance of sleep! It's just so hard to stop when there are so many important things to share! This blog has basically become my journal--which is good, because I record the best parts of every day, and it's the only record I keep. (I'll find a better system) But it can undermine my other goal if I take too long. OKAY I'M DONE

9. EFY music--heart heart

Welp bloggy, here I am, almost 12 hours later...perhaps at the same gate I started off at this morning. I NEED TO GET BACK!! I'm on standby, so I can't complain. I will tell you--never try to travel from Europe in August. DO YOU HEAR ME--because then, if you don't, I might be able to actually get back. :) Seriously, today has been crazy--it was a wise move to wear my running shoes today. The thing I realized last night was SUPER IMPORTANT--I need to have respect when I talk to myself and know that no matter what other people think of me, I still love myself and I'm rooting for myself. I was nice to myself today and I was totally different because of it--freed. And last night, before I went to bed, I told myself "I love you." And it was incredible. I finally felt like I wasn't on the defensive, because I didn't have to worry about a voice in the back of my mind criticizing me. I let myself reach out to others because I wasn't afraid of them declaring that I don't have any worth, or maybe even more, myself thinking they were thinking that. It was liberating. I'm pretty tired now, but HOPEFULLY I get on this flight! PLEASE! Also, I have this theory that how people speak to those they feel most comfortable around is a mirror of how they speak to themselves. I think it's pretty accurate--as do most people with theories. :)
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Update: I made it on! TENDER MERCY! I was tearing up on the way to the plane, and I didn't want to believe it until the plane was off the ground. I think once I was on the plane I even had a vague dream about not actually making it on. haha. But I'm here! On US soil!

hahaha--so, I'm still stuck here at the airport in London, and that's not funny, but something funny did just happen. A gate agent came out and made a final call for a girl, and she was on the moving sidewalk that was going past the gate and she threw her bag out of the walkway and started trying to climb OVER the railing of moving walkway to get to the gate. hahaha, the agent told her to just get to the end of the walkway and walk back #DespyTotesDespy