One Pearl and Five Stones

I feel that we often get in the way of our own happiness. We look around for things that are imperfect, misplaced, or not up to par with what we think our life should be. I was able to attend at fireside tonight where Elder Trip Meredith spoke and he spoke about the most important things. Things that can make us the happiest, if we will do them.

First he spoke of the Pearl. The doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ is the pearl of the Gospel. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the gospel. By faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. That is the Pearl. It's what we are most focused on.

But like David who was going out to slay Goliath...we have five stones. The way that David slew Goliath was very simple. It was a stone to his head. Elder Meredith pointed out that there are five stones in our lives, simple things; that if we do them, our life will fall into place. Often times these five stones are simple acts or ideas that can make a big difference. We hear about a lot of these things and just think "oh that's too easy to work".

Much like the example of the Children of Israel who were bitten by the snakes. The Lord told Moses to make a staff and carve a serpent into it, and if the people look they will be healed. Many did not look, thinking that it was too easy of a solution.

Much like the example of Naaman who needed to be cleansed, was told to bathe seven times in the river. He thought this was too simple of a request. He can't be blessed that easily. Sure enough when he went off and did the thing required, he was healed.

Much like the five stones we carry in our life will be able to heal us. Five simple things that will make it easier to live the gospel; to focus on the Pearl.

You might think the five stones are "read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church..." Elder Meredith says that the five stones (those simple things) are different for everyone. He did ask us to make one stone the Book of Mormon.

So here's the challenge:

Choose 5 simple things that you can do in your life to make things easier to focus on the Pearl. 

1. Read the Book of Mormon
2.
3.
4.
5.

The rest are up to you. They are private and they are personal. They are between you and the Lord. You may feel comfortable sharing them, that's great too!  I will share my five with you for examples sake, and because I'm okay if you know my stones.

1. Read the Book of Mormon
2. Pray Morning and Night
3. Stop Complaining
4. Be Where I Need to Be, When I Need to Be There.
5. Get Enough Sleep to Be a Functional Servant of the Lord.

These are five simple things I can do to be a happier person, and stop getting in my own way. Distractions come so easily. I want to focus on the Pearl.

Simply Happy,
Arica

Who Would You Rather Be?

Me, Me, Me.

My little sister has roped me into a couple of different shows, claiming "you'll love it." Some of them she acts are like a personal favor to her since she watches the shows I always suggest. This is how a couple weeks ago I started watching New Girl. Arin was right, I liked it. I started watching and Jess Day (the main character) is what people describe as "adorkable", which I haven't made up my mind if I like that word. I'm leaning toward not liking it. It describes her to a point. I thought I didn't like her at first but you get used to her idiosyncrasies and come to understand why she acts the way she does. I found we're more alike than I might have originally thought.

As I watch New Girl, I sometimes wish I could be a little more like Zooey Deschanel or Jess Day (who is basically the same person), but I made list as to why I am or am not like her.

I am Jess

We love to make people feel happy.

We can be very random and find the silliest things funny.

We like people to think we're funny.

I usually want to be "in" on the joke. Jess always tries to relate to her roommates, even when she can't.

We enjoy making things fun when they tend to be boring.

We hate being alone. We must always have plans, even if it's sitting at home watching a movie...it was in the plan.

We are teachers.

We don't mind talking about our feelings.

I like what I like and don't care who knows it. Popular or not. Jess isn't a hipster, she watches Dirty Dancing and likes popular sitcoms from the 80s. Most people who are hipsters will claim they only watch indie films. "Film purists"

I am Arica

I don't care so much about fashion. I enjoy looking nice but I definitely don't have the flare for what's hot and now in that industry. I sometimes wish I just had a knack for knowing about fashion or even a desire to know. I really don't care, if it looks nice on me I get it. I have my own understanding of what I like. (to my fashion demise? I'm not sure. Don't worry I ask my friend girls and that helps.)

I can't sing. I do want to take voice lessons some time in my life but that's too be determined. Also, I'm kind of sensitive about the fact that I can't sing, I'm not sure why.

I'm not trying to be mean because I like Jess, but she's kind of an airhead. I don't feel like I'm an airhead, maybe naive, but I have more sense.

I could never have a model as a best friend. My friends are beautiful, but models are a different breed and I don't think I could ever really trust their judgment. Models = untrustworthy.

Even if I wasn't Mormon/LDS, I don't think I could live with 3 guys. Maybe one...we'd be such great friends that we could wear matching rings on our left hands. :D (See what I did there...)



I often say, "don't compare yourself to others" because it's a huge life lesson I have applied to my life. So when I get a thought like "I wish I was more like Zooey/Jess" I have to really think "Do I?"
No. I don't. Of all the things we have in common, which I think are the better traits of us both, they don't out weigh the fact that I'm me and she's her. And that's how God made it. I can admire certain characteristics and some things I just am not passionate about. At the end of the day, I'm happy with how my life has turned out and the person I am. I only hope to improve upon it.

Happy about me,
Arica

Monday's with Ms. Arica

Almost like Tuesday's with Morrie, even though I never read that book I thought the title was fun. :)

Today was a typical Monday, where people complain that it's Monday. I'm not sure WHY people feel the need to blame a difficult day on what day of the week it is, it's not completely fair. It's an excuse as to why we can have a crappy day. It's like saying "Oh the sun came up...dang what a bad day." Everyone is overly crabby, sleepy, and sluggish on Monday claiming it's all because it's Monday. Let's be clear here; it's because it's not the weekend anymore. Leave Monday alone. It's not the day's fault that if comes right after a short weekend and for some people too many drinks.

Keep in mind I'm not blaming Monday for the off day my student had, but the weekend must have done something to him. See to the following example:

We are reading the book Holes as a class. The books that are used are not labeled with names, you just get one. They're identical. My student claimed one book was his specific book. How could he tell the difference?

Student: "Mine is the medium size one and this one is too small."

Me: "They're all the same size."

Student: "My book was bigger. Look it's not mine."

Me: (Holding the books beside and then on top of each other to show that the sizes are the same).

Battle won.

Why he thought they were different sizes is beyond me...he also tried to explain why Wreck-it Ralph is real.

He's one of my favorite people.

Happy Mondays,
Arica

Then and Now

I actually like these little survey things, this got too long for a status on facebook, so here it is...Then and Now.

Age I was given: 20 

Where I lived: Rexburg, Idaho
What I drove: Nada
What I did: Going to school. I had an awesome group of friends who'd go to the dunes, ice caves, off roading (maybe with a little thievery and getting pulled over by the cops...), and doing random things like finding a shopping cart and making it our go cart. Oh it was the best times with many in store for later.
Who had my heart: no one person in particular, I had crushes but they really meant nothing (and don't even get me started on the difference between a crush and liking someone...I could write a whole post on that...)
Fears: never finishing college, knives, scary movies

Age Now: 25

Where I live: Charlotte, North Carolina
What I drive: Lafawnda Honda
What I do: Teach Special Education, help the missionaries, hang with my fam, plan things with friends, read, blog, stay fresh on my shows, stay informed on my politics, drink Coke Zero, and stay up late only to say I'll go to bed earlier the when I wake up. (ps. that never happens.)
Who Has my heart: "Cowboy take me away..."
Fears: heights, falling, knives, scary movies, and surgery


Like this on Facebook and I will give you an age. (No pressure)

Plans vs. Laziness: A Battle Fought Each Day

My plans for when I got off work today:
Go to the Mint Hill library and get some work done. I have progress updates due for my students tomorrow. Technically I can do them tomorrow but it'd be nice to get out of there sooner than later.

Also, make a Jeopardy game for my students to review things. Learn to make awesome popsicles so that I can look like I know what I'm doing for Fun Friday!

Spruce up and organize the missionary meals calendar.

Fold my laundry. (It's a mountain on my bed...I hate it...I resent it)

Then enjoy my evening.

How my plans turned out:
I  lost my flash drive, containing everything important, for most of the day and couldn't work on my students progress updates.

My Jeopardy template is also that flash drive.

So I came home in search of my flash drive and I couldn't find it anywhere. I figured no flash drive meant I didn't really have much else I could do with out it.  This turned into Andrew coming home and us playing a tournament of Super Smash Brothers...which he again defeated me at, I wonder why I play sometimes. I was so close to demolishing him, and it really came down to the last hit.

Then because my laziness had started, I had to follow it up with a couple episodes of Community...which is pretty much my new Office! It came out when I was on my mission but it took me a while to get around to watching it...I can't get enough..it's so hilarious and original. (Watch it Thursdays at 8pm on NBC)

After two episodes of the best show out there, we promptly fell asleep until Mom got home and we had dinner.

It's 6:45pm and I have done NOTHING with my time. (Oh I DID buy the new Josh Groban album on itunes...that was pretty productive. I have to celebrate the little things right?)

I found my flash drive...in my PURSE before dinner. I came upstairs to work on my things (see above list) and I got distracted by blogging and the internet and oh this article in the newspaper that was written about my singles ward...I was quoted in it.

So...yeah...I'm leaving now...I'll see if I get around to all of that stuff.

Still happy...even if I was a little lazy,
Arica