Young Women Presidency

Well I'm back in my element.

Not to say I didn't adore every last one of my sunbeams, because I sure did.

I cried my last sunday driving home {which was a surprise to me}!

I am the 2nd counselor in the YW presidency and get to be with these lovely 

ladies every Sunday and I couldn't be happier. 

The youth of the church are so amazing. Their strength inspires me.

The church is true and I'm grateful for the feeling it gives me.

Come Thou Fount

I have the fondest memories of playing the piano while my Dad or Kristine would sing along. I was never the soloist but I loved playing for people. When I first heard Shaun sing at EFY, I was blown away and then immediately wanted to accompany him. In February when we spoke in our new ward, we also performed a musical number for the first time together. It was so special to me! It has been fun goofing around just by ourselves but every now and then -when I can get my stress level under control- we decide to perform again in church.

Today Shaun sang a gorgeous version of Come Thou Fount. And I loved every minute of it! Chills during his acappella part and two spots during the number where I found myself truly listening to Shaun sing and I almost lost my place {which then put me in a major panic. don't do that Nicole}. I am grateful for music and the talents we have received to touch other people through music.

squint

This was during one of our practices.

I recorded it next to the piano, so that is why 

it is so loud over SJ's voice.

Faith in His Timing

I can’t stop thinking about how Heavenly Father has individual plans for each of us. It is so special. I wanted to write a little bit about how our plan fell into place.

First of all, I now advise all my newlywed peeps to MOVE AWAY! Get out of your comfort zones together. Get away from your friends and family and just RELY on one another. It is so powerful! I am grateful for Shaun’s wonderful job that brought us to Georgia. Out of the entire state we ended up in Alpharetta where we had wonderful friends who could tell us where to live and which ward to join. I think that truly made all of the difference. The people we have met will be life long friends. For example, The Wernlis. Chris was the only other member in Shaun’s office. He had just moved from being a rep in Florida. We became super close with him and his wife. Their constant raves about Florida were imprinted in our minds. Who knew this would play such a huge part in our decision?

Before Shaun could get into a permanent territory, part of his training involved covering an area temporarily for three months. We were really hoping for Houston because my brother lives there, but when that didn’t work out Baltimore was next on our list. So when we got Grand Rapids, MI we were confused and frustrated. Thankfully the Lord knew the plan. . .

Shaun was the “West guy” in his office. Everybody knew that we wanted to end up out West. To our surprise, that started changing this last year. We loved the culture in the South and the church out in the ‘mission field.’ So we decided to be open minded to other areas.

Fall came and Florida showed up on the open territory list, but Shaun wasn’t done with his three-month cover. The position soon filled and that was that. Weeks later toward the end of his cover, we were finally able to apply. We considered a move to Dallas. We didn’t know how we truly felt about Texas until we found out that the new Florida rep withdrew and Fort Myers, Florida was back on the table! Instantly we felt Florida was right and decided to go for it.

Shaun was able to show many of his successes from Grand Rapids and really shine in his interview. I don’t know what would have happened if we ended up in Houston or Baltimore like we originally planned, but it’s amazing that the cover position ended right before they wanted Shaun in Florida {The Houston and Baltimore jobs would have run into the New Year}.

Prayer works. I have a testimony of it. I also have a strong testimony of tithing. The lessons we learn from it are so important and the experiences that come to us build our faith. Heavenly Father is real and his plan is the best thing for us.

for the glory of the skies

Last weekend I was in a scene from a movie. I just had to be. I couldn't believe how gorgeous everything looked around me {I can't imagine how heavenly it is in the summer time}. Shaun and I had made it all the way to the lighthouse when Shaun's phone died. My ears were also getting numb so we went back to the car. Shaun really wanted to film the waves so he went back out without me. While I was waiting in the car, I pulled up "For the Beauty of the Earth" on youtube. It was awesome. The creation of the earth and it's gorgeous details leave me speechless every time I think about them.

The Mission Field

The church outside of Utah, or the "mission field" as people call it, is such a different experience. The members here live in a world of persecution and have to really choose for themselves that they believe. I'm not saying that the church back in Utah doesn't get any persecution. I am sure Utah as a whole gets its fair share, but more often there are individual attacks.

In Michigan, I am in a ward where I am one of twenty relief society sisters. I found out yesterday that there are 8 of us that are baptized (which is awesome because investigators are so fun to be around and their learning). Yesterday in our lesson we were talking about persecution and how we react to it. The teacher asked the class:

How many of you first heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day 

Saints from a resource that was meant to be negative towards the church?

We counted 9 out of the 12 investigators! I was first shocked to see so many hands raised and then was overcome with happiness that they still showed up to learn for themselves. I learned that the downtown Grand Rapids area, where we currently are living is a very anti-mormon area. I heard stories about the Stake Presidency instructing the members to remove all bumper stickers or things that would reveal that you are affiliated with this church because of many accounts of trashed cars. There is also a cop on duty for the youth's mutual nights. I was so grateful for these strong courageous members! I know missionaries and people outside of Utah probably hear and see stories like this every day. Personally, my eyes would have never truly been open to this if I would not have left the Utah church environment.

One more thing, we were also discussing in our lesson yesterday about blooming where you are planted. One lady shared how her callings have really made her happy and the joy she gets from them (she is the choir director). She explained that she has been trying to get back West for the past fifteen years but for whatever reason she never made it. She has come to realize that the Lord has allowed her to stay here and be the strength in this area. She also has the opportunity to work in the area of the church that she wanted. She said "back in Utah you practically need a bachelors in Music to be considered for a musical calling. I never would have been a choir director back there." People laughed but I couldn't help but nod my head! Shaun and I always talk about how much more work we are being able to do out here. Having these INCREDIBLE experiences with the youth of the church and thinking, back home in Utah we were sunbeam teachers {which was a blast of course}. It makes me laugh. I know there is some truth in what she was saying but I really just loved her comment because it reminded me of all the "blooming" that I am doing out here on this adventure of ours.

I am so grateful for the pioneers and previous church members that truly gave their life for this church and went through unimaginable persecution. You always hear that we are "modern day pioneers" but I never really felt like that until I came out here and am hearing stories of strong courageous faith. The persecutions will come and they will come hard but this true church will NEVER cease to be on this earth! It will keep moving on like a train, a train that I will always strive to be on.


side note: my beautiful sis missionary came home from Albania due to some nasty parasite situation. she's on the mend. I'm grateful for her example of a person that has a love for the gospel and wants to shout it to the world.

bittersweet--ness

Well the secret is out (even though I don't think it ever was a secret). Shaun and Nicole are moving away for 3 months starting at the end of September. We are so thrilled to finally reach the point of Shaun's work-training-process where he gets to go out and do his three month cover, but we have made such a life here that it does end up being so bittersweet. I'm so grateful for that feeling though because I think when we first moved here, we almost didn't think it was possible (or maybe that was just me). Once we return after the three months, we then will apply for permanent territories. Hopefully there will be some openings in the sweet, sweet west!

I think what we'll miss most besides our soft skin and the color green, are the callings that we both have with the INCREDIBLE youth who have stolen our hearts from day 1. Shaun has the laurels and priests for the second hour and I have the laurels for the third. We will always look back to the time in Georgia and link it with these amazing peeps! One of the things I love about teaching is how much the teacher gets taught. That always seems to be the case with teaching the youth. They blow me away with their testimonies. The church is going to be in great hands.

Girls Camp

Just a photo dump of Girls Camp. I feel most at home when I am with these crazy girls. I so enjoyed being there the whole week. Getting my hair braided everyday, doing a ropes course, laughing, hiking to water falls, and most importantly sharing our testimonies. What a week. 

Laurel's got there early to decorate the place for the youngsters

So blessed to have our camp leader be a Dermatologist! Sunscreen for all. 

Leaders skit was definitely the Harlem Shake.

Tender Mercy: The Maintenance Man

I have seen Wally around the apartment grounds always waving to people with a happy face. I was glad when I opened my door this morning, that it was Wally who took our maintenance order to fix our lightbulbs. We started talking a little bit about his workday and the different people that he meets. I told him that we moved from Utah and he said his brother just moved there. He said that was where the Mormon's live. And I said I was one.

He said "I knew it! I knew because of how happy and educated you were."

He has had a few friends that were part of the church and always thought they were so pleasant. He kept using the term educated.

He began to share with me that when he lived in Guatemala as a teenager, missionaries came to try to "enroll" him in the church but he wasn't interested. He really enjoyed the "blue book" (book of mormon) though. He then shared with me a story that brought me to tears. He has a LDS friend that invited him and his wife to church. They arrived earlier than the friend but decided to just still go in. He said that nobody said a word to them. The only reason they looked at him was probably because what he was wearing "wasn't what they were wearing." He wasn't too offended he said, but was just mostly so embarrassed. I couldn't believe it. It made me think of how many times that I have seen visitors and I totally didn't even give them a second look. What if that could have been an amazing experience for him and his wife? I felt so sad for him.

Wally told me some of the things that he knew about our church. One of which was how my husband and I were "specially connected" when we got married. Of course he meant being sealed. I pointed to our picture of Shaun and I walking out of the temple doors and how that is where it happened with the right priesthood power. He seemed disappointed saying, "that looks like just a door. Where's the castle?" Then we looked up pictures of the temple on my computer to show him that castle-like look.

He said he had heard of "the smith boy" and asked me to tell him a little bit more. To be honest I was so overwhelmed with having such an amazing opportunity to share my testimony that I was so nervous. I began talking about who Joseph Smith was and the grove etc. We got out the bible (I admit, I suggested us to get it out because I TOTALLY FORGOT which exact scripture it was) and shared with him the scripture in James that Joseph Smith read. It made me so grateful for missionaries and jealous at the same time. Bearing my testimony to my new friend was so incredible. This is what missionaries feel daily. I'm so excited for my sister Kristine to experience that.

We started talking about his family and I learned that his other brother was murdered by a man in Guatemala 11 years ago. His brother left his young family behind and that just didn't make sense in his mind. Seeing him get so emotional when I told him that I believed he will see his brother again was so touching.

Wally: Even my Mom?!
Me: Yes!
Wally: What? I'll be like, hey mommy make me a hot meal!"

He was intrigued that we believed that the deceased get to still have a chance to accept the gospel and how we do baptisms for the dead. He was a bit confused thinking, "well how do I do it? Is he just sitting around waiting for me to do it??" I so enjoyed his innocence.

Wally has such a good spirit. He is so kind and respectful. He was excited to meet Shaun next time and speak spanish with him. Wally stood out to me ever since I moved here. I know it was for a reason that he came to fix my lightbulb and how the two appointments after me got canceled so he could talk to me for a couple hours. He left with a conference talk that I had laying around from one of my YW lessons I had taught that Sunday about the purpose of life on earth. And he asked for a "blue book." He told me that he would try to look passed his embarrassment and to let him know if there is a church near by that he could visit. We're going to see if we can find a spanish branch where SJ can go with him and his family.

I'm so very grateful for my testimony and knowing the things that I know for certain. I'm grateful for people like Wally who are forgiving of others actions, that have an open heart to simply listen, and people who are able to see the difference between me and the other neighbors that he helps. Even if nothing happens from this, it still will probably be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I needed someone to testify to. And Wally helped me with that.