I don't think I can put in words just how amazing Andrew is. I am forever finding more things which I love about him. He is the loveliest, sweetest, kindest most talented guy I know, and I get to have him as my husband.. and he will be father of my children.. and he loves me, respects me, cares for me, trusts me.. I am so blessed, and I do realise it. When we meet people up in York they all tell me how amazing he is, like I wouldn't know.. but I do. I know. Love you always Andrew!
December 23, 2005
December 05, 2005
Thinking...
Played three games of Chess in one afternoon.. and won all 3 times!
I can't believe it! I didn't even think I was that good.. maybe this is my talent. It was a lot of fun though. I really love the Munzer family, can't wait to be properly part of it.
I can't believe it! I didn't even think I was that good.. maybe this is my talent. It was a lot of fun though. I really love the Munzer family, can't wait to be properly part of it.
November 25, 2005
My Favourite Day So Far
Andrew proposed this morning.. he is the most amazing thing that has ever happened in my life. I love him so much.. and I love him more all the time. I can't wait for us to start our future together as husband and wife.
October 29, 2005
Scrabble
It has been a long time since I've played Scrabble. Andrew was a good opponent.. however I did win :D
It was such a close game. At several points we had the same score.. right up till the end.
It was such a close game. At several points we had the same score.. right up till the end.
October 28, 2005
Ever more excited!
Today I got a letter from the Europe Central Area Presidency. It made me so happy!
My favourite part.. and I loved the whole thing, was where it said;
As an extra note.. my favourite scripture of the moment in Romans 1:16, it may actually be my favourite for life! At last I have a reason for choosing one above all others.
My favourite part.. and I loved the whole thing, was where it said;
Come to Europe expecting to see people join the Church. If you do, you will see more people enter the waters of baptism, even a "goodly number." (Mosiah 18:7)I've wanted to expect that, but felt that maybe I shouldn't.. now I know that I should expect that, and I will! I'm so excited, and just hope that I can be as strong, faithful and prepared as this presidency, the prophet and my mission president have expressed in their letters. I really want to be the best missionary I can be.
As an extra note.. my favourite scripture of the moment in Romans 1:16, it may actually be my favourite for life! At last I have a reason for choosing one above all others.
October 13, 2005
Running with Angels
Tonight we had a Stake Relief Society meeting. It was amazing! I felt the Spirit as we sang, as we listened to presentations and testimonies and spent time with each other.Our Stake RS Presidency have decided to set us a goal to raise the bar in our physical fitness. Inspiration was taken from the book Running with Angels. There is to be a sponsered run in May 2006 for all the women in the Stake. Everyone was challenged to prepare for that day, and walk, jog or run it better than they could today. I'm sad that I wont be in the Stake to participate but excited for the challange anyway.
I hope Lorna joins in!
October 11, 2005
Enjoying Life
It's been a while since I blogged.. I've just been enjoying life! Last night me and Andrew cooked Moussaka (Greek food) for friends. It was really lovely. Food was good, company was better!
Thank you Andrew!
Thank you Andrew!
October 01, 2005
Greek Alphabet
I still can't believe I have to learn Greek! Take a look at some...
Greek Church Website
Scary! but also very fun! There are so many good websites to learn from. At the moment I'm using this one, along with others.
Greek! Seriously.. that's all I keep saying in my head...
Oh! and take a look at Romans 1:16 I always liked this scripture,
but now even more than before.
Greek Church Website
Scary! but also very fun! There are so many good websites to learn from. At the moment I'm using this one, along with others.
Greek! Seriously.. that's all I keep saying in my head...
Oh! and take a look at Romans 1:16 I always liked this scripture,
but now even more than before.
September 26, 2005
Got my call!
I'm going to Greece! I can't believe it!
I need to learn Greek. Madness!
Wow! I can't wait!
I need to learn Greek. Madness!
Wow! I can't wait!
September 21, 2005
Still waiting
...so it didn't come today.. oh well! maybe tomorrow! I'm so excited, I just can't hide it! :D
September 20, 2005
Mission Call
I am sooooo excited!!!! Bishop called today to let me know that Stake President had my mission call.. he knows where and when I will be going. So, Bishop gave me his number to find out too.. but I just got his answer phone. Then.. he called back! But said that he couldn't tell me, I had to wait to get my call myself... so now I'm waiting. Very excitedly waiting :D
September 19, 2005
Lorny Time
Had a bit of Lorny Time recently. It was really great! It was quite a different holiday for us. Much more relaxed, lots of quiet time, reflecting, enjoying, being amazed by the world around us. It was a needed break.. I'd recommend it.
September 13, 2005
Stars
It is amazing to think about how much we understand about the stars, and yet there is so much more we don't.
Stars are amazing! Our world is amazing!
Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
How Great thou Art!
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
How Great thou Art!
September 12, 2005
Time
It is a strange thing, time. At work an hour can go past so slowly, waiting for the time to leave. At other times it can go so quick, when you have too much to do. Spending time with friends can go by without even noticing quick or slow, just enjoying each moment.
I should spend my time more wisely.
I should spend my time more wisely.
September 10, 2005
What a fantastic weekend!
I have had a really busy, but amazingly brilliant weekend. I love the Temple! and I love to talk with friends about the Gospel, who are as excited about it as I am. To round off the day, Tom got baptised! It was just lovely to be there with him. He is such a great guy.
September 08, 2005
My birthday!
Today has been great! There are so many good people in my life right now. I am so thankful for each and every one. I really wasn't expecting too much from my birthday this year.. I hadn't really planned anything, or thought about it too much. I think that made a real difference every small thing just made me feel good. I've loved it!
I also managed to tell work today about my leaving to serve a full-time mission. I had been worrying about what to say, but it went really well, and everyone was really happy for me.
What a great day! Thank you everyone!
I also managed to tell work today about my leaving to serve a full-time mission. I had been worrying about what to say, but it went really well, and everyone was really happy for me.
What a great day! Thank you everyone!
September 06, 2005
Mi Amiga Lorna
Tengo una amiga que se llama Lorna. Lorna vive en Montacute lejos de Bristol. Yo vivo en Bristol.
Ayer, conseguimos ir y visitar con Lorna. ¡Fantástico!
Ayer, conseguimos ir y visitar con Lorna. ¡Fantástico!
September 04, 2005
Today was a good day
I had one of those lovely days today.. The sun was shining, the lessons at church made me think, I felt of the Spirit.. and then I got to spend time with friends. It had been a while since I'd seen Nathan, so it was nice to see him again. Ceriss cooked a wonderful roast, and Tom asked me to talk at his baptism. It was just a wonderful day!
In our testimony meeting today I was struck more than ever of the importance of actually sharing a testimony. There were some, as there always are which were lectures or stories, and during those times, even if I did learn a little, I didn't feel of the Spirit as strongly as when someone simply spoke of their beliefs in Christ and His teachings. I love feeling the Spirit so strongly that my heart pounds.. and that happened today! I think it was my heart which really made me feel the difference in peoples testimonies. It was amazing!
In our testimony meeting today I was struck more than ever of the importance of actually sharing a testimony. There were some, as there always are which were lectures or stories, and during those times, even if I did learn a little, I didn't feel of the Spirit as strongly as when someone simply spoke of their beliefs in Christ and His teachings. I love feeling the Spirit so strongly that my heart pounds.. and that happened today! I think it was my heart which really made me feel the difference in peoples testimonies. It was amazing!
September 03, 2005
Collection of quotes...
I'm trying to sort out my room today. I need to decide what to keep, what to give or throw away. I always quite enjoy finding things in my room that I had forgotten about. I've found some scribblings of quotes from books that I have read, or talks I have heard, and thought I would include them in a blog.
Temple and Cosmos - Hugh Nibley
"Without light, matter is inert and helpless."
"matter is to be acted upon. You can't blame it for making you sin, ... matter is inert. We make the matter act; it doesn't make us act."
"without the ordinances, one has no way of controlling matter, for such control begins with the control of one's self."
"Glory is shared intelligence."
"It is better to be ignorant and interested than ignorant and not interested, and there's no 3rd alternative here. We're ignorant in any case, so you might as well be ignorant and interested in these things."
"There is nothing superfluous anywhere."
"When is something proven? When you believe it!"
"...remember it is an act of faith to believe our senses..."
Meek and Lowly - Neal A Maxwell
"...meekness is needed in order to be spiritually successful..."
"...serious disciples are urged not only to do good, but also not to grow weary of doing good."
"We are urged not only to speak the truth, but also to speak the truth in love." [Eph 4:15]
"Righteous sorrow and suffering carve cavities in the soul that will become later reservoirs of joy!"
"The capacity to lead is associated with the capacity to learn..."
"But long before our knees willingly bend, there must be genuine intellectual humity."
"Humbleness of mind is the initiater of expensiveness of mind."
"...the truth will be resented less when the messenger is meek..."
To Draw Closer to God - Henry B Eyring
"...hear the voice of God in words of the weak and the simple..."
"What the sunshine is to the field and to the flowers the Spirit is to the life of man."
"Your problem and mine is not to get God to speak to us... Our problem is to hear."
"Listen with the intent to obey, then obey."
"Rememberance is the seed of gratitude, which is the seed of generousity."
"...the Holy Ghost will come, not because of one great moment, but because of many little moments of submission."
"His faith reassured him that someday, when God told him how it was all done, he would see all truth as perfectly logical, transparently reasonable. In the meantime he was enjoying discovering what he could with the logic he could muster."
"We may be tempted to be too indirect in our bearing of testimony. You do not have to speak loudly or long. But you must be clear."
"...the effect of sincere prayer and of careful scripture study is to always feel an urging to do things... Real spiritual sight comes to the heart softened by obedience."
Spiritual Roots - Stephen R Covey
"True knowledge is a state of being."
"Continually choose highest good over lesser good and evil."
"...admission of our ignorance is often the first step in our education."
"Listening involves patience, openess and the desire to understand."
"Mind versus mattress!"
"He didn't just say this is the truth. He said, 'I am the truth'."
"Spirituality... a consciousness of victory over self."
"...become a light to people, and not their judges."
"...trust is the highest form of human motivation."
"True communication is a two way process... It is not the importance of the subject so much as the depth of interest that matters... meanings are not found in words... (but) people."
"The highest principle in the Gospel is love of God and people, not love of the principles."
Minds, Brains and Science - John Searle
"...perception is a function of expectation."
How to be totally miserable - John Bytheway
"People eventually become what they think about..."
"Happy people know that activity and depression are opposites."
"The righteous rejoice while the miserable murmer."
"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions"
Temple and Cosmos - Hugh Nibley
"Without light, matter is inert and helpless."
"matter is to be acted upon. You can't blame it for making you sin, ... matter is inert. We make the matter act; it doesn't make us act."
"without the ordinances, one has no way of controlling matter, for such control begins with the control of one's self."
"Glory is shared intelligence."
"It is better to be ignorant and interested than ignorant and not interested, and there's no 3rd alternative here. We're ignorant in any case, so you might as well be ignorant and interested in these things."
"There is nothing superfluous anywhere."
"When is something proven? When you believe it!"
"...remember it is an act of faith to believe our senses..."
Meek and Lowly - Neal A Maxwell
"...meekness is needed in order to be spiritually successful..."
"...serious disciples are urged not only to do good, but also not to grow weary of doing good."
"We are urged not only to speak the truth, but also to speak the truth in love." [Eph 4:15]
"Righteous sorrow and suffering carve cavities in the soul that will become later reservoirs of joy!"
"The capacity to lead is associated with the capacity to learn..."
"But long before our knees willingly bend, there must be genuine intellectual humity."
"Humbleness of mind is the initiater of expensiveness of mind."
"...the truth will be resented less when the messenger is meek..."
To Draw Closer to God - Henry B Eyring
"...hear the voice of God in words of the weak and the simple..."
"What the sunshine is to the field and to the flowers the Spirit is to the life of man."
"Your problem and mine is not to get God to speak to us... Our problem is to hear."
"Listen with the intent to obey, then obey."
"Rememberance is the seed of gratitude, which is the seed of generousity."
"...the Holy Ghost will come, not because of one great moment, but because of many little moments of submission."
"His faith reassured him that someday, when God told him how it was all done, he would see all truth as perfectly logical, transparently reasonable. In the meantime he was enjoying discovering what he could with the logic he could muster."
"We may be tempted to be too indirect in our bearing of testimony. You do not have to speak loudly or long. But you must be clear."
"...the effect of sincere prayer and of careful scripture study is to always feel an urging to do things... Real spiritual sight comes to the heart softened by obedience."
Spiritual Roots - Stephen R Covey
"True knowledge is a state of being."
"Continually choose highest good over lesser good and evil."
"...admission of our ignorance is often the first step in our education."
"Listening involves patience, openess and the desire to understand."
"Mind versus mattress!"
"He didn't just say this is the truth. He said, 'I am the truth'."
"Spirituality... a consciousness of victory over self."
"...become a light to people, and not their judges."
"...trust is the highest form of human motivation."
"True communication is a two way process... It is not the importance of the subject so much as the depth of interest that matters... meanings are not found in words... (but) people."
"The highest principle in the Gospel is love of God and people, not love of the principles."
Minds, Brains and Science - John Searle
"...perception is a function of expectation."
How to be totally miserable - John Bytheway
"People eventually become what they think about..."
"Happy people know that activity and depression are opposites."
"The righteous rejoice while the miserable murmer."
"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions"
[Oliver Wendall Holmes]
"Happy people love to learn."
"FEAR - False Expectations Appearing Real"
"He who waits for roast duck to fly into mouth must wait very long time."
"It's hard to keep frowning when you know someone else is smiling because of you."
Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenance - Pirzig
"personality... intuitive sum total of everything you know and feel about it."
"...condemnation of technology is ingratitiude..."
"Familiarity can blind you too."
"Did Einstein really mean to state that truth was a function of time?"
"How amazing it is that everything in the universe can be described by the 26 written characters..." [Or infact by only 2 states, computers use binary.]
"Mental reflection os so much more interesting than TV it's a shame more people don't switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is."
"If you got to ask what is it all the time, you'll never get time to know."
"Stuckness shouldn't be avoided. It's the psychic predecessor of all real understanding."
"Enthousiasmos -> enthuasiasm -> 'filled with thoeos', God or Quality"
"It's amazing the number of mistakes a little light can prevent."
An Inventor in the Garden of Eden - Eric Laithwaite
"...although no-one believes a scientific hypothesis except its author, everyone believes an experiment except those who performed it."
"...wisdom, in fact, dwells in the Arts..."
"...we shall never understand why masses are attracted to each other. Calling it 'gravity' only names it. Likewise we shall never understand electromagnetism, not even electric current, in the sense we understand why actions are taken as the result of of jealousy, compassion, greed or almost any of the so-called abstract things."
"For what shall it profit humans, if they know the Origin of the Universe but lose their ability to use it?"
"If a man and an earwig both fall over a cliff, the man falls to his death, the earwig floats down unharmed. But if instead both are soaked with water, the man will suffer little ill effect but the earwig will most certainly drown."
"The force of analogy is this, that it refers what is doubtful to something like it which is not in question."
"Nothing is impossible, but the probability of their happening lies between a googol and a googolplex."
Mathematics - The Science of Patterns - Keith Devlin
"Mathematical symbols are no more mathematics that musical notation is music."
"Three points either lie on a straight line or lie in a circle."
I think I got a little carried away.. and I didn't even type them all out.. there is so much interesting stuff out there to read! WOW!
"FEAR - False Expectations Appearing Real"
"He who waits for roast duck to fly into mouth must wait very long time."
"It's hard to keep frowning when you know someone else is smiling because of you."
Zen and the Art of Motorcylce Maintenance - Pirzig
"personality... intuitive sum total of everything you know and feel about it."
"...condemnation of technology is ingratitiude..."
"Familiarity can blind you too."
"Did Einstein really mean to state that truth was a function of time?"
"How amazing it is that everything in the universe can be described by the 26 written characters..." [Or infact by only 2 states, computers use binary.]
"Mental reflection os so much more interesting than TV it's a shame more people don't switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is."
"If you got to ask what is it all the time, you'll never get time to know."
"Stuckness shouldn't be avoided. It's the psychic predecessor of all real understanding."
"Enthousiasmos -> enthuasiasm -> 'filled with thoeos', God or Quality"
"It's amazing the number of mistakes a little light can prevent."
An Inventor in the Garden of Eden - Eric Laithwaite
"...although no-one believes a scientific hypothesis except its author, everyone believes an experiment except those who performed it."
"...wisdom, in fact, dwells in the Arts..."
"...we shall never understand why masses are attracted to each other. Calling it 'gravity' only names it. Likewise we shall never understand electromagnetism, not even electric current, in the sense we understand why actions are taken as the result of of jealousy, compassion, greed or almost any of the so-called abstract things."
"For what shall it profit humans, if they know the Origin of the Universe but lose their ability to use it?"
"If a man and an earwig both fall over a cliff, the man falls to his death, the earwig floats down unharmed. But if instead both are soaked with water, the man will suffer little ill effect but the earwig will most certainly drown."
"The force of analogy is this, that it refers what is doubtful to something like it which is not in question."
"Nothing is impossible, but the probability of their happening lies between a googol and a googolplex."
Mathematics - The Science of Patterns - Keith Devlin
"Mathematical symbols are no more mathematics that musical notation is music."
"Three points either lie on a straight line or lie in a circle."
I think I got a little carried away.. and I didn't even type them all out.. there is so much interesting stuff out there to read! WOW!
Salsa!
Fantastic! Great! Loadsa fun!
Learn Salsa online
Dancing is one of the best things ever! I will really miss dancing while on my mission... I still can't decide on my favourite style. Salsa is great though.. but Jive can be done to such a wide variety of music. Jive throws are fun! I just love to dance!
August 31, 2005
Waiting for Godot
This evening I went to see a play. The theatre was amazing! We didn't have the best seats, but I think that led to a more exciting evening.. I really felt part of it all by needing to lean over to peer down at the amazing actors. I don't think I really got the whole idea of the play.. but it definately had some interesting things for me to think about.In an analysis of the play it said "Time is equivalent to what is announced in the title: the act of waiting", I find that quite an interesting statement. I guess we often spend a lot of time just waiting. However I feel that we shouldn't do this.. let us get on with life.. let us do what in the play they didn't do so well. Get on with doing something useful. I think this links in so well with the advice that Elder Oaks and again this weekend Sister Lund had, especially the Young Women in the church.. don't wait around for marriage, it may be the most important thing to do, but don't just wait for it to happen. Do something, and do it well.
August 29, 2005
Manchester YSA Convention 2005
What a great weekend! Haven't got time to write much more than that right now.. but yeah, it was great!
August 24, 2005
What a great day!
I just feel so blessed to have the Gospel in my life right now, and most especially to have met someone who is so excited to be learning about it. Tom is such a great person, he really wants to learn. It feels like we've known him for ages, but in fact it's been less than a week since we first met him. It's getting me even more excited about serving a mission.. it just feels so great to share such wonderful truths with someone who really wants to know about it.
John Travolta!
I think John Travolta is great! I've loved him in sooo many films.. I bought a DVD today for 97p from Tesco's called The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, I bought it because he was in it.. but I watched it, even though it was late, cos it was actually a really good story. I bought a couple of others too.. wonder what they will be like....
August 22, 2005
Couple at the Temple
Corinne and Ed are married! It was such a lovely day.. I'm so glad that I know the importance and beauty of marriage. Bishop Balloch said wise words at their wedding ceremony and I hope i remember them when it comes the time for me to be married. He talked of covenants, mostly those we make with our Heavenly Father, and then he spoke of the marriage covenant and of the importance of realising that with these promises we make, we can not rely on the other person to be perfect and make up what we don't do, we need to work together. We need to be odedient, and we need to be faithful.
August 20, 2005
Animation
My dad showed me a link to this page this morning.. Thought I would share my favourite on it so far.
Hope you enjoy!
Hope you enjoy!
August 18, 2005
Meeting old friends and new
Tonight was really great! Andora taught a beautiful lesson about the Spirit, which was felt by all. It was Tom's first time meeting with the YSA in Bristol and he seemed to really enjoy it, it was a great lesson for him. He is so happy, it was great! Now I'm just waiting for this weekend. It's my friends wedding, so that's quite exciting! Can't believe it has come along so quick! I'm so excited to see all the friends who will be there :D
August 17, 2005
Imaginary Numbers
I was reminded today of a book I read at school, Fermat's Last Theorum by Simon Singh. I love this book.. it reminded me all about the amazingness of maths, just thinking about it today. I was looking forward to going home, and picking out some good bits to re-read.. but I've already packed it, and sent it home. Oh well.. I found lots of cool stuff to be looking at on Simon Singh's website. Why not take a look?
August 16, 2005
Perspective
It's a very interesting thing, the way that we look at life. Everyone sees everything differently. I often see things differently to myself at a later stage.. however we still expect others to understand what we do see.. am I making any sense?
The most amazing thing, is that no matter how we see things.. our Heavenly Father knows.
The most amazing thing, is that no matter how we see things.. our Heavenly Father knows.
August 14, 2005
Layde Bay
I didn't know what to blog about today.. but I was looking at some flickr photos and this is taken quite nearby to where I live, I've never been there.. but isn't it beautiful! There are so many beautiful places in our world.
It was a lovely evening this evening. We had our Family Home Evening at Andrews place tonight, it was really lovely.
It was a lovely evening this evening. We had our Family Home Evening at Andrews place tonight, it was really lovely.
The 4 of us
OK.. so it isn't the best photo in the world, but we're all in it! Luckily it did stop raining long enough for us to take a few photos before we went home.
What a great day!
What a great day!
August 12, 2005
Off to the Temple
I'm leaving for Preston. It is going to be a great weekend! Next time I post a photo of Preston Temple it will be one of my own :D
I am soooo close to sending off my mission papers now!
Life goes on...
I actually already blogged today before I went out, it was about obedience.. maybe I'll write something about that some other time. It's too late now to really think.. went to the Bristol Balloon Fiesta this evening.. lot of fun.. We were all taking photos! :D
August 09, 2005
Crossing the roads
I've been labelling my photos on flickr and I am reminded of how amazing going to General Conference was. Wow! Conference was actually no different. The meanings of the messages, the Spirit, my involvement in Conference, however being amongst all those people, seeing the Temple as I walk out of the Conference Center, the amazingness of the Conference Center.. bumping into people I know. I loved it! This was my second visit, and hopefully I'll make it again someday.
August 08, 2005
The Lighthouse Family
I hadn't listened to The Lighthouse Family in ages. It made me happy to hear it again. I had a good day today! Nothing particularly amazing happened.. Just my ordinary life, but things made me smile more than usual. I love learning Spanish!
August 07, 2005
Cutest photo
All my neices are cute.. but this photo is great! I am so blessed to have such a great family around me. They are all such great examples to me. My parents, siblings, siblings-in-law, neices, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.. wow! so many people, and I can learn something from each of them. Family's are the BEST!
“Go Ye into All the World, and Preach My Gospel”
I am teaching the Sunday School lesson in my ward tomorrow. So, this evening I have been finishing off my preparations. I was going to put that it had been a while since I taught a lesson.. but then I realised that what I really meant was it has been a while since I've taught a lesson which wasn't for YSA or seminary. I've really enjoyed preparing it. I've studied a little off topic at times, but hopefully it will all go OK tommorow.My attempt for an early night has failed miserably again tonight.. however the other morning, even though I was REALLY tired and no-one else was up early in my house, I did get up! And I will continue too.
August 04, 2005
In need of sleep...
I keep promising myself that I will get to bed earlier, so I really need to do that. I was reading the other day about Integrity being the opposite of honesty.. let me explain that one! Honesty is speaking the truth about what has happened. Integrity is speaking and making that be the truth. OK, maybe I didn't word it quite right.. but I know what I mean. We need to make and keep promises! Generally I think I'm quite good at this.. apart from when the promise only involves me. I can quite easily get up in the morning to study my scriptures when I am teaching a seminary class, or when I've arranged to study with a friend, or when I have some lesson or talk to prepare and that's my only time.. but when it's just study for me, I tend to justify that it would be better for me to have a little more sleep now and study later. Then later I'm really annoyed at myself. Maybe now I've recorded this, it may help me to keep to my promises! Goodnight.
August 03, 2005
I was listening to a speech by Elder Neal A Maxwell on my way home from work today.. It was a really good talk. Meekly Drenched in Destiny... I'll have to listen to it again a few times to really remember it all, but one thing stuck out to me.. and it wasn't the most important, but it linked into a blog I was reading the other day. I wanted to link to it.. but I can't find it. It was a poem someone had written called "1 or 3?" Anyway.. here is a quote from the talk;"In that premortal council, wherein Jesus meekly volunteered to aid the Father's plan, He said, "Here am I, send me" (Abraham 3:27). It was one of those special moments when a few words are preferred to many. Never has one individual offered, in so few words, to do so much for so many as did Jesus when He meekly proffered Himself as ransom for us, billions and billions of us!
In contrast, we see in ourselves, brothers and sisters, the unnecessary multiplication of words--not only a lack of clarity, but vanity. Our verbosity is often a cover for insincerity or uncertainty. Meekness, the subtraction of self, reduces the multiplication of words."
So, after that.. what more have I to say? Goodnight.
August 02, 2005
Tornado
Found out today that yesterday there was actually almost a tornado near Bristol. Check it out. Glad I only got rained on, and not spun around.It's weird how in life we often don't realise just how great things are compared to how they could be. I was reading today about empathy. Covey talked about how empathy is understanding someone intellectually and emotionally, not just having been through a similar experience. I was trying to think, have I ever really done this? Do I ever actually try to understand someones situation by being them? or do I only try to sympathise.. by linking it to something similar that I have experienced? or by imagining what it would be like if I went through a similar situation? Empathy really is an amazing thing to acheive and I guess we can never do it perfectly.. but we can try.. and we can know that our Saviour has and will empathise with me for every situation that I have or will ever be in. Amazing! That's why such comfort and peace can come from knowing what the atonement really was.
August 01, 2005
Rain
I got very wet on my cycle home from work today. It started as a drizzle, quite pleasent actually. I didn't have a coat, but I did have my waterproof trousers, luckily. I was also wearing shoes that let the water straight in.. I was cycling in puddles. Half way home it just poured out of the sky, I haven't been in that much rain in ages!
July 31, 2005
Good Fun, Good times
Well.. my blog has missed a couple of days because I've been away having fun with friends and family. On friday I went to visit Lorna in Montacute. She's all grown up and has her own little cottage in a cute little village. It was lovely just to walk around the gardens and chat. It was great.Then it was off to Bournemouth for a suprise birthday party for my Dad. He'll be 60 soon! Lots of family and lots of fun. My neices just get cuter and cuter.
July 28, 2005
Love
Someone sent me a forwarded email today entitled 'A Child's Definition of Love' there was a lot of comments, some were really funny.. and true! but this definition stuck out most to me,
"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.
But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."Jessica - age 8
July 27, 2005
Puzzlement
...bafflement, befuddlement, bemusement, bewilderment, mystification, obfuscation
confusedness, disarray, mental confusion, confusion, perplexity, bewilderedness, daze, discombobulation, fog, muddle, stupefaction, stupor...
"There are times I almost think
I am not sure of what I absolutely know.
Very often find confusion
In conclusion I concluded long ago."
..I'm glad I don't always feel this way!
confusedness, disarray, mental confusion, confusion, perplexity, bewilderedness, daze, discombobulation, fog, muddle, stupefaction, stupor...
"There are times I almost think
I am not sure of what I absolutely know.
Very often find confusion
In conclusion I concluded long ago."
..I'm glad I don't always feel this way!
July 26, 2005
Mission Possible
Well.. My papers are almost off. I had my interview with Stake President this evening and all went well.. I do need to go back and get an extra test done at the doctors, but either way my forms will be sent off within a week.
I'm so excitied! Everyone keeps giving me advice.. so I thought I might record a couple of the ones that I remember right now.
I'm so excitied! Everyone keeps giving me advice.. so I thought I might record a couple of the ones that I remember right now.
- Simply Obedience - Be 100% obedient
- Learn from your companions
- Love the people
- Make the most of it
July 25, 2005
Espanol
Hablo un poco de espanol :D
I had my first spanish lesson after work today. It was quite scary, the teacher kept speaking spanish! It was fun though - can't wait for the next one. (We are following the BBC course.)
Generally us English are quite poor at learning other languages. I have always been really impressed with the quality of language learning in all the european countries I have visited, and hope that one day us British will do the same.
I had my first spanish lesson after work today. It was quite scary, the teacher kept speaking spanish! It was fun though - can't wait for the next one. (We are following the BBC course.)
Generally us English are quite poor at learning other languages. I have always been really impressed with the quality of language learning in all the european countries I have visited, and hope that one day us British will do the same.
July 24, 2005
Symbols
"...symbols are important. They direct, concentrate, discipline, and inform the thought. To be effective, thought must be so motivated and directed... successful performance is directly related to the power of concentration, to the will, to the desire, to total interest and involvement. The person has to be excited; then he can do amazing things... The mind can do astonishing things just by thought. It is a matter of concentrating and ordering it."
Amazing! That quote said it all.
Amazing! That quote said it all.
July 23, 2005
All is well
OK.. so it doesn't look exactly like RS, but that was the idea. Today we had a summer social event with Relief Society. We went to the Malvern Hills, Benbows Farm and then to Gadfield Elm Chapel. It was a wonderful day full of fun and beautiful scenery.
We talked about a lot of people that had a part in the history of the Church from our own land. I am so thankful for all that have made it possible for me to have what I do now. I was especially impressed today with a thankfulness for those of the United Brethren, who although they did not know the fullness of the Gospel were united in searching for that truth. And when they heard that truth, they knew it. I already know the truth of so many things, yet I really felt that I need to do more of this searching.. and realising.
July 22, 2005
July 21, 2005
To Know God
"We need to know God more fully, in order to love Him more deeply and obey him more completely"
- Jeffrey R Holland
When I heard this it just resonates as truth. It also works in reverse, because when we keep His commandments and love Him, we learn to be more like Him and therefore know Him. (1 John 2:3-6).
NB. The Jeffrey R Holland talk this was taken from was 'The Grandeur of God' from a General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in October 2003. You can read or listen to it it many languages.
Check it out.
- Jeffrey R Holland
When I heard this it just resonates as truth. It also works in reverse, because when we keep His commandments and love Him, we learn to be more like Him and therefore know Him. (1 John 2:3-6).
NB. The Jeffrey R Holland talk this was taken from was 'The Grandeur of God' from a General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in October 2003. You can read or listen to it it many languages.
Check it out.
points of view
You know what? I really love people.. I mean, as much as I love the world around me and think that science, technology, nature, the functions of the human body, mathematics are all amazing, people are the best. What would the world be like without people to interact with. Understanding another persons point of view can open up a whole world without even moving. Our minds are amazing things! Thoughts, feelings, emotions.. WOW! To live in a beautiful world, with all the 'things' you could ever imagine would just never compare to sharing a moment with someone you love, holding a hand, giving a hug.. interacting and coming to understand another being who is like yourself. We really are blessed to have so much in our lives. Our Heavenly Father really knows whats best and how we can experience joy. He knows it all and yet at times I really don't get that. I constantly need reminders.. like a snooze alarm every 5 minutes - that might do the trick.
July 20, 2005
Words
"...we are generally conscious of the role of language in shaping rather than merely reflecting our realities..."
Words can mean so much. Words can hurt and words can uplift.. but is that statement really true? Do they shape our reality? Language is a difficult thing to define. I think the scripture in D&C 50 is true, we can only really understand fully when we communicate with the Spirit. Interestingly though, speaking or writing my feelings, putting thoughts into words often helps me to feel them more...
Words can mean so much. Words can hurt and words can uplift.. but is that statement really true? Do they shape our reality? Language is a difficult thing to define. I think the scripture in D&C 50 is true, we can only really understand fully when we communicate with the Spirit. Interestingly though, speaking or writing my feelings, putting thoughts into words often helps me to feel them more...
July 19, 2005
Gorgeous
The world around us is so amazing.. its at sights like this that I truely realise. Breathtaking. I am always reminded of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art' when I see such beauty around me.
I was reading recently President Hinckleys book 'Standing for Something' where he talks about Gratitude. He says about gratitude "..it is a divine principle. I doubt there is anything in which we more offend the Almighty than in our tendency to forget His mercies and to be ungratefuk for that which He has given us." (Also see D&C 59:21)
I am so thankful for the world around me, the beauty of the world, the amazingness of our minds and bodies, for families and friends, for learning and for the Gospel. I am so thankful for the love that I can feel from my Heavenly Father and from my Saviour Jesus Christ. If only I could remember to be this thankful every moment of my day. I'll try!
I was reading recently President Hinckleys book 'Standing for Something' where he talks about Gratitude. He says about gratitude "..it is a divine principle. I doubt there is anything in which we more offend the Almighty than in our tendency to forget His mercies and to be ungratefuk for that which He has given us." (Also see D&C 59:21)
I am so thankful for the world around me, the beauty of the world, the amazingness of our minds and bodies, for families and friends, for learning and for the Gospel. I am so thankful for the love that I can feel from my Heavenly Father and from my Saviour Jesus Christ. If only I could remember to be this thankful every moment of my day. I'll try!
July 17, 2005
the start
Well.. here goes. My first day of blogging is also my last day of living with my bestest friend Lorny the Sloth. O the days and nights of fun we have had.. things will never be the same. We have had so many end of an era times recently its not funny.. but this one, although bigger than all the rest has left me just waiting for times to come. Hopefully my mission papers will be posted soon.. I'm so excited!
Miss you already Lorny.
Miss you already Lorny.
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