Follow your promptings!

I had the best experience today! Well it goes back aways to the start of the week when I went to help a sister. She needed spiritual nourishment. And I had an immediate idea - What would you say to holding a Family Home Evening here with some of the singles? She said she would LOVE that. So organising I began...

There was one man that straight away jumped into my head - Peter. But then I got distracted and all of a sudden 3 days have passed and I havent called him yet. So I think, "oh I'll just ask him at Church". But then when I see him, I think, "oh, he's probably busy, its not much notice being only one day away, ill ask him next time" (Yes procrastintaion is one of my worst habits!). But I couldnt escape the feeling to ask him.

So I got over myself and went and asked him and he said he would LOVE to, as, being a convert and estranged from his family, he misses out on those "what do you call them home meetings?" (so cute).

So that was fine. Then we went to our gospel principles class and Br Scotty was teaching and he always starts by asking us to share a happy moment from the week. So we went around and shared and then it got to Peter. And he said get this! He said "The happiest moment of my week was when Lexi invited me to a home meeting that she has organised for monday night. Its one of the things I was saying to Bishop that I miss out on because I have no family. Thats the happiest thing thats happened to me"

I was in silent tears. A simple and I mean simple invitation was the highlight of this old mans week? And I could be an instrument in that! How blessed and happy do you think I feel now? Follow your promptings (your gut instinct for my non church friends) even the smallest ones, you could just make someones day or more!

Loves xox

My Great Gran Ryan

My dear great granny ryan passed away this week. She was 98 years old! She was an amazing woman. She lived at 56 Calendon Road in Dublin Ireland, the family home. Everyone in the family knows Calendon Road.

She was a strong and corageous woman. Not only did she raise her own family but she raised her daughters aswell when she passed away in her 30's. She worked at the Credit Union well into her 70's. Then they asked her to come back when she was in her 90's to train staff on how to do things without a computer, and she, in her 90's learnt how to use computers!

When I was 17 I went on my first trip overseas and headed for Ireland. I didnt tell anyone in the family I was coming, I just wanted to surprise them (as you do when you're 17). I remember calling my Granny Ryan from the ferry port in dublin after a boat journey from London, at 9oclock at night, and saying, "Hi is this granny Ryan? This is Alexis, David's daughter from Australia, Im in Dublin!" She welcomed me straight away and told me which buses to catch to get to her house (Calendon Road). Imagine if she'd gone who? Would have been a cold night!

I arrived and it was so wonderful to meet her. I'd been travelling for a while and she made me feel so welcome and at home. I remember there were tears. I missed home, I missed my friend I'd left in Belgium and was feeling very alone. But she changed all that and I love her :) I stayed with her for the time I was in Ireland. It was the funniest house, compared to what Im used to here in Australia. It was attached, skinny and tall with two tiny bedrooms upstairs and I always used to worry she would fall down the stairs, they were so steep and well skinny. But we had the best time, preparing for Christmas, making decorations out of alfoil and wrapping all the presents. All the family coming over to visit. The best Cheese and Ham sandwiches!

Then out of the blue I got invited to my cousins wedding. That was fun. Very Irish! I a castle on the coast, dancing, singing, kilts, family and great music! Gran and I rode over in a Mercedes Limousine my great uncle had organised to pick us up. It was the most fanciest car Id ever been in and I felt well posh!

My Granny, my Dads mum, passed away when I was young, about 4 years old, so I never really got to know her but felt always a very strong bond with her and new she was always looking out for me, I thought of her as my guardian angel. Whenever I'd think of her a song would play or come into mind.

I have wonderful memories of my great gran which I will always treasure. I'd met her only twice in this life, but I can't wait to spend the next one together! I know shes on the other side organising the troops, I can feel it, Im so blessed to have her as part of my family, and now need to get organised to do the work here!

Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't YOU take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

Successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, sooo

Love the people who treat you right, AND Pray for the ones who don't!!

HAVE A GARBAGE-FREE DAY

What a lovely day!

Me, Laina and her little sis Sophia! Congrats Girl!

Out with the missionaries for a lesson about Temples, I think our investigator learnt alot!

Then...

Went to the Temple (Isn't it beautiful!)

Then...

Laina got her call! Australia Sydney Mission, reporting to the MTC 31st March! We might even be flying out on the same day which would be so much fun!!! Congratulations Sister Luatua!

Found such peace and reassurance tonight at the Temple. I love that place. I know everythings going to work out, job, mission, USA, its all gonna be fine :)

Loves xox

Yasi

Found this site that shows what our Cyclone Yasi would look like if it was around the world...

Yasi if over Europe


Yasi if over Asia

Yasi if over the USA

Yasi stats

• Cat 5 now (5 out of 5)
• It is 500km wide
• The eye is 100km wide
• Rainfall of 1000mm expected over 48 hours
• Winds of 320 km/hr
• It could take up to an hour for the eye to pass
• 20 000 people have been evacuated
• Storm surge swell expected of 7m (Up for a surf Michael?)

Cyclones, 1 down, 1 to go

So as if floods were not enough, we have had an earthquake and then a cyclone and now another cyclone on the way. Cyclone Yasi (nice name)

I find weather so so amazing, reminds me of how small I am...Praying for my Cait whos in Cairns right now with the Navy. Its supposed to hit Cairns smack bang on tomorrow sometime. Its a Cat 4 (out of 5). Its so big, they say the eye could last over an hour. Amazing!

On my way...

I just booked in for my medical and dental checks for my mission! Its getting real now! Once they are done I need a photo of myself in missionary standard dress and grooming, a photo of my tattoo (stink lol) and then come 1/3 i can press submit!

Im excited the sisters have a new wardrobe = colours my favorite!

I left my heart in Utah...

So my afternoon went on with some opportunities presented, we shall see how they work out, maybe everythings not a total disaster after all :P But then maybe this is my rollercoaster i live on...


But after a wonderful chat with my dear friend Katie, she figured out my problem, I left my heart in Utah. So i'm going back to get it. That, along with my mojo and motivation which where all accidently left in Warners room at the prayer wall ;)

Shes a rock, shes helped me heaps. Thanks girl so much! Much loves xox

This is one of my top 10 photos that i started way back, Katie Lily Lucy and me in Gasworks park, Seattle, Washington! Its not the one I wanted to post here but I remembered at the last second that when we took the one I wanted to post, Katie said "not for facebook" I think that will apply to blogs too lol. But it was the morning i left Utah (tears) , shes such a trooper! The sun wasnt even up, it was chilly! But she was there to see me off! One of my faves!

And I had great news, another happy couple making a run for the eternities. Congrats Uncle Warndog and Janey :) And on my birthday too! I wont forget lol

I have no photo of them together, but heres uncle warndoggy and heres janeys representative (she works/ed in a donut store in america!)

+

=

True Hapiness!

And my friend Michelle had her baby, Daniel...



And here is my mission prep class! We have a new teacher, a recent RM from Aukland which apparently is the best mission in the world? He is awesome! We have learnt heaps off him already. As we start now from the beginning, Im so looking forward to learning how to be a great missionary. I've already had a powerful experience about perfect obedience that I dont think I will ever forget, so powerful it woke me up at 3am to call me to repentance. Awesome power of the Spirit! One of our boys (the one at the front in the suit) got his call... Sierra Leone, West Africa! He leaves in March. Whoa!

Utter confusion, my faithful friend

Why does everything have to be so dang complicated!

I mean 1) Why cant I just be happy being a nurse?

I mean I enjoyed studying for it, but hate the realities of it, so much so that I quit last year and have tried so many times to go back that I am sure people are sick and tired of hearing about it, in out, in out. I mean, I know I am! I mean when I first had the idea of nursing, I thought, "I want something more out of life than just typing" (because I was in admin at the time). So I studied again. I'd already studied for a year in business admin. I studied for 3 months as an Assistant Nurse, I studied for 18 months then as an Enrolled Nurse, then I studied for three years as a Registered Nurse. Nearly 5 years more of study.

I’ve worked in Nursing for 8 years since that first thought. I think I've done my share. Oh it might not seem so to those who have nursed for all their life, but I’ve had it. I've done every area there is in nursing to do, Medical, Surgical, Aged care, Orthopaedics, Stroke unit, Rehabilitation, Cardiac unit, Operating Theatres, community health. The only thing I haven’t done specifically is peadiatrics and midwifery, even though I’ve delivered bubs by C – section and had kiddies in OT, but if I don’t feel capable dealing with adults, there is no way I’m going near kiddies and bubs. They are too precious to mess with. And after all that I still haven’t settled into nursing? I don’t think its for me, or more I’m not for it.

So I make a decision. I’m out. But then He tells me to go back. So I’m back in. But He's also told me before in so many ways that it didn’t matter what I did as long as I did something. So I go back, but? There’s no work for me. I don’t get it? Is it a test, see if I'll do what He says no matter what? I must be dense.

If I cant be happy being a nurse, then I’m happy to do something else, anything else. I know I love to teach. So I've applied for a teaching course, but even that’s complicated. Apparently being a nurse and having a 3 year degree does not qualify you for much, except nursing. Its like I can't escape it! And I’m so confused I don’t even know if I want to escape it. I need nursing as my key into the States, long term.

I’m happy to do anything I can, but what is that anything? I cannot find one single job outside of nursing, as I have no experience and no training outside of nursing. The admin must be too long ago for people to count.

So what are my options? Learn to deal with nursing or study some more, remain perpetually unemployed and turn into a bum? Get all down about it? This is not how my life is supposed to be!

I am so confused; I really wish President Monson could use a few of his keys to unlock some of my doors for me!

I need a plan. Well I have a plan. Mission. But that plan involves earning money, which I’m finding it difficult to do being that I have no job. I cant bare to think of not going on my mission now. It’s not something I want to face. And then what about post mission? What to do then?

Do I come to the States in April? I cant even believe I’m questioning it, but it doesn’t seem sensible to go when I’m in this "no income no job" state. But can I even not come to the states? It is one of the few things keeping me going right now, the prospect of something good on the horizon, something that’s in my control. My mission is another good thing on my horizon, but it is not within my control. At least with the States, I can go, have a great time and go out with a bang before hitting absolute rock bottom upon my return.

I hate not working. Its making me bored and getting me into all sorts of bad habits, like sleeping in and going to bed late and constant snacking and watching TV, I hate TV!

Grrr! I was tempted not to post this, but it is my diary after all, good and bad. Life is full of good and bad, maybe I should only record the good? Oh well there’s always the “delete” button for a later date. And the ever faithful “ignore” folder where everything in my mind goes that I wish to overlook. Hopefully I’ll be able to look back at this rant and go “What were you worried about, it all worked out!” Hopefully, I live with faith.

This is so awesome!!!

The Elders baked us cookies for Australia Day!!! Can you believe that? They just dropped them off, so they get a special post all of their own! Im still in shock, Elders and baking, you see people miracles still do happen in these days!

Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - Time is flying so so fast I can't keep up...

What a year so far, floods, earthquake, scorching heat, what is next?? Volcanoes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuYkKir3LF4

• 16 weeks until im ready to go on my mish!



• 9 weeks to go until I'm in the States again!



• 8 weeks of work left!



• 5 weeks until I can submit my mission papers!

What the heck!!! 5 weeks I need to get organised!



My Cait came home for Christmas...




The Triplets started their first day of school...


My prep girls and I went up Mt Cootha to see our city lights...

Been out with the Sister Missionaries...

Today is great baking weather - 32 degrees... This is the sun over my roof - i love blue sky and sunshine!

Celebrating tonight with Laina AKA Sister Luatua for her accomplishing her mission goals. Well done Laina!

Looking forward to starting back at work next week, saving and prepping!

Loves xox

Its been a while...

Well its been nearly two months since I posted on here. But now I plan to get back to it because I'm off facebook as of tomorrow, and so will have the time to get back to my diary. And just in time to put up all my christmas photos to come :)

1st Dec, six months out from when I'll be ready to go on my mission. Time to make a plan...

Tuesday 28/9/10 - Tracey!

Today I had the most awesome lunch with my friend Tracey from Uni. We haven't seen each other for EVA! We talked and talked for ages. It was so good catching up, and telling her all about the States and what an awesome time I had and my plans to move there. She's so happy for me. She is a fellow USA convert, she loves the place too. That's a nice reaction!

I forgot to get a photo today, check us out Tracey, this was two years ago, July 08, we've both changed!

Other than that it was just our RS meeting tonight, which went great, some would say long lol. Love it! The spiritual thought was from the talk "Good, Better, Best" one of my faves and everyone should read it! It's about prioritising and doing what's best with your time rather than what's good.

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-775-38,00.html

It was so funny when I was reading this because my RS President and I had seen this picture at the Temple...

and I was trying to remember the story that went with it and this is what she told me - "Thats the two sisters that were both named Mary, weird huh?, and Jesus used to go and hang with them when he wanted to chill out" - HILARIOUS Sister Ape Doctrine lol. Anyways after I stopped lauging I realised this was the story that went with the picture and it's in that talk...

Jesus taught this principle in the home of Martha. While she was "cumbered about much serving" (Luke 10:40), her sister, Mary, "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word" (v. 39). When Martha complained that her sister had left her to serve alone, Jesus commended Martha for what she was doing (v. 41) but taught her that "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (v. 42). It was praiseworthy for Martha to be "careful and troubled about many things" (v. 41), but learning the gospel from the Master Teacher was more "needful." The scriptures contain other teachings that some things are more blessed than others (see Acts 20:35; Alma 32:14–15).

Monday 27/9/10 - P Day lol

My very own P day, planning day that is lol. Ah me and my missionary jokes, I ammuse myself :)

So heres a reflection, on looking over everything I've written lately, I really am quite "churchy" aren't I. I mean I love it, but I guess I see why that would have bothered my friend who thought I was too churchy. Interesting.

So I got heaps of planning done today and now know a bit better where Im going and what I need to do to get there. I've got tables and lists and maps and goals and priorities and budgets! Good days work :) Now to start doing it, a little bit harder...

And you know what I'm over doubting myself. Im a happy good girl that some people actually like and want to be around, Im happy with that. Self doubt is the worst thing! I'm so over it! So Im going to try and be confident in every aspect from now on. This is gonna take some changing...and this is what I'm missing from Utah. I was confident there, I was happy there. Gotta bring that girl here at least for a year :) Three weeks back home and that girls gone into hiding. But I'm going to try and catch her before she leaves the country...

Sunday 26/9/10 - All over the place...

I so much felt like boycotting my own blog. I hated most of what I wrote yesterday. But then I thought if I delete it, then thats like altering your own history to make it look how you want instead of how it is. And I'm trying to live in reality now, not the future or past, so I'm back writing and keeping my commitment of writing my journal everyday. I figured you wouldn't want to read what I was babbling on about, but then I remembered I'm writing this for me not for you, so if it's babble its babble, and if its earthshakingly awesome then I've grown lol.

I so did not want to go to church this morning. But I made myself get up and get moving. I can't understand how I can be so pumped then so blah in the space of 24 hours but thats why I was just like, you know what just get up and go. I was telling honey, and she put it perfectly "You've gone cold turkey from fun". Its so true :( Peter the new member spoke in Sacrament today and told his story of how the missionaries had found him. I was crying so much, I couldn't help it, it was so beautiful and I looked over at Elder Thunot and saw his expression and the kindness in his face and the humility and I just felt so happy that Peter had spoken the words to thank Elder Thunot and I'm sure it would have made his day. It brought back to my heart how much I owe and am grateful for my missionaries, and they all think it's just all part of the work, they don't realise how much they mean to us converts. Without them we wouldn't be here, they are our keys and we love them.

So change of plans for tonight. We were going to have a bonfire but now we can't because of the fire restrictions, so now we are going to a CES Broadcast for Insitute at Karawatha, which is an hour away. I was excited, I've not been there before but the missionaries have said it's huge. So I happened to mention to a couple of friends that I was going and offered them a lift with me, and all of a sudden it turned into me, driving someone elses van, someone else driving my car with 4 ppl in it, me having to figure out how to get to the van in D Bay 20mins away, me picking up a bunch of ppl in D Bay, me buying gas on the Sabbath and me driving them all to Karawatha and back for the fireside? What the heck? How did this happen? Oh that's right because I just stood there and said "yeah sure" instead of saying "ah no way". And Katie, now I remember why I dont do YSA. It annoys me so much when you are organised and want to go out and do things and end up getting pulled into other peoples last minute messes, especially when they try and lay on the guilt trip. And I annoy myself so much when i say yes when i want to say no grrr!

Anyhoo it turned out alright, someone must have read the expression on my face. Plans changed again and my friends Dad ended up driving his van. I got to take my own car with some other people, one girl I didn't know and one girl i dont think she likes me that much, but it didnt seem to matter, we had a really great night. I could have watched it at home on the net, but there's something about sitting together, all with a common purpose feeling the spirit. There was about 500 of us. And guess what the topic was? Eternal Marriage and I swear I did not know that before I went. It was so cool too because at the beginning they called for all the recently returned missionaries to stand up and say where they'd been and that and then all the ones that had recieved calls to do the same. One was going to England, three to Auckland and three within Australia. My friend Laina is going to Sydney! Way to go girl, she is a real example to me.





So the best person I met at the Fireside was Karen Tuohy. I couldn't believe it, I havent seen her since the Airport when Michael left! I mean we talk on email, but we can never seem to match up shifts to get together. Anyways I saw her and I was like thats Karen! and she came up to me and gave me a big hug and I told her all about my trip to the States. She and her husband are the YSA parents in her ward so they were there chaperoning. Ah see I'm so glad I went!

After the fireside we stopped in at the Temple. One of my friends really needed the bathroom, the public ones were closed so I said we could stop at a Maccas, just for the bathroom if she really needed it. Well then my other friend was like "Im buying something, I'm starving!" And I was like "Umm, it's Sunday" and she was like "Yeah it's ok I can repent about it later" I said to her it doesnt work like that, and she says "Oh yeah it does I do it all the time." I was so shocked, that she would think this and I know she knows better. Am I being judgemental here? I mean I was hungry too but it was only an hour till we were home. Was she seriously going to break the sabbath because she couldnt wait an hour to eat something? I was so upset inside I really was. It brought my day round full circle. She was prepared to break the covenant she had just renewed that very morning, after we had just been to the Temple, for something to eat, to satisfy a very temporary craving. I was wanting that very morning to do the same thing, to not go to church and break my covenants that I would always try. There was nothing stopping me, I just didnt want to go. It made me realise just how much going to the Temple has changed me. Not so much in what I do but my level of understanding and comprehension of the signigicance of these things. I never want to do or not do anything that will jeapordise my worthiness to attend the temple. If I always focus on the Temple, everything else will fall in place. I cant believe I nearly didnt go to sacrament. If I thought I felt bad before, I bet I would of really felt bad if I hadn't gone.

Looking forward greatly to tomorrow when I will have an opportunity to sit down and do some planning of the nitty gritty of how and when I am going to get to Utah! I think that will help this fuddled little mind of mine :)