What to Wait For

I have always liked surprises, that are GOOD and not the ones that involve me falling down in front of a multitude of people, or talking in my sleep and having someone overhear and ask me if I'm okay. No, not that kind. The good kinds always bring smiles to the faces or good thoughts to the mind. I got a phone call today that did that.

My old roommate from last January '09 and friend from Virginia called me. What's the scoop? She's engaged! The story of how they met and how it happened is how it should be. He was her waiter @ Tucanos, he left her his number...she called, and he did all the work from there--calling, persuing, everything. Just as it SHOULD BE.

A quote with good recommendations. This is how it should happen.

**Wait for the guy who pursues you. One who will make an ordinary moment seem magical; a kind of guy who brings out the best in you. Wait for the guy who will be your best friend, the only person who will drop everything to be with you at any time no matter what the circumstances. Wait for the guy who makes you smile like no one else and when he smiles you know he needs you. Wait for the guy who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats and have no makeup on, but appreciates it when you get all dolled up for him. Most of all, wait for the guy who will put you at the center of his universe, beacuse that's where you belong.**

?Love?

I found what I wrote for my Creative Writing final in December. I actually liked my piece. The prompt was, "What is love?" In red--is my response.

LOVE

The epidemic is so great that there are doctors for this sort of thing. There is no cure. There is no logic behind it. The treatment given when the symptoms kick is not 100 percent. With few survivors of its repercussions, many have been affected by this unknown feeling with a blissful life while others seem to vanish away, darkened and suicidal from lethal side effects. Some see it as the plague and others as a vaccine. It’s quite unexplainable. Love is curious and strikes at any given moment.

According to Sophocles, this “one word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.“ Did he confuse this word with chocolate? To tell you the truth, my observation of love is just the opposite.

It is the unavoidable demon of some, possessing them at first sight. How can one be infatuated with someone with whom no words were exchanged? Incompressible. How many times have we walked by a restaurant on an empty stomach--looking through the glass to see the comfortably seated eater-outers smiling and nodding as their taste buds dance? Do you smell that? Can you can taste it. It’s so irresistible and next thing you know, you’re at the table next to the man that you were envying with his hamburger in hand. You even envy the mustard stain on his tie. For some, love has a similar effect. You see. You like. You love.


Love is the closest we can get to godliness--because it produces a sense of fulfillment gotten from no other source but from giving to another. To love and win--what an envy! To love and loose--the fate of many. That is why it can be so demonous…love is a poker game, the odds of winning and loosing are unknown as we stare down at 2 cards laying on a table. Hit…me?

Los besos del viento by: Diana Tartaglia

Desde cómo peinarme, hasta como ser una mujer de dignidad son algunas de las cosas que mi madre me enseñó. Pero hay algo que aprendí de ella y que no puedo sacar de mi mente.



No fue mucho tiempo después que Santa nos visitó cuando un día mi hermano y yo nos emocionamos por montar nuestras bicicletas pero pensándolo bien, no sabíamos manejarlas. Momentos como estos era los que mi madre disfrutaba con la única intención de poder ayudarnos.


- ¡Vamos afuera para aprender! Vamos niños-


- ¡Sí, vamos!


Corríamos a recoger nuestras bicicletas y como soldados en una fila esperábamos en la pista del barrio con nuestros regalos lindos hechos de metal y ruedas brillantes. Y estaba tan emocionada como cualquier voluntario que me ofrecí a ser la primera persona para aprender. Mi madre sujetó la silla y sentándome encima de mi bicicleta ella caminó conmigo mientras empezaba a esforzarme para hacer que las ruedas giraran y nos moviéramos juntas.


Como un perro con la cabeza fuera de la ventana en un auto así me sentía, estaba tan feliz y contenta hasta q me di cuenta q la mano de mi madre no estaba en mi silla. De pronto, vi que ella estaba muy lejos de mí y yo estaba yendo en una velocidad desconocida por no estar en un auto. Aceleré la velocidad y sentí los besos del viento en mi rostro mientras disfrutaba la experiencia de poder hacer algo nuevo por primera vez en mi vida.


Recordé que era humana y en donde estaba. Ahora quería ver el progreso de mi hermano, porque él iba detrás de mí. Vi algo muy diferente a mi experiencia. Intentaba montar su bicicleta pero cada vez que mi madre soltaba el asiento, mi hermano sentía que no podía hacerlo solo. Intentaron una y otra vez sin éxito. Vi la expresión de mi hermano derrotado. Sabía que él quería regresar a su mundo de videojuegos y nunca más aprender cómo hacerlo. Seguí dando vueltas por el barrio y cada vez que miraba a mi hermano también veía el rostro de felicidad y esperanza que tenía mi madre.


Mi madre no se cansó y no dejó que mi hermano entrara a casa hasta que lograra superar su desafío y debilidad. Con el amor que ella nos tiene y por entender la importancia de no aceptar una derrota, lo animó y ayudó. Fueron muchas caídas las que mi hermano tuvo ese día pero también se levantó por la mano de alguien que le ama y así fue cómo aprendió a montar su bicicleta. No hay éxito mejor que ver alguien que uno ama alcanzando una meta. Y que satisfacción recibí al jugar y recibir los besos del viento con alguien a mi lado, alguien a quien respeto como es mi hermano.

Good Talk

Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others


Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer

Of the Seventy


Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father.

We live in a world in which many situations require us to make judgments that are often difficult. Yet the Savior gave the commandment to “judge not” our fellowman.1 How can we do this and still exercise good judgment in a world full of deception and corruption? We must judge well when making critical decisions in each phase of our life, such as choosing friends, finding an eternal companion, or choosing an occupation that will allow us to care for our family and serve the Lord. Although the Savior asked us not to judge others, He still expects us to use excellent judgment.

We may often find ourselves making quick judgments about people, which can change or redefine our relationships with them. Often incorrect judgments are made because of limited information or because we do not see beyond that which is immediately in front of us.
By way of illustration, the story is often told of the time when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, who lived in Bethany with their brother, Lazarus. It was a welcome place for the Master, where He could rest and enjoy the surroundings of a righteous home. During one of His visits, Martha was busy preparing a meal and Mary elected to sit at the Master’s feet to receive His instruction.
“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? . . .
“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”2

Many Sunday lessons have been taught using this story which have cast Martha in a lesser position in terms of her faith. Yet there is another story of this great woman, Martha, which gives us a deeper view of her understanding and testimony. It happened when the Savior arrived to raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. On this occasion it was Martha whom we find going to Jesus “as soon as she heard” He was coming. As she meets Him, she says that she knows that “whatsoever [He would] ask of God, God [would] give [Him].”

Christ then shared with Martha the great doctrine of the resurrection, saying:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

She responded with her powerful testimony: “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”3

How often has Martha been misjudged as being a person who cared more for the deeds of doing than for the Spirit? However, her testimony in the trial of her brother’s death clearly shows the depth of her understanding and faith.

Many a sister has often heard the first story and wondered if she were a Mary or a Martha, yet the truth lies in knowing the whole person and in using good judgment. By knowing more about Martha, we find she was actually a person of deep spiritual character who had a bold and daring testimony of the Savior’s mission and His divine power over life. A misjudgment of Martha may have caused us not to know the true nature of this wonderful woman.

On a personal level, as a young physician I learned a great lesson about making quick judgments. While I was working a midnight shift in an emergency department, a young man and his wife came in because she was suffering some severe pain. From their dress and hygiene, it was easy to see that theirs had been a rough life. His hair was ill kempt and very long. Their clothing had not been washed for some time, and the effects of a rough life were written on both of their faces.

After an examination, I sat down with him to explain the problem and discuss the treatment. This man looked at me with a deep clarity of love that is rarely experienced and asked with all the love of a caring husband, “Doctor, will my dear wife be all right?” At that moment, I felt the Spirit testify that he was a child of God and saw in his eyes the evidence of the Savior. This man truly projected love for another, and I had misjudged him. It was a lesson that left a lasting impression.

Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father. As I look back over my own personal life, I can see many instances in which a slight change of course based on poor judgment would have led me far from where the Lord wanted me to be—decisions like having a family while obtaining an education, being active in all aspects of the gospel, paying tithes and offerings when income was severely limited, and accepting callings at difficult times, which helped me to understand more about sacrifice. Many blessings in life are missed because worldly judgment was applied to what was really a spiritual decision.

There are many characteristics of people who have developed good judgment. I would offer four guides for developing such judgment in making important decisions.

First, put your own personal standards in alignment with the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person can never be a good judge without the gospel of Jesus Christ as a reference. The gospel has a long and successful record of guiding people to happiness. Some of the world’s ideas leave mankind adrift to try to define their own standards. Because of this, we hear phrases like “a new morality.” This phrase is deceptive! The standards of morality are eternal and have not changed; neither should we try to discover a new interpretation of them. For the youth these standards are written in the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth. These standards are clearly aligned with the gospel of Jesus Christ and are intended to continue through adult life. Perhaps it would be good for us as adults to study and apply this pamphlet to our lives.

Second, listen to the messages of the living prophet. How many poor financial judgments would have been avoided had we listened to the years of advice given through our prophets about avoiding risky speculation and following a careful budget to avoid consumer debt? How many marriages would have been saved by using good judgment in avoiding media that lead to pornographic addiction and heartache? Each general conference and Church magazine contains advice from the prophets which, if applied, will lead us to good judgment. We are left without excuse when we ignore them.

Third, cultivate with the Holy Spirit a relationship of listening. We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost after our baptism, but often we leave this gift on the shelf, forgetting that He will help us in the most important judgments of our lives. The Lord gave us this gift, knowing we would face difficult decisions in life. Listening to this voice is vital in developing good judgment. A relationship of listening often requires a quiet environment in which we can take time to ponder and hear the still, small voice. This peaceful environment is both external and internal. Therefore, it is more than shutting off the music of the world or the blare of other media; it is also shutting off the noise of sin that is internal to our soul. This will open the communication with the Spirit, which is so badly needed.

Christ said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”4 The peace that comes from listening to the Holy Spirit removes the fear of making a poor judgment in life.

Fourth, keep the commandments. The willingness to keep God’s commandments opens to us many promised blessings. The Book of Mormon, in addition to being another testament of Jesus Christ, is a book about the results of keeping and not keeping commandments. The Lord said to Nephi in the second chapter of his first book, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper.”5

This same promise was repeated by almost every major prophet in the Book of Mormon. A thousand years of history is then recorded which bears witness that these things are true. And the same message applies to us today. Good judgment is best learned and practiced within the bounds the Lord sets by giving us commandments.

I testify that when we face difficult decisions and follow these guidelines, we can know better how we should judge. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

NOTES

1. Matthew 7:1. See also Matthew 7:1, footnote a; from Joseph Smith Translation, where the Savior commands us to “judge not unrighteously.”

2. Luke 10:40–42.

3. See John 11:20–27.

4. John 14:27.

5. 1 Nephi 2:20.

Emergency Exit Only

Location: BYU Wilkinson's center
Time: Lunch time --approx 1:40pm
Occurance: complete and utter surprise and inside laughter

I tried to avoid it, but, I had to. I bought lunch. Five dollars worth spent on a spinach wrap with my wheat role--there is so much to do today and I am excited about the movie I will be watching later on campus Babes in Toyland. I don't even care that I will go alone, that's how excited I am.

I chose a table where to sit to enjoy my buy in the food court area on campus-- somewhat close to the window and layed all my stuff out( which is basically my backpack, little notebook). Once I found my location I tried to behave myslef: to eat as appropriate as i could-- you know, the whole whipping my face with a napkin and such, in case anyone looked my way...i wouldn't compeletly revolt them with my poppyseed dressing dripping along my face (classy, right?).

I looked ahead of me and there was this dark-haired guy sitting and smiling @ his laptop. I assumed he was video chatting with someone since his laptop was faced toward the wall when normally the seat was the placed in the opposite direction that he had it. That the detective side of me observing.

I also saw another guy, head phones on--enthralled in what was flashing across his laptop screen. He was sitting by a pair of doors that across them reads in big red and black letters: Emergency Exit Only. Taking bites out of my green wrap kept me busy, and I looked away.  That distracted me, along with doing the math of how much money I would be making a month for the summer if I were to stay in Utah, deducting rent, food,and seeing my not-so-great profit.

Video camera guy packed up his things and walked by me on his way to the exit, then he came back...(perhaps he did not find the exit?) and started walking towards the laptop-headphones guy....you know, the one sitting by the emergency exit.

 Video camera guy walked through those doors...the ones that you always think.are the perfect exit until you are 3 feet away and can see the writing that only if the whole building is on fire and if you have three people on your back and if you are holding a small baby then it's okay to go through them. When video camera guy was going for the exit...I just looked at him with a look of concern as did the laptop-headphones guy. Laptop-headphones guy even looked up towards the top of the doors and ceiling since he was facing the doors and was only 2 feet away from them max. He expected an alarm to go off--as did I.


Flabergasting.

A got over it. Until laptop-headphones guy packed up too and tried going out the emergency exit doors. He pushed against them with his "manly" force just to be reprocushioned back. The look on his face of strain and rejection was obvious. He walked away defeated and exited out of the doors all of us  normal law-abiding folk do since we can read "Emergency Exit Only".

I chuckled. Maybe laptop-headphones guy didn't have a legit emergency as did the emergency exit forces denied him and not video camera guy. I hope to be worthy to pass someday.

30 Minutes to Kill

So, the bus comes in 30 minutes and i decided I could waste my life away on facebook, check my already checked emails, or...write in my blog. Granted, I really have nothing profound to say, but hey, I have 30 minutes to kill.


This week has already been the extreme of long--extremely long. (Good one, huh? I thought so too.) 

I have had some pretty boring moments but then some worth talking about things happen to me. First and foremost, I will warn all of you who actually take the time to read my blog...to BEWARE OF THE BYU HEATH CENTER--Well, more of..BEWARE OF GETTING BLOOD DRAWN FROM THE BYU HEALTH CENTER. Did you read that with a cool voice of warning? If not, please go back and re-read it with enthusiasm and fright. Thank you.

Yeah, I had an appointment to visit with a Dr. Mine was really cute and old. Dr. B...something. He was very experienced and was old-school and sweet. I love old people, most of the time. But, yes, he wanted to draw some blood to do some tests on me. Crazy, right? So, he showed me to where the needles lied and I took a seat on this ginarmous lazy-boy styled turquoise squishy chair. A fairly young looking girl came up to me and all I can remember is that amongst her vocabulary were the words, "cool", "chill", "sweet"...and possibly a "dude" in there, but I think I'm making that one up. : )

So, I tell her I used to like shots. Until I had my apendectimy I loved shots. Having an IV in your arm for a few days and them putting it in uncomfortable in the first place can do that to you. But, I wondered if I would enjoy this shot like back in yester-year. I voiced how I used to love shots when she looked at my veins and said that they are "beautiful"...that was a first. I've heard my Densit remark on my  nice teeth, perhaps the hair dresser compliment my hair, but someone to say my veins were beautiful was a definite first. I felt sort of creeped out...but, hey, I like shots, right?

I should have know, though, that my beautiful vein would be in danger, and the fact that she called in beautiful should have been my  heads up to the lack of capabilities I would find that day.

POKE. Nope, it didn't hurt @ all and I watched the blood come out of my arm. She had to fill 4 tubes of my Diana-blood. So, watching as she tried changing the tubes without taking out the needle was sort of fun, until I realized she had no skill whatsoever in how to draw blood. The needle seemed to slowly shift out.

"You have a valve right there, so that's why it's shaking", she told me.

"It's shaking? Okay." That's what I said...not really sure what she was trying to tell me.

BUBBLE. A bubble of blood came out of where the needle injecting my vein. I guess she was not paying attention, but I was.

"Um, there is blood," I mentioned very apathetically.

"OH." And she covered my blood with a piece of gauze, not trying to fix what I thought was the needle point that had shifted.

When she covered my blood it was as though she was hiding her error. Within 7 seconds a gush of streaming blood came out of my vein where the needle still lied, dripped off my arm and left a four inch diameter blood stain on my favorite jeans. I was definitly  unhappy. I probably did not say much. When people are stupid i hold my tongue, and in this case, I really was not sure how to react, except with, "Um, there is blood on me."

She called the lady, probably the one with actual experience, to come help. This lady was concerned about me, and I gave her props in my mind as a patient for caring about me.

She asked, "Are you okay?" refering to the massive blood that was all over me.

"Yeah. You guys are just lucky I don't mind shots and don't mind blood." What. It's true. And it's how i felt.

So, they tried cleaning me up. It was a very unsuccesful attempt but what else could they do. The needle was finally removed.

She did not finish filling the tubes so it was my other arm's turn to get poked. Yup, in my beautiful vein in my other arm. I did not really mind. Poke my other arm instead of the abused on already violated.

Stick. Needle in. Little blood came out. The same girl. She did not know what she was doing.

"Looks like I'm dead," I said, since no blood was coming out of the needle nor my vein. The lady who was called over before came back, and told the chill sweet cool dude girl who was drawing my blood that we had enough from the first poke. I got to leave...very bloody.

Thanks BYU Heath Center blood drawers. My favorite pants are ruined.

THRICE

Three times, is indeed, the charm.

Today has been quite the interesting day. I had another amazing experience I could not ignore. This happened three times today. THRICE, since 7:17 a.m. It's 4:38 p.m. and I feel like the Lord is very nearby wanting to answer my prayers. I know I shouldn't say this, but, I haven't felt the undeniable answers to my prayers in quite a while...and this felt so good. I know He is there.

These things are not vital to my existence, but I like them, mucho. What are they?

1. my house keys
2. one of my favorite pairs of earings
3. packing tape

I woke up this morning with 8 minutes to get ready and to be @ the bus stop. As I tried to find a way to delay the inevitable of actually getting out of bed, I came to the conclusion that it was inescapable. The bus came once every hour and i had to get out of bed if i wanted to make it to work on time to receive money (so I can, oh, you know: pay my bills, move out, have food to survive, go to Peru this summer, you know, the important things in life).
I was ready to go out the door when I realized I couldn't find my keys. AHHH! I needed those to come home! I searched and searched amongst the books on my floor, the clothes in the basket...that is when I wished i had organized my room a bit more the night before crashing. Standing there and looking it occurred to me. I spoke out loud, "Oh, Heavenly Father, please help me find my house keys". Not too long after, I found them! They were in a bag I thought I would be using to take to work... I changed my mind in the rush. I grabbed my now very precious-to-me keys, ran down the stairs, and locked the door behind me.

Walk to the bus? No---I had to run. I started to when I saw something fly in front of me, and it disappeared. I knew it, and dangit gina...it was one of my earrings. Where it went, i had NO IDEA and had no time to find it if I wanted to make it work on time. I considered just leaving it behind so I could make the bus, but I couldn't. I cared about them...one of my favorites. What use would be one earring? It's like kool-aid without water--pointless.
I began searching where I suspected it may have landed. Everything looked white, like my earing, or neutral, like the sidewalk and tan dying grass. Once again, I felt the impression to ask for help. So, in my mind, i said a prayer: "Heavenly Father, please help me find my earring".I decided to walk forward. Laying upside-down I saw it and picked it up with glee. There was no time to find the back of it, which i thought i hadn't latched on tight and is why it flew out of my ear. Apparently, I had put two backs on the same earring in my hurry to scamper out the door.I smiled and began to walk towards the bus stop as I fastened my earring in it's original place--realizing that I most likely wouldn't make it on time. And, i didn't. But, I wasn't alone in that matter. A fellow bus-rider missed it too and we got our ride from my very gracious friend Johanna.

This is why I am writing this blog--or what happened ten minutes ago. I decided @ work today that my room is too messy, and no matter how hard i try to clean it and put things in place, it always ends up messy...again. I couldn't risk another morning like the one I had today.So, I decided to buy some packing tape on my way home, of which I did. I've been here in my room trying to make a box of things to donate. I started moving onto my next box of things I can pack now for when I move in April...but I couldn't find the packing tape for the LIFE of me. I needed it to actually tape the box together so that when I pick it up everything doesn't fall out onto the floor. I looked everywhere within the four walls of my room. I even checked the bathroom. How it would make it there, i do not know, but, sometimes i do things without thinking. So, after doing all I could... I felt the impression once more, and I said it, out loud, since I am alone in my room, "Heavenly Father, please help me find my packing tape." In less than a matter of seconds...He helped me find it.

The Lord answers prayers. Today, faster than most days. I love Him. Just pray, no matter how ridiculous it may seem @ times, whether it be for a lost earring...packing tape...or your house keys...He knows where it is, and will send you in the right direction if you stop and ask. :)