An Attitude of Gratitude

"This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

-Thomas S. Monson

Best Thanksgiving ever. I have so much to be grateful for I'm not really even sure where to start. But I think this might be a place to start:

I have been blessed with two of the best brothers ever and I was even lucky enough to have both of them home with me :) I am grateful for that opportunity that I had to come home and that Matthew was able to return home to us safely. I don't think I've ever been happier to see someone in my entire life. I'm pretty sure that I even cried more than my mom did...

I also happen to have a great family that I love so very much. Thanksgiving together as a family again = priceless. I am so grateful that I know that my family can be together forever.

 I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. That through Him all things are possible. He will not forget, nor forsake me. I was important enough for Him to give His life for me and for that I am eternally grateful.

There are a million and one more things that I am grateful for, but I think it would take forever to list them and I'd rather be spending time with my family :) So, I figured I'd be good with just listing the most important ones :)

Home Sweet Home

The weeks really have flown by this month, it's kind of ridiculous that today is November 23rd which happens to be the day that my brother gets home from his mission!!! TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! aaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! not that I'm freaking out or anything...okay...maybe just a little...


Good news: I survived the ridiculous week, just barely
That week was missionary week in the dorms. As an RA I got the opportunity to be a "zone-leader" of one of the missions (Idaho, Pocatello) and Kirk, my partner in crime, actually served his real mission there. It was a  neat experience and I particularly enjoyed having Kirk as my companion, he being a very intelligent and insightful individual. We had an activity almost every night for missionary week and then on top of that I had two tests to take and a paper to write as well as classes to attend and a job to do among all sorts of other random things. 


The paper that I had to write was for human development and was about developing social competence and for it we had to observe kids in the preschool or kindergarten. It was rather enjoyable. It was so neat to see the kids interact in their "natural setting". There was a child in the class with Down syndrome and it amazed me how the other children treated him. They were so kind and understanding of him. They worked very hard to include him in activities and did not react badly when he did things that were out of the social norm. It was truly a beautiful thing.


Team Taylor had it's last soccer game. We lost but fought a good fight (we played the whole game down one while the other team had four subs) and, most importantly, had lots of fun.

{us = definition of awesome}

That Friday while I was at the TRC I got to see one of my friends from Spanish class last year!!! I was sitting in the room waiting for the next set of missionaries to come when my friend Keenan popped his head in. Talking to him was a weird mix of Spanish, Portuguese, and English but it was so good to see  him :)
That night the girls on my floor and I went to Slab pizza. It was so yummy and they literally give you a entire slab of pizza. 

{veggie pizza...yum}

Then was the culminating event of missionary week: the annual showing of "The Best Two Years". So many memories...I just love missionaries. 
AND it was 11/11/11 so I'm pretty sure I made the biggest wish ever at:

{yes, it's sideways}
[I'm not sure why, but it is]

It was a busy week but Heavenly Father certainly blessed me that I was able to get everything done, even some sleep :P


Here's a scripture that I found one day that really helped me to push through:
'Peace I leave with you. my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'
-John 14:27


Last week we also had a ward temple trip, which was a really great opportunity to get to know some of the kids in my ward.

{what a fine looking crew ;)}

That day I also randomly decided to make cookies (it happens a lot...don't judge :P) really yummy chocolate chip cookies, probably my favorite yet.

{oh yeah}

While I was working that night a boy came and gave me a candy bar and a note from one of the coolest people alive: my friend Jill. The note was so sweet and while I was reading it I found myself being bombarded with m&ms. Jill was indeed the culprit. She stayed to chat for a while and it totally made my night. Everyone should have a friend as awesome as Jill.


On Sunday I had to give a talk in sacrament meeting which, of course, always terrifies me until I'm actually up there giving it. The topic they gave me was an interesting and rather obscure topic: Taking personal responsibility: Being a strong link between our ancestors and posterity. It was really neat to write about and I'm pretty sure I went way overtime while giving it. But talking about temples and temples work is so important that I just couldn't help myself :)

No work is more of a protection to this church than temple work and the genealogical research that powers it. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness.
Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.
So come to the temple--come and claim your blessings. It is a sacred work.

-Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple

Last week I got 3 whole missionary letters!!! talk about exciting. One each from Kade, Brandon, and Kade's companion. Explanation: I wrote to Kade's companion because Kade said that he doesn't often get letters so I decided to write him one and he happened to have written back. I just love getting missionary letters;   they're always so uplifting and encouraging. And something that Kade asked in his last letter really got me thinking. Life has been fantastic and he asked me why it was that every day was so fantastic. When I first read his question I really wasn't sure. But I thought about it for a while and have an answer. The past 8 or 9 months have been the most difficult of my life and I've learned to depend on Heavenly Father as I never have before. At school my family isn't around and Kade is gone so He is all I have and I have discovered that He is more than enough. I have truly learned to wait on the Lord and He has truly blessed my life. And THAT is what makes life so fantastic. 

This Thursday was our 3200 Third Thursday Thanksgiving dinner!!! I made some yummy baked mac and cheese for the occasion and spent a lovely evening with my sistahs :)

{I love us <3}

On Sunday I had dinner with my lovely cousin Cathy then the two of us went to go see our cousin Richard sing in a choir. Monday night I made some cream cheese filled pumpkin muffins to use up stuff before the break and they were delicious :) 

Then on Tuesday it was finally time for Thanksgiving break (after two papers and two tests of course :P)! 

And the most epic thing of all, for the past couple of months I've been plotting to surprise my family by coming home for Thanksgiving and it worked!!! I flew out Tuesday evening and when I showed up on my doorstep this morning, boy, were they surprised!!! I just stood on my front porch at about 7:30am and rang the doorbell holding my little sign. My dad answered the door and at first he didn't recognize me, but then he started laughing. My mom was still asleep so I went upstairs and woke her up. She looked at me, looked at the clock, looked at me, and said 'what are you doing here?' and then she finally came to her senses and gave me a hug :)

{love my family <3}

So, I'm home and I get to see my brother at the airport and be at his open house and hear him speak in sacrament meeting.

 Life is good :)

what could have been

1 year...single

hard to believe...time sure flies

It's November!!!

Ahhhhh...It's November!!! You know what that means? It means my brother will be home in 15 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In case you can't tell...I am unbelievably excited : D

Last week ended the perfect way with the success of a new recipe! For my floor meeting last Sunday I made mint chocolate-chip cookies and let me tell you...they were so yummy!!! I will definitely be repeating that one.

{you know you want one}

Last Saturday night was Helamanoween (the Halloween dance here in the dorms). It was definitely a lot of fun dancing and hanging out with everyone. Then Monday night was Halloween and trick-or-treating! I was on duty, but I still dressed up...as a ballerina. Yes, a ballerina. A really awesome ballerina. Evidence:

{heeheehee}

This past Tuesday I had the very special opportunity to hear from the beloved prophet Thomas S. Monson at devotional. It was a truly wonderful experience and was totally worth the hour and a half that we waited outside in the rain and cold to get good seats. His message was to be an example of the believers. Our opportunities to shine are limitless.

{us, waiting in line outside the marriot center}
[it was just a bit cold and perhaps a tad wet as well :P]

That night for staff meeting we made caramel apples! I had never had one before and they were so good! A lovely braeburn apple dripping in caramel covered in pretzel pieces, shaved chocolate and nuts = deliciousness.

On Thursday I tried another new recipe: applesauce oatmeal muffins. They turned out quite well (well enough that I ate a whole bunch of them :P).

{hellooo breakfast}

Friday night I went on a double date with Graham and it was fantastic! We went up to Salt Lake for piano concert given by Ludovico Einaudi. His work is simply amazing, so beautiful (if you haven't ever heard any of his music you NEED to go look him up RIGHT NOW, just sayin). The concert was in an old church and the lights were down, creating the perfect atmosphere for his music. After the concert we drove around Salt Lake and found a wendy's and got some frosties. Then we played bananagrams until I was about ready to fall asleep. It was a great evening, spending time with some awesome people.

{Ludovico, Clark, Trista, Graham, and me :)}

This video is a recording of his piece Nuvole Bianche, one of his better known songs. Enjoy :)

Saturday was fun as well. Saturday night I went on a group date with Mark, for which, we played sardines in the wilk. After I got home I got to hang our with some of the amazing girls on my floor :)

Sunday was kind of rocky, not gonna lie. Actually this whole past week has been kind of off and on rough. This week is just going to be a scheduling nightmare and I just have so much going on, it's ridiculous. But my day kind of turned around when I went and sat with my wonderful friend Lisa as she played the piano after church and just sang with her. It was a beautiful thing and definitely brought the spirit. Sunday night Elder Packer came and spoke for the CES fireside.

This week is going to be ridiculous. I'll let you know if I survive :P

Note to self: 'Look inside yourself. You are more than you have become. Remember who you are.' ~ Lion King