Brightening Somebody's Day

This semester I'm involved in four different ensembles: BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers (Alto II), BYU-Idaho Women's Choir (Student Conducting), Viking Camarata (Alto I), and in Evan Dunn's Choir (Student Composer's Society). On Monday night I had a rehearsal for the Camarata. When I got there, I saw a friend that I hadn't talked to for a little while. I went over to him and said "Devin, I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages; how are you?"He agreed that we hadn't talked in a while and said he was great! Christian, who was sitting nearby, overheard what I said and responded with "You need to say hi to Devin every day!"
"Why's that?"I responded;
"Because he'll just brighten your day!" By this point, Devin is laughing.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah; he doesn't even have to say anything and he'll just brighten your day!"
I snorted a little; Devin then looks over at me and says "Tomorrow in choir (Collegiate) I'm going to brighten your day without saying anything."
I gave him a funny look and asked what he was going to do. He said he couldn't tell me; I then told him that I was going to have nightmares about it that night (Side note: I didn't!). I continued to tease that I might just avoid him in choir from then on. He laughed and responded "Then, when everybody is asking where you are, I'll say 'I scared her!'." We had a good laugh about that!

The next day in choir, I see him wearing a bright orange shirt! Apparently he didn't plan that, but I thought it was hilarious! He had completely forgotten what he had said the night before and didn't try to brighten my day at all. I commented to him about it and told him that I was expecting him to bring a flashlight and shine it in my eyes or something. The following day, however, he remembered. I was going out the Recital Hall doors at the top and he was coming in the doors. I held the door open and expected him to walk by, but he had slowed down. He had a huge grin on his face (the kind that looks like you're up to something) and was just waving at me. I smiled and waved back and said "What did you do? You look like you're up to something." He continued to smile and wave and said "I'm brightening your day without saying anything!" We both had a good laugh and he said "Did it work?" Ha, I feel so blessed to have so many people around me who brighten my day without saying anything!

Moroni's Challenge

This past weekend helped me realize a lot of different things: first, I have the greatest roommates ever! We went to Red Robin (it was a first time for me) and it was great to be with them! I'm so grateful for their love, support, and friendship; second, I have never sincerely done Moroni's challenge. I'll tell you how I arrived at this conclusion; my roommates and I--along with a few others--go into the gardens at BYU-Idaho and sing hymns on Sunday. After we had finished singing Jesse, one of the young men with us, suggested walking up to the temple. We all agreed and walked up there. It was such a beautiful walk! When we made it up to the temple, we sat on the grass and just looked at it! My mind began to wonder a little bit and I just started thinking about the amazing work that occurs in the temple.

After a little while my roommate, Rebecca, and I decided we needed to get home (we had a 7:45 class the next day). As we walked down we started discussing goals that we had for this week (May 21-26). One of the goals that we both had was to study the Book of Mormon every day. A bad habit that I've gotten into has been studying for my religion class (the second half of Doctrine and Covenants) and preparing for my Relief Society lesson, but I had forgotten the Book of Mormon. It was then that I realized that I hadn't truly taken Moroni's challenge in Moroni 10: 3-5 where it says:

". . . when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men . . . and ponder it in your hearts . . . I would exhort you that ye would ask God . . . if these things are true. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Rebecca said that she wasn't sure if she had or not too. So, we've been doing it together! We made three goals this week:

1) Study from the Book of Mormon for twenty minutes (we read at 5:40am),

2) Get to bed by 9:40pm (so we can wake up and study with an alert mind), and

3) Limit our social media

We started the next day (Monday) and have been doing it all week. Can I tell you what a tender mercy this entire week has been? We have been trying to get to bed by 9:40pm (which is really hard sometimes), but we've been able to wake up every morning to study at 5:40am and have wonderful discussions and insights. We've also been praying before and after we read. There was a quote said in a BYU devotional of a man who wanted to know if the Book of Mormon was true, this is what he said: "This book is either of God or of the devil and I'm going to find out which it is!" That has been my attitude every morning. Not only that, but my academics have been a lot better too! I've been understanding more in my Light and Sound class and my English class! It's quite amazing!!

I haven't gained a sure testimony that the Book of Mormon is true; however, I am feeling that it is! When I read it, I feel such a powerful spirit that touches my heart and makes me feel a greater love for my Heavenly Father and His son, my brother, Jesus Christ. We've been studying since Monday, and we must got into 1 Nephi 2; we started at the very beginning (Title Page, Introduction, Testimony of the Three and Eight Witnesses, and Joseph Smith's testimony) As I read the testimonies, I felt a great love not only from my Heavenly Father, but from Joseph Smith! Now, it wasn't in the same way that I feel my Savior's love, but by Joseph's actions I know that he believed what he was doing! He wanted to know what was right, when he found it, we ran with it! Joseph was persecuted and physically hurt by men for what he believed, and yet he still went forward with the work that God had in mind for His church. I'm so excited to gain a better and solid testimony of the Book of Mormon!

"Love is an action, not just a feeling"

I have felt the Lord's hand in my life so much for the past little while! I've really been striving to put the Lord first in my life, which has been hard sometimes. Not because it's hard to put Him first, but because there are times when I want to do other things before. But I am truly grateful for His love that He constantly gives me and the support I receive from Him on a daily basis. God has helped calm my heart and mind, He's helped my wrists be okay while I've been practicing piano and cello, He's helped my voice grow and expand, He's blessed me with time to do homework and to play . . . I guess in short, God is good!

This weekend, I went to one of my dear friend's Senior Vocal Recital. She did such an amazing job! I'm so proud of her and all of her accomplishments! It made me really excited for my own recital (which I officially started working on on Friday)! I was invited to go to several different places after the recital, but I was so tired I decided to stay home and do homework. Right as I finished my homework, one of my roommates and a few of her friends walked in the door. They were jamming out on the piano and guitar; it was quite fun to listen to. I was called over to join them, and I did. I had a few really fun conversations with some of the young men there, mostly about music, poetry, and where they'd like to serve missions.

Yesterday I had the blessed opportunity to go to the temple. I'm so grateful for the beautiful temple that is on the hill! It just makes my day when I get to go. I've been doing really well this semester about going every week; I haven't missed one yet! When my roommate, Rebecca, and I walked into the temple the brother at the front desk said "Well, if it isn't the famous sister from the choirs and the conductor in devotionals!" I am convinced that I flushed a little bit (this has been happening a lot lately). He then continued by saying "I recognized you by your smile! You have such a great smile!" It was so sweet of him to say that! It was such a nice, spiritual experience yesterday in the temple. I love the peace that is felt there, even on the grounds! I love it there! =)

After I went to the temple, my other roommate, Cami, and I went to the Collegiate Singer's Opening Social. Oh my goodness, it was such a blast! We played a getting to know you game where we had all previously written down facts about us that nobody knew. We then had to go around and try to find out who wrote what. One of my friends, Devin, only gave me five guesses to get his . . . I got it on the fifth guess! Ha, I felt really lucky! We had a little BBQ and then played water-balloon volleyball. That turned into a little water fight, but not enough that it really cooled anybody off. We then played ultimate frisbee, the tenors and altos verses the sopranos and basses. The sopranos and basses won, but it was so much fun! We have some really good ultimate players and some really competitive people! That was when the BIG water fight started!! It felt so good! The bad news about yesterday was that I forgot sunscreen . . . I'm very red now! My arms in particular hurt; I'll have to add pictures soon so that you can see it! I'm trying to keep them cool and that has been helping; I'm hoping it will help it heal a little faster, but we'll see.

Last night was the best though! I stayed home because I was really tired. My roommates and some friends went to see The Avengers (which I still haven't seen yet; but I didn't want to pay $7.75 to go see it). I stayed home and watched part of a movie and felt that I needed to do something more productive. So, I started to read the book I got in the mail the other day called The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown. It talked a little bit about love being an action verses just a saying. I looked around and tried to figure out what I could do for my roommates to show them that I loved them. The apartment wasn't the cleanest, so I cleaned it up! I did the dishes, I organized the living room, and then I wrote notes to each of them expressing my love for them. It was great! I felt so good! I also got to talk to one of the sisters in my ward who is struggling a little bit. It was nice to be there for her and to know that she feel comfortable talking to me. Life is good!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My Mom has been my greatest role model in my life! She is the most selfless person I know who has helped me during the good, the bad, and the ugly! There have been many times when I've been told that I look like her and sound like her; I feel that that is the greatest compliment I have ever--and could ever--receive. She has helped me with everything from gospel principles to boy problems! I love you Mom and I thank you for being the greatest example of what kind of woman I should be! =D

My Mommy!!

My Mom and Grandaddy at her wedding reception (Photos from Grandaddy)

Learn to Laugh

"If you can't make it better, you laugh at it!" ~Emma Bombeck

I had the wonderful opportunity to sing at the President's Club yesterday. I was feeling really good about it! We, the BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers, were to sing Balm of Gilead and Oh, What Songs of the Heart. As we went toward the Grand Ballroom in the MC (Manwaring Center) I could feel myself get a little nervous. I really had no reason to be nervous, I'd done this before . . . for some reason though the butterflies were tickling my insides!

One of the young men in the choir, Corbin, was conducting the choir that evening because Brother Kempton wasn't going to be there. He looked like he was a little nervous too; he grabbed the stand that was by the door and put his music on it. The stand tilted and his music went crashing to the floor--the stand wasn't secure! He didn't seem too worried about it. As we went on to sing I was the first to enter. I made sure that I walked away from the serving area so that the men had room to go behind me. As I stopped I looked back at the rest of the choir; the men were now entering, but they weren't going behind. Instead, they were coming in front of the women! I could feel my face flush a little, but I put on a smile that I was hoping would say "Oh yes, this was supposed to happen!" I was doing a very good job too, until my friend Devin walked past me. As he did so he whispered to me "This is ridiculous!" I snorted!

Corbin brought the stand out and placed his music on it; seconds later, the music came crashing to the floor. I couldn't help but smile a little. We started to sing Balm of Gilead (which is such a beautiful song about the atonement). When we finished I made my way back to the piano (I was turning pages for my friend Tyler). We both got back to the stage and realized that there were no stairs leading up to it. Now, side note, the stage wasn't very high, but high enough that there should have been a few stairs leading up to it. Tyler, who was in a suit, jumped up. For some reason, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to jump up onto the stage too. After I did, I felt like an even bigger idiot! I was afraid President Clark saw me and was thinking to himself "What a crazy!"

In the end, it all went fairly well. Tyler told me I was graceful as I got up onto the stage and that he was sure nobody noticed. A few of us, after the performance, talked about it and had a good laugh. It felt so much better to laugh about it then to freak out! It was a fun performance, and we learned a lot! But the most important thing I learned was to learn to laugh! =D