Mormon Super Bowl

The weekend of all weekends in the LDS culture hit this week. It's the best time of year, twice of year. We are incredibly blessed to have men and women who are called of God to teach and tutor us for an entire weekend. I feel renewed and uplifted every six months after ten hours of learning from the Lord's called servants.

The beauty of technology and social media gives us quick access to all of the incredible talks and in recent years, making photos of quotes and thoughts from talks has become so common. Here are some of my favorite lines from this General Conference. #ldsconf

my favorite form of media

we all waste time on our phones, mindlessly scrolling through other people's lives. 

sometimes I don't feel bad about it because photos are my favorite. 

photos can take you back to a happy time, a happy place, a happy memory or can have the opposite effect. they can take you back to a difficult time, to heartbreak, to struggles but they can help you realize how far you've come since that photo was taken. 

pictures are my thing. taking pictures, being in pictures, they have the potential to capture everything beautiful about a moment. 

so here are just a very few of my very favorite photos. 

something good in the media

Yesterday, along with the majority of the valley, I had the privilege to attend the Provo City Center Temple dedication. This temple holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. But I love the symbolism behind this building's miraculous transformation from a tabernacle burned to ash into this beautiful House of the Lord.
A few months ago I attended a fireside with the project manager of this new temple. He related this temple to each of us as imperfect beings. This building literally went through the refiners fire as each of us should in this life to become new, clean, pure, and whole again.

I am so very grateful for temples. I cherish the opportunity I have to enter into the House of the Lord and perform sacred ordinances. I am astounded that there are two of these sacred buildings in our very own city. We truly are a blessed people.

good things to come

Two weeks ago, I attended a Saturday evening meeting for Stake Conference. Elder Summerhays of the Seventy was presiding and was the only person on the program for the two hour evening session and it was incredible. I was tutored and taught by the Spirit and received very specific and personal guidance. Elder Summerhays assured us of the future and the many things God had in store for each of us if we keep our covenants and strive to be more like Christ. He explained that we have no need to fear what lies ahead because our future holds more good than we can even prepare for.

His talk reminded me of one of my very favorite Mormon Messages that I go back to so often.
It is a beautiful reminder that our Father in Heaven is aware of what we are going through and although we experience great difficulty and trials, there are good things to come. We can look forward with hope for a brighter future.

bringing families together since 1929

Every February preparations are made, invitations are sent out, candy is bought, ballots are printed, prizes are put on display, and a feast is made in the home of Rose Garner. Since the early 80's Noni (Gramma Rose Garner) has been the event planner of the family. She has always taken every opportunity to get the family together and have a party. 

The Academy Awards are no different. 

It's become a coveted event. Friends, neighbors, boyfriends, girlfriends, and new spouses have all worked their way in and itched for an invite to Noni's annual Oscars party. She goes all out. Candy for correct guesses, prizes for overall winners, and dinner for all. 

Not all see the Oscars as being a family bonding experience but it has been a sacred day in our family since the beginning of time. Regardless of how many of the nominated films we have seen, how educated in film we are, or if we just came for the food and a good time, a celebration is had. The media can destroy a home if you let it, but it can also bring a family together in unity, love, laughter, and happiness. 

parenthood

Years ago I started watching the show Parenthood with my mom but stopped because life got busy and I got distracted with other things. The first day of this class, Parenthood was mentioned by multiple people and it sparked my interest again. So I started it again from the beginning.

Guess what?

Can't stop. 

If you haven't seen it before, it gives you all the feels. Every feeling imaginable, you'll feel it while you're watching this show. Every episode I cry real tears, I laugh out loud, I cringe, I feel everything deep inside me and I think it's because it's real. This show is realistic. It portrays a family that experiences it all. All the difficulties, joys, ups, and downs of life are happening to this family and it is relatable. Makes you feel like you aren't the only one experiencing the roller coaster of life and handling it poorly sometimes.

I understand this show is not real, these characters, this family, their stories aren't real life but it has made me think about their life, their struggles, and their joys as well as my own, in a new light. At times when I watch them go through things I think, if they had the gospel, this trial would have a whole different meaning for them and they'd have a better understanding of 'why'.

We are a blessed people. We are blessed to have the gospel in our lives. To have an eternal perspective. To know that trials don't last forever. To know that the Savior has experienced it all so that our load can be lighter. To know that our families can be together forever. To know the Lord is on our side. To know that this life, and all the lows that come with it are only temporary.

This life is hard. Heaven help us because we can't do it alone.

the choice

I'm becoming so keenly aware of how much I turn to the media for things. For validation, for comfort, for relief, for information. The list could go on and on.

This weekend I came to the realization that I turn to media: movies, music, tv shows to fill emotional holes I have. My younger sister had a birthday this weekend so we planned an afternoon outing to the movie theater to celebrate as sisters. There are a lot of sisters in my family so we decided to stay true to our normal form, be typical girls, and go see the latest Nicholas Sparks movie together.

It's called The Choice.
Here's the trailer in case you haven't heard of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWPM1jTnuuo

It hits you right in the feels. During this movie, every heartbreak I've ever experienced began to resurface. My unrealistic desire for the perfect romance with a cute southern boy came to the forefront of my mind and every imperfection about my love life was staring me in the face.

These stories don't actually happen. Relationships don't form the way they do in these sappy romantic and dramatic films, but we let ourselves believe 'it could' happen to us. Which is what they want us to believe and its the reason why we all continue to go see the movies we could predict the ending to ourselves.

BUT. I don't feel bad about it. I laughed, I cried, I swooned over the southern gentleman, and left hopeful that I too can have my own southern babe.

Love may not always be sunshine, daisies, and chocolate milk, but can be so much more than that. It's deeper than what the media makes of it. It can and will hold more significance in our lives if we let it. There is more than the lustful love we see on screen. We can love eternally and have love that lasts for eternity. I do turn to the media for emotional fills but it is so much more important to turn to the Lord, to the gospel, and to my Father in Heaven. He understands far better than any music artist or movie director what I think and feel and can fill the holes in my heart and head better than anything else. It's a choice we make.

{the big five-oh}

Recently, I have been evaluating much of what I do in my life and looking for "the why" in it all. Digging deeper to the root of things to really understand where my actions, thoughts, and feelings come from.
...and this was no different when I got thinking about Super Bowl 50.

Am I a fan of the NFL? Not really.
Do I religiously watch throughout the season? No. 
Am I more concerned about the funny commercials than the game? Maybe.
Do I usually come for the food? Yes.

We watch the Super Bowl. We've always watched the Super Bowl. My family religiously follows college football but never have any of us really been that invested into a professional sports team. But you better believe every February you'll find our family gathered and watching the game and commercials on Super Bowl Sunday. 

What is it about the Super Bowl that makes us {me} do this? I understand there are plenty of people who really love the NFL and are actually super into it, which isn't me, but I wouldn't miss it for anything. I will admit that this year was a little different because I actually was cheering for the Panthers and felt the need to be loyal to my mission city {Charlotte, NC} and their team who usually isn't fantastic.

Does our society pressure us into pretending like we care about these things? Our peers? The media in general? I honestly believe we all have a little bit of fomo {fear of missing out} deep down inside each of us which drives the ship, causing us to participate in things we honestly do not care that much about to insure we aren't missing out on
something big. This goes for far more than just the Super Bowl.

But I will say, I laughed at the commercials, yelled because of a few fumbles, ate my share of chips and treats, and spent quality time with the people I care the most about.

Go Panthers.

confessions of a bachaholic

Preface:
I was extremely dedicated to this show my freshman year of college and even got my saint of a roommate to indulge in trashy reality tv with me. I served a mission, and when I returned, this show was still a hot topic, but my interest in tv was lacking.

Fast forward to 2016 and this girl sees this ad and I couldn't help but smile. Because I secretly knew deep down inside, that I was about to turn back into the reality tv crazed fool I was before.

Why do we do this? Why do I do this? What is it about these tv shows that sucks us in and gets us quick like a fur trapper?

+the competition+

who doesn't love good competition? and not only do they trap us with the competitive nature of the show, but the things they are competing for is what hooks the rest of us, the hopeless romantics. 

L-o-v-e. Love. Love. Love. 

One thing we all want and hope to have a lifetime full of. We watch as 28 women fight to the {emotional} death in hopes to win over heart throb, Ben H. They live in what they believe is a reality full of extravagant dates, world travels, and romantic background music while they spend 9 weeks hoping and wishing Ben falls in love with them and only them. 

In all honestly, it's unhealthy. Six of us sit around every Monday night and laugh and cry and scream to all that occurs in two hours of reality tv. We "oooo" and "ahhh" over dates, connections, and Ben's cute face and build up expectations for what we hope our courtship and marriage to be. 

These shows take us away to a different place, far from our reality and causes us to wish and hope for similar things. 

When in all reality, the realest thing about reality tv is that is the furthest thing from reality. 

a show for the masses

On the first day of class, Dr. Coyne asked each of us to go around and introduce ourselves by sharing our favorite TV show. Until recent months, I wasn't one who would binge watch tv shows or get lost in the young adult fan fair over the same five shows. But I am now that girl. Instead of being the girl that listed the typical show as a favorite, I shared one of my all time favorite shows that I have been a fan of for years.

Castle. This show isn't one that many people have gotten hooked on, let alone heard of but it has always been my favorite. When I was in high school, this show became a bonding experience for our family. Everyone loved it and every week after family home evening, we would all gather around the tv at 9pm and indulge in our favorite show and characters.
I love this show because it makes you think, but it is different from the normal murder mystery television shows. There's humor, crime, love, and lessons learned in every episode and if you haven't watched it, it's time to give it a chance.