Gardening, Camping, Solstice, Grandpa and Late Father's Day

I am really becoming a gardening nerd! I walk around the hill to work every morning and see this: 

And I get so excited! I think it's so pretty! Look how it's growin'! I didn't think I could get so pumped about a garden, but I am sure excited about this one! 

 We planted over 1000 Green Onions! 

 My Beautiful Grannie and the turnips that I transplanted on the first day of work! They are getting so big! She said I should say, Grannie and Turnip, Can you tell which is which? I said, Grannie, whatever.

 Selfie with my favorite baby turnips that are all growed up now! 

 Tomatoes!!!! Nothing else needs to be said, just I love TOMATOES!!! 

Grannie and Larue in the Pepper House. It's the best smelling place in the whole garden! I love it in there! Yummers!!

Gardening in shorts... I said, when my knees are both covered in dirt, it camouflages my scar, and I practically look normal! :) 

This last week the YSA Relief Society went camping! It was not really camping actually, we slept in a really super dry cabin. But it was awesome! We had some good chats around a camp fire (I have a pretty good hick accents when I say "fire". It's whatevs.) It was a good trip. We really got to know each other better. We had an adventure on the way home Saturday. It was raining and we had 13 girls and 2 men piled on a quad and a side by side. I had no rain gear and I was in the back of one. I was SO wet!! Bishop was driving a 4-wheeler and the wheel popped off, so we stopped a lot to try and fix it and then we just winched it up to the back of the quad and then it snapped so we had to jimmy rig it up. Anyways, the 1 hour rainy ride turned into 3 hours of getting wet. Awesome!!! Adventure is out there! (name that movie... Up!)

Also, Saturday was the Summer Solstice. That takes on a whole new meaning in Alaska. It means NEVER dark for like 48 hours! I didn't stay up for all of it, but I stayed up 'til like 2 AM. We played soda pong. I don't even like pop, so it was like a stretch. We drank a lot of pop and bubbly. More than probably my whole life put together to this point. Needless to say, I went to the bathroom a lot. Then we had a little camp fire too. I don't have a good picture of the fire because my camera wasn't doing so well with so much orange light, but I like fire! 

 Me and Marika. The sparkling headband made me the fairy princess! 

 Sadie, Me and Marika! Solstice party!! 

And this picture is 1:30 AM! Awesome!!! It would be lighter, minus it's super cloudy.

A couple of weeks ago, for Family Home Evening, me and Sadie asked Grandpa if he would spend the evening telling us stories that went along with his picture book. The book has a lot of good pictures, but no captions. So, I filmed his stories. We talked for like an hour and a half. All the segments were like 6 minutes long, so if you're not family, you might get bored with this piece of the night, but I think it's pretty cool. I love my grandpa and his stories. He's going to be 90 in October, and I'm so thankful that I get to spend the summer with him, because there's no saying how much longer I would be able to have a chance like this.

And last Sunday I didn't write a Father's Day blog, but that doesn't mean I don't love my Dad. I talked to him on the phone. I love my dad so much. It's been a good thing for me to be up here too, because I miss him terribly and have realized how much he means to me, and I know that he's missing me almost unbearably, and when I return home, I will be the favorite daughter for sure. My dad has done so much for me and I love him. One thing that I really love about my dad is that he always made time for me. Lots of kids don't get to spend tons of time with their dad. I'm lucky because I was with my dad from 4-6 every evening for 2/3 of the school year, I was with him Friday-Sunday all day! I was with him a lot during the summer. I saw him every day before I went to school. I really am so blessed to have him around as much as he is. He spent time with me too. He rebounded for me and we went on walks and bike rides and hikes and cook-outs all together. He's the greatest dad for me! I miss him a lot and I'm excited to see him in August when I will be his favorite child! 

My Witness

When I was 10 years old I asked my mom how I could get my own testimony. She told me that the first key was a desire, so I was already on my way. She told me that I needed to pray about things I was wondering about and listen for an answer. She told me that I needed to live my life in a way that was in alignment with Heavenly Father's plan. She told me to listen to the Prophets. She told me to do the little things, like participate in primary and classes and to read my scriptures every day and to pray. I think she gave me a pretty good formula. I was still depending on her testimony then and I remember the first time that I really had a hard question that I needed help to believe and get a testimony for myself about. It was when President Gordon B. Hinkley passed away. He was the only Prophet that I knew. I was wondering how in the world we were gonna do it without him. I wondered for a short time, and then I got the opportunity to attend the Young Women's General Meeting in person. I prayed that I would find an answer that President Monson was now the prophet. I remember standing up and everything went silent as President Monson walked in and I KNEW that he was indeed called of God to be the Prophet of His church on earth. I received my testimony of a Living Prophet on that day. Since then, there have been times when I may have wondered about the church and about some things that were said. But my dad taught me a valuable lesson as well in regards to obtaining and then holding strong to my testimony. When he was on his mission, he and his companion needed to find a new place to live. They prayed together and got an answer of where to go. When they were on their way to move, his companion started getting cold feet. He asked my dad if they were sure they should move. My dad gave a scripture to him:  Doctrine and Covenants 6:22-23, which says "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" I always remember that story when I hear controversial comments about the Prophet or the Apostles and other leaders of the church. I remember the day when I stood in silence to reverence the Prophet and I remember the burning in my heart and how in that moment I KNEW that there was a living prophet who receives revelation for us all. Then I don't have to question any longer. I know that the Prophet and Apostles are the spokes people for God. In Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 it says "Whether by mine own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same." I know that. I know that what these men say is what Heavenly Father desires for us. I'm not saying they are perfect, but I am saying that I believe them. Some people may say that because I hardly ever question what they say, I'm following blindly. I'm not. When I hear something from someone speaking in General Conference that I don't feel 100% about, I do what my mom told me to do, and I remember what my dad taught me. I pray about it and I know that Heavenly Father wants me to follow what His prophet is saying. I'm not saying that I'm perfect either, but I'm trying to follow His plan. 

I know that President Monson is the living prophet of God on the earth today and that he cannot lead us astray. I know that the Priesthood blesses my life each day because without the Priesthood, I wouldn't have the Holy Ghost as my constant companion, I wouldn't be sealed eternally to my family. I know that because of the Sacred Sealing Ordinances that are performed in the temple, I will one day understand and know what it's all about and enjoy those blessings with my future husband and children as long as I live a life in alignment to obtain a temple recommend. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and he was the instrument in God's hands to restore the church to the earth. I know that the Apostles are called of God and I know that I sustained them and support them. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I've read it and prayed about it and I know it's true. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and all His children on earth. I know He wants what's best for all of us. 

I'm thankful for the testimony that I have worked for and that has grown so much since leaving home and seeing different views. I stand by my testimony and I know that if I continue to do the little things each day like scripture study, prayer, being nice to people, following the prophet, going to church, and such, as well as remember the times when the Spirit spoke to my heart and gave me a testimony, I will stay close to God and be a happy and peaceful person. 

I'm the Worst at Coming Up with Catchy Titles.

Folks, when I'm just bloggin' about life and not about something extra special, I just can't come up with a good title. Minus, my life actually is extra special, so I should come up with a title. But, I'm busy living my special life and don't have time to come up with a creative blog title. Sorry. Forgive me please and read anyway?! 

Alaska is still wonderful. Yeah, I've gone through moments of homesickness by now. I miss my mom and dad and Livi and nieces and nephews and friends who know me and stuff like that, but I'm doing okay. I'm not homesick because I dislike it here, I just like it at home too. I wish I had a bajillion dollars so I could have a private jet and go home on the weekend or fly my parents up here for a weekend. Or I wish I could invent teleportation so that I could just show up at home one day and then back up here. I like both and this is my life and I like it. 

In the last little bit we've planted over 1000 celery plants, over 300 turnips, about 600 onions, 500 garlics and enough potatoes to feed an army. It's so cool to watch the stuff I have planted, growing and thriving. I think this gardening stuff is getting to my brain and making me my mom. It's great!! My mom's awesome! So the garden work is good. The other day I made a great fashion statement. I wore shorts and mud boots! And I know I'm acclimating to Alaskan weather because the other day it was 65 degrees and I was sweating! Silly! I do kind of miss the hot sun. I'm not getting tan. By the time the sun hits me clear down here at elevation 500 ft., the tanning qualities have dissipated. So, when ya'll see me in the fall with your gorgeous tans, don't compare arm color with me. You'll get knocked out cold! Just kidding. I'm not really that strong or that mean, but I will be grouchy. 

I've also spent some more time selling pies. We had Colony Days this last weekend and I seriously had a blast selling! It was so much fun and we sold a lot! :) And I babysat for Amy for two days this week too. I really liked that because her family reminded me of my nieces and nephews. And I miss my nieces and nephews, so I had fun babysitting them and playing with them. It was a great two days. 

For fun, well every day is fun! This weekend Sadie and Annie treated me to the movies! We went and saw the movie The Fault In Our Stars. Let me tell you, that was a good movie. And some not fun, I spoke in church today about the Constitutional Convention. I think it went well. I made it as entertaining as I could and I didn't see too many people fall asleep. I know that the Constitution was an important thing in church history, because it had to happen for the restoration to happen. I know that those founding fathers were inspired men of God and I am extremely grateful for them. God Bless America. 

I hope ya'll have a great week and try to have as much fun as me! 

 All my clothes. I've downsized a bit to be here, and not gonna lie, I miss my clothes a little, but just a little. I'm not freaky, high maintenance, obsessive or anything.

 On our way to Anchorage for the movie. For some reason the pictures that I was smiling in, just looked gross. So, meet weirdo Elvis lip! 

And the talk I prepared. I was very grateful that Bishop brought this article over for me to use. I marked it up and wrote all over it! I couldn't really do this one by the seat of my pants. I'm finally having to learn how to be a grown up.