Canteen filling.

It's not what you think. I haven't kissed a guy in ages. And I most likely definitely probably won't before my mission. SO. I'm not even considering dating someone before I go. It's too late anyway! Tell me how easy it would be to start up a worthwhile relationship within two months. Yeah. No. Especially  since it's me we're talkin' about.

But every little thing counts right? Especially if you lived in China recently and had no contact that you wanted to have with the opposite gender.

Let's give a maybe not so hypothetical situation. McCall sees cute boy in ward. Cute boy in ward talks to me once. Cute boy has cute glasses. Cute boy is roommate's home teacher. Other roommate knows that I kinda fancy this boy. Roommate comes in room, whispers that he is here. McCall gets on cute clothes and grabs her empty cup of water. McCall walks out to the kitchen to get water. McCall discreetly waves to cute boy and walks back to her room.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

I was laughing so hard! I go into my room to tell Natalie and then I'm like...."I don't even care about dating! Whhhhat the." But, hey, it made me happy. And I'm just filling my canteen with flirtations.

Divine Skies

I want on a baby hike with Shelby yesterday. There's just something about nature that I crave more and more.

There is always something new to be discovered on the side of the mountains bordering Kaysville. You really can never run out of places to explore. I always feel a sense of peace and wonder. Physically and spiritually, I feel closer to heaven and am in awe of the beauty of this earth.

The view is breath-taking. It starts with the valley below with everyone living their lives--coming home from work, playing with their kids, reading outside. My house and all my memories growing up are in sight.

Then, I look up at the sky, at the swirling clouds and the glaring light. I think of the atmosphere and the infinite universe. I am so small, but there's a divinity inside of me that is everywhere, in everyone, because of Him. He created this for me, for you, for everyone we love.

"Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works thy hand hath made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God to thee.

How great thou art, how great thou art." --Stuart K. Hine.

We are His hands.

I've had a couple experiences lately where I was given the opportunity to reach out to someone but for one reason or another I was holding myself back--social norms, too busy, wanted to use my time doing something else, just plain scared of that person's reaction, I would look weak, etc.

And every time I have chosen to heed that prompting, something beautiful has happened that turned out to be an answer not only to their prayers, but my prayers.

"With this in mind, let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path. As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn. We are commanded 'to mourn with those that mourn' and 'comfort those that stand in need of comfort.'"   

^{--Elder Uchtdorf}

My first grader brightening my day with a gift.

Live Deliberately

So Happy Togetherrrrr

Blindsight. A movie about a humanitarian group that takes blind kids from Tibet up to the Advanced Base Camp of Mount Everest--about 21,000 feet. SO INSPIRING. Now I'm like...man. If they can climb Everest, I CAN. Sometimes I feel like I need to be already experienced in stuff like this but it's like...no, you don't! These kids had zero experience and were blind. Somethin' to think about!

At the end this kid is singing and my heart meeeelted--I am seriously missing my kids from over there and this made me smile. Have a wonderful day!

Space.

Creating a Good Life. This class is where I've been getting most of my gems and transferring them on to here. And here I am, with yet another topic to discuss. We're talking about the impact on media in creating a good life and having authentic happiness. 

Guys. This is gonna be a long one but I promise it'll at least make you think.

Sometimes technology is great in the way it can connect us with loved ones miles away.

It also can create quite dire circumstances. A quote from the book, Hamlet's Blackberry, just...it's like....BOOM. Okay. I'm like scared to type it because it's so flipping true and I'm about to throw it out into the digital universe. And I also really don't know any other way to introduce it. 

"....tethered to our screen."

Ouch. When you read that do you just feel like you're a sickly cow tied up against a fence post? I just. It's so dang true!!! How many times do I check my phone to see if I have a message or a call. I'm bored,   thus I go on facebook. I'M RELIEVING MY BOREDOM THROUGH LOOKING AT A DIGITAL SCREEN. This is a great way to spend my life, people. 

Most of us kiddos in my generation really don't know what it's like to be alone. Think about it. I decide to take a nice drive of solitude to a field or something and I'm all thinking I'm completely alone--when really I can connect with everyone I know by pushing a few buttons on my cellular device. And I find myself aching for someone to contact me or vice versa....but for some reason don't feel like I have the power to drive up to their house and found out how that person is really doing. Truly connecting with that person.

But really, how liberating is it when you go somewhere without your phone? No interuptions, no distractions. Just you and who you are with and where you are.

"Advertisements pitch everything form cars to cola as instruments of self-expression and liberation, though they're really the opposite. Be a rebel, wear the shoes everyone else is wearing.

I still struggle to ignore these messages. But when I succeed at standing apart, the payoff is enormous, and not just in a selfish way. The best kind of aloneness is expansive and generous. To enjoy your own company is to be at ease not just with yourself but with everyone and everything in the universe. When you're inwardly content, you don't need others to prop you up, so you can think about them more freely and generously. Paradoxically enough, separation is the way to empathy. In solitude we meet not just ourselves but all other selves, and it turns out we hardly knew them."

How many times have I been like, "If I just have this shirt that everyone has, it will be a nice outward expression of who I am." Something along those lines happened in my head. What? 

And I feel like I am "connecting" with people as I look at their pictures on facebook about their trip to wherever or that date with whoever. Whatever happened to actually asking someone first-handedly? Or Pinterest. I know I have lots of projects where I think it would be fun...but what about actually doing them? The nerve.

"In less connected times, human beings were forced to shape their own interior sense of identity and worth--to become self-sufficient. By virtue of its interactivity, the digital medium is a source of constant confirmation that, yes, you do indeed exist and matter."

A lot of the time, I feel like who I am on the internet defines who I am--the pictures I share, my blog posts. Although these things aren't bad, sometimes I feel a sense of loss of who I am when I think about what people see on my profile. Does anyone else experience this phenomenon? It's a sad truth I hate to admit, but I feel validated whenever I get a comment or a like. 

I'm not condemning the use of screens. But, I want to allow myself space between times of screen. This way I can really, truly take advantage of the connectedness that does happen in the digital universe. But it can't be appreciated if the chance isn't given. Give yourself some space.

Twice up the barrel, once down the side, my friends.

P.S. This post is dedicated to Kira Johnson because she is like a walking testimony of this concept. Hi, I love you.

GIVE ME SUMMER NOW

I try so hard. Every year it's a struggle and I'm DONE. I try. And try. And TRY GOSH DANGIT.

But I can't seem to pretend I like the cold for too long. Spring just starts a-callin' and I'm like "Be there soon in my shorts (now knee length! Once I find some....curses world standards of fashion!) and un-showered hair in my car with the windas rolled down." Seriously. Laying outside, lemonade, parades, camping, hikes, playing in the sun, warm blue nights, warmth in general, can't come soon enough!

Luuuuckily, my Dad was kind enough to take us crazy kids along to St. George with him this weekend while he golfed. Love that guy.

And I love St. George.

Jumpin' in Mini-Moab

I hope one day to have a love like their's.

My cute bro.

Forever family.

The sun just makes me wanna be artsy?