Mean.

I'm not easily provoked, but when somebody hurts a family member of mine, I get pretty mad. Introverts are fiercely loyal, and I am no exception.

Well, someone has recently disappointed and been unkind to someone who I dearly love, and I am less than  happy about it. There are so many things I wish I could say to them, but I know that they are better left unsaid. This song helps me feel better when those angry thoughts come to mind.



I love this song because it helps me remember that this incident isn't the end of the world. This person's rudeness doesn't change my family member's sweet, glorious, brilliant spirit. Meanness hurts, but we don't have to let it stop us.

I'll be less upset in a day or two, but for now I'm letting T-Swift help me get out my anger. Banjo music is some good stuff.

Top 10 "Friday" Parodies

So my husband and I love finding parodies of Rebecca Black's "Friday." Of course, some of them are even worse than the original, but we've actually found some good ones. The list is getting so long that I decided that I just had to share.

10. The Glee Version. They make it sound more like a dance party mix.

9. The Stars Wars Version, aka "Prime Day."

8. The Conan O' Brien Version, "Thursday." Horrible quality, but that's the point, right? This version of the rap cracks me up!

7. The Christopher Walken voice over. Famous for "my hand is a dolphin!"

6. The Christian Church Ad, "Sunday." This girl doesn't sing much better than Rebecca Black. I love the rap that her pastor does in the middle!

5. The Bob Dylan version. I love this version because it is so soothing, and the comments are hilarious!

4. The Chinese Version. He actually makes it sound quite nice!

3. The soulful Mullet-guy version. I'm not sure what the best part is - his purple shirt, his hair, the beautiful piano line, how melodramatic he is. Judge for yourself. 

2. The Rockin' Acoustic Version. It makes me so happy. 

1. The bad lip read, aka "Gang Fight." This is Brandon's absolute favorite. They change the melody of the song, so it's less annoying, and the lyrics are oh-so quotable. "Sweet Carp on the side!"

Hope you enjoyed these as much as we did!


PS- My good friend Li-Sha reminded me of another great version by Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon. Don't miss it! Thanks Li-Sha :]

Wonderfulness.

We just got back from our California trip yesterday. It was delightful. We feel so refreshed and ready to get back to work.


Our open house was beautiful. My sister did an incredible job with the decorations, food, and everything. She really is amazing! It felt like an old-fashioned garden party, and was more magical than I ever could have dreamed of. Thank you to all of you who helped out and came by to share your love and support! It was a wonderful day and we are still in awe of all the love that was showered upon us. Thank you! (You can see more gorgeous photos here.)

My uncle built this sweet archway

Sneaking away to a secluded table on one of the decks

Everybody loves Wibby!

All the children wanted to dance with us. It was so sweet!

In other good news, I got accepted for a very special internship! This summer, I will be writing blog posts for BYU Women's Services and Resources! My posts will appear each Friday. I am thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to use my talents to make a difference. 

And now, two of my new favorite videos to brighten your day. The first is the trailer for the new Winnie the Pooh movie. I am so excited! Pooh is a big part of my childhood. I'm glad he lives on. 

This video is a gorgeous song by Peter Breinholt and John Schmidt. My husband introduced it to me as we were making the long drive to San Diego. Listening to it while watching the sun set behind the beautiful Utah mountains was a very special experience. 

Enjoy your weekend and the beautiful spring weather!

Life is good. 

Simple Gifts

Image found here.

Today I baked bread and did yoga. I forgot how good these things feel. 


It was so delicious to knead the dough with my hands, to stretch my legs and my back, to hold my bare feet. I felt so connected to my body and the earth.  It was so wonderful to lay on the floor and just be still. I don't think we do that nearly enough. 


A wise man once wrote these words as lyrics to a beautiful Shaker hymn:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'Tis the gift to be free

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of truth and delight

When true simplicity is gained

To bow and to bend, we'll not be ashamed

To turn, turn will be our delight

'Til by turning, turning we'll come 'round right

I believe that bowing and bending are liberating, both physically and spiritually. Physically, it loosens our muscles, making our bodies stronger and more flexible. Spiritually, it helps us let go of our pride and let God enter into our hearts and our lives. In both cases, it brings happiness and helps us to "come round 'right." 


How grateful I am for the simple blessings in my life!

O Thou that art the Light

Photo by my sister-in-law, Melinda.

Today started off horribly. I woke up late with a long to-do list nagging me from the back of my mind. 15 minutes later the repairman came, ruining my plans for showering and breakfast. I was mean to my husband and we were both very grouchy when he dropped me off for school. By 10:30 in the morning, my day seemed destined to be a disaster. I walked into my choir class brooding and downtrodden.

But there is something healing about singing. 

Sometimes I let myself forget the meaning of the hymns that I sing in Sacrament Meeting and go only mouthing the words without worshiping God like I really should. I'm grateful to be part of a choir that meets during the week and helps me to connect with God through song. 

As usual, when the rehearsal started, I was wrapped up in the pity-party being thrown in my head, thinking about how dreary my day was and how much more dreariness I had to slug through before I could crawl into bed. I read the following words in my music, and they basically slapped me in the face.

O thou that art the Light 

of the minds that know thee,

the Life of the souls that love thee,

and the Strength of the wills that serve thee:

help us to know thee that truly love thee, 

and so to love thee that we might fully serve thee,

whom to serve is perfect freedom, 

Amen.

-Music by Gabriel Jackson, Text by St. Augustine of Hippo

This piece reminded me that the Lord has given me everything I have - my family, my education, my talents, my body, my life, my breath - and that I should not be complaining but rejoicing in my blessings and serving Him whom I love so dearly. I love how King Benjamin explains this concept in Mosiah 2:

"I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants....

"And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.  And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?  And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you."

Even though I am an "unprofitable servant" and a bit of a stinker sometimes, Christ still loves me. He is my Light, my Life, my Strength, my joy, my reason to rejoice. I strive to serve Him not because I think I can ever repay Him, but because I love Him and I have found that serving Him brings me perfect joy, and perfect freedom. The Atonement is incredible. Praise be to His name!

Words to Heal my Heart Today

"It's the little household crises that get to me. This time, my toddler’s favorite blanket was lost. In an effort to discourage her thumb-sucking, I’d hidden it. Bedtime had come and I couldn’t find the fuzzy pink thing. The memory lapses that come as a fringe benefit of my chronic illness had me opening kitchen cupboards and drawers as my daughter cried, 'Find it now, Mommy.' Her demand was a perfect parallel to my petitions to God: 'Fix me now, please.' Like my toddler, I sometimes want to throw myself on the floor and demand instant healing. I struggle to understand why it hasn’t come." 
-Rebecca Rice Birkin, "Instant Healing - Just Add Patience"


O thou that art the light of the minds that know thee,

the life of the souls that love thee,

and the strength of the wills that serve thee:

help us to know thee that truly love thee, 

and so to love thee that we might fully serve thee,

whom to serve is perfect freedom, 

Amen.

-St. Augustine of Hippo

"But God sees the truth, and waits." 

- Jes S. Curtis

I love October.

Life is busy.

Friday my roommate and I threw a hobo party, and it was epic. We made cardboard signs, ate hobo stew, told stories, raced shopping carts, and had a ball. If you've never had one, I highly recommend it.

The weather is lovely and the brilliant fall leaves are even lovelier. All I want to do is stay curled up in bed eating chicken noodle soup and listening to these two songs - but of course, it's a week full of papers, tests, assignments for my calling, and trying to soak in all the October gorgeousness I can before it fades away into that beautifully terrifying time we call winter.

Wish I could say I took this photo, but sadly I did not.

 
Here's to you, October. Thanks for stopping by again. If you ever decide to stay longer, we wouldn't mind it at all. 

 

It's All About Your Heart.

Image found here. 

Have you listened to Mindy Gledhill's awesome new album? I love it. I can't get enough of it. The best song  is "All About Your Heart," written for the amazing Stephanie Neilsen. If you haven't heard her story, click here. If you haven't read her splendidly candid blog, click here. 

Whenever I feel like overwhelmed and inadequate, I close my eyes, turn on that song, and let the Spirit seep into my heart. It's like a love letter from my Heavenly Father to me. Every time I listen to it, the Spirit confirms that this is just how God feels about me, and all of His children.  


Oh, I've loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It's not about your scars
It's all about your heart


I know that I am imperfect. I know that I mess up. But the Lord doesn't mind that so much. "It's not about your past and your scars," He says. "It's all about your heart." He knows that my intentions are good and that my heart longs to do what is right, even if my hands can't seem to make that happen. I am special to Him. I am His daughter. He has created me with unique gifts and a special mission in this life. He loves me perfectly, and no matter what happens, I know He always will. 


I wish I had the words to express how very grateful I am for that beautiful knowledge!


(PS- Mindy Gledhill is performing at a free concert this Friday, if you're in Utah Valley and want to go. Click here!)

It's the climb.

Image found here.

I'm packing up my clothes, boxing up odds and ends, taking pictures off the walls - and it's suddenly becoming real. For weeks I've been dreading the prospect of leaving all the kind, selfless, amazing people in this apartment complex and the 104th ward, and now it's hit me. It's finally here. 


It's another one of the shoving matches in my heart. I don't want to leave my sweet roommates. Push. I'm excited to live with my best friend Courtney. Shove. I'm just settling into a comfortable social dynamic in this ward. Push. There will probably be fantastic people in my new ward. Nudge. I long to stay with what is familiar. Pull. I know I need to have faith in the future. God has taken care of me in the past, and I know He will do so again. 


Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" comes up on my playlist. And even though it's silly, frothy, ridiculous Miley Cyrus, the lyrics seem to fit exactly what I'm going through. 

There's always gonna be another mountain

Always gonna want to make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle 

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

Life's a climb, but the view is great. If I stop at this point, I'll never get to see what other scenes the Lord has planned for me. Even though my heart is heavy, I'll just have to keep moving forward with the knowledge that God never forsakes and that through the Atonement we can be with the ones we love for eternity. 


And I'm going to enjoy this climb.

Wie groß bist du!

Photo found here.

One of the things I love most about BYU is the opportunity to join with my classmates in singing the hymns of Zion. In the Mormon culture we are taught to sing at a very young age, and no matter what hymn the teacher chooses that day, there are always a few people who add gorgeous harmonies. It feels like a symphony - each student coming together, uniting hearts and voices to praise the God who has guided our steps to this splendid university. 

I thought singing the hymns in a religion class of 200 was incredible, but yesterday I discovered that a tiny German class of 6 can be even more powerful.  

The hymn for the day was „Wie groß bist du!” known in English as "How Great Thou Art." This has always been one of my favorite hymns, and I have fond memories of my mother singing it as she washed the dishes and cooked dinner. When I visit home, we sing it together as I help her with the household chores. 

As my class sang the song, I was surprised to see that the Germans have added another verse between our second and third verses. (I was even more surprised that I understood it!) Here are the lyrics and my translation:

Wenn ich bedenk, was du für mich gegeben
die Schmerzen all, die du gelitten hast
Du starbst on Kreuz damit wir können leben
und nahmst auf dich all unserer Sünden Last.

Dann preis ich dich, mein Heiland und mein Gott.
Wie groß bist du! Wie groß bist du!
Dann preis ich dich, mein Heiland und mein Gott.
Wie groß bist du! Wie groß bist du!

***************************************************

When I think what you have given for me

All the pain you have suffered 

You died on the cross so we could have life

And you took the load of all our sins

Then sings my soul, my Savior and my God -

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior and my God -

How great thou art! How great thou art! 

I was surprised once more as tears filled my eyes and my voice started to falter. 

Truly Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I am amazed and humbled by all that He offers me. It is a honor and a privilege to attend Brigham Young University and have the chance to associate with such wonderful people whose examples bring me closer to Christ. I am awed by the power and potential of my fellow classmates, whether it be in a class of 200 or a class of 6. I can sense that Heavenly Father has important assignments for us after we leave this university, but our works will continue to harmonize with each other across time and space, creating rich music of praise to the Lord. Just like our singing, each of us has something unique to offer that makes a powerful collaboration. I believe that our individual lives of discipleship, like our voices, will come together to create a gift to the Lord that is even more beautiful and more lasting. And that, my friends, is true joy. 

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!" 

Truly, Lord, how great thou art. 

Some Things Are Meant to Be

This is my favorite thinking place. It's a little ledge by the stairs where I have come many times in the past 8 months to vent my frustrations to my parents on the phone, to ponder, pray, cry, or just watch at the world passing by and figure out my small place in it. Today I was doing the latter.

I am amazed at the incredible growth I have experienced these past two semesters. I have gone though disappointment, stress, pain, confusion, frustration, loneliness, and despair. There have been times when I felt completely empty and I wanted to run home to my mother's embrace and the assurance that everything would be all right.

But with the Lord's help, I was able to endure. He helped me through every painful moment and taught me that trials are the means by which He softens us, refines us, and brings us closer to Him. Trials are exquisitely difficult, but they are the only way we can experience the fullness of God's exquisite joy.

And that's another thing I have experienced in the last 8 months - exquisite joy. Not just fun times or temporal success, but pure, eternal, everlasting joy. I have formed friendships that will last forever and have learned so much from those friends of mine. They are truly heroes whose examples I look up to. And I have grown closer to my family too, mending some old hurts that have been ignored far too long. I can now testify that charity and keeping our covenants is the source of true, lasting, Godly joy.

I have been feeling sad about leaving BYU for the summer, but reflecting on all of these things made me realize that it is time for me to move on.

I know that I was meant to be here for this school year with this specific ward and apartment complex, these roommates and this circle of friends. God placed me in situations where I have been able to grow and progress.

But now I have grown, and it is time for me to do new things.

There is so much work to be done at home. I need to spend time with my family and improve my relationship with my little sister. I need to encourage and uplift my friends back there. I need to go to my brother's school play and my sister's high school graduation. I need to work at the fair and return to the Singles Ward. I need to serve the youth at Girls' Camp and hopefully as an EFY counselor (I'm still waiting to hear back). I need to sing in ward choir. I need to put my brother to bed and drive my sister to seminary. I need to sleep in late and scrapbook and go swimming in the ocean. I need to sit under a shady tree with a popsicle and a pile of good books. I need to enjoy my time with older people and young children, savoring the experiences before another long drought from August to next April.

I need to grow in new ways.

And so, with a heart full of gratitude and peace, I bid farewell to Provo and especially my little thinking spot.

Thank you for bearing with me through joy and pain, snow and sunshine, happiness and heartbreak. I have learned a lot while leaning against your wall and battling the natural woman inside me, knowing all the while that just as the cars on the street before us, those struggles, too, would pass.

Now they have. And it's time for me to move forward in this grand adventure called life.

Some things are meant to be -

The tide turning endlessly,

The way it takes hold of me

No matter what I do.

Some things will never die -

The promise of who you are

The memories when I am far

From you.

All my life, I've lived for loving you.

Let me go now.

Oh Say, What is Truth?

Images found here and here.

Recently I found out that someone dear to me has rejected the Church. I thought they were a strong, believing member, but I discovered that this is not so. I am not completely surprised because they have a rough home life and many family members who have rejected the Gospel as well. But somehow I thought that this person was different. I thought that they knew the eternal significance of staying close to God. But they have forgotten.

I was heartbroken.

I know that Jesus Christ can help us through all of the struggles and pains in our lives - but only if we let Him. This person has so many hardships and has turned away from the only source of true peace. I pray that soeday when they hit rock bottom, they will remember that Jesus is always there.

********************************************************************

I had mostly forgotten about this heartache with the adventures of the weekend and the stress of finals, but today it came rushing back to me.

We were singing "Oh Say, What is Truth" in my choir class in preparation for our performance tomorrow. I love this piece and especially the poignancy of John Jacques' lyrics. We were in the last verse of the hymn -

Then say, what is truth?
'Tis the last and the first,
For the limits of time it steps o'er.
Though the heavens depart
And the earth's fountains burst,

- when this line hit me right in the face.

Truth, the sum of existence,

Will weather the worst,

Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

And I sobbed.

This person's face flashed in my mind. And all my other loved ones who have tasted the sweetness of the Gospel and forgotten it. No matter what storms these people will face, no matter how far they stray, no matter what decisions and false accusations they make, Truth will not be altered. The Gospel will still be true. Jesus Christ will still live and will still be their Savior. And if they decide to return to Him, He will always be there with open arms to heal them, forgive them, accept them.

No one's decisions can alter these truths or my testimony of them. As Joseph Smith wrote, "I know it, and I cannot deny it."

Eternal. Unchanged. Evermore!

What a beautiful Monday!

Taken on my trip to the Provo temple Friday the 9th

Since finals are coming up, I haven't had much time to write a real post. I hope you enjoy these Monday links and a little tidbit of what is going on in my mind. I promise there is more meaty stuff coming soon :]

*10 days from now, I will be flying home. I'm not sure how I am going to get everything done in that short amount of time, but it will work out somehow!
*I watched this movie a couple weeks ago. It is intense, but so good. And in German :]

*This is my new favorite music video. So ridiculous!
*I absolutely love this building.
*I think I need to make this. I love barrettes and my collections needs an update.
*This made me cry. In the computer lab. It's beautiful.
*This is my favorite song at the moment.
*Love this post.
*Tomorrow evening is my choir concert in the beautiful Provo Tabernacle! I love singing praises to God in that beautiful building!

*Love this post from Brother Bott!
*This made me think.
*This weekend my friend went hiking and found a mini hot air balloon. We had a lot of fun playing with it, and fortunately did not burn down any buildings. Hooray!
*This dance is incredibly beautiful, and their comments afterwords made me teary-eyed.
*As mentioned before I went to the temple with my best friend. As always, it was a beautiful experience. I get to be roommates with that beautiful girl come fall, and it is going to be so great. She brings out the best in me and "because I knew her, I have been changed for good." I love you Courts!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone, and enjoy the wonders of spring!

All is well! All is well!

With the end of the semester fast approaching, everyone seems to be talking about their summer plans - staying in school, going home, internships, field studies and study abroad programs. There are signs from the Kennedy Center posted all over campus with sayings such as "Enter to learn go forth to serve - but where?" and "Let's get you out of Provo."

Those signs really annoy me. To me, they imply that my BYU education isn't complete, isn't good enough without studying abroad. And frankly, this is not so.

Last year, 10,409 students applied to BYU. 68% were accepted. This means that 3,331 applicants were denied a BYU education. And some of us treat our BYU education so flippantly, even murmuring about it at times. To my fellow BYU students, please do not complain about your blessings.

When I was in high school, I was one of those 10,409 applicants who longed to go to BYU. I dreamed of the day when I could go to a school where 98% of the students believed the same things I did, where 97% of my male classmates would be returned missionaries. In a high school with drug busts, rampant cheating, and no dress code whatsoever, I could not wait to go to a university where the Honor Code was enforced and even revered. I longed to attend religion classes and devotionals, to live in an enviornment where we would learn "even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118). Most of all, I hungered for eternal relationships, for friends who would truly understand appreciate the person I am, friends who would help me become more like Jesus Christ.

In those days of waiting and wishing, my soul found comfort in the LDS hymn "Come, Come ye Saints." It was the anthem of my pioneer forebears as they pulled handcarts to Utah. I was making my own trek to Utah with more modern conveniences, but with my own struggles. I too was a pioneer. I too could be strengthened by God. And even today when I sing these words, He truly strengthens me.

Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
Tis better far for us to strive our useless cares from us to drive;
Do this, and joy your hearts will swell -
All is well! All is well!

Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward if we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we'll have this tale to tell-
All is well! All is well!

We'll find the place which God for us prepared,
Far away, in the West,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the saints, will be blessed.
We'll make the air, with music ring, Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we'll tell -
All is well! All is well!

Now this dream has been realized. I am finishing up my second year at the amazing institution that is Brigham Young University. And as excited as I am to return home to my family in 2 weeks, I am going to miss this beautiful place.

A place where we are encircled by the beautiful Wasatch mountains.

A place where temples abound.

A place where I never have to worry about people swearing, drinking or smoking.

A place where students respect the campus, creating a beautiful environment where the Spirit can dwell.

A place where it's normal for students to bring their infants to class and talk to their grandparents on the phone.

A place where people treat each other with love, respect, and kindness.

A place where I can leave my belongings unattended in the cafeteria and know that they will not be stolen.

A place with beautiful, uplifting art.

A place where buses display pictures of families instead of ads for sleazy TV shows.

A place where we sing and pray before our classes.

A place with amazing choral, dance, athletic and academic programs.

A place where I get to study, work, worship and play with incredible people.

A place where we play Quidditch on Friday nights.

A place where I have found friends who let me be my true self.
A place where I have grown tremendously.

I am so grateful that I, like my pioneer ancestors, made it to Utah. I love it here. And I raise my voice with theirs, testifying that "All is well! All is well!"

Give Me Jesus.

Simon Dewey, "Living Water"

I went to a Men's Chorus concert last night, which was beautiful. I love BYU choir concerts because I always leave uplifted and with impressions of how I can improve my life. And last night was no exception.

As they sang, I reflected on this past week. It was not the best week; I was busy and tired and lacked motivation. I had been hard on myself for that lack of motivation, frustrated that I was not living up to my own expectations.

Suddenly, I realized that I had been trying to save myself. I had been so focused on my efforts and my imperfections that I had forgotten that I can't do this alone, that my Savior is here to help me. I had forgotten to seek His strength. I had been relying on my own, and that had failed me miserably. I needed to rely on Him.

With this pause in my train of thought, I listened to the words the choir sang.

Give me Jesus,

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world,

Just give me Jesus.

Oh yes.

And the words of one of my favorite blog posts came to my mind.

But now, I'm going to lean back, like a child against a cool pillow, and feel God's love. And I can already hear the murmuring words of comfort - "I understand...I know life is hard...I know you've made mistakes...but I've paid the price for you. Let me in." - Michelle L.

Pipe Cleaners and Shining Nights

Last night I was feeling very foolish and frustrated with my weaknesses. My wise mother gave me some good advice. "You know how James [my little brother] likes to make you little presents out of pipe cleaners?" she asked me. "To others they don't mean much, but they are precious to you because he has put his whole heart and the best of his ability into them.


"Sometimes all we can do is make a pipe cleaner creation. It is small and misshapen, not something that the world values. But to Heavenly Father it is precious, and it is enough."


He knows that in time my pipe cleaner creations will become great works of art. I just have to be patient with my pipe cleaner projects as well.

Last night I also listened to one of my favorite old songs, "Sure on this Shining Night" by Morten Lauridsen with lyrics by James Agee. I hadn't heard it for a while and was struck once again by the beauty of the music and the lyrics.

Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.

The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand'ring far
alone
Of shadows on the stars.



Jesus Christ is my Savior. He "kindly watches" for me. He softens my heart until is "all whole" and "all is healed." He is so patient with me and my meager pipe cleaner creations. His gentleness and forgiveness make me continually "weep for wonder."


And so, on a shining January night, I was sure once more. Sure of the transforming power of the Atonement. Sure of my ability to create beautiful things in the Lord's time and with His help. And sure of His personal love for me.


May we all be "sure on this shining night" of those beautiful truths.