The Super Bowl...

So I'm pretty sure people think I live under a rock or something. I was at Wal-Mart with my roommates on Friday. The cashier asked me who I thought was going to win the Super Bowl this weekend. I responded by saying: "I don't know! Who's playing?" After getting a sympathetic look, he informed me that the Patriots and Seahawks were playing. I sided with the Seahawks, only because I've been to Seattle before...that's about as in to football as I get.


*Update* 2/1/15

This evening, I went with some girls in my ward to go sing to a little old lady in a rest home.  She answered her door and we told her we were there to sing hymns to her. She looked at her TV screen, then looked back at us, then back to her TV screen. “But it’s the super bowl!” She exclaimed. We pointed out that it was half time and we could still sing to her, but in the end she decided she wanted to watch the super bowl instead, so we’re going to sing to her next week. It made me laugh that a cute little lady was so into football. 

I loved the quote and thought this picture fit, so I made this meme. :) 

Small and Simple things

This past week I had the opportunity to go to a fireside where Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke. It was amazing, the moment he walked into the room everyone fell silent and you could feel the Spirit so strongly as he entered the room. He talked about making righteous choices that will impact our lives and strengthening our testimonies. He said that day by day consistent efforts are the things that make the biggest difference in our lives. 
He shared the story of Naaman and Elisha in 2 Kings 5:1-14. Naaman was frustrated at the simplicity of the task that Elisha told him to do in order to be healed. His servants said to him in verse 13; “…My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” We know the rest of the story, Naaman decided to obey the prophets words and was healed. This story can also apply to us, if the prophets ask us to do something big, we’d probably be quick to perform the task, but what about the smaller, everyday things like saying prayers and reading scriptures? Those acts are just as important and bring about extraordinary results. 
         Something that was also really powerful with Elder Cook was when he bore his testimony at the end. He said, “I stand as a witness of Christ…I know His voice.” That really hit me, He truly is an apostle of the Lord and is here to stand as a special witness and bare testimony to us. I enjoyed the fireside and it was an awesome experience to hear from an apostle of the Lord.

Spring Semester and la Poisson

This week was the beginning of Spring semester. That meant new classes and getting adjusted to a completely new schedule. Woo hoo! Wednesday I got up early and went to English. Afterwards I had institute. English is in the engineering building and the institute is clear across campus. I timed myself and I managed to make it there in 9 minutes and 11 seconds across the frozen tundras of Logan. And that includes trying to find the classroom! It's a new record! After an awesome institute class I went to U.S history with Lyndsey. After that I was finished with classes for the day and had no homework. It was great. However, as the day went on I started to get bored. My roommates and I found ourselves wishing we had homework to do. It was ridiculous. We found ways to keep ourselves entertained and ended up taking a random trip to DI and PetSmart. We started our trip looking for one thing then ended up buying a small table, a fish bowl and a beta fish! We named our fish Poisson (Poy-Sawn) which is French for fish. It was a pretty good way to start out this new semester. :) 

Today I had a two hour and ten minute statistics class. It dragged on and on. I absolutely dislike math, I've never been extremely good at it either. My professor asked us to compute a problem mentally. I did it and guess what?!? The answer was right! And for that one shining moment in history I was a mathematical genius. And then that moment ended. The class continued to drag on. And on. And on! I'm just glad the professor is good and it shouldn't be too bad. :) 

So, overall I have some pretty great classes and I hope this will be a fun semester full of new adventures! 

Poisson 

Grandpa Leon

Four years ago today my Grandpa Jensen passed away. He was a remarkable man that touched the lives of many, serving in different callings in the church, dressing up as Santa Clause for children and in his job as school bus driver. I remember when he would call my mother on the phone, he would always ask to talk to me and sometimes he would impersonate different characters such as Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, he certainly knew how to make a little kid smile. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the truth that families are forever. Families don’t cease to be after someone has passed away, they are eternal for this life and the next. Because of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection we can all live again and see our loved ones who have died. “There is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.” (Mosiah 16:7) As President Hinckley once said: "Of all the victories in human history, none is so great, none so universal in its effect, none so everlasting in its consequences as the victory of the crucified Lord who came forth in the Resurrection that first Easter morning." It is because of this great victory over death that we can see our loved ones again and be with them forever. 
 Families are forever!

2014: A Year in Review

2014 has been quite the year! It’s weird to think that at the beginning of 2014 I was still a senior in high school and now by the end of the year I’ve finished my first semester of college! Crazy! Like a quote on Pinterest says: “It’s crazy. Day by day nothing changes but when I look back everything’s different.” How true this statement is. It’s been a great year, I’ve been immensely blessed in many ways. I tried new things, went on many adventures, developed new talents, made new friends, learned new things. It’s been a great year and I look forward to improving myself and applying the things I’ve learned to become better in 2015 as well as go on new adventures! Here are some of the highlights of 2014, I tried to do it in chronological order but it may not be completely accurate. 

1. I earned my Young Women’s Medallion! After years of working hard as well as procrastinating, I finally managed to earn my Young Women's medallion in March of 2014.

2. Spoke in Stake Conference. That was an interesting experience. I spoke in the adult evening session, it definitely forced me to overcome my fear of speaking in public. Now, speaking in sacrament meeting doesn't phase me like it used to, thank goodness! 

3. I turned 18 in March. My mother and my awesome friends arranged a "surprise" party for me. It was great, all my best friends were there and it was definitely one of the most fun I've had on my birthday! 

Captured at the perfect moment: Mid laugh

Best Friends!

The guys...

Birthday Selfie attempt 

4. I went to Seattle, Washington on Choir tour. That was such a fun experience! Even though the bus ride was very, very long, it was fun hanging out with my choir friends and seeing new sights. We visited the gum wall (ew!), ate clam chowder, explored Pike's Place market, rode a ferry to Tillicum Village ate delicious foods everywhere we went, went to the top of the Space Needle, sang in a Baptist church, sang at a combined faiths concert, went to the EMP Museum, saw Broadway's The Lion King, visited Snoqualmie Falls and had fun just talking and laughing in our hotel room after the day's activities. Seattle is definitely an amazing place and choir tour was a memorable experience! 

(Left to Right) McKenna, McKenzie, Joslyn, Noal, Me, Hannah and Corena

Beautiful rainy day in Seattle (as usual)

Choir tour pals!

On Tillicum Village 

EMP Museum 

Neeeeearrrr! Faaaaaaarrrr! Wheeeerrreeever you arrrrrrre!
 I believe that the heart does gooooo ooon!

5. Going to prom with one of my best friends was so much fun. One of the best dates ever! 

Anthony and me 

6. Graduated from Seminary. I loved all four years of Seminary and everything I learned in it. 

7. Graduating from high school was definitely bittersweet. I know a lot of people that hated high school and were more than ready to graduate, I know people that wish they could go back to their high school years. Me? I enjoyed being high school and for the experiences I had but I'm fine that it's over and I'm on to the next adventure. I've had great experiences over the past several years in school. I went on many adventures, I've seen and learned so much and met some amazing people. Even though we all felt ridiculous in our goofy caps and gowns it was great to reflect on the fun things and accomplishments we all made at this time in our lives. 

Me, Anthony, James and McKenzie 

Couldn't have done it without my amazing parents!

 8. Going to St. George in the summer to see Little Mermaid with my mom and girls on her side of the family was lots of fun! Even though it was really hot outside, Little Mermaid was amazing! 

Me and some of my cute cousins 

9. My friend's getting their mission calls and going to their farewells. All my best guy friends got their mission calls this year! The summer time was filled with Sunday after Sunday of Farewells! 

At Seth's farewell.
He's currently serving in the Denmark, Copenhagen mission
Icelandic Region.

Elder Jensen (my cousin) after his setting apart. Currently
serving in the Fresno California mission. 

Saying goodbye to Anthony, he's currently serving
in the Spain Barcelona mission.

(And I couldn't find a picture, but my friend James Harkness is serving in Busan, Korea!) 

10. I moved to Logan on August 16, 2014 to go to college. It has definitely been a different experience that's helped me grow and become a more responsible person. I've learned so much from being away from home and it's not limited to what I learn in the classroom!

Somehow we managed to fit all my stuff in the back
of the Honda Pilot 

11. I was called to be a  Family History Sunday School Teacher in my singles ward. To be honest, my first thought after receiving this call was "Family history again?" (I was a youth FH consultant in my home ward since was about 15 and wasn't release until I moved to college) but I've come to realize even more the vital importance of this great work. I love family history so much and enjoy helping other people learn more about it.

12. I survived my first semester of college and went on many adventures! I also somehow managed to get a 4.0. my first semester. Here's to many more years of college and learning! Woo hoo! 

Roommates: Hannah, Lyndsey, Aleta, Kartika, Emily and I 

13. Various temple trips to do baptisms. I made it a goal to go to the temple more often this year and I'm grateful to be close to so many temples! 

14. Random other adventures with family and friends. I've gone on so many adventures with my loved ones this year, I can't keep track of them all, so here's some random pictures from the year! 

B-Day Selfies in Yearbook 

After a choir concert with my choir friends 

"Studying" in study hall...

Seniors being seniors 

Hiking Stewart Falls

Cleaning the church

Holding baby cousin, Malika! 

It's been a great year and I look forward to more adventures and experiences in 2015!

Merry Christmas!