This last week has been full of goodbyes. It all started a few weeks ago when they announced that they would be changing all of the singles wards and the boundaries of them in the Salt Lake Valley. We all new that it was coming and were expecting it, but none of us really wanted it to come this soon.
The church has been changing all of the student wards and stake singles wards in that state for the last year. They started in Cedar City and have done St. George, Weber, Logan, and now Salt Lake. They are taking all of the wards and combining them so that there are just Young Single Adult wards(YSA wards). The church is finding that they are losing track of to many young single adults within the church. They are also finding that a lot more young single adults are going inactive while trying to find a ward for them. Therefore, the church has decided to consolidate the wards and bring people back together based on where they live. This means that young single adults will now have two options. You can attend your home family ward or you can attend the YSA ward for where you live.
It was about a month ago today, on April 10, that they announced in my ward that this change would be happening, and that it would be happening now. We were told that we would have one more week as a ward then stake conference and then on May 1st we would be in our new stakes. Needless to say, that April Sunday turned into a goodbye and welcome to change fast and testimony meeting. Even though part of all us were sad that this change was happening we all also new that change is something that is good and that we all need it. I even started laughing at one point because I had been asking for a way to keep moving forward and the thought cam into my mind that "you wanted a way to move forward, well here it is".
The next two weeks were full of last things. The last Sunday as a ward, the last ward and stake FHE, the last ward activity, the last University 2nd Stake Conference,the last ward council meeting, the last temple recommend interview with my bishopric, the last relief society meeting, and the last Sunday Drive to and from the U. I realized this when last Sunday I was leaving the parking lot. It occurred to me that I will no longer be making this drive each week. Part of me was in awe because I have been making this drive to and from the U each week for the last six years. Most of those years I was making the trip multiple times a week. There was even a time when I made that drive up to the U every day. I have been driving there for work, school, Omega, church, and the Muss. And then last Sunday I made that weekly drive for the last time. It was a very weird feeling to think that I would no longer be going to the U of U campus. I have spent so many hours there and it will be weird to now be spending none.
All of the other last things were filled with goodbyes as well. Goodbyes to those weekly associations. Goodbyes to those who we knew we will no longer see. Goodbyes to a bishopric that we have all come to love. And goodbyes to the wonderful unity and strength of our great ward of U32. And even though this last week has been full of goodbyes, it has also been the start of many hellos.
This last Thursday, April 28, we had a meeting down at the Conference center to find out our new stake boundaries. The church had three meeting total. One for each area of the valley. Davis county was to meet on Thursday night at 7:30 pm. That evening we all gathered together and released our bishops, stake president, and the boundaries of our current wards and stakes. We then found out the new stake boundaries for Davis county. They are making 3 stakes in this area with about 10 wards in each stake. Once we found out the boundaries we had some wonderful testimonies and talks from leaders of the church. Some of them talked about why they were reorganizing the young single adults, others talked about the history of the singles wards, some mentioned the power of change and how it will effect us in our lives to comes, and others talked about what a blessing we are to the world and to the church. But most of all they talked about how this new change was a rescue mission. A rescue mission to save those who are less active. A rescue mission to bring those around us into the church. But also a rescue mission for all of us to go out and find our eternal companion. A mission to help us see the view of the family and to help us to achieve it. A mission to help prepare us as the future families leaders of the church.
With these changes all of the new stakes meet today to find out there ward boundaries and their new bishops. My stake meet this morning at 9am at Viewmont High School auditorium. We all found out our wards, bishops, and place of worship for the next week were we will have our first meeting with our new wards. But this day wasn't just about finding out were to go the next week or what bishop you now have. It was a day that was the start of many hellos. A day of saying hello to a new stake president. A day of saying hello and accepting a new ward and bishop. And most of all a day of saying hello to those around you and realizing that there are a lot more young single adults in this area then you realized before.
They announced today that there are about 3,000 members of my YSA stake. 3,000 young single adults that live between North Salt Lake and Farmington. Now, not all of these people are fully active in the church, but they are here. And that is just the number of people in my stake. It was amazing today to see that just my stake had filled the whole auditorium, both of the floors with people sitting in all chairs and standing along the back wall. It was even more amazing to think that there were members of my stake who were not there that would have filled the place up even more. What this made me realize was that there are many more people out there as young single adults then I cared to realize or to get to know. There are many people out there looking for way to move forward. Many people who are looking for a way back to the truth. And most of all many more people who are looking for someone to say hello.
So, although the last few weeks, and definitely the last week, have been full of goodbyes today was the start of the hellos. Today I said hello to a new stake, a new ward, and a new bishop. And with saying hello I also raised my hand saying that I would accept them and all of the adventures that they may bring. So here's to today. A day of standing tall and accepting change. A day of saying I will move forward. And most of all a day of saying hello to the many changes and new faces that will surely come across my path. May I greet them with a happy smile and a determination to become a better person and a better friend.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday's Fabulous Find
This last Friday I ended up with two Friday finds. I first went to this place that I heard about in passing. I had had friends mention it as well as my mom. I decided that I should go and check it out. The place I went is called Kneaders.
Location: 1050 N 500 E, North Salt Lake (they have other locations)
Hours: 7am to 10 pm, Mon-Sat
Prices: decent
Food: Sandwiches, salads, desserts
Website: www.kneadersbakery.com
This place remind me of the Corner Bakery that is up on Foothill Dr. It is your basic bakery/sandwich shop. They have plenty of sandwiches to choose from as well as soups and salads. They also have an extensive bakery full of desserts that you can choose from. I ended up getting a Chicken Pesto pinni. It came with baked chips and a pickle and it was all super good. The service was quick and the people were friendly. After the sandwich I just had to get dessert. I went and stood in front of the row of treats and finally decided on the canoli. It was super delicious and I would definitely get it again. If you like things like the Corner Bakery or Paradise Bakery then you should check this place out as well. If you want to take a look at their menu they have it all listed online. It all looks quit tasty. After looking at it myself I have decided that someday I will have to go back for breakfast and get the cinnamon french toast. It sounds oh so good.
The next place I ended up going is called The Sweet Tooth Fairy. I had gone down to Provo to visit my dear friend Katy and we decided that we wanted a treat. She had been to this place with a couple of her other friends and thought that I should check it out.
Location:Provo, East Bay 1227 South University Ave. (They have other locations as well)
Hours:?
Prices: good and oh so worth it
Food: cupcakes, cake bites, cookies, cakes, and more
Website: www.thesweettoothfairy.com
This place was truly delicious. The store itself is cute and then you walk in and see all of these cupcakes and cake bites and cookies and it is all you can do to decide what to get yourself. And if any of you know Katy and I you know that we do not make decision very well or very quickly. I think we ended up standing in the store for a good ten minutes before we picked something. And we didn't just pick one, we couldn't. That night I ended up getting three things: A half dozen cake bites, a cheesecake cupcake and an oatmeal cookie. No I did not eat them all Friday night, but they were all gone by Sunday night and they were oh so good. I will definitely have to go back one day and get some more. If you are a dessert fan then this is the store for you.
Hours: 7am to 10 pm, Mon-Sat
Prices: decent
Food: Sandwiches, salads, desserts
Website: www.kneadersbakery.com
This place remind me of the Corner Bakery that is up on Foothill Dr. It is your basic bakery/sandwich shop. They have plenty of sandwiches to choose from as well as soups and salads. They also have an extensive bakery full of desserts that you can choose from. I ended up getting a Chicken Pesto pinni. It came with baked chips and a pickle and it was all super good. The service was quick and the people were friendly. After the sandwich I just had to get dessert. I went and stood in front of the row of treats and finally decided on the canoli. It was super delicious and I would definitely get it again. If you like things like the Corner Bakery or Paradise Bakery then you should check this place out as well. If you want to take a look at their menu they have it all listed online. It all looks quit tasty. After looking at it myself I have decided that someday I will have to go back for breakfast and get the cinnamon french toast. It sounds oh so good.
The next place I ended up going is called The Sweet Tooth Fairy. I had gone down to Provo to visit my dear friend Katy and we decided that we wanted a treat. She had been to this place with a couple of her other friends and thought that I should check it out.
Location:Provo, East Bay 1227 South University Ave. (They have other locations as well)
Hours:?
Prices: good and oh so worth it
Food: cupcakes, cake bites, cookies, cakes, and more
Website: www.thesweettoothfairy.com
This place was truly delicious. The store itself is cute and then you walk in and see all of these cupcakes and cake bites and cookies and it is all you can do to decide what to get yourself. And if any of you know Katy and I you know that we do not make decision very well or very quickly. I think we ended up standing in the store for a good ten minutes before we picked something. And we didn't just pick one, we couldn't. That night I ended up getting three things: A half dozen cake bites, a cheesecake cupcake and an oatmeal cookie. No I did not eat them all Friday night, but they were all gone by Sunday night and they were oh so good. I will definitely have to go back one day and get some more. If you are a dessert fan then this is the store for you.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Shirts to Skirts
This last Wednesday I had a relief society activity that I absolutely loved. We all gathered together and made skirts. And not just any skirts, but skirts made from shirts that we got at the DI.
It all started when one of my bishopric members wives came to church in the cutest skirt. We were all complementing her on it and she just started laughing. We asked what was so funny and she told us that she had made this skirt our of a sweater that she bought from the DI. At first we all thought she was joking, but the more she talked about it the more we actually believed her. She mentioned that she had gone looking for a new skirt and had seen one in Anthropology that she liked but didn't want to spend the money on. So instead of buying it she studied for a moment and decided that she could just make her own and she did. So many of us thought that it was cute and wanted to learn how to make our own so we decided to do it as a activity. It took awhile to put together, and get things organized so it would work. Eventually we got all of the details sorted out and got together to cut and sew last Wednesday night.
Before that night came we all had to go out and find our material. This was actually kind of fun. I went to the local DI and wandered around the tore looking for items that would make a cute skirt. I ended up buying three different tops. An extra large pink and black jacket, an extra large green jacket and a mens large sweater. From there I went to Joann's and picked out some ribbon, ribbing, elastic, and other accessories that I wanted to add to the skirts. It was fun to shop and think about how I was going to make them look.
So Wednesday night cam e and a bunch of us gathered together at the Larsen;s house. We set up multiple tables with sewing machines and others with cutting mats. From there we gathered around for instructions. They went somewhat like this:
First measure yourself from hip to hip. This was done by holding up the shirt against your waist and marking where you thought you should cut it.
Then measure from you waist to where you want your skirt to end. This was also done by hold the shirt up to your waist and marking it where it hit your knee.
Next cut the shirt to your measurements. This was done by laying the shirt on the cutting mat and angling the ruler to match your previous made marks. Then you took the cutting knife and sliced through the shirt.
Once it was all cut out you sewed the sides down to fit you. This was done mostly by guessing and checking. We would sew the sides then try it on to see how it fit. If it was still to big we would take it off and sew the sides again and repeat the process.
Once the side are sewn then you measure the ribbing/elastic to your waist size and sew it on the top.
After the ribbing is sewed on you can then add ribbon, edging, flowers, lace, etc to the bottom of your skirt to embellish it.
None of the instruction were very specific and none of the measurements were ever perfect. But that was the best thing for all of us. We all just went with it and for some reason it made it seem easier to do because you felt like there was less to screw up on since nothing had to be exact. We all laid out our shirts and started cutting and sewing and laughing a long the way. Most everyone at least got a start made on their skirts. A few of the girls finished them and they all look super cute.
That night I started working on the one made out of the sweater. Once I decided that I could figure out how to finish the rest on my own I then started to work on the Pink and Black Jacket. I wanted some help with starting this one because it was the one that I was most excited about and I didn't want to screw it up. I ended up getting the main part of the skirt cut out and the elastic sewed on but that was it. So then on Saturday night I purposely did not make any plans. I wanted to finish my skirts and that is just what I did. I sewed on tool, ribbon, flowers, edging and ended up completing the two skirts that I had started on Wednesday. I thought they turned out pretty cute and was quite excited about them.
This is the one made out of the mens sweater. The front and the back are the same.
This is the one made out of the Pink and Black Jacket. I am really happy with how it turned out and even wore it to church on Sunday. Everyone else thought it was super cute as well and couldn't believe that I made it out of a jacket from the DI. All in all I would say that this skirt ended up costing me maybe $20 by the time I bought the elastic, edging, ribbon, tool and flower. Not bad if you ask me.
On Sunday I decided to make my last one. So I took the following supplies: the Green Jacket, Ribbon, Lace, and Ribbing and sewed me a skirt. It tuened out pretty sute if I do say so myself.
All in all it was super fun to do and not very hard. I didn't spend a whole lot of money and I ended up with three new and cute skirts to wear. I think the biggest thing that has stuck out to me is that these skirts were made from shirts bought at the DI. It just goes to show that with a little imagination and some creative thinking you can do wonders on a small budget. It just goes to show that you should never pass something by without taking a second look at it ans seeing what it could become.
It all started when one of my bishopric members wives came to church in the cutest skirt. We were all complementing her on it and she just started laughing. We asked what was so funny and she told us that she had made this skirt our of a sweater that she bought from the DI. At first we all thought she was joking, but the more she talked about it the more we actually believed her. She mentioned that she had gone looking for a new skirt and had seen one in Anthropology that she liked but didn't want to spend the money on. So instead of buying it she studied for a moment and decided that she could just make her own and she did. So many of us thought that it was cute and wanted to learn how to make our own so we decided to do it as a activity. It took awhile to put together, and get things organized so it would work. Eventually we got all of the details sorted out and got together to cut and sew last Wednesday night.
Before that night came we all had to go out and find our material. This was actually kind of fun. I went to the local DI and wandered around the tore looking for items that would make a cute skirt. I ended up buying three different tops. An extra large pink and black jacket, an extra large green jacket and a mens large sweater. From there I went to Joann's and picked out some ribbon, ribbing, elastic, and other accessories that I wanted to add to the skirts. It was fun to shop and think about how I was going to make them look.
So Wednesday night cam e and a bunch of us gathered together at the Larsen;s house. We set up multiple tables with sewing machines and others with cutting mats. From there we gathered around for instructions. They went somewhat like this:
First measure yourself from hip to hip. This was done by holding up the shirt against your waist and marking where you thought you should cut it.
Then measure from you waist to where you want your skirt to end. This was also done by hold the shirt up to your waist and marking it where it hit your knee.
Next cut the shirt to your measurements. This was done by laying the shirt on the cutting mat and angling the ruler to match your previous made marks. Then you took the cutting knife and sliced through the shirt.
Once it was all cut out you sewed the sides down to fit you. This was done mostly by guessing and checking. We would sew the sides then try it on to see how it fit. If it was still to big we would take it off and sew the sides again and repeat the process.
Once the side are sewn then you measure the ribbing/elastic to your waist size and sew it on the top.
After the ribbing is sewed on you can then add ribbon, edging, flowers, lace, etc to the bottom of your skirt to embellish it.
None of the instruction were very specific and none of the measurements were ever perfect. But that was the best thing for all of us. We all just went with it and for some reason it made it seem easier to do because you felt like there was less to screw up on since nothing had to be exact. We all laid out our shirts and started cutting and sewing and laughing a long the way. Most everyone at least got a start made on their skirts. A few of the girls finished them and they all look super cute.
That night I started working on the one made out of the sweater. Once I decided that I could figure out how to finish the rest on my own I then started to work on the Pink and Black Jacket. I wanted some help with starting this one because it was the one that I was most excited about and I didn't want to screw it up. I ended up getting the main part of the skirt cut out and the elastic sewed on but that was it. So then on Saturday night I purposely did not make any plans. I wanted to finish my skirts and that is just what I did. I sewed on tool, ribbon, flowers, edging and ended up completing the two skirts that I had started on Wednesday. I thought they turned out pretty cute and was quite excited about them.
This is the one made out of the mens sweater. The front and the back are the same.
This is the one made out of the Pink and Black Jacket. I am really happy with how it turned out and even wore it to church on Sunday. Everyone else thought it was super cute as well and couldn't believe that I made it out of a jacket from the DI. All in all I would say that this skirt ended up costing me maybe $20 by the time I bought the elastic, edging, ribbon, tool and flower. Not bad if you ask me.
On Sunday I decided to make my last one. So I took the following supplies: the Green Jacket, Ribbon, Lace, and Ribbing and sewed me a skirt. It tuened out pretty sute if I do say so myself.
All in all it was super fun to do and not very hard. I didn't spend a whole lot of money and I ended up with three new and cute skirts to wear. I think the biggest thing that has stuck out to me is that these skirts were made from shirts bought at the DI. It just goes to show that with a little imagination and some creative thinking you can do wonders on a small budget. It just goes to show that you should never pass something by without taking a second look at it ans seeing what it could become.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday's Fabulous Find
Growing up the only ballet that I had ever been to is The Nutcracker. My mom had this tradition that when we turned eight she would take us to see it with her that Christmas season. It was so much fun to go with just my mom and experience. I had been in dance lesson since I was three and actually seeing real ballet dancers was exciting to me. I never wanted to be a professional dancer, but I loved dance and grew a love for watching dancers preform.
As I got older I started to go to more dance performances. Since I was a dancer myself I was at dance recitals and competitions all of the time. Even though I have been to my far share I have never grown tired of watching people dance. The more dance competitions and recitals we went o the more my sister and I wanted to see. We started going to other performances like Thriller and Shut Up and Dance. We went to and bought many dance movies. And all the while my love for the preforming arts just kept growing.
This last Friday I was able to go the the ballet that Ballet West was preforming at the Capital Theater. My friend Kendra had season tickets and invited me along for the show. She figured that I would the one to enjoy it the most. I decided that it would be my Friday's Fabulous Find. We went and saw Bolero
Location: The Capital Theater
Hours: Depends on the show
Prices: Depends on where you sit
Experience: Priceless and enjoyable
This show includes three separate ballets. It start with Chaconne which is a ballet about celebrating life here an earth. Then they preform the ballet Sinfonetta which is about a journey in Heaven. The last performance of the night is Bolero. This ballet is all about sensations. And it was by far my favorite of the night.
The other ballets were good. All of the dancers did an amazing job but Bolero was the show that I didn't want to stop watching. The dancers were fantastic and the show keeps you intrigued the whole time. From the way the stage is set up to the costumes, music, and the dancers themselves all you do is just keep starting and watching and waiting to see what will happen next. It was truly a great preformance. One that I am glad I was able to experience and one I hope to enjoy again.
If yo have never been to the ballet, then you should go. It is something that should be experienced at least once. Whether you go to a classic ballet like The Nutcracker or a more modern one like Thriller or Bolero, you should at least go once. And who knows, you might actually like it.
As I got older I started to go to more dance performances. Since I was a dancer myself I was at dance recitals and competitions all of the time. Even though I have been to my far share I have never grown tired of watching people dance. The more dance competitions and recitals we went o the more my sister and I wanted to see. We started going to other performances like Thriller and Shut Up and Dance. We went to and bought many dance movies. And all the while my love for the preforming arts just kept growing.
This last Friday I was able to go the the ballet that Ballet West was preforming at the Capital Theater. My friend Kendra had season tickets and invited me along for the show. She figured that I would the one to enjoy it the most. I decided that it would be my Friday's Fabulous Find. We went and saw Bolero
Hours: Depends on the show
Prices: Depends on where you sit
Experience: Priceless and enjoyable
This show includes three separate ballets. It start with Chaconne which is a ballet about celebrating life here an earth. Then they preform the ballet Sinfonetta which is about a journey in Heaven. The last performance of the night is Bolero. This ballet is all about sensations. And it was by far my favorite of the night.
The other ballets were good. All of the dancers did an amazing job but Bolero was the show that I didn't want to stop watching. The dancers were fantastic and the show keeps you intrigued the whole time. From the way the stage is set up to the costumes, music, and the dancers themselves all you do is just keep starting and watching and waiting to see what will happen next. It was truly a great preformance. One that I am glad I was able to experience and one I hope to enjoy again.
If yo have never been to the ballet, then you should go. It is something that should be experienced at least once. Whether you go to a classic ballet like The Nutcracker or a more modern one like Thriller or Bolero, you should at least go once. And who knows, you might actually like it.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Moving Forward=Change
For this last year I have felt in a rut. I have not know what to do or where to head. You see, growing up I had this plan. This plan to go to school, graduate from high school, go to the U, graduate from there, and get a job. That is as far as my plan went though. It just ended there. Don't get me wrong, it was a great plan. One that worked out really well and that I was able to accomplish. But, I finished that plan last May when I graduated from the U and then got my job in June. From then on I fell like I have been floundering. I have been feeling like there should be something more. Over the past year I have felt like I have been stuck. And I have felt like I should be working towards something, but have had no idea what to work towards.
Now don't get me wrong. I like my job. I am glad that I graduated from school, and I enjoy my life. I have just been feeling like something is missing from it and like I have not been moving forward in any direction at all. Getting sick of this feeling about three months ago I decided that something need to happen. That's when I started praying for a way to move forward. TO move forward in whatever direction i was supposed to head. I don't know what I expected to happen, but I just kept on praying that something would. Nothing really happened at first. I just had this hope inside that things where going too. Then one day along the road I realized that if I wanted to move forward, if I wanted to get different results from life, then I was going to have to change what I had been doing. So I did.
I started going to the gym more. I took the challenge for scripture reading with my ward. I applied for a Masters program and got in,don't get excited, I'm not doing it, but I did apply. I accomplished something. I started do Friday Fabulous Finds to explore new places. And all the while I just kept praying. And with the way things have gone, I have continued praying to find a direction and a path to move forward on. So there I was sitting in church this last Sunday. We were all in sacrament and it had just been announced that the change of the wards that we had all been hearing about for the last year or so was going to happen at the end of this month. Our ward would no longer exist and neither would are stake. We all knew that this was coming. We all expected it to happen. But that doesn't mean that we wanted it to.
So there we sat. All of us feeling sad. Sad to say goodbye to our ward and sad to say goodbye to association within it. It just happened to be fast and testimony meeting. Brother Larsen who was conducting got up to bear his testimony. I don't even remember what he said, but it made us all laugh. I was sitting there and I looked up and saw the Bishop laughing. I saw that the ward was laughing and this thought popped into my head. It said "you wanted a way to move forward, well here it is". I just sat there for a minute and then I started to smile. And then I started to laugh. Just like that the Lord had changed my perspective and made me laugh at the same time. In that moment the ward change went from being sad to a challenge. A challenge to meet new people. A challenge to grow into a new ward. A challenge to move forward. In that moment what had sadden me changed into what I had been praying for. No, it is not exactly what I had in mind, but if the Lord wants me to move forward through it, then I will go forward.
Moving forward doesn't always happen like we think it should. It doesn't always happen in big jumps like graduate or getting married or having a child. Move forward can happen in the little things as well. It can happen in changing your daily routine, or trying something new, or changing to a new ward. Moving forward just means change.
Now, today I ripped apart a book. Literally. I tore it apart. I cut off the cover, tore off the binding and all of the glue, and ripped each page apart from the others. I took it completely apart. But then, I put it all back together again. I smoothed out each of the pages, I put them all in the protective covers, I added in the pages that had been missing, and then I put it all back together. In the end, it was in better shape then when I started. The pages were no longer falling out and the binding wasn't ripping. And the best part of all was that all of the pages were there. While doing this I thought of that story where each of us is compared to a house. A house that God comes in and remodels. While it is happening we may feel like we are being destroyed and ripped apart. He is going to knock out some walls and rip off the roof or he may even take out your whole foundation. But he isn't going to leave it like that. He will build new walls and fix the leak in your roof. He will also make your foundation stronger then it ever was before. He will make you into your mansion and you will be beter in the end then you ever were before.
Moving forward = change, and change can sometimes = hurt and heartache. But, change is good and moving forward in the right direction is even better. So even though it may cause you to get out of your comfort zone, try new things, meet new people, and hurt your heart a little bit, change is something that needs to happen. Just remember that comfort zones are not places where God allows his children to camp. He has to things to get you to grow, to get you to learn, and to get you to change and move forward. And in the end you will find that you are far better off then you ever were before it started.
Now don't get me wrong. I like my job. I am glad that I graduated from school, and I enjoy my life. I have just been feeling like something is missing from it and like I have not been moving forward in any direction at all. Getting sick of this feeling about three months ago I decided that something need to happen. That's when I started praying for a way to move forward. TO move forward in whatever direction i was supposed to head. I don't know what I expected to happen, but I just kept on praying that something would. Nothing really happened at first. I just had this hope inside that things where going too. Then one day along the road I realized that if I wanted to move forward, if I wanted to get different results from life, then I was going to have to change what I had been doing. So I did.
I started going to the gym more. I took the challenge for scripture reading with my ward. I applied for a Masters program and got in,don't get excited, I'm not doing it, but I did apply. I accomplished something. I started do Friday Fabulous Finds to explore new places. And all the while I just kept praying. And with the way things have gone, I have continued praying to find a direction and a path to move forward on. So there I was sitting in church this last Sunday. We were all in sacrament and it had just been announced that the change of the wards that we had all been hearing about for the last year or so was going to happen at the end of this month. Our ward would no longer exist and neither would are stake. We all knew that this was coming. We all expected it to happen. But that doesn't mean that we wanted it to.
So there we sat. All of us feeling sad. Sad to say goodbye to our ward and sad to say goodbye to association within it. It just happened to be fast and testimony meeting. Brother Larsen who was conducting got up to bear his testimony. I don't even remember what he said, but it made us all laugh. I was sitting there and I looked up and saw the Bishop laughing. I saw that the ward was laughing and this thought popped into my head. It said "you wanted a way to move forward, well here it is". I just sat there for a minute and then I started to smile. And then I started to laugh. Just like that the Lord had changed my perspective and made me laugh at the same time. In that moment the ward change went from being sad to a challenge. A challenge to meet new people. A challenge to grow into a new ward. A challenge to move forward. In that moment what had sadden me changed into what I had been praying for. No, it is not exactly what I had in mind, but if the Lord wants me to move forward through it, then I will go forward.
Moving forward doesn't always happen like we think it should. It doesn't always happen in big jumps like graduate or getting married or having a child. Move forward can happen in the little things as well. It can happen in changing your daily routine, or trying something new, or changing to a new ward. Moving forward just means change.
Now, today I ripped apart a book. Literally. I tore it apart. I cut off the cover, tore off the binding and all of the glue, and ripped each page apart from the others. I took it completely apart. But then, I put it all back together again. I smoothed out each of the pages, I put them all in the protective covers, I added in the pages that had been missing, and then I put it all back together. In the end, it was in better shape then when I started. The pages were no longer falling out and the binding wasn't ripping. And the best part of all was that all of the pages were there. While doing this I thought of that story where each of us is compared to a house. A house that God comes in and remodels. While it is happening we may feel like we are being destroyed and ripped apart. He is going to knock out some walls and rip off the roof or he may even take out your whole foundation. But he isn't going to leave it like that. He will build new walls and fix the leak in your roof. He will also make your foundation stronger then it ever was before. He will make you into your mansion and you will be beter in the end then you ever were before.
Moving forward = change, and change can sometimes = hurt and heartache. But, change is good and moving forward in the right direction is even better. So even though it may cause you to get out of your comfort zone, try new things, meet new people, and hurt your heart a little bit, change is something that needs to happen. Just remember that comfort zones are not places where God allows his children to camp. He has to things to get you to grow, to get you to learn, and to get you to change and move forward. And in the end you will find that you are far better off then you ever were before it started.
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