"Come to Zion, Come to Zion"

I've wanted to go to Zion National Park for a long time now and finally got the chance to yesterday! It was definitely beautiful! We went hiking up to Weeping Rock and also to the lower Emerald Pool. We didn't go the narrows, as that requires hiking in the water. That, however, is something I really want to do. I'll have to come back sometime in the summer. It was a beautiful day!

My Calling

I am being released from my calling as Relief Society Secretary tomorrow. It's hard to believe I've been in for 11 months now. It has been such a great experience. I've loved working with and getting to know the RS President and Counselors as well as the sisters in our Relief Society. Looking back on it, this calling has taught me sacrifice, humility, and love. It has been so much more than just keeping the roll.

Speaking of the roll, I wanted to take pictures of the binders I decorated. They are passed around in RS every Sunday. I know, I know, they shout "Relief Society." But, I had fun being crafty and cutesy making them. :) I also made an announcement poster so we wouldn't have to write the announcements up on the board every week. And, what you see above is pretty bare, actually. Most of the time every day of the week is filled up!

It's been great. Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me next!

Here We Go Again...

Resumes, applications, resumes, applications, oh my! I'm applying like crazy. I pretty much apply for one job every day. How I manage to squeeze that in, I don't know. But, I'm grateful I do.

It feels like I just did this (job hunting). Oh wait, I've been doing it for several months now. I've just been looking for jobs in the wrong place (Utah).

I have a couple of special things I do to my resume. I'm thankful for some tips I received in my career prep class in college. One of those tips was to add a touch of color to my resume to make it stand out a little. And, a huge thanks to my brother for suggesting that I put a QR code on my resume. That alone had landed me several interviews. At the interview I had last week I was told the reason I got the interview was because of the QR Code. Now I just need to master my interviewing skills.

Tonight after I got home from work I decided to watch a little TV. I ended up watching "Story Trek" on BYUtv. This guy goes to random houses and interviews people. It's really interesting. Well, this particular episode a guy from Mona, Utah was interviewed. He told a story about a time when he was working a dead end job. One night he started praying and asked Heavenly Father what He should do. He felt strongly that he needed to quit his job. It didn't make sense- he had a wife and three kids. But, he did it. His wife was supportive and felt that Heavenly Father would take care of them. Well, as it turns out, he ended up getting a series of small jobs- one right after another. After those, he was offered a position from someone he knew.

Obviously, I could relate to this story. It hit me to the core. It was like Heavenly Father was once again telling me, "Don't worry. I've got this. I'll take care of you." And, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels prompted to quit their job when they don't have another one lined up.

Being a Christian is Like Being a Pumpkin

I was going through some of my stuff recently and came across this little message that I like. I remember getting it from my mission president's wife while I was on my mission. It reads:

"A lady recently being baptized was asked by a co-worker what it was like to be a Christian. She replied, "It's like being a pumpkin: God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you may have gotten from the other pumpkins.Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Moving Forward

My interview yesterday went ok. Although I feel like it went ok, I left the interview with a different feeling than I had going into it. I left feeling like I am not going to get the job and I need to move forward with my plans to move to Arizona in just a couple of weeks. So, that's what I'm doing. The job and housing hunt continues.

Although this is something I am excited for and very much want to do, it is a huge trial of faith. I was reading in 1 Nephi recently and realized how applicable what I was reading is to my life. 1 Nephi 2:1-3 states,

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

I am departing "into the wilderness" so to speak. I am leaving my house and most likely a lot of my belongings (I'm only taking what I can fit in my car) and traveling into the wilderness. I am going to do my best to be obedient to the promptings I've received.

Boy is it scary. I talked to my Mom about it this morning and cried and cried. I know it is what I'm supposed to do, but I am scared. I know Heavenly Father will take care of me, but sometimes it's hard to fully trust Him when so much is unknown. I keep thinking of a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.: "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." I've got to take the first step.

I keep wrestling between the logical and the spiritual side of all of this. Logically, it makes no sense to move down there without a job. The other day I called the LDS Employment Resource Center in Mesa to see if there are some employment websites that I don't know about that they do. I explained that I am moving down there at the end of the month. The sister said, "So, you are moving down here without a job?" Yes, yes I am. I know it's crazy.

Through all of this, I am so thankful for the support I have from family and friends. There are so many people who are so supportive of this decision I have made. That helps me so much. It'll be interesting to see how the coming months play out. I can only imagine that great happiness awaits me as I move forward with my life in Arizona.

Results and Roses

I've been in sharing mood lately, apparently. :) The following is a poem I came across as I was browsing through my mission study journal recently. I really like it. Enjoy.

Results and Roses

The man who wants a garden fair,
Or small or very big,
With flowers growing here and there,
Must bend his back and dig.
The things are mighty few on earth
That wishes can attain.
Whate'er we want of any worth
We've got to work to gain.
It matters not what goal you seek
Its secret here reposes:
You've got to dig from week to week
To get Results or Roses.
-Edgar A. Guest

New Favorite Hymn and Other News

I just had to share my new favorite hymn (is it a hymn...?). As I've said before, I heard it in Conference and I love it! (Yes, I'm a nerd.)

In other news, I got a call for an interview today. The interview is in Utah. SO out of the blue! I applied for this particular position in JULY. This complicates things just a tad bit, as I've been making plans to move to Arizona. But, if I got this job, I'd stay. I really would. It'd be too great of an opportunity to pass up. The position is with the Church as a staff assistant to the Priesthood Department. I'd be rubbing shoulders with the G.A.s (I'm not even kidding. I kind of had a pre-interview over the phone today [unexpectedly] and was told the position involves creating presentations and proposals to be presented to the First Presidency and taking phone calls from "The Brethern [Quoroum of the 12, etc]". This would be the one thing that'd get me to stay. It'd be too amazing to pass up. Not even a job at the Deseret Book Corporate Office would get me to stay at this point. So, we'll see how things pan out. It's really nice as I don't feel pressure about this. It's a win-win either way. I feel honored to even have an interview with the Church. My interview is in the Church Office Building. That in and of itself is amazing. If I don't get the job then I have a definite answer about moving to AZ.

Stay tuned to find out what happens next in my crazy life! :)

Two Weeks Notice

Tip- give your two weeks notice at the end of the day on a Friday. That way you won't have to see your boss all weekend! :)

Well, I did it. I was really scared, but I told my boss I am leaving. It was short and sweet and went better than I expected. A lot better, actually. My boss was understanding and said he'd give me a recommendation if I ever needed one.

I imagined myself having a guilty kind of happiness after giving my notice. Kind of like, "ha ha. Take THAT!" I kind of felt that leading up to it, but since I've given my notice I've felt nothing but peace. I do have a particular co-worker who is mad at me for leaving (seriously mad). I'm sorry, but I cannot stay in that environment. I have already stayed waaayyy longer than I planned. I don't deserve to be treated the way I have at this job. I don't deserve to be lied to, asked to lie, and taken advantage of. Plus, I know deep down that I have great potential and this job just isn't going to allow me to progress.

So, it's finally time to move on. I'm hoping and praying to find a good job down in Arizona.

General Conference

My friend Jen and I. We were roommates at BYU-I. She just moved down here and is in my ward, but now I'm moving away! :(

Conference was great. So inspiring. I was lucky enough to attend the Sunday afternoon session at the Conference Center. My co-worker's father-in-law works for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and saved some tickets for me at will call. Some friends and I rode trax up to Salt Lake. It took some skill to manuever around all of the people and find the will call office, but we did it. I got the tickets and we went right through security. It was nice, no waiting in lines! Our seats were pretty awesome... on the plaza (the lowest level)! We were about ten rows back. It was so neat to be close enough to see the general authorities fairly clearly as they walked in. Such a neat experience.

Oh, and, I absolutely love the song that was sung at the end of the Sunday morning session. I've never heard that before, but I like it a lot!

So yeah... I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it! :)

Sister Missionaries ROCK!

I, like the rest of the Church was shocked and excited at the big announcement President Monson made today! Wowzers. I wish I could have gone when I was 19! When I was that age I kept saying, "I wish the prophet would come out and say that girls could serve at 19." I seriously have that written in my journal. I never thought it would happen though!

Perhaps this inspired move was because we are nearing even closer to the second coming and the Lord needs even more missionaries to take the Gospel to all the world and prepare for His coming. It is exciting. We will most likely see an increasing number of sister missionaries. I, of course, have a special place in my heart for sister missionaries. I hope this will help the Church and non-members see sister missionaries as equal to the Elders. On my mission I really felt that some people liked the Elders better (of course, some people definitely liked the sisters better too). Even now, being a sister RM, I have felt less appreciated than guy RMs. Hopefully this will help sisters get the respect they deserve. Sister missionaries make great contributions.

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (Joseph Smith)

What an exciting time in the history of the Church!

Missing Illinois and My Mission

Ok, I know I do a post like this every Fall. But, I really can't help myself. I fell in love with Illinois in the Fall while I was on my mission. It is gorgeous. And every stinkin' Fall, my heart misses it.

So tonight, I am missing Illinois in the Fall and my mission in general. Oh my goodness- sometimes my heart just aches to have those amazing experiences again. I miss it so much sometimes. I miss the people... even the crazy drunk people who told us we were going to hell (ok, maybe not so much, but really, it was pretty funny and added humor to my days). I miss teaching the Gospel full-time. Too bad I can't just be a full-time missionary the rest of my life!

Last night I had dinner with one of my MTC companions. It was so much fun. She is awesome. Definitely made me miss my mission.

I find comfort in the fact that I am not the only one still obssessed with their mission. Even after all these years. It makes me sad that memories fade and time moves on. But, I will always, always cherish my mission. And, most likely, I will always miss Illinois in the Fall. :)

My BIG Announcement!

This is a sign I have hanging in my room. Definitely need to look at this every single day!

Drum roll please... I'M MOVING TO ARIZONA!!! How crazy is that?! You know what's even more crazy? I don't have a job or a place to live yet (hoping to live and work in Gilbert)! I know there must be several people who think I'm absolutely insane. I don't blame them at all. I think it's really crazy. Logically, it doesn't make sense. But, there are a few things that are getting me through: 1. I've felt prompted to go (and to go now- which stinks because it's right before the holidays). 2. I have family members down there. 3. It's warm down there. 4. I have some money saved up.

Many tears have been shed and there are many more to come, I'm sure. But, I know I am doing the right thing. Am I scared out of my mind? Yes. Am I excited? Yes.

So much has led up to this and it's now time to do it. The thought/idea of moving to Arizona has crossed my mind for several years, honestly. Even before my brother and sister-in-law moved there. I considered doing an internship down there, but it never happened.

But, I really feel like the time is now! I'm leaving at the end of October. It is bittersweet. Part of my tears have been because I am sad to leave family and friends in Utah. However, I am excited to make new friends in Arizona and be with family members down there.

I am REALLY excited for the mild winters there. No snow!!! I've included the average temperatures for you below. Visitors are welcome (especially in the winter months. :))

(Source: weather.com)