Meeting Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

On Sunday Nathan and I had the special privilege of meeting Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the living 12 apostles on the earth today. He and Elder Perry were visiting the New York area to do some leadership training and took the time to hold a Stake Conference just to be with the members of the Manhattan area. The meeting was held in a ballroom so that the whole stake could fit. This was the first time that I'd ever been in the presence of an Apostle. Elder Holland shared a wonderful message that I will tell about later, but the best part was after the meeting Nate and I waited our turn to meet him. We were both so nervous!! I told Nate that I hadn't seen him that nervous since he had proposed to me. I was nearly in tears because to me that is what it must have been like when everyone wanted to be by the Savior, hear him, and touch him. Elder Holland was so wonderful to everyone. He was patting peoples cheeks, rubbing there heads, holding them, and telling everyone he loved them! When it was our turn I told him, "Elder Holland, I'm Dexter and Deniece's Granddaughter," and he said..."You are!! We are relatives on two sides." He pulled me in and gave me a huge hug!! Then I introduced Nate who was too nervous to speak. He gave Nate a huge hug as Nate layed his head on his shoulder. Then he asked if Nate had been to Pine Valley yet. He told him that he had, and Elder Holland said,"Good cause you aren't family until you've been to Pine Valley!" He then touched my face and told us he loved us. It was truly a precious moment that Nate and I will always remember. We've always wanted to meet him and now we finally have.

Follow Up Post

I have to admit that I was much more excited about the finale of Americas Next Top Model for cycle 11 than I am for the Twilight movie that everyone is hyping about. I read the first book, and it was good, but I'm pretty much an ANTM fan. I'm a geek what can I say! Even with Tyras over the topness I enjoyed this season. McKey won! She looks like a model for sure, but I wanted Sam to win because she wanted it so bad! Sam was runner up. Analeigh was gorgeous, but they told her to pursue an acting career, even though she messed up her commercial terribly. Anyway, that's a wrap with the models.

I saw the Rockettes! It was so much fun and it made me miss tap and jazz and ballet so much! Nate bought the tickets for us, but then ended up having to stay late at the office, so I took a friend from the ward. So Mindy and I, and Michael and Shannon Thornton went on a double date! (Thanks Shannon for the idea!) It definitely got me into the Christmas spirit! They even had live animals for the Nativity scene...a camel, donkey, and sheep. Pretty nifty! I couldn't find a video of my favorite number, but it was scene 9: The Holiday Greeting Card. Lots of pretty lifts by the "background dancers and singers" in the show...kinda funny that my favorite number didn't include the Rockettes themselves. All of their numbers were fun! And there were tons of cool special effects in the show including 3D glasses, snow, and a real ice skating rink on the stage. It was a great show and I wish I could have shared it with Nathan, but I'm glad I got to take Mindy. I actually visit teach her, and Nate home teaches her. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to share a christmas message with her than through music and dance because that is what I love so much. The only not so fun part of the night was standing waiting for the bus in the cold, and then getting hit by the back door of the bus when I was trying to get off. We all had a good laugh at that, even some random kid on the street laughed at me, but I was frozen.

On another note. As it is Grattitude month, I wanted to share a bit of grattitude for all of our wonderful friends. I know that Nathan and I have been truly blessed to have great friends no matter where we go. I recieved a few phone calls and e-mails this week that let me know that the Lord has blessed us with people in our lives that will help us to grow. My friend Lauren Davies has been in Jerusalem for the past couple of months and she has sent out an e-mail each week telling all about her adventures and experiences there. (She just recently got her mission call to the Toronto Canada East mission--the same mission that my mom served. kinda cool side note.)In her last e-mail she shared a few songs from a 1970s hymn book and this one was very touching to me:

Hymn 293-Each Life That Touches Ours for Good
"Each life that touches ours for good Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord; Thou sendest blessings from above Thru words and deeds of those who love. What greateer gift dost thou bestow, What greater goodness can we know Than Christ-like friends, whose gentle ways Strengthen our faith, enrich our days. When such a friend from us departs, We hold forever in our hearts A sweet and hallowed memory, Bringing us nearer, Lord, to thee. For worthy friends whose lives proclaim Devotion to the Savior's name, Who bless our days with peace and love, We praise thy goodness, Lord above."

There is another song that shares a similar message that I've been wanting to post for some time so here is just a snip-it from the song "For Good" from the broadway musical Wicked. I have always loved this song and I have many special memories attached to it.

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn.And we are led to those who help us most to grow, If we let them and we help them in return.Well, I don't know if I believe that's true, but I know I'm who I am today because I knew you...It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime, so let me say before we part,so much of me is made of what I learned from you.You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have re-written mine by being my friend...Because I knew you...I have been changed for good."

Next week our friends Luck and Charlene will be returning back to Idaho. Luke's internship has come to an end and we are so sad to see them go, but we are just grateful that we've been able to get to know them well. We will be sharing Thanksgiving with them and some others, so stay tuned for those pictures. We're hoping to make it to the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade. It should be fun, and freezing! It's definitely winter weather here already!

And the Winner is...McKey

I Want to be a Rockette!!! The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

So You Think You Can Dance...

I know that the season has been over for a long time, but I just figured out how to put on the you tube videos...and since I haven't had much to do this week because all of my hours were cut at work I am posting lots. Enjoy! Katee was my favorite girl dancer. Will is who she is performing with here, and he is good, but Joshua was definitely my favorite guy by far...and he won!

A View Outside our Bedroom Window... and the NYC Marathon Nov 2nd

Be Still My Soul

A Wicked Halloween

Happiness!

Something that I always loved about taking dance classes growing up was how our dance teacher introduced Gratitude month each November. We all made our own gratitude journals and at the beginning of each class there were always inspiring quotes for us to write down and exercises for us to do to relating to Gratitude. That was something I loved very much! I realized how much happier I was when I was grateful for all of the good around me, and it helped me to look for the good as well. I became more aware of all of the blessings that I was receiving, and I think that it is important to recognize our blessings and thank our Heavenly Father for them, even the little ones. I know that having a grateful heart brings happiness into our lives!

So I'm going to try a little harder this month to recognize all that I'm blessed with and to show my gratitude more often. For starters...Here are some pictures of a little blessing that occurred just a few weeks ago. Nate and I both had Saturday off and we got to sleep in (Divine!). When we woke up we both noticed that there was a sliver of sunshine sneaking into our room and it just so happened to spotlight one of my willow tree figurines. It was beautiful really! Especially because I wasn't having the best week that week, and I'm pretty sure I was homesick and everything else. But things started to look up when Nate and I both noticed how cool it was that the figurine that was being spotlighted was called "Happiness...Free to sing, laugh, dance, create!" As simple as this was it was a blessing to me and it made me happy!

I was immediately reminded of a talk given by President Uchtdorf in the General Relief Society meeting called "Happiness, Your Heritage." Here are some highlights from the talk that were encouraging and comforting to me:

• I would like to speak about two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy—even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God’s happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us.

• Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

• But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fullness of joy.Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.

• Try to see how many smiles you can create

• The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

• As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.

• the words of James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan: “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”

• In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.

• Conclusion
  My dear sisters, I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to Him in faith, hope, and charity, things will work together for your good.I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father—as you create beauty and as you are compassionate to others—God will encircle you in the arms of His love. Discouragement, inadequacy, and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace, and fulfillment.
  As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage.
  You are choice daughters of our Heavenly Father, and through the things you create and by your compassionate service, you are a great power for good. You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin; walk tall. God loves you. We love and admire you.
  Of this I testify, and leave you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.