What a Tuesday (and it isn't over yet)!!! Tuesdays aren't my busy day . . . EVER!! Because of that, I was able to get a lot of homework done! One of the classes I'm taking is called Scoring and Arranging; we turned in our first projects yesterday and they were played in class today! What an experience! What a rush! All of the arrangements were so well arranged! Our project was to arrange a song for a string quartet (and a bass). I decided to do "Someone Like You" from the Broadway musical Jekyll and Hyde. It started a little rough, which is okay because they were sight-reading it. It was so exciting to hear something that I arranged for strings!!! I'd never done that before! I've arranged for voice and piano, but never for strings! We also got to do an arrangement for a brass ensemble, a woodwind ensemble, and [for our final] a FULL orchestration!!!
Not only was that amazing, but Elder L. Tom Perry came to Devotional today!! My favorite quote that he said was "Dare to be different". Here's something that I'm learning: everybody is different! Even twins are different! We all have different experiences, talents, and abilities. Could you imagine what the world would be like if everybody had the same talents and abilities? There wouldn't be any doctors, musicians, lawyers, democrats, republicans, etc. Life would be boring!!! I've been thinking a lot about that lately. If God wanted us to be the same, I don't think we'd have agency! We'd have to like or dislike the same things, look the same way, if somebody offered you a chocolate cake or an apple, everybody would choose the apple because it's healthier (or vice versa). I wouldn't be able to do what I love most; thought I probably wouldn't mind because I wouldn't know anything else. It's a little confusing, but that's okay.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Another great week/day at BYU Idaho!!!
There are times in my life when I feel down, the past couple of days have been one of those times. However, this post isn't about how poorly I felt, it is about how I was able to remember who I was and feel the Lord's love!
The past few days, I've felt that I'm only hear to "fill in a hole". Nobody really wanted me, but somebody needed to be there; so here I am! I've always been somebody who has focused on others; but this past week as I've talked to people, everything I've said has been blown off (or so it felt). I was so frustrated Thursday night, because even some of my friends were being very short with me and kind of rude. That night, Thursday, I had a Jump-Start sectional with the Altos in choir. We went and spent two hours singing our hearts out and getting to know each other and Brother Kempton a little better! As I left, I felt a little bit better. I definitely felt like I wasn't there on accident or as a "filler". After, I went and grabbed my things and saw that I had missed a call. I called back and found out that it was a member of the Bishopric; he asked me if I could speak in church in a week and a half. I told him I would be happy to! He then assigned me a talk from the Oct. 2011 General Conference as my topic, It Is Better to Look Up by Elder Carl B. Cook.
I immediately went and started reading the talk. I realized that I was continually looking down. I was being pessimistic and it was truly affecting me. I couldn't feel the spirit as easily as I could before, I couldn't feel love towards people like I had before, and I wasn't smiling as much as I typically do. I decided, right then and there, to change! I served somebody! When I got home, I knelt down and said a prayer. I prayed to my Heavenly Father and told Him how much I love Him and what a tender mercy that talk was for me. I felt a reciprocation of love from Him; it was as though He was hugging me and comforting me. He told me that all would be well! I remembered a scripture that talks about how "all of these experiences I give thee for they GOOD" and I started thinking what I could learn.
The next day, Friday, I applied what I thought I could learn. I strived to serve more, to be selfless, and to let the Holy Spirit guide me. I felt so much better about life! I didn't care what anybody else thought about me or how they treated me. The only thing that mattered was what God saw and thought of me. How people were treating me didn't necessarily change, but I did--and still am. I feel so much better remembering that God loves me and wants me to be happy. Not only that, but He wants me to succeed. The trials and tribulations I have are not so I can fail, but so I can succeed. He is striving to help me become stronger. When I push away those trials, or run from them; I am not doing the Lord's will. He wants me to face them head-on, with an eye single to Him, and trusting that He will guide and direct my paths. He wants me to become like Him through all I do and say. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. But in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path." I know this is true, because I've seen it in my life. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to use the atonement in my life daily so He can help me with my pains, but that I can also repent of my sins! The only person(s) whose opinion matters is yourself and the Lord's. =D
I'd like to add the lyrics to a song we are singing this semester in choir. It is taken from a speech by Edith who was a Quaker woman who war martyred in the play Christus: A Mystery -- Part III: The New England Tragedies by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It is called Inward Stillness:
Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness,--
An inward stillness and an inward healing;
That perfect silence where the lips and heart
Are still, and we no longer entertain
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions,
But God alone speaks in us, and we wait
In singleness of heart, that we may know
His will, and in the silence of our spirits,
That we may do His will, and do that only!
The past few days, I've felt that I'm only hear to "fill in a hole". Nobody really wanted me, but somebody needed to be there; so here I am! I've always been somebody who has focused on others; but this past week as I've talked to people, everything I've said has been blown off (or so it felt). I was so frustrated Thursday night, because even some of my friends were being very short with me and kind of rude. That night, Thursday, I had a Jump-Start sectional with the Altos in choir. We went and spent two hours singing our hearts out and getting to know each other and Brother Kempton a little better! As I left, I felt a little bit better. I definitely felt like I wasn't there on accident or as a "filler". After, I went and grabbed my things and saw that I had missed a call. I called back and found out that it was a member of the Bishopric; he asked me if I could speak in church in a week and a half. I told him I would be happy to! He then assigned me a talk from the Oct. 2011 General Conference as my topic, It Is Better to Look Up by Elder Carl B. Cook.
I immediately went and started reading the talk. I realized that I was continually looking down. I was being pessimistic and it was truly affecting me. I couldn't feel the spirit as easily as I could before, I couldn't feel love towards people like I had before, and I wasn't smiling as much as I typically do. I decided, right then and there, to change! I served somebody! When I got home, I knelt down and said a prayer. I prayed to my Heavenly Father and told Him how much I love Him and what a tender mercy that talk was for me. I felt a reciprocation of love from Him; it was as though He was hugging me and comforting me. He told me that all would be well! I remembered a scripture that talks about how "all of these experiences I give thee for they GOOD" and I started thinking what I could learn.
The next day, Friday, I applied what I thought I could learn. I strived to serve more, to be selfless, and to let the Holy Spirit guide me. I felt so much better about life! I didn't care what anybody else thought about me or how they treated me. The only thing that mattered was what God saw and thought of me. How people were treating me didn't necessarily change, but I did--and still am. I feel so much better remembering that God loves me and wants me to be happy. Not only that, but He wants me to succeed. The trials and tribulations I have are not so I can fail, but so I can succeed. He is striving to help me become stronger. When I push away those trials, or run from them; I am not doing the Lord's will. He wants me to face them head-on, with an eye single to Him, and trusting that He will guide and direct my paths. He wants me to become like Him through all I do and say. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. But in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path." I know this is true, because I've seen it in my life. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to use the atonement in my life daily so He can help me with my pains, but that I can also repent of my sins! The only person(s) whose opinion matters is yourself and the Lord's. =D
I'd like to add the lyrics to a song we are singing this semester in choir. It is taken from a speech by Edith who was a Quaker woman who war martyred in the play Christus: A Mystery -- Part III: The New England Tragedies by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It is called Inward Stillness:
Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness,--
An inward stillness and an inward healing;
That perfect silence where the lips and heart
Are still, and we no longer entertain
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions,
But God alone speaks in us, and we wait
In singleness of heart, that we may know
His will, and in the silence of our spirits,
That we may do His will, and do that only!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
"Repairer of the breech"
Have you ever had one of those days where you put a smile on, but you really don't feel like smiling? Can I tell you that, just by smiling, you can turn your whole day around! I woke up this morning at 4:45am to go to the gym with my roommate. I was very tired, but knew that I needed to go to the gym (especially because I dropped my volleyball class, so that would be my only form of exercise). I knelt down and started to pray for strength to get up and go. My roommate and I went and were there for an hour! I came back and wanted nothing more than to fall down on my bed and go back to sleep. I may or may not have been slightly proud of myself when I didn't!
Cami and I then made pancakes for breakfast (which, I felt, was exactly what the doctor ordered) after taking a HOT shower! My day today felt so busy . . . but truth be told, it wasn't! I had two classes today, one at 9:00 and the other at 12:45, and the latter was choir. Because it is Tuesday, I also had the blessed opportunity to listen to Brother Scott Cameron of BYU's Law program speak at Devotional. BYU-Idaho's Vocal Union sang the musical number today, and it was so powerful! There was such a beautiful spirit and I couldn't help but tear up a little bit.
After Devotional, I got to watch one of my friend's child (Tony) while he was in Men's Choir. Can I just say, sometimes it's difficult, but Tony is quite the little boy! Today he was very "snuggly"; he didn't really want me to set him down (which happened last time I watched him too). It was sweet! Over the past few days I've decided that I should start my own business "Sitter of the Snow" or something like that! I love playing with children! There is such a sweet and innocent spirit about them! Not only that, but they are entertained so easily! Imagine if teenagers/adults were entertained as easily as children are. I guess some teenagers/adults are entertained just as easily!
Cami and I then made pancakes for breakfast (which, I felt, was exactly what the doctor ordered) after taking a HOT shower! My day today felt so busy . . . but truth be told, it wasn't! I had two classes today, one at 9:00 and the other at 12:45, and the latter was choir. Because it is Tuesday, I also had the blessed opportunity to listen to Brother Scott Cameron of BYU's Law program speak at Devotional. BYU-Idaho's Vocal Union sang the musical number today, and it was so powerful! There was such a beautiful spirit and I couldn't help but tear up a little bit.
After Devotional, I got to watch one of my friend's child (Tony) while he was in Men's Choir. Can I just say, sometimes it's difficult, but Tony is quite the little boy! Today he was very "snuggly"; he didn't really want me to set him down (which happened last time I watched him too). It was sweet! Over the past few days I've decided that I should start my own business "Sitter of the Snow" or something like that! I love playing with children! There is such a sweet and innocent spirit about them! Not only that, but they are entertained so easily! Imagine if teenagers/adults were entertained as easily as children are. I guess some teenagers/adults are entertained just as easily!
Friday, January 6, 2012
I'm back!!!!
What a fantastic week! Monday morning I moved back up to Idaho; it was quite a fantastic day! I unpacked everything, relaxed, and even got to go to Pizza Pie Cafe that night for dinner! One of the most exciting things that I got to do was meet the Rexburg, Idaho temple recorder--Brother Sevy (sp?). He is awesome!
Tuesday I auditioned for Collegiate Singer's again! That night, I found out that I got a call-back!!! =D I got the music and realized that it was in Latin and had some funky intervals in my part. Because I would have class from 7:45 am until the time of call-backs, I decided to practice that night. I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to practice with a group of people because it helped me learn my part better. Then Wednesday was the big day; the first day of school!!! I was so excited, however I did something rather silly in my schedule! I go from the top of the hill, to the bottom, back to the top and then back to the bottom! Can you say foolish? Man, I'll tell you what, I get a work-out!
The time came for call-backs and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach multiply (I'm convinced they turned into rabbits they multiplied so quickly). We sang and continued with the call-back by singing the excerpt from Poulenc's "Vinea Mea Electa". I was feeling pretty good, until he came to our section (Alto II). There were some huge voices behind me, to the point that I couldn't hear myself sometimes. I was worried that I wouldn't make it due to my lack of beefiness in my voice. Later that night, the list of the Winter 2012 Collegiate Singer's was posted. I honestly didn't want to go and look; but I did anyway! I made it in!!! I was, and am, thrilled! I truly believe that the Lord has blessed me once again by letting me be in this choir. We are singing in Devotional on Tuesday "Guide us O Thou Great Jehovah" and I'm really excited!!!
I'm so excited for this semester, I'm taking classes like: Scoring and Arranging, Marriage Prep (no, I'm not engaged or even seeing anybody for that matter), Education Psychology, Music Literature III, Math 108, Collegiate Singers (choir), Volleyball, Voice lessons, and a Master Class. Yeah, I'm going to be busy this semester! But, I feel that it is going to be worth it! I've met quite a few people already this semester due to me just stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing things with people. For example, the other night my roommates went dancing, but I had some more homework I had to do. I finished my homework and I heard a knock on our door. It was our neighbors; they invited me to go play wallyball with them, so I did! We didn't end up playing wallyball due to the lack of open courts; but I jumped in somewhere and started playing volleyball with some people that I didn't know. I made a few new friends just by doing that! It was such a blast!
I also had a sweet experience the other day whilst I was watching Clara, one of my friends 7 month old baby. Lindy had to go speak to Brother Olsen about mentoring for MUS 155, so she asked if I would watch Clara for her. She cried for a minute after her Mom left, but we started playing and she was fine. A little while later, I could tell that she was quite tired; so, I did the whole "bounce-and-rock" thing. Within a few minutes, she fell asleep! It was so sweet!! It made me think of when I was little and my Mom would send me out with Ben or Anna if they were crying during church. By the end of the meeting, I'd have them asleep! I love little children, they are just so cute!!!
I have a really good feeling about this semester!! I feel like it's going to be the bomb.com! I'm at least off to a bomb-diggity start!
Tuesday I auditioned for Collegiate Singer's again! That night, I found out that I got a call-back!!! =D I got the music and realized that it was in Latin and had some funky intervals in my part. Because I would have class from 7:45 am until the time of call-backs, I decided to practice that night. I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to practice with a group of people because it helped me learn my part better. Then Wednesday was the big day; the first day of school!!! I was so excited, however I did something rather silly in my schedule! I go from the top of the hill, to the bottom, back to the top and then back to the bottom! Can you say foolish? Man, I'll tell you what, I get a work-out!
The time came for call-backs and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach multiply (I'm convinced they turned into rabbits they multiplied so quickly). We sang and continued with the call-back by singing the excerpt from Poulenc's "Vinea Mea Electa". I was feeling pretty good, until he came to our section (Alto II). There were some huge voices behind me, to the point that I couldn't hear myself sometimes. I was worried that I wouldn't make it due to my lack of beefiness in my voice. Later that night, the list of the Winter 2012 Collegiate Singer's was posted. I honestly didn't want to go and look; but I did anyway! I made it in!!! I was, and am, thrilled! I truly believe that the Lord has blessed me once again by letting me be in this choir. We are singing in Devotional on Tuesday "Guide us O Thou Great Jehovah" and I'm really excited!!!
I'm so excited for this semester, I'm taking classes like: Scoring and Arranging, Marriage Prep (no, I'm not engaged or even seeing anybody for that matter), Education Psychology, Music Literature III, Math 108, Collegiate Singers (choir), Volleyball, Voice lessons, and a Master Class. Yeah, I'm going to be busy this semester! But, I feel that it is going to be worth it! I've met quite a few people already this semester due to me just stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing things with people. For example, the other night my roommates went dancing, but I had some more homework I had to do. I finished my homework and I heard a knock on our door. It was our neighbors; they invited me to go play wallyball with them, so I did! We didn't end up playing wallyball due to the lack of open courts; but I jumped in somewhere and started playing volleyball with some people that I didn't know. I made a few new friends just by doing that! It was such a blast!
I also had a sweet experience the other day whilst I was watching Clara, one of my friends 7 month old baby. Lindy had to go speak to Brother Olsen about mentoring for MUS 155, so she asked if I would watch Clara for her. She cried for a minute after her Mom left, but we started playing and she was fine. A little while later, I could tell that she was quite tired; so, I did the whole "bounce-and-rock" thing. Within a few minutes, she fell asleep! It was so sweet!! It made me think of when I was little and my Mom would send me out with Ben or Anna if they were crying during church. By the end of the meeting, I'd have them asleep! I love little children, they are just so cute!!!
I have a really good feeling about this semester!! I feel like it's going to be the bomb.com! I'm at least off to a bomb-diggity start!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)