Nagpapasalamat ako...

Nagpapasalamat ako para sa aking patotoo tunksol kay JesuCristo at kanyang pagbabayad-sala at ebanghelyo. Nagpapasalamat ako para kay JesuCristo. Mahal ko siya at alam ko na mahal niya ako at namatay siya para sa akin at nabuhay siya para sa akin. Buhay siya at nakilala niya ako at naradadaman niya ang lahat na naradadaman ko. Alam niya ang mga mabuting bagay, pagsubok ko, at lahat lahat sa aking buhay. Sa pamamagitan niya maaring ako maging malinis. Masaya ang aking puso dahil sa kanya.

The Good Samaritans

Masaya ang aking puso :) Masaya talaga, kasi kaninang umaga pumunta ako sa Lehi para maghatid ng funeral arrangement sa Wing Mortuary. At ano ang nangyari sa akin? Mataas ang snow sa parking lot nila at let's just say naging kawawa ako dyan. This morning I had a delivery to Wing Mortuary in Lehi and as I was exiting the not so clear from snow parking lot pulling on to Main Street. I became stuck and quite frustrated as I could not get anywhere- not forward not backward. I sat there praying and thinking okay I'm going to need some help and as I looked up a woman had pulled over her van and came to help me. A man who was walking by also stopped to help. As they started to push me out a kid in an old big pick-up truck pulled over and said he would pull me out with his truck. So, the woman got back in her van to stop traffic, the man who was walking guided me through the snow so I would know which way to turn my tires as this kid pulled me out! After I was out and on my way. My heart was soft and full and I began to cry- Heavenly Father answered my prayer about not only getting out, but with three kind strangers who were willing to help me. I had the reassurance all over again today that Heavenly Father is aware of me- me this little blonde girl getting stuck in the snow. I felt His love and felt gratitude for the reminder of His awareness and love for me and also how others can be answers to our prayers and help answer them (through word or action) It was more than helping me out of the snow- those three people didn't have to stop, but they chose to. That is another thing that is just so awesome they had places to go and things to do, but chose to open their hearts. There is still love and kindness- I want to recognize it more. I learned again today that through other people Heavenly Father can meet our needs- I want to be more willing and be ready when He calls for me.
Masaya ang aking puso :)

The Coke Side of Life

Coke filled cheesy post coming right up! :)

The Coke side of life. Yes! I love Coke! I was pretty thrilled the other day to find Coke chap stick at Target- yeah that's right Coke in three flavors- classic coke, cherry coke, and vanila coke. I know, I should be blogging about what a wonderful Christmas I had yesterday, but I'm writing about Coke. The Christmas post will come later as I have yet to load my pictures on to the computer. The cute sized coke bottle I'm holding in this picture came from the Wal-Mart. I enjoyed drinking a "real" coke as opposed to the zero I drink more regularly. The Coke side of life. So, between my new classic coke chap stick and drinking a "real" coke. I am enjoying the coke side of life.

Finals and an Anniversary

Yes, that's right! Finals are done! It was actually nice to have them over a 2-day period rather than throughout the whole week. This semester was the first in a while since I have had a final written exam and not a final project. I'm grateful the semester has ended, even though, I will miss some of the interactions and subjects. Next semester will be my first semester ever without an art class. I'm kinda sad about that, but I've really enjoyed the variety of classes.

Today, marks the fourth anniversary that I opened my mission call. Crazy, crazy! Serving a mission was amazing, being in the Philippines was amazing! :) Talaga- isang masayang babae ako! I really am one happy girl!

Temple Square

Last night, we went to SLC for a wedding reception and decided to take the opportunity to see the lights on Temple Square. I love Temple Square especially this time of year. We took this picture with the timer in the South Vistor center the temple looks amazing! The tall one in the picture is Spencer; he's a good friend of Mary's. Last night was his first visit to Temple Square to see the lights. I had an enjoyable time being with my brother and sister. I also met a filipina sister serving in the Temple Square mission. I had a blast speaking with her in Tagalog! I miss speaking Tagalog with natives. It's awesome to see so many filipina sister missionaries on Temple Sqaure. I also had a good visit with an american sister. Everytime I'm on Temple Square and visiting with the sister missionaries I am always given a committment. I love it! It always is something that I need to hear and something I've been thinking about. It's one way I know that Heavenly Father knows me personally. :) Masaya ang aking puso!

Happy Birthday Dear Buddy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BUDDY

Sunday was Buddy's birthday! I love birthdays! He opened presents, we had a yummy family dinner, and yummy cupcakes at Buddy and Jenny's condo later that night! I'm thankful for my brother. He's always there to make me laugh :) He's a great friend and brother. I'm thankful for his wife Jenny who is so good to Buddy and good for him. I love them and I'm so glad they are part of my family!

Pasasalamat, Plano, at Temple

It's the week of Thanksgiving! :) I am super excited! It's one of my favorite holidays. Family and yummy food- what more could I ask for? Not much. I'm thankful this week will be spent in preparation and celebration of family and gratitude. Nagpapasalamat ako :) Alam ko na minsan hindi ko bigayan ang pasasalamatan sa Diyos, pero maraming bagay sa aking buhay na kailangan kong ibigay ang pasasalamat. Nagpapasalamat ako nang alam ko na mahal ng Diyos ako at nikilala niya ako. I'm grateful to know God loves me and knows me. Gusto kong gawin ang kagustuhan niya. Mahal ko ang Diyos at ang plano niya. I'm thankful to know of God's plan and for the process of learning how important I am to it. I'm thankful I have a role in His plan and that I have the opportunity to take part in His work in many ways. I'm thankful for the temple. No where else can I find the peace and calmness I feel while being in God's holy house. It's place where we learn our role in God's plan and how vital we are to it. Masaya ang aking puso :) Picture is of the Manila temple from ldschurchtemples.com

Rock Climbing

Last Friday, I went rock climbing for the first time. I went with Mary and we met up with Craig. It was a lot more fun than I thought! It was challenging, but I was way excited when I reached the top. There was something reassuring knowing Mary and Craig were at the bottom. :) I knew Craig wouldn't let anything happen to me. Mary and Craig were patient with me and I'm so grateful they were. I'd like to go again! :)

Snow and Hope

This morning I woke to the first snow of the season in the valley today! Yea snow! It was a cold, beautiful morning. The orange and yellow leaves scattered everyone and a light snow falling. It was beautiful! I know I'm writing about the beautiful morning and the snow; when yesterday we had a historic event happen yesterday. Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States. I enjoyed his speech last night as he talked of hope, change, and that we in America need to get rid of cynicism and criticism and let hope take over. Hope is vital! Hope is something we all need no matter where we are or our circumstances. Hope is seeing the positive, seeking peace and happiness. Hope accepts and forgives. It is faith and love. I will choose hope. As things are uncertain in this world there is hope and surety in the gospel of Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father's plan. I will choose hope.

ang gandang araw

Grabe, maganda talaga ang araw! It was a autumn day for sure! The temperature was awesome this afternoon. I had a delivery in Spanish Fork today and the road I drove on was narrow and lined with trees whose leaves were golden yellow. It was amazing! Driving with the window down, wearing my daffodil yellow sweater and kicks, sipping a cold coke- oh it was great! :)

Nagpapasalamat ako

Nagpapasalamat ako para sa maraming bagay sa aking buhay, pero ngayon ito ang mga bagay ay gusto kong bigayan ang pasasalamatan sa Diyos. Lagi nagpapasalamat ako para sa aking pamilya at ebanghelyo ni JesuCristo. Ngayon, nagpapasalamat ako para sa creativity, sweaters, comfort food, at kailigayahan. Oo alam ko nagpapasalamat ako para sa mga bagay yung araw araw rin, pero talaga busog ang aking puso ngayon. May kapayapaan ako sa heart at mind :)

A Windy Day with 'Open Heart' Happenings

I know I just blogged about fall, but fall is really here! Today with the wind and the chill in the air with the yellow and orange leaves blowing everywhere and crunching under my feet it was absolutly beautiful! Today, I want to share a 'open heart' happening I saw today. Earlier, when I was delivering flowers to the hospital today there was a little elderly woman attempting to cross 500 West. She made it across- alone. When I was leaving the hosptial the same little woman was holding on the arm of a guy who didn't look much older than 20. He was helping her back to the east side of 500 West. Frequently, you hear about helping "the old lady" across the street, but today I saw it in action! It was great! I'm grateful for goodness :)

I'm grateful for sisters!

I love my sisters! Mary is my best friend! As we've become older we become close na close! We do a lot of fun crazy and not so crazy things together. :) I'm glad that I can tell her everything; that I can laugh or cry with her. Sisters are important. I'm glad that I have one. I'm also thankful for my sister in law Jenny. She is a great friend of mine whose opinon and stories I enjoy and want to hear. I'm grateful my brother married such a wonderful girl. I'm happy and grateful to know I'll be with these two awesome friends of mine for eternity. This is a short entry- I know, but I just wanted to say I'm grateful for sisters!

Mission Reunion

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend my mission reunion. It was so great to see everyone! I loved visiting with President and Sister Hatch and the other missionaries I served with. Like, President says there is a special eternal bond with those whom you serve with. It was so great to see Jill- my anak! I don't get to see her as often as I would like, but we always have a blast laughing and catching up. :) I'm so glad that the Lord put us together and when He did! It was just a good time laughing, playing, speaking in Tagalog, and just remembering good times in the Philippines! :) It was good to see everyone, especially those who I don't have the opportunity to see often. Masaya talaga kagabi :) The group doesn't have everyone in it that came last night; which is too bad, but at least we got one! After the reunion we went to Sonic. I love that place their slushes are my favorite! It was fun to continue playing and chill outstide, even though, it was a little cold. It was fun to be downtown in Salt Lake. Much later I know there will be an awesome reunion with all we served with and served. :)

Fall- Pasalamatan

October 17 na! Grabe ang balis! It's halfway through October. I love October- I love the fall! Time to bring out sweaters and jackets, eat pumpkin, soups and crisp apples, collect leaves, play in the leaves, cooler temperatures with greater chance of rain and maybe even snow! I just love it! There's just this yummy smell in the air and great feeling during fall. In the movie You've Got Mail, Meg Ryan's character describes fall smells as "newly sharpened pencils and scotch tape". Fall is a season of gratitude and giving. It's interesting how it starts the giving and service for the year. It would be awesome to be more full of gratitude and giving at the beginning of the year. I'm yet again thinking about my 'heart awareness experiment' and evaluting how I'm doing. I know there is more I could do. I've been reading President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk about hope from October General Conference and I love what he says about faith, hope, and charity how they all increase from the other he says, "Hope comes of faith, for without faith, there is no hope. In like manner faith comes of hope, for faith is "the substance of things hoped for." Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity. The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity. The three qualities- faith, hope, and charity- working together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, lead us to abound in good works." They really do all work together. My 'heart awareness experiment' really begins with faith leading to stronger hope and to have greater charity. This fall as I reflect on my heart awareness I want to continue to have gratitude and give with no deadline or slowing.

Oh, that awesome picture- I found on static.flickr.com.

Mental Health Day

Today, I gave myself a mental health day. It was definitely needed and now I feel refreshed! :) It was nice to chill in my pajamas and not comb my hair until 2:00 this afternoon. I made myself a nice healthy lunch- soup and apple wedges with peanut butter. After lunch I put on some jeans, combed my hair and cleaned up my mess of a room. So, see I was productive, even though I started out lazy :) When Mary came home from work we finished watching a movie we had started Sunday. It's so fun and a great blessing in my life that Mary and I have become so close as we have become older. We than had dinner. I drove Turner to work in American Fork and than Mary and I went to the Wal-Mart. I got some yellow shoes! Something that has been on my list of wants for a little while :) They are school bus yellow and super cute and will give that pop of color that I want! It has been a good day and good mental health day I feel like I said refreshed and ready for the craziness that is here and yet to come! I recommend taking mental health days to refresh and relax!

Humanities Test #1 score A!

Yes! I got an A on my humanities test! I was thrilled today when the test were given back to us and I had received an A on the test. At the beginning of class I was less than thrilled when the instructor said she would be giving us our tests back, but that she was disappointed and frustrated to think we all did poorly. I thought to myself maybe I was too confident going in... she than proceeded to tell us that a handful had received an A, a handful received a D, and the largest group was right in the middle. I thought oh, that's me in the middle I know. Tests are not my thing, even when I feel like I know the material. When I got my test I was as I said THRILLED to get an A! The semester started about 6 weeks ago and I feel like I've done well getting back into the 'college life'. It has been 4 years and I wasn't sure how it was going to be. One thing I did know was that it was totally right to start back to school this semester. I am enjoying it, even though it has added some extra craziness to my life. I guess extra craziness will always be added to my life, but it's a good craziness! :) Maganda ang buhay!

Missing Even Slight Homesickness

Today I have been missing the Philippines-more than usual. Earlier the air just seemed to smell just like it does in Laoag, especially during the rainy season. The moments I miss it the most I wonder if the time I spent there was real or just a dream. I miss the people, the food, the tropical trees, the sunsets, the crazy happenings from day to day, the rain, oh I just long for it some days. Namimiss ko talaga ang mga tao- ang mga kilala ko doon. Alam ko na sa pamamagitan ng plano ng Diyos makakakita ko ang mga kaibigan ko doon ulit. Maganda ang karanasan ko sa Pilipinas! Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos para sa tawag ko doon at mga karanasan ko at natatuhan ko bilang missionary sa Pilipinas. The rain- ang ulan- grabe malakas siya doon as in malakas saka ang sarap :) I enjoyed wearing my rainboots every opportiunity I got. Even the days I was soaked and stepped in not so fun big puddles and was surprised at how deep they really were. I will find a picture to post. Now, even though I miss the Pines, I am so blessed that I have all the memories I do! :) One day babalik ako doon hindi ko alam kailan basta may plano ako babalik even if sa aking panaginip lang :) Gagawin ko!

BYU Football Game and Zupas

Grabe hindi ako magaling sa pag-update ng blog ko. As you can see it has been a month since my last post. Kahapon, nag-attend ako ng BYU Homecoming Football game kasama ni Craig. Siya ang isang awesome tao. Masaya talaga ang date namin kahapon :) Nagusap kami tunksol sa jeans, pagkain, mga interest namin, music, pamilya, hawakan ang mga kamay, basta maraming talaga- ang sarap talaga magchica chica sa kanya. :) lalo kapag kaming dalawang lang. Nakilala ko siya noon taon sa aming ward at naging mabuting kaibigan kami agad. Hindi ko alam anong mangyayari pero enjoying ko ang friendship niya. Matapat talaga siya at admire ko yan sa kanya kasi lagi siya 'tells it how it really is' and I like that. Pagkatapos ng game pumunta kami sa Zupas para kumain. Masarap ang pakain :) Kumain kami ng soup at cake. That cake was masarap as in masarap siya :) It was called the sinful 7. Dang gina it was so good! It was fun to share the cake and make funny sinful faces :) Craig's was the best. As you can see :) Mine not so much. That's why I'm not showing you :) Magandang gabi siya, magandang chica chica, magandang date. :)

25 at nagbabago ang aking puso

Well, I'm starting to figure out more of how to edit my blog. I think I'm just going to need to ask for help. The last month of life has been super crazy and awesome! I had a great 25th birthday that I celebrated with family, good friends and cupcakes! Food in some way must be attached to events I plan. 25 is going to be good; although it is quite strange sometimes to think I am really 25. I was asked yesterday how old I was and it was weird to actually same oh, I'm 25. I celebrated the day well! Classes started that day so I got to kick the day off by waking up early, but I guess I can look it as I was awake for more of my birthday! Those who know me knows birthdays are a 'big deal' to me and how much I enjoy celebrating them (family and friends included). As I start this new year I've decided it was time to evalute my experiment on my heart. The last several months I have been working to improve the condition of my heart. Is it open and soft? How could I serve better and become more full of love? So far it has been amazing to see how the Lord has stretched me and has provided many ways for me to do. I know this is a continual process. A 'mighty change of heart' is something I'm working hard for and I can sense a permanent change all ready in my life. It's more of a becoming really rather than doing so something I'm learning. Masaya talaga ako ngayon! pinagpala ng Diyos ako sa maraming mga paraan. Mahal ko siya.

Matagal na!

So, matagal nang hindi ako sumalat sa blog. Maraming bagay ay nangyari since nag-post ako sa April. Masaya ako na dahil summer months na! Ibig sabihin maraming picnic, paglalaro sa lubas, masusuot ang shorts, at mga lakad sa gabi. Sana kasama ng gwapong, mabait ng lalaki :) Noon sabado nag-hike kami ng 'Y'. Nag-enjoy ako talaga! Maganda ang panahon at maganda ang view sa taas ng 'Y'. Noon linggo nagsimula ako ng running plan kasama ni Diana. Grabe 'out of shape' ako, pero maganda talaga ang feeling ko sa katawan pagkatapos ang run namin. :) Noon isang buwan naging education counselor sa Relief Society sa ward ko. Masaya ako para maglingkod sa Diyos at mga babae sa ward. Ito ang mabuting daan para get out of my comfort zone more often. Alam ko na tutulongan ako ng Diyos at nagtitiwala ako sa kanya.

New

Wow, I now have a blog! It's funny cause a short time ago I had no idea even what one was. I don't know how often it'll be added to, but I thought I'd give it a try and see if I like it. So, here it goes! Oh, and I'm pretty sure sometimes I will be writing in Tagalog!