a story or two

I have been thinking about this moment a lot in the past few days, but never more than yesterday during General Conference with so many references to The Book of Mormon. I love Conference!

Story: Last week, I was scheduled to work on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Laurel told me I wasn't, twenty seconds later, she said that I was and someone else wasn't. By the end of the day, I was thoroughly confused. Am I working? Am I not? When am I supposed to come in? Before I left, it was decided that I would come into work at 11. That was more than fine with me since that meant I could go to the temple with time enough for baptisms before. Hooray!

I woke up, had breakfast, threw on a skirt, and jumped in the car to be dropped off at the train before Dad headed to work. A few stops in, my phone buzzes with a new voicemail. (side note: I hate when someone calls me and my phone doesn't register the fact until I have a phone message. It is so irritating. I am not attempting to screen phonecalls, I promise. Oh, except for that one guy.) The message was from Laurel, saying that I no longer needed to come in at 11 but could I please come in at 3? This is one of the many things I hate about my job. It is like they think I don't have a life outside of work and because of that, I really can't have a life. When I think of all the friends with whom I have had to cancel plans, or all the things I would love to do but can't, I would be completely content to quit right away.

So there I sit, trying to get a hold of Laurel because I cannot work. There are many things that I have to cancel, but I will not bail on Institute unless I am sick and cannot move. Missing Institute throws my entire week into a downward spiral. There went my temple plans because if she called back while I was in the temple, I won't get it and that would cause a whole number of problems. I decided that I would walk the few blocks to the Gateway and wander, just in case my phone rang. I needed a pair of brown heels, anyway.

To say I was irritated would be an understatement. I walked with my head down, mumbling internally about my situation. Suddenly, I heard a foreign voice calling to me through my disgruntled haze. I looked up and saw a young Asian couple walking towards me. She wanted to know where they could find a place to shop. Funny, I thought, since they were walking away from The Gateway. I pointed them in the right direction and tried to describe how to get there but different cultures were an obvious hindrance. Since I was heading that way too, I mentioned that I could walk with them to make sure that we all ended up at the right place.

Off we went while she translated our conversation to her boyfriend. After she finished, I tried to start friendly conversation to make walking a few blocks a little less awkward. I asked if they were from the area or if they were here on vacation. She told me that they had a long layover. She mentioned that they had seen the temple. I asked if they had been around Temple Square and she said that they had been to the house on the corner. It made me smile that she didn't know the name of it. I asked if they got a lemon drop at the end of the tour. I love those lemon drops but I had forgotten that they might have stopped doing that. Shame.... Still, she looked at me with a puzzled expression and then said that the ladies at the end of the tour had given them something. She looked to her boyfriend and asked, "A Bible?"

I was so excited inside. To clarify, I asked, "They gave you a Bible?" She answered with enough clues that I knew she meant The Book of Mormon. Then, in the next 30 seconds, I bore my testimony and told her that reading it had changed my life. I further encouraged her to read it, but she just smiled and nodded, in a way that I figure she was blowing me off. Maybe not. Maybe she read it when they were back on the plane. Maybe she will decide to change her life. Just maybe.

My mess of a day was completely turned around in those 30 seconds. If Heavenly Father's purpose was to place me walking towards The Gateway at that very moment to meet those very people, I'm okay with that. Thinking about that experience, all I remember is the joy I felt in sharing the Gospel with strangers.

things i love thursday

late night movie parties with the sisters

new high heels (and two pairs for $20!)

wandering around Forever 21

Barnes and Noble

watching The Lion King in 3D with my family

Brother Anderson's institute class

the friends I refer to as "the Sandy Crew"

President Uchtdorf's RS address! oh my...

GENERAL CONFERENCE in two days and I don't have to work!

Step Up 3! 

(I wonder where this movie has been all my life. Luke/ Rick Malambri? Hello!)

shout it to the sky

It is a well-known fact that I am a Ute Football fan. A big one. I have been looking forward to the game on the 17th for weeks! The day before, my work schedule went all over the place. For the first time in six years, I was unable to watch the football game that, in the past, I wait all year to see. Trust me. I was peeved. But such is life. It doesn't always go the way that you plan.

Still, this year's experience proved to be one of a kind. I was in the kitchen by 4:30 pm and would be there until 11:15 pm. I worked a function with Michelle, Alicia, Shelby, Cheryl, and Phil. Phil, crazy man, was the only cheering for BYU. I learned through the night that he is as intense of a fan of his team as I am of mine, but he is a bit more vocally aggressive towards the opposing team when his is losing. I have my moments, but I try not to be as vocal in public. We turned on the radio at kick off and heard bits and pieces as we went in and out of the kitchen. Whenever something big happened, we passed it around the room so that we felt somewhat attached to the game.

When BYU made a touchdown and the score moved up to 10 to 7, Phil really let us know it. I was really depressed and nervous for my team. My tables were crazy and the night was moving extremely slowly. I was afraid that the game was further along than it was. Dad texted me and let me know it was only the middle of the 2nd quarter. Sigh of relief :)

I don't know how the timing worked out so well, but the group of us were all standing in the kitchen, hanging onto the radio announcer's every word, praying that Utah could make a come back. I felt like we went back in time, before television existed, and we were all huddled around a radio. We heard the touchdown that led Utah to take back the lead and hold it for the rest of the game. We made such a racket, I'm sure the people in the room heard us. I jumped up and down, like I do. Michelle went and tried to give everyone a high five. When she got to me, I even surprised myself at my excitement. I hit her hand and completed the high five, but the motion got the better of me and I proceeded to smack her in the face! She was shocked. I was shocked. I apologized and we laughed. I don't think that I hit her terribly hard, just enough to surprise us both.

Morgan was helping us and witnessed the whole thing. She completed the moment by asking, "If that is how Jenny reacts to Utah scoring, look out if BYU scores again!" It is true. I resemble the Hulk. The girls were hoping for BYU to score again, just to see what would happen.

So, I would have loved to watch the game. Listening to it on the radio is so hard because every play seems to be a surprise. I don't like being a step behind. I want to watch every step of a 62 yard run by Jon White. Next year, I'll take care to have a ticket. I guess I better start saving today!

GO UTES!

Way to Represent!

P.S. I asked Dad to keep me updated on the status of the game because I didn't know until I arrived at work that I would be on the 9th floor. After we had a significant lead, Dad became quite creative with his nicknames for the team down south. "BY Boo Hoo..." was his favorite and it kept me laughing.

*The photos copied from The Deseret News

Stories about the "Pepper Lady" to come later...

things i love thursday

It has been far too long since I have had my weekly Thursday post. "Weekly" is now a loose term. Anyway, I still love life!

Sandy Institute and Wednesday nights

friends in the Crescent Park Relief Society

serving a Deli Buffet

Castle marathon on TNT

date stories

miniature golf

Amazon.com

in remembrance

This post is in honor of the memories that flooded my mind yesterday. I know everyone was thinking about where they were when they first heard of the 9/11 attacks. As for me, I was in Mr. Hinz's Pre-Algebra class working as his TA. I sat in the back corner at his desk, drinking a Raspberry Creme Shasta and watching the television. The sound wasn't very loud but the pictures on the screen were more than enough. I understood the devastation, though maybe not as completely as I do now.

At the time, my favorite television show, The West Wing, was about to begin its third season. Before they began their dramatic storyline, they made this tribute entitled, "Isaac and Ishmael." It is still one of my favorite episodes of all time, and that, my friends, is saying something.

Watch it!

I am thankful everyday that I was born in a place where more than one idea is accepted,

that I am able to practice my religion,

get my college degree,

shout whatever I want at a football game,

and go out in the world to make something of myself.

I am thankful everyday for the people that choose to put their lives in danger so that I can continue to practice my freedoms.

It is especially poignant that I know the husbands of friends of mine are those men that have chosen to protect and defend. 

May God continue to watch over us and that we may prove worthy of His blessings.

oh hey!

I am slightly ashamed at my lack of blog posts this past week. Where did all the time go? Oh. Right. My laptop is suffering so there will not be pictures of my recent exploits. I am working on the situation and will have it fixed it short order. Until then, I hope you have a vivid imagination to fill the void.

Recent Exploits:

• UTAH FOOTBALL! Dad bought me tickets to the season opener at Rice Eccles for my birthday! No joke, when I opened the envelope, I cried. This is the first year that I don't have tickets for the MUSS. Believe me, I am having serious withdrawals. The game was awesome, but I wish my guys would have played better.

• Saw "The Help" and you should too. That and read the book. It is one of the best books I have ever read.

• Hortin Family Reunion. For all the fun that I had with the cousins, I'm glad that that huge responsibility is now over. The entire Bret Hortin family is suffering from what can only be described as a hangover.

• Found out what it feels like to drive with a flat tire. It is really as much fun as I thought it would be. And by that, I mean zero. Good thing that my dad is an active superhero and comes to my rescue!

• Dentist appointment. And my teeth are hurting a bit. Sadly, I have two cavities and have to return in three weeks from yesterday. Great.

• Work has slowed down again. Too many people have other committments and aren't available to get married this month. I made bank in August, but am now thinking that I need to start looking for full-time employment once again.

And now I am off again to Presidency Meeting.

happy birthday to me

I am officially 24 years old. 

Hooray for getting older... Don't know if I'm getting any wiser.

Here we go for another year. 

Hopefully, I can make it a good one. 

How?

I have no idea.

I knew a girl that made a Bucket List for every year of her life, the number in accordance to the age she was about to become. I thought I might do the same. Here are my goals for the upcoming year:
(some may change with time, but this is what I'm thinking)

24 Goals 

Lose pounds

Begin to practice the piano again

Be able to jam on my guitar

Become employed in a full-time job

Buy a car! (I'm really going to do it! Soonish)

Pay off a substantial amount on my student loans

Go on a date at least once a month (might be ambitious, but....meh)

Read the four Gospels

Travel outside the state at least twice

Graduate from Institute

Try out a "30 for 30" Challenge

Run a 5K

fall in love

Read all of Shakespeare's plays

Write a song

Donate blood

Take singing lessons

Ride in a hot air balloon

Learn to play the harmonica

Hike after dark

watch the sunrise

Go stargazing

Break 100 while bowling

Volunteer at Make a Wish

Ride a major roller-coaster