Goodbye!

So this is my last required blog post, and I know I said that I like blogging, but considering how busy I am right now this will probably be the last time you here from me.

Here is the thought that keeps cycling through my mind: I cannot believe how fast this semester has gone by.

I was looking forward to being done with school for a while, but I didn't see how close the end really was. This semester has been crazy hard, but I am going to miss it. Well I don’t know if “miss it” is the best way to describe my feelings... I think it is better to say that I am grateful for this semester because it has taught me a lot about myself. I learned what I wanted to do in school and I try to set plans for the future. I made the huge decision to go on a mission, and I cannot wait to serve the Lord (I submit my papers at the beginning of May!). This semester I have been blessed to have amazing individuals come into my life that have taught me so much, and I have also learned from relationships that I have lost. I know that things happen for a reason and that people come into our lives with a purpose.

I don’t know everything, not even close, but I know that I am stronger because of this year and what I have learned. I know that God has a purpose for me and I cannot wait to serve Him, not only on my mission, but throughout my life!

Running Update

A few weeks ago I set a goal to complete a marathon, so I thought I would give you an update. Now before you start being proud of me, I definitely haven’t done that yet… BUT I am getting back into the running game. That may not seem like a big deal, but it is for me because I am not a runner in any way, shape, or form. In fact I have not run since last year when I completed my half marathon in Moab, Utah. I haven’t been running because, honestly, I didn’t have a very good experience with my first half haha I “hit the wall” early on in the race, meaning that I ran out of physical and emotional stamina, and so I struggled to finish. After I finished and collapsed on the ground my grinning dad looked over at me and said “See Ani! Wasn’t that fun?” At that point I resolved to never run again because that wasn’t my idea of fun.

I was doing pretty well with my resolve, until... the “freshmen 15” started coming. Not running is nice, but the punishments to your body from not running are no fun at all. So that’s why I’ve made it my goal to start running again. I officially made my father sign up for the “Top of Utah” half marathon with me so I have something to work towards. Runners, here I come!

Brother Kipischke

Brother Kipischke’s (again, not sure on the spelling) talk on how to be accepted of the Lord was inspirational. He started out by telling the congregation about his father. He said that no matter what happened or how mad his dad got, he always knew that his dad loved him. He talked about how this feeling of love and acceptance is essential for human beings and how we often try to fulfill that need in earthly ways. He continued to say that the only way to truly feel this acceptance is to know that our Heavenly Father and brother, Jesus Christ, love us. Brother Kipischke testified that Heavenly Father and Christ love us because of our hearts. They love us for what we are and for what we are trying to become, and they are therefore the only people to whom we should seek acceptance.

These are the notes I tool on how Brother Kipischke said we can know we are accepted:

1.                          Know that are hearts are honest and broken through honest self-reflection. When the Savior knocks, we hear that knock on our heart, and we open.

2.                          Know that are spirits are contrite. It is shown by our willingness and humble to act. We are willing to pray “Not my will, but Thine be done”.

3.                          Observe our covenants through sacrifice. Having the Holy Ghost is our constant companion is the ultimate manifestation of our acceptance by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

Brother Fallabella

Brother Fallabella (I think that is how you spell his name) gave a beautiful talk about strengthening marriage. Since I am not married and do not plan to be for a little while, I chose to focus on how his advice can apply to the relationships in my life currently. My favorite line from Brother Fallabella’s talk was when he said that “It takes two people to contend, and I will never be one of them.” That is such a powerful commitment, and one I hope to be able to keep some day.

“Contention is of the devil.” If your family was anything like mine this is something you probably heard frequently while growing up. And yes it is true, but sometimes it is so hard! I know how difficult it can be to “be the bigger person” or to choose to forgive, but I also know that is what we are supposed to do. I am trying to honor Brother Fallabella’s commitment, because I know that when I let contention and anger rule my life I am miserable. Forgiving those who have offended you is so liberating and it allows you to feel the spirit more freely. I know that choosing to be kind is always better, because that is what Christ did. 

Elder Oaks

Elder Oaks gave a great talk on being a dedicated disciple of Christ. My favorite line was when he said “following Christ is not a casual commitment. It is something that we do at all times, in all things, and in all places.” Isn’t that amazing? I think that sometimes we view the Gospel as one section of our life, that has a time and a place to be thought about and acted upon, which simply is not true. The Gospel is not a section of our lives; it is what defines our lives.

That is what I believe at least. I am not saying that every moment of everyday my life is dedicated to the Gospel, because I am imperfect and so I slip up a lot.  I am saying, however, that the Gospel helps me define my life. The Gospel helps me understand my life by teaching me why things happen to me and why certain people come into my life. Most importantly the Gospel tells me who I should become and gives me hope about what my future holds when I follow the commandments of the Lord. Elder oaks emphasized the importance of following the commandments when he said that “Christ’s teachings were never supposed to be theoretical; they were always supposed to be acted on.” I loved this section of his talk because it shows that action is key; in order to become a disciple of Christ we have to be willing to do what He asks of us.

Elder Holland

Let’s be honest, Elder Holland is amazing. I know we are not supposed to pick favorites speakers and I love every talk in General Conference because it is inspired, but I can’t help love the power with which Elder Holland speaks. He is a powerhouse. When he testifies he is bold and never backs down, and his fearless example is very important to me.

This conference Elder Holland gave a great talk about the power of believing. For me, the most powerful thing he talked about was being grateful for our belief instead of being ashamed that we don’t know. Elder Holland said “Never apologize for just believing”; belief leads to knowledge and it shows that you are trying. This was very assuring to me because I often feel inadequate in my gospel knowledge surrounded by so many great church members here at BYU. Elder Holland helped me realize that I don’t have to know everything yet, but as long as I believe and strive to do what the Lord desires I can be blessed.

Another important lesson I learned from Elder Holland’s talk is that you should not focus solely on your disbelief.  When you pray it is important to come to God with your questions, but you must not forget what you have already been blessed with—belief. Elder Holland testified that we have more faith than we think we do; we should not be so hard on ourselves when we don’t have a perfect knowledge yet because the point of this life is to learn.

President Monson

(For extra credit)

President Monson also talked about the importance of obedience, and his was one of my favorite talks from the entire conference. I especially loved his example of him setting a field on fire when he was just eight years old. He said that he was not allowed to use matches, but he knew where they were and so he did it anyway. He thought for some reason that the fire would stop once it had done its intended duty of burning a small section of weeds. Unfortunately it did not and soon the entire field was ablaze and he and his friend were forced to run for help. These are some of the parallels I drew from that story:

“We were not allowed to use matches, but I knew where they were kept”— there are rules in place to protect us. Those rules are the commandments, and obedience to them brings spiritual protection.

“I recall thinking that the fire would only burn as far as we wanted, and then magically stop” — People think that they can simply “stop” in deep sin. Far too often we try to get as close to the edge as possible and set the “line” which we will not cross at the absolute last point of safety. Instead we should draw the line which we will not cross before the first sign of transgression; draw the line before the danger starts. Stay as far away from danger as possible. We should not push the limits and do things we know will lead to greater sin.

“We realized there was nothing we could do to stop it, we had to run for help” — when you do fall into transgression, you cannot stop the “fire,” or sin, by yourself. You must go to God for help, through taking advantage of the Atonement. For serious sins we must run to our Bishop for help

Elder Perry

(For extra credit)

During this conference I noticed that there was a larger emphasis on complete obedience to God’s commandments, and I thought that L. Tom Perry had a very good thought when it comes to being obedient. Elder Perry said that obedience to God’s laws brings liberty. Sometimes we think of the commandments as something overbearing, as rules that are forced upon us, but that is not the case at all. God has given us the commandments to keep us from Satan and the binding chains of sins. In this sense we are experiencing liberty from the bonds of misery that we may otherwise fall into. Perry also stated that “none of us should underestimate how determined Satan is to succeed.” From this I took that we should never think we are safe enough from Satan to stop doing what we are commanded to do. We should always strive to keep the protection that comes from keeping the commandments, because God wants to protect us so badly. We are free to choose for ourselves whether or not we will allow God to protect us, because God cannot and will not force anything upon his children. I know that each commandment is in place for a reason, and that following them will bring blessings. 

Brother Clayton

(For make-up)

Brother Whitney Clayton’s lesson on marriage was wonderful. He opened with a story of his granddaughter telling him to “watch and learn” and then proceeded to tell us how we can “watch and learn” what a successful marriage is. Brother Clayton listed five characteristic of a successful marriage:

1. TREASURE. Both the husband and wife must see their marriage as a treasure. They realize no other relationship can produce the happiness that is found in eternal marriage.
2. FAITH. Successful marriages are built on faith in the Lord. Faith to Obey the commandments brings blessings into your marriage. And the commandments are not a buffet so you cannot pick and choose what to follow. You have to be completely obedient.
3. REPENTANCE. Each spouse should regularly conduct self-examinations and be willing to change. Humility is required for that change and is the essence of repentance. Repentance answers softly, not with vindication. As we approach God in humility He will help us undergo a mighty change of heart.
4. RESPECT. You are equal partners and should share responsibilities in the home. Family time needs to become the center of your day. When you respect your spouse that brings TRANSPARENCY. Transparency means that there should be no lies between husband and wife, which includes equal opportunities in family decisions.
5. LOVE. The scriptures say that “Thou shalt love thy wife… and cleave unto no one else.” Marriage should be your first priority, do not let any mortal things or anyone distract you from the covenant and blessings of marriage. You must love your spouse because “Where love is, there God is also” and God will strengthen your marriage.

Elder Anderson

(For make up)

The thing that I loved the most about Elder Anderson’s talk was that he testified that faith overcomes all doubt. This was a great message for me to hear because my first year of college has housed a lot of doubts. There are so many decisions to make! What should my major be? How do I want to live? Who should I date and spend time with? Should I go on a mission? All of these questions have been floating around my mind and it has been slightly overwhelming. In relation to the last question Elder Anderson said that faith has overcome individuals’ doubts to go on missions earlier in life. I know that this is the case for me. I never really planned on going on a mission until the age change, and even then it took a while for me to decide for myself. But I know that when I prayed I was given the faith that I needed to overcome my doubts of serving. There are 58 new missions and 65,000 missionaries, and the numbers are only going to keep growing. I am so excited to serve a mission and join this army of righteous young men and women! 

President Uchtdorf

(For make-up points)

I am going to take a break from my normal bucket list items and talk a little about what I have learned from listening to this wonderful session of general conference. I was not able to watch conference on Saturday because I was working, so I will only be writing about Sunday’s talks. I will probably talk about the Saturday session after I watch all of the talks online (That is the beauty of technology).

Anyway, the first talk I wanted to share my thoughts on was Elder Uchtdorf’s talk about the light of Christ. Uchtdorf said that “Darkness exists, but we can choose not to dwell there.” There are always things that are going to be going wrong in the world and in our own personal lives, but as we rely on Christ we can make it through the darkness of sin and trial. The light of Christ gives us the hope to make it through anything. Elder Uchtdorf suggests that to bring the light of Christ into our lives we must first start from where we are. It does not matter how far behind you think you are because belief brings blessings, and as we turn to Heavenly Father in prayer, he will help us to grow. I know that we can receive the light of Christ into our lives more and more every day, and as we do we can be blessed with happiness and clarity.

Scripture Mastery

When I originally started here at BYU in the fall the combination of education and the Gospel was something I had to adjust to. Growing up I always heard “keep church and state separate”, so coming to a private university that openly discusses the gospel of the LDS church was amazing and shocking all at once.  Now that I have adjusted though, I believe that incorporating the Gospel into my education has been a great and powerful blessing in my life.

I think the greatest blessing has been my religion classes. Again, it was a major change from the relaxed seminary atmosphere I had experienced in high school, and I was discouraged when I didn’t know the scriptures as well as other students did. Yet after I fully dedicated myself to learning new things about the scriptures there hasn’t been a day when I haven’t learned something new. I am grateful for my current professor, Brother Largey, because he exemplifies a love for the scriptures that I have not seen from anyone else before. He can probably quote half of the Book of Mormon word for word, it’s insane. I have a goal to become a scripture expert like him someday, and I am so happy I have religion classes to push me to learn! 

Learn to Play the Guitar

I am not a very musical person, except for jamming out in the car with my radio, but I’ve always wanted to learn to play the guitar. I know it’s not exactly a unique bucket list item, but I think it would be a great skill to have. I would love to be the person that everyone took camping just so we could all sing and hang out around the campfire while I played the guitar. Some of the best camping trips I’ve ever had have involved a good guitar session around the campfire.

Besides singing along to the radio I have played the cello for 6 years, so my guitar dream isn’t completely unfeasible. I mean I can read music and my fingers have already been toughened by the think strings of the cello. I would also like to say that I’m not completely tone deaf and that I can keep a steady beat, so I hope that would help. I may not ever become an expert on the guitar, or even decent for that matter haha But if I do nothing else, I at least want to learn one song on the guitar. And I will learn it so well that people might think I am good at guitar. 

TV Free

I think we can all agree that Netflix is awesome, and also that it is horribly addictive. You find me a good TV series on Netflix and somehow all my time goes down the drain without me even realizing it. For example the other day I planned on watching one episode of Dr. Who (my latest Netflix series) after a long night at work, and then four hours later I figured that it was probably time to go to bed. Netflix is like popcorn or candy: you can never just have one piece of candy and you can never watch only one episode!

Before I die, I would like to go at least one year without watching TV… and yes that means no Netflix too. I lose so much of my time to Facebook, Netflix, “I waste so Much Time” (At least they are honest with their name haha), etc., that I think getting rid of just one form of media would be extremely beneficial. Mainly, I think it would be amazing to see how much I could get done without all these distractions. I’d probably find some other meaningless activity for relaxation, but it would help a little at least. 

English Symposium

At the English Symposium on Friday I decided to go to the panel on Creative Nonfiction to fill my hour requirement, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not that I didn’t think that the pieces would be good, because I thought they would be amazing (which they were). But I also thought that their writing would be over my head, or that it would be something that only experienced writers could fully appreciate. So I was surprised when I really felt what the writers were talking about. I haven’t had the exact same experiences as the writers but I could relate, because they talked about feelings and emotions that I think everyone has experienced in one form or the other.

I was especially impressed by my teacher’s essay. She talked a lot about regret and the pain of losing someone close to you, which I can really relate to. I think I was specifically impressed by her story because it introduced to me a person I hadn’t met before. When she talked she was not my teacher anymore, but a woman who has had experiences and emotions that I could relate to. What I loved most was her ability to perfectly describe an instant. She was able to describe what it feels like to be sitting next to someone you love, and those moments when pain overwhelms you. I felt like I was there, feeling what she felt while also remembering my own experiences. I didn’t know that was possible.

 I am not the best at writing; in fact, I even have a hard time just saying what I feel most of the time. I am glad I went to this symposium because it taught me that your writing can be an outlet, can build a deep connection with your audience, and that it can perfectly preserve moments and memories. I learned that through your writing you can share with people who you really are, and I think that is amazing!

Hi my name is Anika, and I am a sugar addict

I have realized that I have somewhat of what I call a “sweets problem.” Today I had cupcakes and ice cream, the day before I had cookies and milk, the day before that I had cookie dough… I think you can see where this is going haha. I can’t remember a day that I didn’t have at least a little something sugary. To make it worse my roommates also love to cook, so there is always something good lying around. It’s a serious problem. Last year my family was supposed to be having “Healthy 2012” and even then I couldn’t give up the sugary goodness! The best I did was going without chocolate for a few months.

 Here’s the goal: No sweets for a year! I can do it… I think. I figure it won’t be that bad after I get used to not having sweets, but for those first few months I will be fighting it.

Second Goal: not really related to what I was talking about before, but I also want to be vegetarian for a year. My sister and her family did that this past year and she said it was great! I also really love meat, so this won’t be easier either, but it’s about time I started eating healthier.

Grades

I’m just going to come out and say it… does anyone else think that college is crazy hard? And by this I mean in comparison to high school. In high school I would always put my homework off until the night before (or even the class period before) and I always seemed to slip by. It’s not that I didn’t pull my weight in high school, I think I did, but I also think that people had a lot lower of expectation. In high school I feel like I got baby-sitted, and now I’m expected to be responsible… WHAT?! In all seriousness though, college has been a great growing experience for me. I used to rely on others for everything: to remind me to do my homework, to cook, and especially to do my laundry! Oh man I miss not doing laundry. Growing up is hard, but it’s worth it. I like this more independent version of me.

So, in order to prove how responsible I am, I am adding to my bucket list a goal to get a 4.0 GPA (one semester). I didn’t do half-bad my first semester here, but I know I can push myself harder. Ideally I would like to have a lot of semesters with straight A’s but let’s start small eh? 

FHE scavenger hunt

Yesterday for Family Home Evening my “family” and I did a scavenger hunt, and it was a blast. We had to do everything from shoot a 3 pointer on the basketball court to giving out numerous “high-fives” in order to win. As we were going to different apartments in our ward I realized how many people I didn’t know and who didn’t know me, and that made me realize something. It made me realize how important it is to put yourself out there and to be kind. I am a very naturally shy person, and I usually have to psych myself up before I will talk to someone new, but when I put myself out there last night, people were very open and kind to me. I met several new people in my ward and felt great afterwards. And I don’t know if you can necessarily call this “bucket list worthy”, but I have made a personal goal with myself to be friendlier. I am going to start out small with something like giving one compliment a day and by just smiling at people. Eventually I hope I will be able to make friends wherever I am and be able to comfortably chat with anyone J

You're kidding right?

"When I'm not working, I am the laziest person. I can literally lie on a couch and watch television for 15 hours. I hate people who say 'Oh, I’m addicted to working out', I just want to punch those people in the face." -Jennifer Lawrence

Maybe I’m the only one that can relate to this statement, but come on, how can you be addicted to RUNNING?! You know what I’m addicted to? Cookie dough. I think that’s more normal.

If you know anything about me you know that I dread exercise almost as much as I love food, which is a very bad combination. But almost a year ago I did something that I thought I would never be able to do— I completed a half marathon. It’s true that I was slow and that I did have to stop to walk multiple times, but the point is I did it.

And no matter how much I hated it, that experience taught me an important lesson. It taught me that hard work can break the boundaries we put on ourselves. I’ve always told myself that I’m not an athlete, and whenever someone tried to convince me to go running or join track I told them “it wasn’t my thing.” I may not be what you would stereotypically label as an athlete, but when I worked hard I did something that I said I couldn’t do countless times.

Next item on the bucket list? Run a full marathon.

I hope they call me on a mission

 I hope they call me on a mission, when I have grown a foot or two…. Or when I turn 19 J

With the recent announcement that women can now serve a mission at the age of 19 (instead of 21) I have added something new to my bucket list! I am excited to say that I have officially started my paperwork for serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I can’t wait to go. It has been a crazy ride for me ever since President Monson got up in the last General Conference and changed the face of missionary work. I never thought a mission was for me before that day, but ever since then I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I went back and forth for a long time, and I didn’t want to make my decision right when I heard the announcement because I didn’t want to get caught up in the excitement and make the wrong decision.  But after much thought and prayer I have finally decided there is no better place I could be next fall than serving my Heavenly Father wherever he sees fit. I love the Gospel and I can’t wait to share that love with others!

Short News Break

I know I just finished telling you all about I will be sticking with my bucket list theme for the blog, but that’s not exactly true… I will still be throwing in the occasional news update in order to keep up with my special project, which is to watch the news at least an hour a week in order to stay up with current events and improve my writing.

So anyway, when I was watching the news this week I learned how the Pope is elected, which I thought was extremely interesting! I’ve been a member of the LDS Church my whole life so I know a lot about it but I don’t know much about any other religion. For those of you who may be uninformed like me, here’s one thing I found interesting: after each round of voting in the Vatican they burn the votes. When there isn’t a 2/3^rds majority vote they add a chemical to the voting slips in order to make the smoke turn black, signifying that a decision on the new pope has not been reached. Then when a consensus is finally made the Vatican burns the votes again, but this time without the special chemical, letting off a white smoke, letting the crowd waiting outside know that a new pope has been chosen.

Becoming a Fry Cook

This title is for you, Kiersten!

Anyway… As I have mentioned a few times in previous blog posts, I currently work at In-N-Out Burger in Orem, Utah. Before you scoff at me for working in the fast food business let me just tell you that my job is great. It is the perfect college job because it pays well, I can have a free meal every time I work, and they are really flexible to work your schedule around classes and all the other craziness.  

Now that that’s cleared up, I want to tell you about my current In-N-Out goal. My goal is to go from a level 3 to a level 4 before I transfer to the In-N-out in Centerville at the end of the semester.  At In-N-Out there are seven different levels of employees and each time an employee is certified in a higher level they receive a raise. As a level 3 I am specifically good for working the drive through, and I got my raise by becoming certified in taking orders over a head set, etc. For my level 4 though I have to learn how to make fries, which is not as easy as it sounds haha My goal is to become a “certified fry cook” by the end of April!

Hello Sunshine!

With the warm weather (okay well warm for Utah) I have been thinking a lot about summer recently and I can’t wait! I will be moving back up to my home in Salt Lake City and working full-time at In-N-Out, or possibly getting a second job. The details are a little shaky still, but the point is it is going to be nice to have a break from school. College has been a major adjustment and I think I need some time to recuperate haha

This brings me to another bucket list item, which may in fact be impossible, but that I am still going to try to do this summer. It is my goal this summer to be active and to spend so much time outside that I get a tan for the first time in my life. I’m not saying like a slightly darker shade of white like usual, but full on golden brown. I realize that this is most likely physically impossible (if you have seen my parents you would understand), but hey a girl can dream right? Really I just want to get out there this summer. I want to go on a road trip with my best friend, go on countless hikes, rock climb, swim… ah. All I can say is that summer cannot come soon enough!

Who knew I would like blogging?

This blog has unintentionally turned into a continual bucket list, but I am okay with it. At first I thought I would only post a few times about my “bucket list” items, but the more I wrote, the more I realized how many more goals I had to write down!  I realized that this blog is mostly just for me anyway because I’m usually the only one who reads my required three blog posts a week haha I started this blog because I had to, and I had no intention of keeping it around when writing 150 was over. But now I think that having a blog of goals will be a great motivation to me and will be interesting to look back on as my goals in life change. I have heard that you are much more likely to reach your goals if you tell others about them, so I figured this would be a good first step in becoming a goal reacher rather than just a goal maker. Even though I won’t post three times a week anymore I think I will keep this blog around, because it will be nice to have a place that I can always come and write down what I want to do before I “kick the bucket”

Oh the places I’ll (hopefully) go!

Let me start out by saying if I could I would go everywhere, but these are just a few of the most enticing places and what I can think of at the moment.

·         The Netherlands. My dad served his mission there and has so many good things to say about it. From how he describes it, it seems to be the most beautiful place you could be during the spring because of the countless tulips.

·         Africa (as established earlier), the specific country doesn’t really matter.

·         Paris. Who wouldn’t want to see the Eiffel tower?

·         Greece. Judge me all you want but I watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and one of the girls spent her summer there and I knew I needed to get there someday!

·         New York City. Technically I’ve been there, but it was only for an hour or so because we were just passing through. I want to walk through time square, visit the Statue of Liberty, and go to a Broadway musical.

·         Argentina. That is where my older brother Jordan served his mission.

·         Alaska. I REALLY want to see the northern lights.

·         A rainforest. It doesn’t matter which one.

·         India. I want to go back, because I had the two most amazing weeks of my life there!

Extremes

My “extreme sports” goals…

·         First off, I want to skydive. My brother went just a few years ago and he described the adrenalin rush, the weightlessness, falling through the sky, and floating alongside the clouds. It seems irresistible to me now. I think it would feel magical, and I’m pretty sure that is the closest thing I could ever feel to flying.

·         I also really want to go river rafting. Growing up in Utah has exposed me to a lot of scout troops, and I swear almost every one of them got to go river rafting at one time or another. In young womens on the other hand, we got to do a lot of crafts… So this is one of those things I want to do just in spite of all those years I was painting nails at girl’s camp and the boys were out there being adventurous.

·         I am going to Hike Angel’s Landing in Zions National Park, because I wimped out the first time (not exactly extreme, but I need to get it done).

·         I want to go paragliding. My brother also got his paragliding license last year (writing this I can definitely see who the adventurous one in the family is), and it looks like so much fun! 

BL

#1

I have always wanted to go to Africa, and I’m not exactly sure why, but I do. First off, I want to see all the safari animals— the lions, the tigers, the elephants, they all seem unreal! But the main reason I want to go to Africa is that I want to do a service project there. Ideally I would go to Africa for a job (or maybe an internship) and stay there for months straight building schools, teaching, providing healthcare, etc. I would love to learn about the people and make friends that live thousands of miles away from the places I know. I think service is the best when you are immersed in the culture of those you are serving and you truly get to know them.

#2

I want to catch a fish with my bare hands. I realize this isn’t going to be a life changing experience, but I’m pretty sure it would be awesome (Not to mention it would give me certain bragging rights).

#3

I want to go to 50 LDS temples. There is such a special spirit in the temple and I know that spirit doesn’t change, even when the temple’s location does. 

Before I "kick the bucket"

I am a firm believer in bucket lists. In fact, I’ve made multiple, and the things I want to do are always changing. I was looking through some stuff on my computer the other day and I found a bucket list made by my 13 year old self; man, some things have definitely changed! I wanted to climb Mt. Everest, make a quilt, walk the red carpet, etc. Essentially I wanted to do anything cool that anybody has ever done, and now looking back I realize those goals really didn’t fit me at all. I am as far from athletic as they come, haven’t sewed more than a pillowcase, and am way too shy to do anything that would get me on the red carpet! So I think I’m going to start making a new bucket list, but one that actually shows who I am and who I want to become. Bucket lists are amazing to me because they make my dreams seem concrete and therefore obtainable. So that’s what my next few posts are going to be, just a few of the things I’ve always wanted to do or hope to accomplish, even if they are a little far out there!

College and Change

Your first year of college is an odd and exciting time, or at least it has been for me. I don’t think I was ready for all the changes that have come my way in the past year, but I’m glad they have happened. I used to complain about high school and all the homework I had to do… and then I came to BYU and I realized how easy I had actually had it. In high school I never did an assignment earlier than the night before the due date, or better yet the class period before, and I still managed to get a decent amount of A’s. Now I can barely stay on top of it all. This is the first time in my life I have actually used a planner, which I feel is one of the only things that is keeping me sane when it comes to my school work. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of days where I don’t do my reading for class until the hour before, but I am starting to get better. Coming to college has taught me a lot about responsibility, because no one can force me to do my assignments or go to bed at a reasonable hour, except for me. 

Carnival Cruise Chaos

This week on the news…

The carnival cruise ship triumph broke down and passengers were stuck on the ship for 5 days with no power, limited food, and only makeshift toilets (which were just red biohazard bags). There are pictures of sewage leaking down the walls of the ship after its leaning caused all the toilets to overflow, and of the top deck turned into a camping ground of tents. I feel bad for all those who had their vacations ruined, but I feel even worse for the employees on the ship. I mean, they had to go through all the same things as the passengers plus some. They had to use the biohazard bags and then they had to dispose of them all; it didn’t sound very pretty. I also feel for the staff because as an employee in the food industry I know how easily customers can get upset, and how often they overreact. In an interview on CNN a man was infuriated with Carnival Cruises because they didn't get generators and other supplies more quickly. I think that the crew was honestly trying to make the best out of a crappy situation (literally), and people should have recognized that. 

Helaman 10:4-5

The most important lesson I learned while reading the Book of Helaman is the humility that is required in missionary work. Nephi gave up the judgment-seat and all the power associated with it, in order to “preach the word of God all the remainder of his days.” Similarly, modern missionaries give up two years or 18 months of what the world often calls the “prime of their lives” to bring souls unto Christ. I know the task is not always easy, but I also have seen the blessings of serving a full-time mission within my own family. A mission teaches individuals that in order to truly live the Gospel you must lose yourself in the service of your God. Among trials and persecution Nephi continued to declare the word of God with “unwearyingness,” teaching that even if we do not go on full-time missions, we can all be missionaries by sharing the Gospel with a bright and hopeful attitude. The Gospel is a great thing, and as members of the Church we should share our message of love with gladness. It is our job to do as Nephi does in Helaman 10:4, and seek not for our “own life” but always seek His will. 

Helaman 4:15

A lesson I found among the book of Helaman was the insignificance of our own strength compared to God, and the danger of pride in our lives. As God continued to bless the Nephites they began to think that they were prospering because of their own skills and hard work, and that they did not need God to succeed, and they waxed it iniquity. Helaman 4:13 says “and because of their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper.” This verse teaches us that although hard work is essential in our progression, any blessing in our life truly comes from God. For without God we are nothing, and without God’s strength we cannot prosper. The scriptures teach us that the Lord doesn’t give us trials or duties that we cannot handle, but there should be a disclaimer that says: with Him. It is true that God will not present us with trials that we cannot handle, but he often gives us trials that we can only make it through as we cling to Him. Once the Nephites pushed God out of their lives, they began falling quickly. I know that the same is true today, when I rely upon the Lord He will never let me down, but I must first use my agency to choose Him.

Helaman Chapter 6

            I have always learned in Sunday school that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (a concept I fully believe), but I had never thought the same sentence was applicable for Satan. Satan is the same yesterday, today, and forever— and that’s a scary thought. I say this in the sense that since the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan has sought our destruction, and he will continue to seek our destruction until the judgment day. In chapter 6 Helaman says that secret oaths and covenants of the Gadianton robbers did not come from their own minds, but from “that same being who did entice our first parents.” The Gadianton’s Satan is the same Satan as Cain’s, who is the same Satan that tempted the building of the tower of Babel, who is the same Satan who tempts us today. As 2 Nephi 2:11 says, “there must needs be opposition in all things,” so as long as God is the same forever, you better bet that Satan is just as unchanging. But the good news is that since Satan’s temptation is constant in our lives, we can quickly understand his tricks and protect ourselves against them. We know that Satan will always try and tempt us, but we also know what happens if we give in, and the misery that lies in sin. So, as we go throughout our lives, I have learned that we can meet Satan’s pestering with Helaman’s question: Why should we give in to him who is seeking to “hurl away [our] souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?” 

First Time Donor!

So I finally did it; I finally donated blood! And I can honestly say that the anticipation was the worst part. All of yesterday Kiersten and I were freaking out about our first time donation because we had heard so many mixed reactions. While we were waiting in line for the microwave in the Wilk two guys overheard us talking about it and they both chimed in with their personal experiences. One made it seem like the scariest thing ever, and kept telling us to make sure we did this and that. The other guy was the complete opposite, saying he wrote his bike right after and felt fine, that it was nothing to worry about.

With both of those reactions I really didn’t know what to expect! I braced myself for the needle, and was surprised that it didn’t feel like much more than a pinch. I thought I was in the clear then and started to relax, but then I heard the nurse politely call over her supervisor in that fake calm tone medical personnel use when they don’t want you to know something is wrong. Turns out they missed the vein and after some fumbling around they decided they better try on my other arm. So there I am sitting there and the supervisor is asking my nurse if she thinks she’ll be able to do it the second time, she says “I think so…” Not exactly comforting. Nevertheless she did get the second arm without much fuss and the rest of my appointment was great! Even though I had a little bit of a scary moment, I can’t wait to give blood again!

02/01/2013

I have to say that I am loving my special project so far! I have learned a lot over the past few weeks although not all of it has been useful knowledge. Today when I was scrolling through CNN’s website I caught up with world events, but I also saw some stories that were pretty “out there.” I saw Shetland ponies that received hand-knitted sweaters to attract tourists and a young school teacher who posted pictures of herself doing drugs on her twitter account. All I have to say is that there are some crazy people out there!

One story that was really interesting to me though, was on a man in Arizona whose ranch lies on the Mexican/American border. He said he doubts that a day has gone by where illegal immigrants haven’t crossed his land, which was a scary thought to me. The story also showed the fences along the border- which are probably 10 feet high in some places and then small barbwire annoyances in other places. The reported said that the high fences are very effective at keeping out immigrants but the large barbwire sections definitely aren’t. I know it would be impossible to create huge barriers along the entire border, but I definitely think we can do better than barbwire.

One of those days

You know those days when you’re just a little off? Well, today was one of those days for me. It’s not that I was upset, or that today was unusually bad- it was probably leaning towards a good day, actually. I had lunch with two of my friends and my classes were great, but I have had this heavy feeling all day. It’s like when you’re running and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to go any faster; it’s like my feet are made of lead. I think it’s because I tend to worry too much, and every once and a while it seems to catch up with me. I worry about school, I worry about my friends, I worry about my family, and I worry that I should be doing more. If only one thing, College has showed me that learning isn't easy, but today I wish it were. I’m sure this “funk” will be gone by tomorrow, but until then I’m going to curl up in a blanket and watch some Psych with my best friend (because some nights you just need to). And hey, maybe if I’m feeling productive I’ll finish all that homework that will be waiting for me tomorrow!

The News

Last week was my first week of watching the news for my writing 150 project, and so far I think I made a good choice with this one. The first thing I watched was the Manti Te’o story, since that was the motivation behind the whole project (see my previous blog post). Honestly, I don’t think knowing about Manti Te’o’s life is going to help me become a better writer, but it is nice to be in the loop haha. After that I checked out the headlines at CNN.com, which I think will be one of my main resources throughout the semester. I learned a lot in just the few minutes I was there! For example, I had no idea about the controversy and hearings over Hillary Clinton’s action toward the Libya attacks. I watched a segment of the Benghazi hearing and I was impressed with how she presented her case and the sorrow she showed for those who were lost.

                I am still figuring out what sources to use and other details about my project, but I am glad I chose to do this. I am excited to finally be more informed, because it has become apparent to me how important it is to care about the world we live in. I know that watching the news won’t “fix” any of the problems that they talk about, but I figure if I am more aware I will be better equipped to help wherever I can.

Special Project

For my freshmen writing class we are supposed to complete a “special project” by doing something an hour a week that would improve our writing. We were discussing ideas in class and my teacher suggested that we do something fun. I was having a hard time coming up with something (because I usually don’t associate writing with being fun), but I finally came up with an idea I am excited about! So, for the rest of the semester I am going to be watching at least one hour of news stories per week in order to learn more about the world.

                I chose this project because I realized that I am pathetically behind when I comes to what’s going on in the world. In class we were talking about Manti Te’o and his fake girlfriend, which everyone knew about but me, and that’s when I decided I needed to get in the loop. I think this is a good project because not only will I understand what others are chatting about, but I will also have more knowledge about the world and more facts to add to my arguments. I think I will be a more convincing writer if I take the time to learn more and I will also seem much more credible to my audience if I have recent news examples.

A great Monday

Last night I had a combined Family Home Evening with everyone in my ward where people got up and shared their testimonies of the Book of Mormon. It was such a great experience! Beforehand we were asked to prepare with our individual Family Home Evening Groups (which consists of 4 apartments) with a “Book of Mormon Themed” activity. My group decided to just sit and discuss the importance of the Book of Mormon and also our own personal experiences and testimonies. It was nice to start out with a small group because everyone got to voice their opinion and we were all very comfortable with each other.

Afterwards we headed over to the group FHE, and I admit that I didn’t feel very spiritually prepared, but the great thing is that the Lord still let me hear what I needed to. A lot of people who bore their testimonies shared the importance of consistently reading the Book of Mormon, which is something I have been taught my entire life, but when they talked about the power that is available to everyone who takes the time to study the scriptures, it was a great confirmation to me. Someone brought up a point that I loved, and that was that the power of the scriptures comes at a price. At first I was taken-back because I didn’t know what he meant, but he then explained that although the power of the scriptures is “free” or available to everyone, you have to put in an effort to get that power. The power is not free, because you must be dedicated to your study and have a desire to learn from the Word of the Lord. I know now that if I expect all my questions to be answered in the scriptures, I have to work at it, and I can’t wait to start trying.

Why I love and Hate History

I just finished watching a movie called The Judgment at Nuremberg for an American Heritage assignment, and I’m left with this uneasy feeling. The thing about history is it’s fascinating and important, but it isn’t usually a happy subject. And how can it be? Even though there is so much good in this world, we have to recognize the evil that has always been out their fighting against that goodness. Recognizing “The Human Predicament”- as my American Heritage teacher calls it- and the human history of brutality,  is history’s specialty.

The Judgment at Nuremburg was about the trial of judges who practiced during WWII in Nazi Germany that sentenced countless citizens and stood by as unjust laws were set in place under Hitler’s reign. In the film they kept saying that “they didn’t know” what was going on, but in the end one of the judges said that although they may not have known everything, they just didn’t want to see what was right in front of them. It scares me to think about what we are all capable of sometimes, but I am grateful that history is there to help us learn, even if it is a hard lesson.

Freewrite assignment

So I choose to write my oped on the importance of learning about a culture before you try and serve them. I chose this first because I wanted something that would let me talk about charity work and service in foreign countries because I think it is one of the only things I actually get passionate about. I also thought of this idea because I am taking an international development class that has really made me rethink development and charity work. Like my teacher was saying the audience for this piece is supposed to be BYU students and so I thought that since we’re all religious here that service would be an easily accepted topic. But then I was doing the reading in WR chapter 2 and it said that you want to introduce an argument that won’t automatically be agreed with. So I am thinking of introducing my argument as the importance of individualistic services versus serving millions. By this I mean that I think it is much more effective to give meaningful service that you KNOW will help someone (because you took the time to get to know them beforehand) versus just pumping money into a “less developed” country.  I thought to support my argument I could talk about my experience in northern India about a year ago. I went to a town called Chamba, India and taught young children English for a week. Some things that I realized is that although our service was meaningful to the kids the English lessons we prepared for them could have been better prepared personally on my part. I should have studied out the materials before hand in order to make the learning the most profitable for the kids. I still think they learned, but if I would have been better prepared then I would have been able to adjust better to what their personal needs were instead of just what I was “supposed to do”. One thing that I really did like about my group though was the personal time we got to spend getting to know the children. We spent all week getting to know the school kids we were serving and at the end we had the chance to implement a special service project based on their needs. For example in my school we taught on the roof because the basement (the actual school) was unfinished. The roof was flat and plesant but it also had a large drop off the side and if any kid would have fallen off of it they could have been seriously hurt. So for our personalized project we hired local workers to build a barrier around the  roof so the kids would be safe. I am so glad we did serviced this way instead of deciding what the children needed before we even met them, because I think whatever we would have chosen beforehand would have been unsatisfactory. When you take the time to learn about a culture and individual’s needs before you start serving it makes the service so much more meaningful. It’s like any paper, if you don’t take time to do the research needed or think about what you want to say beforehand the paper won’t be nearly as persuasive or meaningful as it could have been if you were prepared. I hope when I’m writing this paper that I can find some good statistics to help prove my point as well as provide my personal experience from India. I don’t know if everyone will be interested in the topic but I hope if I present it well enough people will be. I hope  that I can write in such a way that not only inspires people to serve in other nations but also to go about that service in the right way. In my development class my professor talked about how the common idea of what a developed nation should be is a capitalist society that has a democracy, but he brought up the point that that may not be what every culture wants or needs. So in order to best help those in developing countries you have to first go there and get a feel for their culture and actually talk to CITIZENS not the government who may not always have the poor in their best interest. When you talk to the people you plan on implementing a certain development plan on you can change it and mold it to match their needs. The downside to this approach of service is that it can not be as wide-scaled or “mass production” like us, as americans, would like it to be and so it could be frustrating to people. They would rather help a lot of people a tiny  bit rather than a small village or group a lot. I think it is a fine line to walk because you want to help as many people as possible, but I also know that if you try to implement the same pan for everyone it definely won’t work. Because every culture, every town, and every person is different so when you try to make a blanket solution it may help a few, but the rest will be left off no better than before.   I’m scared to write this paper because I think it is going to be hard to get my argument to come across the right way. I also really want it to be persuasive and meaningful to b=people because it is so meaningful to me. I also think I need more examples to demonstrate my point because one personal experience just isn’t enough. Maybe if I talk to my international development teacher he could point me to some good research…  

01/14/13

Mondays are long days… and they’re even longer when I don’t get any sleep the night before haha I go to school all day and then I fulfill my duties as an FHE mom at night, and try to fit in a little bit of homework. I somehow managed to get behind in one of my classes already and I’ve only been here one week (Not a good omen). But do you know what saves me? Tuesdays and Thursdays, they are the best thing. I don’t have school on either Tuesday or Thursday and so I just focus on my job and catching up on all the homework. I don’t know how I got lucky enough for this schedule, but I absolutely love it. There is nothing better than waking up in your own time and not to some pesky alarm that seems to go off earlier and earlier every day. I’m just excited for this semester in general though, not because all my classes are going to be easy, because I don’t think they will be, but because I have some great teachers who make class interesting. I think that I may even enjoy American Heritage, which is just plain crazy if you ask me!

01/11/13

Yesterday was my roommate’s (and best friend’s) birthday. Now, our other best friend, Josh, had left on his mission the day before and so I really wanted to make this birthday fun for her. So to start out I waited up until one or two in the morning until my roommate had fallen asleep and then I left presents around the apartment for her to find when she woke up the next morning. I also left little notes with inside jokes and things I appreciate about her. I also packed her lunch and had dinner ready for her when she got home :)  

As I was leaving for work I left her one last present, a gift card to our favorite frozen yogurt place, which I took her to later that night. After I got after work I spent the rest of the night just hanging out with her (not doing much homework of course), and I had a blast. I don’t know if what I did yesterday meant much to my friend, but that’s not so important. I realized that when I take time to show other people I care and make that special effort that people often show me I felt productive and happy. I love my friend and I am so happy to have her as a roommate during the craziness of this new college experience!

01/10/13

When I read Gideon Burton’s article, my first response was to ask “Is he being serious?” And then I spent the rest of the article trying to figure out if he was trying to be ironic or use some form of satire. At the end of the article I decided he was probably joking, but needless to say, if he was being serious, I absolutely do not agree with his position. Burton’s argument was essentially that college was not beneficial to youth today and instead of wasting our time with college we should instead focus on building our own “online reputation”.

Not only was his argument very radical, but it was also not presented well. His tone was much too casual to be taken seriously, was all over the place, and did not make him seem like a professor at all. He also had no factual evidence for his argument, and made a lot of broad statements without ever backing them up. His support included a personal experience in which he hired a girl based off of her personal blog instead of her résumé- a situation that I doubt would be repeated in any other professional setting. At the end of the article I was even more against his argument than I was originally merely because I felt that it was written poorly. 

Who I am

Hey there, my name is Anika Morley, and to those who don’t know me I assume I look like a pretty “plain Jane” here at Brigham Young University. I come from a semi-large family, I’m a born and bred Utahan, and I have been a member of the LDS Church my entire life. I am a pretty good student, work at the local In-n-Out to pay for school, and I tend to stress out waaay too much when writing an essay. I could go on with boring facts like this for a while, but the point is that if I want you to know who I really am, I’d actually prefer to tell you about what I want to become.

Normally I don’t think of myself as a big adventurer (I mean I can barely go off the high dive without seeing my life flash before my eyes), but I have always had this itch to travel the world. I want to go everywhere, and not just to see the pyramids or the Lincoln memorial, but to meet people, learn about their lives, and serve them. Ideally, I would love to travel around the world with non-profit organizations helping individuals in developing countries thrive through groundwork or resources I helped provide. If I could, I would be a permanent volunteer, people could give me a plane ticket anywhere and I would go.

My addiction to volunteering started when I was a sophomore in high school and my brother got me started volunteering at a place called Camp Kostopolus. Camp Kostopolus was a summer camp program for individuals with mental disabilities that my brother was a counselor at for the summer that hosted individuals of all ages, anywhere from 7 to 70 years old depending on the week. The first day I went up with my brother I spent the entire day hanging out with some of the coolest people I think I have ever met. All the campers I interacted with were so accepting and truly loved the life they were given, even though people often think they are at a disadvantage with their disability they sure didn't seem to feel the same. After only one day I was hooked, and I continued to come to Camp K whenever I could.

Since then I have sought out volunteer opportunities whenever and wherever I can because I had finally found something I am passionate about. When I volunteer I feel confident, I feel strong, and I feel happier than when I am doing anything else. My experience with Charitable organizations has taught me not only how to be patient with others but also with myself when I make mistakes, and has showed me how hard work can truly pay off.

So that’s me. I don’t know for sure what I’ll do when I graduate, but I don’t think there is any better life out there than one spent learning about and loving others, and I hope no matter where my life takes me that I can at least end up doing that.