General Women's Meeting Quotes

I wanted to share a couple quotes that I liked from the General Women's Meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that was given on March 29, 2014

“Help comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the guidance of the Holy Ghost, and through the helping hands of others. …

“You have been sent to earth in this dispensation of time because of who you are and what you have been prepared to do. Regardless of what Satan would try to persuade us to think about who we are, our true identity is that of a disciple of Jesus Christ," -- Linda K. Burton, General Relief Society President

“He helped you understand and accept that you would have trials, tests and opportunities perfectly chosen just for you. You learned that our Father had a plan of happiness to get you safely through those trials and that you would help bring others safely through theirs. This plan is marked by covenants with God.”

“Only a few of his daughters have the opportunity in this life to even learn of those covenants. You are one of the favored few. You, dear sisters, each of you, is a daughter in the covenant.”  -- Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency 

Relief Society Lesson -- Power in the Priesthood

Power in the Priesthood 

Elder Neil L. Andersen 

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 

October 2013 General Conference 

We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church.  

The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all—men, women, and children. 

A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. 

To receive the blessings, power, and promises of the priesthood in this life and the next is one of the great opportunities and responsibilities of mortality. 

There are special blessings from God for every worthy person who is baptized, receives the Holy Ghost, and regularly partakes of the sacrament. 

God did not create men and women exactly the same. We know that gender is an essential characteristic of both our mortal and eternal identity and purpose. Sacred responsibilities are given to each gender. 

From the beginning the Lord established how His priesthood would be administered. 

The power of the holy priesthood does not work independently of faith, the Holy Ghost, and spiritual gifts. 

Worthiness is central to performing and receiving priesthood ordinances. 

Unworthily administering or passing the sacrament, blessing the sick, or participating in other priesthood ordinances is taking the name of God in vain. 

We know that the keys of the priesthood…direct the work of the Lord upon the earth.  Specific priesthood keys are conferred upon stake presidents and bishops…they call men and women by revelation who are sustained and set apart to exercise delegated authority to teach and administer. 

Sincerely asking for and listening to the thoughts and concerns voiced by women is vital in life, in marriage, and in building the kingdom of God. 

The power of God’s holy priesthood is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify that as you worthily participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace, and eternal perspective.  

Whatever your situation, your home will be “blessed by the strength of priesthood power” and those close to you will more fully desire these blessings for themselves.

Utah State University Graduation 1996

I decided to share one more memory with you on my blog for the time being.  And that is my graduation from Utah State University in 1996.  I actually walked in June with all of the other graduates, but I had to complete one more course during the summer.  So I didn't really graduate until August.

I know there are more pictures than this, but this is all I have scanned on my computer.  These are just pictures taken in my apartment before the actual graduation.  Or maybe after?  I don't remember.

This was almost 18 years ago, and everybody looks so much younger!  :-) It's amazing what a few years and some life experiences will do :-)

Me, in the middle of course, with my awesome parents!

My brother Michael, me, my sister Lisa

Goofing off!  :-)

I'm ready for my close up :-)

I'm not sure about that red lipstick that I chose to wear :-)

With the cap but without the gown

Me and Dad :-)

This must've been after graduation because my hair is flatter and my lipstick is worn off :-)

I think it actually might be a better look :-)

Me with Mom :-)

Another close-up.

Looks like another self portrait

Taking self-portraits was a favorite pastime of mine :-) I think I probably have about 29 million self-portraits taken between 1993 -- after my mission and 2002.  :-) Don't worry I won't post them all :-)

They all look the same anyway.  :-)

Unfortunately this is the only picture I have with everybody in it.  I don't know why it turned out so dark.  This was back in the day of real film so unfortunately I didn't take another one.  It looks like the flash might not have gone off.  :-(

Me with my two brothers!

My real brother Michael, on the left and my plastic brother, Jason, on the right :-)

Me with my maternal grandparents.

Back row: Dad, Mom, Grandpa, and Me.

Front Row: Grandma

I don't really remember much about my graduation except standing on the quad with a bunch of other graduates from the College of Science,  waiting to walk to the spectrum. I seem to remember Michael waving his hat as we walked in to the spectrum.  I don't know where Juliet was except maybe still in Hawaii. 

   I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in biology with a minor in psychology.  :-)

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. This might be all for a while.  Until I come up with another plan :-)

Doughnuts and Oak Ridge Boys

A couple of weeks ago, when Juliet was here in the morning getting me ready, she was shaving my legs and out of the blue said, "It's cool that your legs are still sexier than most people's legs" or something to that effect. It was funny, and of course, I appreciated the compliment :-)

Then we started singing the old Oak Ridge Boys classic, "American Made".  If you've never heard Juliet and me sing together, you haven't lived!  It's quite a treat to hear our vocals blend together :-) we always say that we should record a song together. it would sound tight! :-) Maybe one day :-)

A little bit later, after she pulled me up, she mentioned how fatigued and weak she was from moving.  She mentioned how when you're moving, you don't eat well.  I told her she should eat a high calorie diet to gain her strength back.  And she said, nonchalantly, that she has been trying to eat lots of doughnuts. We were both very serious.  Maybe you had to be there, but it was quite funny.  And then of course we started talking about our favorite kinds of doughnuts :-) after just discussing how great we look :-) it was hilarious.

Then, after discussing eating doughnuts and big macs, the conversation turned back to how we share a body and how good we look :-).  we always have a great time in the mornings :-).  I tried to find a picture where we look the same.  The following is the best one I found on my computer.

This picture was taken in my San Francisco apartment.  I'm guessing it was around '98 or '99.  Did we go to The Saddle Rack that night?  I don't remember why we were dressed up like that. But we look great, don't we? :-)

Of course I had to include a YouTube video of The Oak Ridge Boys singing, "American Made".  The best part about this video is when William Lee Golden goes off key.  The look on his face is hilarious :-)

I think I might do a post with pictures from my Utah State University graduation.  So look for that in the next couple of days.:-)

Hawaii trip-- More Random Pictures

Sadly, this will be the last post of my Hawaii travelogue.  :-(

But it was fun reminiscing.  I mentioned before that it was March 1994 and March 1995 that I was there.  But it may have been March 1995, March 1996.  I'm not sure.  It was definitely 1995, one of the years :-)

anyway, these will be some more random pictures that don't really fit into any category.

The one picture that I remember from these trips is one I cannot actually find.  :-( It is the picture of Juliet and me with a red hibiscus and our hair.  For some reason, that picture is missing.  :-( If we ever do come across it, I'll have to add it later.

of course, we had to make a trip to the mall :-)

every time I told anybody that my sister was going to school in Hawaii.  They inevitably asked, or assumed, that she was going to BYU Hawaii.  I always have to tell them no, she goes to the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.  BYU Hawaii is on the other side of the island, near PCC and the Temple.

I have no idea where this is.  Have we already seen this picture?

I don't know where this is either but this is Juliet.  Apparently, it was a restaurant of some kind.

I don't remember this either :-( can you help me out, Juliet?

wherever it is, it's beautiful.  I'm not too shabby either :-)

Juliet looking good on the trail :-)

Juliet, Noel (Braddah Dole), Tammy

inside Juliet's apartment

of course, what's a trip to Hawaii without a picture with a lei?

Juliet, Aaron, Tammy

was this at the flea market, Juliet?

this must've been another week at church :-)

I believe that's a real flower in my hair.  I think the custom is, if you're single, you wear the flower over your right ear and if you're married, you wear the flower over your left ear.

this must've been when I was leaving, saying goodbye :-(

I must have been real proud of my hard rock purchase :-)

I'm pretty sure this was at the flea market in Honolulu.  Two things I remember about this.  We looked for license plates for dad.  I'm not sure if we bought any or not.  And the other thing I remember about, this was that I bought my wooden elephant here. I love that crazy wooden elephant :-)

and of course the trip would not be complete without a picture of me by my favorite animal, gorilla!  :-)

me and Juliet outside the church in Honolulu.

almost looks like my missionary pictures with Sister Wilson, right? :-)

obviously, a self timer portrait :-)

me in front of what might be a magnolia tree.  Speaking of magnolia trees, they are all over Florida and I used to love to pick the thick spongy petals and draw smiley faces on them :-) when I lived in Florida. 

Juliet at the flea market in Honolulu.

the only reason I know this is Juliet is because of her outfit :-)

this is the only picture I could find with Juliet and I together, that was a full body shot.  I wanted to mention that Juliet and I always joked about sharing a body, because we look so similar.

I think that is somewhat apparent in this picture.  Even though Juliet is wearing shoes that slightly elevate her, our legs are pretty much the same length.  Although Juliet is 3 inches taller than me, it's often difficult to tell us apart in pictures, especially from a distance.  Thus, we always said we shared a body :-)

from the looks of this picture, I think the Oak Ridge Boys were right.  :-) Juliet knows what I'm talking about :-)

I wanted to mention about the dog walking, because I don't have any pictures of it.  But, to earn a little extra money Juliet took on a dog walking job.  So, of course, I went with her to walk the dogs.  They were a bunch of black labs, as I recall.  The funny thing is, Juliet was more scared of the dogs than I was.  :-)

The dogs owner wasn't there so we just went in the backyard and leashed up some dogs and took them running.  It was actually really fun :-) I wish I had some pictures.

anyway, this concludes my Hawaii saga.:-(

I hope you enjoyed the journey :-)

Hawaii Trip -- UH

the reason I was able to go to Hawaii during two of my spring breaks at Utah State was because Juliet was enrolled at the University of Hawaii at the time and lived in Honolulu.

So this blog post will chronicle the pictures taken at the University of Hawaii.

I don't remember this but I'm guessing this is Juliet standing in front of her locker at UH.

Juliet was on a full ride cross-country scholarship at the University of Hawaii.

interestingly, UH didn't have a track program.

But they obviously had a nice track :-)

This must've been on Sunday, because Juliet is dressed up in her finest Sunday dress :-) and yes, once again that is my dress she's wearing.  I guess it's not limited to missionary companions :-) 

Since I was the one visiting, shouldn't it be the other way around?  Shouldn't I be borrowing Juliet's dresses?

UH locker room

me and Juliet taking a picture in the mirror in the UH locker room.  Can you see us?  Obviously the flash is reflecting off the mirror -- it actually looks kind of cool :-)

Juliet, was this in front of the student center or something?  I think this was on campus.

one of the few pictures of me in Hawaii with my hair actually done :-)

Hey at least I'm wearing the belt, this time :-) this picture must have been taken inside Juliet's apartment.

okay, now I know where this picture belongs.  I inadvertently put this picture on Sister Erickson's wedding.  I think.  But obviously this was taken in Hawaii.

proof of purchase that the picture was in Hawaii :-) this must've been the ward building there.

Braddah Dole!  :-)

This is Juliet's good friend, Noel.  Interestingly, he now lives here in Western Washington.  He and Juliet have remained friends and still get together once in a while.

I think this was outside the dorm rooms at UH

Juliet doing the same pose.  :-)

two ravishing beauties :-)

I think Juliet lived in these dorms her freshman year.

me doing the same pose.  In the dorms at Ilima Hall.

okay, this was definitely the second year I was there.  Because this is the road that Juliet lived on at the end of her UH career.  I think her apartment building might be the two-story building to my left.  Is that right, J?

Juliet walking to school

Juliet taking a test at UH.  While I waited in the hallway for her :-).  Not exactly the way I wanted to spend my Hawaiian vacation :-) but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Juliet leaving class after finishing a test.

Okay, now time for a story.  And Juliet can thank me later :-).  I'm not sure if it was this test or what but one day while we were on campus Juliet informed me that she needed to go check the score on one of her exams.  She told me that if she didn't get above a certain percentage that she was going to drop out of school because she would not be able to graduate anyway.  

So, of course, I went with her to go check her grade.  Unfortunately, she did not do as well as she had hoped and began heading towards the student center to drop out of school.  I knew I had to act fast because it wasn't that long of a walk to the student center :-).  I told her that it would not be wise to drop out and that it was not the end of the world, there was still hope that she could graduate. 

Well, thankfully, my skills of persuasion are top notch, and I was able to convince her not to drop her classes-- which she was dead set on doing. She was literally minutes from dropping out and if I hadn't been there to convince her otherwise, she would have dropped her classes and not graduated.

But thanks to her wonderful, loving, caring, wise, gorgeous oldest sister, Juliet stayed in school and ended up graduating with a degree in psychology.

And you can thank me later Juliet! :-)

 don't be sad, but we are coming to the end of my Hawaii trip travelogue :-(

Tomorrow will be the last one -- more random pictures :-)