3 Days of Miracles

The long awaited and anticipated appointment with the rheumatologist/internist in Salt Lake came.  When the appointment was made a while ago, it seemed like an eternity away!  But time flew by, as it always does, and I found myself not so excited to go to the appointment.   I was a little confused because this appointment was something I looked forward to ever since I got my first test results back in July.  I don't know if it was because I didn't want to hear what the doctor was going to tell me, but I just wasn't excited.  Heavenly Father was very aware of me, my situation, and my feelings, so He made the days leading up to the appointment just fabulous!  I really feel like He was pouring miracles out upon me.  He is so loving!  I was planning on leaving Logan on Tuesday afternoon after class, but when I received an e-mail on Saturday from Elder DeMass, one of the elders that I served with on my mission, that he would be hosting a FHE at his home in Murray because Benjamin and Broeder Peschier are here from the Netherlands, I couldn't help but try to arrange things so that I could make it home Monday night!  I was a little stressed with all of the homework I knew needed to be done before I could head out, but Monday morning I witnessed my first miracle as I was able to get lesson plans written and mid-terms completed in just a number of hours.  I was on the road by 1:45!  It was so good to be home and the first thing I did with my mom was visit my Grandma and Grandpa B.  Oh, how I love them!  That night, before going to the FHE, Brooke, Lincoln and Carter came over to visit.  My camera was out and Carli captured the many faces of Carter.  This was the second miracle...don't the pictures just make you smile!

This is my favorite!  I love that he only has four front teeth!

At 8:00 I went to Elder DeMass' home and found some of my most favorite people there!  First of all, Benjamin and Broeder Peschier were there!  That was amazing to have Nederlanders here in Utah!  And then to be surrounded by so many previous companions and missionaries...it doesn't get better than that!  We had a wonderful little testimony meeting together and then took some time laughing and sharing some of our favorite mission memories with each other.  The DeMass family had to kick us out at 11 because we were enjoying ourselves so much!  This was miracle number three!

Miracle four.  On Tuesday morning I got to go visiting with my mom and Kathy.  We visited two of my favorite people in the ward: Ione Hymas and Elaine Jones.  I am so thankful that growing up, my parents would take us around to the elderly and widowed people in the ward on Sunday afternoon to visit.  Ever since then, I have had such a love and respect for those people.  When I was 14 I decided to visit Ione on a weekly basis as part of a Young Women's value project.  I thought that I would be able to serve and help her, but she is the one who served me.  She is now 93 and still amazes me to this day!  I love her.

Tuesday evening I experienced miracle number five.  We took dinner over to my grandparents home and ate with them.  I love every minute that I get to spend with them!  My grandpa shared a bunch of stories from his childhood.  Those are always fun stories to hear!

Miracle six.  This morning we headed to Dr. Anderson's office.  The appointment was at 9:30.  Things went very well.  He did diagnose me with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease/Mixed Autoimmune Disease. It wasn't too much of a shock because Kelly's brother-in-law, who was doing his residency with a rheumatologist, predicted that would be my diagnosis because of my test results and symptoms.  It is a mixture of lupus, scleroderma, and polymyositis.  The cause of it is unknown but they think it is usually genetically linked or sets-in from a viral infection.  It is something that I will have for the rest of my life, but the doctor was very positive about the treatments and knowledge now available.  Since my autoimmune disease is pretty much attacking my own body, my organs are most at risk, specifically my lungs.  So, right after the appointment, the doctor sent me to get my chest x-rayed and my eyes checked.  The chest x-ray is to see how my lungs look now, and the eye check-up is needed prior to putting me on a medication that he wants me to take.  I had to get my eyes dilated so I got to wear these beauties, and I got my own picture of my eyeballs.  Never thought I would have that picture to put in my scrapbook!  I will go back to the doc in three weeks to see how things look.  I consider it a miracle that we are going somewhere with this now!

 There were so many other miracles that took place while I was home.  Cafe Rio with Brooke, phone calls from friends and family, letters!  I got so emotional this afternoon because I was just overwhelmed with gratitude.  I am surrounded by so many who take such good care of me.  My mom even took my car to get the tire patched this afternoon just so I could take a nap!  Thank you for being such a support to me!

One by One

These scriptures in 3 Nephi 11:14-15 have been on my mind all day today:

Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.  And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.  

 This morning I went with Katie to a Women's Conference at the Institute building.  Sheri Dew was the keynote speaker and she had brought her best friend along with her, Sister Wendy Nelson, the wife of Elder Nelson.  It was wonderful to see the cultural hall filled with women on a Saturday morning.  The Spirit was very strong and we were all spiritually fed.  The theme of the Conference was "Seek and ye shall find."  It seemed very fitting for me at this time, especially since I have been doing a lot of seeking lately.  Throughout her talk, she kept referring back to the idea that we are loved individually by our Heavenly Father and our Savior.  They know us.  They are aware of us.  If we sincerely seek them, nothing will be withheld from us.  She gave us three challenges when she closed:

1. Seek to know how the Lord feels about you.  Read D&C 138 and Abraham 3, and look for the verses that mention the "noble and great ones."  Pray to know if those verses have anything to do with you.
2. Seek to know and understand what the Savior has already done for you.  Read Luke 4:18, Alma 7, and Ether 12.  Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover and look specifically for those things that the Savior has done for you.
3. Seek to know how you receive personal revelation, how the Holy Ghost speaks to you.  Ask the Lord how He will speak to you.  Look for patterns in the scriptures of how others have received revelation.  Seek to have a spiritual experience everyday.  

The three challenges she gave are about basic and fundamental things, but without them, we won't be able to stay firm in our testimonies when the hard times come.  I am excited to take her challenges and learn more about my personal relationship with the Lord and Heavenly Father.

After the Women's Conference, I got to attend a baptism!  One of the girls that lives in the building just across from me got baptized.  It was such a beautiful service.  So many people came to support her.  I felt how pleased Heavenly Father was with one of His daughters who He loves very much for making the decision to follow His Son, Jesus Christ.  It reminded me of my mission and the baptisms I witnessed there.  It was wonderful.

Throughout both of these meetings I had a prompting and strong feeling to go and visit a friend.  I didn't know why and I had a little doubt in my mind, but then I was reminded of a goal that I had set on my mission.  As I was reading in the Sunday School manual about President Kimball I came across the motto that his wife lived by: Never suppress a generous thought.  I decided that I would live by that motto as well.  I saw so many miracles take place on my mission by doing things that came to my mind, that I maybe didn't understand, but realizing that they were good and trusting that the Lord would stop me if I shouldn't do something, I always tried to act.  So today I pushed the doubt out of my mind and went to my friend's home, hoping and praying that there would be a reason.  Turns out, she wasn't home, but I did call and let her know that I had stopped by and that I was thinking about her.  I still don't know why I had that prompting, but the Lord does, and hopefully it was for a good reason.  I couldn't help but think of all of the times that someone has fulfilled this quote by President Kimball for me:

God does notice us, and He watches over us.  But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs.  

I hope to become better at being an instrument in God's hands to meet the needs of others.

After all of this spiritual amazingness, it was time to play!  We were invited to an apple juicing party, but when we arrived, something had gone wrong and they actually didn't have the juicer.  Everyone there was just kind of sitting around being kind of bummed that the activity had fallen through, but Wendi and Tish and I decided to make the best of the situation.  We picked the apples, put the good ones in a wheelbarrow,

 and then played apple baseball with the yucky apples!  It was a blast!

  Then we found some of those old school helicopter toys and played around with those.  We had a great time!

 But of course, someone had to get hurt!  Poor Wendi got hit in the face.  Awww!

 When we found out that there was a piano inside we had to take a few minutes to play!  Pianos are like gold to me!  I miss being at home and just being able to play for a few minutes here and there, so when I get a chance to play while I am in Logan, it is always a special treat!

To end the night, I went to an endowment session at the Logan temple.  It was wonderful, as always, and made me so excited for my temple prep class tomorrow.  I was struck by how much we really mean individually to the Savior.  He really loves us, one by one.

Anything BUT School!

I had good intentions this morning of getting some assignments done for school...but it didn't happen.  I did even better things!  I woke up and felt like baking, cleaning, organizing and finishing up projects...and that is exactly what I did!  I cleaned and finished decorating our apartment, 

Baked some oreo cookies, and put them in the greatest things that I have bought in my whole life (I love baking but I love even more making something that tastes good look good.  Is this not so fabulous!  Bought it at Wal Mart for only $15.  Yes, good buy!),

 Shared some of the cookies with others, received this wonderful sticker from Wendi (I will have to share the story with you another day...it is a good one).

Talked and took a nap on the couch with Tish, went to the special needs dance with Alesha, and ended the night with the most amazing black light dance ever!

Every once in a while it is good to have a day without school.  Yes, I enjoyed it!

Face Masks and Father of the Bride

Can I just say that those two things together make a great start to a great weekend?  Yes, they do.  After a long and busy and hectic week, we are getting an early start to the weekend party.  Yay!  Hope you enjoy the pics.  Don't judge us...we look scary!  And we even had fun scaring a few people too!

ZUMBA!!!

We went to Zumba tonight and it was fabulous!  I made a deal with myself that if I finished my big assignment that is due tomorrow by 8:00 tonight then I could take a break and go to Zumba.  I got my assignment done so I went!  It was a much needed break and I feel so much better now!  If you ever want to do Zumba, join us!  I pretty much think it is the greatest thing ever, or at least tied with Just Dance 2.  

I love Tuesday nights

Today has been a really good day.  There was nothing really big that happened, but just lots of good little things.  It all started early this morning when all 4 of us at my apartment were in the kitchen at 8:00 am having the most amazing time together.  That started the day out right!

When Wendi saw that I pulled my camera out she was not too excited, especially because she had not showered yet!  But she was a good sport still was willing to take a picture...and she looks beautiful too!

I also had time to do some homework before going to class and that felt good.  After class, when I got back to my apartment, I found Steph laying on the couch.  She has the cold that is going around.  It was her turn to make dinner tonight, and even though we tried to convince her not to, she just wouldn't back down.  So this is the amazing picture I captured as she was cooking:

Tuesday night is something that I always look forward to.  I am a "helper" in the Special Needs Institute class.  I don't really like using the word helper because they help me more than I could ever help them.  They are the most amazing people ever!  I am always reminded to be more like them when I am around them.  They are as little children and they have so much faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  Tonight we discussed the story in Abraham 1 where the people became very wicked and began worshipping idols.  We read Abraham 1:11 as a class.

Now, this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of Onitah, one of the royal descent directly from the loins of Ham.  These virgins were offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship the gods of wood or of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of the Egyptians.

As I pondered upon these words, I was struck by the virgins who were willing to die rather than worship something or someone other than Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.  They were so virtuous, so faithful, so courageous.  Suddenly it hit me that I was surrounded by many others, just as virtuous, faithful, and courageous as these virgins.  All that we sometimes refer to as "Special Needs" are just as amazing of examples as those virgins.  I look up to them.  I love them.  I hope to be more like them.  And I consider it a privilege and blessing to be able to associate with them weekly.  I feel like I am being tutored by them.  I know tonight what I can do better tomorrow and I hope I can improve until one day, in the far future, I can be more like them, and ultimately more like the Savior.

Top 10 Monday

Mondays have seriously become one of my favorite days of the week.  This semester I don't have any class on Monday so I can use it like a preparation day to complete homework and other things to be prepared for the rest of the week.  Today was one of those fabulous and productive Mondays.  Here are my top 10 reasons why:

1.  Woke up at 6:30 feeling so ready to start the day
2.  Read the first conference talk on my reading chart-the one by Sister Julie B. Beck.  Loved it!  Love RS!
3.  Worked with Katie on some homework at 8:30 this morning.  Spent more time chatting than working:)
4.  Talked to my mom on the phone.  That always brightens my day!
5.  Took a little nap.  Yes, my morning nap is a must!
6.  Wrote more letters to some of my favorite missionaries.
7.  Went grocery shopping for apples (I can't survive without apples in my fridge) and for dinner fixings.
8.  Made a Hawaiian Haystack dinner while talking to Steph, Tish, and Carli (on the phone).
9.  Had dinner with the roommates, Carolynn, Katie, Kristie, AND Molly!  Yes, Molly drove all of the way from Salt Lake this afternoon to have dinner with us!  Loved seeing her and spending time with her!

10.  Roommate prayer with Steph.  There is no other better way to end the night.  Sleep tight!