Being A Single Young Divorced Parent (before I was a member of the church)

     Hi, I just wanted to share what's it's like to be a young single divorced parent at the age of twenty two. Yes, I know God is always on my side. That heavenly father loves me more than I know myself. I got married young, at nineteen figuring I knew everything that I could be a housewife ,and being taking care of that was so not the case it's not such a Cinderella story.   I still feel like I have lost the slipper that I was never swept away by my prince and possibly never will be. I was married in November pregnant by January

      It was a very hard that's for sure. My ex-husband wasn't exactly all together there. He was very emotionally abusive. When Scarlett turned five weeks old was when everything fell apart. He wasn't ready like I thought he was. Other than the abuse let me explain a little more. Not only did he leave at five weeks of age he decided to put a protection order against me for no reason, other than me on anxiety medicine for some things I was going through.   I didn't see my child for the whole month of October. How he could manage that I do not know. How a judge would let that happen I don't know. Why God would put me on this track I don't know. I was so lost and confused ,and very depressed. I couldn't go anywhere scared of running into him I didn't even go to church until our first court hearing.Then finally on Halloween go figure the judge decided to go to every other week switch offs. I would have Scarlett for a week then he would back and forth Switch offs at six in the afternoon. It was horrible it wasn't until July we got an Guardian Ad Litem, to figure out that I was a fit parent and that my ex husband was wrong for what he did. I got full custody finally after a year. That part was over with.

     The hardest part was to come being parent to Scarlett figuring out how to get a job and get into college. It was not until this year of April of 2014 that I was able to get a job that I love so much. I start college in September at Georgia Military College. I'm so glad that I'm a part of the church. I know for sure that Heavenly Father will not give us more than we can handle. My daughter is doing well and her dad gets her every visitation and pays child support. I'm very lucky. This situation has made me a stronger person all together. I want other married couples to know please don't ruin your divorce unless you have to especially if you have kids, Heavenly Father is there always please talk to your branch president and others in the church and get counseling. It's still hard being a single parent. It will be for the rest of Scarlett's life. It's her life we messed up. Not mine... not his... only hers in the end. I hope she can learn from me and Heavenly father more than anything and know it was not her fault at all. I'm trying to be a good parent the best I can be at twenty two. Thank God I have a wonderful family to support me ,or I wouldn't be able to do it at all. Well, this is it for now. -Sister Katie Guyton

The Only Sports Related Post You'll Ever Read

"Culpepper guns it!"

-The only Madden game I played...

Now, I love a good game of pigskin throwing, "You used the expression wrong." but unfortunately for me, I'm about as learned on the manly man world of the sports as a half of a PB&J sandwich. "I'm not even sure if you used that one right or wrong... Now that I think about it, if I had a dollar for every time you didn't make any sense, I'd be making a six figure income..." Hey! Just like a Football player! "I guess." So, for information about manly things, I had to defer to my wonderful and sports knowing companion, Elder Owen. "Did he pay you to say all that?" Hey Subway doesn't buy itself!

"That link? Click on it."
-Dan Marino

Now I don't know a lot about football, I know Dan Marino played for the Dolphins and he appeared on a Papa Johns commercial, and I like Papa Johns pizza so he must be great! "That's another dollar..." Hey! It makes sense! It's called the Associative property! If A=B and B=C, then A=C! "Nope, too late. Already wrote it." Fine... Do you take I.O.U's...? "We'll talk about that later, carry on." So as you may or not have known, Mr. Marino right over there played for none other than the Miami Dolphins, personally my all time favorite team in the NFL. "Name the Quarterback." Why must you make me look so bad on my own blog...? But anyway, so the Dolphins right now are, well, too put it bluntly, awful... They haven't been good since the 70's... "Subtlety isn't your forte is it?" Not at all. 

But! The Dolphins come with quite the legacy. They are the ONLY team in the NFL to have a perfect season! They went 14-0, winning the Super Bowl as well as a place in Football history, which quite frankly they need cause like I said, awful... So who here has felt like they hit their peak but due to some unforeseen problem or whatnot feels like they're dwindling? "You and I both know it's only me reading this..." Lights, Camera, Lopez! will rise again... But first it needs to peak, but that's neither here nor there. So sometimes we feel like we've done our absolute best, that we gave the world heck and can keep the ball rolling, and then, something happens. We realize, I can't keep this up! I'm on the downward slope! "Kind of like you're blog." Exactly like my blog! But again, neither here nor there. Now, there's something in the gospel known as Grace. Tell me my dear reader, what do you know about Grace? "It's Amazing?" How sweet the sound! "Yea, it saved a wretch like me." You once were lost? "Yea, but now I'm found." Was blind? "And now I see." Huh... Well anyway,

Grace is the help or strength given through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the grace of God, everyone who has lived will be resurrected—our spirits will be reunited with our bodies, never again to be separated. Through His grace, the Lord also enables those who live His gospel to repent and be forgiven.

So think of a cup full of water. We'll make water, umm... Ok got it! righteousness! So this Styrofoam cup of water represents us cause metaphors are Awesome! As we sin, this cup gets filled with holes and the water leaks out until before you know it, our water levels are under 9000! Through the Grace of God, we can continue to have our cup be

Why can't I do manly things...?
-Elder Lopez

filled with water. "Yea, but by the time you go to drink the water, it's already empty again." That! Is a wonderful point you've brought up. If our righteousness keeps leaking, whatever will we do? That's where the Atonement comes in! Because of the Atonement, we can have our sins wiped clean, those little holes? Gone. It's like putting gum on the cup to stop leaks! "That's gross... I don't want to drink from a cup that has chewed gum on it!" Fine... It's like putting a band-aid on the cup to stop leaks! Isn't that something? 

We can use this UH-MAZING gift to have our sins fixed through Grace, but there's a catch. "There usually is..." By Grace we are outdeed saved, and here's the ringer, after all we can do. It's not just simply, I believe Christ died for me and therefore, I'm saved. If you break a dish, just cause you say sorry doesn't mean everything's fine. You have to make reparations! Sorry only comes, AFTER ALL YOU CAN DO! "So what does this mean for the Dolphins?" Well dear reader, they're having a rough time now, but much like a cut currant bush, they will blossom forth, yielding much fruit and many more Super Bowl rings or whatever it is they give them in football. Or they'll continue to be awful, but that's where the principle of Hope comes in, I think there's already a post about that but if not, that's a post for another day...

This picture ALMOST makes it look like
they're good! Almost...

Don't Forget to look up

Hi Everyone how was your week? How have you all been? This week has been great and so very unexpected. On Tuesday while biking home after a good long day I was thinking about alot of things and amidst my thinking I looked up and just marvelled at how beautiful the sky was and how it was really a good reminder to me that even after all we go through, there is still one that is in control and one who knows exactly how I'm feeling. I pondered on that scripture in Mosiah 4: 9 that says " Believe in God, believe that he is, and that he created all things both in Heaven and in Earth; believe that he has all wisdom and all power both in Heaven in Earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. That scripture brought me so much comfort and as I looked up at the sky and pondered it I immediately felt my Heavenly Father's love I knew that he knew and loved me and that he still is in control. I was just feeling so grateful to know that not only did he love me as an individual but he also loved each of his chirldren here that I've been called to serve and that he wants all of them to be able to feel of his love too and return home and live with him again. Later that night I think I told my companion how I was feeling and not long after we received a call from our Assistants to the President telling us that there are some changes going on in the Mission and that I needed to get ready beacuse I was going to transferred the next day and be with my companion now Sister Oakes. I didn't really know how to feel about it at first. The transfer was ok until Friday! when it finally hit me that i wasn't in Torrance (my old area anymore) and I wasn't going to be able to see all the Torrance people that I have come to love so much!!! I missed them all and I missed Kate and Richard so much! I was feeling so sad and so down. My companion could so tell. I prayed alot and really asked Heavenly Father to help me get over that feeling and help me to feel of his love and comfort once again. I again pondered that scripture in Mosiah and felt comforted knowing that Heavenly Father was still in control. I told Sister Oakes about how I was feeling and she totally understood because she too had allready gone through something similar twice. I am so grateful for Sister Oakes she has really helped me alot this past couple of days. I am slowly adjusting and coming to love my new area. The people here are great and different in their own unique ways but still great. Turns out Sister Malani's daughter used to serve in this ward as well so it's been wonderful. Going to church really helped alot as I got to meet the members and feel of the Spirit. I love that the Gospel is the same everywhere we go. Harbor City is very different from any of the area I've been to. We have a lot of work to do and I am really grateful to know that Heavenly Father's hands is in all things.

Last Thursday while we were coming back from teaching a Recent Convert my companion was driving and I was in the car with a member in the backseat. While trying to make a left turn we were almost got into an accident as we all didn't see a car coming straight at us. In what seemed like a split second I we came so close to being in a 3 car accident and there was the smell of burnt tire in the air and Sister Oakes was screeming and crying as she quickly slammed on her brakes and put the car in reverse. The other drivers were also able to stop just in time. We finally parked on the side and Sister Oakes just started crying hysterically. Thats was so close. As I hugged her I started crying too because I realized how scared she was and how close we were. Sister Baker our member that was with us said a prayer and helped us to see how the Lord was able to deliver us. I am so grateful for all the Prayers that you give for me. We learnt from that experience that we were protected because the Lord was with us and also because he had heard all your prayers for us. I will never forget that experience. That really strengthened my testimony! I know that Heavenly father is watching out for you as well and is very aware of you!!!!

 

Have a Great Week! I Love you!!!

Nadi

Easter Pagent Day!

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Gospel

"Hyeah!"

It's the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God! Get it?

-Link

    "Are you going to let me do one of those guest posts on your blog someday?"
    "Sure. What are you going to do it on?"
    "I could do it on Zelda."
    "That works. Just remember, it has to have some kind of gospel link-"
    "Ha!"
    Get it?

    Hello, readers, it's Elder Wilde, here to grace your presence with my attempt at being cool like Elder Lopez. "Cool like me? Oh look, I'm the reader! So this is what this feels like... How y'all doin'?" Quiet, Elder Lopez, it's my turn! "Ok..."

    While perusing Elder Lopez's blog, I was astounded by his neglect toward The Legend of Zelda. "Hey, I was getting there..." Are you done? Anyway, I thought that more than 25 years of Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, there had to be something there that applied to the gospel. "Why is everyone so sassy to me..?"

   So just in case you didn't know me, my favorite Zelda game of all time is Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo (closely followed by Ocarina of Time on the N64 and Link's Awakening for the Gameboy tied for second). Link to the Past was a masterpiece with flawless gameplay, epic music, and a classic struggle of good vs. evil. Now, Link to the Past takes the cake merely because of sentimental value. To compare it with Ocarina of Time on the basis of gameplay would be a folly, because the two are incommensurable. Now where was I going with this?... "You lost me at Super Nintendo."

Know the difference. It could save your (eternal) life!

    Oh yeah! So, if any of y'all have a background in the restored gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when I say the word Temple, you'll probably think of things like eternal families and saving ordinances for our kindred dead. But for those Zelda fans out there, you're probably thinking about solving puzzles, getting cool things like boomerangs and hookshots, and fighting boss battles. So, how are these related?

   Just like Link had to fight his way through many dungeons to collect everything from medallions to crystals with princesses trapped in them, we have to face our own trials and opposition here on earth. God put us here on earth knowing that we were going to have a hard time. He cast Lucifer and his followers from Heaven, knowing that they would tempt us and try us in every possible way. Why would a loving Heavenly Father do that to us? We find the answer in D&C 122:7:

    "... Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

    "Our trials are for our good?" That's right, Elder Lopez. Think about it: Link would have never saved Hyrule if he decided that it was too hard and he was going to take the easy way out. In the thirteenth Article of Faith, it says that "we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things." Our trials have a refining effect on us. In Malachi 3:2-3, it says:

    "... For he is like a refiner's fire... and he shall purify the sons of Levi... that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

    Well, I'll save you the sob story, but about a year ago on my mission, I was going through a bit of a rough patch. I wasn't homesick, per se, but long story short, I asked myself for the very first time, "What am I doing out here?" Well, I was a little bitter at God and others for the difficulties of mission life, and instead of sucking it up and moving on, I just had a terrible attitude. Something would happen to me, and the second I thought that my trials were over and l I thought I could handle life, a new trial, immensely larger than the last, would be looming over me. It was as if the Refiner decided to turn up the temperature on the fire every so often. Well, one day, I got a package from my dear mommy. I can't remember too much of what was in there, but I do remember there being a magnet with a quote on it that I put on the refrigerator door and read every time I pulled the milk out of the fridge to eat a bowl of delicious Wheaties. The quote was from Jeffery R. Holland, and it said:

    "If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

    Later that week, as I rode my bike, I had a thought cross my mind: my mission was like a video game! The only reason things were getting harder was because I had gotten to the next level, so to speak. The only reason things were getting harder was because I was getting stronger and getting closer to conquering evil!

I don't know what this has to do with anything, it's just cool.

    Don't you think for a minute that God is going to sit there and let you suffer. He'll help you every step of the way! I don't think I suffered more in any Zelda game than in Majora's Mask. That one was hard, ok? "I still have problems putting the cartridge in the right way..." Sit on your hands, Elder Lopez! "But-" Do it! "Awwww..." Anyway, Majora's Mask was hard. The only reason I ever beat that one was because of my little sister. My little sister only liked to watch me play, so I'd sit there and play and she'd tell me what to do. In most cases, I had already played the game through while my sister spectated, but Majora's Mask was so hard I didn't play it unless she forced me to sit down and play it. Well, many a time, I would be at my wit's end, and I was ready to give up, but my sister would always say, "You can do it! Did you try doing it like this?" I would respond, "No, that won't work. I've already tried everything..." Well, I'd go ahead and do it her way, and more often than not, things would work out, I'd solve the puzzle, and we'd continue on our merry way.

    What does this teach us? Well, God has given us the Gift of the Holy Ghost for all those who make the covenant and receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation. Once the Gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed upon us, we are entitled to His guidance. When we are at our wit's end, God can tell us through the Holy Ghost what we need to do next. And guess what? He's always right! How neat is that? "That's pretty good, I guess." 

    Well, I'm running out of time, but I'll catch y'all later!
"Well... I guess I'll just sit here and make some breakfast till the next guest blogger decides to show up and insult me..."

Lizzie Holmes, recording at Sammy's

hey guys! Just posted some live recordings of me playing my originals at Sammy's. Thanks Chase! 

A Long Week

This past week has been so long I don't know why my weeks usually feel like they just fly by but this past week took longer than usual. I think it's because I was looking forward to conference so much! Andy an investigator thats been coming to church for a while now was so excited for General COnference! it was so wonderful and very uplifting me to see and feel his excitement!!! he usually watches it at home but on Satuday he came to join us at the chapel. He loved it of course and mentioned that he especailly loved the talks about the Atonement. It was so great to hear that from him because he's usually just focused on the how the message is delivered and not so much the message itself. Andy is such a great person.Kate and Richard were also able to come watch conference with us it was wonderful to have them at the chapel because the spirit was so powerful and we all felt it; Howeveron Sunday Richard was getting restless so they had to go home early. Kate is doing so good. The other day we visited her and she said that after her baptism she prayed to Heavenly Father to help her not be lazy anymore ( she asked us earlier: "sister's did you know that I am lazy?" we said no we didn't then she said well after I was baptized I prayed that Heavenly Father would help me change and so she went out and started cleaning and buying flowers for her house and all. ( and by the way she is not even like super lazy at all) but it was just wonderful for both Sister JOhnson and I to see how she feels about her Baptism and the changes she wants to make in her life. We are super duper excited for her confirmation this Sunday:)

 

This past week Sister Johnson and I were asked to do training on setting and achieving goals for our Zone (Which consists of about 18 missionaries) and I was really excited and at the same time a tiny bit scared because this is the first time we'll be giving a training. My companion was super nervous too! So what brought me alot of comfort was knowing that Heavenly Father always knows what he's doing and that truly it is his spirit that was the real teacher. We were merely his instruments and we just needed to have Faith that he would help us for he still had alot more to learn about Goal Setting and Achieving. As we prepared together we learnt so much! and I am so grateful that we were given that opportunity to learn and to grow in Faith as well. The training was delivered well and I truly did feel the spirit guiding my words and as we talked. I loved it!!! Sister Johnson has been going through alot this week. She told me a couple of nights ago that she still feels like she's not doing enough and not where she wants to be. As I was listening to her I was really praying in my heart that I might know what Heavenly Father would want me to share with her to help her come closer to Chirst and to him. I learnt in a very real way that not only are we helping others who are not members of the church come closer to Christ but we're also helping ourselves, our companions and even our friends in the Gospel come even more Closer to the Savior. I am grateful for all that I am learning. I really have come to love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ more. I am coming to learn how real they are and how they truly do want us to be happy and return and live with them regardless of where we are on that path home.

 

Last week we had dinner with a member of our ward Sister Hart. We loved the sweet spirit we felt in her home as she shared all that she has gone through. She was always a member growing up but when she was in her 30's she decided the church wasn't for her so she asked to have her name removed. She went the total oppsoite way and then later in her life because of her family she came back to church. Sister Hart is a wonderful Sister she has children that have become less active and a son that's excommunicated, that evening with her I realized that Heavenly Father needs missionaries not only for non members to receive the Gospel but also for members to stregthen their testimonies in Jesus Christ and in his Gospel. I am grateful for Sister Hart and again I know that truly we are called where we are needed. No wonder our leaders counselled us a couple of years ago to "Ask the Missionaries" they'll know. So yes! make the most use of the Missioanaries you have there if they are worthy the spirit will help them to help you.

 

This last week we also were able to find a new investigator his name is Fernando and he is 14 years old. We found him while trying to contact another person; and we were able to meet with him and help him know more about Jesus Christ. Fernando is such a humble person. It's such a privillege for me to be teaching him. We will meet with him again this week and we are really hoping his family will be willing to listen as well. We are going to the Temple this Wednesday so I am really excited!!!

 

I wish you all a Fabulous Week!!!

I Love YOu LOads

Sister Koroitamana

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone!

this week has been good. We finally got to meet a few members at the chapel this sunday, after conference. We have been finding more and more less actives to work with, there is so many!!! we need to help them. and we are excited but athte same time we feel overwhelemed. we have a huge area to cover and looking for new investigators should be a priority but we feel that reactivaiton is more important, so that we wont be a burden to the branch in adding new members."When converts are baptized and confirmed, they make sacred promises to obey and serve God and others for the rest of their lives. They become candidates for salvation in the celestial kingdom. To receive the promised blessings, they must endure to the end with faith in Jesus Christ. Church members are essential in helping new converts remain active and faithful.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “There is absolutely no point in doing missionary work unless we hold on to the fruits of that effort. The two must be inseparable. … Every convert is a great and serious responsibility”  I know that there was once a missionary that cared dearly about these people who accepted the gospel,and worked really ard to get them get to that step and they have pleaded with the Lord that they will never fall away, and they still do. I know that as i care about these people, that i will be an answer to another missionaries prayers and that the ones i have helped make it to the waters of baptism will be taken care of.
My companion is awesome, can't complain, We are really looking forward to the Easter Pageant!!
WE enjoyed conference, although i have to admit the last one was my favorite. I did really love Elder Bednars talk, and President Monsons, about love. I learned t hat i need to rely more on my saviors help to progress. Okay cool expirience, we met a returened missionary sister and she is so cool! She invited her friend to join her for conference, she even took her to seee the dedication of the Gilbert temple, and she felt the spirit so strong there! more in hte instruciton room, she said she cried.she loved the conferencea and her friend was telling her all about the Book of Mormon and her friend ( the investigator) made a pact with her that if she read the book of mormon in spanish she will read it in Japanese. I though it was a great idea. Too bad hat she is english so we cant teach her. :( But she is so ready and so humble i am so excited for her bright future in the gospel.
Hmm, what else happened this week.,m well it is going by sort of slow, besided we do study for four hours then have an hour for lunch and so we are in the house for five. Its ok though.
i love oyu alll and i hope i maybe see some of you at hte Easter pagent!!

Hermana Salas

Recommitting to the Savior.

Often I find myself questioning everything about the gospel and my relationship with the Savior, but then I have those light bulb moments. You know what I am talking about, its when one is like well duh, that makes sense and this is why we do/don't do that certain thing. Then I feel dumb for doubting my relationship with my Savior.

I am grateful for Conference and for the inspired messages that I needed to hear especially after being inactive for 6 months. This is something that I beat myself up about constantly and having that feeling of not being enough for the Savior. Even though, I know He loves us unconditionally no matter what! This is something I always promised myself that I wouldn't allow occur to me, but did.

While being off the unbeaten path, the trials came stronger than ever. I felt so weak, vulnerable and scared that I chose not to look up to the Savior and pray for guidance and strength. The stubbornness and pride got in the way of asking  Heavenly Father for what I needed. The world continued to beat me down and I let it. I didn't have the strength to keep going.  I kept on getting tempted, and falling into Satan's trap.

The trials grew with intensity, but now reflecting back I knew it was to test my faith. And to get me to humble myself and to turn my life back on track. So here I am reflecting on the past six months. Although, I turned my back on the Savior, I could still see His presence in my life constantly. Even though, I gave up on Him, He did not. He still loves me as much as ever.

I have to constantly remind myself where I was before I was baptized into the church. I have to remind myself of how far I have come because I allowed the Savior to be in my life. I have to remind myself of the Spirit I felt when I was getting taught by the missionaries, the day I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. And how I wouldn't want my life to be any other way. The covenants I made were to make my life better and to help make me become a better daughter of God. I have to remind myself of who I am in the eyes of the Lord, and where I am going spiritually. I have to remember my eternal goals of getting married in the temple and having an eternal family.

With all that being said, I have decided to recommit myself to the Savior, and to do it on a daily basis through prayer, repentance and scripture study. I know, at times it may be difficult, but it is so worth it in the end. A life without the Savior is nothing, but darkness.

April 3, 2014

This week has been very relaxing because I had to call in for jury duty every day this week. They didn't require me to come in though. On Tuesday I hung out with, my right hand man, Jesse Kaupert. We have been led to be roommates at Brigham Young University: Idaho. At the end of last semester, we decided on goals for next semester. One of the goals was to run faster than a specific time for a long distance. I plan to break ten minutes for the distance of two miles. This was my goal during my senior year of high school, and I was unable to seize the opportunity then, and Jesse's goal is to run faster than five and a half minutes for a mile. I have been offering my encouragement and wisdom to run faster than five minutes for the mile, but he insists to run by his own wisdom and means. He decided on a strict routine that he got from a amateur sprinter. This kind of surprised me, but he still rejects my advice. He is going to wait until the end of the semester to see, if he will meet his goal.
I did a mile time trial last Tuesday after we did his work out. His work out was to run four one hundred meter sprints. This is definitely a sprinter work out. A long distance runner would do this as a warm up, and have a much more lengthy and harder work out after. I hope that he meets his goal.
I had to decide on a conservative mile trial strategy. I started my winter break training very well; however, I did my aggressive training after work, which took a toll on my body, because I was working out after an eight hour work day, standing on my feet and doing physical labor the entire time. Running seven to nine miles a day after work made my feet hurt, and I had slight knee pains after a month or so, when I first got home from school. Last summer I ran before work, and that was fine; however, this break, running after work, I can't be as aggressive as I am use to. I have had to go easy on myself this past month or so. This was my reasoning in my strategy. I planned to run eighty seconds per lap and a five-twenty mile.
I didn't feel very confident in my time trial. It didn't feel like how it use to in high school or in cross country at the university, but the feeling is kind of standard now a days. Running mile time trials is not new for me. I felt like I wasn't pushing my mental strength, but I was barely hanging on to it. I have found that mental strength is very important in running. There is a saying in racing that I don't believe. Coaches say that at the end of the race everyone feels the same exhaustion, so just triumph over that and you can be the winner. I don't believe everyone is the same in track and cross country. In my time trial, I ran the first lap in seventy seconds, which was ten seconds faster than I attended, and I tried to keep the same intensity the entire time. Jesse didn't get my other splits, but he said that I ran practically exactly five-twenty. I was surprised that I hit my goal time.
In high school, I learned the strength of mental fitness. One of the most impressive of my friends is Georgi Dinoluv. We did a pull up contest my senior year of high school in a weight training class. I worked out probably double the amount for the event, but I still lost to him because he has a greater capacity for achievement. One thing that I regret was that he asked me how much I think that I can do, and I said that I am at eighty percent when I do twenty pull ups. Guess what. My one hundred percent of the contest was twenty-four because I gave myself a mental limit. I learned then not to give myself mental limits. Georgi got twenty-seven or something like that. I trained better than him, and he admired me for that to help him train well. Performance is oftentimes when it counts the most though. I always focused on pushing my mental limits in training for my past cross country season and the beginning of my winter break, and I need to get back into this attitude now that I have adapted to my new lifestyle.
It was raining as I did my time trial, and for the people that would like to know more about Jesse Kaupert, when he is a single university student. The rain got to him, and he had to go puke. He seems to be an occasional puker. He is not super competitive. I suggested that he should do a time trial with the track team, but he doesn't want to do that. He does his personal best though. I have seen many people puke during work outs and training, but I have never been one of them. The is probably because I don't go all out, giving myself a mental. Who knows?

I LOVE POST FU!!!!!!

Oogway: "Ah! I see that you have found the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom!"
Po: [Po turns around with a lot of peaches stuffed in his mouth] "Oh! Is that what this is? I'm so sorry! I just thought it was a regular peach tree!"

The last thing I remember...

And here I thought I was going to have a normal birthday... "Happy Birthday by the way. Heard you had quite the surprise." Wait, what do you mean, how'd you know something happened? "The nice Analogyzer guy told me, oh and shared quite the tail about kindness." You didn't think to, oh I don't know, hail an officer of the law (Number 12 cough cough) or stop him? "Nah." You spelled 'tale' wrong. "I know how I spelled it. At least you know what Chloroform smells like now though." I have a headache again... That stuff was NOT diluted enough... "You live a pretty rough life... If that's what happens with your friends, I'm terrified to hear what your enemies do to you..." Yea, it ain't easy being me. Sometimes I think, 'Man, I don't know If I can even do this anymore. I mean, It's always something. It's just thing after thing after thing.' "Do you really feel like that?" Of course not! I'm Elder Lopez! Nuff said! "Ugh..."

Not pictured: An impressive Fu
Man Chu

So the reason I'm so Awesome! happy with who I am is because of a lesson I learned a long, long time ago. "In a galaxy far, far away?" No, I already did that one... But you are right, It does have to do with a similarly themed movie. In the movie Kung Fu Panda, there is a Panda named Po. "What does that have to do with Star Wars?" I told you, I ALREADY did that one, that ship has sailed. So anyway, Po is a panda whose dad is a Goose with quite the impressive Fu Man Chu. That has nothing to do with the lesson but I just thought I'd give credit where credit is due. So anyway, Po's whole predicament, conundrum, whatever you wish to call it- "What do you do call it?" It is... Not important... So, he wants to be a Kung Fu master but there's that one thing that gets in everyone's way at least once in their lives, he has the problem of being 'a big, fat panda.' "That doesn't even make any sense. You're right, that Chloroform stuff did get to ya." Ugh... you have no idea, I'm like still smelling colors... But that's besides the point. Long story short, Po gets picked as the Dragon Warrior, a warrior who is pretty Awesome! and filled with Kung Fu... stuffs... "Very smooth." You ever heard of Occam's Razor? "No?" Look it up... So, I totally lost my train of thought... "Dragon Warrior?" Oh yes! Dragon Warrior! 

One Elder Lopez was harmed in the making
of this post.

So there's this scroll, appropriately titled, 'The Dragon Scroll' that comes with the territory of being the Dragon Warrior and when the evil Tai Lung threatens the land of... Umm... "You don't remember what it's called do you?" Haven't a clue, but it's not important, the point is, he threatens it. "You know it's China right?" You're China... Only the power of the secret contained in the Dragon Scroll is enough to save the land but when Master Shifu and Po open it, to their complete and utter surprise, there's nothing. It's just a blank reflective scroll. So now you can imagine how much of a 'Man we're done for' moment they were both having but eventually, Po learns a valuable lesson. "That it's illegal to lick doorknobs on other planets?" Well... I suppose he learned that one too.. But I was gonna go with the value of self-worth. "I guess that one works..." 

You see dear reader, we are the greatest creations ever created! Think about it, everything we are, we are cause we are. "Sigh... Okay, I'll bite out of what I'm assuming is supposed to be a rational thought... Elder Lopez, whatever does that mean?" You're quite the sassy one today. Rather than describe it myself, I'll let someone a little more suited do it, and man do I wish I had their accent.

"You might say, “I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.”
If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters [and sons] of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination."

How's that for three slices of Awesome! pie? Every single time you look in the mirror, you see one of the greatest things ever thought of! Don't believe me? Ask Dr. Seuss!

"Today you are you, that is truer than true, there is no one alive who is youer than you!"

The secret of the Dragon Scroll is that power comes from within, and who gave you that power? That's right! Our Heavenly Father! Po defeated Tai Lung just like we can defeat our metaphorical Tai Lungs cause God loves us and although we often don't know our Awesome! self worth, God sure does, and He often times will send a little reminder to keep us going. For some it's a fortunate event, and for me, it's a mirror. "I just don't know what to say to that." Probably better if you don't... So go be Awesome! reader and remember, You can't spell Awesome! without M-E!