Yeah yeah yeah so I had myself a little pity party on my last post, BUT good news is...I feel one hundred percent back to normal, yay! The reason why? I went to the temple. I realized I hadnt gone the previous week and that must have been what made me feel like crap all week! So I went twice this week and am back to normal! So, to redeem myself after making that horrible sad list, I am going to list all the things I am EXCITED for!
1. EFY. I was hired to be an EFY counselor for the summer! Although I haven't been able to accept any contracts yet and do not know where exactly I will be working, I am stoked beyond belief. I have never been to an EFY because I was 18 when I was baptized, so I am very excited to get to experience EFY and also to be a mentor for youth in the church. I feel like there are so many things I experienced before I was baptized that kind of give me the credibility in saying that the "strict" rules of the church are really for our own good, and I am so grateful for the commandments.
2. Moving. Now I know that I recently complained about this, but now I am seeing my move in a new light. I am really excited to spend more time with my little sister, she is seriously the coolest kid I know. She is very random like me so I can only imagine all the amazingly random childish things we will do together. I also will get to spend a lot of time with my mom, who is amazing and I love so much. I really hope I will have many opportunities to talk to her about the gospel, and bear my testimony, I have this feeling that I will and that she really needs to hear whatever the Holy Ghost has me say. Another great thing about home is that it is in a relatively safe neighborhood so I can start running again! I have really missed being able to run outside, and I sure could get into better shape!
3. Illinois. So, my whole dad's side of the family lives in a farming community in north western Illinois, about an hour north of Nauvoo, and I only see them once a year, if that much. So, since I will be leaving for a mission this fall, and since my grandparents are reaaaaalllly old, I feel the need to go see my family this summer. My dad doesn't want to organize an official family trip, no surprise there, so my sister, me, and Addison are going to do a cross country road trip to see my family for a week or so. I am not excited for the drive, but I just feel this is something I really need to do before I leave. I love all of my family in Illinois and the beautiful green landscape, so I am way excited!
4. Elder Loper. My beloved friend and fake brother Matt has received his mission call!!! He has been called to serve in the Massachusetts Boston Mission, Haitian Creole speaking! I am so proud of him for how far he has come since his conversion, and for the huge sacrifice he is making to serve a mission. It makes me so much more anxious to get my papers in and receive my call, I can't wait to go! Only like...two more months til I can send in papers and get my call!
I am glad that my happiness has returned in full force. Yay for life!
Love, Madi
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sorry, I need this
I have always tried to be fairly positive about all aspects of my life. I usually welcome trials as an opportunity for growth and with the knowledge that Heavenly Father knows I can survive it. But lately I have just felt the exact opposite. I feel so unenthusiastic, nervous, scared, and overall just lost. As a way of hopefully confronting these odd and rather disturbing emotions, I am going to get right at the source!
Possible sources:
1. The semester is ending.
Normally this would be cause for rejoicing, but since I am not going to school next semester I feel like I am closing a door that I am not ready to close. Yes, I know I will be right back in school once I get off my mission, but still! I don't feel any closure to this part of my life and it just seems like this is not the right time for me to be postponing my education.
2. The mission
I am 100% super stoked to be serving a full-time mission for the church. I wish I could leave right now! But, despite my excitement and my willingness to serve in this capacity, I regret to admit that there is some fear attached. What will it be like? Where will I go? Will I be successful? Will it be dangerous? How will I afford it? Will I be the same person when I come home? Will I still have a group of loving and supportive friends when I get home? Will my family learn to support me? Wow, more questions than I anticipated. I understand that these uncertainties are probably common, but it still scares me that I have no many concerns. Fear is the opposite of faith, so I definitely do not want to fear, I want to just know that whatever happens is going to be for my best.
3. Moving
In about a week I will be moving back in with my Dad in Avondale so that I can save money. I haven't lived with him since I joined the church, and he is not too keen on my religious beliefs, so that makes me nervous. I have no good lds friends in Avondale. The family out in Avondale that baptized me has moved to Michigan and I don't even want to think of what Avondale is going to be like without them being there for me. I feel like I am at a point in my life when I am going to need a lot of support and strength, especially as I prepare to enter the temple and to serve a mission, yet I am moving to a place where there will be very little strength or support. This will be a true test for me, and to be honest, I am scared out of my mind. I do not want to fail, but I feel as if failure is looming over my head.
Well, there it is, time to stand a little taller, paste on a smile, and try my best to survive. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. :)
Possible sources:
1. The semester is ending.
Normally this would be cause for rejoicing, but since I am not going to school next semester I feel like I am closing a door that I am not ready to close. Yes, I know I will be right back in school once I get off my mission, but still! I don't feel any closure to this part of my life and it just seems like this is not the right time for me to be postponing my education.
2. The mission
I am 100% super stoked to be serving a full-time mission for the church. I wish I could leave right now! But, despite my excitement and my willingness to serve in this capacity, I regret to admit that there is some fear attached. What will it be like? Where will I go? Will I be successful? Will it be dangerous? How will I afford it? Will I be the same person when I come home? Will I still have a group of loving and supportive friends when I get home? Will my family learn to support me? Wow, more questions than I anticipated. I understand that these uncertainties are probably common, but it still scares me that I have no many concerns. Fear is the opposite of faith, so I definitely do not want to fear, I want to just know that whatever happens is going to be for my best.
3. Moving
In about a week I will be moving back in with my Dad in Avondale so that I can save money. I haven't lived with him since I joined the church, and he is not too keen on my religious beliefs, so that makes me nervous. I have no good lds friends in Avondale. The family out in Avondale that baptized me has moved to Michigan and I don't even want to think of what Avondale is going to be like without them being there for me. I feel like I am at a point in my life when I am going to need a lot of support and strength, especially as I prepare to enter the temple and to serve a mission, yet I am moving to a place where there will be very little strength or support. This will be a true test for me, and to be honest, I am scared out of my mind. I do not want to fail, but I feel as if failure is looming over my head.
Well, there it is, time to stand a little taller, paste on a smile, and try my best to survive. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. :)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Eulogy
For my Public Speaking class we had to do a special occasion speech, so I decided to do a Eulogy. Enjoy. :)
My friends, it is with a heavy heart that I speak on behalf of our deceased friend… Facebook. I am sure it all came as a shock to us when Facebook was diagnosed with the swine flu and found dead only days later. Today I would like for us all to cherish the great times we had with Facebook, and fear not, for we truly can move on.
Facebook was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 4th, 2004 and is survived by his creators, Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. These three men created Facebook while attending Harvard University, originally for the use of Harvard students only. The original Facebook was a simple application where the ID photos of students were placed two at a time next to each other and users would choose which student they found to be “hotter”. Mark Zuckerberg was able to create this site by hacking into the protected areas of the Harvard computer network and copy the student ID photos. As we all know, Facebook became loved and sought after by students nationwide and became a common name in every household.
Facebook and I had so many amazing experiences together that it is so difficult to just speak of a few. My most fond memories came late at night as I spent time with Facebook, perusing the photos of my classmates and acquaintances, reading the conversations that occurred throughout the day between my friends, and searching diligently for new friends who may have accounts with Facebook. Facebook never failed to distract me from the stresses of real life and allowed me to waste the little amount of free time I had.
Facebook also aided me in becoming more of a socialite while in college. With the use of the “events” application I was able to know what parties were scheduled for this weekend and create an agenda for myself several days prior to the weekend. The only downside to the “events” application was deciding how to kindly reject invitations to events that I would never be caught dead at. I have learned, however, that the best way to avoid any hurt feelings, or an obligation to attend that girl’s ridiculously lamesauce party is to simply RVSP with a “maybe”. By doing so, the host of the party will not be upset that you rejected the event they so painstakingly created, yet they will not be angry with you if you decide not to show, which we all know you really weren’t planning on doing anyways.
Finally, one of the most memorable moments I shared with Facebook was one of the many times my so called “friends” logged onto my account and created havoc under my good name. The one that truly made me cringe then, but laugh about now, was the time 3 of my friends teamed up to change my status. I will never forget coming home from work at about 2 in the morning, logging onto Facebook, and being shocked to find an irregular and enormous amount of comments on my status. As I investigated further I saw that my status had been changed to “Madison is upset that she has wet her bed AGAIN after her afternoon nap.” Not only was my status changed, but my friends had changed theirs as well so that mine would seem more believable. Their status’ read: “Abby is out buying Depends for Madison,” “Matt wishes he knew how to help Madi with her bed-wetting problem,” and “Katie is the only friend Madison has left”. Good times.
Although Facebook only lived to be 5 years old, he touched the lives of over 200 million people worldwide. I ask that you do not mourn this terrible and unexpected loss, but that you always remember the hours upon hours you personally spent with Facebook, and to seek diligently for new ways to waste your time in his honor.
My friends, it is with a heavy heart that I speak on behalf of our deceased friend… Facebook. I am sure it all came as a shock to us when Facebook was diagnosed with the swine flu and found dead only days later. Today I would like for us all to cherish the great times we had with Facebook, and fear not, for we truly can move on.
Facebook was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 4th, 2004 and is survived by his creators, Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. These three men created Facebook while attending Harvard University, originally for the use of Harvard students only. The original Facebook was a simple application where the ID photos of students were placed two at a time next to each other and users would choose which student they found to be “hotter”. Mark Zuckerberg was able to create this site by hacking into the protected areas of the Harvard computer network and copy the student ID photos. As we all know, Facebook became loved and sought after by students nationwide and became a common name in every household.
Facebook and I had so many amazing experiences together that it is so difficult to just speak of a few. My most fond memories came late at night as I spent time with Facebook, perusing the photos of my classmates and acquaintances, reading the conversations that occurred throughout the day between my friends, and searching diligently for new friends who may have accounts with Facebook. Facebook never failed to distract me from the stresses of real life and allowed me to waste the little amount of free time I had.
Facebook also aided me in becoming more of a socialite while in college. With the use of the “events” application I was able to know what parties were scheduled for this weekend and create an agenda for myself several days prior to the weekend. The only downside to the “events” application was deciding how to kindly reject invitations to events that I would never be caught dead at. I have learned, however, that the best way to avoid any hurt feelings, or an obligation to attend that girl’s ridiculously lamesauce party is to simply RVSP with a “maybe”. By doing so, the host of the party will not be upset that you rejected the event they so painstakingly created, yet they will not be angry with you if you decide not to show, which we all know you really weren’t planning on doing anyways.
Finally, one of the most memorable moments I shared with Facebook was one of the many times my so called “friends” logged onto my account and created havoc under my good name. The one that truly made me cringe then, but laugh about now, was the time 3 of my friends teamed up to change my status. I will never forget coming home from work at about 2 in the morning, logging onto Facebook, and being shocked to find an irregular and enormous amount of comments on my status. As I investigated further I saw that my status had been changed to “Madison is upset that she has wet her bed AGAIN after her afternoon nap.” Not only was my status changed, but my friends had changed theirs as well so that mine would seem more believable. Their status’ read: “Abby is out buying Depends for Madison,” “Matt wishes he knew how to help Madi with her bed-wetting problem,” and “Katie is the only friend Madison has left”. Good times.
Although Facebook only lived to be 5 years old, he touched the lives of over 200 million people worldwide. I ask that you do not mourn this terrible and unexpected loss, but that you always remember the hours upon hours you personally spent with Facebook, and to seek diligently for new ways to waste your time in his honor.
Monday, April 27, 2009
make it stop :(
Oh boy. :D
Somehow a large amount of butterflies found their way down my throat and into my stomach. It's so funny that for so long I wanted to feel that again, that rush and excitement that comes with having "butterflies", but now I just want them to leave before they ruin all of my plans.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Movin' on up!
Now that tuition is bought and paid for this semester, the charts are creeping for the mission fund. I almost have two months paid for! yay! only sixteen...more..to go.. :( I can do it!!
Scheduled my physical for next week..woo hoo. It's scary how time flies and I only have like two more months until I can turn in my papers! I feel like I have so much to do!
Scheduled my physical for next week..woo hoo. It's scary how time flies and I only have like two more months until I can turn in my papers! I feel like I have so much to do!
Monday, April 6, 2009
676 miles later..
I had the most amazing, exhausting weekend ever! I had the awesome opportunity to drive up to Utah with Ashley, Matt, Katie, Abby, Mo, and Addison to see General Conference!
The drive up was not the best. We left around 5 pm in Arizona and got to Bountiful to stay with Abby's Grandparents' home at around 6:00 am. I admit I did not drive the fastest because it was night and I was paranoid about hitting a deer, I counted 8 deer on the side of the road as I drove! I also got pulled over in Page, I was not speeding, it was right after Ash threw a banana peel out the car window so that's what we figured it was, but actually my tail light was out, so no big deal. After the cop left we blasted "Rollout" by Ludacris, and it was hilarious. Once we got to Utah it was snowing and I had never driven in snow before, and you couldn't see the lines on the freeway, so my knuckles were white on the steering wheel for a few hours. We made it there safely, but everyone was definitely in dire need of a nap and I was very stressed out.
After getting some sleep we all got up and went up the street to the Bountiful Temple, which was beautiful, and did baptisms!
Following baptisms we went out to Salt Lake to go shopping at Gateway and then dropped Ashley off in Provo to stay with her friend Lauren. While in Provo we went to the missionary mall and the sister missionary mall and explored. On the way back home we went to Sandy to pick up Elise, who is amazing and I wish she lived in AZ, and we stopped and said hi to one of the elders who was in our ward who recently went home, Eric Irving.
Saturday we didn't quite make it up in time for the morning session of conference, BUT we did go to the afternoon session and got AMAZING seats right in front, thanks to Elder Petit's mom, who was pretty much the coolest.
After conference we were able to explore temple square. I loved just sitting and looking at the temple, it is so beautiful. The visitor's centers were very neat, and I really enjoyed talking to the sister missionaries. I am not sure if I would want to serve a temple square mission, I want to be out proselyting all day every day :).
That night we just partied it up at Abby's grandparents home, they fed all of us plus Elise, Clark, Spencer and Mark a delicious roast beef dinner and then we all watched a movie. Abby's Grandparents are amazing! They were so kind to let us stay in their home, and they fed us dinner everynight and even dropped us off at conference so we wouldn't have to worry about parking! I am extremely grateful for them!
Sunday Morning Ashley, Mo, Addison and I went to conference with the tickets we received from Bishop Matheson. It was a good session, but I think all of us had a hard time staying awake after being up so late. We tried to get into the garden on the rooftop but it was closed :(
This weekend was amazing. I had so much fun with all of my amazing friends and I loved seeing everything in Salt Lake!
The drive up was not the best. We left around 5 pm in Arizona and got to Bountiful to stay with Abby's Grandparents' home at around 6:00 am. I admit I did not drive the fastest because it was night and I was paranoid about hitting a deer, I counted 8 deer on the side of the road as I drove! I also got pulled over in Page, I was not speeding, it was right after Ash threw a banana peel out the car window so that's what we figured it was, but actually my tail light was out, so no big deal. After the cop left we blasted "Rollout" by Ludacris, and it was hilarious. Once we got to Utah it was snowing and I had never driven in snow before, and you couldn't see the lines on the freeway, so my knuckles were white on the steering wheel for a few hours. We made it there safely, but everyone was definitely in dire need of a nap and I was very stressed out.
After getting some sleep we all got up and went up the street to the Bountiful Temple, which was beautiful, and did baptisms!
Following baptisms we went out to Salt Lake to go shopping at Gateway and then dropped Ashley off in Provo to stay with her friend Lauren. While in Provo we went to the missionary mall and the sister missionary mall and explored. On the way back home we went to Sandy to pick up Elise, who is amazing and I wish she lived in AZ, and we stopped and said hi to one of the elders who was in our ward who recently went home, Eric Irving.
Saturday we didn't quite make it up in time for the morning session of conference, BUT we did go to the afternoon session and got AMAZING seats right in front, thanks to Elder Petit's mom, who was pretty much the coolest.
After conference we were able to explore temple square. I loved just sitting and looking at the temple, it is so beautiful. The visitor's centers were very neat, and I really enjoyed talking to the sister missionaries. I am not sure if I would want to serve a temple square mission, I want to be out proselyting all day every day :).
That night we just partied it up at Abby's grandparents home, they fed all of us plus Elise, Clark, Spencer and Mark a delicious roast beef dinner and then we all watched a movie. Abby's Grandparents are amazing! They were so kind to let us stay in their home, and they fed us dinner everynight and even dropped us off at conference so we wouldn't have to worry about parking! I am extremely grateful for them!
Sunday Morning Ashley, Mo, Addison and I went to conference with the tickets we received from Bishop Matheson. It was a good session, but I think all of us had a hard time staying awake after being up so late. We tried to get into the garden on the rooftop but it was closed :(
This weekend was amazing. I had so much fun with all of my amazing friends and I loved seeing everything in Salt Lake!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The New and Not So Improved Primary Songs
The people I work with are amazing. We do extremely outlandish things at all times to keep us all in the cheeriest of moods, which usually entails some form of singing. We mainly sing with Disney songs, but yesterday Addison and I decided to be sneaky. We came up with a little game where either Addison or me would begin a church primary song and our coworkers all scrambled to finish it correctly. This was either shocking because they got it right OR hilarious. What a great way to sneakily teach all our coworkers about Mormons :)
Correct Responses
The wise men built their house upon the... ROCK
I like to look for rainbows whenever there is... RAIN
I am a child of... GOD
Incorrect Responses
Give said the little...PUPPY
The Lord commanded Nephi to go and build a...FARM
Famillies can be to...SCARED
I will go, I will do, the things the Lord... TELLS ME TO
I hope they call me on a...LOVE TRAIN
Correct Responses
The wise men built their house upon the... ROCK
I like to look for rainbows whenever there is... RAIN
I am a child of... GOD
Incorrect Responses
Give said the little...PUPPY
The Lord commanded Nephi to go and build a...FARM
Famillies can be to...SCARED
I will go, I will do, the things the Lord... TELLS ME TO
I hope they call me on a...LOVE TRAIN
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)