I delight in dinner.

Tonight, I went home for dinner. I delight in this for many reasons.

First of all, Mom makes better food than I can make for myself.

Second of all, Dad cooked steak...a food I don't think I'll ever cook.

Third, well the pre-dinner entertainment was a little much.

But dinner its self was fabulous once everyone settled on down.

Point of this delight...Family...isn't it about time?

I love when the opportunity comes to spend quality TIME with my family. No where to run off to, no need to rush. Just some quality sitting, eating, talking, and laughing.

I delight in little things.

-Yesterday I saw ducks waddling all over the front yard of this person's house. They didn't have a pond in their front yard, or their back, but the ducks seemed to enjoy the large puddle that had formed from all the water coming out the rain gutter.

-I also had to stop yesterday (in the same neighborhood) for a quail family to return home after a family reunion across the street (okay, maybe that's a stretch), but seriously a whole quail family 20 or so of them all walked across the street while I waited for them.

-I got a free newspaper today!

-I'm going to go to the gym and FHE later.

-I'm writing a card to a dear dear friend tonight.

-Today I found out that I excelled better in some school exams and papers than I thought I would. That's always delightful!

-I finished the Book of Mormon last night. And I took Moroni's challenge and I'm here to tell you...its still true! If you haven't read it, you should. If you've read it, you should pray about it. If you want to know more about what I'm even talking about...click the little yellow "I'm a Mormon" badge on the left of my page!

-Yesterday I saw my Grandpa, Great-great Aunt (is that the term for your Great-grandmother's sister?) and my Aunt Jean (who isn't actually my Aunt, she's my Dad's Aunt. Does that make her my great Aunt? I get all these familial terms confused). Anyway, it was delightful to drive safely down to Utah Valley in the rain and the wind to see family that I love so much!

-I went to bed at 9:30 last night. Maybe it was 10. Either way, it was quality sleep!

-I had a good chat with my Mom today, thanking her for the yummy YUMMY soup she sent home with me!

-Therapy went well! I'm actually coming up with good ideas!!!

-I delight in having a furnace. 62 degrees in my apartment this morning. I'd say that's a little nippy!

-It was POURING all night, everytime I woke up, I loved just lying and listening to it! So peaceful!

-And finally, there was snow on the mountains. So joyous! I tell ya, its the most wonderful time of the year! It starts in October and goes till January! The season makes my heart rejoice!

I delight in mormon messages.

Click the link below link to see the latest mormon message.

Lessons I Learned as a Boy

I delight in gospel garden associations.

this is a wall in my apartment.

Today while walking to church, a woman complaining about having to weeding her garden asked me a question to which I responded, "Well...your labors now will be seen in full fruit (in the form of beautiful flowers) in a later season."

Isn't that the way it is? We do lots of things but get discouraged when we aren't seeing the fruit of our labors. It can be discouraging if we forget the way the Lord works. We can see now in our lives the fruits of past labors and rest assured that in the future we will reap the fruit of our current labors. And with that...I sign off praying that I will see the fruits of my studying labors over fall break in my exam tomorrow!

I delight in the preservation of my sanity.

Things that have recently been preserving my sanity recently:

fall break, colorful leaves, impromptu trip to park city, studying with mary, seeing other people from my program at the library over fall break, my journal, water and thus bathroom breaks, baking, the field houses elliptical machines, starting every day with scripture study, cool air streaming in through my window, uplifting visits with friends, surprise notes on my windshield after 8 hours at the library, watching you've got mail (the perfect fall time movie), happy messages from christin on my phone, prayer, being crafty, picnics, talking to grandpa, keeping my space clean and semi-organized, going to the temple, listening to conference talks, AND turkey and cheese panini's with an apple (the staple of life). :)

I delight in many a mini-miracle.

It was a miracle I got to this place back in 07!

I believe in miracles and today, I was blessed to see a lot of them. It wasn't anything big--literally just a million tiny little things. Being able to concentrate while I studied in the library for a bazillion hours today (yes...thank you fall break). Being able to actually retain what I studied. Getting to talk to a non-member friend about my mission and about the great God of creation (seriously, the circle of willis, yeah God did that!!!). My ipod didn't die while I was exercising after the studying (it was on the red bar for a whole hour). I did not get lost on my way to Costco (like I always do). And finally, I did not die on my trip to Walmart (scary place sometimes). Expect miracles and you will see them.

I delight in following the moon.

Last night I drove back to Salt Lake. Seeing as home is not that far away from Salt Lake, I tend to make the drive late at night. As I drove south on somewhat of an empty freeway, there was a point between 31st street and roy where I got to drive straight toward the moon. A bright crescent moon glowing on the backdrop of a black fall night sky. As I drove I tried to find further significance in following this 'glowing light of the night' and of course, it wasn't too hard to do. I thought about following the light of the world, the Savior and about His doctrine, the doctrine of Christ (as found particularly in 2 Nephi 31, something we discussed at institute this week). I am so grateful for a light to follow, a path to happiness, a way to joy, a place of peace.

"The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is a way of life. It is not for Sunday only. It is not something we can do only as a habit or a tradition if we expect to harvest all of its promised blessings. 'Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap' (Galatians 6:7)."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?" Ensign, Nov. 2007, 20

I delight in an opportunity for growth.

dave, me, cherilyn, and todd

it was amazing to be able to attend the Saturday afternoon session!

Last weekend was General Conference...you may have heard! :)

Since then I have been watching the talks I missed and listening to the talks I LOVED over again! Its been wonderful!

I'm grateful for the opportunity we have to hear from the Brethren. I am even more grateful for the opportunity and ability I have to pray about the things I learn and gain stronger testimony of the principles taught. Conference is an opportunity for growth. And so, it becomes our "walk and talk" for the next 6 months!

Here's links to a few of my favorite talks:

Refections on a Consecrated Life--Elder D. Todd Christofferson

The Transforming Power of Faith and Character--Elder Richard G. Scott

Because of Your Faith--Elder Jeffery R. Holland

I delight in being a running zombie.

Today at This is the Place Monument they held the first night of the running dead 5k.

You could sign up as a survivor or a zombie.

Survivors got a minute head start.

Then the zombies chased them.

People dressed up and decked out. We had our zombie pedigree t-shirts, awesome!

Lindsay was a member of the Donnor Party...hence she's eating me.

And we celebrated Nat's birthday!

It was great to be able to

a. dress up as a zombie, b. run with friends, and c. support cancer research!

I delight in what happened here.

the sacred grove, palmyra, new york

I love the eloquence and pure testimony of the words of President Hinckley as he expressed his testimony of the First Vision.

"The year was 1820, the season spring. The boy with questions walked into the grove of his father's farm. There, finding himself alone, he pleaded in prayer for that wisdom which James promised would be given liberally to those who ask of God in faith. (See James 1:5.) There, in circumstances which he has described in much detail, he beheld the Father and the Son, the great God of the universe and the risen Lord, both of whom spoke to him.

"This transcendent experience opened the marvelous work of restoration. It lifted the curtain on the long-promised dispensation of the fulness of times.

"For more than a century and a half, enemies, critics, and some would-be scholars have worn out their lives trying to disprove the validity of that vision. Of course they cannot understand it. The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. There had been nothing of comparable magnitude since the Son of God walked the earth in mortality. Without it as a foundation stone for our faith and organization, we have nothing. With it, we have everything.

"Much has been written, much will be written, in an effort to explain it away. The finite mind cannot comprehend it. But the testimony of the Holy Spirit, experienced by countless numbers of people all through the years since it happened, bears witness that it is true, that it happened as Joseph Smith said it happened, that it was as real as the sunrise over Palmyra, that it is an essential foundation stone, a cornerstone, without which the Church could not be 'fitly framed together.' "

Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Cornerstones of Our Faith," Ensign, Nov. 1984, 52

I too know "that it happened just as he said it happened" and that that knowledge I gained by the Holy Ghost has made all the difference in my life.

I delight in peace.

palmyra, new york temple

"Diligently doing things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the World."

There are lots of things that pull for our attention and efforts. School, work, family, finances, health conditions, and the list goes on and on. Its not hard to fill our lives with stuff, important or otherwise. In fact, we hardly have to do anything to see our days and our time can get scheduled in and booked up.

While I could go into how this applies to MY life, I'll spare you. Let's just say I've felt really unbalanced lately. However, my delight today is centered in the peaceful reminders from a loving Heavenly Father about balance.

And balance brings peace. And peace makes Erin happy (yes, sometimes I refer to myself in third person).

This weekend I got to watch General Conference. Its a semi-annual meeting in my church when we get to hear from the Prophet of God. It was just what I needed. And just in case what I needed to hear is what you needed to hear...below I shared one of my favorite parts with you! President Uchtdorf is talking about important relationships we need to have:

"First, our relationship with God is most sacred and vital. We are His spirit children. He is our Father. He desires our happiness. As we seek Him, as we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ, as we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spirit, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace, joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God’s eternal plan and keep His commandments.

We improve our relationship with our Heavenly Father by learning of Him, by communing with Him, by repenting of our sins, and by actively following Jesus Christ, for “no man cometh unto the Father, but by [Christ].”¹⁰ To strengthen our relationship with God, we need some meaningful time alone with Him. Quietly focusing on daily personal prayer and scripture study, always aiming to be worthy of a current temple recommend—these will be some wise investments of our time and efforts to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Let us heed the invitation in Psalms: “Be still, and know that I am God."

-----President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Of Things That Matter Most

Peace comes from balance. Balance comes from being wise in how you spend your time. Spending time developing my relationship with God is a wise investment of my time, no matter how busy life is. :)

JOY. Jesus. Others. Yourself.

I delight in a beautiful view.

this picture however...was not the beautiful view i saw today...this was taken sunday at my house

Today I was studying in the institute. Studying there isn't productive unless I'm there with someone else to keep me on task or unless I stick myself in a random corner where there aren't people around to watch.

I digress however...

When I was driving to campus I was thinking the whole time "Boy am I glad I brought an umbrella." The clouds were rolling in over the mountains, it was getting dark and the clouds were looking kind of ferocious...yep...just used ferocious to describe clouds. Hum.

ANYway...so I'm studying.

And I look out the windows from the institute and its one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Fall colors, rich, bold, beautiful, lit up by what I'm sure was an incredible sunset (my view was North and South, not East and West).

It doesn't take long for weather to change.

It doesn't take long for different circumstances in our lives to change.

We must continue in patience.

Things will work together for our good!

We can learn a lot from nature.

I delight in home.

Home will be where the heart is. That's the way Belle puts it in my favorite song from Beauty and the Beast. This (picture above) is my home..."home home".

Granted I have many places I feel at home: the temple, island park, my apt in the aves, in my Grandpa's house, and in various places throughout the martimes.

But "home home" is where you always return to.

Where family is. Where love is.

I delight in delighting.

me enjoying the leaves with the cox's last fall in nova scotia

I'm grateful to have this outlet to share my delights for lots of reasons. Today's reason: I am going CRAZy trying to get Monday's assignment done. Its an article review on Aphasia treatments for a paper I am going to have to write eventually. Its a lot more work than I anticipated and its taking me way too long in my opinion. However...just when I was about to have a meltdown about the whole thing, I remembered something.

"What have I delighted in today?"

And so...I share with you the answer to the question. Today I delighted in the invitation to help someone in need. Its a simple thing but it is truly the delight of my day so far.