As many of you know by now, Ephraim and I are divorced. I had initially decided not to post anything because I figured that the people who cared or were curious would ask. But I recently had a conversation with a very dear friend of mine who was in the singles ward that Ephraim and I were in when he was in the Bishopric. I explained to her that one of the hardest parts of making the decision was knowing that so many students in this ward looked to us as an example. I was afraid of letting them down. In some ways, I probably have. But it is my hope that some insights come to anyone who has looked up to us or me. These are definitely things I have learned.
1. No one is perfect. It doesn't matter what your calling is or how good you are or how many people follow you. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. We all have weaknesses. What matters is that you're trying. One of the things both Ephraim and I always wanted the singles in the ward to understand was that it's about lifting others up. It's about helping the people around you and really loving them. I think I can speak for both of us on this one...that's really what it's about.
2. Hold onto each other. I hope it brought the now-married members of our ward closer together. I hope they see that it can happen to anyone. I hope they realize that half of marriages end in divorce, and members of the LDS church are no exception. Take time before your marriage to really get to know each other and make sure that you are compatible. Marriage is about more than attraction, and it's also about more than friendship.
3. It's ok to ask for help. It does not make you weak. It takes a strong person to ask for help...a humble person.
4. YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH ANYTHING. The world might seem like it's falling apart around you. You might feel like you are going through the hardest thing of your life. You might want to just give up. You might feel like God has left you. But He hasn't. He is very aware of you. Whether it's divorce, death, sickness, injury, or any other pain, He understands. When you trust in Him, you will be ok. You can do it!
Over the last few months, I have been able to see how blessed I am. The Lord has put very special people in my life to help me and to guide me. He has helped me to search for the good and to stay positive during the hardest time of my life. And if you want Him to, I know that He'll do the same for you! =)
Friday, June 28, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
People Lessons
Some people come into your life for a short time. Some people come for a long time. And some stay forever. No matter the length of time, they all have a story. And they all have something they can teach you. Sometimes they teach you by the words say they say, and sometimes your experiences with them teach you something. Sometimes the lessons are pleasant, and sometimes they are not. The question is, what do we do with these lessons? Do we ignore them or do we implement them in our lives? Do we become angry about the experience and forget to find the lesson? Or do we welcome the lesson?
I only recently started seeing things from this perspective, and I wish I would've been looking for the lessons long ago. It makes things so much easier! Instead of dwelling on the pain that someone has caused me, I think to myself, what can I learn from this person? Looking for the lesson takes my energy away from the negative and turns into something positive that will, hopefully, help me improve and become a better person. I appreciate the people who have come into my life not only for their friendship and love but also for the ways they have helped me grow...even those people who have hurt me. I love all of them, and I'm grateful to them for teaching me.
I only recently started seeing things from this perspective, and I wish I would've been looking for the lessons long ago. It makes things so much easier! Instead of dwelling on the pain that someone has caused me, I think to myself, what can I learn from this person? Looking for the lesson takes my energy away from the negative and turns into something positive that will, hopefully, help me improve and become a better person. I appreciate the people who have come into my life not only for their friendship and love but also for the ways they have helped me grow...even those people who have hurt me. I love all of them, and I'm grateful to them for teaching me.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Message
While I was in DC and on my way to Embassy Row from an art gallery called The Phillips Collection, I saw Gandhi. This was the bottom of the statue.
I thought this quotation, "My life is my message," was amazing. Since then, I have taken a step back and thought, if someone were to study my life, what they learn from it? What message would they take? How would it impact them?
I've thought about this a lot, and here's what I've come up with:
I'd want them to know that I was a genuinely happy person, and my favorite color was the happiest color of all: yellow! I'd want them to know that I tried to be sincere and honest. I'd want them to know that my heart was big and full of love. I'd want them to know that I struggled just like everyone struggles. I'd want them to know that I did feel pain, just like everyone does. I'd want them to know that I didn't always feel like I could make it through, that life was too hard and I just wasn't strong enough. I'd want them to know that in those times, I looked outside of myself to something much bigger than me. I'd want them to know that my faith guided me and gave me the strength to make it through. I'd want them to know that I wasn't perfect, that I made lots of mistakes, but that at the end of the day, I tried my best to follow my heart and my conscience. I'd want them to know that I believed in Jesus Christ and loved Him with everything I had. I'd want them to know that I know God loves me and He loves them, too.
I hope this is the message that my life portrays.
I'm grateful for the outpouring of love and support I've received recently. I'm grateful for the kind words. I'm so grateful to know that I have touched so many special people in positive ways. If you are one of these people, here's what I ask: be a light in someone else's life. Find someone who needs you and just love them. That's what it's all about, folks! LOVE!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Adventures in D.C. Part 3
First off, let me just say that these blogs have been quite an undertaking and I can't wait until I'm done (this is the last!). I'm glad to see that they're getting some page views. Otherwise, this would all feel pointless. I promise, when these are over it's back to my short and sweet blogs.
So now it's Saturday. My mom had her conference. My sister wanted to sleep all day again. So I went out by myself. Now some people would not be up to this. I, on the other hand, prefer this. I always feel like other people don't move as quick as I'd like to or sometimes they don't want to see the same things I do. I get more done when I'm alone. Someday, I hope I can find a travel buddy who travels like I do. But until then, I am completely comfortable on my own (I mean, I did go to Thailand by myself when I was 20).
I decided to head to Tidal Basin, where the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, and MLK Memorials are. We didn't make it there on the day that would've been normal to get there because, as I mentioned, other people move too slow.
I was pretty hungry after that, so I stopped at this place called the Wicked Waffle. They make sandwiches with waffles as the bread. I thought it looked interesting. I got a prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula sandwich. It was....interesting. Not bad, but I don't know if it was good either. It was just, interesting.
This is called Game Fish. The artist makes things out of different objects. For this, he used toys and game pieces. I thought it was pretty cool.
I didn't look at what this was called, but I thought it was really beautiful. It's completely hollow.
I didn't have a ton of time left before I had to be back at the hotel to see the DC United soccer game. I would've liked to go to the International Spy Museum, Ford's Theatre, or the National Archives. All of those are on my list for next time. I did see the outside of Ford's Theatre though. The second picture is right across the street. It's the house Lincoln died in.
These guys were so cool. I'm pretty sure they were all Vets, and they were blaring country music. I loved it.
This the US Navy Memorial. While I was here, some guy ran up and snatched a couple's backpack! They were even wearing US Navy shirts! Luckily, some sirens went off in the distance. It must've spooked the thief because he dropped the bag right before he ran across the street. People are nuts!
Then it was soccer game time and then off to bed!
The next day, my mom still had her conference, and Genna STILL wanted to sleep all day. I'm thinking, why even go? Oh well. Like I said, I like to explore on my own. =)
As another recommendation from another friend, I went to the Phillips Collection near Dupont Circle. It has more modern art, and it was really cool. I didn't take any pictures inside, but I did take some of the outside.
I heard from someone that Embassy Row had some pretty cool architecture, and I love architecture....especially in this area. On my way there, I ran into this guy.
And then it was embassy time! They were seriously beautiful.
Back in Dupont Circle, I was reminded of kind of a California/Venice Beach vibe. There were sayings and Bible verses and quotations written in chalk. There were people just hanging out and reading or playing music. There were homeless people. There were young people and old people. And you know in movies when they have those chess boards that are built in and all those old guys playing each other? They actually exist! I saw them here! I'm really disappointed that I didn't get a picture. But it was exciting.
Back in National Harbor, I got off the bus and started walking to my hotel. And this was the view. Gorgeous.
The next day was Memorial Day. My mom didn't have any more convention stuff, and my sister knew she had to get up. But they were not ready to go by the time I wanted to leave. We were going to Arlington Cemetery and I really REALLY wanted to see the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder. So I ran to the bus stop, and then rode on three different Metro lines. The Cemetery was packed! You had to take a shuttle to get up to the tomb. And thank goodness I was by myself. Otherwise I would have had to wait much longer to get on. Unfortunately though, I just missed the cut off before the fire marshal said no more people allowed in the amphitheater. I was pretty sad. We could hear the 21 Gun Salute, and we could hear the singing and music, but during the speeches, some people pulled out the live stream on their phones so we could listen. Even though I was outside, it was still an amazing experience. There were so many people at the cemetery, and as you walk in, there were Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts handing out roses so you could lay them on graves. I laid mine on an infant's (a child of a soldier). It was a very humbling experience. The cemetery is so huge and there are so many headstones. We should probably stop all war because I don't think it'll fit a whole lot more...
There were so many headstones that looked just like this one. I wish I had enough roses to lay on all of them.
Then we went to the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. This was a pretty significant moment in my trip. This was in my lifetime. I remember when we heard about it. I was in my Geography class with Mr. Deskins. My best friend, Jade, was in my class. We didn't do any classwork the whole time. We just watched videos of the planes crashing. It was such a sad day. For the whole week, the soap opera we watched (Passions) was cancelled and replaced with constant news updates. I think the Pentagon crash often gets overlooked, but 184 (or 186?) people lost their lives. This memorial honored each and every one of them. It was really special.
Next was the part I had been waiting for the most, Theodore Roosevelt Island. I freaking LOVE TR. He is, hands down, my favorite president because he's just so cool! I mean, this guy overcame so much adversity. He was so arrogant, so boisterous, and so smart. And just so you know, he hated to be called Teddy.
That was it for our last day. The next day we hopped on the plane and went back to Las Vegas. This is how we felt about it.
So now it's Saturday. My mom had her conference. My sister wanted to sleep all day again. So I went out by myself. Now some people would not be up to this. I, on the other hand, prefer this. I always feel like other people don't move as quick as I'd like to or sometimes they don't want to see the same things I do. I get more done when I'm alone. Someday, I hope I can find a travel buddy who travels like I do. But until then, I am completely comfortable on my own (I mean, I did go to Thailand by myself when I was 20).
I decided to head to Tidal Basin, where the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, and MLK Memorials are. We didn't make it there on the day that would've been normal to get there because, as I mentioned, other people move too slow.
Tidal Basin
Jefferson Memorial
George Mason Memorial
FDR Memorial
MLK Memorial
I was pretty hungry after that, so I stopped at this place called the Wicked Waffle. They make sandwiches with waffles as the bread. I thought it looked interesting. I got a prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula sandwich. It was....interesting. Not bad, but I don't know if it was good either. It was just, interesting.
On recommendation by a friend, I went to the Renwick Gallery.
This is called Game Fish. The artist makes things out of different objects. For this, he used toys and game pieces. I thought it was pretty cool.
I didn't look at what this was called, but I thought it was really beautiful. It's completely hollow.
I didn't have a ton of time left before I had to be back at the hotel to see the DC United soccer game. I would've liked to go to the International Spy Museum, Ford's Theatre, or the National Archives. All of those are on my list for next time. I did see the outside of Ford's Theatre though. The second picture is right across the street. It's the house Lincoln died in.
These guys were so cool. I'm pretty sure they were all Vets, and they were blaring country music. I loved it.
This the US Navy Memorial. While I was here, some guy ran up and snatched a couple's backpack! They were even wearing US Navy shirts! Luckily, some sirens went off in the distance. It must've spooked the thief because he dropped the bag right before he ran across the street. People are nuts!
Then it was soccer game time and then off to bed!
The next day, my mom still had her conference, and Genna STILL wanted to sleep all day. I'm thinking, why even go? Oh well. Like I said, I like to explore on my own. =)
As another recommendation from another friend, I went to the Phillips Collection near Dupont Circle. It has more modern art, and it was really cool. I didn't take any pictures inside, but I did take some of the outside.
I heard from someone that Embassy Row had some pretty cool architecture, and I love architecture....especially in this area. On my way there, I ran into this guy.
And then it was embassy time! They were seriously beautiful.
Back in Dupont Circle, I was reminded of kind of a California/Venice Beach vibe. There were sayings and Bible verses and quotations written in chalk. There were people just hanging out and reading or playing music. There were homeless people. There were young people and old people. And you know in movies when they have those chess boards that are built in and all those old guys playing each other? They actually exist! I saw them here! I'm really disappointed that I didn't get a picture. But it was exciting.
Back in National Harbor, I got off the bus and started walking to my hotel. And this was the view. Gorgeous.
The next day was Memorial Day. My mom didn't have any more convention stuff, and my sister knew she had to get up. But they were not ready to go by the time I wanted to leave. We were going to Arlington Cemetery and I really REALLY wanted to see the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder. So I ran to the bus stop, and then rode on three different Metro lines. The Cemetery was packed! You had to take a shuttle to get up to the tomb. And thank goodness I was by myself. Otherwise I would have had to wait much longer to get on. Unfortunately though, I just missed the cut off before the fire marshal said no more people allowed in the amphitheater. I was pretty sad. We could hear the 21 Gun Salute, and we could hear the singing and music, but during the speeches, some people pulled out the live stream on their phones so we could listen. Even though I was outside, it was still an amazing experience. There were so many people at the cemetery, and as you walk in, there were Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts handing out roses so you could lay them on graves. I laid mine on an infant's (a child of a soldier). It was a very humbling experience. The cemetery is so huge and there are so many headstones. We should probably stop all war because I don't think it'll fit a whole lot more...
There were so many headstones that looked just like this one. I wish I had enough roses to lay on all of them.
Then we went to the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon. This was a pretty significant moment in my trip. This was in my lifetime. I remember when we heard about it. I was in my Geography class with Mr. Deskins. My best friend, Jade, was in my class. We didn't do any classwork the whole time. We just watched videos of the planes crashing. It was such a sad day. For the whole week, the soap opera we watched (Passions) was cancelled and replaced with constant news updates. I think the Pentagon crash often gets overlooked, but 184 (or 186?) people lost their lives. This memorial honored each and every one of them. It was really special.
That was it for our last day. The next day we hopped on the plane and went back to Las Vegas. This is how we felt about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)