Change: An amazing gift

"Nothing is so unchanging, so inevitable as change itself." -Marvin J. Ashton

 

"When we're through changing, we're through." -Bruce Barton

While there were many years where I would have rather started out perfect in my every pursuit, I now love and cherish the changes in my heart and mind that I experience. I love that moment when your eyes are opened and you realize that you were wrong. Why? Because when it comes, despite the fact that I often have to humble myself and apologize to others, I can see both worlds. And in seeing both perspectives, I am better prepared to help others. My vision is expanded.

That is not to say that we should not strive to be our best every day, but rather that we should not be afraid to move forward in life even if we are not guaranteed perfection right away. Sometimes the challenges we face are bigger than our prior experiences and our previous capacities, but as we struggle and persevere, our abilities are strengthened and our understanding is increased. We are able to not just survive, but flourish!

Over the last few years I had some experiences where I felt like others took a snapshot of me, a dynamic and constantly-changing woman. Have we not all made a similar error to some degree or another? I felt like they used this snapshot to judge my past, present, and future. It hurt. Perhaps they did not know me well enough to know my deep commitment to improvement and progression. Maybe they did not know how far I had come and how hard I had worked to achieve that snapshot that they critiqued.

Let's commit ourselves to refrain from doing this to others and instead to understand others in context: as a product of their past with great potential ahead. If others put us in a box and do not allow us to change, let's recognize it for what it is--a misjudgment--and continue progressing in our lives.

We can remember: "The time to make up your mind about someone is never." The same holds for ourselves. If you have something that you know you need to change, change it! That is what I am working toward in 2014, being my best me.

I love you all, friends and family. If I ever fail to give you the opportunity to change, please let me know. I believe in you and I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all things are possible.

Ways I changed in 2013:

• I accept non-closure regarding race and class disparities in the world. Legacies of injusticies are complicated. While I continue to strive to do my best to make this world more just and to support the under-represented and forgotten of the world, I give up judging the motivations of others. I drop my feelings of prejudice toward and my judgment of those (including myself) who benefit from unfair systems.
• I'm a teacher. I chose this profession. We're underpaid and underappreciated. Asi es. Shoganai. We also have many opportunities to make a meaningful and positive difference in the world. 
• I can now say that I like California, Utah, Idaho, and Texas and the people who live there. I would be willing to live in those states and happy to raise my children in any one of them.
• I cannot change others and I relinquish the desire to. Sometimes others give you the courtesy of explaining their hurtful actions and other times they do not or cannot. I accept that.
• My classroom attitude shifted from resembling: "And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things--stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction." to: "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only be persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;"

Questions to consider regarding change in your own life:

• How is change a gift?
• How did you change in 2013?
• Have you ever felt put in a box or that others did not allow you to change? How did you get out of that situation?
• What progress do you look forward to making in 2014?

I would love to read your answers to these questions in the comments below. Happy 2014!

Faith, baptism, and the path of discipleship

V was baptized today. It was wonderful to see his smiling face as he came out of the water. Here are some thoughts from the talk he asked me to give at the service.

What is faith? 
We know that to have faith is to "hope for things which are not seen, which are true." (Alma 32:21, Hebrews 11:1) We also know that faith is "more than a belief, since true faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action." (Bible Dictionary: Faith) By definition, in order for us to exercise faith we cannot see the end from the beginning. It requires that we act without knowing exactly what will happen, but believing that it will be for our good and the good of others.

How can we keep our faith active?
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in the October 2013 General Conference answered the question, Why would anyone want to join such a church as ours? One reason is the opportunity to have an active faith.

"Believing in God is commendable, but most people want to do more than listen to inspirational sermons or dream of their mansions above. They want to put their faith into practice. They want to roll up their sleeves and become engaged in this great cause. Ant that is what happens when they join us--they have many opportunities to transform their talents, compassion, and time into good works...Sometimes we volunteer; sometimes we are 'volunteered.' We see assignments not as burdens but as opportunities to fulfill covenants we gladly make to serve God and His children."

What are the blessings of exercising our faith?
As we live our life by faith we come to see that living by faith, repenting of our wrongs, keeping the covenants we made with God, and seeking to have the Spirit of God with us "are the way to the abundant life, we will appreciate that these principles help answer any question and fill any need." (Preach My Gospel, pg. 108)

What does faith mean to you?

Where can I turn for peace?

Here is a recording of my brother and I practicing the LDS Hymn Where Can I Turn for Peace?

If you like the hymn and want to learn more,

• Here is information about the history of the hymn: http://www.mormonchannel.org/history-of-hymns/18

• My favorite book about peace: A Quiet Heart by Patricia T. Holland
• Here is a talk titled Where Can I Turn for Peace? by Paul V. Johnson 

Joy

Today I sat in the car crying with my forehead buried in the steering wheel. I had just read a text message about my grandmother's rapidly declining health.

Despite having a deep belief in eternal families and knowing that I will see her again, I am still sad to lose my grandmother and sad to hear of all the pain she is experiencing.

As I was crying I realized that my grandmother left me a wonderful gift--The Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had just left the temple where the older sisters there had built me up, given me tips about how to make Hawaiian haystacks for a ward activity, shared how they overcame the grief of losing spouses, and invited me to dine in their homes.These sisters will never replace my grandmother, but in a way act as surrogate grandmothers and examples for me.

Thank you, grandma, for passing on your love for Jesus Christ and those around you. Thank you for showing me how to be strong when things are difficult. Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for teaching me what it means to be a Joy.

{For an inspiring, hopeful treatment of death, please read this talk titled "He is Risen!" by President Thomas S. Monson.}

Book Review: The Power of Everyday Missionaries

The Power of Everyday Missionaries is the latest book by Mormon author, businessman, and professor, Clayton Christensen. I read it as part of a book club over a period of three months. In it, Christensen discusses various ways Latter-day Saints can share the gospel with those around them.

Favorite Parts:

• Inspiring true stories. In this book, Christensen shares many true and recent stories about members sharing the gospel. He shares success stories and stories where the success is not immediately evident (I say this because we may not always know the long-term effects of our efforts). I loved that so many of the stories were from his own life. As I read them, I felt like if he had personally experienced so many of those things, the expectation to share my beliefs was something attainable for me.
• Practical, everyday tips. So many of the tips that Christensen offers involve only minor lifestyle changes. If we can make these adjustments (that feel so attainable) we can open the door to greater possibilities for missionary work.
• A good review of the doctrine. Christensen addresses some important points of doctrine and reminds us about the foundations of conversion.
• No excuses given. Christensen does not make excuses for our feears or apprehensions about sharing the gospel. 
• Encouragement to be innovative. We are encouraged to come up with solutions that match the needs of the area where we live. We are reminded of revelation and the fact that we are stewards over our own lives (and for church leaders, our own areas) and can be guided to help people come unto Christ in new and innovative ways. 

Who this book is for:
This book is for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have testimonies of Christ and want to share it with others. It would be good for returned-missionaries and those who have not served a mission. I especially recommend it for those who have a strong desire to be better missionaries but are scared to share their beliefs or are stuck on trying to figure out more ideas about how to be member missionaries.

Excerpts:
After sharing several examples of church units that were able to build a successful missionary program, Christensen writes:

"Each of these members and leaders were entrepreneurs in Zion. They rightly assumed that the power was in their hands to bring to pass much righteousness... The programs of the Church are designed to leave room for a great deal of individual initiative and personal guidance."

To learn more about the book, please visit the website www.everydaymissionaries.org

Finding Common Ground

The seventh graders were going crazy in the hallway. Twelve of them were jumping up and down the stairs, running, hitting, pushing, grabbing, and screaming. In the midst of it all, one young man stood out to me. He was taller than the others with a caramel complexion and a gray kufi on his head. Saying, "Where do you all need to be?" in an authoritative voice sent most of the twelve scattering, but he continued relaxing on the stairs.

"And where do you need to be?"

"I'm supposed to be in class, but I'm waiting for somebody."

"Hmmm... Young man, what does that cap on your head mean?"

"Uhhh... well it is for my religion. It's supposed to set me apart."

"I'm glad you said that. I knew what your cap represented before I asked you because it does set you apart. I can relate. I also wear a reminder of my faith and I know what it means to hold yourself to a higher standard. It means that even if every other person in this school isn't doing what they're supposed to be, you and I have to have higher expectations for ourselves and do what's right because that is what we have chosen. Can you do that?"

"Yes, I can. I'll go to class."

Forty-five seconds after the our conversation began, the young man turned around and walked straight to his class.

This happened two weeks ago. On Wednesday, I was walking down the hallway with a large, heavy bag of papers to grade. This young man saw me and offered to help carry my things to the car.

Conversations like ours build respect and understanding. They are what can truly mold a young person's character. I am thankful for my faith and the expectation it places on me to live my life according to high standards, God's standards. I am grateful for other people of faith and how we can hold each other accountable when we are weak.

Thank you

Today a student was struggling to put his answer on paper. He knew the answer. I knew that he knew it. He knew that he knew it. But he just could not commit to it enough to write it, even in pencil, on his paper. I knew that he wanted to write it and move on; he just needed that extra push.

My natural inclination:  "You have ten seconds to write an answer down on your paper."

You taught me that my natural inclination can be bossy and off-putting.

Thanks to you, I paused before speaking. "You have the answer inside of you. I can tell. Why don't you write down your best guess?"

A softer touch was what he needed.

Carried by the Covenant

Have you ever been deeply spiritually moved by a piece of artwork? It's happened to me only a few times. Shown below is a painting that was exhibited in the Museum of Church History and Art a few years ago.

The light seems to be of divine origin. The way that it falls on the mother's back shows impelling power of the light of the covenant.

The simple background does not distract from the central subject matter.

The look of determination of determination in the mother's eyes is piercing.

The mother and child have red and blue scarves, symbolic of their divine heritage and their royal potential if they are true to their covenants.

Joseph F. Brickey, Carried by the Covenant. Prints can be purchased here.

Yesterday I read a General Conference talk by Elder Bednar, "Honorably Hold a Name and Standing."

"What was it that gave those early Saints such strength? It was the fire of the temple covenant that burned in their hearts. It was their commitment to worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the house of the Lord

"We do now and will yet face great challenges to the work of the Lord. But like the pioneers who found the place which God for them prepared, so we will fresh courage take, knowing our God will never us forsake (see "Come, Come, Ye Saints," Hymns, no. 30)."

That is why this painting is powerful.

Response to "Mormon voters wary of showing too much love for Romney"

I'm making a comeback on my blog. This is a shout out to all of my friends, LDS or not, who have their own political leanings, influenced by their surroundings and life experiences of course, but that are uniquely theirs. Here is my response to a Washington Post article I read this morning: Mormon voters wary of showing too much love for Romney 

I was surprised by the statement: "Mormons, one of Romney’s most loyal voting blocs, are often quiet about their support. That might be because the church discourages political involvement."

While the LDS Church as a whole does not endorse any particular political party, it reserves its right to become involved in specific political issues -- hence its involvement in Proposition 8 in California. But it is not as commonly known that the church also supported Utah HB 116 a not-so-conservative guest-worker program for illegal immigrants.

The church actively encourages its members to be politically involved but does not prescribe with what political party members must be involved. In fact, Utah was predominately Democratic from the 1880s to 1970s when disagreement over the Equal Rights Amendment weakened party alliances. This decrease in the Democratic Party in Utah specifically, which occurred concurrently with a decrease in the Mormon proportion of the Utah population, and among Mormons generally continued through the 1980s and 1990s until today when Democrats make up a small minority of voters in Utah. Although it is important to point out that there are still several Mormon politicians who have maintained their alliance with the Democratic Party including Representative Jim Matheson and his father, former Utah governor Scott Matheson.

While there may be more Republican Mormon voters than Democratic Mormon voters, it cannot be ignored that Harry Reid, one of the most powerful Democratic political leaders in our country, is Mormon. And he is not the only Mormon Democrat. Brigham Young University (BYU), the university owned the LDS Church, has had several political speakers at campus-wide events and graduation ceremonies including Condoleezza Rice and Dick Cheney, but also Harry Reid and Joseph Lieberman.

It appears that some want to paint the LDS Church in an extreme light but the issue of political involvement and political parties among Mormons, as with most political issues, is more complicated.

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?

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!

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!

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.

Mormonism and the Mind, Part 2: Resolving the Paradox

“The true intellectual is one whose intellect is sufficiently developed that he recognizes not only the great potential, but also the limitations of his intellectual capacity.” These words, spoken by Rex E. Lee to law students at BYU, continually have a significant impact on my approach to learning.

In a chapter titled “Two Cheers for Excellence” in The Broken Heart, Bruce C. Hafen deals with the seeming preclusions of seeking after excellence and striving to be a devoted (and non-competitive) disciple of Jesus Christ. In it he mentions that many would rather be a leader in Hell than a door-keeper in Heaven. I want to be a good student, an excellent student really. However, it is difficult for me to view the possibilities of what I can do without becoming conceited.

I can identify two main symptoms of intellectual pride. The first is an inability to relate to those who are “normal” because of the belief that one is more intelligent and therefore better than others. This can be seen when people intentionally discuss esoteric intellectual topics around those they know will not understand their conversation. The second is closely related. It can happen even with those who are not trying to portray an elite class and consists of excessive trust in oneself. Those who exhibit this symptom seldom believe they are wrong or that they need to change. Both of these symptoms are felt to varying degrees internally and externally by those who have them.

It pains me that I experience both of these symptoms (as I perceive, mostly internally). My parents have tried to help me to be humble since I was young, but the accolades of the world often overshadow any sense I have of meekness. One daunting fear still looms in my life, the fear that I will “get rich…forget God and his people…and kick myself out of the Church.” Not because I in any way desire this, but because I have not truly overcome my pride and I am still not sure how to.

John Tanner advised some fellow scholarship recipients and me that it is better to be good than to be great. He developed the thought further by saying that it is better to be a good person than to pile up distinctions and worldly accomplishments.

So I work everyday to overcome myself. I want to be great, but I also want to be good for something. Though I’m not sure how, I know that as I desire to have my heart changed, study the life and teachings of Christ and commit myself to serving those who have nothing to give me, the change will come.

What Every Relief Society President Should Know

In honor of the General Relief Society Meeting tonight, I thought I would share some of the things that I learned from serving in the Relief Society last summer. I created this list to pass on to the next president who happened to by my roommate Lynne! This calling allowed me to grow in ways I never thought possible and continues to bless my life now. Many of the principles in this list apply to all aspects of list. Pictures of sisters from our Relief Society this summer are scattered throughout.

Advice (hopefully good advice) for serving as Relief Society President

August 10, 2008

Focus on Jesus Christ.

Read the Relief Society Handbook.

Follow the bishop.

Prepare for Welfare meetings by reviewing the sisters in your Relief Society and their needs.

Focus on individuals, in your personal ministry and in discussions in presidency meetings.

Sister Beck said in the last General Relief Society Broadcast to focus on relief and sociality will happen in your

Relief Society, it does not necessarily work the other way around. I found this to be good advice.

Enrichment is so important and is one of the ways that you can meet the needs of the sisters in your Relief Society. Invite the enrichment leader to presidency meetings occasionally so she can counsel with you on the needs that can be met through enrichment.

Come up with a theme or guiding principle with your presidency. This will help you to grow together and will help the sisters to remember the important principles you will try to emphasize. It will also help your Relief Society to be unified.

**At the beginning of the semester, have presidency visits. This is a good way to introduce yourself to the sisters in your Relief Society and to get to know them.

**Call the sisters before they move in and introduce yourself and offer to help them with moving in or rides from the airport if they need it.

Learn what you can about Relief Society and its purpose and history. Your Relief Society is but one branch of a much larger society with a unique and rich history. Understanding the broader mission, purpose, history and direction of Relief Society will help you to serve within it.

We sang a song in sacrament together as a Relief Society and I thought it was a good unifying activity and also let sisters that would not usually participate in something like that to try something new. We practiced the hymn during our music moment each week.

Try to prepare the agendas for Relief Society (prayers, songs, etc.) before you arrive at Relief Society. This allows you to be more calm and reverent at the beginning of the meeting.

I would have fewer announcements at the beginning of Relief Society and I would ask my counselors and secretary to arrive early to Relief Society so you can start on time. With fewer announcements there is more time for the lesson which is the most important part of Relief Society meetings (in my opinion).

Be friends and grow close as a presidency. Look out for each other. As a president, lean on your counselors and the other presidents for support. Try not to let yourself or your counselors get burnt out. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Use your home and visiting teachers.

I would have liked to work with the Elders Quorum more to meet the needs of the sisters. Make sure you let the Elders Quorum President know about any sisters that may need especially faithful home teachers.

**Encourage your counselors to try to interview every sister each month. This will help you all to be more in tune with the needs of the sisters and will remind them of their assignment to visit teach.

Visiting teaching is the foundation of Relief Society. I would have liked to have used my visiting teachers more to meet the needs of sisters.

Have agendas for all presidency meetings. I liked the pattern of going through and allowing each member of the presidency to present her business. Encourage everyone to come to the meeting prepared to report and share something at the meeting.

INTERVIEWS

• Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions in the interviews, sometimes the only way a sister will tell you about something that is troubling her and needs to be resolved is if you directly ask her.
• The new sisters especially probably will not open up to you on the first visit, but they still have needs that you can meet. Keep working to get to know them better. You will find as time progresses that they will be more open with you when they sense your genuine love for them, but it takes time to develop.
• You may want to ask the sisters to share their testimony or a favorite scripture with you. This is a good way to get to know them better and for you to get a feel for their personality and how you can help them.
• Interviews are a chance for you to assess the spiritual and temporal needs of the sisters in your Relief Society. Part of the responsibility of the president is to help meet the physical needs of the sisters in your Relief Society, through the Church welfare system if necessary. Let every sister know that you are there to help them if they need help
• **Try to interview all of the sisters in the first month. This will help you for the rest of the semester because you will be able to know each sister individually and personally. You can also assess the needs of sisters and know who you need to interview more often.

**Pray for each sister individually every day. This will help you to feel a connection with your sisters and will encourage you to get to know every sister individually so you know what to pray for. It may be difficult at first, but as the semester progresses and you get to know each sister better; you will know what to pray for. This will also help God to work through you by prompting you on how you can best meet the needs of sisters that you otherwise may not have been aware of.

**The stake encourages us to spend thirty minutes a day on our calling. This might involve just stopping by to say hi, preparing for a lesson, praying for each sister or rearranging visiting teaching. Your obedience to this counsel from the stake will greatly bless the sister in your Relief Society.

What you do in the time when you are not officially acting in your calling can really help set the tone for your Relief Society. Just stopping by to say hello for no official reason or stopping to talk with sisters will help them open up to you.

SECRETARY

• Use your secretary! Secretaries are one of the greatest assets in your presidency. Make sure that the person you call is very responsible and dependable and has a love for the sisters.
• The secretary can do more than just the monthly report. She can help you set-up interviews, prepare agendas for presidency meetings, report in presidency meetings on patterns she is noticing in visiting teaching and in Relief Society attendance, and do other things as needed.

Find joy and satisfaction in service. You are called of God and are qualified to the work. Heavenly Father loves his daughters and despite any weaknesses you may feel that you have, he can and will meet their needs through you. You will do a wonderful job and grow in ways you never thought possible. Work hard and give your all so you can look back on this as one of the most fulfilling and joyful experiences of your life. You will be great!

**Advice specifically applies to serving in a Student Ward or in the BYU 15^th Stake

N-Y-C!

Let me preface this post by warning everyone that I LOVED New York so be prepared for some enthusiasm!

We left for New York on May 22, the Friday before Memorial Day. Our bus driver was named Tony and at the beginning of our journey, he sang to us over the intercom. Only $40 and I got a ride to New York and a free concert! Of course, we had to take a picture with Tony after we arrived.

Here was my first exposure to a New York bathroom. Notice the open bottle of alcohol in the bathroom stall. Nice.

We went straight from the bus drop off to Times Square. It is quite an overwhelming experience and a bit of a tourist trap, but I loved it!



This is me eating my first hot dog from a vendor in New York.



After Times Square we made the trek up to our hostel in Upper Manhattan. It was a clean hostel, but the building it was in was old. This is all of us trying to pack into the tiny old elevator.

Here is our room. Three bunk beds in New York for about $28 a night.

This is Juliana and me on Saturday morning riding the subway.

Saturday morning we took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. There was a beautiful view of Manhattan from the ferry.

I really enjoyed Ellis Island and learning about the tradition of immigration that we have in the United States.



From Ellis Island, we headed over to China Town. Michelle had told us before we got to New York that she wanted to buy a purse in China Town. So after we got off of the subway and a shady looking man asked us to follow him to his purse shop, we did it. Looking back on it, it seems like what we were doing was probably illegal, but somehow at the time I was just content to follow everyone else around.

We also had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in China Town.


Little Italy is right next to China Town.


Alicia waited in line for hours on Saturday morning while we went to the Statue of Liberty to get us discounted tickets to The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.

Here is us in the theater.


For dinner on Saturday we went to his famous pizza place in Brooklyn called Grimaldi's. It is so famous that we had to wait in line for hours to get inside.

Mmmm...

We planned it so that we would walk across the Brooklyn bridge toward Manhattan as the sun set. Beautiful!
On our way to our next destination, we made a stop at Grand Central Station.


It has a cool ceiling.

For dessert we went to this cute little cafe called Serendipity. They have the most delicious and expensive desserts there.




On our way to church on Sunday morning, we walked to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It is said to be the fourth largest Christian church in the world.





After our visit to the cathedral, we walked through Central Park. I looked up as we were walking and saw the Angel Moroni sticking up through the trees!

While waiting for church to start, we sat out on the rocks.


And took pictures on the bridge that reminded us of the movie Enchanted.

The Manhattan temple!


After church we went back to central park to eat lunch.


And took the subway down to the World Trade Center. This is Harry. He has the most amazing story and was so interesting to listen to. Here is a video of him on YouTube.


Near the World Trade Centers is Trinity church. National Treasure, anyone?

And near Trinity Church is Wall Street. Here is the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange).


We woke up early on Monday morning. I went to Columbia University while the other girls went to a famous bagel shop. We met up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I LOVED it! Inside I saw paintings by Monet, Degal, Degas, Picasso, Manet, and VanGogh.


There were even annunciation paintings. This was the size of the whole wall!


This is the perfect picture to describe the weekend. Juliana and me looking at the map.


After the museum we made a stop by FAO Schwartz and were able to play on the BIG Piano.


And as we were walking to the UN, we took a picture by the LOVE statue.


Sadly, North Korea set off some missiles so the UN was closed for the day. World Peace!



Then we headed over to the Rockefeller Center. You can see all of NYC from up there.






After the Rockefeller, we swung back by our hostel to pick up our bags and headed to the bus station. It was such a fun vacation and we were able to do so much. I highly recommend New York! Here is us by the hostel.