Earth right after Rain

I woke up to the soft pattering of rain on my window. I love rain! So I sat on the floor in front of my sliding glass window this morning as I studied the scriptures to enjoy it. The church bells from down the street announced the start of the Easter service, and in my heart rang out the lyrics to one of my favorite primary songs:


I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain.
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

I know when I am baptized, my wrongs are washed away.
And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can, and live with God again.

He is risen! Today I celebrate that He lives! I can't say or type those words without smiling and feeling something overwhelming. Because He reigns I can be clean and become like Him. Because He reigns I can live again. Heaven be thanked for His matchless life and atoning sacrifice for all. 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Fender Mender

Upon arriving at my car in the metro lot, the girl next to me was backing out. Soon I heard an audible crunch. She had backed into a car who was also backing out from the other side. Jumping out of her car, she yelled in anger, "Can't you see when someone is backing out!" I thought she must have been angry with herself because clearly she was at fault, she had hit the side of the car that was already mostly out. With irritation in her voice I was afraid to see what would go down. However, the gentleman in the other vehicle quickly rushed out and without looking at his own car, ran to her to ask her if she was ok. She, like me, did not appear to have been expecting this response. Stammering "yes" she paused then asked him if he was ok. The tone of the exchange completely changed. They surveyed the damage. It was no small dent in his car while her SUV showed no sign of the accident. After examining their vehicles for a minute the man said, "I'm not worried about this, how is your car?" She looked at him in a way that almost suggested she was suspicious, wondering, like me, why he was so ok with the situation. She said her car was fine. They shook hands and both entered their vehicles to drive away.

I stood in awe at that gentleman who cared more for an individual, a stranger no less, than for an object, and not a cheap one at that. His fender was bent but voice was never raised. With a single question he fizzled frustration and mended anger. A situation that would have otherwise ruined someone's day, made my day. People are good! With so much ugly publicized its easy to be skeptical and expect the worse of others like I did today, expecting a firestorm between these two drivers. But people really are good. I hope to be more like this gentleman and care more for someone else than myself or my things.

"This kind of miracle can happen and will happen when there is kindness, respect, and love. Why do any of us have to be so mean and unkind to others? Why can’t all of us reach out in friendship to everyone about us? Why is there so much bitterness and animosity? It is not a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ....There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us."

Pres Gordon B Hinkley

“There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.”

Crowds all over the world gathered this last week to celebrate women. I wonder if they would have known women like the woman I celebrate today if those gatherings would have been different, or if the type of woman they celebrated might have been different.

Today I celebrate a woman who was kind, obedient, strong, influential, funny, strict, and steadfast. A woman who was brave and tenacious. A woman who I barely knew before her Alzheimer's and a woman I grew to love so much in-spite of it and because of it.

She couldn't remember my name, who I was, what I was doing with my life or little details like that but what she could remember was telling of the woman she was: She remembered that there is a God who loves us and requires us to be good (something I think much of the world has forgotten). She remembered she could return to Him and see her parents again. She remembered to teach me and remind me over and over about the importance of getting married to the right man, in the right place, at the right time. She remembered (maybe only in word) that the Sabbath day was her favorite day. She remembered to share and to give (even if I was allergic to the candies she always wanted to share with me and if she'll never have that $1000 dollars she promised me haha). She remembered to surround herself with beauty like flowers, pearl necklaces, peace, and my sisters-in-law :). She remembered to accentuate the positive eliminate the negative and to not mess with Mr. In-between. She remembered how to dance, how to laugh...and she remembered that every meal should end with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


I watched her once a couple years ago, after listening with me to a talk online about the importance of studying the Book of Mormon, pick up a copy and start to slowly read it aloud. I know it didn't make sense to her and after a few minutes she forgot why she was doing it but what a beautiful glimpse into her testimony of living prophets, obedience, and scripture study.

She's home now, she made it! A truly remarkable woman. What I would give to be a fly on the walls of paradise this morning and witness that sweet reunion. She is a true light and I will love her forever. Grandma, see you on the other side!

Lighting The World

Several years ago I remember waking up early to pick a friend up from the airport. Around 4am I pulled on to the highway to drive the 45 min up to Salt Lake with only a handful of other drivers to keep me company. I occasionally used my brights navigating around the more icy parts of the road. When coming around point of the mountain I looked over at these neighborhoods that I could see clearly from my spot in the slow lane. They were so well lit I could see each house, its color and general shape and all the vehicles in the streets and driveways. I'm not a particular energy saver except when it comes with saving money so it was a little bit of a surprise to find myself thinking why don't we just turn those street lights off? What a waste. No one is awake except me. What would we want our neighborhoods lit all night?

Why would we want those lights on all night? I think they make us feel safe. If for just a moment we cut the power to that street it would be the same. No boogey men would jump out of the bushes or like that last song used in Disney's original Fantasia...you know where demons and freaky ghosts all come out at night (seriously nightmares as a kid, why would they put that in the same Disney film where we find Mickey and dancing hippos?). That just doesn't happen because its dark. But I guess the light makes us sure those things aren't happening. Light in this case smothers the fear of the unknown and unseen. Light helps us to see more clearly. With it comes the feelings of warmth and comfort. These feelings and brightness we could use a little more today.

Today marks the beginning of the Christmas Season, a season of lights celebrating the Light of the World. Instead of wanting this light off to save energy, I hope to add to it this Christmas and be a little more like the Son. Merry Christmas! Here's to things being a little more brights