Sound Recording Devices

This past year, I have been able to complete a few music projects and original arrangements thanks to recording equipment. Granted, I usually use the built-in recorder in my laptop, but I am grateful for that tool. It has been very helpful for personal and school projects.

Crepes

Crepes are delicious, and so versatile! Tonight I had homemade dessert crepes with friends, which were delicious. I also really appreciate meat and cheese crepes. In short, I feel that crepes and all creperies everywhere should receive a moment of appreciation, which I am providing now. I am grateful for crepes!

Giving a Blessing in a Hospital

Today my parents, my sister, and I went to a small town in central Utah to visit my grandparents there. My grandfather was in the hospital recovering from a respiratory illness, and he was glad to see us. My dad and I were able to give him a priesthood blessing in which we laid our hands gently on my grandfather's head and said a special prayer for his recovery. We gave a similar blessing to my grandmother in her efforts to take care of my grandfather.

It is such a sweet experience to have the opportunity to give spiritual service like that. It reminded me of a number of occasions during my service as a full-time missionary in the southwest states. Dozens of times, people in the local hospitals down there would ask the missionaries to come visit them and give them a blessing by the laying on of hands. Those were special times. People were encouraged and uplifted, and I've seen miracles large and small happen. I still do.

French 101

It's the weekend, and it's a weekend with family, but I still had school work to do. I have several challenging courses this semester, but one of the more challenging ones is my French class because I am trying to learn how to speak and read and use a different language with differences in spelling and grammar and usage. It can be a frustrating process. However, I recognized progress when I read an excerpt from a French autobiography. I read the passage a few times and looked up a few words to truly understand it. Then there was that moment when the words and the meaning clicked in my mind and I felt an appreciation for what the author had written. It was a small breakthrough moment between reading French for homework and understanding the text. I still have much to learn, but some good progress was made. I am grateful for my French 101 class because it is facilitating my understanding and appreciation for francophone cultures, including my Canadian heritage.

A Moving Bass Line

Tonight I had the privilege to see a production of "Mary Poppins" on stage. The entire show was spectacular and marvelous entertainment. I also love the message of the show. My favorite musical moment occurred during the song called "Step In Time". The song began at a slow waltz pace with a single repeating line from the basses and cellos. Everything else in the song built their musical ideas on top of that and that low bass line kept the pace moving along with increasing energy, repeating that rhythm. It's a real challenge to explain a musical moment in words like this, so I will just say that low rhythm and simple repetitive melody moved me and brought a feeling of potential energy that would soon be released in a grand finale. I am grateful for a simple musical moment like a simple but moving bass line.

A Reminder to Remember

Today I felt rather overwhelmed by the the coursework immediately before me and the significant decisions and academic work in the not-too-distant future. There is so much I need to do, so much I want to do, and so much I feel I need to do. I began to pray for help, until it came to my mind to pray for other people. Immediately my own burdens felt lighter because I felt less selfish. I felt more love for those around me.

Then later tonight, I had the opportunity to visit a friend who had similar concerns. As we prayed and talked together, my friend felt that what she needed to do was to remember that God is there and that He will help her in her situation as she does the things He asks her to do. This answer was an answer to her prayers and to mine. In essence, we were reminded to remember God, and to remember all those we are blessed to be of service to, and to remember that the highest priority should be to love and to serve God and His children.

Free Opera Tickets

Sorry I wasn't able to post yesterday. There were issues with the internet. In any case, today I am grateful for some free tickets to an opera on campus. I got them from a friend who was involved with the show. The opera was Strauss' "Die Fledermaus" (The Bat). It's a comedic opera, and I really enjoyed it. The performance was great, and I had a few good laughs, which I appreciated. Opera is certainly a different genre for me, but I appreciate the grandeur and storytelling aspects of the genre.