- Complete Personal Progress and get my YW medallion
- Get my driver's license
- Finish the Book of Mormon (for the second time)
- Read 6 new books
- Empty my project drawer
- Take the CHESPE test and pass
Go to Mormon Prom- Read scriptures every single day (I failed this...but have started anew. So, I'm doing my best from now on, but will make this my new years resolution every year until I do it.)
- Read a Jane Austen book
- Give away X amount of Books of Mormon
- Crochet an outfit for Jason (
booties, vest, hat) - Go to EFY
Help plan and go to Stake Youth Conferenceand invite some nonmember friends (I was unable to invite friends due to the fact that since all my nonmember friends live 15-20 min away they would have to stay at my house for the weekend and Mom and Steve were out of town. I was not aware of this when I made the goal, so it wasn't my fault!)- Cook 8 meals
- Cook 10 new desserts that I've never made before
- Memorize all of the Book of Mormon scripture mastery verses
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
16 Goals so far...
So, here's a sum up of my progress on my 16 goals while I'm 16 years old.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
That is found in Matthew 18:20 and D&C 6:32.
First, it's finally summer so I have lots of goals and plans for myself, including blogging more. So instead of starting by catching up on the past few months now I'm just going to gradually catch up by writing one topic at a time...and I have several topics lined up for later this week so I PROMISE there will not be another one or two month break after this, in fact I plan to blog again within the week (in a week at the latest).
So, for some reason I feel the need to write about this today. The reasoning for the scripture title is that I believe in the restored church for more than the gospel and it's doctrine. That is very very important. There are countless churches out there that are constantly arguing over doctrine because their ambiguous bibles are not clear about it. We are lucky enough to not have to deal with that because we have the Book of Mormon and a latter-day prophet to guide us. However, because of the circumstances in my life, my testimony of fellowship and friendship in the church is especially strong. There are many people in the church that have gone inactive that say, "I still believe in the church, I just don't understand why we have to meet so regularly and have so many meetings that take up so much time." This scripture answers that question. God wants us to meet together. We need to meet together. We need to love, help, and cherish each other, especially during these last days where true, friendly, and Christlike love is hard to come by.
This last move from Pasadena to Azusa was especially hard. I really don't know why, and don't want to think about it...it just was. I was having a very hard time and was really not myself for months after we moved. But my new friends in the Glendora stake, in the form of seminary, saved me. I go to seminary with all the sophomores in the stake and they have been so loving, including, and kind from the first day I went to their class. Not only them, other kids: juniors, seniors, the girls in my ward...I don't know what I would do without them. There is something truly special about the friendships shared in the church. I love and need my friends outside the church as well (hey, a nonmember friend of mine was there to take me to Mormon Prom when my Mormon friends weren't ;), but I really don't know where I would be without the people I've met in this stake over the past year. I don't know...is it weird to say that I have a testimony that I would find friends in the church no matter where I go? Cause that's kind of what I'm feeling. I'm just so blessed that it is that way. That I have been blessed with new friends over and over again. It's only been recently that I realized how much stronger this move has made me, how I've grown and changed. How I've become more sensitive to including and loving people because of how important this love and inclusion has been to me. I think these people that I've met are special, but I also know that these friendships wouldn't be as special if we didn't meet, pray, and love in the name of Christ every morning, mutual activity, and Sunday. Heavenly Father's infinite blessings are just incredible. How He manages to care for each of us and send the perfectly crafted tender mercies at the perfect times is constantly mind blowing to me, but in the end I'm just thankful for it.
This post is not what I was originally picturing, but oh well. :)
First, it's finally summer so I have lots of goals and plans for myself, including blogging more. So instead of starting by catching up on the past few months now I'm just going to gradually catch up by writing one topic at a time...and I have several topics lined up for later this week so I PROMISE there will not be another one or two month break after this, in fact I plan to blog again within the week (in a week at the latest).
So, for some reason I feel the need to write about this today. The reasoning for the scripture title is that I believe in the restored church for more than the gospel and it's doctrine. That is very very important. There are countless churches out there that are constantly arguing over doctrine because their ambiguous bibles are not clear about it. We are lucky enough to not have to deal with that because we have the Book of Mormon and a latter-day prophet to guide us. However, because of the circumstances in my life, my testimony of fellowship and friendship in the church is especially strong. There are many people in the church that have gone inactive that say, "I still believe in the church, I just don't understand why we have to meet so regularly and have so many meetings that take up so much time." This scripture answers that question. God wants us to meet together. We need to meet together. We need to love, help, and cherish each other, especially during these last days where true, friendly, and Christlike love is hard to come by.
This last move from Pasadena to Azusa was especially hard. I really don't know why, and don't want to think about it...it just was. I was having a very hard time and was really not myself for months after we moved. But my new friends in the Glendora stake, in the form of seminary, saved me. I go to seminary with all the sophomores in the stake and they have been so loving, including, and kind from the first day I went to their class. Not only them, other kids: juniors, seniors, the girls in my ward...I don't know what I would do without them. There is something truly special about the friendships shared in the church. I love and need my friends outside the church as well (hey, a nonmember friend of mine was there to take me to Mormon Prom when my Mormon friends weren't ;), but I really don't know where I would be without the people I've met in this stake over the past year. I don't know...is it weird to say that I have a testimony that I would find friends in the church no matter where I go? Cause that's kind of what I'm feeling. I'm just so blessed that it is that way. That I have been blessed with new friends over and over again. It's only been recently that I realized how much stronger this move has made me, how I've grown and changed. How I've become more sensitive to including and loving people because of how important this love and inclusion has been to me. I think these people that I've met are special, but I also know that these friendships wouldn't be as special if we didn't meet, pray, and love in the name of Christ every morning, mutual activity, and Sunday. Heavenly Father's infinite blessings are just incredible. How He manages to care for each of us and send the perfectly crafted tender mercies at the perfect times is constantly mind blowing to me, but in the end I'm just thankful for it.
This post is not what I was originally picturing, but oh well. :)
Friday, March 28, 2014
Busy Homeschooler
Oh my goodness, I can't believe how long it's been. I've been sooo busy!!! I am on the youth planning committee for our stake's Youth Conference so that requires a lot of time and planning, including the 7:30 meetings every Sunday morning from a month or two ago to Youth Conference in April. I'm also in one of the singing groups for Youth Conference that meets on Sundays after church, so honestly my Sundays aren't feeling very restful lately.
I also had the CHSPE test, which is the equivalent of a high school diploma if I pass. I was cramming and stressing over that for a while. I finally took it last Saturday and honestly have no idea how I did. Half of me says I did pretty well and the other half says I failed miserably. I find out in over a month. : (
Then of course there's Wizard of Oz and Schoolhouse Rock that I'm getting ready for...
So I've felt super busy lately, but I have been feeling so lazy too. So ready for spring break. So not having the desire to do anything has not helped my schedule.
Anyway, guess what I'm gonna say? I got to see some friends in their school musical last night! That seems to be the one consistent thing I blog about. I'm so lucky to have such talented friends! Last night was the opening night of The Music Man and one of my friends was Professor Hill! He was the one that was another lead (though not the main one) in a musical I saw last summer, that I blogged about. He did soo well! I also had two friends who were the "Pick a little, talk a little" ladies (the one song that's super fast and they kinda sound like chickens), a friend in the chorus, and another in the orchestra playing her violin. It was sooo fun!!
Well this little thing has taken me forever and I need to pack for tomorrow. Love you all!
I also had the CHSPE test, which is the equivalent of a high school diploma if I pass. I was cramming and stressing over that for a while. I finally took it last Saturday and honestly have no idea how I did. Half of me says I did pretty well and the other half says I failed miserably. I find out in over a month. : (
Then of course there's Wizard of Oz and Schoolhouse Rock that I'm getting ready for...
So I've felt super busy lately, but I have been feeling so lazy too. So ready for spring break. So not having the desire to do anything has not helped my schedule.
Anyway, guess what I'm gonna say? I got to see some friends in their school musical last night! That seems to be the one consistent thing I blog about. I'm so lucky to have such talented friends! Last night was the opening night of The Music Man and one of my friends was Professor Hill! He was the one that was another lead (though not the main one) in a musical I saw last summer, that I blogged about. He did soo well! I also had two friends who were the "Pick a little, talk a little" ladies (the one song that's super fast and they kinda sound like chickens), a friend in the chorus, and another in the orchestra playing her violin. It was sooo fun!!
Well this little thing has taken me forever and I need to pack for tomorrow. Love you all!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
16 Goals for a 16-year-old
Sooo, I'm not really sure where to start or how much I really need to catch up on. I got to see some friends in Tom Sawyer the Musical, two of which starred as Aunt Polly and Huck so that was fun! I'd never seen that musical before and I loved it!
I got to go to Disneyland for my birthday, and I brought a friend from Shakespeare class! That was a blast. I so wanted to come up with the entire list we did, but obviously I can't remember now. :( Oh well.
We went to Lizzie's for the weekend and that was super fun as always. They finally got a piano! It's sooo exciting! I'm so glad that her kids get to start young and I really hope they love it.
I just finished a really good book. It's by Julianne Donaldson. This is her second book, and I've read and loved both. The book I just finished is called Blackmoore. She bases her books in Jane Austen times and she seriously comes up with such heart wrenching romances and characters (especially the "prince charming" characters ;) that you just fall in love with.
I've been meaning to write my goals for this next year of my life for the past two weeks. Where has the time gone?! Where does it go?? I feel like it just slips through my fingers faster than usual lately. It also kind of scares me how so much of my future depends on what's happening right now. What with studying for the test that ensures I get into college that I have to take in a little over a month. And so many people say they wished they'd paid more attention in seminary and memorized the Scripture Mastery verses better. *exasperated sigh*
So! Here are my 16 goals to complete while I'm 16 in no particular order (thanks for the idea, Danielle!)
I got to go to Disneyland for my birthday, and I brought a friend from Shakespeare class! That was a blast. I so wanted to come up with the entire list we did, but obviously I can't remember now. :( Oh well.
We went to Lizzie's for the weekend and that was super fun as always. They finally got a piano! It's sooo exciting! I'm so glad that her kids get to start young and I really hope they love it.
I just finished a really good book. It's by Julianne Donaldson. This is her second book, and I've read and loved both. The book I just finished is called Blackmoore. She bases her books in Jane Austen times and she seriously comes up with such heart wrenching romances and characters (especially the "prince charming" characters ;) that you just fall in love with.
I've been meaning to write my goals for this next year of my life for the past two weeks. Where has the time gone?! Where does it go?? I feel like it just slips through my fingers faster than usual lately. It also kind of scares me how so much of my future depends on what's happening right now. What with studying for the test that ensures I get into college that I have to take in a little over a month. And so many people say they wished they'd paid more attention in seminary and memorized the Scripture Mastery verses better. *exasperated sigh*
So! Here are my 16 goals to complete while I'm 16 in no particular order (thanks for the idea, Danielle!)
- Complete Personal Progress and get my YW medallion
- Get my driver's license
- Finish the Book of Mormon (for the second time)
- Read 6 new books
- Empty my project drawer
- Take the CHESPE test and pass
- Go to Mormon Prom
- Read scriptures every single day
- Read a Jane Austen book
- Give away X amount of Books of Mormon
- Crochet an outfit for Jason (booties, vest, hat)
- Go to EFY
- Help plan and go to Stake Youth Conference and invite some nonmember friends
- Cook 8 meals
- Cook 10 new desserts that I've never made before
- Memorize all of the Book of Mormon scripture mastery verses
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
What I Did
Smile
It looks good on you.:)
On another note, I'm among the living again! I woke up last Thursday morning with a neck that would not move. We decided rest was the only thing that would help and after a week in bed I decided I was fed up with it. My neck isn't back to it's normal self, but I'm done being and invalid.
Soooo, today I:
- went to seminary
- helped clean the house
- studied my scriptures
- emailed my Shakespeare teacher
- changed my sheets!
- went on a walk
- cleaned my room
- put my blankets in the washer AND
- blogged!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
The Things that Make it All Worth It
Family is very important. At church the importance of family is always getting pushed into our faces and as a teenager I feel like I am frequently told things along the lines of, "Family is what's important. Don't worry about your friends cause you're not going to know them in a few years and family is what you're going to hold on to." That is true to an extent. And I'm not bagging on family, but I wanted to talk about the importance of friends and what an impact they have on our lives. Mom and I were talking about this Monday morning as we drove to or from seminary (I forget which). And I forget exactly how it came up, but I think it was something about how supportive all our friends have been with Motordogs. People in our ward in Pasadena we weren't even extremely close to have come to eat, inquire and praise. I feel like I have the best friends in the world. All of them. From so many different circles, so many varieties. I have friends from lots of different church circles, homeschool groups and friends of those friends that have then become really good friends of mine! And they all love and support me so much, through school, seminary, theater groups.... My friend Francesca (whom I take my Shakespeare class with, taught by her mom) and her family are such good friends of ours. I love her and her little brother (who is 10) to death and I can't believe I've barely known them a year! I can't imagine my life without them! When mom and I were talking about this she declared life would be impossible to live without friends. It's impossible without family and it's impossible to get to the Celestial kingdom without family, but friends add a whole new level of happiness to life. Mom then told me a story about when she was a kid. She said she remembered an old friend of theirs that was very healthy and would have lived a long time, but died soon after his wife did. She said when that happened she asked her dad, "So, in heaven we'll be with our family because we're sealed to each other, but what about friends? Are we going to be with our friends in heaven?" And he answered, "Well, it wouldn't be heaven without them." When she said that we both teared up. It was a very inspiring conversation.
The next day we went to Disneyland and of course it was a blast. I could take pictures and everything with my new phone! It was so wonderful. Anyway, that night, not too long before it closed, we were in Fantasyland. Amy was on the carousel with Gracie and Maddie, Mom was somewhere changing Jason's diaper, and Anna and I were sitting on a bench by the carousel waiting. I looked around and saw a girl with long blonde hair and a fancy camera to her eyes standing on top of another bench. My gaze left her as I thought, "That would be fun to take pictures like that." For some reason I looked back and as she lowered her camera her face registered in my brain. That girl looked so much like my best friend, Chelsie, from our ward in Redlands. I looked away thinking it couldn't possibly be her. They were just about to move when we moved from Redlands and there was a girl in my stake who also looked very much like her, but was not her so my mind could just be confused again. I turned toward her again as she hopped down from the bench and started talking to two blonde boys that looked the same age as my friend Chelsie's brothers were supposed to be. I stood up and my mind argued with itself. What if it's not her? But you have to find out. What if it is her? My eyes still locked on my perspective friend I told Anna to wait there and walked over. The girl's back was to me and after just standing there dumbly for a minute I said, "Chelsie?" They girl whirled around and looked at me for a moment before screaming and dashing forward for a hug. It was her! One of my best friends I regretted loosing contact with was here at Disneyland, in the same place at the same time as me, almost three years after we said goodbye. It was the craziest thing! I had still been wearing my glasses in Redlands and she recognized me without them. Her mom and sister returned from the carousel and I gave my former YW leader a hug. It's funny how you can't exactly remember a face, but when you see it, you know it looks exactly the same. Her sister, who was 1 when I left, looks absolutely nothing like she did before but I totally matched the faces of her brothers with the little boys I once knew. I asked the youngest one (who is adorable) for a hug and he obliged. :) We had to separate again before we wanted to and I regret now not taking a picture together, but now we're following each other's instagrams and everything so we won't loose touch again. After she left I still could not believe it happened, but it absolutely made my day. It was the best.
Having that experience just the day after discussing friendship with mom really hit me. I am so so blessed.
The next day we went to Disneyland and of course it was a blast. I could take pictures and everything with my new phone! It was so wonderful. Anyway, that night, not too long before it closed, we were in Fantasyland. Amy was on the carousel with Gracie and Maddie, Mom was somewhere changing Jason's diaper, and Anna and I were sitting on a bench by the carousel waiting. I looked around and saw a girl with long blonde hair and a fancy camera to her eyes standing on top of another bench. My gaze left her as I thought, "That would be fun to take pictures like that." For some reason I looked back and as she lowered her camera her face registered in my brain. That girl looked so much like my best friend, Chelsie, from our ward in Redlands. I looked away thinking it couldn't possibly be her. They were just about to move when we moved from Redlands and there was a girl in my stake who also looked very much like her, but was not her so my mind could just be confused again. I turned toward her again as she hopped down from the bench and started talking to two blonde boys that looked the same age as my friend Chelsie's brothers were supposed to be. I stood up and my mind argued with itself. What if it's not her? But you have to find out. What if it is her? My eyes still locked on my perspective friend I told Anna to wait there and walked over. The girl's back was to me and after just standing there dumbly for a minute I said, "Chelsie?" They girl whirled around and looked at me for a moment before screaming and dashing forward for a hug. It was her! One of my best friends I regretted loosing contact with was here at Disneyland, in the same place at the same time as me, almost three years after we said goodbye. It was the craziest thing! I had still been wearing my glasses in Redlands and she recognized me without them. Her mom and sister returned from the carousel and I gave my former YW leader a hug. It's funny how you can't exactly remember a face, but when you see it, you know it looks exactly the same. Her sister, who was 1 when I left, looks absolutely nothing like she did before but I totally matched the faces of her brothers with the little boys I once knew. I asked the youngest one (who is adorable) for a hug and he obliged. :) We had to separate again before we wanted to and I regret now not taking a picture together, but now we're following each other's instagrams and everything so we won't loose touch again. After she left I still could not believe it happened, but it absolutely made my day. It was the best.
Having that experience just the day after discussing friendship with mom really hit me. I am so so blessed.
Monday, January 6, 2014
I was doing so good with blogging! Could have been better, but definitely better than before, but now instagram and facebook has just ruined it. Facebook clarification: my dad has always wanted me to get one so he can "keep up" with me better, but I've always rebelled because it just seemed like a waste of time to me. I did not want to get caught up in the whole facebook movement, and guess what? I didn't. Facebook was big, I didn't have one, facebook died and I survived through it. Well when I got an iphone I said, "Dad I don't need a facebook cause I'm just going to use instagram, which is better anyways." Well, he doesn't know much about instagram, so we ended up trading. He got an instagram and I got a facebook. :p I guess I like it to keep in touch with people who don't use instagram, but other than that instagram is far superior.
Aaaaanyway, what should I say? My new years resolution is to read the scriptures every day. 365 days in a row. For more goals I'm gonna steal Danielle's birthday goal thing and do 16 things this year, starting next month. That's so soon! That's scary.
I'm gonna be in two musicals this spring! Isn't that so exciting??? I have so many friends that have been in so many and they love it. And since I love musicals and love to sing I've always wanted to do it, but have been to scared to. Well, Anna and I took a great leap and signed up to be in the Wizard of Oz in a really good company several friends have been in and loved. We're hoping to be the crows (who aren't in the movie, just musical performances) that sing during the scarecrow song and the chorus. The other musical I'm gonna be in is called Schoolhouse Rock. Which I'm also really excited about cause the director is a friend's mom and that friend is choreographing it. I don't know this play at all, but I've decided to take another leap of faith and audition for a singing part anyway. Why not? I'm gonna sing 16 Going On 17 from Sound of Music and see where it gets me. This play only has rehearsals once a month and then we take a CD home to help learn the music, so it's low maintenance compared to the other one.
Of course there's the obvious exciting thing, we opened Motordogs!!! Ultimate of exciting.
This is short and rambly but I'm gonna go ahead and post it anyway. : )
Aaaaanyway, what should I say? My new years resolution is to read the scriptures every day. 365 days in a row. For more goals I'm gonna steal Danielle's birthday goal thing and do 16 things this year, starting next month. That's so soon! That's scary.
I'm gonna be in two musicals this spring! Isn't that so exciting??? I have so many friends that have been in so many and they love it. And since I love musicals and love to sing I've always wanted to do it, but have been to scared to. Well, Anna and I took a great leap and signed up to be in the Wizard of Oz in a really good company several friends have been in and loved. We're hoping to be the crows (who aren't in the movie, just musical performances) that sing during the scarecrow song and the chorus. The other musical I'm gonna be in is called Schoolhouse Rock. Which I'm also really excited about cause the director is a friend's mom and that friend is choreographing it. I don't know this play at all, but I've decided to take another leap of faith and audition for a singing part anyway. Why not? I'm gonna sing 16 Going On 17 from Sound of Music and see where it gets me. This play only has rehearsals once a month and then we take a CD home to help learn the music, so it's low maintenance compared to the other one.
Of course there's the obvious exciting thing, we opened Motordogs!!! Ultimate of exciting.
This is short and rambly but I'm gonna go ahead and post it anyway. : )
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