A Pleasant Surprise on an Off-Day

Today was quite an off day for me because I was feeling sick throughout the morning and afternoon. Through all of that, however, I got a really pleasant surprise from home: a copy of the board game, "Ticket to Ride"! I had mentioned to my parents that I was interested in the game, and they sent it to  me as a very late Christmas present. It made my day! I am grateful for a much appreciated surprise package from home, on an otherwise off-day.

Sixteen Pieces of Light

There is a story in the Book of Mormon about a man who comes to the Lord about a problem: his people needed a light source in their boats before they sail off to the promised land. The man brought sixteen clear stones and asked the Lord to touch them so that they can give light. Because of the man's faith, it happened (see the second and third chapters of Ether in the Book of Mormon).

Now another story: for my friends and neighbors in the same apartment complex, we have been adding small pebbles to a water jug to mark little acts of kindness and service that we've done for each other. Normally, I put in a couple pebbles each week, but this week I decided to actually count opportunities I take to serve others. Over the past week, I've counted about fifteen.

I mentioned this to a good friend yesterday, and today I found a note at my door. The note came with fifteen pebbles to put in the water jug. The small gift was a pleasant surprise! The words in the note were very thoughtful, truly sincere, and much appreciated.

The note, plus fifteen small stones, made my day brighter and happier. This experience reminded me  of a story of a man who asked the Lord to help his people put light in their boats...

I am grateful for a very kind and considerate gesture from a good friend who is also a very good person.

A Successful Fireside

These past few weeks, I have been contacting people to help organize a large musical fireside (a devotional which focuses on musical numbers) focused on the true meaning of Easter. There were seven songs performed, and they were all very lovely and inspiring. I was able to perform in one of the songs with a couple of friends, and it too was successful. We performed better and more sincerely than we did in our practices! The Holy Spirit was truly with us. I am grateful for a wonderful, successful musical event tonight.

Study Break: An Invitation

What did I do all afternoon and all night? I worked on a fun language creation assignment! It did take a lot longer than I thought though, and I am mentally exhausted from it! Imagine how refreshing it was, then, when something came for me in the mail: an invitation to my roommate's wedding. I am excited to make the trip, and the invitation itself looked very well done.

With all the work I put in today, I appreciated a little reminder of exciting things to come. There is more in my life than just schoolwork! I am grateful for the very nice wedding invitation from my roommate.

My Powers of Analysis

Recent discussions with my parents over the phone got me thinking about the specifics of my college graduation, which is coming all too soon (though it's not until next year). To work through a problem, I like to think very analytically. I like to think it through and make a well-thought-out plan. I looked at the remaining classes I needed to take, when they were offered, and other plans and priorities I had in the coming months. I wrote up my analysis and sent it to my parents. Though I value their advice and input, I wrote everything up more for myself than anything. Because of that work and thought process, I now have a much clearer vision of my last year in my undergraduate studies, and I am grateful for that. I am grateful for the powers of analysis and reasoning that heaven has blessed me with.

...Now to figure out graduate school...

My Adventures with Scrabble

I attended a small Speed Scrabble tournament. It was a contest between the English department and the English Language/Linguistics department (I am part of the latter). In an unusual turn of events, it turned out that there was only one English student and 9-10 ELang/Ling students. We all played against each other and kept individual scores. after a couple of rounds, we discovered that the one English student had earned a lot more points than anyone else in the room! Everyone was really impressed! We all congratulated the student at besting all of us at Scrabble. It looks like the English department has won the trophy this year.

No matter, because we all got to enjoy ice cream and good company anyway. :) I am grateful for my evening adventures with Scrabble today.

Giving and Receiving

I had a great time performing in an a cappella concert tonight! It was perhaps the best show I've been in so far, not only because of the splendid performances, but also because of the support I received from several people I admire and appreciate.

Over the past couple of years, I have become less and less embarrassed by opportunities to display talents that I have. It can be hard to share something and then accept all the compliments that may come afterwards. I have been learning to be a gracious giver and receiver of kindness. I am grateful for the opportunity to share talents with others (in this case, singing and beat boxing), and for the support I received in sharing them.

No Worries

In a moment tonight when I was worried about my homework load for the week (I was planning out the rest of my week), I heard a certain song play from the food court nearby. The song was "Hakuna Matata," from The Lion King! The song came at a moment of need for me. In such moments, I am less inclined to believe it was mere coincidence. Even if it was entirely by chance, I have no doubt that God used the immediate environment to teach me something I needed to remember in a moment of stress. I am grateful that I was prompted to notice some reassuring truth through a Disney song: calm down, hakuna matata truly has value in many situations.

Interview on Short Notice

I had an assignment I needed to do for a class. The assignment involved interviewing a student who worked as an intern in Washington D.C. recently. A friend came to mind, but I wasn't sure if they would be able to be interviewed sometime today or tomorrow. It turned out they were available this afternoon! The interview lasted less than half an hour, and I learned a few important things from it. I am grateful for my friend's willingness to help me on short notice (a few hours in advance). It is a reminder to me to continue to make the effort to make myself available to help someone else when they need the help.

Some Home Teaching Visits

What would Jesus Christ do if He were on the earth again, serving fellow children of God? What would He do if He visited you? I suspect that He might talk casually with you for a bit, teach some principle of the gospel that you might need to hear at that time, then leave after saying a prayer with you and your family. Christ did these things while He was on the earth.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, each member is asked to visit other members at least monthly to chat, share a gospel message, serve, and be a friend. This is home teaching. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve. My roommate and I visited a couple of people today, and those visits were the highlight of my Sunday. I am grateful for a couple of edifying home teaching visits, in which we talked about the sacrifice of the Savior.

End-of-Semester Papers

I think I've mentioned before that my favorite part of my job is helping fellow students navigate library resources as they work on class assignments. Today, several students approached me for help in finding resources for a paper (most of them were going to write about some aspect of art history). Knowing I helped them was fulfilling enough, but I especially appreciated their gratitude. Each one of the students told me briefly that they appreciated my help. They also seemed happier now that they had a direction to go in their research.

I am grateful for end-of-semester papers because I'm willing and able to help people in their research and writing.

Delivered

I attended a wonderful choir concert with a friend today. The concert was titled "Delivered."  I loved every piece. Some of them touched me and inspired me deeply. I am grateful for my friend's invitation to this concert,  and I am grateful for the truth I heard and felt there.

Set a Goal, Made It Happen

This week, as I try to do every week, I set some goals for improvement. One of the goals had to do with a cataloging project at work: to finish a certain amount of books this week. While at work this morning, I decided to dedicate more of my attention to this project and I finished nearly twice the number of books I had hoped to finish! This was very satisfying. I am grateful for the satisfying feeling that comes from setting a reasonable goal and accomplishing (or even exceeding) it!

An Audition/Performance

My a cappella group had an audition tonight in the hopes that we would be among those selected to perform in a show next week. The audition was really fun because I enjoyed performing for the two judges! I really enjoyed singing and beatboxing, and I ended up tired and a little sweaty afterwards! I realized that I had performed as if I were "really" performing.

I guess I just appreciate the fact that even if something is not strictly a "show" or a "performance," it is still a performance. It is still an opportunity to entertain, express, uplift, and share. That's what I did with my group tonight, and it was well worth the effort!

Family Home Evening

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a tradition to reserve Monday nights (in general) for Family Home Evening (FHE). This encourages families to slow down and spend time together through activities, discussions about what matters most to the family, and, usually, some treats. In a college setting, it's different because we are organized into FHE groups. FHE always starts with a hymn, an prayer, and a short spiritual lesson ("spiritual thought"), but people usually come for the fun activity and the yummy goodies afterwards.

I've made it a habit of attending FHE each week, and I enjoy it each time. If nothing else, the spiritual thought uplifts me and is worth my time. This week, I was asked to give the spiritual thought, and it uplifted me as I reflected on thoughts and issues I have been pondering over these past couple of days. I am grateful for Family Home Evening, even in a group of young single adults. :)

My Conducting Class

I took a music conducting class my freshman year, and I really enjoyed it. I learned everything I needed to know to direct a choir. This would turn out to be a very useful skill in my music callings at church. This weekend, I directed large congregations in singing hymns during local church meetings. I was impressed by the compliments I received afterwards. Several people told me I did a good job conducting. I was a bit surprised because people usually keep their eyes on the hymnbooks and just listen to everyone else for the tempo. It turned out more people were watching this time than I thought. I appreciated the nice comments.

So, I am grateful for my conducting class because it taught me two main things: 1. The technicalities of conducting, how to mark time and dynamics and breaths and fermatas, 2. The principle that a conductor should not only keep everyone in time, but also embody the music itself, they should communicate to the ensemble the vision they have for the music so the ensemble can communicate that vision or idea to the audience. I kept all these things in mind, and it turned out I was very successful.

Pi Day of the Century

Today, 3/14/15 at 9:26, was Pi Moment. What did I do this morning at that moment? I took the mini Pi Frisbee and the bouncy Pi ball that I got as prizes from the campus math department yesterday. At the moment, I yelled the word "Pi!" as I tossed the Frisbee and threw the ball against the wall, knocking over something on my desk. Was it rational? No. But then, neither is pi...or Pi Day for that matter!

I am grateful for Pi Day because it is a fun, nerdy, almost pointless, and yet so necessarily irrational holiday. :)

A Club, Made for You and Me

My campus just had a huge event that featured many student clubs, including the A Cappella Club. After my club had finished their performance, I stuck around and enjoyed the other events. I eventually settled on the Disney History Club. They were playing Disney Scene It, and I decided to join for a few rounds. I like to think I know a lot about Disney movies. I had a lot of fun geeking out about Disney with several like-minded people. I am grateful for a fun activity put on by the Disney History Club tonight, and for all those involved in tonight's club showcase.

What's In Your Future?

I had some pleasant conversations with a professor today, and later with my parents. The conversations didn't have anything to do with each other, but in both conversations I was asked how I felt about my future. Though there is a great deal of uncertainty, I am not really worried about my near future. I have a large workload right now, and I have a lot of work ahead of me as I try to determine the next steps in my education and in my career. But, overall, I am not fearful or stressed out about these things. I made progress today, and will make some more progress tomorrow.

I am grateful for some encouraging conversations I had with some of my personal heroes today (a professor, and my parents).

Support in Efforts to Improve

I decided to exercise a bit more, even though I do a lot of walking every day. A few days a week I will get up a little earlier to jog outside around the block. My roommate decided to join me. I really appreciated the support, and I am glad we were able to support each other in the early hours of the morning. We weren't very ambitious in our exercise, but it was progress for both of us. I am grateful that my roommate and I were able to support and encourage each other in the process of making a change for the better.

Mikado and Mario

I am grateful for a couple of M names: Mikado and Mario.

First, my roommate and I enjoyed watching a 1939 version of "The Great Mikado" on Netflix. I have fond memories of playing the part of the Mikado in a summer theater program back in my high school years.

Also, today is National Mario Day! It is this day because an abbreviated form of this day: Mar. 10, looks like the name "Mario." Mar. 10; Mario. This refers specifically to the video game character who throws fireballs and can fly like a racoon, though I guess you could always do something nice for anyone you know named Mario!

Both of these larger-than-life characters are imbedded in the memories of my teen years, and I have an appreciation for them now. 

Balloon Animals

I have a friend who has been making balloon animals (and many other shapes, of course) for many years. Today, he showed me and several other friends how to make a few simple shapes (dog, sword, parrot, and laser gun). I am not really afraid of balloons, but I have never felt confident with them. I really struggle with blowing and tying up a balloon.

As I twisted the balloons into shape, I was quite nervous at first. I was worried that it would pop in my hands. With some encouragement and resolve, I did it. I was able to keep up with everyone else to make the shapes! I now have a much greater appreciation for balloon artists, and I have now had yet another experience conquering a source of anxiety. That activity was a moment of personal victory for me.

"How are You?"

During the chatter that often precedes the start of a church meeting, a friend saw me sitting alone in my thoughts and asked if I was alright. I said I was, but my friend observed that I looked sad. I didn't actually feel sad or depressed, but I did feel stressed about an assignment I need to get done very soon, and it required a lot of work. I briefly explained this to my friend, who sympathized and after a moment I decided the assignment wouldn't be too hard anyway, based on what I had already done. I am grateful for my friend's expression of friendship and kindness in simple words.

Everyday, I greet someone on campus or in a hallway as I walk from place to place. Each time, we exchange greetings, which are always pleasant. But sometimes, it's hard for me to sincerely say "I'm good, how are you?" when I feel upset or stressed about something. However, this is all part of the social norm, this is how we express politeness here in the United States. And you know what? I am fine with this because whenever I tell someone I am "going well," I automatically remind myself why I'm doing well. These small moments of conversation can either be brief reminders of the good in your life, or a chance to talk with a friend. Both are positive experiences, I believe.

The Payback of Extra Hours

I recently had a payday, and it reflected the extra hours I took this past month. It wasn't a tremendous amount more than normal, but I was happy to see the result of my extra work. A little more of my resources in savings, and a little more for my daily needs. I am grateful for the extra payback that comes from extra hours of work.

Oreos

So...today was National Oreo Cookie Day. I found out by looking up national holidays for March 6th. I helped set up a party and brought lots of different kinds of Oreos. The party went well, and I got to share Oreos with lots of people, wishing them a happy Oreo Day! I am grateful for Oreos, in all their flavors and varieties. :)

A Full Temple

When I went to the temple tonight, I didn't expect to see a lot of people there. It's a Thursday night, and I thought weekdays were not as busy at the temple. It turned out that there were a lot of people serving in the temple tonight! Because of this, my visit went a bit longer than I expected. I didn't mind the inconvenience. In fact, I was happy with it. It was so nice to see so many people worshiping and God together. I am grateful there were so many people who came to the temple tonight.

Super Smash Roommates

First, I apologize for the gap in my entries. Either the wireless internet has an issue or I stay up late with roommates.

On a related note, I want to express gratitude for Super Smash Bros. video games because it has become a form of common ground between all six of us who live in the same apartment. I am very fortunate to have five roommates with whom I get along very well. We each have different interests, educational emphases, and career goals, but we have often found common ground. One of these points of common ground is Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the classic video game for the Wii system. We are all generally at the same playing level, though a couple of us are a little better than others. I am grateful to be able to make good memories with each one of my roommates with something like Super Smash Bros. We become a little more like brothers as we play, complete with light teasing and compliments on a well-executed move. Each time we play, we are all winners. :)

Discernment While Indexing

It is amazing what happens when you approach service in the right way.

I didn't feel like doing anything after church this afternoon. I felt tired and stressed. I had the thought come to me that I had time to do some indexing work for FamilySearch.org. I had recently heard a local church leader challenge the congregation to spend two hours over the next two weeks in this indexing work, so I sat down at my laptop to work.

Since I am working on being more prayerful and reliant on the Lord's help in my daily life, I began my indexing work with a prayer. I then worked through two batches of marriage records. The handwriting was often difficult to decipher. As I looked at the scanned images and thought about what the recorded names could be, I found it was easier to determine the names. My mind was more clear. I felt that ideas were coming to my mind, giving me clues about a particular letter or name.

Some names took a little longer than others, and there were still some I was unsure on, but I felt that God was helping me in my indexing work by providing inspiration and discernment through the Holy Spirit. I am grateful for the heavenly help I received as I did some indexing work. The assistance was subtle, yet quite real.