Weekly Devotionals

Every Tuesday, almost everything on campus is shut down from 11am-12pm for a weekly devotional or forum in which a university faculty member or other professionals from many disciplines give talks on professional, educational, and spiritual topics. I find these devotionals and forums valuable and enlightening. There is also a website that keeps an archive of the campus speeches that have been given over the past several decades. I like to listen to some of these speeches as I work on projects at the library. I am grateful for the messages I listened to today because they inspired me to work harder, give more service, and to be better.

Stickers

In my apartment complex, we have a tradition of meeting every Sunday evening for a prayer, and then we write nice notes to each other. The people in charge of the prayer meeting always bring paper and pencils, but this time they also brought colorful stickers to put on the notes. That was a nice touch, and I appreciated that.

"I Love You"

Today, I am grateful that it has become a habit in my family to say "I love you" before we end any conversation over the phone or when we say goodnight to each other. I am grateful we are used to using that phrase so frequently because I always know it's true. I called my sister and my brother today, and we said that to each other. It also happened when I called my parents yesterday. To me, it is a small yet significant blessing.

Random Group Games

I have enjoyed group games since my junior high school and senior high school days when I was more heavily involved in theater. These games encourage laughter, noises, collaboration, and spontaneity. It was fun to be invited to a spontaneous group game night with friends in the apartment complex. We played "Signs" and "Animal Noises." I am grateful for these games that are passed from one peer to another.

Vibrant Green on the Mountains

I was walking outside on campus this afternoon when I looked at the mountains and noticed how vibrant the color green was. Everything that was green on the mountainsides was especially green, and it was beautiful. I am glad I took a few moments to appreciate that before I went on to my next commitment.

Internship

I am grateful for the internship I have this summer. It is at a local library, and it involves the behind-the-scenes cataloging work that I had never done before this summer. It provides a great opportunity to learn more about how libraries work.

Prophets and Apostles

I believe there is a prophet today, and that there are twelve apostles today. They form the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and they direct the Church under the guidance of Jesus Christ. I know they are blessed with divine inspiration daily as they work and pray and serve for the benefit of all of God's children. I am grateful for their service. I am grateful for the testimonies they bear to the world of the reality of God and of Jesus Christ. I know they teach and live the truth, just as the biblical prophets did many years ago.

I am grateful for the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, for his two counselors, Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and for the twelve apostles. I know they are aware of the members of the Church, and they are aware of what God wants them to do and say for Church members and for the world.

"Be Still, and Know that I Am God"

The talks given in church today were all centered on this theme: "Be Still, and Know that I Am God." The talks were inspiring and given with the guidance and blessing of the Holy Ghost, for which I am grateful. 

Not only that, I learned a practical lesson on that comforting and encouraging theme when the musical number (a singer with piano accompaniment) went as planned, even though I thought it would fall through. It turned out I didn't need to worry about anything because it had all been taken care of. God often does that. He allows things to work out, and sometimes I am my own stumbling block. I am grateful for the lessons I heard and learned today about keeping calm and trusting in God.

Water Balloons

I have never regretted being part of a water balloon fight with friends. I have also never played water balloon volleyball until today. I'm glad water balloons exist. Whoever was the first person to come up with the idea to fill balloons with water instead of air, I am grateful to them. :)

Amusment Park

It has been a really long time since I've been to an amusement park. Today, I spent a day at such a park with a couple of friends. I am exhausted from all the walking and standing and thrills. But, I had a great time with friends. I am grateful to have an amusement park nearby that allowed us to do something like this. I also noticed how tedious and repetitive some of those park jobs can be. I am also grateful for those workers at the park who do what they can to keep the place running well and looking nice.

Finale

Finale is a music notation program on my computer. With Finale, I write my music compositions and arrangements on my computer and have them all saved as computer files. Today, I had several music ideas, and I wrote down one song in its entirety tonight. For this song, I entered in the music notes with my keyboard and mouse and typed in the lyrics. With Finale's playback feature, I was able to make a rough demo recording of the song. I got the song from concept in my mind to a computer file to a demo recording in about an hour. I am grateful for this useful music tool.

Fun Finals

Another spring term has come and gone, and so have spring finals! I will say, however, that the two final exams I had today were actually quite enjoyable, especially the one for my graphic design class. The final in that class wasn't an exam, but a brief presentation of a design portfolio. That was fun! There are other classes that have great final exams. My favorite ones were the exams for social and ballroom dance classes. You get to dress up and dance a really cool routine with a dance partner. I think that's the best kind of final ever! So, I'm grateful for final exams that are fun, challenging, and that accomplish the purpose of a final exam: to demonstrate mastery of the class materials and principles.

Gratitude in the Bible

I have a paper due tomorrow for my History of English Language class. For my paper, I looked at verses in the Bible that had gratitude expressions (thanks, I thank thee, etc.). I learned a few things about how those expressions developed and were used between different Bible translations. What I noticed more, however, was the fact that every verse with a gratitude expression (at least the ones I found) are directed towards God. The righteous people we read about in the scriptures, including Jesus Himself, thanked God for all things and in all circumstances. I am grateful for the examples of gratitude in the scriptures.

Museum Cafes

I enjoyed having lunch with my family this afternoon. We ate at a small cafe in a local museum. I enjoy going to this particular place for lunch. I've noticed that I like places like this, small restaurants in or near museums and theaters. They seem to me to have special character and class. Though those places are spendy, they sure are classy!

Thank You, Dad

It is unfortunate that a man today who makes a sincere effort to live according to principles of truth,  goodness, and love is often seen as rare. But, when such men are noticed, they are all the more appreciated. Father's Day gives us a chance to recognize those father figures, both in heaven and on earth, for which we are grateful.

To the man who works hard to always put family first. To the man who lives as a great example of a lifelong learner. To the man who has supported me in my challenges and in my accomplishments. To the man who quietly serves God, his family, and those around him each day.

Thank you.

And everyday I express my gratitude to my Father in Heaven for His love, His grace, and His daily mercies.

The Whole Family Together

Now that my brother is home from his mission, and my sister will be ending her time at school before she leaves on her mission in a couple months, my parents and my brother came into town today. For the first time in two years, my entire family spent time together. It was great. I am so happy to see my brother again, and to be with my entire immediate family today and for the next few days.

Tutoring

I often pray to be led to opportunities to be of service to others. Today two such opportunities came, and they involved some sort of tutoring. First, I met with a friend who was taking a class I had taken a few years ago. I helped them prepare for their final exam by reviewing material I was fairly familiar with. The second opportunity came later this evening. when I visited a friend who was preparing for a test that they will take tomorrow. This person has been working hard all week to prepare for this test, but is still struggling. So, I did what I could to answer questions and help my friend understand the material.

More than anything, these experiences were humbling for me because I could see how limited I was in my ability to help my friends succeed. Ultimately, it all comes down to what they know and the time they took to master the tested material. I can't take their tests for them, but I can show my support and give encouragement, as I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do every day.

Bassoons

I am grateful for bassoons because of their fantastic sound. I generally consider them to be the cello of the woodwind section, and I really like the sound of the lower register instruments in an orchestra. I've written a cello and bassoon duet once because they would sound so great together. It's hard for me to explain why the bassoon is awesome. Just listen to a few bassoon pieces, and you'll see (or rather, hear) what I mean. :)

A Nice Couch in the Apartment

I am fortunate enough to live in an apartment that has a large, comfortable couch. It's almost more comfortable than my own mattress. I don't often take the time to enjoy this luxury, and tonight I did, as I was chatting with some of my roommates. This is one of those simple things that I appreciate about my immediate surroundings.

Fluffy Seeds

Near my apartment are a number of cottonwood trees. For the past few weeks, their fluffy seeds have been flying all over town, driven by the wind. Often, the fluffy seeds look like snow, which makes me really happy. This morning, as I watched the seeds drift about on a busy road, I thought they looked especially lovely. I had fun watching them interact with the elements. I am grateful for small, simple, natural marvels like this that just make my day. :)

Returning with Honor

Today, my brother returned home after serving a full-time proselyting mission for two years. He has served faithfully, cheerfully, and enthusiastically the entire time of his service. I am grateful for the service he has given. I am also grateful that he took the time to call me tonight. It was great to hear from him, and I look forward to spending time with him now that he's back.

Taco in a Bag

If you haven't had one of these, you should try it. Seriously. A Doritos with taco meat, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and any other taco fixings mixed together in the Doritos bag. I had a couple of those for lunch today, and it had been a while since I had them. They are delicious, and they are fun to make, and fun to eat! So, yeah, I'm grateful for taco in a bag.

Children's Literature

Last night, I watched a staged version of Oscar Wilde's story, The Selfish Giant. It was very well done, and I loved the story. Today, I checked out a copy of The Fairy Stories of Oscar Wilde. I really enjoy reading them, especially out loud with distinct voices for each character. I think back to many other children's stories I've come to love in the past couple years. The Little Prince and The Phantom Tollbooth come to mind. I love children's literature for their great wit, for the truths they teach, and for their undeniable charm.

RA's

Today I am grateful for the resident assistants in my apartment complex. I like to think of myself as a low-maintenance tenant, especially since I usually haven't had much reason to figure something out with the RAs. But tonight, I had two issues to figure out with them and in both cases they were very helpful, and I appreciated that. One even called me back and apologized for missing my call. I was quite satisfied, and I am grateful for their work.

Enough to Tip

I may not make very much money as an undergraduate student, but I'm grateful that I make enough money to tip waiters, hair stylists, and others who need money as much if not more than I do.

Elder Peter Totten

At this point, I can't recall whether or not I have expressed gratitude for my brother here. If I haven't, shame on me. If I have, I'll do it again now. He just had a birthday, and he completes his two-year mission in less than a week. I am grateful for my brother because of all the times we have played, laughed, learned, performed, served, and lived together. I am excited to see him again and to attend the same school with him again soon. He is hilarious, very friendly, very cheerful, and he has been very passionate about sharing the truths of God with people around him while he has been serving as a missionary. Peter, thank you. You are awesome. I'll see you soon. :)

Handwritten Letters

I am very grateful for handwritten letters. I got a lot of them during my two-year service as a missionary, but since then they have been relatively scarce. To me, written notes and letters are expressions of appreciation and real friendship. I do enjoy nice text messages or e-mails as well, but there's something about a letter that sets it apart from other written or typed communication. I love how they can be kept instead of stored in an inbox or deleted. When I see a letter in the mail my day is better because of it, even though it's usually such a small thing. It's interesting, isn't it?

EFY

EFY means "Especially For Youth." It is a week-long youth camp put on by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints every summer for youth ages 12-18 throughout the country. There are multiple sessions of EFY going on every week on campus, so my school is overrun by EFY kids right now. Last week was the first week, and this week begins another session. This goes on all summer.

I don't mind, really. I was a high-school kid once, and I attended EFY once (when I was 18). It involves games, spiritually enlightening presentations, social activities (including a couple of dances), and a talent show. It is all for the purpose of encouraging each young person to improve their personal relationship with God, and to have meaningful social interactions with their peers. I enjoyed it when I went, even though some might not care for it. What I am grateful for is the enthusiasm and the unbridled positivity expressed by this plethora of EFY people on campus.

Sure, I'm among the few students that walk to class next to the crowds of teenagers going to EFY activities, but I'm grateful for the good that the EFY program accomplishes.

Violists

My sister plays viola, one of my awesome co-workers plays viola, and I discovered a viola player this afternoon. While I was visiting people in my apartment complex, playing my cello for them, I met someone who plays viola! I recruited her for a musical number I was organizing for next week's church meeting.

I am biased towards the cello, but aside from that, the viola is my favorite string instrument. It is so versatile, and in recent decades a lot of music has been written and discovered for this special instrument. Today, I am grateful for people who play the viola.