Recording of Abide With Me

During the Winter 2008 semester, my friends Elise Rasmussen (Soprano 1), Kelsey Thomas (Alto 1), Haley Flanders (Alto 2), and I (Soprano 2) performed this arrangement of Abide With Me that our friend Joseph Sowa arranged. Mom, you will be happy to hear that I finally figured out how to post my recordings on my blog! Enjoy!

Calling All Good Family History Stories

"Family history is a powerful resource to us in finding those whom the Lord is preparing to receive the restored gospel. Pray to be aware of opportunities to use family history in your finding efforts. People typically have spiritual feelings as they  talk about families. People also feel the Spirit as they are taught about the doctrine concerning why we do family history work. In addition, convert retention is enhanced as new members are able to search their family roots and perform sacred ordinances in behalf of their ancestors."

Preach My Gospel, pg. 165

In my mission packet, one of the things I am asked to bring is a few stories about my ancestors. Page 164 of Preach My Gospel talks about sharing the gospel using family history work. It reads, "You do not need to know very much about family history to offer this service..." Luckily I love family history and am very excited to work with the family history libraries in Seattle if that is needed. So Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa (and other family members), have any good family history stories?

11:48

C: "What do you think is the most important thing our lives are judged on?"
A: "Are you serious?"
C: "Uh... yes."
A: "Are you seriously asking me this at 11:48 at night?"
C: Nods head
A: "I don't answer existential philosophical questions after 10:30."

Favorite Talk on Meekness

Because this is going to be one of my busiest weeks of the semester, I thought I would just post a link to my favorite talk of Elder Maxwell's (and probably of all time). As you read it, I'm sure you'll see that I like it because it exactly summarizes what I need to be doing better. :-)

Meekness--A Dimension of True Discripleship 
By Neil A. Maxwell

What do you think?

Love you and miss you all!

Singing Heads

Sometimes when I'm having a hard day or I miss Cameron (my brother), I watch this.


 
PS - Pause it at 2:26

Stromboli with 4 Ingredients!

And here is the recipe for what I brought to share at the reunion. It was the result of combining and simplifying three other recipes and takes about 40 minutes to make including bake time.

Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese Stromboli

**Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

8 oz tube of pastry sheet

8 oz. bag of frozen broccoli (thawed)

6 slices of deli ham (cut into bit-size pieces)

8 oz. bag of Swiss or Mozzarella cheese

Spread out pastry sheet. In center of pastry layer cheese, ham, and broccoli. Fold in sides of pastry and pinch where dough meets to form a long tube. Pinch both ends of the pastry shut. Flip the stromboli so that the pinched edges are on the bottom. Place on a cookie sheet and cook in the oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Slice and serve.


Try this and let me know what you think. If you have improvements, please share!

Mi Casa es su Casa

It has been a long day so this post is like therapy for me. Enjoy!

On Friday night I was able to go to the 138th Ward Family Reunion. It was so nice to visit with old friends and their families. Seeing my former bishop reminded me of all the ways I grew in his ward and what I learned from him. This post is a compilation of all the things that made Bishop so great!

This is a picture of some of us with the bishop at a temple trip in 2007.



This is me with the Crosbys at the Reunion. I was able to work closely with Sister Crosby in Relief Society. She was our trainer and go-to woman extraordinaire. The reunion was at their home and I love visiting them!


John will tell you that this is a typical Andrea pose. "John, you better not take the picture until we're ready."


This is my former roommate Emily. I miss her.


Bishop memorized everyone's name before they moved into the ward. I remember on my first day he asked my name and when I told him Andrea he said, "You know Jackie in the ward." He never forgot it. I also heard that when he was called to be bishop he received a copy of the ward directory before being sustained. On his first Sunday in the ward, he stood at the front of the room and knew every ward member's name. Crazy!

Bishop made it clear that we were a family ward, not a singles ward. He thought the term "singles ward" was ridiculous so he made it very clear that we were a ward family and that we were to take care of each other.

Bishop taught about Christ. Our ward theme was Come Unto Christ and it was regularly referred to in meetings, lessons and other interactions. I always remember having a testimony of Christ, but Bishop's unapologetic emphasis and lived example made the Atonement of Jesus Christ a more vivid reality for me.

Bishop's favorite hymn was Press Forward Saints. Whenever we sang it, we all had to stand. I've never seen someone sing with such gusto.

Bishop was always looking for teaching opportunities. Sometimes I would be talking to Bishop at an activity and our conversation would remind him of something so he would find the scriptures and teach me a principle. On Friday, Bishop pulled me aside and taught me something out of 3 Nephi that perfectly matched what I needed to hear.

Bishop calls us his sons and daughters. At an enrichment activity Bishop told us something that has affected my behavior ever since. He told us that some women slow down for a man that they like, but that was not the correct way. He told us as his daughters to go forward in life as fast as we had strength and to wait for a man to see us pass by and think that he wanted to work to catch up with us. He told us that's what he loved about his wife... and he meant it.

Bishop didn't knock. And neither did anyone else in the ward. Because we were a family, there was an open door policy. He also told us if there was going to be any kissing to lock the door because no one wants to walk in on that. Once a couple in the ward did not take that counsel and it was super awkward for me! :D

Bishop baptized the whole ward on temple trips. It didn't matter how many sisters there were; he baptized every single one. (My arms hurt just thinking about it). He also bought us all dessert in the temple cafeteria. Mmmm...

Bishop fed us. We went up to Bishop's house a few times a month and there was always plenty of food. He didn't lock the door to his house and told us this with an invitation to come over anytime and to make sure we didn't knock. Some people really took him up on this.

Bishop random digit dialed. All of the apartments in the complex started with the same eight digits and then had two digit extensions. When there was a pressing need in the ward, he would randomly mix up the last two numbers and ask whoever answered the phone to take care of the need.

Bishop tried to get us 7 am church. When faced with the dreadful 1:30 pm church, Bishop tried his hardest to bargain for 7 am church. The stake said no one would come. Bishop thought otherwise but was vetoed.

Bishop loves to tell stories. My favorite was when he got fired as a bus driver.

Bishop was slightly intrusive. From the beginning Bishop acted like a good friend. At first it was hard for me as a closed-off Minnesotan to accept. But once I realized that he was genuine I started to feel comfortable. Because he asked the hard questions, I feel like Bishop really knows who I am.

Bishop interviewed like crazy. His last week of being bishop he interviewed everyone in the ward. Seriously.

When I run into someone who was in that ward I feel like I'm seeing family. My last week in DC, a friend from the 138th ward, Hugh, moved into my DC ward. It was a happy reunion!

I am certain I will never again meet someone quite like Bishop. What a blessing to have learned from him!

My Brother Won the Nobel Peace Prize

An uncanny resemblance.

Seeing the End from the Beginning

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace."

Spencer W. Kimball

"Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene--one step enough for me."

Every time I sing these words, I am lead to question the sincerity with which I profess to desire to walk down uncertain paths. A good friend once observed that often times we prefer the certain path to the right path.

Sometimes I am surprised to hear someone speak in absolutely certain terms about a decision they have made about an important aspect of life that will not occur for months or years. I know, often times we talk about things in certain terms to avoid sounding shiftless.

But I wonder, should we? Or if we do talk about things in absolutely certain terms, should we also think about them unflinchingly? Or rather, should we think and talk about our lives in terms of the next step instead of the "distant scene" as is expressed in Lead, Kindly Light.

When the thought occurred to me (after I had taken the LSAT) that law school might not be the next step for me I was at first incredulous and disappointed. How could I have spent hundreds of hours preparing for something that would not lead to the originally desired outcome?

But then I realized that I was not prompted to be a lawyer, nor to go to law school, nor to apply for law school, but to prepare for law school.

Preparing for law school has provided a richness to my life and my education that has been unparalleled. It filled me with a renewed desired to apply myself to academics and to serve those around me which eventually lead me to intern in Washington, DC, an experience that forever changed my life.

I look forward to all that God has in store for me and all of those I love. Until I see the end, I will continue to make myself available for His wonderful blessings!

"I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on!"

The Meanest Mom

My friend Amy recently introduced me to a The Meanest Mom Blog. She is a 32-year-old LDS mother of four who lives in Philadelphia. It makes me laugh. Probably because I know that one day I, too, will be the meanest mom.

"Yes, you do need to do your homework before you can play with your friends."

"No, sweetheart, we are not having ice cream for breakfast."

Cruel.

Check it out!

Take Time

The theme of General Conference for me today can be summed up in one of my favorite hymns, Take Time to be Holy:

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

Listen to it here.

Dating Styles of Prospective Sister Missionaries

Before I received my mission call I believed that the notion that dating patterns change for women after receiving a mission call was false. However, after I submitted my mission papers I started to be asked on dates more often. And I really couldn’t figure out why.

For one of my classes, we read an article on the dating patterns of Return Missionaries (RMs) at BYU. But I wonder what the dating patterns of women who are preparing to serve missions are. This has lead me to create my own list of possible pre-sister missionary dating styles that need to be qualitatively researched. They are:

· Fill the Canteen: Women in this category are looking to have non-committal fun before they serve. Their relationships might be characterized by more physical affection. These women probably also date often.

· Stay Away: These women avoid dating at all costs. They are preparing to serve a mission and do not want to have a relationship that might prevent them from serving or distract them from their preparation.

· Whatever: An outside observer might not know that women in this category are planning to serve a mission. This woman would not make any changes to her dating pattern, but continue with whatever style she was previously. She seems to be thinking that whatever happens, happens.

· Friendship: This woman continues to date, but instead of looking for romantic relationships, she focuses on developing friendships with men. She might be looking to improve her dating skills so that she can use them when she returns or she may be looking to create a base of friends that might be potential dating candidates when she returns.

· Desperate: This woman might have only submitted her mission papers because she wasn’t dating anyone. She is looking for any excuse to date and marry so she does not have to serve. She might also have felt pressured from her family to serve.

· New Woman: This is the woman who, upon submitting her mission papers, feels a new sense of freedom from fear of rejection. Rejection does not seem to affect her as much because she has an attractive alternative. When she sees a potential relationship beginning to form she may feel that it’s now or never.

· Love ‘em and Leave ‘em: This woman continues to seek and form committed relationships. She may do this because she wants someone to be there when she gets back or she might want someone to write her throughout her mission. In contrast to the Desperate dating style, she still plans to leave her partner to serve a mission.

What would be the characteristics of women in each category? Would one consist of women who are planning to serve and have not dated much and another consist of women who are serving despite the availability of many opportunities for marriage? Only quality qualitative research will tell.