Called to Repentance

So Sunday I attended Mom and Dad's ward because one of the kids Mom used to tend came home from his mission. I was sitting in Relief Society and the lesson was on President Uchtdorf's talk from October Conference, entitled Lift Where You Stand.
(http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-18,00.html) As the discussion ensued I found myself humbled. We were discussing the meaning of lifting where you stand and a lot of people were talking about callings and assignments and how we all have different talents and abilities, and how each calling or assignment is geared toward our talents and abilities. At one point in the discussion, I was considering my calling as Camp Director and realized that my only job in that calling is to make sure that each of my Beehives leave camp lifted. As I thought about lifting where I stand, it occurred to me that although I hate camping and hiking and so many other things about this calling; if I just change my attitude and strive to have a spiritual experience, I'll receive that confirmation from Heavenly Father that I've been looking for. If I can help each girl to have a camp experience that brings her closer to the other girls in the ward and closer to the Savior, I too will be blessed with those things and then it will make sense to me that that calling was geared to me at this moment in my life. Once again, I sit here grateful that within the parameters of the gospel of Jesus Christ we are given prophets and apostles who have had so many experiences that they then share with us, so that we can be blessed in our lives. Yesterday I was just the camp director. Today it's so much more.

8 years later...

So I have been home from my mission a little more than 8 years. When I got home I asked my mom if she would teach me to crochet and she agreed. She suggested that I start with a dish cloth and I told her that if I was doing this I was going all the way. We picked out an afghan pattern and I went to it. It was a mixture of double and single crochet in one color and I got about 6 inches of it done and got bored. I put it away and a few years later, I bought another pattern book and picked out some of my favorite colors and started again. This one I got about 3 feet done and then ran out of the colors I needed since I messed up a lot, and decided I didn't want to finish it because it looks like a beginner afghan and I don't like it any more. Another few years later I got another pattern book and started on one called Fresh as a Daisy. I got about 9 blocks of it done, decided I was doing it wrong and put it away. About a month ago, I took it apart and started over and crocheted while I watched TV to wind down after a long day of working. For a month, housework and laundry were neglected as I saw them as a burden, taking me away from my addiction to crocheting. I finished the afghan at 1:00 this morning and so today is a day for reflection and celebration! I started another one a few days ago. Today I put it down for a few hours and caught up on the house work and laundry, so now I don't have to feel guilty for crocheting for another month! It's such a great feeling knowing that you conquered something hard and won. I am really excited about my daisy afghan! I'll post a picture as soon as I get one.

SLACKER

Okay so I am a blogging slacker! I'd like to pretend that I have a good reason, but it's just not true! Tonight I am home alone, listening to Showtunes so I may as well blog! A lot has been happening, but it all fits into the boring life category. You know once all of your dreams have been realized (you've seen Wicked), everything else pales in comparison!

A few weeks ago I was called into the Bishops office where he issued me a new calling. YW camp director. Now those of you who know me, know how I feel about this calling. Apparently when the YW presidency was discussing who they should call, mine was the only name that kept coming up to all of them. They all had a confirmation that they were calling the right person. I wish I could get one!! Don't get me wrong, I am so excited to work with the YW in my ward, and the YW presidency is amazing and I'm really excited to work with them, but lets talk about things that I hate.
1. CAMPING!!! I think camping is a fantastic torture method. Why do people choose to lie on the ground in a confining bag, in the cold, smelling bad, and call it fun??? Not me. Camping to me is a bad motel or at worst a motor home. Lets stick with Motel 6.
2. HIKING!!! I think it's absolutely no fun to climb on a barely carved trail through bugs and brush, to see nature! Most hikes involve climbing rocks and/or mountains and my fear of heights and either real or imagined asthma symptoms when I mix exertion with altitude really don't put me in the realms with most peoples idea of fun hiking. My good buddy Naomi would put on a pack and hike 30 miles in a few days just seeing how long she can survive in an Arizona desert. NOT FUN!!!

Anyway about 5 weeks after the ill fated interview with the Bishop they finally released me as Relief Society Secretary and I felt a moment of regret. I was called just over a year ago when I was somewhat new in the ward and have really enjoyed getting to know the sisters in my ward. I think that Relief Society secretary should be every womans first calling in a new ward. It is a sure fire way to learn who people are. I'm sorry to walk away from that.

In other non related news, I have been "wasting" a lot of time in front of my TV. It's my winding down time at the end of each work day, and so to feel like I'm not really wasting time, I pulled out my latest attempt at an afghan and I'm more than half done. It's cute! I'll post a picture when it's all done, but so far I'm just pleased in the fact that in the almost 10 years since I learned to crochet, I will actually have a finished project. I have a box of half finished ones I gave up on, mostly out of boredom, but this one will actually join the other blanket types I have in my linen closet.

Well I'm sure there is a lot more I could say but this is pretty long as it is! Good Night All!! I have a camp meeting in the morning!!! :)

Time's a wastin'

So today was set aside as tidy up the house day... one load of laundry in the washer later, and I'm reading (and writing) blogs! I must have ADD or something because I cannot stay focused! I started in my computer room and found a big box of random important papers, so I went outside to find my file that I keep all the important stuff in. I decided to go through it and throw away everything that no longer applies. I found stuff from my freshman year at the U, stuff from countless institute classes (which went back into the file), my receipt from the purchase of my wedding dress (that sits in my closet, never worn), my mattress warranty, my cell phone warranty, 6 years worth of tax return information, and my long lost birth certificate. Not a bad find! I didn't throw much away and I'll probably not remember where that birth certificate is the next time I need it. (You avid blog readers, remind me okay?) You know that point when you decide to stop being a pack rat, and just throw everything away? Yeah, I'm not there yet! So instead of getting rid of my pack rat habit I decided to blog about it!


Oh and on a side note, my friend Aubrey won an award for her book Spare Change... best new romance! Yeah Aubrey! And for all of you who read this and haven't read that, there were six copies at my Deseret Book last time I was there... it's an award winner! Why wouldn't you read it? I love you Aubrey!