Day 147, 148, 149, 150 - Way 147, 148, 149, 150

Sunday (147) Today I witnessed the miracle of the restored organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today I was given a calling, which in this church means that I have been asked to fulfill a necessary role in establishing and improving the Lords kingdom on earth. The calling which I have been given, I believe is meant specifically for me at this time, because of faith and prayers and communication I have had with my Heavenly Father the last few weeks and months. I truly believe it to be an inspired call. Boyd K. Packer gave an address on callings. I have included it as a link within this post.

Monday (148) I was able to apply for and get a job today that will help me as I prepare to further my career. I believe it is the perfect job for me at this time and I am so excited to get started. I will be substitute teaching! YEAH!

Tuesday (149) I am grateful for family. Isn't it great! I think I've used this blessing at least 2 times a month, since I started this blog. But it is so true. I can't think of anything more perfect than that. I just love all of them and today I got to talk to each of them for a minute and that was great!

Wednesday (150) Can you believe it 150 days since my parents left! Just about 5 months ago! I do not know how time can fly so fast. Every day, has been a struggle, but every day I hope I have been growing stronger. I have learned to do a lot of things for myself that I wasn't expecting. I have also learned to take care of others in a way that I was not expecting. Today, for just a brief moment, I got to talk to a cousin whose parents served in the same mission that my parents are currently serving in. I asked her how she and her siblings did it. She (thankfully) admitted that it was HARD. That it took a toll on her family. Her sister especially. But they made it. She told me that she would have her sister call me once she gets out of the hospital! She just had a baby!!! I can't wait! Hopefully I can go visit with her and her new baby and chat about the stresses of having parents on a mission and the joys and blessings that inevitably come! I know that I have been blessed, and I am soooooo very grateful for Elder Ballard's challenge to share the gospel by "joining the conversation" about the church and the blessings we receive as we live faithful to the Lords commandments. Whether or not anyone ever reads these words, I will have a wonderful record of the blessings I receive from living faithful and allowing my parents the opportunity to go and serve the Lord and his children in Japan.

Day 145, 146 -Way 145, 146

Friday (145) Today I am again grateful for my friends in the geography department at the University of Utah. I am proud to say that I am a geography department Alum. I know that I learned so much there and I am grateful for everyone in the department that had some kind of influence on me. I went to our department fall picnic today and just felt so at home with everyone there. Throughout the picnic many people encouraged me to start grad school at the U, so now I've got that on my plate to consider!

Saturday (146) Good friends, good roommates, good uncles, good pets. I am grateful for all of them. I am also grateful for my parents and their encouragement and advice. I wish they could see my perspective more often, but I know there will always be a blur between what I see and what my parents see.

Day 143, 144 - Way 143, 144

Wednesday (143) Wow, I can't believe I am about to say this, but today I am grateful for the University of Utah. Let me quickly clarify. I am grateful for the University of Utah Geography Department. I feel like I am part of a family of geographers whenever I am around anyone from the department and I feel so blessed to be part of that family. Today I went shopping with the geography department secretary and the student president of geography club. There is a picnic in the park on Friday and I volunteered to go with them to do shopping for the picnic. It was a lot of fun and I was very happy to do it, even at 8:30 in the morning! I am also grateful for Beezer, Bryce, pirates and wheelchairs!

Thursday (144) I feel so blessed to have a safe and well built home to come home to. I got a sign at the thrift store yesterday that I put on the front door of my house. It reads "My house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy!" Although, it would be cool to have a room or two that look like Better Homes and Gardens rooms, I am so grateful that I don't feel pressure to make this house like that. I am grateful that my house can look and feel like a home! I am also grateful for prayers, humility, patience and forgiveness.

Day 141, 142 - Way 141, 142

Monday (141) I am grateful for inspiration. I wish I could be more in tune and listen more intently to the inspiration I receive, however. I want to be more aware of what the Lord would have me do and not do, so that I don't have to make mistakes to find out I was wrong.

Tuesday (142) Today more than ever, I am grateful for my roommate Mandy. She is in my house for a reason. She is a strong rock to hold me steady and remind me where my focus should be. I am grateful for our friendship. She has given me hope when I need it the most. She reminds me daily of the strength I can have and need to have to get through this life.

Day 138, 139 - Way 138, 139

Friday (138)
The most important and significant thing that happened today is the simple inspiration I received so that I could find my scriptures, which had been missing for a few months. I was just about to go buy new ones, but I prayed about it one last time, and immediately knew where to look to find them. I am grateful for that miracle in my life.

Saturday (139)
Today I was able to spend time with my roommates from college. I love these girls and their spouses and children. We will be friends forever, because we have been with each other through ups and downs. I am so glad we got to spend time together!

Sunday (140)
If I could rewind today, I probably would have made more of an effort to see that miracles could happen. As it was, I woke up very sick and stayed in bed late intot he morning. Then I sat at home for the remainder of the day doing things of little significance. I will try to sleep well tonight, so that I can go to work refreshed tomorrow.

Day 135, 136, 137 - Way 135, 136, 137

135 (Tuesday) Today I am grateful for family. I love my extended family and I am grateful to be a part of their lives.

136 (Wednesday) My parents are so great and I am grateful for their faith in me. They encourage me to be better and stronger. I know that I can be a great person, because of their trust in me.

137 (Thursday) Today I am grateful for home cooked meals. My sweet grandma spent the day helping me with some errands for my parents that they really needed me to do. Afterward, she offered to bring me dinner. She is one of those ladies that finds joy in feeding her family. She is wonderful!

Day 133 and 134 - Way 133 and 134

Day 133 (Sunday)

I find comfort in knowing that the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was set up in such a way that we can lean on certain people for strength, because they have been given extra power and strength to help us in our times of weakness. I am grateful for a Father in Heaven that recognizes our needs and helps us if we will let him.

Day 134 (Monday)

I am grateful for friends in the gospel that are good examples to me of who I can become. I love knowing that there are people that understand the true principles of the gospel and embrace others and help them to see the light of Christ. I hope to be that kind of person!

Day 132 - Way 132

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It takes a village to raise a child.

Now obviously this is not a ploy to get you to buy Hillary Clinton's book (by the same title) instead, this is my attempt to report on the miracle I have discovered that is most valuable to all people around the world.
I would like to change the verbiage of this proverb slightly, to read:
It takes a relative, a friend, a neighbor, a village, a country, and the world to allow one human being to be their very best self.

I honestly believe that we are not in this thing alone and we are not meant to face any of it alone. I believe in a loving Father in Heaven that wants to be with all of his children always. Directing them, leading them, giving advice, protecting them, providing love and support to them. I also believe that in order for him to allow us to use our agency, he knew he couldn't be here face to face, telling us exactly what he expects us to do and exactly what will make us happy. So in his wisdom and love, he gave us family, neighbors, friends, villages and people around the globe to be his hands, his voice, his love. It is up to us to reach out for his help through those he has provided in our path that will lift us and strengthen us. John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

In his love and mercy he has given us people, other human beings that struggle and have challenges and at times will need you for support, but will also be there for you to buoy you up and give you peace in your heart in your time of need. I am grateful that this week, I was able to realize that I am not in this alone. I can and must lean on the strength of those that love me to give me hope in times of weakness. For any of my friends or family or global readers, please lean on me when you need strength. I want to be His hands, His love.

Day 129, 130, 131 -Way 129, 130, 131

August 6(129)
I am grateful for hard work and the opportunity to grow as I develop skills at work.

August 7(130)
I have been so blessed to have a job that has allowed me to be flexible and do the things that I needed to do to finish school and travel and grow. Today, I had a rough day at work, but I was reminded that I have received so many blessings fro this job, that this one day cannot hold me down.

August 8(131)
The miracle of the Olympic Ideal, is one of the most amazing miracles I have ever heard of. I can not believe that people from all over the world can step aside from their worldly differences and embrace the humanity that is within us all. I am grateful that my parents taught me to love allpeople as they are all Gods children and my brothers and sisters.

Day 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128 - Way 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128

Day 123 (July 31) Time sure does fly when your friend gets a new job and leaves you! :( Today is the last day I will see my good friend Kelly at work. About a month ago, I helped him as he was applying for a job. Today, I threw a party for him to say goodbye. I am grateful for his friendship and I hope that it will continue even though he will be far away.

Day 124 (Aug 1) I am so grateful for the gospel and for the lessons I have learned about charity throughout my life. I feel like this life is one big opportunity to show our Heavenly Father just how much we care for all that he has given us. I hope that I spend enough time every day giving of myself to be worthy to return to my Heavenly Fathers presence.

Day 125 (Aug 2) Today I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to be a missionary. In visiting the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors Center today, I was given a strong witness of the truthfulness of the gospel message of eternal families. After receiving this witness, we were asked by a sister missionary if we knew of anyone that might be ready to hear the gospel message. I normally hesitate and usually don't put any names down. On this occasion however, I felt strongly that I should put down two names. These two people mean a lot to me and I hope that one day they will be receptive to the spirit as it bears witness of the truth. Although at times we may believe that people will be angry with us for giving their names and phone numbers to missionaries, I know that they will be more upset with me in Heaven if I decided they didn't deserve a chance to hear the messages of the restored gospel here on Earth.

Day 126 (Aug 3) This was a very long day. I started driving home from Phoenix at 9am Arizona time. We didn't arrive home until 11:30pm Arizona time. That's 14 1/2 hours for those that didn't want to count! You would think that I would have been absolutely exhausted, but I wasn't, in fact, I felt very alert and in control the entire day as I drove across the Arizona desert and through Las Vegas and up the majority of Utah. The miracle could easily be the fact that I stayed awake, but I would also like to point out the miracle of the sacred temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After visiting the Mesa temple yesterday, I decided that I wanted to see the Las Vegas temple as well. The Las Vegas temple has become one of my most favorite places to stop, because I believe the spirit is so very strong there, even on the outside. Once we stopped there, I couldn't hold back the feeling that this was a sacred Sunday and so I wanted to make the most of the Sabbath, since I couldn't make it to church. So, I stopped at the St. George temple as well. After that, we had really made this trip much longer than it should have been, so I wasn't able to stop at the Provo, Mt. Timpanogos or Jordan River Temples, but I got to see the two in Utah county with their lights on as we drove by. I am grateful for the temple. I know that it is designed by our Heavenly Father as a place where we can strengthen our commitment to him and we can be the Lords hands in fulfilling his promise that all would be given a chance to return to live with him again.

Day 127 (Aug 4) I am grateful for the miracle of having a job that I love. I feel so blessed to be able to go to work and enjoy what I do.

Day 128 (Aug 5) I am grateful for creativity. I am grateful for opportunities to be creative in what I do, in order to be more efficient and more effective. I am grateful that my job is flexible enough that I was able to work a 14 hour day today, it really helps to make up for missing 2 weeks of work due to illness.