Since I vowed to write in this blog more this year, I guess I should post a little something.

As an FYI, I did do a post yesterday on my friends' blog.  It'd be super wonderfully nice of you to go check it out:).

Today has been a FANTASTIC Sunday.  It was Fast and Testimony Sunday, which usually means amazingness.  For those of you who don't know, Fast and Testimony Sunday is usually held on the first Sunday of every month in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints community.  It is a day where we fast (no eating or drinking) for two meals and donate that money to the church so that they can help those in need and other things.  The fast is also meant as a way to better strengthen our relationship with our Savior and our Heavenly Father.  Usually people fast for specific things going on in their lives, whether it be trying decide what school to go to or for a family member to have strength to get through a trial.

It's funny how much it strengthens you.  It seems like such a simple thing, but I find myself more happy and edified on Fast Sundays.  The "Testimony" part of Fast and Testimony Sundays has to do with the fact that we -- instead of having our usual first hour of assigned talks -- volunteer to bear our testimonies of the gospel to the congregation.  I've really been trying to do it every month.  I was doing well for awhile, but I stopped for a couple of months.  I started again today and it was wonderful.  I always plan what to say, but I never say it.  The Holy Ghost just fills me so much and brings me words I didn't know I had.  It's such an awesome thing to experience.  I usually end up crying because I can't talk about the gospel or my Savior and Heavenly Father without crying, but it is so worth it.

The day went by too fast, but it was so great.  We now have our meetings from 1pm to 4pm, so it's been strange not getting home in time to take a nap, but it is nice for Fast Sundays where you don't get home until it's time to eat again.  I also had SYC (Stake Youth Counsel) tonight, which went really well and is always fun.  I meant to share a missionary experience, but we were running out of time, so I just kept my mouth shut.  I should have talked about it.  Oh, well.  I may talk about it on this blog some time soon, but for now I should put a load of laundry in and continue to feel this wonderful sensation of joy the Holy Ghost brings as I close this Sabbath Day.

Happy Sunday, reader.

Indecisive

So, I pre-ordered John Greens' new book, The Fault in Our Stars quite some time back after having slaved away at my mom's office for the sole intention of me gaining an income that would insure me a signed copy of this new book in my mailbox/on my porch on January 10.

Let me back up a few paces here. John Green is an (AMAZING) author/vlogger. His mind is a land of brilliancy and corn-eating-zombies. He has written such masterpieces as Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines, and Looking for Alaska. He has also been co-author of Let it Snow and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He is a truly gifted young adult author. His books give a voice to teenagers that is rarely found in books of the same genre. It is a voice of intelligence, wit, creativity, and realness. I think it's safe to say that he is my favorite modern-day author (I have a soft spot in my heart for eighteenth century literature, but he comes close even to those).

The lovely ladies at iEatWords are hosting John Green Week (January 3 through January 10) in honor of John Green's newest creation, The Fault in Our Stars, being released on the 10th of this month. I actually found out about this on the first day, but I could not for the life of me decide what I wanted to do with this wonderful idea of a week dedicated to this amazing writer and human being. Should I reread? Should I spend some Christmas gift cards on Will Grayson, Will Grayson or Let it Snow? But I'm reading Little Women...But I have too much school work! Such were my thoughts for three days. Then, on Thursday, I put thought to action and made Adam drive me to my beloved Barnes and Noble so that I could purchase Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I have yet to start reading it, but rest assured that it will be read before Tuesday.

Along with this treasure, I also purchased The Help. Well, it was actually quite a long process of getting it down to that...

I was ecstatic about the eight books that I was holding close to my heart, then came to the rational conclusion that I needed to stop being a crazy book lady and narrow my massive (and quite heavy) load of books down. After going back and forth about what to do, I called my buddy, Adam,* over to unclench my tight grip from those beautiful books that I had been dreaming about.**  After calculating and realizing I was holding $80 worth of fiction, half an hour of narrowing downness took place and we resolved to the old I'll-put-two-behind-my-back-and-you-pick-one trick. The two behind the back were The Book Thief and The Help. I picked The Help, but then I started whining because I've REALLY been wanting to read The Book Thief. Plus, that's probably my favorite time period for reading (besides 18th century, again***). After patiently watching me crumble and break down (well, maybe it wasn't that dramatic), Adam told me I needed a happy book, and that The Help seemed like the happiest of the two. As we were deciding all of this, though, I saw It's Kind of a Funny Story...I'll spare you the minor details and just say that ten minutes later, I was finally checking out with my comrades, Green, Levithan, and Stockett.

I have a problem, reader.  I'm way too indecisive.

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I had to call him over because he was finishing reading Mockingjay in the cafe.*

It's been way too long since I've been able to purchase anything not for school at Barnes and Noble.**

Well, I've actually recently started loving medieval-esque books like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones (even though I only read the beginning of it).***

Brand Spankin'

I suppose congratulations are in order considering the fact that you survived 2011.  Let's just hope you are as lucky in 2012.  Cross your fingers, though, and wish upon those shooting stars because all of the aplocalypse mumbo jumbo is kind of suppressing that wish.

On a less dreary note, I plan to write WAY more on this here blog.  In case you weren't aware, I made a video (almost) every day of 2011 and posted them on my YouTube channel.  I'm still editing and uploading, but I should be completely finished with all of that in about a week.  I cannot believe I did it.  I honestly thought I would get so lazy that I'd stop the project altogether.  I'm pretty surprised.  I learned a lot about myself through that madness of a goal, but I think the thing I recognize most fiercely was how blessed I am.  Last year was one amazing year.  That's not to say I didn't face any trials, but in those trials I got to literally look at my life through the camera lense and see how vividly, beautifully wonderful it is.

So, as I said before, I now plan on having more of a presence on this here blog in this year of 2012.  I don't know how this will go.  I won't be posting every day (most likely), but it will definitely be more than once a month (like in 2011).  I'm thinking this will be my big resolution/project of this new year.  I guess you will just have to wait and see, reader.

(I went to St. Augustine with Chelsea and Emma Lucy.)

P.S.  I wrote a guest post on my friends' blog and I'll be posting on there again on Saturday.

A New Hope

Today, I spent the morning and most of the afternoon with friends, laughter, healing, good food, a cute baby, and a slobbery dog.

Last night was Robin's Florida viewing and funeral.  It was probably the most difficult thing I've ever been through.  I can't pinpoint why this pain has just been punching me, leaving me winded.  Robin is safe, she's complete, and healed.  She is completely happy and doing what she loves -- serving her Heavenly Father and following her Savior.  I was happy to see her family accepting and happy.  I know I'm going to see her again.  Maybe I am yearning for that view of eternity that my Heavenly Father (and now, Robin) has or maybe I just am letting selfishness overtake me and allowing myself to wish that she was still here to help me strive to become the earthly angel that she was.

Whatever it may be, I was glad to not be alone in whatever it is I've been feeling, yesterday.  I was surrounded by people who have known me and have loved me throughout my life -- whether they just entered it or they have been in it since Barnie was my favorite past time.  I was greeted with a hug at every corner.

I was not alone today when Emma, Molly, Rebecca, Ruby, Momo, and I spent the afternoon picnicing on Kingsley Plantation.  The plan was to go to Davis Park (in honor of Robin's last name), but the park didn't allow dogs, and we couldn't have complete happiness without our Momo.  I'm not sure that there is anything else that I needed today besides those precious, perfect moments with those wonderful people I am blessed to call my friends.  I somewhat wanted to just crawl into my mommy's arms today and continue to release the pain, but I think I ultimately wouldn't have made it out of bed had I let myself do that.  I needed to be carried away from my thoughts, and be consumed in them all at once today, and that's what I got.

Today was a day in which my wounds were vulnerable and completely exposed, but somehow the edges were healed -- not completely, but it was an almost feeling.

A Beautiful Daughter of God

I have had a wonderful past few months.  Time with family and friends was an abundant element of my non-existent calendar; school is really good (for the most part); church is more and more uplifting and comforting each time I go.

Wednesday, my grandma came home from a trip of visiting a friend of hers that used to be in our ward, and gave me crushing news.  My friend, my Young Women leader and a faithful daughter of God, Robin Davis, had passed away earlier that day.

The shock did not set in until I got to church and I was surrounded by a room full of people I loved, just devastated (not to say that my grandma wasn't devastated, but the information did not sink in until I was in that room).

I have felt -- for lack of a better word, and to use a cliche -- somewhat numb.  I know my Savior and Heavenly Father have provided freedom for Robin.  She was so sick and hurting (she had cystic fibrosis) and she was fighting so hard to stay alive, get the transplant she needed, and be there with her husband and family for as long as possible.  I felt a little selfish being so sad and missing her so much.  I felt like I had been cheated of time that I wanted to have with her, to tell her how beautiful she was and how incredibly blessed I was to know her and to have her testimony, and strength, and complete love for life, in my life.  I now know, thanks to a wonderful friend (Emma), that she knows.  She knows how much she has meant to the lives of so many people and how she just warmed everyone's hearts.  She now knows how her special spirit made others' spirits feel so uplifted and so important.  She had a tremendous testimony that was truly unique and a heart that was and continues to be incomparable to any other.

I keep trying to keep myself busy and not think about things.  Please, pray for her incredible family, reader.  Pray for her wonderful husband and her mother and just her entire family and her friends.  She has touched so many people and I'm so glad I got to be one of them.

Lists and Such

So, for the entire span of my seventeen years and (almost) four months of existence, I have always scoffed or turned away from people who cherish making lists or detailed time schedules.  As I have gotten older, I have just come to the conclusion that that works for some people, but that's not my thing.  Now that I have gotten even a little more older (great grammar, I know), it's time I suck it up and get to listing.

My reasoning for the sudden change of heart is not because I'm way behind on homework due to the stupid flu I've had all this week.  It's not due to the last two Doctor Who episodes awaiting my sight.  It is the same reason that it has always been: my books.  I am currently borrowing three books (On the Road, Game of Thrones, and Spencer W. Kimball) and I haven't even finished the one I was reading before they were all loned to me (I Capture the Castle).  The only reading time I've allowed myself is what little time I have at school to read school assigned books, which is fine and dandy, but reading is a little more difficult for me when it has been assigned and it's not a book that's been on my To Read list.  (Yes, that is the only sort of list exception I have ever made.)

This complaint has been on my blog too many times to remain stagnant.  I am making myself and schedule, and no one (not even myself) is going to stop me, reader!

The Result of General Conference and Personal Progress

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Our acts of charity inspire faith and love because our giving hearts and helping hands are what bring the love of God upon us and those around us.

I love being inspired by General Conference.  I love Personal Progress.  I love this gospel.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.