December 17th here yet????

Oh this week needs to go by faster.
It is finals week for both Drew and I and we are dying for this semester to be over with. He has his first final tomorrow for his Business Law class. Then the next day he has his Communications final and then Thursday he has his Calculus final. Man, that guy has some difficult classes. He has an A in English! Yay Drew! Good luck on your finals this week babe.

I have a paper to write for Doctrine and Covenants that is due on Thursday and then a final project/paper for Natural Disasters due Friday and Saturday I think. I need to get cracking on these. Friday night is Drew's work Christmas party at the Broadmoor and I work Saturday morning so I better get working on these. I turned in my research paper for English last Saturday so I'm pretty much done with that class. I think I have one more assignment for that class this week.

I am going to be so relieved once this semester is over. Also, classes end this Friday for Carver Elementary. I definitely need a break from those kids. You could sure tell today that the kids know that break is coming. They were out of control. It is just going to get worse throughout the week. We better get a snow day or indoor recess :). On Friday my class is going to be making gingerbread houses. That should be fun. Omg! I haven't posted pictures of our gingerbread house that Drew and I made at his parents. It's pretty awesome. I'll put some up later on this week or next.

Happy Holidays friends and good luck on your finals!

Note to self

Do not just fill the bathtub with hot water because it WILL hurt your feet. Also, do not start the bath 10 to 15 minutes before your husband gets off work unless you want to be pruney when he gets home.

Chicken Piccata

So today for dinner I made chicken piccata and let me just tell you that it was pretty dang yummy.
Here is the recipe I found online

What you need:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (choose thinner breasts; if they are think, you'll want to slice them in half horizontally)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons capers
chopped, dried parsley

What to do:
In a small bowl, mix the salt and pepper, then sprinkle over chicken pieces.

Add flour to the small bowl, and dredge each chicken breast in the flour. Coat well.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken pieces. Saute until golden brown, turning as necessary.

Remove the chicken pieces into a glass baking dish; set aside and keep warm.

Add two tablespoons of the flour back into the skillet and cook for a few seconds. Add the wine (if you are using it) and cook about 30 seconds, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Add chicken back to pan. Sprinkle with capers and parsley. Simmer gently, cover, and heat through for about five minutes.

Serves well over buttered pasta.


I chose to use the white wine so Drew had to buy it since I have a year until I can buy alcohol. Pathetic I know lol. So yeah, I used Chardonnay and bought the little bottles since we don't drink. I also just served the chicken with mashed potatoes instead of the pasta that it suggested. I wanted to serve a veggie as well but I did not have enough time.

Black Friday

Sorry guys it's been a while since I have actually posted.

Thanksgiving night we went to Best Buy to line up at 7pm and wait for them to open at midnight. I'm surprised we made it. Guess it was the awesome deal that we were going for that made us survive that long wait. We got an xbox360 and kinect with 5 games included and 3 movies for $329. Everywhere else was selling just the xbox for 299. We got a pretty good deal.
We went straight home after our purchase and Drew couldn't wait, he went straight to setting it up and didn't go to bed until 5am. It took forever for our games to download. Actually just Halo. I think he just downloaded that one game before he went to bed. I went to bed not too long after we got home because I was sick and had work the next morning.

I'm glad we got it. Drew has games to play and I do as well on the kinect. I play fruit ninja and the adventures game it comes with. We also play together on the adventures game. We also use the xbox for Netflix. It loads so much faster and doesn't skip on the xbox where it would do that on my laptop. I was thinking about getting Drew Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 or Madden 12 for Christmas. I'm just not sure. Xbox games are pretty expensive. But then if I don't get him that, what do I get him? I hate getting presents. I never know what to get.

Monday Night with the Johnson and Johnson to be :)

We made Navajo Tacos for dinner tonight. They were pretty good actually haha. Drew was doubting my dough at first but it turned out good. The first one I fried though was as hard as a cracker. Drew had to help me after that :). Our guests seemed to enjoy them. Yay me! We topped them off with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce. Yum! For dessert we had oreo balls/truffles. I made those last night so I wouldn't have to worry about them today and just focus on the dinner part today.

Drew also gave his awesome fhe with the tea bag and matches on faith and overcoming fear. Our guests thought that was pretty cool. They had never seen it before. If you haven't I suggest you come over to our place to check it out!

Whenever I blog I get upset that I don't take pictures about what I blog about so I can share with you guys. I'll try to do better on that.

Am I sick?

Okay so I have really been wanting some snow recently. I know I know...who am I? Yesterday I even thought that I missed Idaho because the snow that we got yesterday was not sticking. Ahhhh!!!!

I think I want snow so that I can look out the window and sip hot chocolate and cuddle in a blanket with my husband with our Christmas tree lit. Maybe even go out and play in the snow and take pictures.

Doctrine and Covenants 65

What are five principles that were taught in the Doctrine and Covenants this semester that you feel are most responsible for what is taking place in the world with the growth and influence of the Church?

Missionary Work
D&C 5:6 For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men.

Faith
D&C 6:13 If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation.

Endure to the End
D&C 10:69 And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.

Priesthood
D&C 13:1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

Ask and Seek (Investigate)
D&C 9:8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

It is amazing that our Church is growing so fast. That video really shows how amazing missionary work is and how the gospel is spreading all over the world. It is still continuing to grow even faster. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdMNWMhK_kA

Doctrine and Covenants 63

This chapter talks about sign seekers and adulterers in the beginning. Those who are sign seekers do not have faith. Those who are faithful and humble will recieve the signs they seek but not in their time but in the Lord's time.

Lusting is being more concerned about your own physical appetite and not the other person's needs. The Lord discourages lusting.

Both sign seeking and lusting are similar in several ways. They both are of the devil. In both, there is a lack of faith and humility and trust in the Lord. With both you are always seeking and never fully satisfied. They will never bring true happiness.

Lazy Bum

I got the day off from both jobs and got to work on some homework. I still have to do a critique feedback for my english class. My partner already did mine and I have yet to do hers. I am just so over school. I have about 4 weeks left of school and I am just so worn out. I think this is the time that students try to feel like this. Drew is starting to feel like this and my mom and my friend Ariel. I am just so over it. Guess it is not too much longer. I just wish I were done with school all together. Why can't I just be a stay at home wife? That would be ideal. I wouldn't be a lazy bum. I would clean the house, cook, do crafts, service, etc. Oh the many things I could do haha :) I guess I'll just have to suffer and do school and work two jobs. Kind of kidding about the suffering ;)

Hives

I got hives yesterday and they are still here. I have no idea why I got them. They suck! This is the first time I have ever gotten them. I could barely sleep, they itched so much. Ughhh!!! I don't know what to do. I have an appointment with the doctor later today. Oh and they are on my face as well. Called off work this morning and I actually wanted to go today. My back is covered with them and my tummy and under my chin and neck and back of my neck and legs. Oh this is horrible! How long do these things last???

Doctrine and Covenants 52

There are many men in this section of the Doctrine and Covenants that we do not really know much of. I certainly did not recognize most of these names. We can learn so much from these men. Knowing what their lives were like can help us become better disicples ourselves.

Levi Hancock was called on a mission and accepted without hesitation even though it involved walking hundreds of miles. It is amazing that Levi had such faith.

Wheeler Baldwin and William Carter were called to serve as missionaries bur William Carter refused the call leaving Wheeler Baldwin without a companion. Wheeler Baldwin stayed in Kirtland to help saints there.

Ezra Booth was previously a Methodist priest who joined the church after seeing somebody healed. He latter fell away and fought against the church. From Ezra Booth we can see that miracles aren’t what gives us a testimony.

Newel Knight was a close friend of the prophet he was called to serve as a missionary but was unable to fulfill his call.

Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt were called to serve a mission together. Because of their willingness to serve the Lord, they took longer to return to Kirtland. They found opportunities to teach along the way back home.

Reynolds Cahoon and Samuel H. Smith served as missionaries and suffered much hardship but were faithful in their calling.

Heman Bassett was a young man who received a mission call but did not fulfill it so it was in turn given to Simons Ryder.

Kindergarten Days

Oh my word! Today was just crazy. Not only the kindergarteners. I wanted to strangle some of the kids today. They were out of control. Guess it was because it was their Friday today. No school tomorrow because it is Veteran's Day. I had to tell them over and over to not climb up the slide, no chasing, hands to themselves, no running on the blacktop. AHHHHH!!! Oh and their attitudes. Some talked back. I told one kindergartener today to do something and he said no! Little boy if a teacher tells you something, you do  it without questioning. I also told him to be quieter and he was ignoring me. I had to call his name like 15 times pretty much.

Oh I think it was a second grader who said this. I asked this girl as we were walking to the playground for lunch recess what she had for lunch. She replied, "Ham cheese sandwich. But the cheese plugged me up." Ummm......ok. Thanks for sharing little girl.

Glad it is the weekend. Long three day weekend from school. Woooo!!! Oh I also had my picture taken at school. Once I get them I will put up a picture. Don't you guys worry.

Doctrine and Covenants 43

“When I was 31, I died in a hospital after undergoing surgery. What happened next has been called by some ‘the most profound near-death experience ever.’ Well, it was certainly most profound for me, anyway. I journeyed to a beautiful world beyond this life. I met Jesus there. He gave me a message to give to others when I returned. In my book I share that message. I describe the wonderful places I visited and the loving people that welcomed me.”

• What are some of the “red flags” that you should be careful about regarding what this person is doing?

Well according to Elder Oaks talk "Two Lines of Communication" he says, "the means of communication from God to man—is conferred by priesthood authority as authorized by those holding priesthood keys. It does not come merely by desire or belief." We do not know if this person has that authority to pretty say he has recieved revelation for the world. It does not sound like they do. We know that the prophet is the only one on Earth that has that authority to communicate with God and recieve revelation for us.

Elder Oaks clearly states that their are two lines of communication. One is the personal line where we communicate with the Lord personally through prayer and recieve answers through the Holy Ghost according to our worthiness. The other line is the priesthood line. Authority is key in this line. Whomever has the right authority like President Monson, tells us what the Lord wants him to tell us.

• How does D&C 43:2, 5–6 help us discern and act towards this individual?

The Lord tells us that the commandment which has been given to us is given to us through whom He has appointed to recieve revelations from Him.
The Lord also instructs the people to not receive the the teachings of any that shall come before them as revelations or commandments. There are many that say that they have been instructed by the Lord to share something with the world but we know that you need the correct authority to do so. Satan is the master of llies. He will be the one behind most of the instances where people say they are called to share something with the world.
I love verse six. "And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me." The Lord has told us what to look for and know what things really do come from Him.

• What are some reasons Latter-day Saints buy into revelations and commandments that come from other sources besides the president of the Church and how do Elder Oaks’ remarks help us to avoid such a mistake?

Well the stories could just persuade them to believe that it is correct. Elder Oaks stated, "The devil is the father of lies, and he is ever anxious to frustrate the work of God by his clever imitations." They may be tricky but we can use the personal line to ask for ourselves if they are really true. Just like we ask if the Book of Mormon is true. We can pray and ask for ourselves. We also know that the Prophet is the one with the authority to share revelations given from the Lord.

• Why do we gather? (43:8–14) Please give three meaningful answers.

Verse 8 tells us that when we assemble together we should instruct and edify each other. It also says that from gathering we may know how to act and direct His church. Also how to act upon the points of His law and commandments which He has given.

• What three additional principles would God like you to understand about the gathering from 43:15–35?

Verse 15 tells us we are to teach the children of men and in verse 20 it says to call upon the nations to repent. By gathering we can teach others the truth and bring them to the Church. Also in verse 20 it says to prepare for the great day of the Lord. By gathering we can help each other out in preparing for that great day.

5 Things!

5 things I was doing 10 years ago

 

1. Trying to understand exactly what happened on 9/11

 

2. Since Halloween just passed, I actually remember my fifth grade class having a Halloween party and bobbing for apples.

 

3. Wanting to wear makup

 

4. Angry about my eyebrows and bugging my mom to pluck them.

 

5. Living in Monterey, CA just a block away from the beach.

5 things on my to-do list today

 

1. Do laundry

 

2. Take a shower

 

3. Start on my homework for the week

 

4. Call my mom

 

5. Blog

 

5 things I'd do if I were a millionaire

 

1. Buy a house in California with an ocean view

 

2. Buy myself a really nice car or any car. I need a car!

 

3. Go on a shopping spree!! :)

 

4. Fly to California to visit my mom and buy her a ticket to come visit me.

 

5. Visit everywhere I have ever wanted to with my husband. (New York, Maui, Italy, Paris, Japan, China.....)

 

 

5 things I'd never wear again

 

1. Headbands. I'm over that stage. I'm a grown-up now.

 

2. Flats. They make my feet hurt but I will probably end up wearing them when I teach.

 

3. Those chokers from back in the day. Who even made them cool? They're not.

 

4. Poncho. Girls Scouts, Girl's Camp what were you thinking?

 

5. Short skirt with Uggs when it's cold. What was I thinking my freshman year??

 

 

5 favorite toys

 

1. iPhone 4

 

2. Laptop

 

3. Oven! Love to bake.

 

4. Our Suzi! (car) How would I get around without her?

 

5. Straightner

 

 

 

 

Your turn to do this!

 

Weekends

Well I wish I actually had weekends. I work Monday through Friday 8-2 at the elementary school and for Red Robin I work Tuesday nights Friday nights and Saturday mornings. Oh and well let's not forget homework. My life is either school or work and I hate it. I want to spend Saturdays out with my husband and enjoy time together but he has homework as well. Sundays are our days off but well we have church and it is the Sabbath.

The other thing I really hate about being out here is that I have ZERO friends here and ZERO family. I have my in-laws and I love them but I don't want to bug them too much. Having nobody here makes me super sad sometimes. It makes me want to be back in Idaho with my friends or back in Cali with my mom. Maybe I just need a baby to keep me company lol okay not really but perhaps a puppy.

D&C 42

The Lord gave the saints several laws to follow in this section.

Verse 8- build up my church in every region.
Verse 12- teach the principles of my gospel, which are in the Bible and the Book of Mormon, in the which is the fulness of the gospel.
Verse 18- Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.
Verse 20- Thou shalt not steal; and he that stealeth and will not repent shall be cast out.
Verse 21- Thou shalt not lie; he that lieth and will not repent shall be cast out.
Verse 22- Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.
Verse 24- Thou shalt not commit adultery

I chose these laws because they are good to know. We are to do everything we can to share the gospel with others. Why wouldn't you want to share the knowledge you have with those you care about?

We see in the news people killing, stealing, lying. We hear all these bad things. The world is just so evil today. God gave us these laws to follow because he wants the best for us. I just don't understand how someone can just go ahead and kill someone. They are taking someone's life. They may feel angry with the person that they want to kill them but it is not their call to end someones life.

People steal and lie to get away with something. When I lie I just feel sick inside and dishonest. Those that do steal and lie must feel the same way at some point. I feel like the nature of man in this world is selfishness. They do whatever to gain something for themselves.

Commiting adultery is the most selfish thing I feel that you can do. You are married to your spouse. You have commited to be in the relationship fully. The nature of man is to lust not love and so that is why I think people commit adultery. They want pleasure from whomever they can find.

God knows the importance of family. We can be with them forever. He loves us and wants the best for us that is why he has given us laws to follow.

All these laws apply to my life. I can teach the principles of the gospel to people I meet at work. I have plenty of opportunities to share the gospel. I can also teach the principles in my home when I have children. I know that I should not kill. If someone makes me mad I am not just going to solve it by killing them. That is not my decision to end someone's life. I know not to lie or steal. I may want to at times but I am not going to. I work at Red Robin and sometimes I want to just have food without paying but that is dishonest and I would not feel good if I did that. I just got married in July so the law about loving your spouse applies to me. I love my husband with all my heart. I am going to be loyal to him and not seek after other men.

Car issues

We now just have one car, Drew's car. My dad picked up my bug in Denver on Saturday. We can't afford to make the payments on it and neither can my dad so he is going to try to sell it. It is pretty difficult just having one car though. It has been quite a challenge for me. I have had a car for like 5 years and now I don't. We are trying to work it out though. Hopefully we can get another car soon.

Our car got broken into last night. No damages or anything so that was good but they did take one thing.
Drew went out to warm up the car and came back inside to look for his jacket then we both went outside. He asked if I had left the arm rest open and I said no. When I got in I noticed that the glove compartment was open so I asked him if he had opened it and he said he hadn't. We checked to see if everything was there. My Ray-Bans were still there. My camera with the extra battery next to it were still in the glove box. Drew even said it looked cleaner in the back. His backback and books were still there. The only thing that they took was Drew's only jacket. Guess all they needed was a jacket.

Juniper and Niblet.....

You have requested that I post about my life and not just homework. Well okay, I will.

I have a new job as a kindergarten aide. I absolutely love it. They can be really annoying at times but I am just so surprised at how much they already know.
Today when we were on the carpet the teacher was talking about synonyms. She didn't say that word but asked the class for words that meant the same. She asked if they knew any other words that meant happy. A lot of kids messed around and answered "really really happy" or "super super dooper happy" and so forth but this little boy named Jin answered "jubilant". Um what? You are five years old and you know this word? It surprised me and the teacher. Of course he is part Asian hahaha. I still can't get over that. Man I hope our kids are smart.

I am sure I will have more kindergarten stories for you guys. Don't you worry Nat and Jun :)

Fearing man over God

In Doctrine and Covenants section 30 verses 1-4, David Whitmer is chastened for failure to serve diligently.

1 Behold, I say unto you, David, that you have ^afeared man and have not ^brelied on me for strength as you ought.

2 But your mind has been on the things of the ^aearth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my ^bSpirit, and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded.

3 Wherefore, you are left to inquire for yourself at my hand, and ^aponder upon the things which you have received.

4 And your home shall be at your ^afather’s house, until I give unto you further commandments. And you shall attend to the ^bministry in the church, and before the world, and in the regions round about. Amen.

I'm sure it was very difficult for David Whitmer to not fear man when the Church was brand new and there was a lot of mocking and persecution.

Today there are many who fear man over God. I too at times fear that I will be judged for what I believe. It seems silly when you think about it really. There is no need to fear man. The Lord knows what is best and is here to guide and help us. The Lord will not give us anything we cannot handle. D&C 122:7-9 is a great scripture about trials and tribulation and why we have them. They are for our good and so we can grow and learn from them.

I had an experience where I felt like I would be judged of my beliefs so I stayed quiet and tried not to talk about it. This was pretty stupid of me. I had a great opportunity to share the gospel and bless others with my knowledge of the truth but instead I dissapointed the Lord and let man get to me.

We need to focus on the Lord and remember that he loves us and wants the best for us. He has promised us blessings if we obey and follow the commandments he has given us. The Lord is more powerful than man. We need to fear God rather than man.

SNOW!!!!

It snowed all day today and guess what! I loved it!!!
I know I know. Who is this person?
It just looked so pretty outside. Wish it were Christmas already.
That would mean:
1. Christmas time duh!
2. School would be over= no homework!
3. Christmas break!
4. Baked goodies
5. Hot Cocoa
6. Cuddling with my hubby
 That is all I can think of right now.

Doctrine and Covenants 29

I found some pretty facinating truths about the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement in section 29 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Creation

D&C 29:30  But remember that all my judgements are not given unto men; and as the words have gone forth out of my mouth even so shall they be fulfilled, that the first shall be last, and that the last shall be first in all things whatsoever I have created by the word of my power, which is the power of my Spirit.

The world was created by the word of God. He is extremely powerful.

D&C 29:31-32  For by the power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things both spiritual and temporal-
                         First spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work.

Everything was created both spiritually and temporally. Our spirits were created before our bodies.

Fall

D&C 29:40-41  Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.
                         Wherefore, I, the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wicked when I shall say: Depart, ye cursed.         

Adam became subject of the devil because he gave into the temptation. This explains that we too can become subjects of the devil if we give in to the temptation.

We can become spiritually dead if we fall into the devil's temptations.
             
Atonement

D&C 29:42  But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentence and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son.

God gave us the opportunity to repent and prepare before we see him again.

D&C 29:50  And he that hath no understanding, it remaineth in me to do according as it is written. And now I declare no more unto you at this time. Amen.

If you do not have the chance to hear His word here on earth, you will not be judged like those who have.

Being a Saint in 1830 (LDS)

Being a member of the church in 1830 must have been difficult. It was a brand new church. I think it must have felt like being a convert today.
In Doctrine and Covenants section 20, explains how the Church was organized. It is very similar to today. We use the same sacrament prayers and baptim prayer. The principles are the same. It is still the same God (verse 12).
"The more things change, the more they stay the same". I feel like this quote could be related here. My dad would always say this quote. I agree with him. A lot of time has gone by and things have changed like technology, fashion, etc. Even with all that change in the world, the gospel has not. It will remain the same.
It amazes me so much that the saints in 1830 had such strong testimonies and did not let anything break that.
They had so much faith.

Doctrine and Covenants 6-9, 11-13

I love that in the scriptures we can find clear answers as to what we should and should not do. In most of these sections in the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith recieved revelation for himself, Oliver Cowdery, and Hyrum Smith.
They are as simple as if you do this...then this will happen.
I found several in these chapters.
In Chapter six there were a lot. In verse five it says, "if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you". It is clear as to what we must do in order to get what we want.
In verse seven it says to seek for wisdom rather than riches and the mysteries of God will be unfolded unto us and then we will be made rich meaning that we will have eternal life.
The Lord is speaking to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in verse thirty saying, "And even if they do unto you even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall dwell with me in glory". They will still be blessed for their doings even if they are harmed by others.
Verse 33 says, "Fear not to do good....if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward". Do good and good things will come to you!
Verse thirteen is awesome. It says, "If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God;" How could you not want this? And how could it be so hard to do this if you really want the reward? It tells you exactly what you must do in order to be saved in the kingdom of God.
Oh my favorite is verse 8 in section 9. "....study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." Verse nince goes on to say, "But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong;"
This is great for decision making. I have had to go to the Lord for help and ask if what I wanted to do was right. I have learned that I must think it through before I go to him. Have a plan to propose to Him. Major decisions like where to go to school, who to marry, and much more ask for the help of the Lord if you want to make sure you are making the right decision. I have prayed and asked the Lord if I was doing the right thing. I immediately felt that feeling that the scripture describes. I felt that burning. I felt at peace with the decision.
The Lord is here to help and guide us. He tells us what to do and what our reward will be if we follow his instructions and have faith. I love knowing that the Lord loves me and is here to direct me. I trust him completely. He knows all and we must listen to the Lord. Go to Him if you need answers and comfort. We are all children of God and He loves each one of us.

Doctrine and Covenants 3

            One-hundred and eighty-three years ago to this day, Joseph Smith was given a gift which he had once lost. The Lord chose Joseph to translate the golden plates. He did not go about this on his own. He had some assistance from trusted people. There were also witnesses. Martin Harris was one of the witnesses and helped Joseph in his work.

Martin Harris really wanted to share what he had witnessed to his family. He asked Joseph if he could take the manuscript from the Book of Lehi which he scribed for to show his wife and others so that they could see the work that they are doing. Joseph knew that he was to not show anybody else but those whom the Lord had instructed to.

Doctrine and Covenants 3:5

Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them.

Joseph wanted to help his friend out and so he went to the Lord and asked if Martin could show his family the manuscript. The Lord replied “No”. Joseph told Martin what the Lord said but he was not pleased. Martin asked Joseph to ask the Lord again. Joseph did and the Lord gave the same answer. Martin was still not pleased with this answer and asked Joseph to ask one more time. This time though when Joseph asked the Lord, the Lord said yes but Martin was only to show his brother, Preserved Harris, his own wife, his father and his mother, and a Mrs. Cobb, a sister to his wife. Martin was finally pleased and went to show his family. He then showed his friends who were curious about the manuscript even though he knew it was against what he was allowed. He kept the manuscript in his drawer. When it was time to return them to Joseph he could not find them anywhere. He was ashamed of himself and went before the Smith’s with his head held low.

Joseph’s mother, Lucy Smith recorded the incident that occurred at her house.

Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, "Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul!"

Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, "Martin, have you lost that manuscript? Have you broken your oath, and brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?"

"Yes; it is gone," replied Martin, "and I know not where."

"Oh, my God!" said Joseph, clinching his hands. "All is lost! all is lost! What shall I do? I have sinned—it is I who tempted the wrath of God. I should have been satisfied with the first answer which I received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession." He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually.

At length he told Martin to go back and search again.

"No"; said Martin, "it is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows; and I know it is not there."

"Then must I," said Joseph, "return with such a tale as this? I dare not do it. And how shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?"

Also during this time Joseph and Emma lost their first baby. Emma was so sad that they had lost their first child, Joseph was worried about her. All of this and hearing that Martin had lost the manuscript was just too much for him.

Joseph said to his mother a few months after leaving her home that day, “"On leaving you," said Joseph, "I returned immediately home. Soon after my arrival, I commenced humbling myself in mighty prayer before the Lord, and, as I was pouring out my soul in supplication to God, that if possible I might obtain mercy at his hands and be forgiven of all that I had done contrary to his will, an angel stood before me, and answered me, saying, that I had sinned in delivering the manuscript into the hands of a wicked man, and, as I had ventured to become responsible for his faithfulness, I would of necessity have to suffer the consequences of his indiscretion, and I must now give up the Urim and Thummim into his (the angel's) hands.

"This I did as I was directed, and as I handed them to him, he remarked, 'If you are very humble and penitent, it may be you will receive them again; if so, it will be on the twenty-second of next September.'"

Doctrine and Covenants 3:10

But remember, God is merciful; therefore repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work;

"After the angel left me," said he, "I continued my supplications to God, without cessation, and on the twenty-second of September, I had the joy and satisfaction of again receiving the Urim and Thummim, with which I have again commenced translating, and Emma writes for me, but the angel said that the Lord would send me a scribe, and I trust his promise will be verified. The angel seemed pleased with me when he gave me back the Urim and Thummim, and he told me that the Lord loved me, for my faithfulness and humility."

Joseph knew that he had sinned and disobeyed the Lord. He knew this the moment he left his home and went about searching for Martin. He should have listened to the Lord the first time. He then repented for he knew he had done wrong. After his repentance he was able to have the gift of translating once again and continue the work to share to the world. The Book of Mormon.





Surf the Web

We finally got internet!!!!! Thank goodness. I get so bored while Drew is at work and only get three channels. My world is changing! ;)
I can now......

•  blog
• facebook
• check email
• do homework (once school starts)
• spend hours looking at things I want to buy
• watch TV shows like teen mom glee
• skype
• check flights to visit home
• netflix
• look up recipes
• google stuff

The list is just endless. hehe.

I'm married!

Yup I am married. Drew and I got married on July 15, 2011.
Here are our rings :)

Kristi

Today is my best friend's wedding and I am missing it. I was even supposed to be maid of honor. I already had my dress and plane ticket even. Some others things happened though which made it difficult for me to go make that trip. I would have been missig a whole week of work and spending money there so it was kind of a money pit and well I really need the money for other stuff. I feel horrible that I am not there. We have known each other since 8th grade. Man we have some crazy memories. I miss that girl.
Congrats Kristi and Justin!

Apartment Hunting

Drew and I have been looking at apartments the past couple days and the one that we really loved was all full. We did find a great one right across the street from that one though. Drew and his mom went to look at it today while I was at work. I called Drew during my break and he said that we were getting it. "It's way nice" is what he said. I was unsure because I had not seen it and he was saying that we were going to put the deposit down today. I don't know, I didn't really like that he just decided it without me. I trust him I do but like he didn't even ask. Anyways, I met him at these apartments after work and signed all the papers and then I got to see the model. It is nice. I like it a lot. It is in perfect location and it's super nice. Here are some pictures of the model that I found on their website. This model is 2 bed 1 bath but the one we are getting isn't that much smaller than this one.

Montebello Gardens



Surprise...I'm Engaged!!!!

Yup you read that right, I'm engaged!!!!!!!!
So I got engaged on July 8th at like 1 in the morning.
Drew and I were watching Boot Camp on Netflix. It has Jackie from That 70's Show in it. When it ended Drew asked me if I wanted to go to a look out or go on the roof and look at the stars. I said no, I was tired. Yeah, I know, I know I ruined it. So we were just sitting in the living room. He was on the floor and I was laying on the couch. He had taken my promise ring earlier and I forgot about that and then I started to freak out thinking I lost it but he gave it back to me. We were just talking and then he then said, "I want a kiss". I said, "OK." and he kissed me. He then said he wanted a hug and I said ok and he hugged me. Then he said, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I said, "OK." and he kissed me. But this time I said, "That's not spending the rest of your life with me." Then he said, "I want to marry you." and same thing again. He then asked me if I would marry him like just asking to see what I would say and I said yes. Then a minute later he asked me again but this time with the ring. I was so surprised I asked what that was and he said it was an engagement ring. I replied saying, "No it's not!" and he said, "Yes, it is." I kept saying "No it's not!" because I just couldn't believe it. I of course said yes and he told me he loves me and why he loves me and I started to cry. He did too.
Well that's the story. AHHHHHH!!!!! I"M ENGAGED!!!!! :D
Oh yeah, you probably want to see the ring. Here it is! The first one is my promise ring. I took that picture on Thursday because I got my nails done that day and I thought they were pretty so I took a picture :)

That's it! Oh I love it!!!! On the side it looks like the eiffel tower and the other side like the space needle according to Drew. I would show you guys but it's getting resized right now.

Also, please do not mention this on my facebook. Thank you!

4th of July

4th of July was way fun. Drew and I woke up extra early and had breakfast at Jenny's house. Jenny is Jeff's girlfriend. Jeff is the guy Drew works with and is our executive secretary for our singles ward. Well anyways, we had to drive out to her house and her mom made us a patriotic breakfast. Red white and blue waffles. Oh My Gosh!! They were sooo yummy!
We all went out to the river after breakfast and went tubing. Man, was that an adventure. I have gone tubing on a river back at home but this was like a legit river lol. The first time going down Drew and I were holding each other's tubes and we got to a little rough part and I fell out of my tube. Drew was pretty scared for my life. It was a little bit funny but scary. I made it down to the end but then got stuck in the middle of the river on a rock. I was standing on the rock because I was not going to keep going to the really bad part of the river. Drew, Jeff, and one of Jenny's sisters kept going, leaving me, Jenny, and her youngest sister behind. I tried to just walk to the edge but the water was so strong. The boys came back and saved us and we went back for a couple more rides.
Drew and I went back home and took a nap.We also had some BBQ that his dad cooked.
Me, Tyne, Aria, and Drew went out to Manitou to see the fireworks and meet up with Drew's brother Blaine, sister-in law Christie, and niece Lexi. There were so many people there it was ridiculous. We finally met up with them but then they said they had to leave to feed the baby because she had not eaten for 5 hours. Are you freakin kidding me? Who doesn't feed a baby for that long? Anyways so it was just the four of us that watched the fireworks. By the way, they sucked! Only lasted 10 minutes and the finale was LAME! Drew did buy us ice cream cones after though. Gotta love that guy :)

TB Test

So BYUI told me that I needed to get a TB test and Drew's mom gave it to me. She is a nurse and brought all the stuff and did it right at home. I don't like needles. Can you tell?

Growing Up

So Drew and I are starting to look at places to live and hopefully get married this year and engaged soon....hint hint Drew haha.
Anyways, so our friends Kylie and Zach live in these condos that are pretty nice. They told us of one across from them that has a home theatre. How awesome would that be! Parties at the Moultons! :) Anyways here are a couple of pictures of it. Also, question for anybody who knows and can help me out please!!!! Ok, so what is an acceptable amount for a down payment? and how low can you go? We kind of don't have that much money.

Media Room/ Theatre with built-in surround sound

Pretty much... I AM IN LOOOOVVVEEEE WITH THIS PLACE! I want it!

This is a home we were kind of interested in as well. It is cheaper than the condo. 

Well that's it. There are a couple others we were somewhat interested in but these are my two favorite. Hopefully we can get the condo but I think somebody got it already =/

Mi Familia

Father's Day weekend my dad sent me this video. I was working when I got it so I had to wait to see it when I got home. I cried when I watched this. There was a lot going on that weekend and I just wanted to be with my family back at home. Things are better now don't worry but I still miss my family a little.

Lexi

Alexandria Dawn Moulton is Drew's little niece. She was born in January. She is way funny. She is also pretty whiny and needs a lot of attention.
Here is a video of her being silly.



I love how the dog is staring at her wondering what the heck she is doing and then peaces out.
Drew looks so cute holding Lexi. He loves her! He is going to be a great daddy. Just need to get married first.....lol But really, we do not want kids right away.
Also, since 7th grade I have wanted to name my little girl Alexi and her nickname be Lexi. I'm sure you can see the problem in this now. I am kind of thinking of doing it anyways when we have our little girl.
What do you guys think? Should I or no?

Waterworld!!!

Monday Drew and I got to go to Waterworld in Denver with Jeff and Jenny. hahaha just realized both their names start with j's and our names start with d's. Anyways, we drove up to Denver in the morning so we could spend all day at the water park. There was some traffic getting into Denver and Jeff was driving Jenny's car. We were going about 60 and the car in front of us well was going very slow or stopped and Jenny says "woah!" All of a sudden it was like I was in an action film. Jeff slammed on the brake and well we were not going to stop in time so he turned the wheel sharply to the left and we drove on the emergency lane and passed the guy in front of us and then went in front of him like a normal pass. Man did my heart stop for a bit. Glad we didn't get in an accident though. The rest of the day was way fun! Went on pretty much every ride there. I was so tired by the time we left I fell asleep in the car before we even made it to the freeway and slept the whole way home. I wish we would have taken pictures. I bought a new swimsuit for this too.
Well we got back to the Springs and went to Red Robin for dinner. It was so tasty!! Man, freckled lemonades are like a drug to me. LLLOOOOVVVVVEEEE those things!

Good-bye Old Lady

I have hung out at Drew's house like all the time. Seriously, all the time. I come over every day at 7 in the morning and work and do school and hang out. I don't go back to the lady's house till like 2 in the morning and then leave at 7. This was mostly to not run into her. haha. Well you see, she tries to keep you in her home. She traps you! She tries to feed you and show you her house and tell you stories and show you pictures and everything.
Well, Drew's parents told me I had to get out of there and so they set up a bed for me in the girl's room. Tyne and Aria's beds are now a bunk bed. I have a bed in there too now.
Yesterday Tyne and Aria went with me to get the rest of my stuff from Vivian's house and to tell her that I was moving out. I was rather nervous to tell her. It went well though. Before we made it to my room she told us stories and showed us pictures. We made it to my room and packed my stuff. It didn't take long at all. Mostly because I had stuff already over at the Moultons. We were trying to leave but then she told us to go down to the basement and look around. She has tons of books down there and stuff. She showed us more pictures and told more stories but we finally made it out.
Set my room up and now I will be living with the Moultons.

OMG! I'm 20!!!!

Today is my birthday!!!! Wooooo!!! Made it to 20 without being a teen mom, Hooray!!! Haha!
Omg I'm 20! I'm in my twenties. Wait, what? When did this happen? I'm getting old.
Well Drew gets Mondays off so I asked for the 30th off so we can celebrate my birthday.
It was quite an eventful day. We started the day off with some Panda Express and then some shopping. Drew bought me some makeup and underwear from Victoria's Secret. They were having an awesome sale!

We also went to Old Colorado City where they were having Territory Days which is like a farmer's market. It was fun. There were so many people there. A lot of food, music, dancing, and selling going on. We saw a bald eagle there and an owl! Oh haha, there were also people doing zumba in the street.

We watched Harry Potter and had dinner at Applebee's.
We then went to Seven Falls. It was so awesome! There are seven waterfalls and they light them up at night.

When we got home his family sang to me and I blew out my candles.

Umm.....I may not have wished for anything. I was thinking of a couple of things to wish for but I couldn't think of a good one. Oh dang, I just thought of a great one. Darn!!! Well I will tell you guys. I wish that my parents will be happy for me when I get engaged and support me.

Had a great birthday!!!!

7 Days!

HAHAHA....not like The Ring but 7 Days till my BIRTHDAY!!!!
I will be turning 20! No longer a teenager which means....
I made it without being a teenage mom. Yay! lol
I did not get married as a teen. Woo!
Well that's pretty much all I can think of right now haha.

May 18

Drew and I met last August in Provo. We talked about a lot of things so that we could get to know each other better. He had said that he didn't see himself getting married any time soon because he had just returned from his mission but if he were to get married that he would be okay with getting married in 8 months. That was May. 18 is his favorite number so it was May 18. We joked around saying that we would get married on May 18. We would joke around with our friends  and tell them this also. It was funny but then our relationship started to get pretty serious and the May 18 joke was becoming a possibility. We were wanting to get married this summer but well my parents were not too happy about that. I asked them how they would feel if we waited another year and they liked that idea a lot more. If it were up to my parents I would not get married until I finished all of my school. I still have a couple years. So hopefully Drew and I will get married next summer. Who knows, maybe even on May 18 :)
Crazy thought though- I could have gotten married today.

Day Off!

Mine and Drew's work schedules don't really work out in our favor but this week we got lucky. Drew works Tuesday through Saturday from noon to ten. So when we hang out it is late and makes it hard for us to go out and do something and Sundays well it's the Sabbath so we can't go out then either. My schedule is not a set schedule so I never know how long I will work. One week I could work Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and the next Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday. Yesterday was our first day off together. We had brunch at a French bakery. I got a croissant and hot chocolate and Drew got a croissant sandwich.

After brunch we went up to a rock shop and Drew bought me some earrings. While we were driving we saw a giant desk! We just had to take pictures on it.

 Drew had the answer! hehe.

We saw a buffalo on our way home.

Dancing!

We also went to Sonic and got drinks during happy hour. Half off! Wooo! Went back home and drank our drinks in the backyard on some lawn chairs. We had burgers with the family and then went minature golfing. Drew and I made a bet that the winner would get a foot rub. I totally kicked his butt.

I had a great day off!

The Girls

Drew has a pretty big family compared to mine. He has an older brother and four younger sisters. I get along with his family pretty well and that is way nice! I have been able to spend time with the girls these past couple weeks. They are funny girls! Joslyn is the oldest, she is 19. Tessa is 17. Tyne is 15 and Aria is 13.

Me and Tyne

Tessa took us to the movies the other day.

Tessa, Aria, Tyne, Me

Aria, Tyne, Me

Tessa, Aria, Tyne, Me

Well yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and I wanted to go out and get some Mexican food and a pina colada. I did not want to go alone so I invited the girls to go with me. We went to On the Border where Joslyn works. Joslyn is the oldest sister.

Aria, Me

Tyne, Tessa