Saturday, January 28, 2006
Byebye "Villegas"!
This isn't a long blog, I know, but it's an important one! I've just gotta say, I am so excited for Renae and her new fiancee. Seriously, I knew it would happen, just not so soon! My first married friend! I mean, that's my age, obviously! Good job, and good luck! I hope you have the most amazing wedding, family, and life! God bless you!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
The Book of Mormon: Bookended in Mercy
Here's an interesting observation a girl made in my Religion 121 class, a study of the Book of Mormon. It's pretty interesting; even Brother Sturm (an excellent professor, by the way) commented on how he'd never noticed it before.
In 1 Nephi 1:20, it speaks of searching for mercy. "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen..." Nephi is plainly saying that he will show us (those who study the Book of Mormon) the mercies of Christ.
Then, again, in Moroni 10:3, about 527 pages later, Moroni tells us to "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in you hearts."
In my scriptures today, next to 1 Nephi 1:20, I wrote, "Search for Mercy" then x-ref. it to Moroni 10:3, next to which I wrote, "Remember God's Mercy" then, of course, x-ref. it back to 1 Nephi.
In 1 Nephi 1:20, it speaks of searching for mercy. "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen..." Nephi is plainly saying that he will show us (those who study the Book of Mormon) the mercies of Christ.
Then, again, in Moroni 10:3, about 527 pages later, Moroni tells us to "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in you hearts."
In my scriptures today, next to 1 Nephi 1:20, I wrote, "Search for Mercy" then x-ref. it to Moroni 10:3, next to which I wrote, "Remember God's Mercy" then, of course, x-ref. it back to 1 Nephi.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
If You Had Magical Powers, What Would They Be?
There are so many different powers to choose from. For example: flying, being radioactive, unmeasurable strength, tons of them! But I think the coolest, ultimate power would be to change form. To be able to change into anybody or anything I wanted to! That would be so awesome!
If I could change into anything, I could do so many things. Good things and bad things. (But of course, I would only do good things.) I could fly like the birds, run like a horse, climb like a monkey, and even swim like an eel. That would be so amazing. To be able to stay under water fo as long as I wanted and look at all the different types of life that people don't even know exist yet. I could make so many discoveries I would be able to add to the civilizations of today. All of the different contributions I could make would be able to fill a room! New truths (not theories, but truths) about the sky, the sea, the depths of the jungles, woods, and mountains.
Yep, that would definitely change the course that science is taking today, for the better!
(Not to mention, I would be the ultimate spy.)
This is a direct translation from Sophomore English with Mr. Fauls at Kagman High School. I just came across a bunch of old journal entries, read through some of them, and decided I should put a couple on my blog. Some are stupid, some are weird, none are profound.
If I could change into anything, I could do so many things. Good things and bad things. (But of course, I would only do good things.) I could fly like the birds, run like a horse, climb like a monkey, and even swim like an eel. That would be so amazing. To be able to stay under water fo as long as I wanted and look at all the different types of life that people don't even know exist yet. I could make so many discoveries I would be able to add to the civilizations of today. All of the different contributions I could make would be able to fill a room! New truths (not theories, but truths) about the sky, the sea, the depths of the jungles, woods, and mountains.
Yep, that would definitely change the course that science is taking today, for the better!
(Not to mention, I would be the ultimate spy.)
This is a direct translation from Sophomore English with Mr. Fauls at Kagman High School. I just came across a bunch of old journal entries, read through some of them, and decided I should put a couple on my blog. Some are stupid, some are weird, none are profound.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
It Would Try the Patience of Job
Life is hard. For me, it's not the "one foul swoop" kind of hard. It's more of the "ooo, let's slowly wear her down until she just wants to shut herself up in her room to avoid anything else that could go wrong!" kind of hard. It's a lot like how I've always imagined Chinese water-torture would feel; just slow and steady until you finally go insane.
You've heard my travel story, right? Let's overcap, so it'll all be in perspective. Real quick, it goes something like this: Messed-up flight, gets more messed up in transit; lost baggage is delivered at 1:15 am, then again at 2:00 am. That's it in a very small nutshell. (Think coconut in pistacio shell.)
The bus trip up to Idaho was fine. Long, but fine. The biggest perk was that it was completely uneventful. Finally.
When we arrived, I went into the Manwaring Center (it was the closest one), and saw that nobody was downstairs. I left my 15, 50, and 60 pound bags down there, and went upstairs to ask for directions. They told me how to get to my dorm, and that I could bring my bags up by the elevator. (I kind of wish I had a camera so I could watch myself try to maneuvor through that little door with those big bags.)
I started up to my dorm, which really isn't that far away, if you know where you're going. Unfortunatly, I didn't, especially at night. I crossed the same parkinglot twice before I realized which side my dorm was on. The first time I went the long way, around the slushy snow in the middle. The second time, I was so tired of doing EVERYTHING the long way, that I just picked up my bags and carried them over the middle one-by-one. I finally got through the door to the common area, with some difficulty, and met the head resident. She set me up with some keys and sent me up to my apartment. The RA helped me carry my bags up the stairs. She showed me around and told me to just pick a room. Two of them were open, the third was already taken, but the girls are away. I haven't met them yet. Picked the back room, and started to unpack. I was up until a little after 12. When that was done, I laid down to rest on my mattress. I couldn't fall asleep until after 6.
I got up at 10 later that morning. (Sure enough, my newly attained allergies had set in over night; I think it happens when I move to a new place. One eye is really itchy and weepy, and my nose runs.) I called the receiving dock about the two packages I'm expecting. They told me I should come take a look since they had no record of them. I walked over there, and sure enough, no boxes for Malie. This means that I have no bedding whatsoever, and no towels. I also have no mode of transportation since my bike still hasn't arrived. That worries me some. It was sent about a month ago. I just keep praying that this will all end sometime... preferrably soon, but I'll take it when it comes. I'm just so tired of fighting things I have so little power over.
I bought my books today. They were quite a bit cheaper than I expected. That was good. Looking at them make me excited for classes to start. Not math really, but everything else looks like it'll be a lot of fun.
You've heard my travel story, right? Let's overcap, so it'll all be in perspective. Real quick, it goes something like this: Messed-up flight, gets more messed up in transit; lost baggage is delivered at 1:15 am, then again at 2:00 am. That's it in a very small nutshell. (Think coconut in pistacio shell.)
The bus trip up to Idaho was fine. Long, but fine. The biggest perk was that it was completely uneventful. Finally.
When we arrived, I went into the Manwaring Center (it was the closest one), and saw that nobody was downstairs. I left my 15, 50, and 60 pound bags down there, and went upstairs to ask for directions. They told me how to get to my dorm, and that I could bring my bags up by the elevator. (I kind of wish I had a camera so I could watch myself try to maneuvor through that little door with those big bags.)
I started up to my dorm, which really isn't that far away, if you know where you're going. Unfortunatly, I didn't, especially at night. I crossed the same parkinglot twice before I realized which side my dorm was on. The first time I went the long way, around the slushy snow in the middle. The second time, I was so tired of doing EVERYTHING the long way, that I just picked up my bags and carried them over the middle one-by-one. I finally got through the door to the common area, with some difficulty, and met the head resident. She set me up with some keys and sent me up to my apartment. The RA helped me carry my bags up the stairs. She showed me around and told me to just pick a room. Two of them were open, the third was already taken, but the girls are away. I haven't met them yet. Picked the back room, and started to unpack. I was up until a little after 12. When that was done, I laid down to rest on my mattress. I couldn't fall asleep until after 6.
I got up at 10 later that morning. (Sure enough, my newly attained allergies had set in over night; I think it happens when I move to a new place. One eye is really itchy and weepy, and my nose runs.) I called the receiving dock about the two packages I'm expecting. They told me I should come take a look since they had no record of them. I walked over there, and sure enough, no boxes for Malie. This means that I have no bedding whatsoever, and no towels. I also have no mode of transportation since my bike still hasn't arrived. That worries me some. It was sent about a month ago. I just keep praying that this will all end sometime... preferrably soon, but I'll take it when it comes. I'm just so tired of fighting things I have so little power over.
I bought my books today. They were quite a bit cheaper than I expected. That was good. Looking at them make me excited for classes to start. Not math really, but everything else looks like it'll be a lot of fun.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Mountain Grandeurs
I have quickly come to the conclusion that, like most things on Earth, you simply cannot compare the Appalachians with the Rockies.
(I know the beginning of that sentence may sound hypocritical to some people, since I've been comparing the States with Saipan for years, but I'm really trying to get out of that, and have decided that you can't really compare any of God's creations considering the fact that He made everything so different. Wish me luck on this endeavor; I really need it!)
Anyway, allow me to expand on my reasoning. First of all, let's go for the Appalachians. Yes, they are small, and the range is short; in fact, many people from the West make fun of the Easterner's for calling them mountains, but mountains they are. It is a range that is not to be made fun of, I assure you. The Appalachian Trial is the most sought after accomplishment of many a hiker's life. The mountains are rugged and thick with forest and often fog, making it easy to get lost if you leave the trail in the slightest.
The Appalachians are not big enough to be formidable to a viewer from the bases, but a more beautiful stretch of mountains is not to be found. I have often walked in the mountains of the East and have more than once been impressed with the woods that cover them. It's like walking in a mythical forest; like something out of a Tolkien book. Dark moss covers the rocks; the trees are straight and tall; and the woods are thick enough so that you can be quite close to a road without hearing traffic. Of course, that's not even counting their brightness in autumn and their reverent silence in winter.
The Rockies. Now those are some big mountains. They live up to their name, I'll tell ya that much. They aren't very green, as far as forests go anyway. They do have some grass in some places, but for the most part, they're rocky, just like their name implies. But to make up for lack of color, they are blessed with size. Rising up out of valleys, their tops are covered in clouds. They are awe-inspiring, no matter where you view them from. I saw them first coming in from above in the plane. They were the first thing I saw, of course, and when I saw the brown, muddy valley below, I decided it was best to allow them to fill my view entirely. Most of their peaks are covered in snow, that gracefully slides down their majestic slopes. They really are impressive. Watching them roll by on my way up to Idaho was like watching the beginning of an episode of Wild America. They are also beautiful, just in a new way. I alway expected them to be so, and they have certainly lived up to my expectations.
(I know the beginning of that sentence may sound hypocritical to some people, since I've been comparing the States with Saipan for years, but I'm really trying to get out of that, and have decided that you can't really compare any of God's creations considering the fact that He made everything so different. Wish me luck on this endeavor; I really need it!)
Anyway, allow me to expand on my reasoning. First of all, let's go for the Appalachians. Yes, they are small, and the range is short; in fact, many people from the West make fun of the Easterner's for calling them mountains, but mountains they are. It is a range that is not to be made fun of, I assure you. The Appalachian Trial is the most sought after accomplishment of many a hiker's life. The mountains are rugged and thick with forest and often fog, making it easy to get lost if you leave the trail in the slightest.
The Appalachians are not big enough to be formidable to a viewer from the bases, but a more beautiful stretch of mountains is not to be found. I have often walked in the mountains of the East and have more than once been impressed with the woods that cover them. It's like walking in a mythical forest; like something out of a Tolkien book. Dark moss covers the rocks; the trees are straight and tall; and the woods are thick enough so that you can be quite close to a road without hearing traffic. Of course, that's not even counting their brightness in autumn and their reverent silence in winter.
The Rockies. Now those are some big mountains. They live up to their name, I'll tell ya that much. They aren't very green, as far as forests go anyway. They do have some grass in some places, but for the most part, they're rocky, just like their name implies. But to make up for lack of color, they are blessed with size. Rising up out of valleys, their tops are covered in clouds. They are awe-inspiring, no matter where you view them from. I saw them first coming in from above in the plane. They were the first thing I saw, of course, and when I saw the brown, muddy valley below, I decided it was best to allow them to fill my view entirely. Most of their peaks are covered in snow, that gracefully slides down their majestic slopes. They really are impressive. Watching them roll by on my way up to Idaho was like watching the beginning of an episode of Wild America. They are also beautiful, just in a new way. I alway expected them to be so, and they have certainly lived up to my expectations.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Delivered
My bags have been delivered... finally. I was getting kind of worried there, since I leave Utah to go to Idaho on Tuesday. They were delivered on Saturday morning. The first came at about 1:15 am. Chelsea and I were in bed, but were still awake, talking. The phone rang and the man said he didn't want to leave the bag on the front step all night in the rain. We thanked him, sent Sister Atwood back to bed, and then decided we really needed to get to sleep.
The next time the phone rang I was mostly asleep. It was just about 2 am. I reasoned that the likelihood of it being my other bag was very slim, so I stayed "asleep", until I heard Sister Atwood coming down the stairs. When she opened the bedroom door and told me it was the other guy, I felt really bad that I hadn't answered the phone. I got up, answered the door, and took my second bag in.
Kind of ironic that when my bags finally came, it was the middle of the night. The airports must just pick random people out to harrass. "Oooo! We'll lose her bags then when we give them back, it'll be in the middle of the night! Hahahahahaha!"
The next time the phone rang I was mostly asleep. It was just about 2 am. I reasoned that the likelihood of it being my other bag was very slim, so I stayed "asleep", until I heard Sister Atwood coming down the stairs. When she opened the bedroom door and told me it was the other guy, I felt really bad that I hadn't answered the phone. I got up, answered the door, and took my second bag in.
Kind of ironic that when my bags finally came, it was the middle of the night. The airports must just pick random people out to harrass. "Oooo! We'll lose her bags then when we give them back, it'll be in the middle of the night! Hahahahahaha!"