Talent Show

I've been trying to think real hard about a "talent" I could share in the upcoming RS Enrichment program, but I'm at a loss. Maybe this is because I have no obvious talents, like playing piano or singing (I feel these talents are completely overrated). But how do you cook a meal without a recipe on a stage? And it would be completely boring for the senior citizens we are entertaining to watch me memorize definitions and scriptures. The only things I could come up with were a reverse strip-tease (thanks Stratford 303 boys!) or a synchronized swimming routine. Does anyone else have any ideas? (I'm trying to get my mother-in-law in on the action too) Let's have your ideas!

Clinical Processes: A Death Sentence for ComD Majors

If you can make it through this class as UC, I'm convinced you could conquer anything in your path. Not that it's hard, it's just that BORING. You get to listen to all sorts of unexciting and old topics like:

• Evidence-based practice (Dr. Fujiki beat this dead horse 4 semesters ago)
• The ASHA Code of Ethics (No I would not like to spend another 80 mins. in class reviewing/navigating the ASHA website, I CAN DO THIS AT HOME FOR FREE)
• Phonemic awareness (I know that letters represent sounds- this is kindergarten material)
• Civility and being an ethical professional (Don't parent's teach this???)
• Counseling and acquiring listening skills (see above parenthetical comment)
• Grad school application tips (I'd rather dig holes than to listen to another person tell me how to fill out an application and review the importance of the GRE- I am not disordered...maybe they forget this seemingly insignificant fact)
• APA referencing (Seriously? We need to review this? Isn't that the purpose of English 101?)
• Cultural diversity (Oh... you mean there are people different than me? I HADN'T NOTICED)

Yeah, I paid a lot of money to sit in class and realize that my BYU professors were actually teaching me things (and even more impressed that I remembered them through the hardest months of my life!). This, coupled with the gratitude for what little patience I have acquired, keeps my interest focused on ComD.

Salvation is found in Meijer

Last week I went to the store for some routine things.... eggs, flour, toothpaste, etc. While I was contemplating which toothpaste to buy (because I'm still indecisive and they were on sale), a man came down the aisle. I was bent over comparing boxes when he spoke, "Is that Brigham Young University?" I was confused, and then looked at my hoodie- it gave me away (although I don't know how he read it because it just says Cougars down the arm- not BYU). I replied in the affirmative and we exchanged some pleasantries about school, majors, Utah, Ohio- ya know, regular small talk. This was around 3:00pm. Then he "went for the jugular" as my mission President would have said- "Do you practice the Mormon faith?" I knew right then and there I was not getting out of that store unless an angel came down and spoke with the voice of thunder saying, "let my Ally go".

This man was so sincere! I really did not feel attacked or threatened in any way as he explain how he felt about our faith and about the truths found in the New Testament. He was sure OUR Christ is different from the Christ in the NT, that we believe in a godhead not taught in holy writ and that my salvation was in peril because of my religious affiliation. Most of his understanding and insight about the LDS faith came from the book Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie. I tried my best to testify that the doctrine we proclaim comes from the scriptures we profess to be the word of God, not from personal opinions (even if they are apostolic opinions). I was touched that he was so earnest in his efforts to help me see the truth. As we talked, my mind raced through conference talk after conference talk of truths taught by living apostles and I was more grateful than ever for what Elder Holland testified of just the weekend before: " The Savior warned that in the last days, those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth." Elder Holland testified that the Book of Mormon, a book which this man disregarded and considered to be of naught, was in fact the keystone, the spiritual anchor in a sea of uncertainty, the truth of God for our troubled and deceitful times. I'm so grateful for this man to have strengthened my testimony, unknowingly on his part, of living apostles and living scripture. It was exactly as Elder Holland stated- that one would have to crawl around, under or over the Book of Mormon to deny its validity- and that was exactly what this man had done. Salvation at Meijer? It's a good thing.

P.S.-by the time I left it was 4:45.

Because it matters

As I was driving today, I noticed that most cars are operated by people who have no idea how to merge. SLAMMING on your breaks is NOT merging. I would like to teach the rising generations how to drive correctly:

1. When entering a highway system, you accelerate on the on-ramp. This enables you to merge at a decent speed and does not hinder the flow of traffic.

2. If you are driving in a lane that is merging with another, switch lanes. I know you think you'll get farther by speeding up, but experience has proven that you'll just end up causing more disharmony. Plus, you give the merging cars a opportunity to practice #1 above.

3.When exiting a highway system, you decelerate to the exit. Do Not EVER speed up to get off. There are 2 reasons for this rule: a) speeding up is just stupid and b) SLAMMING on you breaks is NOT exiting.

4.When in traffic on the interstate, maintain proper distance from the cars ahead of you.

5. DO NOT EVER BREAK while driving on the interstate unless it is absolute necessity (you're about to run into the back of the car in front of you- this is the definition of necessity). #4 takes care of the getting to close to other vehicles. And if you need to slow down, DO NOT BREAK. Let your foot off the gas. This helps keep gas mileage up and traffic down.

Oh, there are more, yes, more than the above rules listed. I'll let you digest and practice these for now.