Livi's Logic #15

I've been learning a lot about myself lately.  I have so many things I want to improve, but I feel good about who I am trying to become.  I want to be the "she" in this quote.  

Letter to Tess

I wrote this email to Tess tonight and I decided it was actually a pretty fun recap of my last two days. It's kind of like my whole life--fun, weird, and a little crazy mixed in with some spiritual. Plus I really use my own voice when I write to Tess, so it's just more me :) 

Dear Tessa, 

  I ate duck embryo tonight. Seriously. It was actually a lot like an egg, but it was kind of like a soft boiled egg and kind of gross... I'm probably not going to eat that again... On the plus side, it involved a fun night at the boulevard. The boulevard is this brick laid path right by the ocean. On Friday nights there's live bands and everything and it's just so fun! I loved it! We also had some squid rolls and tempura there at the street stand, and they were very good! We ended the night with desert at an actual restaurant called Sans Rizal and I ordered this delicious lemon lime cake stuff. Not as good as I was hoping, but still very yummy! 

  While we're on the topic of food, there are these two drinks here that are to die for! Both of them are actually fairly healthy! One is a Buko shake which is a coconut shake. They just put in evaporated milk, a bunch of fresh coconut meat, ice, water, and wala! Deliciousness! My favorite though, which will be served at my wedding is called mixed fruit. It's a lot like that drink the Tonga's make, but instead of grating the fruit, you cut it into chunks and you put the watermelon, apples, bananas, and papaya all in the same drink. Then you just add some milk and cream. Seriously so good! I have one or the other of these drinks almost every day. 

   More food stuff...haha we eat shrimp a couple of times a week and I love it! It's SO cheap here! I think the last shrimp we bought was like 35 pesos per kilo, which is about 70 cents per kilo! It's a steal and it is SO fresh! Anyways, I'm eating delicious food here, and I can't wait to hear about all your fave Argentina foods :) Get the recipes! 

  Anyways, I just had to tell you about the duck embryo cause I'm still kind of freaked out about it?! Haha I hope you're having the best day, and when you're served something super sketch down there, just think about your brave sissy who is actually a sissy, but is trying to be brave and do cool stuff. 

  Anyways for reals this time! Haha I love you and I pray for you every day. I know prayer works and I know you're doing what's right. The Lord loves you. I went to an institute class here last night and we talked about the Atonement. I don't know what was different last night (maybe cause I was relying more on the spirit than the language), but I really realized how selfless Christ was. We made a list on the board of the reasons Christ preformed the Atonement and all of the reasons were for us. I was just filled with overwhelming gratitude and had a huge awakening at how I need to be SO much more selfless. I need to put others desires and needs first. I need to be more compassionate. I need to do what the Lord wants. (The list could go on and on and on...) On the way home I got to thinking about you and how selfless your choice to serve a mission was. You didn't necessarily want to go, but you wanted to do what the Lord needed you to do. So Christ-like. You decided to go and try to help others come closer to their Savior. So Christ-like.  You decided to leave the ordinary life and go into the unpredictable, putting your life in God's hands. Once again, so Christ-like. 

  Well Tess, you're my hero, and for reals this time, I'm ending this letter! Haha I love you a lot and I hope you're having the best day! If not, I hope this brightens it :) You're my best example and I love ya! Buena suerte con el español!! 

Con amor, Livi :)

"Como un niño pequeñito"

Tonight Tessa planned an awesome FHE "Banana Boats and The Book of Mormon."  So, we made banana boats and shared one of our favorite scriptures from The Book of Mormon.  Everyone's scriptures were so good!  (Imagine that...haha!)  When Tessa told me that this is what we were doing I immediately remembered a scripture I had read in El Libro de Mormon three days earlier.  I had been reading in 3 Nephi when Christ is talking to the people in the America's before he appears to them.  Chapter 9 verse 22 really stuck out to me.  Maybe it was because I finally understood a whole verse, but I just loved it.  I read, "Por tanto, al que se arrepintiere y viniere a mí como un niño pequeñito, yo lo recibiré, porque de los tales es el reino do Dios.  He aquí, por éstos he dado mi vida, y la he vuelto a tomar; así pues, arrepentíos y venid a mí, vosotros, extremos de la tierra, y sed salvos."   

Today I went and read it in English.  "Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God.  Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."  

First of all, this verse stuck out to me because I am an Elementary Ed major and I love kids.  I think about them all day.  At the start of the verse it says to come unto Him as a little child.  I can not think of any group of people more pure and Christlike than kids.  They are so innocent and they just want to do good.  They truly are closer to God, and I'm so glad I'm going to be able to surround myself with them everyday.  

The second part that stuck out to me was when it said, "for such I have laid down my life..."  Christ died for us that we could have the chance to repent and live with Him again.  He knew that we were going to make mistakes.  None of us are perfect, but He was willing to pay the price so that we could all return to live with our Heavenly Father again.  

I love my Savior.  I know that I can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again, but only through the Atonement.  I am far from perfect, but He helps me out all the time.  Almost daily I am able to have an experience with the Spirit, just like the one I shared above.  It's moments like that where I truly feel His love for me, not only from the sacrifices He made for me as He atoned for my sins, but the love He still has for me as He cheers me on and helps me out each day during this journey here on earth.   

He's Aware

I've been thinking a lot lately about how God is aware of us.  He loves us.  He knows our hearts.  He wants to help us.  Every day, God lets me know that he cares.  Sometimes I notice His hand, sometimes I don't.  I noticed His intervention in my life one day while I was in Peru.

It was my first Sunday in Peru.  I had decided to go to church with the Gavancho's (a connection with the Thornock's), which required me to go across town to the chapel.  Eunice had given me the address to the chapel and I had just caught a cab because I didn't feel too comfortable with the bus system yet.   Church was from 2-5, and then I decided to talk to the bishop about getting my records transferred and setting up a time for a temple recommend interview so I could go to the temple when I visited Lima.  When I got out of the church around 6 o'clock, it was dark.  I was as good as lost, in a foreign city, and I was feeling a little panicked.  Regardless, I went to go and catch a cab to get me back to my house.  Just about every car was a cab, but being a blonde American in Peru, I was strongly advised to only take legitimate cabs.  It was getting later and later, and I could not get one to stop for me.  I was getting pretty frustrated when two sweet girls came over to me and asked me if I needed help.  In my broken Spanish I explained to them that I just needed to get home.  They asked me where I lived, and said that it would almost be impossible to find a cab in this area to take me there at this time of night.  But, they said they knew a couple of buses that would take me to a plaza right close to there.  I was so relieved!  So, I thanked them a ton, hopped on the bus, and started the ride back toward Arcopata.  

The bus was standing room only, and as I stood there, I was feeling pretty discouraged.  I had felt so sure about my decision to come down to Peru, and now the only thing I felt sure of was that I was going to die down here!  That's when a kind lady started talking to me.  Even with my limited Spanish, I was able to understand everything she said, and I was able to come up with what to say back.  Through my conversation with this sweet lady, my spirits were lifted.  As I got off the bus and finished the walk to my house, I was lucky enough to realize that I had just seen the hand of God in my life.  Those two girls were prompted to come and help me.  That lady on the bus was inspired to talk to me.  I was blessed to be able to understand her and have a conversation with her.  Even though I was far away from home, I was able to see my Heavenly Father's hand in my life that evening. 

I know He is helping me every single day.  He is there, and He is aware of each one of us.  

To: Dads

Dads are great.  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by men who are great dads.  

Let's start with my neighbors.  Everyday as I ride my bike down the street I see at least one dad out playing with his kids.  The kids are laughing and running, shooting hoops or throwing a baseball.  Making memories with their dads.   It just warms my heart.  

Next comes my bosses and people I've had a chance to work with.  I get to be around these men without their kids, and they still speak so highly of them.  Sometimes they're frustrated with their kids choices, sometimes they don't know what to do, but they're always proud of them.  When they are with their kids they are always trying to make the most of their time.  They are trying to be the best dads they can be.  I know these men love their kids.  

My life just wouldn't be complete without my brothers.  I have three who CHOSE to join our family?!  As well as two who are stuck with us by default.  Four out of five of them are dads now, and they are awesome at it.  They are always supporting their kids in their activities, taking them camping and fishing, teaching them to ride bikes, spending quality time with them, and just being good examples.  My neices and nephews are pretty dang lucky.

Grandpas.  Grandpas are like dads on steroids.  They know SO much and have the best stories.  Nothing quite compares to a grandpa's laugh either.  I've been blessed with two incredible grandpas--one who has passed on and one who is still here.  Both are great men who love their kids, grandkids, wives, and most importantly, the Lord.  Because of their faith and diligence, my family can be together forever.  

Being able to associate with all of these dads now, as an adult, has shed a little more light on to just how much my dad loves me.  I have spent countless hours with my dad--around the dinner table, family scriptures, in the gym, in the mountains, in the car, at the school, in the garden, and the list could go on and on...  He's been frustrated with me.  He's been proud of me.  Most importantly, he's loved me.  

So, on this beautiful day in June, I just want to say thank you to all the dads.  You're awesome, and you're all influencing my life in more ways than you know.  

Livi's Logic #12

When I think of the most beautiful people in my life, it's those that are constantly finding the best in others.  I'm so lucky to live with some awesome girls that are always finding the best in others.  It's contagious!  So, here's to finding the beauty in others, so that I too can be a beautiful person.  

My Word

Last year I decided to approach New Year's resolutions a little differently.  I picked one word, and tried to make it one of my character traits by the end of the year.  So, at the end of December I asked my older sisters which word they think I worked on.  After a little prodding they finally guessed my word: Kind.  It was so great for me to focus on being kind to everyone.  I recognized that when I was kind to others I was able to see them as Children of God.  Being kind is still something I need to work on every single day.  

  

Well, this year I've picked another word to add to Kind.  This year is going to be more of a struggle for me, but I feel like this word is perfect for me.  It came to me while I was attending Institute, so it has to be inspired, right?! :)  Hopefully by trying to change myself a little bit each day, I'll become a better person.  

I've had some good talks with one of my roommates, Rachel, about how we need to be constantly changing.  Not necessarily changing our likes or dislikes, our personality or our appearance, but we need to be changing by improving ourselves.  To become more Christlike we need to make small changes daily.  We need to be more willing to heed promptings from the Spirit.  We need to prioritize a little better than the day before.  We need to smile more than the day before.  Luckily for me, I'm surrounded by people that make me want to make the right kind of changes.  They make my want to become a better person.  So, here's to a great year, full of changes for good :)

Livi's Logic #10

It will make us all happier if we just look for the good in others.  Then help them see the good in themselves.  You never know what a kind word can do.  

Livi's Logic #9

I love this.  It's true.  We all make mistakes.  We're human.  So be nice to those who do make mistakes because sooner or later you're going to be on the other end.  

Endings.

One of my least favorite things are endings.  Right now I'm facing some of them, and it's kinda killing me.  I'm not good at them.  I've know this ending was going to be coming for quite some time now, so I've been trying to prepare myself for it.  One of the things that helped me was this quote by Buddha.  

So, obviously this isn't the end of my life or anything, but I think this can apply to us all the time.  I'm trying to love all the things I'm doing as well as all of those around me.  I'm trying to live without stress.  I'm trying to not get mad or frustrated about the things that I'm having to let go.  Thanks for the advice, Buddha.  

I also was able to receive some comfort and advice from General Conference.  I didn't remember hearing this quote, but Mary told me it reminded her of me.  It's perfect!  

This is the ending of my time in Provo for a while, but it's not the end of the friendships I've made with people, the memories I've shared, or the lessons I've learned.  So, instead of looking at this time as an ending, I'm going to look at it as a BEGINNING.  Doesn't that sound so much better?!

Another great talk that gave me a new perspective on this change was a talk by Bishop Gary E. Stevenson.  He asked us: 

I got thinkin', and I realized that my summer is just like four minutes of my life.  It's going to go by so fast and I AM going to make the most of it.  I'm going to do good things with those four minutes.  It's going to be great!  

So, enough about sad endings.  I'm just going to look forward to the new beginnings :)

Livi's Logic #6

Some pretty sound advice.  If you don't like what's happening with your life, change it.  We're all in charge of our own happiness :)  

Livi's Logic #5

I love my parents.  The problem is that sometimes I take them for granted.  I saw this quote a couple of days ago and I decided I need to do a better job of making my time with my parents count.  

This weekend I was able to spend quite a bit of time with my parents.  I went to the state basketball tournament where my dad was coaching his high school girls' basketball team.  Tess and I stayed with my parents and had a grand ol' time!  His girls did so great and pulled out an upset in the semifinals to play in the championship game Saturday afternoon.  They played so well but ended up taking second.  I'm still so proud of them!  

Mom, Tessa, Violet, Sedona and I got to do some shopping and swimming and sit together at the games.   We had so much fun just being together and visiting about life.  It was so great!  My mom is just so loving.  I know she cares about me so much and I love being with her.  Nothing makes my day more perfect than a being with my mom.  She's the bookkeeper for the team, so she travels with them and my dad.  I thought it might end when Tess was graduated, but she still keeps going!  She loves going and watching the girls and supporting my dad.  

I had a lot of great moments this weekend, but my favorite one was with my dad.  It was pretty personal, so without going into too much detail, Dad basically told Tess and I how he knew we had worked so hard to be the best we could be and how bad he wanted us to accomplish our goals.  I almost cried.  My dad's not a one to dish out compliments or really tell us that he's proud of us.  I just always pretend he is :)  So, this moment had a big impact on me and I am so glad I was there to support him in his coaching.  He loves basketball, and he loves these girls.  They work hard and he was so proud of them this weekend. 

Summer's just around the corner, and I'm heading home!  I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous…  I feel like I'm heading into social Siberia.  I have great friends here and it seems like something is always going on!  When I head home there's going to be like no one my age!  I've been kinda bummed about this and wondering what I'm going to do.  Even Tessa is going to be gone!  I've never spent a summer home without at least 2 of my siblings home.  This week though, I decided it's going to be awesome!  I'm going to get some quality time with my parents.  I'm excited to spend some time with just us three.  Hopefully they don't get too sick of me bugging them about doing stuff with me…  I guess it'll keep 'em young :)  

Anyways, so all of you out there, love your parents.  They need us.  They need our friendship.  They need our love.  Just like we need theirs.  

Livi's Logic #4

Mother Teresa has been one of my heroes since 7th grade.  In English class we had to write an essay about one of our heroes.  This hero couldn't be a family member and had to be someone we could look up facts about on the internet.  I didn't really have any heroes at the time besides my family, so I asked my mom who would make a good hero.  She told me about quite a few people and the things that they had done, but Mother Teresa won.  The more information I found about her, the more I grew to love her.  She was an amazing lady.  She truly lived her life in the service of others.  This is one of my favorite quotes from her.  

Don't worry so much about what others think.  The Lord knows your heart.  And really, that's all that matters.  

Livi's Logic #3

I know Heavenly Father loves me, and I know He loves all of you too.  

He is our comforter and our best friend.  

Turn to Him.  

Calm

Looking back at the past week and a half I have been so blessed to feel calm.  When I step back, I really don't have that crazy of a life.  It's busy, but busy is good, and I know most of you would LOVE to be in my shoes as a college student.  It's a great life!  Anyways, I've had a couple of situations the past week that I've been able to feel calm about when it seems I should have been nervous. 

First, when I returned to school on Monday night I had to face the realization that I hadn't looked at anything that was going on the coming week.  When I finally sat down and took a peek at how the week was going to be I found out I had a LOT to accomplish.  All week I was able to be calm and just do one thing at a time.  I know the Lord was helping me remain calm so that I could get everything done.  

Then, I was driving home from skiing at Sundance on Saturday.  It had been snowing ALL day and I didn't get out of there until about 3:45.  I have a front wheel drive car and I was driving down a steep, windy, snowy canyon road.  I was fishtailing everywhere!  No matter what I did, I could not get my car to go slow enough.  This whole time I felt so calm.  I thought my hands would be gripping the steering wheel, my body leaned forward, and that I would be freaking out!  Even when I ended up stopping completely sideways across the road stopping traffic in both directions I was able to remain calm, get back in my lane and keep on.  I know that I was being watched over that day not only in safety, but in sanity.  

Finally, there's finals.  I feel like so many people around me are stressing out over finals.  I can not tell you how glad I am that I'm not?!  It's not cause I feel super prepared either, cause I'm definitely not.  Right now I'm just thankful that finals are one of the biggest worries on my mind.  There are so many people out there who have so much on their plate and so many matters that have much greater effects on their lives than final exams.  Now, I'll definitely be relieved when they're over, but for now I'm just glad I get to take them!

I know stress is a real thing and so many people deal with some bad anxiety.  I count being able to be calm as a blessing.  It's just another way the Lord lets me know He loves me. :) 

Livi's Logic #2

I need to keep this in mind.  Instead of always thinking about myself, I need to think about others.  God sent me here to help others.

Livi's Logic #1

So I've got a bucket (okay, just a small folder on my desktop...) full of quotes that I love and really believe in.  So I'm going to start inserting them randomly as "Livi's Logic."  Hopefully they'll inspire you, uplift you, make you think, or just straight up make ya laugh!  Anyways, here's numero uno :)

  

A Different School

Today I started an intro to Special Education class.  When I walked through the door at 2:00 I had no idea what I was getting into.  

We did normal first day things like syllabus, learning suite and a kajillion questions.  Then the teacher told us to take out our Book of Mormons.  Many iPhones were grabbed, computers, and other smart devices, but I was lucky enough to have my scriptures with me from my D&C class this morning (there's just something about that hard copy...).  She asked us to turn to 3 Nephi 17: 5-11.  I always thought that Jesus called the children first when he can the America's but it was the sick, the blind, the halt, and the leprous.  Those who tend to be the most Christlike (in my opinion).  Then he called the children.  We then watched this video showing the miracles Christ preformed. 

I can't describe the feeling that was in that room, but I know I was holding back the tears.  I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to gain an education to become an elementary teacher.  I feel blessed that I get to receive that education here, at BYU.  There are so many great schools out there that I would love, that could teach me how to be an awesome teacher and give me amazing experiences!  But in how many universities could I open my scriptures, read a passage out loud, and then watch a video about Christ to set the stage and the purpose of the class.  That is one thing I love about BYU.  It's different.

Well Said Mr. Kutcher, Well Said

So I've always had prophets and apostles to give me guidance and advice as a teenager (besides family and friends), but lots of kids don't have that.  I feel like Mr. Kutcher said it perfectly.  Thank you very much.  

Life

I was walking to move water at a lawn I take care of, and I looked up at the sunset.  It was perfect.  I love summer, I love sunsets, I love perfect days.  There's so much to be grateful for.  Today I have been reminded how precious life is.  Don't wait to be happy.  Treasure every moment.  Strengthen your relationships with people.  Live your life to the fullest.  Appreciate the little things, cause we only get one chance here. 

--Advice from a 20 year old...take it for what it's worth.