Emily's Exploits

November 22 I'm thankful for my health. This week there have been two deaths (due to illness) in my family's circle of friends. One was a friend's baby who was born with so many problems, her little body just couldn't handle it. Another was a friend of my Dad's who has been battling cancer for a few years. We went to the hospital to visit her while she was declining. Both of these daughters of God died on Thanksgiving day. I suppose Thanksgiving will never be the same for those families. I am thankful for my knowledge that God's love is real. It is so real and profound that He has provided us a way to be with our families forever- through priesthood ordinances and the Atonement of Christ the Lord. Could heaven really be heaven without those we love? Could heaven really be heaven if our familial relationships could not be perpetuated? I do not believe so. Heaven isn't a place where the slate is wiped clean and we just exist as individuals. Our experiences...

November 18 On Sunday I was very thankful for Rhodes rolls. Yes. Those rolls you buy frozen at the store, let them rise, then bake them. I had 8 of them for dinner. I was recovering from being sick and nothing else sounded good! On another note, I was very grateful for church. The theme for this Sunday was "Let the Holy Spirit Guide," and we discussed and learned about different ways that the Holy Spirit guides our lives and helps us make decisions. This seems to be a favorite topic among young single Mormons to talk about because, well, let's face it, we all want to be able to make important decisions about marriage, dating, and schooling. I was not particularly thinking about marriage or dating, but about my future school aspirations. I've been coming to terms with the fact that I probably will not continue my performing as a professional, nor will I pursue music in my graduate studies. It's been a little hard, but I feel pretty peaceful. The world is mine a...

What a week. The past few days I've thought "man, I need to blog!" but it simply didn't happen. Now it's finally happening! I am relying on my journal entries to remind myself of what happened each day... November 12 Grateful for good companions from the mission. I had lunch with Sister Quist on campus- and it felt like old times. She and I were companions for Christmas 2 years ago! How time flies! I'm grateful that she was patient with me when we were companions and that she suggested we get together. Also- grateful for Hercules. I watched it with my friends that night, and realized all the parallels to the gospel. Especially the moment when Hercules is sincerely questioning his identity and he kneels in sincere prayer- I thought of how that resembles Joseph Smith when he knelt in the Sacred Grove. And both received miraculous answers... except Joseph Smith actually did see God and Jesus Christ, and Hercules is a myth. I also enjoy Hercules' sacrifi...

November 9th On November 9th I was very thankful for Kimberly, my old room mate (I'm seeing a trend... being grateful for room mates, past and present!) I trudged up to campus in the rain and hail, then further walked to the Morris center in the rain again. After taking my test, I looked out the window and what did I see? [Definitely not popcorn.] [picture compliments of Ty] Hey Provo, that was pretty crazy stuff you just did! It was a full blown snowstorm, and I didn't want to die, or fall while walking around. Kimberly picked me up from my test, and we went to the temple together! Then she took me back to campus! She is so kind and giving. I remember thinking when we were roommates just how great it was- she is a perfect example of giving and sharing, without begrudging anyone for what she gives them. November 10th Yesterday evening my cousin Jake came down to Provo so we could hang out together! I'm grateful that he calls me and wants to spend time with me, ev...

November 7th: Grateful for answered prayers. I studied my hardest for my Physical Science test yesterday, and went into the testing center to wrestle with the beast. I prayed. As I read the essay prompt, I realized that I forgot a lot of things from the article that I had read earlier in the week. I prayed again, this time that I would remember elements of the article so I could present my ideas that I had studied! And sure enough, as I began to write, the concepts and examples of the article came clearly to my memory. I walked out of the test to check my scores on the multiple choice portion, and I had 100%. I am not trying to say that God takes tests for me, but I know that I couldn't have gotten that score without His help. I lost my flash drive last week, which was full of files I desperately needed for work! The Lord answered my prayer as I sat in the recliner in my front room. Distinctly the thought came to me: reach into the left side of the recliner. Was the flash dri...

November 4th Thankful for the gorgeous sunny weather Utah has been blessed with! Clear, sunny, a little cold, but bearable a light jacket. This time last year it was snowing out here. But this weather reminds me a lot of UGA and the weather in Georgia- I loved UGA campus!! Old buildings, huge old trees, thousands of squirrels, and beautiful weather all through the fall. I'm grateful that I served a mission and had a chance to get to know so many amazing people in Georgia! November 5th Grateful for a healthy body! I got up at 6 am to study scriptures, then worked out for 45 minutes! What would I do without my legs? Seriously! It's a simple joy to run around on a track, treadmill, or around Provo. My health is so important to me, and hopefully exercising regularly will even help improve my singing. I had a great voice lesson on Monday too. I hope there is a positive correlation between having a good workout and singing well in rehearsal, lessons, and in the practice room. ...

November 2 Yesterday I was in rehearsal for "Noises Off" (it's a production put on by my theatre class. I'm playing Dotty, if anyone knows the show), and we were running the scene in super-fast-mode. During a part when Vickie is trying to open the bathroom door, me and Garry are on the other side of the door... and my head collided with the guy playing Garry. Maybe I had a minor concussion, I'm not sure, but my head HURT [and still does a little this morning...] I'm thankful for concussions! Haha, just kidding. I'm thankful for my roommates Katie B and Katie S took care of me last night. Katie B made pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie with all my leftover pumpkin. Katie S made me dinner and gave me Advil. And we just sat together and talked. It was delightful. Those two are wonderful room mates, just like Carli. Katie B is a fantastic listener and has a great sense of humor. Katie S loves having dance parties and going out to have fun (she's also pr...

A friend of mine posted a picture on instagram with the hashtag #30daysofthankful. I've been feeling withdrawals after not doing "Make a Difference", so I'm planning to blog for each day of November about something that I'm thankful for. I invite you to do it too! November 1 I'm thankful for my roommate Carli. She is such a fantastic listener and friend. We go way back to our freshman year in Women's Chorus, being Summerfest counselors, going to Vienna, our Junior Recital, serving missions at the same time, having boy drama... and now to being roommates! Yesterday she made a pumpkin pie type dessert in the crockpot for fun and then we ate it, it was delicious. Last night I helped her alter a bridesmaid dress (using my limited sewing skills that I've gleaned over the years). It was such a delight to help her feel good about the dress so she can enjoy the wedding this weekend (she's flying back to Georgia right now... I wanted to fit in her s...