women's conference

 this saturday we had the opportunity to go to salt lake city to watch the general women's conference. we had tickets to go inside, but there was literally thousands and thousands of women, so they didn't let us in. it was really okay because we were able to watch it in the tabernacle, and we were still able to feel the incredible spirit and camaraderie of the incredible women of the church.

 

you bring the dogs, i got the buns.

last week we went to a bonfire thingy for fhe. roasted hot dogs, had an easter egg hunt, ate s'mores, won some stuff, you know how it goes.

clearly, smoke really does follow beauty

enjoying s'mores

afterwards, thanks to the smoke loving my hair, i went around debuting this season's new perfume. it's called "this girl is on fire"

mountains to climb

"Many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out...'When I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?'

"We never need to feel we are alone or unloved in the Lord's service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and on our right to bear us up. And He always keeps His word."

a blessing

i'm going to tell you one of the coolest things that ever happened to me. saturday night i thought i broke my hand/wrist. it hurt so bad. so bad that i would just start crying. finally i went to the doctor on monday night and they told me i had damaged my nerve really bad- so bad that i might have to have surgery- and we looked at my hand xrays and there was definitely a crack in the bone. i had to get a huge and hard splint on my arm and elbow. it was so frustrating.

i couldn't do anything by myself. my hair, take off my shirt, eat, brush my teeth, write, and the list goes on. i was hurting so bad, and my hand would get swollen. i couldn't wear any of my clothes, and even though those things all seem trivial, to me they were huge. 

monday night after i got the splint my brother gave me a blessing. he told me i wouldn't need surgery and that everything would be okay if i had the faith to believe it to be true.

today i went back to the doctor, and he looked at the xrays and came back and said he couldn't find anything. he told me that there was nothing at all on the xrays. i got to take my splint off, and now i only have to have it wrapped for a couple of days because the nerve is tender still. in a matter of hours it felt like a total 360. 

i was so much happier, and it still hurts really bad and the wrap is annoying, but i think about everything that happened, and it's incredible. 

priesthood blessings are such a real and powerful thing. i am so grateful for my brother and friends who are able to give me blessings when i need them, and for my Heavenly Father who I know loves all of us and can help us through anything, whether it's a broken wrist, or a hard time in school or just life in general. 

 John 14:18 "I will not leave you ^acomfortless: I will ^bcome to you."

that summer

In the hot stickiness of July in the South I learned what it was like to have angels all around you. It was a summer of first times and last chances. A summer of miracles.

I was at a meeting for being a youth camp leader. Apprehensive and scared, I had never done this before. I didn't really know what to do. My leader said a prayer before we started the practice run for our faith walk. We never realized how much of a walk of faith that it would really be. Her prayer was different than any one I had ever heard before. She asked for angels. Angels to protect us. We all wondered why we would need them.

With 20 girls and 3 leaders, we went out to the 14 ft-high deck. We all stood there, trying to feel the spirit when the sound of a million little snapping twigs filled the air. Before we even could comprehend what was going on, the floor under us collapsed. The next thing I knew, we were falling the 14 feet to the ground, rolling on top of each other in the pitch black night. After the first initial terrified screams of 20 girls, it was silent. Eerily silent.

I remember my mom running to the back of the house, standing next to the ledge that used to be connected to the fallen deck, and the desperation and sheer terror in my mind as I was trying to hold on to a post, a bench, anything.

One by one, we untangled ourselves from the mass of broken wood and bodies. We stepped back and surveyed the skeletal remains of what used to be called a deck- sending prayers of gratitude because no one was dead, but too numb to realize what had just happened.

We didn't really know what to do as we watched the paramedics and firemen and stayed up late waiting for news about our friends who got hurt.

I think the greatest miracle was when we were told the details about this freak accident. The deck rested on a hill, and if it had fallen backwards, we would have been dead. The deck would have flipped down the hill, causing girls to fly on top of each other, under the wood. We got lucky, the fireman said. The deck fell towards the house because of some unbeknownst reason. They had no reason why it did that, but we did. It was the angels.

Later that summer, at the same camp, there was a storm. We hurried to a central location and watched as the angry clouds swirled around us. We looked up to see a break in the clouds, sun shining down in a circle around where we all stood, keeping us safe.

Later that night we needed it not to rain- we heard the rain, we saw the rain, but we did not feel the rain.

That summer I saw 3 miracles. They still burn in the back of my mind, 4 years later. They are there as a reminder of unity, of love, and of His never-ending presence and protection that I know He gives those who follow Him and love Him. 

nineteen

This weekend our lives were turned upside-down. In my church, we have the opportunity to hear from our prophets and apostles in General Conference. There are 2 meetings on Saturday, and 2 on Sunday. We get guidance and warnings and are comforted and filled with the spirit. We also get announcements, like that there will be more temples built.

On Saturday morning, my roommates and I and some of our other friends were sitting in our living room when the announcement was made that boys will be able to go on missions when they are 18 years old. The boys in our church go on these missions to all different parts of the world to teach people about our church. Before Saturday, they would go when they were 19. This was a big announcement. We were all freaking out.

And then we heard President Monson say, "Sisters..." and we all got quiet.

(Girls are also allowed to go on missions, but it's not required, and they don't go until they are 21.)

And then President Monson told us that girls can now go on missions when they are 19 years old.

I'm nineteen years old.

Our whole apartment was in disarray. I almost burst into tears the minute I heard the news. This was good news.

The poor boys in our apartment. They had to deal with 6 girls running in and out of our bedrooms, and everyone was crying. Needless to say, no one got very much out of the rest of the talks given that morning because we were all just thinking about what this would mean.

I had never considered going on a mission because by the time I would be 21, I was planning on working towards a career, but now that I could go now, I had a lot of thinking to do.

Having this option that we did not have the day before made everyone question whether or not they wanted to go on a mission.

For many people it was a great blessing, and for some people it won't affect them at all.

For me, I still decided not to go on a mission. I realize that there is more than one way to share the gospel, and I need to go to school because I need to help the girls, and honestly the only way I can help those girls is through what I know from the gospel.

But now my best friend and one of my roommates already have interviews to start the process of going on a mission.

And I'm going to miss them terribly. I don't know what I'll do without them for a year and a half, but I am so happy for them, that we all have this marvelous opportunity to help the gospel reach all of the people of the world.

We are angels hiding in the bones of humans... helping all the miracles along.

kids say the silliest things....

I get the great ...privilege... to teach primary at church. My friend Lara and I teach all of the 4-5 year old kids. They're pretty much all rambunctious little boys that like to pile on top of each other on the floor and their favorite thing to do is to end up falling over on the floor. They're super cute.

Today when I asked them if they knew who President Monson was, and one of the little boys said, "Yes! He lives in my cul-de-sac!" (Yeah...he's really the Prophet...)

The same boy told me, "When I start drinkin' orange juice, I just can't stop!" haha okay...

and then he burped. Which all of the other boys thought was hilarious, and he was just giggling and giggling and when we tried to get him to say "excuse me," he said, "It's just too funny I can't!"

then another little boy said, "You guys! Can't we just be reverent?!" (he was very exasperated)

You get them talking and they never stop! They're just full of stories!

And let's not even get started on singing time and sharing time...

Henry, who is in the 5 year old's class, and who came into the gym when I was working there, saw me, and immediately started hugging me. I was like, "Henry, you need to go sit down with your class" and he said, "Can I kiss you?" unfortunately, I had to say no, but there was no way to get him to stop hugging me. Apparently we are dating. haha

And then during sharing time, they were playing a matching game (this is Junior Primary, so everyone is 3-8 years old) and every time a match was made, you would've thought that they had won the lottery. There was literally an eruption of cheering every time they made a match. And one of the sunbeams screamed "Rock and Roll" during one of the cheering times. Haha! It was great!

And finally after having 6 closing prayers, and besides them trying to get us to sing Once There Was A Snowman the whole time, it was a pretty successful day. But I am pretty excited. I babysit/ have babysat most of the kids in my class and I love them, so it will be fun and never boring! haha

Happy Sunday!

easter

I love the springtime. Everything is so alive. It's a season when anything is possible. It's so full of hope and faith.  

Today is Easter. It is the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected after atoning for the sins of the world. His is my Comforter, my Friend, my Savior, and my Brother. Somehow he lived my life and all of your lives. He felt our pain and he felt the pain that we will never have to feel because He atoned for our sins. Because of Him I am never alone. He lives and because of him, we are now free and I can live with my Heavenly Father again. I know He is always there for us and that He lives!

           

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name"

John 20:31

blanched vegetables and grandma's house

Lara (in case you don't remember her you can read this) and I went to my grandma's house for General Conference on Sunday. Conference happens twice a year, and it's the most wonderful time. We get to listen to the Prophet and Apostles give us guidance, comfort, and direction from our Heavenly Father.

Now, conference is great for making us spiritually full. At grandma's house, we get more than spiritually full. Our tummies get full too! And we get to have chocolate milk for every meal! hehehe

I have eaten so much food I have a food baby. Actually I probably have food baby twins. It's ridiculous. Or, I can quote Morgan,  "'Oh I'm so fat! I just ate two babies...' (long pause to process what she actually just said) '...worth. Two babies worth! Oh man...' "

I learned how to be slightly more domestic (this coming from the girl who can't even flip pancakes without messing them up) because Grandma makes us great food, but she turns it into a cooking lesson. Somehow I can cook when she's telling me what to do and is standing there, but when she's not there I fail miserably.

She also says funny things (warning: all things from here on out may not seem that funny to you, but they're funny. I promise. Especially if you were there and knew my grandma):

During the beginning of President Monson's talk where he told the story about the grandma who never had her grandchildren over because they would break her precious and valuable things, my grandma turns to me and says, "Don't break my precious and valuable things."

When they announced what the closing song was going to be, my grandma just sighs and says, "let the tears begin."

"Do you like mushrooms?" "You can't tell me you don't like mushrooms when I'm looking you right in the face."

"My life is very different now that I live by myself, but I can't get that in my head, so I see all of these cute little dishes and I have to buy them. I figured I'm just buying for Erica!"

I have a new love. Blanched vegetables.

not even eating them, although I like to do that too, I just like to look at them.

I'm not even joking. They are the prettiest color I have ever seen. Look at them.

Isn't that the prettiest color you have ever seen? The picture doesn't even do it justice. I did did not stare at them for a little bit because they are the prettiest color I have ever seen.

Conversation with Lara:

Erica: "These are the prettiest color I have ever seen."

Lara: "I know. I want to make everything in my life this color."

Erica: "Yeah. Blanched vegetables"

Lara: "Emerald green..."

Erica: "Blanched vegetables"

Lara: "Color of all the leaves in the world..."

Erica: "Blanched vegetables"

Lara: "Green grass..."

Erica: "Blanched vegetables."

Lara: "I know they're blanched vegetables! The word blanched just doesn't sound attractive." 

Erica: "Blanched vegetables."

This is really funny. I just saw a commercial of prison inmates doing indexing for fun. Haha.

this might be kind of bad, but it's also kind of funny.

Anyway...

Conference this year was fantastic! I cannot wait to read the talks again. Let's be honest, I took notes and I listened, but I can't remember things that well sometimes. But I do remember the amazing spirit that I felt. I know everything that was said these past two days is true and divinely inspired from my Heavenly Father. It has been exactly what I needed to hear. I am so grateful that we have living prophets today that can get revelation for us!

"To all of us he beckons: Come back. Come up. Come in. Come home. Come unto me." - President Thomas S. Monson

I also have new quotes if you click on the "quote" button.

glitter

Every Sunday in my ward we do this thing called Nice Notes. 

They're little notes we send to each other. And they're nice.

Anyway. One of my really good friends sent me the best nice note I have ever gotten. Part of it said, "You also share glitter with the world (on the outside and the inside) all the time and that's really cool."

This really touched me and made me happy. First off, I love glitter. I'm pretty sure I bleed glitter. Sorry. TMI. Second, I love that I am able to share this thing that I love with everyone else. I often try to, but I don't know if I actually succeed cause lots of time I'm kinda a quiet person before you get to know me. 

Glitter for me is more than just the stuff that sparkles and gets everywhere. (warning: this is going to probably be really cheesy, but hey- it's what I think) Glitter is just like magic. 

Sitting on my small college bed it seems like lifetimes ago that my mom read me fairy tales. She would always read the best kind- with a princess and some sort of opposition that was always overcome, usually by a heroic and handsome prince and they lived happily ever after. The stories were wonderful. It was a time of poofy tutu’s and pigtails. Most little girls grow out of this stage, where the scary dragons went away the second we crawled into our then gigantic beds. Magic and fairy dust were actually real. 

Now as a college student, a "grown up" (let's be realistic here- am I really a grown up?) I encounter pessimists and optimists, people whose eyes aren’t as bright as they used to be because the magic is dulled from years of reality and life. “There isn’t any magic in the world anymore, at least not today,” they say. 

Yes, I know magic isn’t a “real” and tangible thing and the fairy tales in the books rarely happen, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop believing. I believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy because believing is half of the magic. And the other half, well it’s that the magic can come alive through belief. Sometimes we need to create our own magic.

I feel like I am on a campus full of princesses and princes that don’t realize that they are living a fairy tale. We live fantastic lives surrounded by wonderful friends and have the opportunity to get an education. I believe every story is a fairy tale, even if it doesn’t have a happy ending right now, that just means the story isn’t over yet. And maybe the story won’t end in this life. Fairy tales don’t have to be some huge romantic story; they can be the littlest things or a story that isn’t even about love at all. But I believe there is some form of love in everything- love of family, friends, etc. A fairy tale is a story that teaches that dragons are real, but that they can be defeated. (insert appropriate Harry Potter quote about how we live because we love/ evil can only be overcome by love here)

Magic is everywhere in this sleeping world, don’t you forget that, one only has to see it. But the best kind of magic in the world isn’t magic at all. I try and see the magic in everything, because I know it’s always there no matter how tiny it may be. And lots of times it's really hard to find. Finding the magic in the world has made me happier and more grateful. I can walk around with sparkling eyes that are no longer dulled from heartache or stress or sadness even though I feel it sometimes. Looking for the magic in the world has brought even more magic into my world. I hope that I can help others see the magic, too. Look for the magic. Sometimes it glitters, but sometimes it's dull, and believe in the magic because those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

so there's my little opinion in case you were wondering.

Oh one more thing- watch General Conference! It's amazing!

happily ever after

Today I got to...(drum roll please)

 skip school! 

wow. that wasn't very exciting. 

but the really exciting part is, I got to skip school because my beautiful cousin Kyra got married today!

aren't they just the cutest?

I love my cousin Kyra, since I moved out here to good ole' P-town, I was kind of on my own. I mean, I have a ton of extended family, but no one from my immediate family and that was kinda scary. 

Kyra basically became my big sister and would bring me with her everywhere, always making sure I was included in everything and inviting me to do fun stuff with her.

That's why I was so so so excited when she and Patrick got engaged because he's awesome and she's awesome...I mean it just all fit!

Kyra took me to her wedding dress fitting and to her bridal pictures because she knows I LOVE that kind of stuff, so it was even more exciting to see them finally get married after I had seen a lot of what was going on behind the scenes. 

During the ceremony, I got to babysit my two little cousins, Ella and Noah.

don't let their extreme cuteness deceive you. they're little rascals. 

Ella is a fairy princess and Noah is the dragon trying to tear down the castle (and he almost always succeeds) hahaha

While I was busy chasing Noah around the waiting room of the temple (all the while he was laughing and snorting, you see he laughs when he snorts, even more than I do and that's a lot) Ella was coloring a picture of the temple and watching the Book of Mormon movie they had playing. Ella came up to me and said "I believe He is," and I was like "who?" and then she said, "I believe He is the Savior"

Isn't that just the best? A little five year old girl coming up to me and telling me "I believe Christ is the Savior" It gives me so much hope for the future. 

Regardless of keeping me on my feet, I love those crazy kids and it was so fun to watch them while Kyra and Patrick were getting married. 

Isn't it so great that we get to be with our families forever? I am so grateful that I will get to be with my crazy and dysfunctional family forever. Forever. Just like a fairy tale, but it's better because it's so true. 

And hey, we might be crazy and dysfunctional but, at least we're fun and dysfunctional!

oh and another best part about them getting married? my mamma got to come! we got to be together all day! oh and she bought me a new pillow! for those who don't know, somehow I managed to completely deflate my pillow (is that even possible?) and it was really sad. I must have some repressed anger issues that I take out on my pillow while I am sleeping or something...

Congrats Kyra and Patrick!

We Believe...

This past weekend almost all of my roommates and I had the opportunity to go into the beautiful Salt Lake City to watch the Relief Society Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have never been to see a session in real life. I always watched it on TV because, well I live in Tennessee. We got to walk around on the beautiful temple grounds and take a afternoon off from school. It was so nice to get off campus. While we were driving home, we decided to stop at my roommate Whitney's house and got to go out to eat! It was so fun!

The moment that President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors, Presidents Eyring and Uchtdorf, their overwhelming spirit flooded the room. They are men of God. President Monson is a true prophet, and the church is so true. If you felt what I felt when they walked in, you too would know there is no denying it.

Look how beautiful the temple is. I'm going there someday :)

Merry Christmas in 87 Days!!