This Weekend!

I can't believe that General Conference is already here. Last Saturday was the Women's Session and it was exactly what I needed. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk on faith. He focused on what it is, what it can do, and what it can't do. It's not about telling Heavenly Father the blessings we want and then He grants them to us. It's about empowering us to act on God's will and trust that God sees what we cannot. I know Heavenly Father loves us and is eager to pour blessings on us, but sometimes it is better for us to wait. I don't pretend to understand why, but one day we will understand it and be in awe of how well He knows us as individuals.

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The first General Session starts at 10 am MST and I can't wait! I want to invite you to join me in watching or listening to General Conference. There are eight different ways to experience it.

1. In person

• Attend the live satellite or internet broadcast in your meetinghouse. Check with your leaders to determine when and where it will be shown. For broadcast times and options, see the satellite broadcast details. To find a meetinghouse anywhere in the world, visit maps.lds.org.
• Attend the live event in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. See ticket information.

2. Internet

• LDS.org
  Live video in 27 languages. Some languages will appear on the home page of LDS.org and others will appear on the language pages.
• MormonChannel.org
  Live video in the following 12 languages: Cantonese, English (including closed captioning), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese (including closed captioning), Russian, Spanish (including closed captioning), and American Sign Language
• BYUtv.org and BYUtv International
  Live video and audio in English
• Mormon Channel on YouTube
  Live video in the following 11 languages: Cantonese, English (including closed captioning), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese (including closed captioning), Russian, and Spanish (including closed captioning)

3. Mobile app

• Mormon Channel mobile app
  Video and audio in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

4. Television

• BYUtv
  Video and audio in English
• BYUtv International
  Video and audio in Spanish and Portuguese
• Mormon Channel on Roku
  Video in the following 11 languages: Cantonese, English (including closed captioning), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese (including closed captioning), Russian, and Spanish (including closed captioning). (Search for general conference under the “Spiritual” category.) Available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada.
• Local TV
  Check local program listings for availability in your area or visit bonneville.info or KSL.com.

5. Radio

• Audio is available through various radio stations, including Mormon Channel HD Radio, KSL Radio, BYU Radio (online and SiriusXM), and internet radio stations throughout the world. For listings, visit bonneville.info.

6. Social media

Follow the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Facebook and Twitter for more inspiration during general conference weekend and throughout the rest of the year.

• The Church’s Facebook and Twitter accounts will also be sharing the posts and tweets from the Brethren.
• The Church’s Twitter and Instagram accounts will share text, photos, memes, and videos.
• The Church will be using its new Snapchat account during all conference sessions. Follow along for photos and videos from conference—published in-the-moment during conference. Also, people who are on Temple Square or at the Conference Center can utilize the Snapchat geofilters that have been activated for the women’s session and the sessions the next weekend. At the bottom of this article is a snap code that Snapchat users can take a photo of and then follow the account by scanning the photo in the app.

7. Archives

• Video cached streams of the full sessions will be available right after each session ends. Divisions into individual talk and music segments in many languages will begin appearing after 8 hours and will be completed within 24 hours of the broadcast on conference.lds.org, podcasts, iTunes, and YouTube.
• Written summaries of the talks will be posted shortly after each session.
• Video and audio will be available on LDS.org in over 80 languages and on the Mormon Channel in iTunes (in many languages) within 8 hours of the broadcast. English text will be available at conference.lds.org and in the Gospel Library mobile app a few days after conference. Text in other languages will be posted in the following weeks.
• Read more detailed information about when general conference addresses will be available in video, audio, and text formats.

8. Physical copies

You can read and study general conference messages afterward using the following:

• Find all conference talks in printed copies of the November issue of the Ensign and Liahona magazines. The November issues of the New Era and the Friend also contain conference messages and features. You can subscribe to get an extra conference issue of the Ensign and Liahona.
• Physical DVDs and audio CDs, which you can preorder now at store.lds.org and they will be shipped as soon as they are available. (You can also subscribe to have the DVDs or CDs sent to you automatically every conference.)

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  Lately, we've been watching using the internet. It's amazing how many options there are now. Growing up, we used our local TV station, but when my parents were young they had to go to the local church building to watch it. Today, with all of these options, there is no reason to miss out on hearing the wonderful messages for us in our time.

Tintic, Utah

Back in May, my parents came out for a visit. We went to Tintic (now Eureka) to visit where my mom's great-grandparents lived for two years. The town is partially abandoned because the local mines were shut down. 

We went through the Tintic Mining Museum and learned about the history of the town. My great-great grandpa McMillan learned about the mines here when he was working on the transcontinental railroad. Grandpa worked in the mine while Grandma ran a General Store.

They kept chickens, which was a valuable commodity to have in Utah at that time, and a bobcat started preying on them. Grandma decided to take action even though she was scared of the bobcat.

She killed the bobcat the next time it came into her yard. Some local Native Americans heard about it and had a powwow for Grandma.

One of the souvenirs I got was an old crucible like the ones in the picture above. There's still some metal residue on it.

The highlight of the trip for my dad was seeing an old house that was found on property that was owned by Porter Rockwell. No one's sure if Porter actually lived in the house, but it wouldn't be surprising if he did.

One Last Time

Back in April, I found out that my high school band director was being forced out of his position. He wasn't fired, but he wasn't going to be working at Roseville High School anymore. It came as a shock to everyone. Toff invited alumni to come and play one last time for graduation. I knew that if I didn't go that I would regret it for a very long time. Jonathan supported my decision to go and made sure that I would have everything I need since he couldn't come with me. This was my first big trip on my own and it was great! Thanks to all of the May rain, Nevada was still green.

Zooming past the Salt Flats covered with water.

The following night was graduation. It was a surreal experience going back. I parked in my usual spot across the street from campus. (I only used the student parking lot after school during track session.) Then I grabbed my trombone and headed to the band room. I can't really find the words to describe what it was like being there again. It was my everyday life for four years and be there again felt like I was walking back into that time of my life.

I haven't seen most of my band friends since a year or two after we graduated. It was great being together again. We were able to pick up where we left off all those years ago.

Toff finally got a whiteboard!

I am so grateful that I could be there for Toff.

One tradition is for the seniors to write on the walls of the music library.  I think I wrote the I <3 you Toff, but I'm not certain. I spent a lot of time in there trying to organize the music towards the end of my senior year. I don't think I even made a dent in the chaos.

Toff tries to deny the impact he had on me, but even my parents freely acknowledge that he helped me grow into who I am today. Toff's classes weren't just about music. Obviously, most of it was, but he was trying to get us to look outside of our cell phones to see the world. He tried to get us to think for ourselves and not be afraid to go against the norm. Toff pushed us and helped us see that we could do hard things. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be one of Toff's students. Good luck at Woodcreek!

Making Dreams Come True

Jonathan started his internship this week. To say he loves it is a major understatement. He comes home from work with more happiness and energy than he has before going to work. Our evenings are spent together because he's gotten in plenty of time doing what he loves at work and can instead focus on time with me.

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I am so grateful that we are making his dream career come true. It's been a long road, but it's worth each and every sacrifice. This is just a small taste of how it will be after he graduates next spring! (It's 363 days away!!!) We don't know where we'll go next, but we've started coming up with multiple exciting plans!

MIA

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, but we really haven't been up to much since we started serving as ordinance workers in the Provo Temple. When we finish our shift, we are exhausted both physically (from climbing all of those stairs!) and spiritually. I know with time we will be able to handle it.

The temple was closed for the General Women's session of General Conference as well as the General sessions the following Saturday. On the 26th, we had an Easter family BBQ with our Patterson cousins. My cousin Kinzie's son Mike refused to speak for at least an hour. Instead he would write notes on napkins. It was hilarious!

For Conference weekend, we went up to Idaho for our first trip of the year. In between sessions of conference, the kids showed off the new mat for their trampoline. Jonathan and I may or may not have been kindly asked to get off because we bounce too high.

During Ruby's nap, I painted with the big kids. I feel bad for not doing this sooner. Clara loves doing any kind of art project. I promised the kids that from now on I will bring paint supplies with me.

Seth's paintings had a very clear theme - military. When he grows up, he wants to be an Army Engineer.

The red plane blew up the first green plane, so a second green
plane blew up the red plane.

This is an aircraft carrier on the ocean.

This is a practice battlefield.

Clara's paintings were much more colorful. I love how she signed her name on the first one.

Clara is the one with red hair and Annie is the one with blue hair.

I love how her flower looks!

The next day after breakfast, Clara told me that I needed to come and take a picture of her and Ruby hiding in the couch.

During another break, we played outside. Ruby could have spent hours on the teeter totter.

After dinner, Annie made a delicious early birthday cake for me!

I love Ruby's solo at the beginning!

As much as we love serving in the temple, it was nice to have a break!

Another Step Closer

Jonathan has an internship! He only has two more semesters and then he will graduate. Then who knows where we will be! For the past few months it hasn't felt like much progress was happening, especially after his first interview for an internship was really sketchy. Like they weren't sure when they would be able to pay Jonathan... I'm glad we passed on that one!

This is the company Jonathan will be interning with!

Something (or rather someone) that has helped us stay hopeful and persistent has been the example of my brother Andy and his wife Amy. They were able to make it through year after year of Andy in school. They didn't give up hope and Andy just celebrated his 5th anniversary at his dream job. If they can do it, so can we!

Join Me!

Tomorrow evening is the first session of General Conference! I love the Women's Session. It is uplifting and encouraging. Please join me this Saturday and next weekend by watching General Conference. You can stream it live on LDS.org so you can watch it anywhere.

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Another Year

Last week we celebrated the birthday of our family!

“The day that a couple kneel across the altar in the sacred House of the Lord becomes the most important day of their life because on that day you create a new eternal family.”

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Since it was Friday, I went to work as usual and didn't expect anything out of the ordinary. Well, after lunch a man came walking towards my desk in a suit and my favorite tie with flowers. Jonathan totally surprised me! He had been planning on delivering flowers for a few days and had a hard time not telling me. All the girls that I sit by thought it was adorable.

That same night we went to the temple and did the sealings for some of our family. As we were in the sealing room, I felt the same excitement doing the sealings for our family as I did when Jonathan and I were sealed. It was beautiful.

On Saturday, we went to dinner after finishing our shift at the temple. This time I surprised Jonathan. Earlier in the week, I talked him out of going to Tucanos for our anniversary dinner. After he surprised me with flowers, I decided to surprise him with an amazing dinner! He was very happy with my surprise.

It doesn't feel like it's been 5 years since we were married, but we've been through a lot during that time. Having Jonathan by my side through it all has made the hard times more bearable and the good times even better.

Totally Worth It

Jonathan shaved his glorious beard last Friday night. I'm still getting used to seeing his naked face. He needed to shave because the following morning we started serving as ordinance workers in the Provo Temple and men are required to be clean shaven.

Even though I miss his beard, it is already worth shaving. We are getting a deeper understanding of the work that goes on in the temple and the symbolism behind it.

I still don't know how to dress for winter.

Living In A Winter Wonderland

This year, we are trying to enjoy winter. This past Saturday we went up into the mountains and tried snowshoeing for the first time. We knew it was going to be cold, but we both ended up being over prepared.

We both kept overheating because of all of our layers.

As we were going it started lightly snowing. With the sun shinning it looked more like glitter was falling from the sky.

It looks like we just might have picked up a winter hobby that isn't sitting in our warm apartment!

A Year In Review

Another year has come and gone, though it feels like this year went a bit faster than most. Here are some highlights from the year.

Surprise, surprise. Our year started out at the Salt Lake temple.

My very own desk at work while our office was still in Orem.

We explored Park City.

I helped Jonathan find his own family names to take to the temple.

Back in February, Jonathan and I were sick for about three weeks.

In March, the company I work for moved it's office to Lehi.

In April, the wind kicked up so much dirt in the air that it was raining mud!

We went to a UVU baseball game.

We had a small Cinco de Mayo celebration.

For Memorial Day, we found the graves of our ancestors.

My least favorite day of the entire year. The day the apartment turns on the swamp cooler.

We saw fireflies for the first time!

We went to the Manti Temple Pageant. 

We went shooting on the farm in Idaho for the 4th of July.

We spent time exploring BYU with Tyler.

I searched for my cousin, Elder Van Matre.

We went to Promontory to see where the transcontinental railroad met... 

and stumble onto ATK where they build the rocket boosters for the space shuttles.

We visited the University of Utah.

We visited the mine my great-great grandfather worked at when he first moved to Utah.

We got a new nephew in the summer. Theodore Nelson.

We went to a CRAZY good BYU game against Boise State.

I got to see Stephanie Nielson speak. (It was amazing!)

We finally made it to the Ogden Temple.

We saw Abby kill it!

We went to a Spanish fireside where Elder Christofferson spoke in Spanish. (Also Jonathan shaved his beard. I think I'm still recovering from that. I LOVE the beard!)

We played in California with all of the Pattersons!

We went to a crazy good UVU basketball game against Weber State. UVU won after the game went to double overtime!

We had a wet visit when we saw the lights at Temple Square.

Our apartment was toasty with our pixel fire.

It has already snowed more times this winter than last winter. I'm dreaming of wet California winters.

We got a second new nephew just before Christmas. Spencer Wadman.

We had a merry little Christmas in Idaho. We weren't sure if the weather was going to cooperate, but thankfully it did!

It was maybe 4 degrees in Idaho. It made me happy when we got back to the toasty 20 degree weather in Utah. (You can see why I really miss California!)

We had a good year. Jonathan's getting closer to being done with school and I have a great job. We still love being in nursery and get nervous anytime the bishop or Relief Society president talks to us. (Luckily the Relief Society president has a daughter in nursery and she loves having us there!) We look forward to seeing what the new year brings us.