>sigh< Oh well!

Today was Sunday.

Yes it was, and I went to 3 different church buildings for church.

And I had a very good and enlightening Sunday experience.

BUT I missed the most important part of Sunday...twice.

I went to McCoy's mission farewell, and arrived in the middle of the Sacrament—which means I didn't get the chance to take it then.

But I thought, "Never fear!  I'll just take it at Hyrum's homecoming!"

When Elder Busche talked about avoiding haste in this video, he really was right.  It's much easier to feel the spirit of Sunday when you don't allow your hurriedness to interfere.

So, as fate would have it, and even with all my haste and frazzled feelings, I also arrived at Hyrum's homecoming right in the middle of Sacrament.  So I missed it.  Twice.

And I feel like I've missed out this week.  A lot.  But I shall take it next week.

And so, as an attempt at appeasing my uneasy feeling at not having the opportunity to complete the most important Sunday activity for me, I shall show you this wonderful video.  Because it's beautiful, and I love it.  AND (of course) Christ loves you! :)

It's true.  I know it.  Because He is the best older brother you could ever ask for! :)

This video depicts Christ's visit to the Americas as told in 3rd Nephi chapters 11-26 in the Book of Mormon.  What a happy event!  I hope you enjoy it :)

Becoming Anxiously Engaged

Before you ask, no, I'm not engaged.  Not that way, anyways. :)
I'm talking about this phrase of glory:

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness." 
—Doctrine and Covenants 58:27

I've had a lot to think about lately because of this proverb, but there are three things it says in particular that seem to hit me between the eyes every time.


A good cause.


There are so many all around me.  When I'm working and have time to think about all I could be doing, there are gajillions of wonderful, helpful, fantastic tasks I could be doing.  However, when I have time to do them, I can think of none.  I find this very irritating.


Own free will.


This has also been a thorn in my side for the summer.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have been meaning to wake up at 6:00 so I can go running/biking/doing something active, eat a good, healthy breakfast, and have a long, quiet scripture study before work.  Have I done it once this whole summer???  The answer is this, my friends.  Sadly, no.  Well...maybe once...halfway.  Do I feel bad every morning when I wake up just a little too late to follow through?  You betcha!


The bottom line is this:  I have no self-discipline.  To do this or a myriad of other things I've been meaning to do.  I was champion at this during school, why can't I do it now?  I don't know.  And I don't know how to remedy it.  Which is much more frustrating than not knowing why.


Bring to pass much righteousness.


This is the part that has given me more qualms than either of the first two.  Much righteousness.  Much.  That's a lot one person can do.  And it's completely within my ability to do it.  Why don't I?  


I could learn to play the guitar and drums like I've always wanted.  I could practice piano.  I could sew a new wardrobe.  I could motivate my siblings to exercise, cook, clean, and be even more awesome (if possible).  I could re-finish Granny's swing, and weed the garden.  I could finally record the last 2 years of my life in my journal, and write letters to the 5 cousins, 4 (FHE) brothers, and some 7 thousand friends on missions.  I could call Lis at last, and actually figure out how to do my calling properly.  I could finally muster up the gumption to just do what's good, proper, and right for goodness sake.


And that's not even half of what I could do!  And that list is somewhat selfish.  I could do so much more.  Much...


Anxiously engaged...


Still, the good news is, and this has been the light at the end of the tunnel,  I have such wonderful people around me.  Mom and I had an hour to chat today, just us, and I needed it a lot.  She didn't know, but she helped me see today that I'm not a complete failure.  I am anxiously engaged in some things.  And in those little areas, I have done much good.  For myself and others.


Every week, I play Chicago-ball with all my cousins who live close by.  I am by far the oldest that goes, and I love it.  No one is too slow or too bad or too little to play, and every week I leave out of breath, with a smile plastered on my face, and with a month's worth of hugs.  :)


Today, I played soccer with Madi and Max.  We giggled and ran and enjoyed the sunshine and were so silly together.  We came home and cleaned the house from top to bottom together, and I rather enjoyed it.


And I do help Mom and Dad a little.  It's not near as much as I want to and wish I could, but I'm trying to do what I think to do, and it is helping some.


And I do notice the blessings God gives me everyday.  I live in a beautiful place with a splendid family.  For some reason, I have a lot of friends who love me, and I am blessed to know that God lives, that Christ is His son, and that I am supposed to struggle sometimes.  It's oddly comforting to know that.  I am human.  And I can't do everything.  And most of what I do, I don't do as well as I wish, but that's what this life is for.  To figure out how to grow and learn.  And we're supposed to be happy as we do it and find joy in the journey.  


I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though I feel so inadequate and foolish and so..... careless sometimes, I just have to keep doing what President Gordon B. Hinckley said to do everyday:

"Try a little harder to be a little better."

It's a great idea.  Read it.

:)

On Sunday :)

It always amazes me how Sundays are so wonderful.  I woke up early this morning to get ready and shortly realized that I didn't need to be ready for church for a while longer, so I picked up a book, and was outside by eight letting the wind blow-dry my hair.  It was a beautiful, sunny morning.  I went to church with darling M'Kenzie and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was one of those days when it seems like everything everyone is teaching is instantly applicable.  I like those Sundays.

Sunday is definitely my favorite day of the week.  It's slower, peaceful, and I can spend my day in calm reflection.  During Sacrament Meeting I was reading the words to a hymn, and they just happened echo my thoughts exactly at what I have been thinking about/doing a lot lately.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow with humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior, God, to Thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

True, in Idaho, the "gentle breeze" is more of a hurricane--especially today, but I still find it applicable.  It's a beautiful hymn--definitely one of my favorites.  Walking outside just really reminds me about how great God is, and how blessed I am.  I feel closer and more grateful there.  I hope you felt closer to Christ today, and I hope your Sunday turned out to be as great as mine!  

If not, watch this.  We watched it in Relief Society today, and it made me so happy.

"Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome...no matter how it looks."

Great words of wisdom, and definitely something I needed to hear:

The Coolest Thing!

Sooooo, you wanna know what it is????  Do ya? Are you suuuuure???  Okay, I'll tell you.  It's.....

.......drum roooooollllllll............

MISSIONARY WORK!  Tah-DAH!!!

I'm just really excited about it, okay???

For those of you who do not know, I am a member (and avid fan, I might add) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Yeah, it's really up there in the list of coolest things EVER.  Fo' rizzle.

So!  What event makes this wonderful proclamation of fan-ship so suitable at this very moment in time?  FIRST, I am writing two missionary letters right now.  I'm writing them on old-school stationary.  It's exciting okay?!  Hahaha!  Well, it's exciting to me anyways....

Second, the two missionaries I am writing  are Elders Thomas Olaf and Craig Hunter.  As I write, I have been thinking about all of my friends and family members who have gone on or are going on missions.  I've made a list (as part of their letters) of all of these people, and it just keeps growing!  Granny and Grandpa Christensen got their call to serve this week even!  Everyone is going to a different place.  I know people going to Europe, Pacific Islands, all over in the U.S., Mexico, Russia, Africa, Austrailia--actually, I know of someone going to every continent (excepting Antarctica :] ). Most of them are speaking different languages from any of the others.  BUT even though they are all in different places, in different circumstances, receiving different blessings, talking to different people, meeting different challenges, speaking different languages--they are all out there doing the same work.  They are serving their brothers and sisters around the globe--helping them, loving them, and sharing the Gospel with them.  They are bringing to them the good news of Christ's life, love, sacrifice, and goodness.

Needless to say, this makes me proud of my boys.  I wish I was out there, right now, serving with them.  It's a very great and exciting opportunity to be called by God to go and share your testimony and love of Christ with people all over the world.  I love getting letters from them.  Reading their many adventures is exciting to me, and learning about the sweet people each of them come to know has been a highlight.  I can't get a letter without smiling.  Their love of God and of Christ is so strong, and their love of the people they are serving is so evident in all they write.

And it's then that I realize that I can do what they are doing, kind of.  I love God, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel, and I want to share it with people too!  Sometimes, I feel so inadequate, though.  So, as part of a cousinly-challenge (Thomas and I have lots of those ;)  ) I decided (and was encouraged) to read and study Preach My Gospel (the missionary study guide/manual).  It's been a great experience, and it's fun to know that I am doing at least one thing like my brothers (and cousins, and sisters...and....everyone) out in the field.  :)

So, here at least is a part of my efforts.  I've told you, and if you have any questions (any at all) I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.  It's an exciting thing, and I hope it makes you as happy as it does me! :)