Sunday, October 28, 2012

Do The Small Things

Do The Small Things

Today I would just like to share with you an experience that actually happened to me a couple of weeks ago. It is such a small incident in the grand scheme of things, but I feel that it is important.

I am a student at Utah State University. I also attend the LDS Institute of Religion, which is just across the street from the main campus. 

One Thursday morning, I was faced with a decision. I was running late for school. I had missed the bus, so the only way I could make it to 
institute was to drive to school. 

Unfortunately, parking on/around the USU campus is ridiculous. A parking permit is required in many parking lots, there is a parking garage that charges a high fee, and then there are the parking meters. There are a few places around campus that have free 1, 3, and 8 hour parking, but it is a rare occasion that you can find a spot there. 

Having had no income for the past three months, I was running short on cash. I did have some change that could be used in the parking meters, but not enough to last me through institute and then my university class.

I had two options:

Option 1 - Drive up to campus, find a spot at the parking meters, go to institute, then I would most likely end up having to skip my university class (risk losing participation points and information) and go home to avoid a parking ticket.

Option 2 - Skip institute. Catch the bus in time to make my university class, no need to spend money at all, I don't miss any participation points or information.

The prophets have counseled us that we need to make institute a priority. That if nothing else, we do what we can to attend. So, I decided to go to institute, park at the meters, and then trust in the Lord that everything would be alright.

I went to institute.

After institute, I walked back to my car and, as I was out of coins for the meter, I started to drive off campus. As I was pulling away from the curb, I noticed (to my great surprise), that there was one 3-hour free parking spot available directly across the street from where I had been at the parking meters. I just about couldn't believe my eyes. I quickly drove around the block and 
pulled into that spot. 

I was able to attend my university class.

This is such a small thing. A parking spot for my car. But, I know that the Lord provided that open free spot for me because I chose to attend institute. Because I chose to follow the prophet's words, even though I thought I was going to miss out on something else that I thought was important. The Lord provided a way for me to attend both classes.

This experience strengthened my testimony that the Lord is aware of us and of every little thing that is going on in our lives. If we are willing to follow his commandments and will, he will bless us.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Chocolate Pretzels

Halloween 
Chocolate-Covered Pretzels


It has become a Halloween tradition for me and one of my friends to make chocolates. We make headstones, chocolate frogs, witches, skulls, and pumpkins. I did not take pictures of everything, but thought I would share pictures of the chocolate-covered pretzels. Just because they are so cool!

This is the first time that I have attempted doing fancy designs on pretzels, so they are not perfect, but still really cute! I'm happy with the way they turned out. I think that this is something I am going to have to do more often. Perhaps I will break out into other holidays as well.


   

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Pumpkin Walk

The Pumpkin Walk


Every year in the month of October, North Logan City has a tradition they like to call the pumpkin walk.

Here is a brief history that came from their website, pumpkinwalk.com.

Every year since 1982, at the end of October, clubs and organizations have been turning pumpkins, squash and other garden vegetables into the funniest, cutest, and most creative displays this side of the Little Bear River. Twenty years is a long time to do anything, but when it's a tradition like the North Logan Pumpkin Walk, 20 years isn't nearly enough. 

The activity started as a simple and fun activity for neighborhood children to enjoy on Halloween held on the old Beutler farm in North Logan.
With the draw of Ida Beutler's homemade cookies and hot drinks, about 200 people attended the walk that first year. But it was such a big hit (and word spread so fast), that during the next year, attendance jumped to around 2,000 attendees. 

"The Beutlers took their apple crop and had them pressed into cider for Ida, in her gracious manner, to serve to visitors," said North Logan resident Nancy Israelson. 

With the help of enlisted friends and neighbors, it grew from there. There was one year when it was just too much for the Beutlers to do, so it was cancelled. The problem was that the Pumpkin Walk had become so loved - it left a void in the Halloween fun - so the next year the city of North Logan asked to help carry on the tradition. Today the Pumpkin Walk is more popular than ever
(Now they get between 20,000 and 30,000 attendees.)

(source: The Utah Statesman, 10/29/03)

When I was younger, my mother often contributed a scene to the pumpkin walk, so I have had some experience with it. This year, I was required to do 10 hours of volunteer work in the field of recreation for a class at school. So, I decided to create a pumpkin walk scene. I thought I would share it with you here.

Harry Potter - Giant Wizards Chess



 Ron on his horse as a knight is my favorite part of the whole scene.


 Harry, looking determined.

 Pawns
 I hope you enjoyed! This was way fun to design and put together. It's so fun to see what kinds of things you can create just using some produce,  paint, and rebar. I also had music playing in the background. It was the song that was playing in the movie during this scene.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

A Moment in Church History

A Moment in Church History

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Today (or yesterday, since it is now 1:00am), some big church news was announced at the morning session of General Conference.

The age for missionaries has changed. For years now, young men were able to leave when they were 19 years old. Young women could leave for a mission at age 21. Today, it was announced that young man can now leave 
when he is 18, so long as he is graduated from high school. 
And young women may now leave at age 19. 

I am now 22, so this doesn't really directly affect me, except that if I decided to go on a mission, I could have some really young companions. 

But, indirectly, it definitely affects me. One of my best friends in the whole world turns 18 at the end of this month.This means he is eligible for a mission now. Also, this means that my brother will have the opportunity to leave about a year earlier than we thought.

This announcement was a little bit of a shock to me at first, but the shock only really lasted about a minute or two before a feeling of peace came over me. I know that this change in policy is inspired.