What is this life?
This weekend has been adventurous! Like, really adventurous! I will let you know about it. Just today I went back to the Provo Latin festival. Hermana Taylor and I heard there would be ZUMBA, so of course we had to return. Well, the unexpected happened. To participate in ZUMBA you had stand in front of the a huge audience and dance on stage. I ain't got the talent for that!
But that is what we came for. So we came. We saw. We conquered.... Well not quite. But at least all the great dancers whom have it in their blood could laugh at your returned missionary attempts and latin Zumba. Picture to follow:
Then we went "downtowning" (yes I just invented that word, #patentpending) looking for some vinyl records... Which are surprising hard to find. I left center street record-less. But any who I still had lots of fun. We found an upscale DI and tried on four crazy dresses. Take a gander :)
Sorry, not sorry, that this next part might not make sense.
Have you ever felt like the whole universe is telling you one thing? Everywhere I look, everything seems to be hinting towards the same idea. It is amazing. But here is the tough part... I haven't been listening. But I just might start.
To add to the universe speaking to me, an archived email from my mom spoke to me too, saying the same thing. When I came home from my mission my email had 1,897 emails. I've been slowly trying to delete them all... Finally today I did! But whilst clicking delete on all of them, one of my mum's emails to me caught my attention. Read it here:
"
Dear Emma,
I deeply enjoyed reading your answers to the Life Themes and Dreams Assignment. I believe you have a clear understanding of the strengths you bring with you to whatever you pursue. Albert Einstein said, "I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious." I believe many would disagree with Albert stating that he had no special gifts. We can easily see the special gifts Mr. Einstein enjoyed. Also, we are glad he was passionately curious. As Maddi Brooks a BYU student home from BYU for the summer said in her talk in Sacrament Meeting last week, "Too often we ignore our strengths and down play them." I believe she is right. That is why I like this assignment you have been given. It helps you recognize your strengths and how you can use them to achieve something miraculous in your life and in the world. Also, because you are wise enough to do as President Ezra Taft Benson said and "put God first in your life and everything else will either fall into place or fall away," you will be led toward those things that you should do.
You have other interests that have been life-long that you barely addressed. Your love of Dolphins that led you to seek what you needed to do to become a Dolphin Trainer while you were still elementary school age. Then focusing on the directive that it was imperative to have good grades has blessed you to achieve that goal. You have had rich experiences. Teachers bring their wealth of knowledge and experiences into play as they interact with students. Experiences like swimming with and training dolphins for a day, will be fuel to feed the minds of little ones you work with. Remember when you met another child who did not even know what dolphins were and was having a hard time believeing they were real? That is when I believe you began to realize how blessed you were with rich experiences. I also advise you to continue to pursue your music. Music is a universal connector with people. Continue to be a person who loves to learn and loves to do your best in every endeavor and you will have much to offer the world. Remember, "what the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve," --Napoleon Hill
Finally, I know that you are motivated by a deep desire to do nice things for people and that you have a strong moral code. Maddi also quoted Michelangelo being asked about how the carved, he replied, "I saw the angel in the marble and I just set him free." I loved your tender concern for Brandon, your Seminary Buddy in our Special Needs class. You connected with him and communicated with him through empathy and sign language when many were nervous helping someone who was non-verbal and wheel-chair bound. You noticed that his eyes were his world and communicated to his soul through them. This ability to connect heart-to-heart will take you far. I am also delighted that you love the past, for without the ability to study and learn from the past, we are bound to make the same mistakes as those who have gone before and we would rather just build on their strengths.
Good luck to you as you build your future. You already have a great foundation"
Now I have plans to do just that. I will let you know shortly my great life plan! Just you wait!
