Poetry

I ended up rewriting and creating a few poems today; although I prefer to put my poetry on my private blog, sometimes it's nice to share it. Some part of me feels as if poetry is just so personal. Reading a poets work is like stripping a writer down to her core and glimpsing the soul within.

Truth be told, I've never considered myself to be a great poet, even though writing poetry is one of my favorite hobbies. Lately I've been writing a lot more than usual

(Pantoum)

Do I Dare to Dream?

I now stand silently at a forked road,
But do I dare to Dream?
My sun-filled soul screams to be free,
My heardened heart whispers conformity.

But do I dare to Dream?
Still, the question gnaws at my fleeting hopes.
My heardened heart whispers conformity,
Wishing answers were as light as leaves.

Still, the question gnaws at my fleeting hopes;
My sun-filled soul screams to be free...
Wishing answers were as light as leaves,
I now stand silently at a forked road.

(Acrostic)

My Advice
Mind not the past, not a thing can change;
You are unique, don't think it's strange.

As often as ever give love to all;
Don't be rude, that may be your fall.
Vicarious living- steer clear away
I know only you can lead the way.
Calm yourself, don't let life pass by
Every piece of advice- a hypocritical try.

(Choka)

Firefly
Mouths gasp in wonder-
mystical lights dance in tune,
breathless concourses wonder
As God creatures glow.
Brighter than cool, darkened nights-
Seas of fireflies ignite

(Free Verse)

Whirlwind
It was bright Red,
My blush.
My jacket.
My racing, pacing blood.

It was Halloween night,
Supposedly scary.
Supposedly different.
Supposedly dating was easy.

It was my first date.
Just couldn’t wait.
Just teenage ‘”fate.”
Just Dad driving us, embarrassingly.

It was so fast.
We were unprepared.
We teenagers assumed our calm.
We were fearsome pirates for a night.

It was a dance.
Who remembers the songs?
Who saw our discomfort?
Who knew we were stifling our immaturity?

It was an awkwardly normal door.
Why the sudden silence?
Why the bashful hug?
Why the inwardly sung victory?

(Diminishing Hexaverse)

Fade to Night

When Day fades to Night,
Eyes give up their Plight.
Turning in Sweet Sleep;
Then, the Poet Dreams.
Banishing Logic.

Songs in the Dark,
Strolls through the Park.
Soar above Life,
Without a Strife.

Walk Alone.
Fly Free.
No Home.

Give in,
Dreams win.

Soar.

(Diamante)

Regained Memory

Amnesia
Gone, Diminish
Confusing, Forgetting, Regretting
Name of Kids, Place of Keys, Clear Sight, Lucid Mind
Encircling, Penetrating, Remembering
Vivid, Immense
Memory

(Alliteration)

Enveloped

Eyes enraptured enveloped
Toe touching toe
Hand holding hand
Mouth meeting mouth

(ABC)

Love
Achingly
Beautiful
Courageously
Deft
Energetically
Frivolous
Gaily
Happy
Ignorantly
Joyful
Kind
Lovely
Magnanimously
Noble
Open
Precious
Queenly
Rare
Splendid
Terrifically
Unsuspected
Voraciously
Wicked
Yearningly
Zany

(Couplet)

Libra's Charm

A small speck of dirt on my floor
is worse to me than brutal war.
Gritty grime and nauseous noises;
ruin perfectly prime poises!

Once you're put together we'll talk,
I'll watch your details like a hawk.
Oh, us early birds get the worm;
if you are late, you'll make me squirm!

Foul bluntness never held my charm,
radicals cause so much alarm...
Life should be like a golden scale,
Beautiful balance never fails!


If you'd like to see more of my poetry click on the words in quotations "My Poetry on PoetrySoup" I hope you guys liked this post!

The Man in the Glass

Recently I decided to create a graphic to depict my favorite poem. It's called "The Man in the Glass." by Dale Wimbrow

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass;
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one starring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed the most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years.
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be the heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

This I Believe

     I believe that the colors brown and black clash terribly. It makes me cringe when my dad wears sandals with socks, and it makes me wince when boys brag about being able to fit into their sister’s pants. However, I believe even more in the idea that no matter what you choose to wear, that the most important thing is that you feel comfortable in those clothes. I believe that the greatest lesson for anyone to learn is how to be unashamed to be themselves whoever that self may be.

     I believe in the cognitive theory. I believe that the most important thing in a human’s life is the ability to think. There truly is nothing save thinking makes it so. Our thoughts influence how we interpret the world. What we think majorly influences how we face our personal challenges and goals in life. Whether these thoughts are positive or negative can impact everyone for good or ill. One person’s thoughts (or lack of) can change a world.

     I believe that there is no such thing as a perfect family. I believe that the family is a lot like playdough. Playdough is loved by everyone; it makes life a lot more bearable because it provides both fun and comfort to us. It comes in all forms, shapes, colors, and consistencies. If it isn’t loved and cared for, it will become hard and crusty, and if the playdough isn’t doing its best to stick together, it falls apart. Playdough can be formed into any assortment of figures; none of them are perfect; they are all different and artistic in its own sense.

     I believe more than anything that the world is a good place. I believe that hardships and tragedies can drive good people to do bad things or force them into unfortunate circumstances, and it is really sad. But I believe that it is important to try not to judge anyone no matter what they do or what they look like. Life is hard; all you can do is be good to everybody and try to imagine how their shoes feel.

     I believe that no matter how rough a situation is that people can transcend their circumstances and rise above the deck of cards they’ve been dealt. I don’t believe in chance; I believe that life is a masterfully crafted challenge that we can allow to make or brake us. I believe that we have an unlimited capacity to overcome obstacles and to succeed in life no matter what happens.

I Know That Our Redeemer Can Help Us Overcome Fear

     At the beginning of this week, I was asked to give a talk on my favorite scripture or hymn... I laughed on Thursday when my favorite was mentioned in a talk by the New Stake president for seminary graduation. In this case, I hope that some things bear repeating.
   
     I’ve gained a testimony of the truth behind Doctrine and Covenants Chapter 6: 33-36 in my seminary class, these verses read:

“Fear not to do good, my sons [or daughters,] for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”
It goes on to finish:
“Look to me in every thought, doubt not, fear not.”

     I know what the word fear means through personal experience, but, I wanted to get a more “scholarly” translation for my talk than “the feeling we experience when we see an enormously gigantic spider crawling around on the walls of our lovely abodes.”

     According to the wizened Microsoft Word dictionary, fear is “an unpleasant feeling of anxiety or apprehension caused by the presence or anticipation of danger; an idea, thought, or other entity that causes feelings of fear; or a concern about something that threatens to bring bad news or results.

     The new graduates of the Bridgecreek Ward have much to fear. I feel confident in saying that I’m not the only one that’s felt afraid about the rise in tuition and the cost of living, or about majoring in something that will complete me or finding the right person for the same purpose. I’m not alone in being afraid to move away from my family and how it will feel to miss them and the amazing leaders and teachers that I’ve had here in this ward.

     But if there’s one thing that I know for sure, I know that I’ve had a class at Davis that has completed my experience as a high schooler and prepared me to face these fears, and that class was seminary. Seminary has taught me how to face my fears for the future head-on.

     Last year in seminary I was faced with a fear that I had never had in my life.

     Brother Burton asked me light-heartedly if I trusted the Lord. I firmly replied “yes...” He then asked me if I trusted him and the seminary class that the Lord had placed me into.

     Not really understanding what his questions were leading up to and feeling the heat of the stares of my fellow peers, I confusedly replied “yes” again without a thought. I was even more flabbergasted when he chuckled and asked me if I could prove my trust. With a knowing smirk, he took a blindfold out of his pocket and gestured for me to blindfold myself.

     It was then that I knew that he wasn’t asking for empty answers, he wanted solid evidence about my affirmations
“If anything bad happens to you, promise me that you won’t sue me?” he laughingly joked. I’m almost sure that my voice shook as I quietly replied that I’d take responsibility for my actions, no matter how crazy they might turn out to be with this whole blind-fold business. After I had tied a blindfold over my tightly clenched eyes, Brother Burton helped me step from a chair onto the top of my desk. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

     A moment later, he calmly asked me to put my arms to my sides and fall backwards off of my desk.

     My heart beat faster; I knew full well the repercussions of falling straight back onto the hard floor from this height. If there was nothing there to catch me, it would definitely cause me pain. If there was nothing there to stop my fall, my back might break, which would not only hurt, it could potentially cause paralysis. Alright, it was only a few feet up, but I was a little afraid of being injured... But more prominent than my fear of injury, was my determination in proving that my words weren’t empty, I wanted to allow my faith and trust to overcome all my fears and worries. So without further ado, I fell backwards into the darkness, having no idea if I was going to have a soft landing. Needless to say, I am still happily intact.

     I have a testimony that if we are exercise courage and are unafraid to look for the good things in life like the gospel and seminary, that we shall all “reap” rewards greater than we can possibly imagine.
There is much to fear out there in the world, but with the knowledge that we as members of this Ward of people who have a love of the gospel and our Savior; I know that we can overcome any fears that we may have. “Let Earth and Hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”

     In church we constantly joke about the typical “seminary answers:” read your scriptures, pray, go to the temple, keep the commandments, etc. etc. Sometimes we fail to recognize how important they are. Earth: aka the modern media, the radio, our friends who encourage us to follow all of these demeaning “fads” that mock who we are and what we stand for, and Hell, a whole third of the host of heaven is pitted against us solely for the purpose of scorning the faith that we cling to, are both currently combined against you, and they would love to destroy you.

     Yet, if we are built upon this little rock, these simple little seminary answers, prayer, scripture study, visiting the temple, keeping the commandments; Earth and Hell cannot prevail.

     I’d like to finish by reading the second verse of my favorite hymn.

     I Know that My Redeemer Lives
“He lives to grant me rich supply. He lives to guide me with his eye. He lives to comfort me when faint. He lives to hear my soul’s complaint. He lives to silence all my fears. He lives to wipe away my tears. He lives to calm my troubled heart. He lives all blessings to impart.”

     I personally know, with all of the bones in my body no matter how short they may be that our Redeemer lives. He loves me, he loves you, and if you will follow him and put all of your trust in him that he will not only wipe away your tears, that he will help to erase all of your fears. Have faith in him, have charity for others, and have a hope in the future that he has lovingly provided you with. I proclaim these truths to you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Endings and Beginnings

     This has been a crazy month; honestly, the last three years have been crazy in and of themselves. It's hard for me to believe that I'm about to move on in life and graduate from high school. This post isn't going to be very entertaining or beautifully symbolic, but I believe that the things that have been happening in my life are worth a little lamentation and reminiscing.

     The month of May really has been a month of beginnings and endings for me. I've been brought to tears for multiple reasons; it was really stressful with AP tests coming on, the usual friend troubles, and thinking about going away to college college. It's hard to believe that in less than three months I will be moving out of my house and away from my family. But luckily most of my tears have been out of happiness, and I've thanked God every day for my fun life, because things are turning around. Admittedly someone who didn't know me very well could easily think that I've been developing a bipolar disorder with all these ups and downs.

     I grinned as I put my pen down after my final ap test (which was English language.) Somehow at the end of the test, my packet managed to have eleven pages worth of essays scrawled inside, ready to be sent out east and graded for potential college credit. The very last ap test that I'll ever have to worry for in my life is over.

     I grinned again several times as I played in my last soccer game; recreation soccer has been the most consistent sport in my life since Kindergarten, and now it's over for good. Soccer has been such a motivator for me to be active physically. My coaches have been amazing, it's crazy to think that I will most likely never play my favorite sport on an organized team again. Not only am I through with soccer playing, but I've also reffed soccer for the past three years; now soccer season is officially over I will never have to ref another soccer game in my life! No worrying about whether or not I make the right calls, no more worrying about parents complaining, no more worrying about coaches screaming in my face, no more worrying about the more snobbish kids getting angry at me. It's a truly amazing feeling of accomplishment and freedom that I've felt these past twenty four hours since my last reffed game!

     It's been an amazing beginning. Now I have new friends and my first boyfriend ever. Now I'm packing up my room to move away for the first time. There are so many new beginnings! I'm beginning a new life filled with more happiness than I've ever had before. I am so excited for life, it is truly going to be a good run. Through it all I'll remember my hard-working past, the good times, as well as the bad times so that I can progress and learn even more.

A.P. English Literature

     I haven't posted a blog post in a little over a month. Fortunately, I can't attribute this to personal laziness. Lately I've become totally consumed with studying for my three AP tests this month: AP Psychology, AP English Literature, and last but not least, AP English Language.
Although I haven't posted much writing on my blog, practice essays have become a ritual of my daily life for the past week.
Yesterday I timed myself to a random poem prompt for the literature test; it took me a half an hour to dissect two poems and scribble my own piece of mind on the paper.
I'm going to type out the two poems that the essay was written about, along with the instructions and my own essay in the hopes that it might some other struggling souls going through AP English Lit or Language.

2005 AP ENGLISH LITERATURE FREE-RESPONSE QUESTION (Form B)
ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
SECTION II
Total time--2 hours

Question 1
(Suggested time--40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)

Carefully read the two poems below. Then in a well-organized essay compare the speakers' reflections on their early morning surroundings and analyze the techniques the poets use to communicate the speakers' different states of mind.

Poem 1:

Five A.M.

Still dark, the early morning breathes
a soft sound above the fire. Hooded
lights on porches lead past lawns,
a hedge; I pass the house of the couple
who have the baby, the yard with the little
dog; my feet pad and grit on the pavement, flicker
past streetlights; my arms alternate
easily to my pace. Where are my troubles?

There are people in every country who never
turn into killers, saints have built
sanctuaries on islands and in valleys,
conquerors have quit and gone home, for thousands
of years farmers have worked their fields.
My feet begin the uphill curve
where a thicket spills with birds every spring.
The air doesn't stir. Rain touches my face.

Poem 2:

Five Flights Up

Still dark
The unknown bird sits on his usual branch.
The little dog next door barks in his sleep
inquiringly, just once.
Perhaps in his sleep, too, the bird inquires
once or twice, quavering.
Questions--if that is what they are--
answered directly, simply,
by day itself.

Enormous morning, ponderous, meticulous;
gray light streaking each bare branch,
each single twig, along one side,
making another tree, of glassy veins...
The bird still sits there. Now he seems to yawn.

The little black dog runs in his yard.
His owner's voice arises, stern,
"You ought to be ashamed!"
What has he done?
He bounces cheerfully up and down;
he rushes in circles in the fallen leaves.

Obviously, he has no sense of shame.
He and the bird know everything is answered,
all taken care of,
no need to ask again.
--Yesterday brought to today so lightly!
(A yesterday I find almost impossible to lift.)

2005 Free Response- Poetry

In "Five A.M." and "Five Flights Up" the respective poets allude to their own interpretations pertaining to the dawning of a new day. "Five A.M." is a flowing and metaphorical description that interprets the mysteries of allusions from the past, signifying that every day is a mystery to be embedded into the past. However, Five Flight up is a more literal interpretation. The poet uses broken enjambment and colloquial language to create a portrait of a less interpretive world as the poem explores how mornings begin, which in turn, complements a more modern state of mind.

In Five A.M., the poet uses personification to make his interpretation of the world come to life. "The early morning breathes a soft sound..." and "Rain touches my face." Not only create a tone for figurative interpretation, but also appeal to the senses of not only sight, but touch and sound as well. The poet creates rhythmic meter with long sentences with little to no breaks in between lines. This flow adds to the effect and tone of the mysterious allusions portrayed in the second stanza. The poet communicates a state of mind in which he or she views every morning as a scene of beauty, mystery, and unanswered questions as the author is enveloped in eloquent natural surroundings.

In the poem "Five Flights Up", the poet conveys the morning as a literal happenstance that is easily observed and can be described substantially with little to doubt or question. "Questions- if that is what they are-// answered directly, simply, by day itself." The poet then proceeds to use adjectives to describe how the morning appears to the world. Using enjambment, the poet creates a sense of blunt description, leaving the impression that like the poem's sentences, a morning lacks any eminent complexity and can be interpreted with little awe or wonderment.

"Five A.M." is a masterpiece communicating a mystery, surrounded by the dawn of a new day, defined by the personification of Earth's elements, complemented by flowing parallel syntax, and completed with allusions tracing back to the history of former mornings. "Five Flights Up" is a literal interpretation of a morning that is self-explanatory and presents itself bluntly through the use of juxtaposition, visual imagery and modern language that conveys the morning as a predictable, direct, and simple element to the every day flow of a provincial life.

Making Graphics

     I've never really talked about this obsession, but it's just a little quirk about me that most people don't even know about. I absolutely love designing things whether it be pixelizing people's faces in paint, playing around with pictures, or illustrating graphics on the computer; I just can't get enough of it. It's about time that my latest piece of work is posted onto this blog. At first my graphics weren't that great, they're still not because I'm honestly not a natural, but hard-work and persistence has increased my skills in designing!

     The graphic that I'm posting was one that I made for a Digital Media Festival at my school. It's titled "Mask of the world."

     The face of the Earth is becoming split between man-made technology and the beauty of nature. They can both be beautiful in and of themselves, but they are still very different aspects of what make up our world

Vietnam Wall

     The black wall reflected my white-washed skin, disheveled jacket, and loosely lopsided glasses that hung limply on my face like they had since elementary school. The smooth memorial seemed to stretch longer than death itself as I contemplated the list of names that had been etched into it.

     Memories raced through my mind, outlined by the dense rainforest battleground that reverberated with exploding artillery. I saw several comrades falling to the ground around me, visibly wounded. Others didn’t move a muscle. “Playing dead,” I forced myself to believe, trying to dam the tide of fear and panic that sent ripples of pain through my sinking heart.
“Will, help!" a young and bloodied soldier called to me through garbled groans. A hand gruffly grabbed my shoulder; I turned and met my commander’s steely grey eyes,
“We won’t survive with extra baggage, soldier. Retreat to the copter, now!” He hollered hollowly, his bruised and trembling mouth betraying his truly sorrowful regret.

     I pondered quietly: Die a hero? Or forever regret living? Without a second's hesitation, I hoisted Gabe onto my right shoulder; he seemed light, until I wrapped my other arm around my friend Jesse’s waist and hoisted him over the left. It was less than an hour later that I died from bullet wounds, after carrying them to safety.

     For a single moment, I thought I’d seen my own reflection in the teary-eyed man reading my name. All that I am now is a reflection embedded into the dark granite wall.

Gender Roles

     "Heaven help the American-born boy with a talent for ballet" said Camille Pagila, an American author and active feminist. This statement rings true for many who try to reach outside the bounds of normal acceptance, especially pertaining to gender conformity. As a whole, the American society expects both males and females to conform to certain roles in life based solely on gender. Less than a hundred years ago, it was unexceptable for girls to wear regular every day pants, and it was less than fifty years ago that an equal rights amendment between the two sexes was turned down. It is true in many aspects that men and women, no matter how capable and talented think and act differently from each other. Although we are all similar in our needs and the want to feel included, we communicate these wants in different ways: men tend to be more competitive, women are more articulate in detail oriented tasks, and men tend to be more interested in giving advice than in giving empathy.

     "... men's talk is more instrumental, competitive, and focused on "the bottom line." (Johnsetal 75) Boys are more engaged when they play games with set rules and less talk, this associates why men generally seem to be more interested in playing both sports and video games than their female counterparts. Women would much rather be able to communicate with each other in many different activities with their friends and why they would rather chat than becoming completely engaged in one task for hours on end. Men enjoy competitive environments where they can test their skills and prove themselves to their peers, whereas women would rather not belittle anyone who may not be as skilled as them at a task. As a general rule, girls tend to tease and make fun of fellow girls for their shortcomings in competitive areas rather than trying to physically show each other up.

     The difference between boy and girl competitiveness has been evident to me personally from an early age. It was much more common in Elementary to see boys challenging each other to races and getting holes and grass stains on their pants from competitive sports than girls. Girls can be fantastic competitors and have proven themselves to be highly capable of great physical feats, however, when they compete they generally do it to satisfy their own wants and goals. I go to the gym a few times a week, and I know from experience that men will lift more weight if they know somebody else is watching them, especially if that someone else is a female. They feel the urge to prove that they are capable. Women are a lot less likely to flex and show off their weight lifting abilities when men are watching them, because they don't want to appear manly. Men tend to be more blatant in showing off and competing, while women are more conservative and intrinsically motivated when it comes to competition.

     Women tend to be more detail oriented than men in many aspects. When it comes to planning. They tend to like laid out written plans, which in turn work as a sort of calendar or schedule. Men generally leave their time more open and are less likely to be offended if someone invites them to an activity at the last minute. Women enjoy it when their houses are decorated and color coordinated, while men, though appreciative of nice homes, tend to be more likely to care about having home improvements such as a big screen t.v. and a nice car rather than having pictures, paintings, and flower arrangements.

     My family is generally busy, and we get a lot of phone calls. I've become quite talented in telling whether it is a male of female on the other line based solely on the length of the conversations. Women like to make sure that everything is in balance emotionally and well sorted out. Men quickly convey what needs to be said, and its surprising how few details they try to remember about their other male friends. My friend Jim was teasing me about how he's a month and a half older than me. After three years and after determining that we had become 'best friends,' he had forgotten that my birthday was in fact only two weeks after his. I asked him in  good humor what the date of my birthday was, and was not surprised surprised to learn that he had forgotten even after being invited to my past three birthday celebrations. When it comes to details such as remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and little details like favorite colors, women are much more sensitive in trying to remember every detail. Guys on the other hand have a tendency to remember major details and points that they see as most significant in their relationships.

     Oftentimes men seem a lot less surprised after hearing gossip, they easily accept information and strive to find out why there is a problem and fix it. Girls are stereotyped as dramatic, because many times rather than trying to fix a problem, they will tell others what they have heard to increase bonding. Unfortunately that usually spreads the problem to more people rather than solving it. Girls would rather talk through things until they feel comforted about it, unlike guys who don't feel a sense of closure to problems through talking alone, they like to make sure that everyone involved is okay and see a final resolution to any conflict.

     An example of this is when I talk to my dad about relationship problems and ask his opinion about it. He has a tendency to tell me to move on or apologize to a guy that I've been having issues with. He never empathizes with how horrible I may feel in any given situation, and he never compares my situation to relationship problems that he might have had in high school. He sees the big picture and suggests ways that could resolve or end the conflict. My mom on the other hand offers me lots of advice, relates to me, tells me to go with what I feel is best, and tries to prevent my feelings from becoming more hurt than they already are. My dad is successful in helping me solve problems, while my mom is successful in making me feel better about how I handled problems.

Becoming a Young Woman

     Last week, Bishop Erickson asked me to give a talk on how Young Women’s has influenced me as a person. The young women’s program is specially designed to help teach girls going through the tough teenage years that they are divine spirit daughters of a loving Heavenly Father.
As I’ve worked on Personal Progress, I’ve learned to apply the eight Young Women values in my life.
 
       The first lesson I learned was to always have Faith. “In Alma 32: 21 it states: “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith, ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” Having faith is to have a belief or trust in something, especially when there is no visual evidence that it is true. Faith also includes having a positive outlook and hope for the future, no matter what trials may cross our paths. Despite my few personal trials, I’ve been able to gain more faith in the young women’s program through prayer and scripture reading. Even though I haven’t seen a heavenly being with my own eyes, I have faith that there is a Father in Heaven that loves us and looks out for us. I know for myself that every trial we successfully face will be replaced in the next life with blessings that are totally worth it.
 
  The second lesson I learned was to recognize the divine qualities that I’ve inherited from my Father and Mother in Heaven. It’s much easier to become a better person when you grasp the fact that a royal system is still in force, even though we currently live in a free country. I’ve come to learn that everybody has divine and royal qualities passed down to them by our Heavenly Father, because he is our father and our king. How much better would we treat people if we always remembered that all women are literally princesses and all men princes? That is a question that I now aim to remind myself on a regular basis.

     The third lesson, closely linked to Divine Nature, was to realize my own individual worth. D&C 18: 10 reads, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” That scripture isn’t just to remind us of everyone else’s worth; it’s also meant to remind us of our own. By building up each other’s sense of worth, we learn to increase our own, to the point where we can understand that we each have different gifts and divine missions to work on and fulfill.
 
 The fourth lesson I learned was to continually acquire knowledge. Knowledge is information, facts, ideas, truths, and principles. As I’ve increased my learning over the years, the way that I see things has changed. When we do our best to gain knowledge, we learn to see problems creatively and understand other people’s points of view. A large part of what we learn is through observation and experience, and it is up to us to utilize our past experiences to better understand each other and the world. Knowledge gives us open minds, and the young women’s program has taught me a lot and helped changed my life for the better.
   
     The fifth lesson I learned was to try to make the best choices and be accountable for my decisions. The opportunity to choose for ourselves and have agency was the whole purpose of Heavenly Father’s plan. The Strength of Youth pamphlet teaches everything that we need to know about choosing the right: “Wrong choices delay your progression and lead to heartache and misery. Right choices lead to happiness and eternal life. That is why it is so important for you to choose what is right throughout your life… You should not blame your circumstances, your family, or your friends if you choose to disobey God’s commandments. You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness no matter what your circumstances.” I am by no means perfect, and I don’t pretend to be. However, I’ve learned through experience that making bad decisions makes me feel horrible and guilty. I’ve gained a testimony in young women’s that the best way to live life is by doing our best to be good to others.
   
     The sixth lesson I learned was to help others through good works. Jesus Christ’s whole life was devoted to selfless service. We had a lot of service projects over the six years that I was in young women’s; we caroled to the elderly, delivered treats to families in need, distributed food to the homeless at a soup kitchen, gathered and sorted canned food on multiple occasions, held a few carnivals for the Christmas Box Children, and didn’t even scratch the surface on all the service that Jesus Christ did. Young women’s taught me how important it is to follow Christ’s example. Little acts of service go a long way, and as you donate your time to serving those around you, you’ll become more like Him.
 
   The seventh lesson I learned was to have integrity. From a good teacher of mine, I learned the difference between honesty and integrity: “Honesty is saying what you’ll do; integrity is doing what you say.” Integrity in the dictionary is defined as ‘the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or standards.’ By trying my best to be honest, I’ve not only become a better person, I’ve gained the trust of friends and family.

   The final lesson was to become virtuous. When you are patient, pure, and virtuous, you invite the spirit into your life. Virtue permits us to appreciate and understand the value of the lives that we can create, and it also helps us to prepare ourselves to be worthy to take the sacrament and enter the temple. Through virtue, I have learned how important it is to be sealed to my future family in the temple.
   
    The young women values have and will help me to improve myself, and I am so grateful for the opportunities that the program has given me. My leaders were incredible, and I can’t thank them enough for helping me gain a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Goodbye 2010

     In the cheerfully said words of Albus Dumbledore, I can honestly quote:
"Another year... Gone!"
This past year has had many, many twists and turns. All these years I've scoffed when people have told me that life is a rollercoaster. It’s just never really seemed like that to me. It’s been a calm rowboat ride across a peaceful river up until this year. However, that was then; this is now.
I've been mercilessly shoved into the world's craziest roller coaster ride. There are no stops and there is no turning back. The ride started in January. The coaster started ominously slow. As the ride began, all I could see was a dark tunnel up ahead. Yet somehow, my mind reassured itself.
Don't all roller coasters always start the same way? They clank loudly as they are cranked to the top, just before the first plunge.

     But not my roller coaster. January was a crazy blur, as a new semester rolled around the bend. My family faced unbelievable stress as my grandparents lost their house and moved in with us. They weren't happy to lose their house, and we weren't happy that they bickered about it. Lessons learned: don't buy more than you can afford, treat everyone lovingly no matter how upset you are, marry the man (or woman) of your dreams, and prepare for the future while you're young!

     February was one of the months where I did some upward corkscrews that gave me butterflies. I gritted my teeth and focused on school rather than on family problems. My dad could see that the super glue holding me together was wearing off. So, he did something that I didn't expect. He decided to take me on a dad and daughter vacation. His work paid for free Nascar tickets, and so we traveled to Las Vegas. There, we cheered in unison for Dale Earnheart Jr. and Danika Patrick. It was hard to believe how fast their cars zoomed by on the track. Sure, there were lots of hicks there doing really weird things (like setting up their living room couches and TV’s in parking spaces,) but hey, there was no denying how cool the races themselves were. Lesson learned: take a vacation if you're overworked and overly-stressed, and too much stress is never healthy.

     Near the end of that month, I swallowed my doubts and asked a boy that I had liked for six years to go to the girls' choice Sadie's dance with me. It made me so nervous that I was shaking when my brother doorbell ditched the clever contraption for asking him. Lessons learned: do what you're afraid to do; many times the rewards are greater than the risks, respect guys, because surprisingly, there are few gentlemen out there that are worth my time.

     March was kind of a plunge in the love department. There was a lot of pressure from everyone to break things off with a guy that I had really liked for a long time. It was really difficult, because he was my best friend at the time. Not only that, but I knew that once I had made the decision that there would be no turning back. So I made the decision for him and drove on. Lessons learned: your friends will rarely appreciate you when you take it upon yourself to do what’s best for them, making the right decision is often the hardest decision that you’ll make, and sometimes doing the right thing pays off much later.

     Isn’t that how life is? Sometimes we have to feel sad and alone, otherwise we'd never appreciate the friends who truly love us and stick by us. Happiness could never be happiness if it was how we felt all the time. Life is a roller-coaster, there are ups and downs. When we're at the top, we see the whole world laid out before us, and we know that it is the most beautiful place ever created. The blue sky stretches on forever and the sun gleams like the outline of heaven, enlightening us and helping us to see things for how they are. And when we're plummeting down the roller coaster, we become afraid and wonder if we'll be able to pull ourselves up before the crash. When we're down, we learn from our mistakes and we do our best to find more ways to pull ourselves out again.

     Honestly, there were a lot more interesting stories and mistakes that I made this year. With the recurring question- should I follow, my mind, or my heart? I've come to find that there's no good answer for that

For now, I’m not going to talk about the negative things that have happened. That’s not the point of blogging. It’s been my goal to maintain a positive tone and voice as I journalize my life’s story. Squeezing out a few smiles and laughs has been my main goal along the way... And that's why I haven't written anything for two months. There hasn’t been much good to report. Despite how quiet things have been around here, I have a feeling that there will be more to talk about in months to come.

     As for the more positive side of 2010, my family has had many adventures. Over the course of this year, we’ve been to Oahu, Florida, Yellowstone, Portland, and Las Vegas. In less than twelve months, we’ve been able to see more things than most people are able to see in a lifetime.

     Personally, I’ve had the fortune of being able to snorkel with adorable sea turtles, had great luck in making new groups of friends out of people that I never would have seen coming, and best of all, I was able to be there for my sister when she had her baby.

     All around me this roller coaster is changing, and many times it’s changed for the worse… Yet I can’t help but see these miracles happening every day. Miracles that would challenge even the most negative things those news men have the audacity to condemn our futures with on TV.

     Though it's true that life’s roller coaster is a trial and a test, it is also a gift and a miracle. Have faith, have hope, and have charity, but most of all, cherish life as it is. Don’t let it slip away from you, and don't ever ever weigh yourself down with regret. We have one chance at life, live it to the fullest. Be different, make a difference, and let this New Year be better than the last.

Senior Citizen Appreciation

     For my two hour senior citizen appreciation paper, I wore extremely dampening ear muffs over my head for two hours. Being hard of hearing was a lot harder than I ever could have imagined. When you hear about composers, like Beethoven, composing a symphony when he was entirely deaf, you feel impressed, but being impressed is definitely not the same thing as truly appreciating something because you’ve been in the same position before. I was only deaf for two hours, whereas some elderly folks’ sense of hearing can diminish over the course of many years, much like Beethoven.

     So that I could truly learn to appreciate my sense of hearing, the first thing that I decided to do (after putting dampening ear muffs on) was to go and practice the piano. Normally, playing the piano is my favorite hobby. I just love jamming out to upbeat songs as my fingers lightly glide over the smooth, white keys.
Truly enjoying your favorite activity is extremely hard when you can barely strain to hear it. I’m sure that my parents, in the next room, were awed by how well I could play for not hearing, but I wasn’t impressed with my own playing in the slightest. When I tapped the keys in a soft rhythm while playing pianissimo in dynamic, I literally could not hear a note to save my life. To dampen my spirits as much as my hearing, when I reached the gloriously loud and exciting parts of a sonatina by Clementi, I could still barely hear anything, even though I knew that I was playing obnoxiously loud. The only song I could really hear was when I was pounding out “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beetles. No wonder the Beetles are still so classic, they are easy for the elderly to hear.

     When you’ve played an instrument for a few years, it becomes easier to play by ear. I winced more than a few times when I could actually hear myself playing a wrong note. The worst thing about it was that I couldn’t hear the piano well enough to try and fix my mistakes by ear. If I didn’t have a piece memorized, it was extremely hard to hear if I was actually playing the correct notes in the first place. Suddenly, I knew that it was time to stop trying to practice the piano. I got the point and I appreciated my ears a lot more than I had thirty minutes earlier, when I had reluctantly put the ear muffs over my ears.

    Not being able to play piano was only the beginning to my newfound discovery of my appreciation of being able to hear. Around the house, my parents can rely pretty heavily on me to do chores and help take care of things. Although they both knew and understood the gist of my psychology assignment beforehand, they became a little exasperated as I embarrassingly but honestly muttered, “What?” repeatedly when I couldn’t hear them. Sometimes, they had to repeat a phrase four or five times before I understood what they wanted me to do. The other times I would just do a random chore while in their line of sight to please them, I became rather good at guessing what they wanted me to do when I stubbornly didn’t want to admit that I couldn’t hear them.

     Most unfortunately, my parents and younger brother weren’t the only ones that I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t even hear myself. It was as if someone had put a gag over my mouth and I really had to spit out my words to be heard. There was absolutely no way for me to tell how loudly or softly I was speaking. It was embarrassing how loudly I was forced to talk. Now I really understand why senior citizens sometimes yell when they’re talking; it’s not necessarily because they want you to hear them, it’s because they can’t even hear themselves. That was by far one of the hardest parts of the assignment.

     I am a person who loves to play the piano, and quite apparently, I talk a lot more than I realized; that’s why not being able to hear was so hard for me personally. Not only do I appreciate my own sense of hearing more from this experience, I appreciate the diligence of the elderly in trying to hear others and be heard no matter how embarrassing it is.

Don't Judge

     I seem to be getting a lot of lessons about judging people lately! Maybe someone upstairs is trying to tell me something. I'm judgmental. They aren't too far off, it's not that I'm judgmental of people as a whole, I just over-analyze people's actions a lot. It's a weakness I know, but we all have something that we can work on, right?

     Yesterday I had an incredible lesson in my Sunday-school class that made me really think twice about judging people.

     With tear-filled eyes and frequent stops to try and contain the emotions that he felt, Brother Perry recounted a story of when he had judged too quickly. Every day a boy had come into his class with a terrible attitude that took the spiritual edge completely out of the class. The boy was a negative pessimist of a student, who used terrible language. He laughed at his rude disruptions, knowing the damage that he was doing to the spirit and morale of the class.
One day Brother Perry was fed up with the boy,
"You can't talk like that in here! Get out of my class right now!" he demanded. Without another word, the boy solemnly rose from his chair. Without a backward glance he left the classroom, a trace of a smile on his lips. He had been right. Nobody wanted him. At home, at school, or in church and seminary.
The class sat, stunned into silence. A girl spoke up, her face had a look of horror clearly written across it,
"Brother Perry... Why did you do that? You don't know him. You shouldn't have done that! I have known him since the second grade, and his life is a total mess right now." Brother Perry felt guilty the second he had ordered the boy out, but he didn't know how else to react. Clearly the boy wasn't intending to change his attitude, but now he'd gone so far as to kick a student out of class.

     Maybe the boy had been testing him, trying to prove something to himself. Why else would a normally good-hearted boy who even bothered to show up to a church class have started acting out like that?

     Brother Perry called the boy's father that night. The father wasn't at home. The next day he found out the boy's story from the girl who had disproved of his sending the rude boy out of class.
The boy's dad had gotten a divorce from his mom, and in no time at all, got married to another woman. The boy's story was much like Cinderella, except for the fact that his mom was still alive and having to live with the pain of being abandoned all so quickly.

     His new step-mom paid no attention to him at all, and if she did, it was out of pure need. A need which she took with a look full of disgust and contempt, all because she did not like her step-son what-so-ever.

     And to make matters worse, his father was so madly enough in love with this second wife, that he paid no attention to his son. The careless father barely noticed him anymore. The boy was completely broken-hearted. His father had literally been his best friend. They had done everything together, and now he was gone. It was as if he had lost a dad and a best friend all in the same sitting. To make matters even more painful, his dad and his best friend were the same person, making the pain of abandonment all the worse. The boy was heart-broken and forlorn. He didn't know how to react to the horrible change of events in his life, and so he acted out at school and church. The stress and heart-ache were almost too much for him to bear... And then the only teacher who had cared for him on a spiritual level had tossed him out. Just like his dad.

Brother Perry went on to tell us in a choked voice,
"Guys... Don't judge anyone! You never know what is going on in a person's life, and even if you do that is no reason to judge them for it. We all make judgments. We're human. We can't help it. But please, please learn this; the worth of souls is great in the eyes of God. We aren't God, but we need to do our best to love people unconditionally no matter what they do or how they act."

Hands shaking, he took a five dollar bill out of his pocket.
In a more light-hearted tone he asked the class this question,
"Who in this class would want this five dollar bill?" In a church class, at least you can expect people to be fairly honest, after all. Hands rose up as we looked at the upraised face of another honest man, Honest Abe to be exact.
"Would you still want this money if I did this?" Without warning, Brother Perry crushed the bill in his hand, wrinkling it beyond the point where it could ever be made flat again.
"Now, who would still want this?" he asked solemnly.
All of our hands were raised as before.
"Why is that? It's all wrinkled. It doesn't look new. Why would you want this crinkled little thing?" A student looked up from his clasped hands and with a clear voice stated,
"Because it is still worth as much as it was before."
Brother Perry smiled, although the pain of memory still lingered in his eyes,
"Exactly. You wouldn't judge money, this five dollar bill is still worth as much no matter how crinkled it is... However, money is useless to God. Can you imagine how much more you, his children, are worth to him? His son died to redeem you, because he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were worth it. You are worth it. Don't forget your worth, and don't forget that everyone, no matter who they are or what they have done are still of great worth."

A New Aunt for a Newborn

    My oldest sibling finally had her baby a few days ago! They named her Kayli, and she is like a perfect little porcelain doll. Her skin is so flawless and soft, aside from the few dry spots due to the lack of humidity here. Because she's a newborn, Kayli can only see up to eight inches in front of her, but that doesn't stop her probing eyes from searching everything that she can see. And now to tell the rather interesting story that I learned while waiting in the hospital. Don't ever judge off of a first impression!

    As my sister was in the hospital having her baby, I sat rather impatiently outside her room on a scratchy and rather cheap looking dark color-splatted chair.
My foot tapped incessantly in their light orange bowler-style shoes. Nurses shuffled past me, several making remarks on how it was "sooo nice" that I was sitting and waiting so patiently... Well,what else would I have done? Like I could've leaped right into my sister's room and shouted,
"You better have this baby now, or I'm leaving!!!!!"

No.

    I'm guessing it was more of a small-talking comment to lament the hours that I sat waiting for Kayli      to arrive.

    My foot continued to tap nonchalantly as I peered down the hall to see what my dad and brother were up to, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a rather interesting shaped blob of color walking swiftly down the hall. Distractedly, I focused my eyes to see what the hustle was.
It was a short and skinny blonde lady who looked like a barbie, speed walking down the hall faster than if a creepy Ken brandishing a cleaver was chasing her.
She wore a little mini-skirt complemented by a hippie-looking rhinestone studded peace-sign-covered crew neck t-shirt. I was more than a little surprised when "barbie lady" looked down at me and laughing joked,
"Well who banned you from the room?" and with a little laugh waltzed right into the room where my sister was in labor.

     Surprise turned to horror and wonderment.

     Who in the world was this woman? Was that one of my sister's friends? Was she completely crazy?

     The next voice I heard from the other side of the wall was "barbie lady's," saying in that same casual tone,
"Alright, well let's get this thing over with!"

     She wasn't just any lady. It turned out that she was the doctor! That gave me a laugh too, and in a manner of minutes I heard another voice. Another voice that I had never heard in my life.

    It was a soft little cry, almost like a baby bird calling for something, but more prolonged. A smile crept to my lips as a thought impacted my brain like no other had for a long time.
"I'm an aunt!"

Memoir to An Amazing Dog

I remember the first time I saw her,
Like a little energized feather-duster
With two black eyes darker than the sky.
Tiny eyes.
Slits of pleasure that you saw and loved instantly.
I remember how her fuzzy legs sprinted towards me from the end of the hall,
It was as if she was my best friend who hadn't seen me in a year,
Even though we'd never met.
Her fluffy and curly tail wiggled in sheer excitement,
It was always wagging like there was no tomorrow.
And now there isn't.

I remember the first time she played in the snow.
It's the only time that it's ever snowed that I've really remembered,
the rest are blurred together like a smeared painting,
But I remember.
She bounded up the stairs with her tongue hanging out,
Dripping, pure white snowflakes clung to her, forming snowballs.
Dangling from her like icicles from a roof.
She shivered, innocently, laughter shone in her eyes,
It was as though she had made a joke that she didn't understand.

I remember the first time she chased her tail.
I remember when she started that annoying habit of loudly barking at the door.
I remember when she played tag with her nose, and the triumphantly proud look on her face- victory every time.
I remember the pensive look written across her face whenever I cried, I know she would have cried with me if she could.
I remember her ears perking up when we asked her to sit, always alert.
I remember when she ran in circles around the house and never got tired.
I remember remembering her while I was at school or away from home. Reminding myself that no matter how people thought of me, that my adorable dog would think the best.
I remember that unconditional love and miss it with all my heart,
Because I remember.



Rest in peace Dusty!

My Name

     In English fractions of my name descend from royalty. In Hebrew it means House of Figs, or the hallowed land where Lazarus was brought back to life. It is life like. Bright, energetic life, blazing like a billion gleaming orange sunbeams. The color of sunrise. The symbol of a new morning trying to prove that it is ready to face a new day, come what may, beckoning cheerfully to all and sharing promised warmth.
 
   It is a fresh new face, my name. Unlike my mom, my grandma, or her mother. Even though I’m younger than the whole lot of them, my name is older. Ancient. Tracing back to Queen Elizabeth, though I am just Beth alone. Not always lonely alone. Simply independent. The only part of my given name related to family is my middle one. A memory of the caring Grandma that I haven’t met. All I can do is Hope. Hope that one day my name will bring happy remembrances to my family. Like Grandma for mine or Elizabeth for the world.
   
     Elizabeth the I. Leading, fiercely like a lion, but calmly calculating. She conquered a Spanish fleet. Ironic for my name to be partially descended from hers, when she willed her cousin, my ancestor to be killed. I would’ve liked to have seen the passion she had for her people. The witty way she secretly allowed pirates to commandeer her enemy’s ships-- without protest. Silently amused, yet cunningly neutral. Accomplished herself in capturing subject’s loyal hearts.
   
    And for centuries since, she has maintained her dignity and fame. Remembered-- I wonder if she ever resented her life, pondered alone over whether her glass of life was half empty or half full. Queen or pawn, in the end we will all return to the same box. Beth. Though I have inherited only part of her name, I’ve inherited her passion for life, and have in my own way, have come off conqueror.

     At home, my name is never mine. At home, I’m seen through my Dad’s eyes like I was sixteen years ago. A bouncy baby kangaroo. His little jouncing Joey-- Jojo. Many nicknames blot out my own, as if it’s a simple word to be covered and replaced like white-out on paper. At school, fellow students create their own names for me. It’s as if I’m a whited-out canvas that needs more colorful paint. Fans croon as white and black face painted singers rock out, belting my name to adoring adults. In their mouths, it solemnly sounds as lonely as the moon. A name without a home to come back to.
There is no other word in the English language to describe who I am, save it be my own name. I am who I am. My name means me. When someone calls it, it’s like a sounding trumpet chord, telling the tune of my soul to those who care to listen. Yes. I will always be me.

Friends

     I don't know why I'm just barely posting all these pictures from last year. But, there are memories from High School that shouldn't be forgotten!Somewhere deep down, I know that I would regret it if I didn't have a memory of these pictures ever again.

      I recognize the fact that there are times in our lives when we must move on and really learn from the past, this is definitely one of those times. I'm glad to have had some friends in high school who helped me to realize the type of person I want to be as well as the type of person that I want to end up with in the future. Thanks for all the good times we had together when we were better friends :)















"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test and don't ask why. It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.
So take the photographs and still-frames in your mind. Hang them on a shelf in good health and good times.Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial. For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.
It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life."
~Greenday

Arise and Shine Forth

     "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10
Last week, I went to a church run camp for girls in my neighborhood. It was such an amazing experience; camp helped me remember how important every individual is to the world and to God. It was a learning experience from the time I shook nervously from fifty feet off the ground, suspended by thin little cords, to when I found myself running for cover from rock-hard hail the size of marbles.

Day 1: August 2, 2010. Arise and Shine Forth through Righteous Living
Today was such a blast! The younger girls lit up the camp with their smiling faces, no matter how scared or shy they were. They were loving and caring towards the other girls around them. We set up our sleeping quarter quite quickly today, after which, we played sponge water games.
We had an amazing speaker, Sister Stone, who talked passionately about how important it is to close our eyes and love everyone no matter who they are or what they look like. She portrayed and relayed with ter-filled eyes how truly important it is to never give up on those that you love, and to always do your best to reach out to those who seem lost.
Some men are born believing in God, some are born with confidence knowing that there is a supreme being who loves them unceasingly. Others lose the way and their sight of their faith, that once seemed so easy to believe and rely on. And then there are those who feel like they have no purpose. It is the job of good men and women to reach out to those less fortunate in any way, and to be an example, a beacon of light in the darkness to the many poor and lost sailsmen. All lost people need in the dark is a light, one beam, one single lighthouse in the night is enough for a stranded soul to reach out and find safe ground from the churling waves and jagged rocks in life.
3 Nephi 6:14
"And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were a few Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the cmomandments of the Lord

...

Alma 40:12
"And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."

     Tonight I was asked to share my testimony, so I decided to share a brief experience that I had a few months ago that helped to strengthen my belief. I'll write down my experience in in this journal as a guide, just in case I get nervous talking in front of so many people.
     This year at Prom, I was really shocked by the dresses that the girls around me wore. I was even more disappointed when I realized that some girls that I knew from my seminary class at school were dressed extremely immodestly.

     When I got home that night, I expressed to my mom how upset it had made me feel to see so many girls lowering their standards to try to appear "pretty" to their dates.

     The conversation turned into a spiritual experience as my mom asked me this one question, "How would those girls have felt if Jesus had walked into Prom right then? They would have been unbelievably ashamed."
That's why dressing modestly is truly important. We don't know when our Savior will come again. As we dress ourselves daily, we should think,
"Would I feel comfortable if I met Jesus today?"

     I know that this gospel is true, and I know that our savior saved us because he loves us. We will be blessed forever if we can show our love through obedience and patience.
After I bore my testimony, all of the girls were given handouts that read:
"Arise and Shine Forth Through Righteous Living

We cannot hide what we are, try as we will. It shines from within us... Those who stand firm, steadfast, and immovable are given great inner hidden powers and unseen strengths. They will be endowed with full and potent spiritual resources." James E. Faust"

"My final plea tonight is that you have the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Because the trend in society today is away from the values and principles the Lord has given us, you will almost certainly be called upon to defend that which you believe. Unless the roots of your testimony are firmly planted, it will be difficult for you to withstand the ridicule of those who challenge your faith. When firmly planted, your testimony of the gospel, of the Savior, and of our Heavenly Father will influence all that you do throughout your life. The adversary would like nothing better than for you to allow derisive comments and criticism of the Church to cause you to question and doubt. Your testimony, when constantly nourished, will keep you safe." Thomas S. Monson."

Day 2: August 3, 2010. Arise and Shine Forth by Recognizing and Following the Spirit

     Today was so fun and uplifting! We had to observe each other, and share our observations with each other around the campfire. We were all assigned a girl, and my girl was little Amberlynn, I noticed that she is such a sweet, caring, and happy person. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to get to know her better.

     The girl who had to observe me was another a sophomore girl named Lexie. She told me that she was impressed that I always stick to my standards, and that she was impressed by how hard I work at everything I do. Well, that really made me feel good about myself. The theme for today, as I've already mentioned, was recognizing and following the spirit, and there is no doubt that I felt moved by the love that was shared between the girls today. I learned that the spirit can teach us through words and feelings.

Day 3: August 4, 2010. Arise and Shine Forth by Being the Daughter You Were Meant to Be

     Today Sister Thompson read a book today that talked about how every girl is a princess. I never really thought of it that way, but I believe that God is a King, and that we are all his children. That would make me a princess, along with every other girl I see. But do I treat every girl like she is a princess? Princesses are extremely important.

     Now that I gained this knowledge, I'm going to do my best to be patient and loving towards God's other daughters, because they aren't just his children, they are in deed princesses. I'm going to make it my new goal, to reach out to others and help them realize just how important they are, because they are royalty. It's so important to always remember who we truly are, so that we can become who we were truly meant to be. Royalty.

Day 4: August 5, 2010. Arise and Shine Forth by Following the Savior Jesus Christ

"If you can resist all evil, you can resist Satan."

2 Nephi 2:27
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the Great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

     Now is not the time to be another person caught in the gray area, there is a clear definition between right and wrong. Don't follow the play now and confess-to-bishop-later type of life. It is not worth it in any way. Don't mock the Savior's Atonement, he suffered greatly for our sins; and her suffers greatly still when we take his sacrifice in vain by choosing Satan's easy-way-out lifestyle. Life isn't meant to be simple or easy, and if it is, you aren't living the way you should.

Alma 53: 17, 20
"And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage... And they were all young men and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold this was not all-- they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted."

     I'm sad that this was my last year of girls' camp.

Fighting the Pain (Working Out)

     I believe that if my life were a book, the chapter for this week would be titled: The week in which I became a personal fitness trainer, and in which I was constantly, yet pleasantly, in pain.
Sadly, it took me about two months after not seriously working out on a schedule to get motivated again. Before the Sadie's dance, I was pretty stressed with school and with Grandparents; that was when I found the willpower to work out every day to try and get some endorphins in me. I stopped my working out phase altogether in April. A.P. test panic set it slowly but surely, and I found myself studying and doing homework from the time I got home to the time I slept late into the night. Now, three months later, I'm motivated to getting back into shape because of my cousin, who is really helping me to help her to kick us both back into shape (quite literally!)

     About every other morning, Alexis comes over to do P90X, a fairly intense work out video. The first DVD is kind of hilarious in an I'm-going-to-kick-your-butt way. The fitness trainer Tony, with all his ripped muscles bulging out from the t.v. screen, does simple yoga and stretching type moves that are somehow a lot more painful for you after than when you're getting really really into it. Honestly, when Amy came over again two days later to work out, I decided it would be best for the delightfully in pain duo to do something a little less strenuous. So nonchalantly I plucked off the P90x that had the smallest amount of time to it.

     You have no idea how much pain you can go through in thirty minutes! It turned out that almost the entire work out tape was based on upper arm strength. Several times I collapsed on the floor laughing at my lack of strength to do just one more push-up, only to make myself push through and put a couple extra in to make up for the time I spent laughing. It wasn't too long before my laughter died into a soft and not-too-subtle moan. A chorus of pleas shot to the edge of my brain, "Stop killing your arms!!" but there's no gain without the pain, so I laughed through the moans, groans, and kept pushing myself to go a little further every time.

     And of course, even though I was the one "introducing" Alexis to P90X, she easily outdid me. It was like she had a secret energy box hidden inside of her, and I could almost see it on the surface of her skin as she continuously lifted her weights up and down and over her head without a single pause. The strain in her face was practically unreadable, and that in itself was another good way to motivate me to keep going. I've learned that working out and straining yourself isn't just for your physical body, it's for your mind. When you work out, you push yourself, and in the end you can be happy with how you look physically, while mentally you gain the confidence to say, "Wow, look at what I can do!" and every time you jog a little further, and hope a little more. It's like looking at a tangible dream, all you have to do is reach a little further, and push yourself a little bit harder.

Feel

I sigh, like a tree in a cold, unrelenting breeze
I try, like aching Atlas to carry the weight of the world
I cry, like a solitary wolf howling for her lonely dark moon
I lie, like a masked man who can't look in the mirror.
I reply, like a flimsy facade trying to conceal any pain.

A Broken Heart

These poems are another form that Mrs. Gray taught us today. Basically you ask a very serious question, and then attempt to describe the answer by using your own questions and comparisons. Each question should get progressively more thought provoking/ serious throughout the poem. It's almost like a Shakespearean poem with the two lines of A-B-X-B rhyming form, but the last three lines are A-B-B format instead! Confusing much? Maybe the poems will enlighten you to this unique format.

What happens to a broken heart?

Does it shrivel and shrink like toes under water?
Or blister and break apart—
Like sunburns getting ever hotter?
Does it feel crushed like a battered rock by the sea?
Or bleed like a wound—
That soon ceases to be?

Maybe it painfully crumbles
Like a man hit by a sharp spear

Or does it simply disappear?


What happens to a sad memory?

Does it fade like white-out against paper,
Or harden like a dark stone of emery--
Absorbing every other thought like a black hole?
Does it feel like a blue bird that could freely fly away,
Or like a whale trapped on the beach—
Imploring the sea in dismay?

Maybe it destroys every good memory it touches
Like a flood filling every space

Or does it die without a trace?

The Night

Today the happy wait
Is quickly passing like a stream
And the glitter gathers everywhere
Resting softly like moon’s gleam.
Oh, do you remember?
The tinkling song still lingers,
It’s sound dancing like the wind.
The smooth voice of Song,
And how her deep tone
Moved everyone to dance.
Us, dancing,
Laughing boisterously like children at our lack of skill
Or apologizing as we tripped,
Girls glaring in unison
As we brushed their shining diamond dresses.
You held my hand
And were unafraid,
Despite the sullen surprise of whispering friends.
Oh see the vibrant purple dress
That cascaded softly like the rain,
And the way it flashed, luminescent
Like a brilliant lion's mane
While happiness happiness
Happiness that I had never known engulfed my mind.
This was where the sound began;
With its profound ring
Opening my broken heart like a key.
And then the key disappeared
Into the black,
Forever flying out of reach.
I remember the color of music,
And how you
And all of your goodness
Were part of me for a breathless moment.

Prom the II

     Prom was different this year, in it that it was the first time that I've ever been asked to a dance by anyone other than Wes. Joey had a lot to live up to, but I think that he did a pretty good job!

  Jordan gave me the world's prettiest blue and purple corsage, and we rode in his cousin's sweet green mustang as well. As for Joey himself, he's a nice and funny guy, and he's been one of my best friends since before he moved away in ninth grade (not that that was so long ago or anything.)

     Joey picked me up for the day activity the day before the dance at around six o'clock so that we could go to Ethan's house and play games. We played a fun game where you start off with a sentence that you have to draw. The next person has to guess what you've drawn, and the third person must then draw what the second person guessed. It's called Telestration and is actually quite fun. We went from a giant man-eating snake to a "giant man" eating snake, that one made me laugh. I found out that people don't have to be good artists to have fun.

     When we'd had our share of fun with the drawing game, we went on a small hike to see the sunset across the lake and behind the mountains. It was so pretty, and the narrowness of the long lake made it look like the water had a large pink eye looking out at us.

     The twelve of us went back to Ethan's house again after the hike and we watched "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

     I was actually happy that we watched it, because it was my date's favorite movie- and one that we felt totally comfortable watching. Personally my favorite part is when the camera dramatically zooms up on the monks singing a deep-voiced chant. They then jerk their arms up randomly and whack themselves in the face with big wood-blocks. Can anyone say random? It was really fun to watch, and when I got home,my clothes smelled like campfire.

     On April 24, we went to Prom at the capital building. I'm sure that most people were surprised to see me in a totally girly, purple, sparkly, ruffled dress, but I rather liked it! I'd almost decided to try and find another dress when the lady in the store made a comment that I looked like a barbie, but luckily I was able to ignore that comment. Besides, most barbies aren't supposedly short-people like me .

     After Joey picked me up, we went to a park and his mom took pictures of us. Unfortunately I didn't know what camera to look at and made myself look like a dork, oh well, at least I tried! It made me laugh how excited Joey's little sisters were, I'm sure they'll be more excited when they get to go themselves!

     After a really good dinner of shrimp, steak, salad, and rolls, we headed to the dance.

     The dance itself was pretty fun! I was a little sad when I ran into my crush, who was dancing rather inappropriately with his date, but that wasn't enough to dampen my spirits for long.

     We all went out and sat outside for a while to cool down and take off our shoes. Luckily we went back inside just in time to see the Prom Royalty being announced as they walked down the stairs. It made me happy to see my friend Shannon walking down the steps in her bright red dress, I was glad to have voter her into the royalty because she looked like she was having a blast!

     Afterwards, we went to the temple and took pictures; it never fails to amaze me how one building can so brilliantly change the scenery in a city like ours. After pictures, my memory is a little fuzzier because of how late it got. Joey raced Caleb from the parking lot to another house afterward. I hate to admit it, but I was really scared.

     The rest of the night was pretty fun, we had ice-cream sandwiches, and I got to play the piano for a bit. I really felt like I was at home as I played my normal repertoire of music including: "Time of Your Life," "Everywhere," "Sonatina," "Harmony of Angels," and my personal favorite, "1,2,3,4."

     Here are the pictures from the dance.

Impressionist Poems

     Today in English we were learning about the old impression style of poetry. At first, I was really really skeptical. The very first poem we had to read in class was by William Carlos Williams, it was called "The Red Wheelbarrow." It goes like this:

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

     I was astonished! There was no punctuation and very little description.. It's so simple that a kindergartner could do it (or a caveman.) If that's really all the work it takes to get a poem published in a school book read by millions of American children every year, then sign me up!

Somehow, despite the lack of overall creativity and style, the poem serves the purpose that the author made it for. Can't you see the red wheel barrow surrounded by chickens despite the few details? That's a pretty cool effect if you ask me!

Well my English teacher had us write a few poems based on William's style. So here's my rendition of it.

So much depends
upon

a bright white
smile

mysterious like full
moons

rising into our
eyes


So much depends
upon

black tick-tock
clocks

counting like cocky little
children

inside time's vast
expanse


The next poem we read totally made me laugh. It was a poetic note from William's apologizing to his family for eating all of the plums out of the family icebox. So of course I had to write a few. One day I'll cut them out and tape them in the cupboard to see my family's reaction.

I have eaten
the cereal
that was in
the cupboard

and which
you were probably
looking
for breakfast

Forgive me
it was heavenly
so crunchy
and so refreshing

I have eaten
the marshmallows
that were in
the pantry

and which
you might have
eaten
while camping

I'm sorry
they were delightful
so gooey
and so sweet

Rather bizarre, but it's rather fun to write zany little things like that sometimes! And now for the most confusing poem at all. See if you can find the meaning of the broken up words. Hint: try reading the words in parenthesis and then the broken up words before and after parenthesis.

B(E
A S
T E
R)U
N N
Y(E
G G)

You should find "bunny," "Easter," and a combination of either "runny egg" or "Easter egg" depending on the way you're looking at it.

My Journal Jar

     As my family cleaned up my brother's old room (our guest bedroom that is now our office,) Dad came across a strange jar filled with papers. If I hadn't spotted it a few seconds after it came into his hand, it probably would have been tossed away like all the other junk.

The paper-filled jar wasn't just any old jar, it was my old journal jar that I'd made almost a decade ago. It is filled with tons of questions, some of which I had jotted down in my little pink diary years before the jar was lost altogether.

     I realize that this is a unique opportunity to answer the questions in the jar somewhere more permanent than a journal! Any questions that a reader could have about me are about to be answered. Enjoy my little piece of mind!

"Preserve your memories-seal them up well. What you forget, you can never retell. But a journal that's kept fresh on the shelf Will help someone through rough times-- Maybe even yourself!"

1. What are my goals and dreams?
~ For starters I just want to survive high school without too much injury. I've made it a goal to get good grades and try to help other people feel happy.
     In the long run, I want to go to college, go on a mission (to a foreign country hopefully,) and I want to marry Prince Charming of course! Eventually I'll get a good paying job so that I can really save up money, just in case.

2. List all the costumes you have worn or characters you have been for Halloween.
~Oh dear, that's a fun question. Well the earliest that I've seen pictures of was when I was the "Pumpkin Princess" at about age two. Almost every year after, I was always a glittering, pink, princess of some sort. My favorite color was pink growing up until about fifth grade when it became too "girly."
I also remember being a Furby when I was like five (those things are so creepy, I don't know what I was thinking.)

     Another year I was warrior Mulan, and when I was ten, I chose to go punk rock and be "Josie" from "Josie and the Pussycats." From about 11-15, I was always Hermione Granger. To this day I'm still a total Harry Potter nerd; honestly, if it weren't for dances, I'd probably continue my trend of being Hermione every year. The past two years I've been Elizabeth Swan (from Pirates of the Caribbean,) and Mulan once again (this time wearing a kimono style costume.)

3. Tell about your favorite pet-what kind of animal? When did you get him/her? Why do you like them?
~I love Dusty and Shadow to death, but I think one of the happiest moments of my life was the first time that I saw Dusty.
Dusty was our family's Christmas present when I had just turned seven. I can still remember how excited I was; it feels like yesterday.
Dusty was this tiny, bright, white puffball with black eyes that could barely be spotted through all her puppy fuzz. She was so cute, amd she was constantly running around the furniture and chasing her tail.

Dusty is really old now, (nine in our years, pomeranians are supposed to live until about age ten.) She's not quite as energetic as she used to be, and she barks like her life depends on it if anyone knocks on the door anymore, but growing up, she was the best dog I ever had.

4. What is my favorite thing to do at home?
~Piano, piano, piano. I could play that instrument all day long and not get bored. The little sitting room upstairs is like a second bedroom to me because of the piano. I like playing and singing to myself when nobody's home, and I like playing pop and rock when anybody's listening.

5. Describe your favorite fall activities.
~Well for the past two years, I've pretty much lived for one activity in the fall. Marching band. I love playing soccer in the fall too, but I end up missing half of my games because of the marching competitions.
Although I don't admit it often, I love my section (even though they tease me like I'm their little sister a lot.)

6. What do you want to be when you grow up?
~My dad has always really wanted me to be a lawyer, and only recently did I become rather interested in that idea. I really like psychology, and it would be awesome to be the one to shut down the weak minds of petty criminals.

7.What can you remember about the day you were baptized?
~I remember feeling like a princess standing there in my little white dress. I just felt so special, and everyone I cared about was there to support me, from little Johnny to my cousins who used to lived more than two hours away.

     I'm really fortunate that my dad was converted to the church when he was eighteen.
Unfortunately my baptism wasn't all good memories, my brother ended up tripping and hitting his head really hard on the corner of a church bench while running around with the cousins.

     He ended up having to go get stitches, and I remember crying my eyes out because I was so scared when Mitch's light blonde hair was dyed red with blood. That was not good!

8. Tell about the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you.
~Gee whiz, there are so many. Well, my friends from Fairfield were probably the best thing that ever happened to me.
They really know how to help me when I'm feeling sad or overly stressed from school. My friends are really funny, but not usually in degrading ways.

9. Write about something that drives you crazy.
~Hmm...
Well for starters, it drives me crazy when guys that I really don't like can't take the hint that I don't like them, because then I have to be mean. You know what though, it's not just any normal guy that I'm mean to, they have to be exceptionally overbearing. Eek.

     It also drives me crazy when people don't tell me the truth, good or bad.

10. What is your favorite color, and why?
~Wow, the first truly embarrassing question. My favorite color is red. It honestly all started with my Harry Potter obsession. I associated red with Harry Potter, so that, (and thinking that it was an awesome color in general) helped me decide that I liked red the most.
Not to mention that I just couldn't let pink be my favorite color anymore, because I became a "tomboy." Tomboys can't like pink, it's too girly.
Fortunately, I'm not too much of a tomboy anymore... Well maybe a little; I love sports and I have always hated shopping.

11. What do your parents say that can drive you crazy?
~Hmm... Well, specifically when Dad says that I couldn't handle being in the military.
That really annoys me... Just the thought that there's something out there that I couldn't do frustrates me. I'm one of those people who likes to believe that I can do anything that I set my mind to.
It also bugs me when my mom tries to ground me; the only thing that she can really ground me from is books or playing the piano. What kind of parent would ground their child from reading? Leave the nerdy side of me in peace!
But really, I'm not grounded too often anymore. I really love my parents a lot!!

12. What is advice to those younger than you?
~Don't have boyfriends or girlfriends while you're in high school, it's not worth it. Friendship is better than nothing, and all relationships end two ways: breaking up, or getting married... Let's just say  that high school is hard enough without worrying about a break-up.

     As a teenager, your focus should be to have the best grades you possibly can. Have a good set of close friends, that way you can have some self confidence along the way.

     Self confidence will totally help your grades, don't be afraid to break your shy shell, I did.
My grades in ninth grade soared through the roof when I found good friends. My best friend in eighth grade made me clean the table and chairs off before she sat down, I don't know why I stuck with that group. Don't put up with friends like that! Don't be afraid to find a new group of friends if you really need one.

     Lastly, don't cause drama over old friends and lost friendships, and DON'T spread rumors. Be friendly to everyone, even if they aren't friendly to you.

     On a separate note, listen to your parents the second they ask you to do anything. You may have lots of other things to do (aka:homework or "hanging out,") but being around angry parents is a lot worse than any load of homework...
You will make your parents so happy if you spend thirty minutes being with them or doing your chores; your parents take eight hours out of their day to work for you!

13. Who is your favorite cartoon character?
~I don't really watch cartoons anymore, but when I was little my very favorite cartoon characters were Simba and Nala from The Lion King. I would constantly crawl around on all fours and growl at everyone to immitate the Lion King.

     I'd get all frustrated with people for calling me Beth, because I wasn't "Beth" when I was roaring my fierce roar, I was a lion! I was such a funny little kid!!

     My favorite cartoon Disney character right now is probably Pocohantas... My little half-Chinese cousin watches it every time she comes over, and I watch it with her sometimes. Even though it's totally off historically, it has a really good message.

14. What's my favorite Christmas memory?
~Well the funniest by far is when me and Lexis (my cousin) watched Prince Caspian. She thought that Prince Caspian was really cute, and I personally thought that Peter Pevensie wasn't too bad either.

     So after the movie, we went and looked up the actors from Narnia on the Internet... We came to find that Prince Caspian was about ten years older than Lexis, and that King Peter was my older sister's age (five years older to be exact.)

     At first it was rather discouraging that our new "star crushes" were so much older than us, but I had fun teasing Lexis about her preference for grave robbing.

     Gift wise, that was the year that I gave my dad and Mitch fleece blankets that I had personally tied together for them. It had taken me hours to do the cutting and knotting, but it was worth it to see their smiles.

15. What is something that always brings a smile to your face? Why?
~Well some of the guys I occasionally see from my section from band crack me up! My section leader is especially funny, we have this little rivalry where we tease and make fun of each other a lot. Marching band humor >_< gotta love it!

16. What is my favorite food? Why? What food will I never eat? Why?
~My favorite food of all time is my Mom's Chicken enchiladas, I've never had an enchilada anywhere that even compares.

     All in all, I like spicy Spanish flavors more than almost any other type of food. I love pasta in all forms, (alfredo is insanely good,) and Chinese food is pretty awesome most of the time.

     Although I must admit, even though some Chinese food is good, some of the really authentic stuff is gross. The nastiest food that I've ever tried was chicken feet.

     I ate the feet for extra-credit, but I won't ever do that again. A few weeks ago, I tried squid for the first time at a Vietnamese place. Now I know that squid isn't my favorite food either, it was like never-ending seafood gum.


17. What are some of my jobs at home?
~Usually just kitchen clean up and dishes. I'm also supposed to clean the downstairs bathroom, my bedroom, and a part of the office.

18. If you could learn anything in the world, what would you want to know most? Why?
~If I could learn anything, I'd learn how to fly without the help of a huge machine.

19. Write about something you are grateful for.
~There's way too many things to just mention one thing. I'm grateful for my family, my friends, my pets, my school, and my country and those that defend it. I'm grateful that I can eat three meals a day if I want to, I'm grateful that I live in a safe environment, I'm grateful that I can read, write, cook, play instruments, play sports, and live. I'm grateful for God, and I'm thankful for all that his son Jesus did for us.

20. If you could have your favorite dinner for your birthday, what would it be?
~Chicken Enchiladas and fruit punch. For desert, we'd have peanut butter bars.

21. Am I a forgiving person? Is there anyone I need to forgive- and what's the game plan?
~Ah, another one of my flaws. I forgive people, but I have a good memory, that makes the forgetting process very difficult. Usually the only person that I can't truly forgive is myself when I do something wrong.

22. Tell about a family trip your family took that you particularly enjoyed. Where did you go? What did you see?
~Oregon. Without a doubt, I love that state. We visit my Great Grandma every couple of Summers. I remember the trips really well. We hike through Silver Pine Forest and see tons of beautiful waterfalls.

     My favorite thing about going to see Grandma, is our side trip to Seaside. The Seaside beach is the prettiest thing that I have ever seen in my life.

     The air there is so cool and fresh, and you can just feel all of the life around you. Seagulls fly high enough not to disturb people, and you can find jellyfish and seals playing far off.

23. What are things I love and admire most about my father?
~.Where to begin? I admire that he was able to aspire to a high rank in the army, even though he started out parentless and penniless.

     I admire the way that he can be friends with everyone so easily, and although his laugh can be really embarrassing, it makes me laugh too. I love how he works so hard all the time, but usually finds time to spend with us. I admire how he's so honest... Even though he can be painfully honest sometimes.

24. What is your favorite T.V. program? Why? What is your least favorite program? Why?
~Recently my family has been watching this series that I found on Netflix, it's called "The Seeker." It's kind of like a mix between Eragon and The Legend of Zelda.
~Probably my least favorite show is The Simpsons, I've probably only seen one or two episodes in my life... That series can be so foul, so much of the stuff in it is completely anti-Christian and is just really sarcastic. Sarcastic humor is not my favorite.

25. What is your favorite thing to do in the summer time? Why?
~Swimming. I used to be on the swim team for about five years, and although I'm not on the team anymore, I love being in the water. Don't ask me to race you though, I'm exceptionally slow now.

26. How much does it cost to go to a movie nowadays? Popcorn, drinks, and candy?
~Ah, depressing question. Movie tickets after six o'clock can cost up to eight dollars. If you add on popcorn, the popcorn itself ranges from about four to seven dollars. Drinks can range from around three to six dollars usually. All in all, going to the movie after six can cost about fifteen to twenty three dollars for just one person. And I forgot to add candy, sheesh.

27. If you could live in another country, where would you live? Why?
~Well, if I had to live in another country, I would probably live somewhere in Western Europe.
I would want a cool English accent!
I think it would be fun to live in Iceland because I have heard that it is amazingly pretty there. It's basically the same climate as Oregon, and I love the colder weather.

28. How many are in your family? Do you wish you had more brothers and sisters? Why?
~There are six of us in total. Growing up, I always wanted another little sibling, Mitch was too close to my age. I wanted another little brother to play with and teach how to walk and talk. Not only that, but I've always felt bad that Mitch never had a brother

29. If you could star in any movie, what would it be and why?
I always said that if they made a person Jackson movie, that I'd want to be Annabeth. Well, it's a little bit late now, isn't it? Oh well.

My second choice would be Stargirl. That story is so inspiring, and I can really relate to Stargirl.
I'm not really like everyone else, and I think it would be neat to be the one to send out the message that it's okay to be yourself.

30. What are my favorite holiday traditions?
~I love New Year's Eve. Although it's not my favorite holiday, it has lots of fun traditions. My cousins and I play board games until midnight: Risk, apples to apples, curses. Usually we watch the ball drop in New York and practically shatter our plastic sparkling cider cups while toasting each other.

31. Do you like school? Why?
~Every year is different. Last year, ninth grade, and sixth grade were my favorite years that I can remember. For the most part, I like school, I even like doing the homework afterwards because it gives me something to do.

32. Describe one person you admire.
I've always admired my aunt, she is the nicest and most patient lady I think I've ever met in my life. I love my cousins to death, but it's hard for me to believe that my aunt is raising seven kids! It's impressive. She is always helping other families, and she always makes people feel happier when she's around.

33. What is the best Christmas present you recieved? What is the best that you've given?
~Well Jesus's gift beats every other gift. He saved my life, and forgave me for all the wrongs that I've ever done. :)

     My parents gave me a keyboard when I was younger. For the next few years, I hated that keyboard with a passion and so I never practiced.

     As a kid, I liked making up my own rhythms; I didn't like the way that my elderly teacher made me conform to the pages and count out-loud.

     Now the piano is basically my soul. Not a day goes by where I don't practice... In the long run, my parents gave me a talent for Christmas.

     I believe I've already mentioned my favorite gift that I've given, that year that I spent hours tying of blankets for my family.



~~~~The End~~~~

Hey guys! Now you know a lot about me and who I am as a person, if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them for you (as long as they are somewhat reasonable!)