The last seven days have been quite the emotional, eventful ride. 

First, Raiven and Carson were sealed and it was probably one of the most beautiful moments to see them simply glowing as they emerged from the temple. Carson has never looked happier and Raiven was a pure vision. I'm so glad to have friends that make such wise choices to love and be sealed to each other for eternity in Heavenly Father's holy house. 

Last weekend was also one for huge decisions and confirmation of things I had hoped. First, I got to spend the weekend with two of my favorite people, Benson and Caitlin. It was relieving to be around my best friends and to know I could be honest and be myself. It's a rare gift when someone can say they have friends as great as Benson and Caitlin. 

This last week also resulted in a job gained and lost, a truck stolen and recovered and a large amount of self evaluation. When things like this occur it's important, I realized, to not feel as if you are being punished. If you are doing everything in your power to maintain a good life and rely on Father in Heaven for strength, everything will be as it should be. I've learned that they way you react to the adversity in your life will lead to the kind of relief or grief from the adversity. 

The Drop List/Bucket List

Today, while playing around on the computer I "stumbled" upon a website with forty-two ways to improve yourself. Among some were to start a thirty day challenge, get up early, have a weekly workout routine, and start your own self help routine. There were other suggestions like: challenge someone to a competition, befriend people that are high in their field, and become aware of your own flaws.

Thinking of all these things (the ones listed are some of those I may try) also made me want to write a bucket list. I think one of the most important things one can do with their life is to seize moments to improve yourself and explore the world you live in. One good place to start is to consider all of the wonderful things you have already done in your life. it is the best thing you can do to realize how great your life actually has been, it to write a "drop list." I think of this list as the "drops in the bucket" that you're going to kick. It's a list of things you've done of which your bucket list is an addition.

My drop list:

-Go cliff jumping

-Sing in general conference

-Learn how to wakeboard

-Go to Disney Land and Disney World

-See Ground Zero in NYC

-Go to the Legion of Honor Museum

-Meet a Holocaust survivor

Some things for my bucket list:

- See the Louvre

-Write a book

-have a family

-visit Ireland

-Become an Ambassador

Well, these are just the ones I can think of. :) more to come.

I've thought about starting a blog for a long time. I have many friends and family members that have blogs and at first I thought they were silly, I figured that since I had a Facebook page, there was no need for a blog.

Now I realize they are fundamentally different.

I wanted to begin writing again, even if it is purely for myself, for me to go back and read, that's okay. It's an opportunity for me to express my love of God, my gratitude for the life I live, and hopefully to remember the beautiful things and people and thoughts and moments that occur regularly in my life.

One such beautiful moment occurred last night.

It was one of those times in your life when you do not realize how much you have truly impacted another's life. This impact is something I pray for everyday. I want to find someone to serve and share with another the happiness I find in life and why.

This moment was actually a text message conversation. A friend that has become even more dear wrote to me, thanking me for all the help I had offered him. He thanked me for showing him that the world IS full of good people. I took the opportunity to share my testimony with him of the reality of Heavenly Father. I had challenged him to pray to his Father in Heaven for help in a time when he felt he was an ultimate failure.

I promised him that I would remain the person I was to him for the rest of my life.

He promised that he would always wear a wrist band he got from an exhibit I helped create about how to strengthen those in the world, even simply in our society who are oppressed. This token represents that he will always remember our friendship.

I was touched that he felt that he hadn't done enough to reciprocate the friend I was to him. I asked him to promise me that he would take what I had given to him, and share it with someone else so that another person may feel the joy in life that we both now feel.

These are the moments I want to remember. The moments when a loved one realizes their worth, realizes how far they have come in their life towards becoming the person they want to be. It is my hope that through this journey I will be able to become the person I want to be.

I know this block is nothing super remarkable. I haven't traveled to any exotic country, I haven't done anything to warrant fame. If these posts do get read, I don't share them for recognition of myself. All I want is to remember the beautiful moments of my life and share my gratitude for what God has given me.