God talks through love and inspiration

Why can't we all be like we are fresh off the mission?

I spent time with this newly returned missionary this evening and I loved his valiance, his unfaltering spirit and personal, but not domineering quest for righteousness. It is his kindness, love, and genuine characteristics that make him so handsome. All of my friends swoon over him and I see him as one of the most delightful beings I've made contact. Besides hearing one of my closest friends will be hooking it up with the man she adores, the other highlights of my day were finding out that I may still live with those whom I love, visiting with the cutest elderly ladies and gent this evening and spending time with my ward family. I am sickened by my great disrespect of authority and don't necessarily know where it's been coming from, but I need to abide by rules and embrace the confidence in choosing what is right in all things. I cannot pick or choose or my maker may very well not pick me. Valiance, diligence, and love is the plea I hear from within my troubled soul. Onward Christian soldier...

Elder and Sister Snow Part II

Elder and Sister Snow are my newest favorite general authority. They are just so real and down to earth. People who are the salt of the earth and when I grow up I want to be just like them. Master teachers and amazingly full of love, Christ's love. This has been one of the best weekends I've had in months. Funny though...I didn't go climbing, I didn't study for school, I missed an important family function, yet I felt more enriched and edified than I have spending four hours doing anything else. One of the best parts of feeling so great was everyone that was around me partook of the same goodness, joy, and love. As a Relief Society Presidency this afternoon we spent at least four hours organizing and pondering, evaluating and letting the spirit impress upon our minds great truths. We were all so tired, hungry, and burnt out by 3:30, yet it reminds me of the truth, when you work the hardest the memories somehow create themselves and oh how great will be your joy in the kingdom! I think we left three or four hilarious messages on people's phones. We sang songs, danced in the rain, and mainly filled with giddy delight! For the first time in my life I can honestly say I truly appreciate being a woman. I've always viewed life as living and competing in a "man's world." This is not reality of the divinely appointed plan at all-women are wonderful, we relish the good times, we are mothering, nurturing, kind, loving, meek, delicate spiritual beings that fill the void between our earthly existence and our Heavenly Home. For it is there I was taught to always remember as a daughter of a Living God I can always relish in the faith and reassurance I will indeed know how it all turns out.

I need not fear anything for God will deliver me-personally Sarah Elizabeth Schneider-from anything He seeth fit I need deliverance from.

I realized too this weekend, I have awesome friends. The kind that check up on you, even if they are married and have lives of their own. They love you, their spouses love you, and talking to them fills your life with Joy! The best part of my friends is my younger sister has moved to SLC and I still can't get over the fact she's here. It fills my soul with the most exquisite joy. I have to physically prioritize my time during the week or I could easily spend all my time at her house with her, Allen, Isaac, and newborn Atticus. Years after I pleaded with her to come and join me in Utah I now feel like I am able to spend the time with which I've always looked forward. Last weekend I had Isaac and he was a true delight. Tonight before dinner it was awesome...I had this Thomas the Tank Engine play tattoo and Joyanne extremely questioned if Isaac should be allowed to have it. He didn't even think it was cool! He is the smartest little 3 year old I have ever had the pleasure of spending time around. Nate and Brode were incredible kids, yet I believe due to the love and care devoted to this little guy on a constant basis he will continue to fascinate me and make me addicted to spending time, codling, tickling, chasing, reading, kissing, hugging, wrestling, and sleeping with The Ike. He's become my favorite flavor in life and when he asks if I have to leave, I honestly believe I may feel just as sad about my departure til a day or two later when I need to drop in and spend time with the family. Besides Joyanne cooks like Daddy and feeds me the highest caliber of meals, most importantly baked with love.

It is a dream I've always looked forward to: having family dinners, scripture study, prayer, spending holidays together, family home evenings, movie nights with homemade popcorn, and feel an immense amount of love through being with those you will continue working towards a progressive relationship for all of eternity. Maybe in a few months I will really want my own family, the desire is growing-I am starting to like the idea...now about actually spotting a guy who can be spiritual, family oriented, semi-adventurous,and can make up for all of the things I am not: conservative, anti-impulsive, serious when I can't be, fun loving when I am anal retentive, and pretty much anyone who can counter balance my extremes and shortfalls and I his- that inevitably with some work and diligence we become like Him. May he come and find me home is my humble hope.

Until then I dream of him and endure in patience glorifying His name

Revelation

Elder Snow came and visited us for our stake conference. I was taught from on high this evening...by the Spirit of the Lord and His servants. I realized I need to go back to the standards I learned as a missionary. I will begin using a white board, planning out my days, weeks, months, and coming back to reality of a saint in zion with a level amount of devotion to my calling.

I will not fear, I will listen and obey the promptings he sends to me personally. I have been given so many gifts in this life and if I continue faithful, use them and rely on His timing I will receive all of the righteous desires of my heart in the due time of the Lord.

Goals for March:
Turn in the appeal to Deseret Mutual
Pay off the rest of my computer
Give an Ivory Statue to the Calder's
Begin working on Temple Names
Weekly goals by 3/13
Have seminary observation set up
Have appt with Stake President and Bp set up
Everything ready and up to date to hand off to Nat
Eat with Megs and Matt
One week of no inflammation foods
Daily climbing/exercise
Ready to take Biomaterials exam
Make Dave Breakfast
Read the White Handbook

Cram'n or Jam'n

The past month has been one of the most chaotic of my life...sounds dramatic right? Well it has been: sister is now comfortably moved into their home in SLC and the sweet mother of another reasonably large newborn. My grams is now doing much better, after six doctors visits, drug regulation, and good homemade love'n I believe she is doing much better. I am hoping to have time this week to try and catch up on school-work, begin seminary again, and become a normal citizen. I slept a lot today, held my new nephew, and went climbing with a buddy.

It was a good day! I feel like kicking it into high gear and becoming a super study nerd, yet I realize for me to do this it is imperative, as Dave so kindly pointed out, I need to not have any fun. I realize this as full on truth-no fun, meaning no extracurricular activities this week and maybe none the next. Just straight up-family, calling, schooling, work, and personal priorities (sleeping, running, climbing, walking, and best of all no sugar!)

I was also taught today that you cannot feel the Spirit while diddle-daddling. One of my life's best talents is that I am an extraordinary of the type. I will now be making the conscious decision to use the time or lose it. There is one choice to either be Cram'n or Jam'n....

Out with the Old and in with the New!!

Last year was so significantly different. I am liking the family time this year more than that of any other. My younger sis and her family just moved into town from Southern Utah! It is so wonderful to have them here. My brother-in-law and I study together. We make family dinners on Sunday and my 3 year old nephew has just taken the top spot in my friend list. Today he asked me to marry him, when the answer was, "That isn't the way it works in our family," his response was, "Will you be my new best friend!" So cute I could have melted right there! Why do some boys turn into men who don't know how to say the right things anymore? Even when they explode later, you still forgive them because you understand why they say things in haste. i.e.-This evening, I went to leave and Isaac asked, "You aren't going to stay forever? (I answered I needed to leave-as empathetically as possible) Well then I am going to kill you!" was his response. One extreme to the other, but man I understood he just wanted me to stay. Ike is too honest and sweet to ever even dream of killing anyone, let alone his BFF. I felt even worse when he got sent to his room for the off-color comment. When people are obscenely honest at least they nuzzle into your heart and forgiveness comes frankly.

We are also awaiting the arrival of a new addition to our family on the 14th-a love baby! It is so refreshing to spend time reminiscing, strengthening eternal relationships, and being an intimate part of each others lives. I wish all of my family were this close to me.

Another opportunity I have had since Christmas is to care for my grandmother. She is stricken with Parkinson's and her health is quickly declining. She has always been the busy, independent, and outgoing woman of great devotion to our family-a true example of stellar womanhood in my life. For some reason she trusts no one else for her care and to do the tasks of daily living on her behalf. It has been a vast challenge for me to spend the needed time caring for her, staying up to date with school work, seminary, relief society, and then just trying to have a life. Well the later-I've lost my life almost entirely and find great hope in the promise I am actually finding myself. I am grateful for the time spent with those I love and admire with so much of my heart!

I have been able to find the priority and time to spend with those friends who mean the most. Making meals with Ty and Mi, Megs and Matt, and spending some time with D on my travels back from Ogden during the week. I have yet to hit the slopes in the evening-which allows this frigid chill to become bearable. One of these eves, hopefully sooner than later, I will be where the flakes fall in abundance and the sound of swooshing fills the air and my soul with delight.

The highlights of this week is making time for an unplanned visit from Uncle Michael, the joys of childish straightforwardness, and celebrating with those I love most-making more memories with forever friends!

........serving others yields your best self!

As I contemplate the upcoming semester I look forward with much faith and a strong desire to serve my fellow man. In talking to a friend on the phone this evening, we were talking about getting far in life is about who you know! Usually such a statement has a negative connotation-this however, did not. It is a talent or God-given gift to befriend, socialize, build relationships of trust, and network in such a way one provides themselves a future means to an end.

Introspection yields speculation towards the relationships I hold with my family and friends. Minus the exception of a select few I marvel at the amount of love, mutual respect, and approbation for those I am kin to, work, study, live, and serve around. He was correct, networking is a talent!

As I look forward to a new semester, a new year, a new job, new environments and opportunities to build those around me I encourage all to do the same. Lift where you stand in your communities, socialites, employment and family circles-that all may teach and learn together: the true definition of lasting edification. ♥ Sis

Remember Who You Are!

You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...He has engraved each of us on the palm of his hands. If we remember Him we can remember who we each are and in turn, the grander scheme of things! We are to become like Him and He being the Lord of Lords, do we act in such a manner to be able to inherit our noble birthright?