The 16 Random Tips for a Joyful EFY Experience

Wow. I just finished my week as an EFY counselor. It was beautiful. I love the youth! They brought the life back to me that finals sucked out. EFY always has such a good feeling about it. All those youth being strengthened has a way of bringing the Spirit. EFY definitely showed me some of my weakest spots, but it strengthened me as well, and I miss the people I've met. Memories have the blessing of removing the pains of the moment while golden-ing the good times. I felt completely inadequate this week, but I have learned that if I give up I will never grow. So I will not stop growing. Now that I have a moment to pause, the sadness is sinking in - I will miss this experience, but it has been great! Some things that I learned:
1. I must learn how to project my voice - it's hard to teach if you can't be heard.
2. BE PREPARED. Lessons are much easier that way!
3. Be yourself! The kids need you, not a shabby version of someone you think is better.
4. The kids like firmness, as long as it is done in a kind way.
5. If all else fails, the Golden Rule will apply evermore.
6. Follow the rules! TRUST ME.
7. Try to memorize names and facts as quickly as possible, and use them.
8. Make sure the girls meet up at the same time, or things will start off on the wrong foot.
9. DO NOT GO TO BED AT 3 AM :| If you do, you will be a grumpy counselor and Satan will attack you relentlessly with negativity and passitivity, which does not help your kids draw closer to Christ.
10. In relationships, you get back what you put in. If you don't show your girls love and reach out to them, they will not feel that closeness to you.
11. Put the rowdier kids in charge of helping you - they will step up to the plate and become one of your best tools!
12. Big groups of kids will pair up and move once you start walking. Not before.
13. Obedience is the first law of heaven.
14. The Lord sanctifies us one attribute at a time. Never give up!
15. All in all, remember that your main goal is to bring these kids closer to Christ. If you can help them do that, you have succeeded, no matter what else happens.
16. These kids are incredible. :)

Dragon Hides and Broken Hearts

Dear blogadorians,

Let me first say: I am sorry! My posts have been filled with ramblings and complaints. I can't promise anything in the future (this is my venting arena), but I am now conscious that someday, somewhere, someone could be reading this!

Looking back to my past blogs, I see that I tried SO HARD to change! Post-it notes for every smile I tacked on? Really?

Want to know something? Since those efforts, I haven't fallen in love with running. I still go to bed at 1 am. I still have a hard time looking at the bright side of life.

BUT! If you buy eight completos! I've (re)realized that every attempt of every day and every goal and every ounce of self-discipline won't change me! (Please keep reading.)

A visual (not drawn to scale):

GOD

















|
|
ME

I'll never make it, I say! Welp, guess what. Christ changes what I can't. Ever read the Voyage of the Dawn Treader? Of course you have, it's a classic! Eustace, the complaining English boy on a magical boat, gets turned into a dragon. I am Eustace. I scratch and scratch at my unfashionable dragon hide - it feels good. "I'm getting somewhere!" I yell in Dragon. False. Now I'm just a distraught, tired dragon. Then, the Master comes. He can help me. After some reluctance, I allow Him to. He pierces me to my very heart - it hurts more than anything I've felt before - but only for a moment. I am changed. Though I would scratch at that natural man for a thousand years, I could not do it alone.

I promise you this much - we cannot change alone. Please let Christ make you into who you hope to be. I don't have many years to my name, but with the experiences I have had, I know that He, and only He, can change you. All He needs is for you to let Him.

Babies

I am obsessed with two new songs: Every Teardrop is a Waterfall by Coldplay (it's going to be my official summer song) and Kolnidur by Jonsi (he's Icelandic - actually, this song is the one on the video above this post!).

Also, if you are interested in spicing up your writing, look into Writing with Style by John Trimble. It's a short book, but it packs a powerful punch, with super fresh and useful information on how to write, including serving your reader and making every word heavy with meaning.

Also...I'm obsessed with Harry Potter? Really, if the celestial kingdom is anything like Hogwarts, I am so there! haha. Ugh. The landscape is so beautiful in it. HARRY POTTER'S REAL, OKAY?!

(best line of all the series) "Grab my hand!"

"I can't, it's all sweaty!"

Hey, I was going to say! Did any of you two notice the influence of women in the series? Harry's mum's love stopped (You Know Who), made Snape protect Harry for years, etc. etc. It put water in my eyes...weird...

Well, it's Memorial Day! I invite you to bless the lives of those who have given theirs to bless ours by indexing - the only addiction approved by the Church! :D

Baby Cakes!

"Life isn't about finding yourself; life is about creating yourself." -George Albert Shaw

What a refreshing thought!

This manual is great. :)

Genealogy, I Am Doing It

HOLY COW THERE IS SO MUCH FAMILY HISTORY TO BE DONE! Tonight I found a GOLD MINE - literally. :| haha. Man! I found at LEAST fifty people! Ancestry.com is the greatest thing that has ever been invented, I am convinced. I am so excited to do all this work! :D :D :D If anyone has any questions...ASK!

Here We Are

Welp, it's only been like FIVE MILLION YEARS! I seem to only get on blogger when I deactivate Facebook...haha. I'm back in college, after being in Ecuador for six months! It is really weird...I have a different perspective now, and it is a lot easier for me to see how INCREDIBLY blessed I am. My roommates are the best, from last fall semester! I am looking into being an occupational therapy assistant. We will see! I will tell more about Ecuador later. In a word, it was: CHEVERE. :) If you know espanol you will understand.

For All Those Who May Be Discouraged

In a word, all of us at some point or other.

http://lds.org/pages/lifting-burdens?lang=eng

Thanks Shayli. :)