Today Was Cool

I went to class. And then Friday happened! 

On a scale from 1-10, today was AWESOME. 

(Or it might just be the endorphins) 

I went on my first trail run of the season! The struggle was a bit real, with tons of ice demonizing my parhway. But it was enjoyable nonetheless. Here are some pictures: 

And then I got to sit on the floor of the gymnastics meet where the broadcasting board sits. That meet was so cool to watch! I am so impressed by people (and impressed with my ability to find myself in cool places) 

Took a stealthy selfie to commemorate. 

This is EmRo

This is EmRo

She likes her hair best when it is a mess.

She would rather have twenty people in her room hanging out than having them leave when it is time for her to go to bed. 

If she is in her room and her music isn't playing, she probably is dead. 

She knows how to make horchata. 

This game of life confuses her a bit at times hahaha.

She loves doing homework with kids. #besthobbyever 

She can be either super confident and chill or awkward, but there is no inbetween. 

She eats at the MOA everyday she possibly can. 

She gets to things either really, really early or fashionably late. Also no inbetween on this one. 

That's about it. 

What a Working Weekend

So..... I worked four days in a row in the office. Hahaha, that doesn't sound odd for a normal job, but remember my job is anything but normal. 

Shocker or not..... This was probably one of the funnest working shifts I have had. (Though it didn't beat that one in December.................. Yeah....) 

What made it so good? Everyone was being so nice to me! Gave me ALL the free food. Help do my tasks for/with me. My roving buddy for the night left a surprise for me in each of the microwaves (inside joke where I always check all the microwaves and yell "clear" obnoxiously). Paige came and hung with me and brought me my most favorite snacks. Listened to music without end. Organized all the things. Good office times were had. 

Also..... This happened. Somehow I tied a laser (or Lazor... Because I can't spell) obstacle course into a love language test theme. Hahaha I love being able to make people do my random ideas.

Every time we roved my hall we turned on the mission impossible theme song and pulled crazy spy moves all down the hall. That was joyous. 

Oh.... And I injured myself. I put a "laser" in the easiest place to pass on my door and somehow managed to hit my head on the door jam anyways. Shocker. 

In happy new. Paige. The most epic. Bought me a birthday present!!! Yes my day of birth is still in June.... But I'll take presents any day. And it was the best present to receive any day! 50 state flags for my flag club!!!! Now I'm trying too I fire out how to hang them all up. It's a feat. 

Then. Today my residents decided to try to turn me into a California homie. Okay.... This is going to be embarrassing. But here we go! 

So that was my very random but very enjoyful weekend! 

Dad Doesn't Want Me To Move To Harlem

And Sister Quinn said it would be too loud.... Whatever that is suppose to mean....

But I am still convinced that I want to. So in five years we see who wins this bitter battle.

L O V E

This Sunday morning I get to reflect on the opportunity my family and I had to visit the Provo City Center Temple. My, that beautiful building had me thinking of grandma. 

So I have found the most.... intriguing (yeah that word works).... music to listen to on Sunday. Josh Garrels. He sings gospel music that has an old time feel. 

Gospel songs sing the greatest truth. Here is a truth I'm learning today. 

"A lesson in love is the hardest thing 
You and I will ever learn 
Cause our hearts are so shy"

But by reflecting the love of Christ we can learn how to love in the most pure way. As the bible reads, For perfect love casteth out all fear. 

"We're walking on a thin string 

But I know the Lord got the whole thing in His hands....

Together we can make our way home"

So here's to gospel songs and understanding that love of Christ will never fail. 

Your Idea of Yourself is Limited and Small

That is the point of not seeing the end from the beginning. It is an adventure. 

On Prayer. Elder Ruchard G. Scott.

 

“He is our perfect Father. He loves us beyond our capacity to understand. He knows what is best for us. He sees the end from the beginning. He wants us to act to gain needed experience:

“When He answers yes, it is to give us confidence.

“When He answers no, it is to prevent error.

“When He withholds an answer, it is to have us grow through faith in Him, obedience to His commandments, and a willingness to act on truth”

A Question

Because AWKWARD is my thing.

My Year 21

In twenty-one more years, I am certain that I will look at this year in awe.

I will laugh at the confusion.

Embrace the misunderstood.

See why it is perfect for me.

I choose to go be blindsided to the questions I don't understand, in order to follow the answers I know are right.

But for now... I continue to be content with my choice to jump.

With urgency I keep on creating my wings.

I have the right answers without knowing the question. All from a jump.

FAVORITES FRIDAY {week one}

My all time favorite music video to a killer song!
The Shins-Simple Song

F R I E N D S

Sometimes all you need are really good friend to help you know you are right where you need to be.

L I F E versus L I V I N G

The endless cycle of idea and action, Endless invention, endless experiment, Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness; Knowledge of speech, but not of silence; Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word. All our knowledge brings us nearer to death, But nearness to death no nearer to God. Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? The cycles of heaven in twenty centuries Brings us farther from God and nearer to the Dust.    The lot of man is ceaseless labor, Or ceaseless idleness, which is still harder, Or irregular labour, which is not pleasant. I have trodden the winepress alone, and I know That it is hard to be really useful, resigning The things that men count for happiness, seeking The good deeds that lead to obscurity, accepting With equal face those that bring ignominy, The applause of all or the love of none. All men are ready to invest their money But most expect dividends. I say to you: Make perfect your will. I say: take no thought of the harvest, But only of proper sowing.     The world turns and the world changes, But one thing does not change. In all of my years, one thing does not change, However you disguise it, this thing does not change: The perpetual struggle of Good and Evil. T.S. Eliot

Missing the mission

Yesterday, so many little memories of my mission flooded in my mind. Oh boy, I sure do love that experience. I was talking about it and longing for it and my friend turned to me and said, "Emma Rose, I think this means you really need a boyfriend." Hahahahaha. Ha. Okay, maybe I need to calm down my mission missing blues. 

Life Reviewed

BEST DAY EVER!!!!!! It's officially sweater weather!!!!!!!!! I've waited all summer for this!

And one of my friends new made hot chocolate. Okay fall. Sounds good. You are invited to stay. 

Why hello. Random monologue. These last few weeks, as you may know, I have had a shift of direction for life. It was a strange season. Then yesterday I found a new direction I have wanted to pursue. I found some things I never knew exisited and that matched all that I've been looking for in life. So here we go. 

The picture showcasing the moment I decided to try a different major. #herewego

I have the best of friends here!! We are working on a flag collection. We are up to four. 

Look at this beauty!!! My friend is doing the most amazing art project. She had girls on our floor fold origami and then she painted each of them with their uniqueness. How awesome is she? 

The Universe Speaks and Other Ramblings

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!

#bestday #sunday

Sunday! We meet again! Thankfully. 

I love me some Sunday. 

I think I miracle happened this morning! I landed on a direction for my life. Now just for studying it out and implimenting it. 

Enter photo of my life because it keeps bolts interesting.... 

Big puffy skirt that kinda scares me when wearing it

Latin festival in Provo. Boy oh boy I sure do miss the food!!

My floor friends are the bestest!!! 

Picture of my friends taken back in highschool. All of them are living together at USU. I guess back row is for BYU

Got the second most beautiful name tag in the world!!! First of course would be from my mission

Story time with EmRo!!

One of my friends during summer was flipping through my diary.... Cause that is what friends do, right? ;) well anywho, my friend stopped on a page tha only said, "I love foreigners." Period. Nothing else. End of journal entry. She laughed and laughed and laughed. 

But it is true! And deserves a whole page! I love foreigners! And I think this love of foreigners comes from the fact that deep down in my soul I know I am a foreigner also. This earth is only my temporary 

home. 

Word. 

The Death {and Rebirth} of Emma Rose

This semester is going to be unlike any other. Let's face it, it already is. 

Top five goals: 

✌️ weekly temple time set up

✌ Be part of conexiones every week.

✌️ Play at an open mic at Velour (dollar discount #forthewin)

✌ finalize (slash figure my life out) my grad plan

✌️ viva la vida de Hermana Phipps

Shambles

"Sometimes you just have to jump and build your own wings on your way down." 

One of my all time favorite speakers (Hank Smith, who just so happens to be my New Testament professor) quoted his dad in a post on Facebook by saying this. Wow. How powerful is that? I feel right now in my life I am not sure what I'm doing. But last night I took a jump. And I'm determined to build my wings on the way. 

P.s. I love how it says BUIlD. It easily could have said "find" but that takes away our responsibility to work for it. 

I have never....

... Been in a car crash. 

That is until today. 

First time for everything right? 

Let me get the important things cleared up. Phin is fairing pretty well. He took a good hit to the left bumper, but he took it like a champ!! At the same time as my accident two other accidents happened around us. Mini end of the world moment!! But all is well. My car is out of commission for me for the week. But my mom gets to use it and just when she needed it too! Indiana Jones, the earth quaking family truck died ironically today also! So my mom took my car to get it all bandaged and healed and to have a ride home. 

It was a miracle that my car wasn't hurt as bad as it easily could have been. I am blessed. 

FAMILY

Tonight I went on an adventure by myself. I visited the temple-to-be in Provo's city center. For the last fifteen minutes I watched couple after couple make their way to the front of the temple to pause for a moment and admire its beauty. I hope that they understand that this beautiful edifice is for them, especially to receive the highest blessings Heavenly Father has for them. 

This morning I was reading in DC and "found" a scripture I hadn't recognized before. It reads, (DC 109:24) We ask thee, Holy Father, to establish the people that shall worship, and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy house, to all generations and for eternity;

As I watched the couples go by I recognized that Heavenly Father has answered this pioneer prayer for a temple loving people to be established. Now I pray that I will let the Lord establish me into one who will always be found "worship[ing] and honorably hold[ing] a name and standing in this [His] holy house."