Dear Boys #23

Dear Captain America,

I am seriously considering this...

Love, Jess

Hey, Hey Good Lookin'

I work up all that courage to say something and you don't even show up.

Love, Jess

Dear Middle Man, 

What would I do without our little chats?

Love, Hitch

Dear Children, 
I think we are going to be ok.
Love, Miss Jensen

Dear Elder, 

11 (maybe 10) more Fast Sundays.

Love, Big Sis

Dear Mrs. Batman,

You will be great!!! 

Just remember to breath. You are bigger than they are.

Love, Miss Jensen

Extra thought for today:

Dear Boys #22

Hey, Hey, Good Lookin'

Pick me!! Pick me!!! 

Love, Jess

Dear Middle Man, 

The fact that you know a secret I don't is KILLING me.

Love, Hitch

Dear Boys, 

When Shawn shows up, I promise she isn't trying to be creepy.

Love, Your Biggest Fan

Dear Shawn,

HOLD IT TOGETHER!!! ;)

Love, Gus

Dear Children, 

Ready or not, here you come.

Love, Miss Jensen

Have I Done Any Good?

Guys, I love service. 

Yesterday, my ward had a joint Elder's Quorum/Relief Society service "activity."  We helped out around the grounds of the local cemetery. When that was first suggested, I thought that was kind of strange. What could a bunch of young single adults do at a cemetery that could make a difference? 

Turns out, a lot.

All we did was rake up leaves, fallen branches, etc, but I LOVED it!! 

They had three funerals today at this particular cemetery. One was just getting over as we got there, one was just starting as we left, and one was going to be later in the afternoon.

Our area has had some heavy winds lately and there was quite the mass of sticks, leaves, and branches around the area for the last funeral. That is where we focused most of our efforts. As I was raking and picking up this stuff, I got thinking about the family of this loved one.  They probably wouldn't notice how nice it looked now that we cleaned it all up, but, they probably would have noticed what a mess it was had we not picked it up. On a day that is hard enough as is, we had the chance to make it a little nicer.

As we were leaving, one of the guys mentioned that what we did in 2 hours is the equivalent to one persons entire work week. 40 hours of labor. We just cut an entire weeks worth of work so they can do something else. 

Plus, who doesn't love that warm tingly feeling of doing something good for someone else?

Dear Boys #21

Dear Mr. Bingley, 

Your gentleman-ness is greatly appreciated.

Love, Jess

Hey, Hey, Good Lookin'

Do you have juice pouches...and Rocky?

Love, Jess
P.S. If you would stop being so darn cute and charming all the time, 
I wouldn't have this problem.

Dear Barbie and Ken, 

You are pushing the "stupid married people" line.

Love, Jess


Dear Johnny Cash, 
If only I could think of a way to make things happen without the go-between *sigh*
Love, June

Dear Boys, 

I could really use a game right about now.

You know a "lose my voice, bruises on my legs" kind of game.

Love, Your biggest fan

3 Year Anniversary

I realized this afternoon that 3 years ago this past Saturday I moved here. I never imagined it would be that long. I had a year, tops, in mind. It doesn't really sound like a long time, 3 years, but when you stop and think about how much I really didn't want to move here, it seems like a life time. 

I still can't say that I enjoy it. Some days it is almost more than I can take. Whenever I come back from being up north, I get the urge to cry. I still don't really feel like I fit in, like a fish out of water. 

I can easily say the only reason I am still here is because Heavenly Father keeps telling me to stay and trust me when I say, I ask Him often if I can move on. So many times it would have been extremely easy to pack up and walk away. I don't always understand why I need to be here but I do know that it is right. (And when I get depressed I just think, "It's better than Blanding.")

Hopefully, it will not be another 3 years :)

Whole Heart and Soul

People say Sunday's are a day of relaxation and reflection. False. Sundays are stressful. (Ok, not always, but with my current calling they are.)

Today did not start off so well. On top of the usual meetings before church, I woke up late, everything I touched broke, fell, stopped working, etc, I forgot I was supposed to give the spiritual thought in my meeting this morning. Not good. 

I wouldn't say I was in a bad mood necessarily, just a stressed one. I was grumbling a little in my head about having so much to do and not knowing how to help certain people in my ward and how the visiting teaching assignments I spent an hour on yesterday were already outdated and wrong, and its Fast Sunday so naturally I am starving...you get the picture.

However, one cannot sit through a meeting with my Bishopric without feeling uplifted and cheered. They are such great examples and leaders. They just put a smile on your face. I left the meeting feelings much better than when I went in.

Plus, I came home from church today to see a pin my sister had pinned on Pinterest that fit perfectly with what I learned today.

Love it.  

I always tell my students, "If you don't take the time to do it right, you will have to take the time to do it again."

This could pertain to a church calling or your current employment or your home life/situation. But whatever it is that you are doing, do it with everything you have. 

No matter what you are doing, do it with your whole heart and soul. 

Do it enthusiastically and do it happily.