I delight in 2010.

And what a year it has been. I can't believe its come and gone. The end of the year always serves as a reminder to live with no regrets and delight in everyday because they go by all too quickly. But before the year is all done I want to leave a record of things I will always remember about this great year.

ringing in the new year at 9:30 pm with sister k on the roof of our kingston apartment

--saying goodbyes to the people and land I love--january 15, 2010--good haircuts--

temple with nat--isaiah--painting my fingernails--dslr--sewing cute bags--

crossing the almost unimaginable off my bucket list, seeing the space shuttle endeavor take off--the day i got my acceptance letter to grad school--teaching temple preparation

--going to the temple every week--reading the book of mormon--

driving through the state of maine--seeing where my grandpa served his mission

--taking a 'shut-eye' flight--seeing the south rim of the grand canyon--

going to my first mission reunion--seeing my first clinic patient--

playing 'mom' while real mom recovered from knee replacement

--making advents with craig and christin

--monday nights with christin: pals, taylor swift and chick-fil-a--

ultimate frisbee tuesdays--wednesday nights: institute and dinner with nat and jd

--craft day with carly--going back to visit my mission with my mom--

going to general conference--the imc--ending the 7 year freeze--

Tuesday August 17--organ performances--finally going to music and the spoken word

--speaking in sacrament meetings--starting this blog--coke zero--the last lecture

--dating--going facebook-free--reading books (lots of different books!)--

the university of utah and new found byu pride--the day i saw 4 baptisms--hammocks--watching a meteor shower on my trampoline--making new friends--island park--

missing old friends--spiritual confirmations--santa run--baking new things--

being home for the holidays--healing--thursday temple nights at slc with dani, mary and meredith--institute choir--a successful 1st semester of grad school

--making snow angels with christin--watching anne of green gables--pie bird lighthouse--playing games with the fam (skip-bo particularly)

I delight in snow.

not just in the mountains anymore

Its about time some real snow hit the homefront.

Seriously now...Christmas day I looked outside not to a white Christmas but to a green Christmas...yep, green grass, blue sky...the sun was even shining. It could have been a beautiful spring day--but it wasn't, it was Christmas!

Alas, Utah doesn't disappoint! The weather can change faster than, well it could have already changed in the time its taken me to write this sentence.

Short and sweet: I delight in Utah snow. Its different than Maritime snow and I'm loving it!

I delight in home for the holidays.

not my home, but close enough.

Although I treasured the two Christmases I spent on my mission, I am really treasuring being home this Christmas! My heart is full of gratitude for the abundance of blessings in my life this holiday season. I'm grateful for the Savior whose birth we celebrate this season and for his infinite Atonement that allows our hearts to be healed over and over again. The greatest gift I can offer to each of you this holiday season is the message of the restoration of Jesus Christ's gospel found in this book. Click the link and one can be sent to your house free. I have prayed about this book time and time again and I know its true! The words contained in it have been the answer to my prayer more than anyone or anything else.

Love always!

Merry Christmas!

I delight in a millionaire's example.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I delight in a girls day!

With finals over...its time to get into that Christmas Spirit! (I always find it incredibly difficult to feel 'Christmasy' in the midst of finals.) Yesterday it was a trip to the Draper Temple, a little Christmas shopping, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert with David Archeletta and Michael York. Absolutely incredible!

Today, I'm playing with my favorite girls (my mom and LB). LB's only been a little excited for me to come home....oh to be so loved. It is my daily delight!

I delight in finals week blessings.

Yesterday, I was abundantly blessed!

Let's be honest...I'm abundantly blessed everyday! We ALL are!

C's mean remediation---which leads to sadness.

B's make me smile.

A's make me giddy!

Yesterday, I was like a kid at Christmas.

Only it wasn't Christmas...it was finals week.

I delight in crossing things off.

Its finals week.

Hence my lack of time to blog.

However---I just had to share a delight.

I delight in the running semester to do list getting dramatically shorter!!!

Aphasia? Successfully OVER!

Advanced Research? Turning the paper in TODAY!

CCMR? Just a thing of the past!

Only 2 things left to do: 1. finish the dld take home exam and 2. take the scary artic test!

Thursday's the day.

Until then, you'll find me at a desk somewhere.

I delight in asking the right questions.

I delight in santa clause and little kids.

Joyful moment of the day.

I was in Smith's by the refrigerated dough section and Jell-o section. There were two adorable little boys standing next to me. All the sudden the one turns to the other and says, "look, its Santa! and he's stopping at Smith's!" The I looked over to see the boy's faces and HUGE eyes before I turned the other way to check out the Santa. I expected a man in a red suit but nope, this man had flannel on. But as continued looking up...there was that Santa hair flowing down into a long beard. He was the santa with 'real hair' or was he the 'real santa?' I daresay both. The boys eyes followed him like glue. I later overheard them trying to explain to their mom that they'd seen Santa but unfortunately the mom thought they were telling a lie.

Lessons learned?

Childhood is the best experience ever.

The spirit of Santa is in us all.

Parents give your kids the benefit of the doubt--what would it hurt if they really saw Santa?

I love the sincerity and belief system children have. Its what I work back to...the simple faith and sincerity of childhood.

Finally, it drew me back to a funny experience I had about this same time last year. I was in Nova Scotia, Greenwood to be exact. We'd had District Meeting and Sister B and I were headed to the mall with the Elders following to get some lunch. Well I was in line at A&W and guess who was in line next to me? Santa. Seriously. He ordered a Papa Burger. I was half tempted to do the same...hello...its Santa's favorite! But alas, I instead just have thought that instead of Oreo's one year...I'll leave him a Papa Burger instead.

I believe in Santa Clause.

I delight in here.

pic by me (as usual) in the magical place on temple square

I live life in trends.

A few trends that have dominated lately are:

forgiveness

isaiah

'she will do great things'

giving gifts to my Savior

reality: who you really are

Mary Poppins

exercise

You may be confused.

Don't.

My mind is a crazy place. Lots of different brain waves going on!

While they may all seem unrelated they aren't in my mind. I'm grateful the Lord needs me here. I'm excited about all the lessons he is teaching me simultaneously.

I am grateful for the reality of forgiveness. I love what President Packer said in general conference regarding this subject: "You must come to know that forgiveness means forgiveness." We can't be rearview navigators. The atonement looks forward not backward. You have a spotless future and I do too.

Isaiah, well he continues to teach me a lot. Today, at 5:30 in the morning, I read a chapter I didn't necessarily understand...roots, branches, it was early. But as I pondered, determined to come up with something, I learned that God has a place for us all and he is mindful of each one of us and will be active in helping us to get to whatever place it is that we need to be if we are doing our part.

And this is a lesson I left out in the list above...its ALL about your heart. If you feel your heart isn't in it but you don't know what to do about it? God heals hearts. I've recently experienced it and I'm grateful for that reality.

'She will do great things'--this one is a bit hard to explain. Simply put...'my life has a gift, my life has a plan, my life has a purpose in heaven it began.' Its a song I remember my mom's Merrie Miss group singing when I was little. I never remember singing it myself but that first line never left me. Its true for each one of us.

Giving gifts to the Savior, well in the past 48 hours, I've heard 3 different people talk about it. Its something I'm going to do this year.

Reality, well don't doubt your heart. And don't get tossed about by every wind of the sea...somethings ARE just as ridiculous as the seem.

Mary Poppins, another common reference lately. I do love Mary Poppins!

Finally, exercise. I discovered I can read and do the elliptical at the same time. It was a fabulous discovery.

All and all...I'm grateful to be here and by here I mean exactly here, in Salt Lake, in my apartment, in my ward, in my program, in my classes, in my social group, in my family, in my institute class, all the 'in's' i could possibly be! To be learning the lessons I'm learning. I'm grateful Salt Lake is where I'm supposed to be. I'm grateful for this wonderful holiday season which I will soon more fully enjoy in my post finals life (less than 2 weeks away!). I'm grateful for the love and conversation of good family and friends. I'm grateful for prayers.

Overall, I just delight in life.

I delight in Lucky.

This is my precious dog Lucky. Anyone who knows me well will be saying: "Erin, dog, precious, what?" Well...I may not be a 'pet' lover...BUT, I have a HUGE soft spot in my heart for this dog! She is my baby. When she was a puppy, we would fall asleep together every night. She'd lay on my chest as is evidenced in a plethora of pictures. In one picture, I'm even holding her while I do my Algebra homework! She was so cuddly and hasn't ever stopped, even now, she just wants to be loved. Of course, isn't that what we all want, to be loved? Anyway, point of this post is to say that I delight in having her in my life for 10 years! My water dog, my pretty poochie, the sprinkler lover, the milk chocolate one, the leaner.

I delight in vegetation.

actually this is not the kind of vegetation i'm talking about!

i'm talking about the vegetation that involves not doing school work.

sitting. breathing. its nice.

I delight in t's!

After THIS happened, I was pretty distraught. How to survive grad school without a properly functioning 't' key was getting a little worrysome. I could still get a t out of it but it took a lot of effort AND I noticed a dramatic decrease in my typing effectiveness. But alas, good news. Maybe it was the extra exercise I gave the t-key when I pushed it down a lot in frustration. Maybe it was my computer freezing in my car for a while yesterday. Maybe it was just tired but either way. As you can see, iT's back and funcTioning properly! :)

I delight in T's!

My finger however, does now have a bandaid after I chopped it accidentally today.

I delight in finding.

Life is all about finding.

Isn't it?

In a way at least.

We're all here to find out way home. And I'm talking home home, to live with God. We're finding out about this mortality thing and what we're supposed to be doing with ourselves during this wonderful time on earth. I am a fan of mortality. I'm grateful that my fingers work (that my t-key has come back miraculously into use). I'm grateful that when I want to speak, I don't have to think about opening my mouth or about forming my lips or teeth or tongue or the breathe support but that it all just comes out. I'm a fan of the fact that my legs work, that get me in and out of bed everyday. I'm grateful my brain retains some of what I learn everyday.

I find more and more everyday all the wonderful ways God finds to bless me!

I find more and more everyday how much I can't do anything without him.

I find my dependence humbling.

I find the reminder of that dependence life saving.

We don't have to do it alone.

It was never intended we do it alone.

Tonight I had the opportunity to go to the temple (the only reason i love thursdays) and not just any temple but the Salt Lake temple. Afterward, Mary and I talked and then walked around temple square. We then wandered over to Deseret Book to check out Elder Scott's picture exhibit we were both deeply impressed at the depth of his conviction, faith, perspective and understanding.

On the back cover of Elder Scott's book, Finding Peace, Happiness and Joy, he states, "The sole purpose of this book is to help you, or one you love, find peace with happiness and joy in an ever more challenging world. It is not a book about theory but about truth." I just think that is beautiful. The world has an endless supply of opinions on everything. Pick a subject, there's a forum. The world especially has a lot of suggestions as to the ways to find peace, happiness, and joy in your life. However, there are suggestions, ideas, theories and then there is truth, eternal truth. Skip straight to the truth--it will get you to REAL peace, joy and happiness sooner than any other alternative. If you're looking for a great gift to give this holiday season: give the gift of truth, the gift of perspective, the gift of example, the gift of hope, and the gift of love, Elder Scott's book (one of my favorites--if you couldn't already tell)!!!

And so, as I turn to my scriptures this night to find the answers to the questions of the day, I share this quote with you from Elder Scott's book:

"President Marion G. Romney declared with characteristic candor: "I don't know much about the gospel other than what I've learned from the standard works. When I drink from a spring I like to get the water where it comes out of the ground, not down stream after the cattle have waded in it...I appreciate other people's interpretation, but when it comes to the gospel we ought to be acquainted with what the Lord says...You ought to read the book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants; and...all the scriptures with the idea of finding out what's in them and what the meaning is and not to prove some idea of your own. Just read them and plead with the Lord to let you understand what he had in mind when he wrote them (p. 261)."

Finding takes effort. But I believe, nothing is more worth it than finding truth for yourself. Do it with a sincere heart and I promise you will see the blessings. :)

I delight in being able to say next month!

Welcome to December! My my my where has 2010 gone? And where was that list of goals I made when I came home from my mission? Ha ha...I actually know where it is but I'll be honest, I haven't looked at it in a while (unfortunately).

Landmarks coming up this month that make me DELIGHT:

1. My first semester of grad school will be over soon and it will be a success (positive thinking)!

2. I will get to spend my first Christmas with my family in 2 years.

3. I will write cards to people I love and tell them just that, that I love them.

4. I will finally go to the candlelight vigil for the Christmas Box.

5. I will take the opportunity to speak kind words to those I am surrounded by.

6. I will read my two annual Christmas reads--The Christmas Box AND A Christmas Carol.

7. Christin will be sleeping on my floor on Christmas Eve (she only talks about it EVERYTIME I see her!)

8. I will watch Harry Potter (at some point, hopefully!)

9. I will listen to all the Christmas music I can!

Its going to be a great month!

But in reference to the post title:

10. I can finally say that next month my favorite missionary still serving in the CANHAL gets home, my greenie, Sister B! (the picture above is in reference to her and what we went through together...special times! :) )

I deligh in no 's.

the alphabe scavenger hun with nicki after he chalk hrowing festival

Well, somehing seems o have gone erribly wrong. he key on my keyboard which is like HE mos imporant has decided o have issues. If you can' ell by now, is he leer beween s and u. I'm elling you so if I leave 's ou in he fuure you won' hink i can' spell...my compuer jus makes me push really hard o ge he T...see I pushed hard jus so you could see.

Anyway deligh in your T key oday!!!

i guess i'll ry exra hard to push my t key from now on so you don' have o decode my messages everyime. :)

I delight in no regrets.

the beautiful halifax public gardens

Lots of recent experiences are reflected in the title of this delight. You could say that

"no regrets"

is a mantra I have lived by for a while. While I haven't always been loyal to my mantra, I feel that it is reflective of the desires of my heart.

One of the regrets I have had lately is not 'speaking now.' The reason I put those words in quotes is because in my mind, as I say it, they aren't my words, I'm thinking of Taylor Swift's words from her latests CD. I think she had some great insight. Seriously though, how many times have you not said what you wanted to say, what you should have said. I'm not talking about rude rebuttals or cutting comebacks, I'm talking about the times when you wanted to say something--how you really felt, but you didn't and you regret it forever. Miserable and annoying. I recommend exercising some degree of caution but I stand with Taylor, 'speak now.' Recognize the source of your desire to say what you want to say: is it pride? or is it the spirit? It makes all the difference.

A regret I don't have is being where I'm supposed to be. Believe me its been a regret in the past...not being where I was supposed to be or trying to be where I wanted to be instead of where I was supposed to be but alas, I'm learning. I say this time and time again but its true: my greatest desire is to always be where I'm supposed to be, where the Lord needs me to be. When I have been guided and directed to some of those places, I find solace in kind of a 'spiritual journey check-in'..."Hey, I'm here! Right where you needed me to be right when you needed me to be here. Just checking in! Thanks!" Nothing in the world beats that feeling. Seriously, follow the promptings, no matter how large or small. You will always feel better and feel a larger measure of the spirit. Plus inevitably, you will bless the lives of others.

I delight in looking forward and not regretting the past. Being a rearview navigator is poisonous, dangerous, and absolutely morally corrosive. Think about it...if instead of looking through the windshield to drive your car forward, you looked through the rearview mirror and drove backward. Can you imagine how your driving would be? Scary. Dangerous. Reckless. Well sometimes we try and do that with our lives. We come to a point where we realize that we've made some mistakes and instead of taking a progressive stance (repenting and moving forward) we take a regressive stance (trying to go back and fix the past). We try and go backward, attempting to navigate our past and change things. But I'll tell you...No matter how hard you may try, you cannot change the past...its called the past for a reason...because is PAST! And so, being a rearview navigator won't get you anywhere. Be progressive about life. Hence the whole living with no regrets. Always focus on the future, if you failed today, well make tomorrow better.

Be a better person for the experiences you've had and the things you've learned.

So remember...No Regrets. As Oprah says, Live your best life now.

I delight in November 2010.

November is one of my favorite months. Its been good to me this year and I want to share with you some brief experiences and delights I've had in this good month.

• Recognizing how complicated I make things sometimes and how unnecessary that is.
• Speak now. And say what you mean to say. Taylor and John say it best. Lots of potential issues could be resolved this way.
• One of the best decisions I made this month is the decision to step away from facebook. Its something I've thought long and hard about and its the right thing for me for right now. I say that because I want you to know that I don't think facebook is inherently bad and I don't judge anyone who uses it. For all I know the time will come when I'll come back to it but for now my choice is made. That being said, I do intend to be better at my personal communications with those I love and care about. And I do mean personal communication...letter writing is a lost art, phone calls out of the blue never go out of style and dropping by someones house needs to make a comeback.
• November taught me a thing or two about answers to prayers and how the spirit speaks to me.
• I've very much missed my mission this month because this is my first November being back in the hussle and bussel of things. I'm grateful to have a renewed perspective from those two years away of what matters in this season.
• 24...24 times in 24 hours. I've been waiting years for that.
• 18 days of being 24 with my big brother.
• I delighted a lot in my family this month. Good news from Dads doctors. Christin's cute card creation for my birthday. Craig showed me his 'secret place'--his safe spot in the church building. And Mom, bringing me a load of soup and oranges when I was sick.
• Finally eating at the long awaited Ganesh with Nat on my birthday. And running around downtown Ogden in a santa suit with her. An event I'll never forget.
• Spiritual experiences while reading the book of Isaiah.
• Sharing a great thanksgiving with my family and hearing all the things they're grateful for.
• Singing in the choir.
• Black Friday traditions.
• Snow.
• Being able to love, lift, and smile.
• Advent making with C & C.
• Amazing clinic experiences.
• And my final delight--not eating any more turkey sandwiches.

I delight in a cheering conundrum.

Rivalry Week: This week at the U (my current school) I've had to hear the term "carve a cougar." There are signs posted (even in the Institute) about how to do it. Its been a tough load to swallow. My beloved BYU seems to be becoming more endearing everyday as I wander traverse and navigate the foreign land of Salt Lake and the University of Utah. Why it seems like only yesterday I was a freshman wandering into Math 119, American Heritage, eating at the Pendulum court, and going to the women's lecture series on entrepreneurship. My how times change. All for the good! The past prepares us for the present and my present adventure is wonderful. I wouldn't have chosen any where else to go to grad school...especially as I hear other peoples experiences at other schools. I'm really happy to be where I'm at. No regrets. Loving almost every minute of it! :) But its this game, it gets me. Choosing sides. Choosing "my team." Do I by default choose my current school? Its is my favorite color. Or do I stick with the Alma Mater?

I delight in thanksgiving.

This year

I get to spend thanksgiving with this crew.

they're my favorites!

Luckily the "worst storm of the decade" didn't amount to much (or anything for that matter) so traveling to be with them won't be much of a problem.

Last night, I got the sweetest phone call from LB. Mom had called to tell me she was going to call. LB had been concerned the snow was going to make it so I couldn't make it home for Thanksgiving.

And so this thanksgiving I am grateful to be loved so much.

I am grateful for my family.

I am grateful for the experiences of a mission.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to get a good education.

I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the answers I find as I read and ponder.

I am grateful for the influence of good people.

I'm grateful for hard things because they lead way for better things.

I am grateful for the ability to smile.

And finally, I'm grateful for the ability to love others.

happy thanksgiving

I delight in little gems.

I delight in the little "gems" that end up in my inbox everyday. Always the right message at the right time. Just that little reminder I needed. And so, today I share the gem with you...

"We need to be more grateful. It's one of the marks of strong character, to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in church, everywhere. It's so easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation."

Ezra Taft Benson, "All This and the Gospel Too," New Era, Nov. 1991, 4

I delight in simple days.

last year...brother martin made sister b and i thanksgiving dinner! :) and then sister k and i christmas dinner...turporkin!

sunday. one. gratitude. study. catch up. reorg. clean. breathe

that's my day in a nutshell. its been real nice. the calm before the storm which begins at 4 in the morning! i have a test at 8. the last exam before the comprehensive final in but 3 weeks! oi! finals already? how did this happen? i have no idea! but alas, i'm ready for it! in 3 days i will have taken 2 test and have written 9 more pages of my paper.

then on to thanksgiving.

baking pie, eating massive amounts of garlic dip with people who love me even when i smell like garlic and turkey, making advents, playing games, seeing harry potter, running around ogden in a santa suit, celebrating craig's birthday, and waking up ridiculously early in the morning to go people watch with mom at target (and probably pretend like we need to buy something) then on to breakfast at sams club...mother daughter tradition!

needless to say, i love thanksgivings on my mission but...

i'm really happy to be celebrating thanksgiving this year with my family and all the fun traditions i hold so near and dear to my heart! :)

I delight in hope.

The theme of my week has been hope.

I am grateful that we are to hope all things.

To dream big.

To hope for some things

and to hope in other things.

I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give to those around us is hope.

I delight in fair journalism.

Pretty sure any Mormon (member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) could tell you that half of the news that flies around in the media about us...isn't true. There are a lot of misunderstandings about our history and our beliefs. Misunderstandings are common with many cultures, religions, etc. Therefore, I really and sincerely appreciate when researchers and newscasters do their homework, thus publishing truth, facts, as opposed to whatever misconception they're "certain" is true. Check out this study: Major New Study of Religion Has Much to Say About Mormons.

I delight in synthesizing.

This picture is actually related, but its a long story. Not one I'm going to tell today.

Bottom line of today's post: hopefully someone will notice the 'un-coincidental events' in their life.

I personally feel like my life happens in trends. Hard times. Good times. Happy times. Sad times. Exciting times. Boring times. Times of feast. Times of famine. Its normal I think. But my favorite times are when these 'trends' synthesize and I get a lesson. Of course I'm learning all along but finally the lesson gets all packaged together in 'take home and remember it' form.

Hopefully this will make sense by the end.

Okay so trend as of this week: 1. I'm sick. 2. I'm stressed. 3. I'm anxious for Thanksgiving.

Lessons of this week:

1. The best thing you can offer someone is hope.

2. Obedience is not transferrable.

3. Faith is a choice.

There are a million things I could tell you to illustrate how the first 3 and the second 3 have kind of 'meshed' together but I won't. Besides, you're probably already lost by this post anyway. Bottom line is...I've met a lot of people who feel despair, discouragement, and doubt. If you look for God's hand in your life, you will find it. I promise you will.

Life isn't coincidental. The choices you make have an impact.

You're a son or daughter of God. He knows you.

Choose wisely. Live well. Gratitude always.

I delight in Father's.

Father's know best.

I delight in 10 simple things.

1. An alarm clock with a loud volume.

2. Blue fine point pens--I have an affinity for fine point pens.

3. Paper...so I can make never ending to-do lists.

4. A sister who loves me and makes me smile everyday.

5. A telephone, so I can call my Mom and ask her questions I already know the answer to.

6. Dad, who cleans out the refrigerator and sends me home with surprises---oranges!

7. A big brother who remembers my family history and shares my age.

8. Friends who make grad school entertaining.

9. Non-rainy days.

10. My electric blanket. Seriously...best invention ever...next to the panini maker.

I delight in rest.

It is through the healing Atonement of Jesus Christ that we may have the strength to stand tall and strong and to have our souls be filled—with light, understanding, joy, and love. His invitation is extended to “all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him” (2 Nephi 26:33). His promise is:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29).

Of this rest President Joseph F. Smith said:

To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God, and we do not ask any questions of anybody about it; they are welcome to their opinions, to their ideas and to their vagaries. The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into ‘God’s rest’

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 56).

See complete talk here: "Rest unto Your Souls" Elder Per G. Malm of the Seventy, Ensign, Nov 2010

I delight in my study of Isaiah.

Last week, I began my study of the book of Isaiah, yep Isaiah of the Old Testament. To be honest, I've always been completely intimidated by the writings of Isaiah. I felt they went right over my head and always left me wondering what I read. However, I decided it was time to fix that. And so, with much prayer and the help of the Old Testament Student Manual I have begun my study so I'll probably share things I learn along the way---like I usually do--things that make me delight!

(13-11) Isaiah 2:3. “Out of Zion Shall Go Forth the Law . . . the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem”

President Joseph Fielding Smith gave the following explanation of this prophetic statement of Isaiah:

“We are informed in the revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, that the city of Zion and the New Jerusalem is one and the same. [D&C 28:9; 42:9; 45:66–67; 57:2; 58:7.] . . .

“Jerusalem of old, after the Jews have been cleansed and sanctified from all their sin, shall become a holy city where the Lord shall dwell and from whence he shall send forth his word unto all people. Likewise, on this continent, the city of Zion, New Jerusalem, shall be build, and from it the law of God shall also go forth. There will be no conflict, for each city shall be headquarters for the Redeemer of the world, and from each he shall send forth his proclamations as occasion may require. Jerusalem shall be the gathering place of Judah and his fellows of the house of Israel, and Zion shall be the gathering place of Ephraim and his fellows, upon whose heads shall be conferred ‘the richer blessings.’ . . .

“These two cities, one in the land of Zion and one in Palestine, are to become capitals for the kingdom of God during the millennium.

“In the meantime, while the work of preparation is going on and Israel is being gathered, many people are coming to the land of Zion saying: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.’ The Latter-day Saints are fulfilling this prediction, since they are being gathered from all parts of the earth and are coming to the house of the Lord in these valleys of the mountains. Here they are being taught in the ways of the Lord through the restoration of the gospel and by receiving blessings in the temples now erected. Moreover, before many years have passed away, the Lord will command the building of the City Zion, and Jerusalem in Palestine will in due time be cleansed and become a holy city and the habitation of the Jews after they are cleansed and are willing to accept Jesus Christ as their Redeemer.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:69–71.)

While the Saints await the time of the establishment of these world centers, the principle of sending forth the law has been associated not only with the spread of the gospel and its blessings, but also with the providing of a climate in which the gospel work can grow. President Harold B. Lee said:

“I have often wondered what that expression meant, that out of Zion shall go forth the law. Years ago I went with the brethren to the Idaho Falls Temple, and I heard in that inspired prayer of the First Presidency a definition of the meaning of that term ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law.’ Note what they said: ‘We thank thee that thou hast revealed to us that those who gave us our constitutional form of government were men wise in thy sight and that thou didst raise them up for the very purpose of putting forth that sacred document [the Constitution of the United States—see D&C 101:80]. . . .

“‘We pray that kings and rulers and the peoples of all nations under heaven may be persuaded of the blessings enjoyed by the people of this land by reason of their freedom and under thy guidance and be constrained to adopt similar governmental systems, thus to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Isaiah and Micah that “. . . out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”‘ (Improvement Era, October 1945, p. 564.)” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” p. 15).

I delight in the SLP grad school life.

I want to know how they ever had TIME in grad school to make this movie...but I love it! Check it out! TOTALLY my delight for the day! And I delight even more in the fact that it was Dr. Chapman who sent us the link! My day is complete! :)

I delight in banana muffins.

What happens to bananas that made your sandwich and crackers taste like banana?

What to do with bananas that rotted because you refused to eat them because you were mad at them (for making my lunch taste SO disgusting I couldn't even eat it)?

What to do with rotten bananas?

You turn them in to delicious muffins. Serious--yum!

Its my official delight of today because its pretty much all I've eaten.

But I've enjoyed every bite!

I delight in truth.

"Yes, we have unprecedented mass entertainment and mass communications, but so many lonely crowds. The togetherness of technology is no substitute for the family."

Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

I delight in the coming of a season.

. antique shows . taking down trampolines . christmas store hours . football games .

. daily scarf wearing . end of season garden stock . soup in bread bowls .

. desire for hot chocolate . birthday singing . pie crust purchasing . recipe collecting .

I delight in 100.

This is my 100th delight post!

To celebrate, I'm sharing 10 what I consider to be

Christmas Music Must Haves--

since the last post was all about Christmas music

1. Amy Grant--Home for Christmas

2. Cherie Call--Gifts

3. Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits: 1955 to Present

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

5. A Currier & Ives Christmas - Favorite Holiday Instrumentals

6. Frank Sinatra--A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra

7. The Carpenters--Christmas Portrait

8. Michael McLean--The Forgotten Carols

9. Celine Dion--These Are The Special Times

10. Mormon Tabernacle Choir--any Christmas CD is good!

ha ha...okay i take that back...apparently its only the 83rd post...i just have some drafts saved that i never published so i think its the 100th post. oh well!

I delight in Christmas Music.

I took this picture last week, when it snowed. It was beautiful and it made my heart SO happy. This week, I've had Christmas on the brain (thank you Christin). I've reflected a lot on the past two Christmases I've experienced away from my family. Needless to say they were different than any other Christmases I'd previously experienced. There were things I missed but at the same time, I had a lot of unique experiences--like not worrying about shopping or parties or planning or decorating or school (finals). Basically the 'commercial' part of Christmas was removed from my Christmas experience and was replaced with teaching people about Christ--the real reason for the entire season! It was absolutely amazing.

And so I'm currently brainstorming and pondering what I want this Christmas season to be like. What family traditions I'll get to experience again and figuring out what 'traditions' I started on my mission I want to carry on.

I'll let you know more on that list later. For now I've just got this one:

So as you may or may not know, Canadians celebrate their Thanksgiving in October. So, after Halloween, they don't really have anything holding them back from putting up the Christmas decorations (okay I guess they have Remembrance Day--aw, I wish I had a red poppy!), playing the Christmas music and getting into the Christmas holiday. I've decided I'll stick with the Canadians on that one and start listening to Christmas music now, after Halloween and before Thanksgiving (even before my birthday)!!!

As the song just said...that's the jingle bell rock! :)

I delight in today.

Today I had the opportunity to meet a couple who had experienced a miracle. 7 years ago they were invited by a friend to join a lung study through the University of Utah. They would receive free CT scans and X-rays for 7 years so the researchers could collect data. They had both been former smokers so they figured why not and joined the study.

The first CT scan the husband received revealed he had lung cancer. Fortunately, they had caught it at an extremely early stage that they were able to do surgery, radiation, and 7 years later, he's still in remission and doing very well!

I could tell as they told the story that they still marvel at the miracle it was to find the cancer in such an early stage and that they are so grateful that he is still healthy and alive today.

*********

As I have recently experienced, life can change in an instant. Sitting in the pulmonary oncologists office flooded me with all the emotions I have experienced in the past 2 months since my own Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. Its been a roller coaster but in the same breath I have to say that there has been an undeniable peace through it all. I know the source of that peace has been and continues to be God, my Heavenly Father and His Son, my Savior Jesus Christ. Through His Atonement, everything that is unfair about life can be made right. While I may not know why we've had to experience this, I know that God knows and that's good enough for me. I know He has worked miracles and I'm grateful that I've been able to see so many...its a million little things.

**********

And so, today is an extra beautiful day.

I delight in apples.

picture with sister b and sister b apple picking in nova scotia last year!

apples + ritz stay fresh pack + cheese= saving this grad student from starvation in long classes!

I delight in steps.

God knew where I would walk today. He knew it long ago.

He prepared the path so long ago but its still up to me to decide where I'll go.

Over here or over there, choices choices everywhere.

I may not know the best path, it may be an uphill climb.

But God sees where I'll end up. This truth I know for sure.

And so I'll live so He can guide my feet as I choose to walk.