Poetry and Light

I just felt so grateful for the chance to get to watch conference this weekend at the Institute building with some of the members from the two singles ward here. I got to know some members in my ward a bit better-- we spent most of the day together, watching all 4 sessions of conference and then spending the 2 hours inbetween each session together, there, in the building. I just became so grateful for the light that I have been given-- that WE have been given, since each of you reading this has been given the light of the true gospel from our loving Heavenly Father as well. Each of my questions that I had "prepared" before conference (and prayed would be answered through the messages) were indirectly or directly answered through the messages shared. The feeling was so wonderful to get to sit and listen to the beaaautiful, enriching and fulfilling music, and to the powerfully delivered messages from our leaders, that were delivered in the simple and sweet power of the spirit of the Lord. I really felt so much peace as soon as the first session began. I was able to feel the spirit immediately, and it touched me so much. It felt like home :), and almost made me homesick for a bit! But then the spirit became regular here for me too. I realized that though I am missing so much of what I have in Utah (all of you!) and the beauty and opportunities there, this is still the place for me to be- to grow and to learn, to expand and share my talents, and to learn lessons and grow in ways that will help me be prepared for greater blessings and calls from the Lord in the future. I am so grateful for the truths that I have been given, and am so grateful for my parents who have taught it to me through so many of their words and their example. I see so much of what they do-- their hard work day by day, the forgiveness they have shown to many-despite very hard things, on many occasions, the love that they give to me and my sisters and brother (and brother in law!) daily through thoughtful efforts and phone calls and so on, on our behalf. I have also learned so much from my dear sisters-- I love you both SOOOO much, and just can't even express how much I do. You both mean so much to me, and I really learn from your strengths. I hope you see what wonderful gifts you give to me through your examples and who you are inside. I love you both.

I just wanted to type some of my feelings out after conference, and share how touched I was by the messages that were shared. We are so blessed to know what we know, and I hope we will share our testimonies with eachother often, as well as share them with others so that we can help bring others into the arms of our loving Savior. I hope we all know what we have, and know where to turn for peace and forgiveness and love and JOY. It is through Christ, and coming unto him through reading the scriptures, sincere prayer, and showing love to others. I studied some today about how to feel love for others, and it was by humbly trying to keep the commandments. It was a great verse. I was also touched by another verse someone read to me yesterday-- D&C 112:10. It says "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to they prayers." Isn't that a wonderful promise? I hadn't ever really though much about it that way, but in it we ARE promised that if we are truly humble, the Lord will lead us by the hand (what a tender thought) and he WILL give us answer to our prayers. I just thought that was beautiful.

Anyways, one other thing that I wanted to do in this post, was to post two poems that I wrote, that I kind of thought of during Conference. Keith wanted to write down one of the lines from them anyways, so here you go. They were poems I had to write for a class, and they had to be based off another quote or scripture. They are both off the same verse, because one was just a re-write of sorts, of the first one. So here you go!

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In Your Midst

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"But behold, verily, verily,

I say unto you that

mine eyes are upon you.

I am in your midst

and ye cannont se me."

D&C 38:7

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No seen, oh Lord,

But felt.

Glorious Light splicing through tree brances

Ascending on he whose eyes look up.

Warmth, on the back

Of even he who bends

Down to labor in the earth.

The Living Water and Sun to plants

That toil to grow in stony places.

The Foundation of our soles

That stand, our God,

With thee alone.

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Though we lift our heads but slowly

To behold thy face

Our hearts and spirits cannot

But feel thy grace.

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Okay, and how here is the second one, based off the same verse:

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Silence

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Soft touches of snow are falling,

And the valey is quiet below.

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The cattle stand close to one another,

Pressing old snow to ice with hard hooves.

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Brailled gray branches hold the weed-restings of

Three early-hatched brown sparrow chicks.

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Listen--

And you can hear their light chirpings clearly

Through the still air.

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And there, not far below the new hill's covered crest,

Sits Jordan Mann, with his parcel set gently in the snow.

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His eyes watch the white flakes

Drifting in their earthbound course.

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He waits for the sun to rise, to fill the gap

Between the distant rock and sky

With deep red light.

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So there you have them! I just hope you all know how much I love you! I can't wait to see you at the end of the month! love, me.