My favorite part of these reading selections was from President Hinckley's "Inspirational Thoughts" in the March 2006 Ensign. I liked how he compared the value of work to the muscles and how if you don't use it, you become weak and cannot grow. This thought struck me because as an athlete, the growth and development of my muscles is important. If I am out of shape, I can get hurt or fall behind the other players. The same is true for the other aspects of my life. If I don't strive to gain a better testimony, it will begin to falter and I could lose my faith. When I neglect my studying and put it off for more fun things, I suffer the consequences and get bad grades. If I don't work hard at developing my talents, I lose them and it takes even more effort to get back to where I was. I have to constantly be working hard to improve myself in everything I can and raise my expecations, so that I can become the best version of myself.
Whenever I felt jealous of someone else's talent's or success, my mom would always say to me: "The harder you work, the luckier you get." And I have found this to be so true all the time. If I don't put in the effort or time, I am not going to do a good job. The people who 'get lucky' or have success are the ones who worked the hardest, it is not just a coincidence. For example, one year I did not prepare very well for a piece I was performing in a festival competition, and I ended up getting second place. It was upsetting for me, and then I realized that I had not worked to get a first, so naturally I did not earn one. With diligence and effort comes success.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Education in Zion
My favorite part of this exhibit was titled "From Academy to University." This section was all about the origins of BYU as an institution and the people who were key components in making it the success that it is today. It highlighted the time and energy and true sacrifice required to establish BYU. Featured people included Maeser, Brimhall, & Heber J. Grant, among many others who also worked hard to build up this cause.
I really liked this part of the exhibit because it made me really think about how hard it was, all the effort people put in to this, so that students could myself could get a quality education. I have always sort of taken my schooling for granted and reading these things got my attention, and I realized that I should be grateful for how easy I have it, and take full advantage of all these opportunities I have available to me! Within this section, I particularly liked the display on Florence Madsen Jepperson because of all her efforts towards BYU's music program. I always sort of took for granted the things that were already established before me and never fully appreciated how hard people worked to set up these programs and institutions for the benefit of others. I think we need to remember the efforts of these people and be grateful for what they have done for us, giving us the opportunity to be here today and gain some of the best education possible.
I really liked this part of the exhibit because it made me really think about how hard it was, all the effort people put in to this, so that students could myself could get a quality education. I have always sort of taken my schooling for granted and reading these things got my attention, and I realized that I should be grateful for how easy I have it, and take full advantage of all these opportunities I have available to me! Within this section, I particularly liked the display on Florence Madsen Jepperson because of all her efforts towards BYU's music program. I always sort of took for granted the things that were already established before me and never fully appreciated how hard people worked to set up these programs and institutions for the benefit of others. I think we need to remember the efforts of these people and be grateful for what they have done for us, giving us the opportunity to be here today and gain some of the best education possible.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Homecoming :D
The first Homecoming event that I went to was "Hike & Light the Y." I went with Steven Mitsuda & Katrina Smith. IT WAS HORRIBLE!! On the previous Friday, at rugby practice, I had gotten tackled or been part of a ruck or something, and my knee had been slightly hyperextended. It wasn't that bad, but definitely noticeable. So, someone had told me that this hike was quite easy and enjoyable, so I figured "Why not, I can handle easy!" So, Hike & Light we go.
It was a nice night, I was with friends - everything was going perfectly. Until we started hiking. This was no Bear's Hump (super easy hike near Waterton, AB, Canada) but rather a slackers Everest! I was doing fine until about 1.5 turns, when my knee gave in - he just couldn't take it! At first I tried to ignore it and have a good time, but eventually the strain became too great and I had to stop. I rested for a good 30 or more seconds and then started climbing again, Steven & Katrina faithfully by my side. It wasn't long before I was forced once again to stop by the edge and take a minute to rest my knee. I felt bad, holding my friends up, and I urged them to go on, but they assured me they didn't mind. This went on for the rest of the trail, with my stops becoming progressively more frequent and longer. The pain was excruciating! But I had to finish, I had to get to the top & screw in that dang lightbulb! I persisted, trying to be optimistic on the outside, hating every second & cursing this stupid mountain on the inside. Finally, though, we made it to the Y and found some vacant bulbs. We sat for a good half an hour, chatting, enjoying the view, waiting for the rest of the unfortunate souls who had gotten sucked into this torturous journey to reach the top. It was a beautiful night, and we had a good time getting to know each other better. At long, long last the ceremony began and eventually the Y was completely lit - it was an exciting tradition to be a part of!
The walk down was much better - still very jarring on my knee, but without the added struggle of going uphill. Though it was a significantly treacherous ordeal - what with the rocks, steep terrain, and all but complete darkness. The was more than one occasion with someone tripping and falling down rocky path. WHAT IDIOT THOUGHT OF THIS?! But we all made it safely down, I suppose. The hot chocolate was much appreciated - we had a great time standing around drinking it while watching a man try in vain to turn off the alarm in Cosmo's van! All in all, it was a pretty sweet night. Including the shuttle home, which included Steven squashed into the side of the floor and a trip to the CONE.
I also went to one of the Homecoming Dances with Steven - "Enchanted." It was a very cold night! But we had a good time - the girls all got crowns ;) We had 3 couples - we had a very delicious dinner before the dance (prepared by the boys!), had a good time laughing at other couples at the dance, and then relaxed with ice cream while watching SNL clips. It was a lot of fun. I can't think of a clever line to end off...
It was a nice night, I was with friends - everything was going perfectly. Until we started hiking. This was no Bear's Hump (super easy hike near Waterton, AB, Canada) but rather a slackers Everest! I was doing fine until about 1.5 turns, when my knee gave in - he just couldn't take it! At first I tried to ignore it and have a good time, but eventually the strain became too great and I had to stop. I rested for a good 30 or more seconds and then started climbing again, Steven & Katrina faithfully by my side. It wasn't long before I was forced once again to stop by the edge and take a minute to rest my knee. I felt bad, holding my friends up, and I urged them to go on, but they assured me they didn't mind. This went on for the rest of the trail, with my stops becoming progressively more frequent and longer. The pain was excruciating! But I had to finish, I had to get to the top & screw in that dang lightbulb! I persisted, trying to be optimistic on the outside, hating every second & cursing this stupid mountain on the inside. Finally, though, we made it to the Y and found some vacant bulbs. We sat for a good half an hour, chatting, enjoying the view, waiting for the rest of the unfortunate souls who had gotten sucked into this torturous journey to reach the top. It was a beautiful night, and we had a good time getting to know each other better. At long, long last the ceremony began and eventually the Y was completely lit - it was an exciting tradition to be a part of!
The walk down was much better - still very jarring on my knee, but without the added struggle of going uphill. Though it was a significantly treacherous ordeal - what with the rocks, steep terrain, and all but complete darkness. The was more than one occasion with someone tripping and falling down rocky path. WHAT IDIOT THOUGHT OF THIS?! But we all made it safely down, I suppose. The hot chocolate was much appreciated - we had a great time standing around drinking it while watching a man try in vain to turn off the alarm in Cosmo's van! All in all, it was a pretty sweet night. Including the shuttle home, which included Steven squashed into the side of the floor and a trip to the CONE.
I also went to one of the Homecoming Dances with Steven - "Enchanted." It was a very cold night! But we had a good time - the girls all got crowns ;) We had 3 couples - we had a very delicious dinner before the dance (prepared by the boys!), had a good time laughing at other couples at the dance, and then relaxed with ice cream while watching SNL clips. It was a lot of fun. I can't think of a clever line to end off...
Conference Correction
Although I did not get to see as many sessions as I would have liked (my family was visiting), I did especially like Elder Christofferson's talk on Saturday afternoon ("Come to Zion"). It really struck me when he talked about the saints being a "beacon of righteousness" to help those who are searching for the blessings & comfort of Zion. I realized that most of the time I am just concerned about myself and thinking "What do I need to do better?" or "Am I being a good example?" I never actually reach out and try to help someone, try to bring them into the 'fold.' Sometimes I might include someone in our activity, or ask if they need help, but often times it is just not to seem rude and isn't actually sincere.
Elder Christofferson read from Doctrine & Covenants the Lord's explanation for the failure of the saints: they had not been obedient to his requirements, and had not given aide to the poor and afflicted. This sent a jolt down my spine! Sharing with others and being selfless is a big weakness of mine. I tend to hold on to all my things, whether I need it or not, or even want it! I am constantly trying to be more generous and help those in need, because I know that I have been abundantly blessed beyond what I deserve. So when Elder Christofferson read that scripture it really got me thinking, since I want to do all I can to return to live with our Father in Heaven!
I really listened to when he talked about not judging the early saints, and instead reflecting on our own lives. Perhaps we are more like those rebellious saints than we think? The words that stuck out to me most were "contentions" and "envy" because they describe me perfectly. More often than not I was involved in an arguement with one or both of my little sisters, usually about something dumb or insignificant. And I was constantly jealous of everyone around me - my sister for her voice, my friends' skinny-ness, other girls athletics, even tiny things that no one else would really care about. Hearing this talk, I had to take a step back and ask myself "How am I doing?" Because the Lord's people must be unified in order for Zion to be extablished, and my thoughts and actions certainly aren't working towards that goal. It really made me re-evaluate myself and determine to work harder at that.
I really liked this talk, because it is something that is so crucial for the Saints in these last days! The Second Coming is getting nearer every day, and we need to be doing all we can to establish Zion and bring the faithful together. Elder Christofferson addressed this issue effectively, made you want to do better, to be better. This is our greatest objective in this life, and we should place it at the top of our priorities, not set it aside for the missionaries or another day. It needs to be done now.
Elder Christofferson read from Doctrine & Covenants the Lord's explanation for the failure of the saints: they had not been obedient to his requirements, and had not given aide to the poor and afflicted. This sent a jolt down my spine! Sharing with others and being selfless is a big weakness of mine. I tend to hold on to all my things, whether I need it or not, or even want it! I am constantly trying to be more generous and help those in need, because I know that I have been abundantly blessed beyond what I deserve. So when Elder Christofferson read that scripture it really got me thinking, since I want to do all I can to return to live with our Father in Heaven!
I really listened to when he talked about not judging the early saints, and instead reflecting on our own lives. Perhaps we are more like those rebellious saints than we think? The words that stuck out to me most were "contentions" and "envy" because they describe me perfectly. More often than not I was involved in an arguement with one or both of my little sisters, usually about something dumb or insignificant. And I was constantly jealous of everyone around me - my sister for her voice, my friends' skinny-ness, other girls athletics, even tiny things that no one else would really care about. Hearing this talk, I had to take a step back and ask myself "How am I doing?" Because the Lord's people must be unified in order for Zion to be extablished, and my thoughts and actions certainly aren't working towards that goal. It really made me re-evaluate myself and determine to work harder at that.
I really liked this talk, because it is something that is so crucial for the Saints in these last days! The Second Coming is getting nearer every day, and we need to be doing all we can to establish Zion and bring the faithful together. Elder Christofferson addressed this issue effectively, made you want to do better, to be better. This is our greatest objective in this life, and we should place it at the top of our priorities, not set it aside for the missionaries or another day. It needs to be done now.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
"Y" the Y?
I truly loved seeing all the 'memorabilia' donated to the centre, such as President Hinckley's own shovel and Sister Hinckley's chair. It added a nice effect, in addition to making the building more meaningful. The obvious effort and attention that went into the creation of this magnificent building is astounding. I had never been in there before, but it was just as I had expected - beautiful and inspiring - just like President Hinckley.
"Once a cougar, always a cougar" ... I will be honest, I have not found myself to be too attached to the BYU community yet. I have been missing home and struggling with the complete changes in my life, so I suppose I've been a little too self-involved. But when I look around myself, I realize what a truly great place I am in and how lucky I am to be here. The people are friendly, happy, and adhere to the same high standards. It is comforting to see. These things make me proud to be at such a fine institution. As part of Freshman Academy, I am finding it easier to adjust to college life, making friends, etc. So this experience is a huge blessing to me and I am grateful for it! In future years, I hope I will be able to get more involved in the BYU community - whether in a volunteer group, as a peer mentor, or just attending special big events. I want to make it feel more like I truly belong, and I believe being involved will do that. Also, being here at BYU gives me a big responsibilty. I realize that I need to uphold the Honor Code, to be a good friend to all, and to be an example for future BYU students. This is a big job, and an important one. It will take constant effort to live up to the expectations and examples of previous students, something I hope to be able to do. And I hope I can continue to be an example for BYU for many years to come, to be an advocate and promote it's great qualities, aiding in spreading of the gospel and quality education.
"Once a cougar, always a cougar" ... I will be honest, I have not found myself to be too attached to the BYU community yet. I have been missing home and struggling with the complete changes in my life, so I suppose I've been a little too self-involved. But when I look around myself, I realize what a truly great place I am in and how lucky I am to be here. The people are friendly, happy, and adhere to the same high standards. It is comforting to see. These things make me proud to be at such a fine institution. As part of Freshman Academy, I am finding it easier to adjust to college life, making friends, etc. So this experience is a huge blessing to me and I am grateful for it! In future years, I hope I will be able to get more involved in the BYU community - whether in a volunteer group, as a peer mentor, or just attending special big events. I want to make it feel more like I truly belong, and I believe being involved will do that. Also, being here at BYU gives me a big responsibilty. I realize that I need to uphold the Honor Code, to be a good friend to all, and to be an example for future BYU students. This is a big job, and an important one. It will take constant effort to live up to the expectations and examples of previous students, something I hope to be able to do. And I hope I can continue to be an example for BYU for many years to come, to be an advocate and promote it's great qualities, aiding in spreading of the gospel and quality education.
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