Voices from the Dust

I almost didn't write anything today, keeping up with my new every-other-week pattern I've got going on lately, until I read more of that biography I think I mentioned in the last post.

At first I only picked it up because I felt like I should do some family history. And because I'm fortunate to have been born in the family that I was, a whole ton of the temple work is already done. So I decided to read the biography because if all my ancestors are going to be there in the next life, I want to know enough to be able to actually recognize their name or hold a conversation with them. Especially with the stalwart people of grit and hard work that I somehow come from.

It took a little while to get into it, but reading this thing has been awesome! I've grown to really appreciate and admire the man its written about as well as other names that have come up that surprise me such as my friends' ancestor, the founder of my beloved home town, and even a name I've heard on a popular pioneer movie.

The other thing I love about it is that its really hard to worry about such trivial things like my apperance or how I'll ever survive giving my talk in church when I read about this man cleverly preaching to a hostile crowd or working his tail end off trying to make ends meet. And none of the group dates I've gone on can ever compare to the one his son went on. Him and his friends risked going to a festivity where there was a family that didn't like his friends. There was a disagreement at the gate, people got angry, and a lot of the boys got shot and wounded. The girls simply did their best with icepacks until further help came. Kudos to them. I hope I only ever have to end my dates with a hug at the door.

And then there's stories on the other side of my family my mother has told me that blow my socks off. There's haunting stories of World War II, courageous stories of coming to America with no other knowledge of English but the lyrics of some Elvis songs, and a missionary and his companion who were held captive in the jungle, their captors hoping for some sort of ransom.

Like I said, I'm fortunate to have the family that I do and I like bragging about them because then it makes me want to live up to their daunting examples. My hope is that when I pass into the next life I'll be able to see them and not be ashamed. To shake their hands and ask the man I'm reading about just what it was like to know three different prophets personally.

Anyways, I have a little shadow asking me to play the computer so I'd best go. :) I just wanted to share that. I've truely began to gain a testimony of what they call the spirit of Elijah and I just felt to post this in hopes that maybe you will too.

Beware: Brain Blurt

I don't have any life-changing events or lessons to write of and had any for a few weeks, which is why I didn't write last week. But if you guys don't mind, and since I tend to make a good part of my life is open book anyways, I think I'm just gonna share a bunch of things that have been on my mind lately and aren't big enough to make a post by themselves.

First off, Sadie Hawkins was this weekend. As usual, I had a blast and was grateful to my date for being a good sport and wearing the bright red kool-aid shirt I bought so we could match, as the Sadie's tradition goes. But there's something that has impressed me with every date and dance I've been to. And that's my peers. I know I tend to be a little clueless to the highschool drama  (okay, a lot) so I probably don't know everything that goes on. However, everytime I've gone to a school dance, even when we get home at midnight, the guy I went on a date with is always at church the next morning worthy to pass the sacrament or even at the podium giving a talk or even for a certain one, playing the organ. And, though it might just be habit for them, I find that super impressive.

And then the girls I group with are always awesome. They make the date so much more fun and make me glad for the standard of group dating.
Also, all the amazing adults who stay up and make waffles s for us for when the dance is over. Seriously bless those tired hands who prepared them.

Anyways, that's just the conclusion I came to on the way home last night and I have again decided to soak up everything I can of this small town so that I can take it with me wherever else I go. Because its rare to have seminary in your school schedule, to talk about scripture masteries in English class, and have a bunch of teenagers speeding through town at night all for the sake of reaching their parents' curfews.


The other thing I've noticed lately is that I have this weird thing where if everyone likes something, I can no longer like it any more (Vocal Point and Tangled excluded). It's either that or I just have this tendency to want to be original. I've noticed it a lot in my writing because all my ideas have very little to do with creating my own world, only with mixing up others'. Like my fairytale one where the mishcevious Prince steals Cinderella's slipper rather than her just losing it. Or the idea of writing a parody of all these silly paranormal romances that have been coming out and sort of making fun of them (but something tells me that'll get me a lot of hate mail). I even been fiddling with the concept of flipping the plot line of "Lost in Austen" and having a guy get stuck in Pride and Prejudice as Mr. Darcy rather than a girl as Elizabeth.

Anyways, that has absolutely nothing to do with anything. I was just sort of laughing at myself today when I saw a commerical for "Big Time Rush" and began muttering under my breath at sight of all the squealing girls.

I've also made a recent discovery. Upon reading some family history, I found that one of my bestest friend's ancestors, way back in the pioneer days, helped rescue my ancestor from drowning in a river when the current washed their raft clean. He was acting as the group's guide into the Indian territory and even though my ancestor had managed to get his head above water and grab onto something, the guide pulled him ashore. And now, years later, she's saved my life and figuratively pulled me ashore more times than I can count. Sometimes I wonder if Heavenly Father just likes to throw in coincidences like that to make us think.

The last thing was what I gave my talk on today in Church. At the time I was assighned it, I was feeling a little overwhelmed and confused about a couple the silly little things in my little life. But, because I've inherited my mother's trait of being obedient despite myself, I did it. And guess what? I found an awesome talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that immediatly began to clear all the clouds.

And guess what part of it was about? Becoming blessed and even healed by doing the Lord's will. Figures :)