tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86445277774101539442024-02-20T05:30:54.907-07:00Right on the Elly ButtonRamblings of a random nerd named RelAriellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-20771515691502280562014-06-02T18:23:00.004-06:002014-06-02T18:23:42.438-06:00Grad School Begins!It's official. I have decided I've lost my ability to be a good blogger anymore. :) Ah well. Sorry for my absence from the blogging world. I really can't promise it'll be any better, especially with grad school starting up, but hey, we'll see what I can do. :)<br />
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This is just a quick blog post to say I survived my first day of grad school! Hooray! It turns out that yesterday (the nightmarish day when I had to officially move into my apartment) was more stressful than today was. Go figure. Maybe that was God's way of giving me a blessing in disguise: He made the day before grad school extra stressful so grad school wouldn't seem quite so stressful. Seems kind of like kicking my foot to make me forget that my cut finger hurts, but hey, I guess I won't complain. :)<br />
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This summer semester of grad school is like packing an entire semester into a single month. It's going to be a wild ride. But I'm sure it's going to be good, and I'm already learning a lot. I'm excited! :)Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-35221155934590554152014-04-27T20:13:00.000-06:002014-04-27T20:13:18.254-06:00Sabbath HappinessThis morning was a beautiful start to my Sabbath day. My dear friend Jill and I went to the Tabernacle to watch "Music and the Spoken Word" live. It was an awesome experience! I loved seeing the behind-the-scenes work that happens before and after the broadcast goes on the air. And the broadcast itself was beautiful! The songs were amazing, and it was <i>so</i> much better to watch the broadcast live than to see it on TV. Watching the orchestra made me miss playing in an orchestra so much! Someday... :)<div>
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Afterward we had a delightful time walking around Temple Square and looking at the beautiful flowers and enjoying the sunshine. As we were walking back to our car, a man pulled over and said, "Hey sisters! Can you help me out?" He needed help knowing where he could park. We helped him, and he was very grateful. But we both laughed that he had mistaken us for sister missionaries! :) Neither of us were going to complain about that. :)</div>
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I just love Temple Square!!!</div>
Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-42119245156247689992014-04-20T09:48:00.005-06:002014-04-20T09:50:55.214-06:00Easter: A Season for Gratitude<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Jesus, Savior, Friend</div>
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by Arielle Myers (January 22, 2012)</div>
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A humble plea, a bitter cup<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unspeakable agony;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Great drops of blood shed for the world<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the garden Gethsemane.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A crown of thorns, a purple robe,<o:p></o:p></div>
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A cross upon a tree;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nails pierced His hands, a spear pierced His side<o:p></o:p></div>
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On a hill called Calvary.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He suffered all our sins and pains<o:p></o:p></div>
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And fell on bended knee.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He was the only one who could—<o:p></o:p></div>
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This man from Galilee<o:p></o:p></div>
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He died upon the cross because<o:p></o:p></div>
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He, only, had the key<o:p></o:p></div>
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To break the bands of death and hell<o:p></o:p></div>
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And thereby make us free.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I didn’t meet Christ on this earth;<o:p></o:p></div>
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The cross I did not see.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet I know that what He did<o:p></o:p></div>
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Was done for you and me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And though I don’t deserve this gift,<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m trying prayerfully<o:p></o:p></div>
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To be the worthy servant that<o:p></o:p></div>
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I know I ought to be.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Oh Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God,<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m grateful unto Thee<o:p></o:p></div>
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For all that Thou has done for us,<o:p></o:p></div>
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For what You’ve done for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Please help me do all that I can<o:p></o:p></div>
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To serve Thee faithfully.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thou art my best and truest Friend;</div>
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I’m coming unto Thee.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I wrote that poem two years ago during the passing of the sacrament in an average Sacrament Meeting in the ward I was in at the time. These words and this message have been on my mind a lot over the past few days as I've been thinking about the approach of one of my favorite holidays: Easter. On this beautiful spring morning, my thoughts have turned to the Savior and the incredible sacrifice He made for each of us. How grateful I am that He suffered for our sins and pains, died on the cross, and rose again so that we all have the chance to return and live with our Heavenly Father again. His love for us is beyond my comprehension, but I know that it is real and available to all of us. His Atonement is what makes it possible for us to become like Him. I know that He loves us all and is there for each and every one of us. I love Him with all of my heart!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911129090001">None Were With Him - Elder Holland</a></div>
Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-12264522591020092692014-04-19T16:39:00.000-06:002014-04-19T16:39:05.969-06:00Couldn't Be ProuderIn two days I will celebrate the two-year anniversary of receiving my endowment in the temple. In a crazy twist of fate (or divine intervention, something like that), I was able to spend this beautiful spring day in the temple, reliving the experience of my own live endowment session. This time, I got to see it through the eyes of an escort. This morning my sister went through the temple to receive her own endowment, and I got to be a second escort and be right there with her. It was a beautiful and sacred experience. I'm so thankful for the decisions my sister has made to get her to this point, and I'm grateful for the decisions that <i>I've</i> made that have kept me worthy to be able to support her in this. I couldn't be prouder of my amazing and beautiful sister! :)Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-37433391269622144992014-04-18T07:54:00.000-06:002014-04-18T07:54:47.631-06:00I love Spring!!!The past few days I have just been reveling in the joy of spring! I love this beautiful weather! There are flowers everywhere, the sky is beautiful, the sun is shining, the air is fresh and clean, and whenever I step outside, I can hardly contain my joy! It's such a beautiful time to be alive!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-55885360697281962862014-04-17T19:49:00.003-06:002014-04-17T19:49:53.667-06:00UpdatesSo I guess I still haven't gotten into the habit of being a consistent blogger again. Most of the time that I have anything happen that's worth posting, I either forget that I have a blog where I could post it, or I'm just too tired to even lift a finger. :) So here's what's been going on in my life of late:<div>
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- On March 29th I went to the General Women's Meeting with my mom, and it was so wonderful! I especially loved the parts where they talked about what a wonderful influence a mother has on her children. I would definitely have to say my mother has had an incredible influence on me. I love her so much!</div>
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- On April 6th, the anniversary of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and also of the organization of His true Church on the earth, I got to attend the Sunday morning session of General Conference with my friend Jill, and it was amazing! I always love being there in person and feeling the Spirit that is so strong in the conference center.</div>
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- I also loved being with my family for the other sessions of General Conference. I'd spent the last three General Conferences in Texas, the first time in my life that I'd watched the sessions away from home. I was so happy to be back with my family again. :)</div>
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...and that's about it. :) Still working at the daycare, still just doing my thing, still tired. :) But loving life! It's so wonderful! Hopefully I'll be able to blog about it more often. :)</div>
Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-9838799143545027522014-03-23T16:54:00.003-06:002014-03-23T16:54:52.421-06:00How Great Thou ArtToday I got to play my cello for a musical number in my family's ward. I played "How Great Thou Art," which was my preferred musical number whenever I was asked to play on my mission. It went really well, and I got a lot of compliments. I love being able to play my cello and feel the Spirit through music. It was a delightful opportunity!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-38616271412044574142014-03-14T20:23:00.003-06:002014-03-14T20:23:47.221-06:00Hastening the WorkThis morning I got up before the crack of dawn to go to the temple with my younger brother and sister. It was the first time I had done baptisms for the dead in over a year and a half. It was fun to take a trip down memory lane, doing something that I used to do every week all through high school and college.<br />
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But the best part of the process was the fact that, this time, we took our own family names with us! For years we had never been able to find any family members in our family history lines that needed work done. Nearly all of my ancestors were among the early pioneers of the Church, so there are so many members of the Church in my family that all of the work available to be done in my immediate family lines had already been done long ago. My mother has worked many painstaking hours on our family history lines and only ever managed to shake out one or two names still to be done.<br />
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Then the Church came out with the new family history program, Puzzila, to accompany familysearch.org. In Puzzila, you can branch out your family tree to include not only your direct grandparents, great-grandparents, and so forth, but also the siblings and other descendants of said ancestors, people who are distantly related to you, but not in your direct line. Thanks to this new program, we have already succeeded in finding fifteen "cousins," and we took all of their names to the temple this morning to be baptized and confirmed in their behalf. It was really cool to know that these people were receiving these saving ordinances because of work we have done to help them.<br />
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I'm grateful for these continued advances in technology and understanding that are allowing us to participate more and more in the hastening of the Lord's great work. What a wonderful time to be alive!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-50192400651496599012014-03-05T08:19:00.001-07:002014-03-05T08:19:13.593-07:00Hooray for Less Pain!So a week and a half ago, I was rear-ended while I was driving home from my grandmother's house. It was a very mild accident, and no one was seriously hurt, for which I am very grateful. But I suffered a great deal of whiplash, and my back and neck were in a lot of pain after that. I could barely tolerate sitting in church for three hours the next day. Thank heaven for chiropractors!<br />
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Since the person who hit me was at fault in the accident, her insurance is paying for my chiropractic visits, which is good because I've already had seven chiropractic visits since the accident. But they are WORTH IT! Oh man, I love chiropractics! My back and neck still aren't totally back to normal, but they are so much better than they were, and I am so happy! So yeah, hooray for less pain! :)Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-31886659557473795012014-03-03T20:52:00.003-07:002014-03-03T20:53:00.321-07:00I Love to See the Temple<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Yesterday we had a lesson about the temple in Relief Society. So for the opening song we sang the Primary song "I Love to See the Temple." I have always loved that song. However, the lyrics are targeted more toward children who are preparing to enter the temple, so they don't apply quite as well to adults who have already entered the temple. So as I was listening to the lesson, I started thinking of lyrics that would apply more to how I feel about the temple now. Here's the result. Hope you like it. :)</div>
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I love to see the temple,</div>
So beautiful and bright.<br />
There, I can feel the Spirit;<br />
I'm filled with warmth and light.<br />
For the temple is the house of God,<br />
A place of sweet refreshing.<br />
I've prepared myself for many years,<br />
To have this sacred blessing.<br />
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I love to see the temple.<br />
I go inside oft times<br />
To covenant with my Father<br />
In promises sublime.<br />
I am grateful for this holy place,<br />
A refuge like no other.<br />
As I faithful stay, one day I'll reach<br />
My home with Heav'nly Father.Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-1526894827241040992014-03-03T08:11:00.002-07:002014-03-03T08:11:57.290-07:00Return of the Rel!Hello everyone!<div>
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Well, here I am, back from my mission, with so many new experiences and so much new knowledge and appreciation for my life and the world around me. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get back into the blogging sphere, because life after the mission is pretty hectic, as any returned missionary will attest. But in the past few days, I've had a lingering desire to start up again, so I guess it's time. I don't know how many people will want to read it, but I guess if no one does, at least I can pretend I'm cool by having my own blog and all that. :) So I guess this is a post to say...I'm back! :)</div>
Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-57706804833080876472012-06-17T16:02:00.002-06:002012-06-17T16:02:23.687-06:00Farewell FunI promised I would report on how the farewell went last week. This week has been so crazy that it has taken me a week to get around to that, but I figured people still might like to hear about it. A week ago today, I gave my farewell talk in church. It was about President Monson's talk, "The Race of Life," that he gave in the most recent General Conference. It briefly covers the answers to life's greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where do we go after we leave this life? In short, it covered the Plan of Salvation. It took me a while to figure out how to write the talk in the way that the Lord wanted, but the finished product turned out very well. I received a ton of compliments about the content of my talk and my delivery. I really appreciated all of the comments people gave me.<br />
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Afterward, I went back to my house, where we had a family lunch. It was so wonderful to interact with everyone there and to chat and laugh and just have a great time. I will miss all of the wonderful people in my life, and I was glad I had the opportunity to visit with them. What a wonderful day! So full of love, gratitude, and the Spirit of the Lord.<br />
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I was also grateful to have the chance to interact with some great friends at my farewell party on Friday. We chatted, ate yummy treats, and just had a great time together. Again, I will miss them all a lot, but I'm grateful we could have so much fun together. I love you all!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-28132484373910189312012-06-01T17:09:00.000-06:002012-06-01T17:09:01.309-06:00Small MiraclesJust over an hour ago, my dad was watering the lawn and noticed smoke coming from our neighbor's backyard. He assumed our neighbor was having some kind of bonfire in his backyard, though my dad couldn't see the source of the fire because the neighbor's shed was in the way. When my dad got close enough to see around the shed, he realized that the vines on the neighbor's back fence were completely ablaze! He immediately grabbed a bucket and started throwing water from the canal onto the fire. Fortunately, he was able to put out the fire before it had a chance to spread to anything besides the vines.<br />
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I thought about how many small miracles played into this big miracle. First of all, the fact that my dad was outside at the time was a huge blessing. We're not sure how the fire was started; it may have been because of the highly flammable cottonwood seeds that have been blowing all over our neighborhood recently. Whatever the cause, we're just grateful my dad was able to put out the fire before it spread; it was possible that it could have spread to someone's shed or something else valuable. Second, the fact that our houses are right in front of a canal, an easily accessible water source, was indispensable. I don't know how my dad would have put the fire out otherwise. Third, that the fire was caught early enough that it hadn't spread. It was a tense and scary few minutes, but I am just grateful for the little miracles the Lord sent our way today.Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-49195173074403003672012-05-29T20:08:00.002-06:002012-05-29T20:08:46.114-06:00Arielle's Gone AWOLSo...there I was, making all these grand promises that I was going to be better about blogging and then...nothing for over a month. Sorry everyone. I guess that's good preparation for three weeks from now when I won't be blogging anything for <i>eighteen</i> months! :) That's right, my MTC report date, June 20th, is fast approaching. This is part of the reason why I haven't written in the past little while. I have a million and one things to do every day and enough time to do about four of them. But I'll give you a quick overview of what I've been up to besides the mission preparations.<div>
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At the end of April and beginning of May, I spent a glorious week in the company of my two awesome friends, Jill and Allie. Jill and I rode together with her family to California, where we met up with Allie, who lives there. We had a fun day in Disneyland and then several awesome days hanging out at Allie's house and cabin: playing games, watching movies, eating ice cream, seeing the Avengers, spending a day at Yosemite National Park, chatting, singing along to our favorite music, and all-around having a glorious time! What a wonderful graduation present!</div>
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On April 21st, I went to the Jordan River Temple and received my endowment. I have been back to the Jordan River Temple several times and have even had the opportunity to do a session at the Salt Lake Temple. It has been a wonderful experience to see and learn all the incredible things that the endowment contains. I'm looking forward to all the future visits I will make to the temple and the wonderful things I will be able to learn there.</div>
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In the meantime, I've been spending the majority of my time working for my grandmother (to serve the dual purpose of helping her and making a little extra money for my mission), shopping and completing all the other tasks necessary for my mission, and spending as much time as possible with my family. I've got a couple of other interesting stories to tell, but this post is getting long enough. :) I'll post some more in a little while. :)</div>Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-15382783855757628462012-04-24T20:38:00.000-06:002012-04-24T20:38:07.375-06:00So Close, and Still So FarWell, after filling nearly every free hour of my day with unpacking, sorting, packing, and storing, I am almost done going through all of my boxes from Provo! I just have a few small piles of stuff left to sort through; it probably amounts to about two boxes of stuff. Still, since I started out with ten to fifteen boxes, I think I'm doing a pretty good job! :) Too bad I won't be done with the packing and sorting once that's done. Nope, then it's on to the packing for the mission!<br />
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Note to self: once I have my own house, I don't <i>ever</i> want to have to move again!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-23766437766355143392012-04-22T10:11:00.000-06:002012-04-22T10:11:09.520-06:00Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath MorningThis morning when I woke up, I realized two things. First, I remembered that my family has 11:00 church, which means we're out by 2:00! Hallelujah! 1:30 church was about to do me in! I'll actually have time to do stuff after church! :) The other thing that I remembered is that I no longer have any callings. As sad as that realization is, because it reminds me that I've moved out of my Provo ward, at this particular moment, it is a <i>huge</i> relief! I'm accustomed to my Sundays being packed with at least one choir practice (sometimes two, depending on upcoming stake conferences), visiting teaching, home teaching, and other meetings, activities, and tasks to be attended and accomplished. Now, today, the only thing I need to do is attend church. That's it! I don't think I've been able to say that for about two years! And after the insanity of the past two weeks, I <i>need</i> a true Sabbath day. Thank goodness! Welcome, welcome, Sabbath morning. Now we [truly] rest from every care. :)Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-42883406955661030052012-04-20T18:05:00.001-06:002012-04-20T18:05:37.584-06:00ConvocationSo today was the big day for me: Convocation! For those who don't know how graduation works, Commencement is the ceremony for <i>all</i> BYU graduates (nearly 6,000 this year!); then there are convocations for each of the colleges within BYU. The convocation for the McKay School of Education started at 8:00 a.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse. Graduates needed to be there at 7:00 to prepare. So I got up early this morning, and Toni (that fantastic girl!) came over early to fix my hair and do my makeup again. Then I was off!<br />
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At 7:45, all of the graduates lined up for the processional...but I wasn't with them. I was with the faculty so I could sit on the stage! I was one of the two students in the McKay School of Education who graduated suma cum laude (top one percent), and each of us was asked to speak at convocation! Holy cow! When I got onto the stage and looked out at how many people were sitting there in the audience, I definitely got a little nervous. :) Make that a <i>lot</i> nervous! :) But in a matter of moments I found the row that contained seven people who were there just for me: my mom, my dad, my grandmother, and my friends Jill, Toni, Alicia, and Jenni. I was thrilled to have such wonderful people to share this day with.<br />
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Well, everything proceeded exactly as I'd hoped. I was first on the program, which was definitely nice. That way I wouldn't have to sit and be nervous during the rest of the proceedings. :) My speech went really well (I posted it two posts ago), and I got a <i>ton</i> of compliments afterward--both from people I knew well and from people I'd never met before! And the rest of the convocation was great as well! I now have my diploma cover, and before long I'll get a fun piece of mail that I can add to it! :) When Convocation was over, I found my family and friends and got congratulations from each of them. And I also got to spend a few minutes with Devyn and Rylee, the two girls who have shared many of my favorite experiences in the Communication Disorders major. I was so grateful to share this day with such incredible people! What a wonderful day!Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-69275137991146475322012-04-20T17:50:00.003-06:002012-04-20T17:50:59.505-06:00What a Weekend!Well, the seemingly unattainable has finally happened: I am officially a BYU graduate! These past few days have been jam packed; there's been enough stuff going on in the past 48 hours to fill two normal weeks!<br />
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The fun started on Wednesday night when I finished my last final exam of my undergraduate career--my final final...hee hee! :) I had been freaking out all day because the final wasn't scheduled until 5:45, and it was going to be my hardest of the four. When I finished it, I was almost giddy with relief and excitement. Jill enjoyed watching me get super excited throughout the evening. :)<br />
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Well, in celebrating, Jill and I stayed up <i>way</i> too late, but we still got up early the next morning to go to the temple. We went with our mutual friend Toni, and it was such a beautiful and peaceful experience. To be at the temple with two of my favorite people? You can't get much better than that! Afterwards, we went to breakfast together, which was super fun as well! Then I spent a good part of the morning cleaning and packing as well as preparing for the big event of the afternoon: Commencement!<br />
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First, Toni did my hair and makeup for Commencement, and she did a fantastic job! Then I went to the Smoot Building at 3:00 along with the rest of the graduates to prepare for the processional. I was fortunate to find several friends from my major so that we could walk together and then sit together. And one of the best things about Commencement was that it was <i>short!</i> :) The actual ceremony started at 4:00, and we were done by about 5:00! The ceremony itself was a great experience, and I'm glad I was able to participate.<br />
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Once Commencement was over, I met up with my parents so we could take pictures, and then we headed back to my apartment. The rest of the evening wasn't exactly enjoyable, but it was productive. :) My parents and I loaded most of my stuff into our 12-seater van so my parents could take it home with them. Then Jill and I spent the rest of the evening (and ended up staying up late again, blast it all) cleaning the apartment and preparing to check out. Then I could hardly sleep at all last night because of the anticipation for today. :)<br />
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Okay, this post is long enough. I think I'll just post it and do a separate one for today, because today has been a huge day in and of itself. :)Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-55830648802640544062012-04-20T17:06:00.001-06:002012-04-20T17:08:51.924-06:00Convocation Speech<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In a few short moments, we will shift the tassels on our
caps from the left to the right, signifying the successful completion of our
respective degrees. But can such a small
formality really represent all that each of us has experienced here at Brigham
Young University? Absolutely not. Some of us are receiving bachelor’s degrees,
some, master’s degrees, and some, doctorate degrees. But whether you’ve attended BYU for two years
or ten years, for teaching or for psychology, I am certain that your
educational pursuits have had a profound impact on your life.</div>
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Brigham Young University has so many incredible benefits
for every student and faculty member.
One of the greatest, in my opinion, is the atmosphere of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. Here on this beautiful
campus, we have attended devotionals and firesides, we have prayed before
classes and campus events, we have held church meetings in buildings dedicated
to our Heavenly Father, and we have shared our testimonies in countless
ways. Why have we been able to
experience both the spiritual and the secular in one place? The answer is that education and learning are
a central component of the gospel of Jesus Christ.</div>
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Elder David A. Bednar has said (quote) “the overarching
purpose of Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness is to provide His spirit
children with opportunities to learn…you and I are here upon the earth to
prepare for eternity, to learn how to learn, to learn things that are
temporally important and eternally essential, and to assist others in learning
wisdom and truth.” (end quote) It is imperative for all faithful members of
the gospel to gain as much education as we can, both in religious learning and
in secular learning. For, as is stated
in Proverbs chapter 1, verse 5, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”</div>
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I think talking about the importance of education to this
particular audience may be preaching to the choir. It’s clear that most, if not all, of the
graduates in this room understand the importance of education, or they wouldn’t
be here. So why am I talking about the
importance of education now? We’re about
to receive our diplomas that will signify the end of this chapter in our lives. So are we done? No! I
believe that our diplomas do not so much signify the end of one chapter in our
lives as they do the beginning of another.
Education will not end here for any of us. Brigham Young taught, (quote) “We do not
expect to cease learning while we live on earth; and when we pass through the
veil, we expect still to continue to learn and increase our fund of
information. That may appear a strange idea to some; but it is for the plain
and simple reason that we are not capacitated to receive all knowledge at once.
We must therefore receive a little here and a little there.” (end quote)</div>
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In addition to President Young’s wisdom, Elder Bednar
gives us insights on BYU’s well known adage: “Enter to learn; go forth to
serve.” (quote) “This expression certainly does not imply
that everything necessary for a lifetime of meaningful service can or will be
obtained during a few short years on this campus. Rather, the spirit of this
statement is that students come to receive foundational instruction about
learning how to learn and learning to love learning.” (end quote)
Each of us has had the opportunity to learn to love learning. Now as we embark on the next phase of our
lives, each of us will have the chance to demonstrate our love of learning in
our future endeavors.</div>
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For those who will be going on to earn another collegiate
degree, be it a second bachelor’s, a master’s, or a doctorate, continuing on in
education will be simple. But what about
those who, once they leave this room, will be closing the door on their formal,
classroom learning? To those people, I
quote President Thomas S. Monson, who says, “some of the most effective
teaching [and learning] takes place other than in the chapel or the classroom.” There are so many ways that each of us can
continue to learn and educate ourselves beyond formal schooling. We can learn as we excel in the
workplace. We can attend seminars and
other forms of continued education in our respective fields. We can better ourselves in the pursuit of our
talents and interests. And we can do as
the Lord directs: “seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom;
yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by
study and also by faith.”</div>
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And, of course, we can all continue to teach. Prophets throughout the ages have taught us
the importance of teaching to every society.
President Brigham Young once said, “A good school teacher is one of the
most essential members in society.”
Proverbs chapter 9, verse 9 instructs, “Give instruction to a wise man,
and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” Doctrine and Covenants section 88, verses 77
and 78, states, “I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another
the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you.” And President David O. McKay, after whom our
college is named, once said, “No greater responsibility can rest upon any man
[or woman], than to be a teacher of God’s children.”</div>
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This responsibility does not just rest on those in this
room who are receiving degrees in teaching or special education. President Boyd K. Packer maintains that,
(quote) “Everybody is a teacher—the leader is a teacher; the follower is a
teacher; the counselor is a teacher; the parents are teachers. So we have a
responsibility to learn the principles of teaching.” (end quote)
By President Packer’s logic—whether you want to be an elementary school
teacher or a speech therapist, a psychologist or an audiologist—everyone in
this room will be a teacher.</div>
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Teaching does not always have to involve a set curriculum
or a pile of textbooks. It does not have
to be done in a classroom where the learners sit at their desks and the teacher
stands at the blackboard. Teaching can
be as simple as helping a child learn to tie shoes or discover the wonders of a
musical instrument. Some will teach in
schools, some in the community, some in church, and some at home. Each teaching opportunity is critical for our
own growth as well as for the growth of those who will benefit from our
teaching.</div>
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The most important thing to remember is to be the best
teachers we can be. Again, the
scriptures and living prophets have given us guidance to be effective teachers
in all aspects of our lives. Alma chapter
1, verse 26, demonstrates a community of effective teachers: “for the preacher
was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the
learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according
to his strength.” We must never set
ourselves above those whom we teach. We
must all work together for the betterment of all. And, as President Thomas S. Monson states,
“We should ever remember that we not only teach with words; we teach also by
who we are and how we live our lives.”
Let us all live in such a way that our examples shine to the world.</div>
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Finally, President Boyd K. Packer says that, “to be a
good teacher you must also be a willing learner.” And so we come full circle. We entered this university to learn, and we
have each done so in a variety of ways.
Now it is our time to go forth and serve, to be teachers and learners in
all that we do. May we all strive to
increase our understanding throughout our lives, that we may be the best
learners and teachers that we can. Thank
you, and congratulations!<br />
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Delivered by Arielle Myers (Communication Disorders Bachelor of Science, Suma Cum Laude) at the Convocation of the McKay School of Education, April 20, 2012</div>Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-45547789683450243752012-04-16T07:27:00.004-06:002012-04-16T07:27:59.434-06:00Final SundayYesterday was my last Sunday in my Provo ward. I kept saying that throughout the day, to myself and to other people, but I don't think it's really sunk in yet. Otherwise I would have cried more than the one time I did cry. :) But maybe it's a good thing I didn't completely go to pieces yesterday. :)<div>
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But it was a wonderful last Sunday! Because Easter Sunday was also our Fast Sunday, we decided to have our Easter program yesterday instead. It was a beautiful program! The choir performed two numbers, and we had two wonderful speakers and four other musical numbers--a flute, a pianist, a vocalist, and a harp. All of them were fantastic! My favorite (without any bias, I can assure you...) was the final choir number. We sang "Consider the Lilies," which we had been working on for months. And it really turned out so well! I love how in choirs and orchestras alike, even when things are still a little shaky in the final rehearsal, they almost always seem to just...come together for the performance. It was a wonderful final day as ward choir director!</div>
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It was also wonderful throughout the day to see the friends I've made in the ward. Many of them (including the bishopric) told me that things just won't be the same without me there. While I know life will certainly go on without me there, it <i>is</i> nice to know I've had an influence on some people's lives. I hope it was a good one. :) I am grateful for all the fond memories I've made here in this ward, and I will miss all of my friends a great deal. Love you all!</div>Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-67903248586972783592012-04-14T17:05:00.001-06:002012-04-14T17:05:10.466-06:00FuneralsToday I attended the funeral for Celeste, held the day after what would have been her 23rd birthday. It was definitely a bittersweet event. I can't say I love funerals (who can say they can?), but there's something about them that provides a great deal of closure and peace for me.<br />
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For one thing, it was wonderful to see some friends I hadn't seen for a long time. Would that it could have been under better circumstances. It's unfortunate that sometimes the only way to get people together is for things like this. Still, at least there was a silver lining in all this.<br />
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Additionally, the service for Celeste was absolutely wonderful. The memories that different family members and friends shared about Celeste were perfect--some even had me rolling on the floor laughing :)--and the musical selections were beautiful. I feel like it was exactly what Celeste would have wanted. After having the chance to remember how amazing Celeste is (<i>is</i>, not <i>was</i>) and to remind ourselves that this is <i>not</i> the end, I am much more at peace. I'm grateful I was able to make it to the funeral and that it was such a beautiful service. My prayers continually go out to her family and friends who still grieve her loss and will never stop missing her.Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-58329505245055403952012-04-13T09:15:00.001-06:002012-04-13T09:15:35.014-06:00Reflections on BYUWednesday was my last day of classes for my undergraduate career here at BYU. Despite how burned out I am and how excited I am to be graduating, the realization was still a bittersweet moment. As I've been thinking about my time here at BYU and the experiences I've had here, I've decided to be a little cliche and spend some time reflecting on what I've done in these past four years.<br />
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When I first realized that the Lord wanted me to go to BYU (not the U of U, on which I'd originally planned), I had no idea just how much following His counsel would change and bless my life. In my first year, I moved from home and spent a great deal of time feeling homesick and lonely. But I soon realized that, once I became accustomed to the atmosphere in Provo and the idea of being away from home, I thrived on being independent and testing my ability to succeed in the world on my own. I made a great number of friends that I never would have made if I had not taken the huge leap of faith to move out on my own. I changed my major twice and found myself in English and Editing, which was (I thought) the perfect major for me. I grew spiritually and discovered more about myself. I hiked Mount Timpanogos in the fall and hiked the Y in the spring. I "wrote a musical" and developed my musical skills in several ways. I left that first year excited to move home but still with great anticipation for what future years would bring.<br />
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And so I moved on to my second, third, and fourth years at BYU. The changes that occurred in my life during those years were not as dramatic or immediate as the changes from my first year, but they have still been very real. I changed my major one more time to Communication Disorders, the major I'm now graduating in. I took the GRE and applied to grad school. I found a housing situation that has suited me very well for three years. I've had some roommate situations which were less-than-ideal and some that were incredibly wonderful. I've had some teachers and classes that drove me nuts from day one and some that have reminded me of why I love school and learning so much. I've developed my musical talents in ways I would never have expected, from orchestra and cello lessons to singing to private organ lessons to choral conducting. I've conducted 14 ward choir numbers and 4 stake choir numbers. I've had several different callings and tried my best to serve others in school and in my ward. I've experienced great sorrow and trials, but I've also experienced an equal measure of happiness and joy. I've been positively influenced by many different people, and I hope that I've been able to be a positive influence on some of the people I've met. I know that the things I've learned and experienced in the past four years will have a positive impact on the rest of my life, and I'm so grateful for my time here at BYU.Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-69308524615704231982012-04-10T08:46:00.001-06:002012-04-10T16:57:09.788-06:00Tribute to CelesteYesterday I received the kind of news no one ever wants to receive. My dear friend Celeste (<a href="http://celestepoll.blogspot.com/">http://celestepoll.blogspot.com/</a>) had been battling Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma since June of last year. I followed her blog closely and cheered her on, hoping desperately that she would one day be able to overcome the dreadful disease and live a long and happy life. But the Lord had something else in mind for her. She passed away yesterday morning, and the world is darker because of it.<br />
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I knew Celeste when we were both in high school. She was in the grade above me and often hung out with my older brother and his group of friends. That's how I got to know her. She was an incredible pianist. She played an amazing concerto in our high school's concerto night, and she accompanied me when I played a cello solo at Regional and then State Solo and Ensemble Festival, where I received the top rating. She made me sound good. :)<br />
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Celeste was one of those people who always lived life to the fullest. She was always so happy and cheerful, and she never failed to brighten my day. Even when she was suffering and miserable during her months of chemotherapy and hospitalizations, she was always so optimistic and full of life. She is an incredible example to me of courage and faith. I love her and miss her so much.<br />
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I think our mutual friend Becca put it the best when she said, "Take a break and relax, honey. You're fight's over. You're home."Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-27384166972515132292012-04-09T13:15:00.003-06:002012-04-09T13:15:34.057-06:00Happy 100th Post!This is my 100th post on my blog! Sweet! In a little less than a year, I have blogged 100 times. Crazy! What's even crazier is that people are actually reading what I write! :) So in honor of y 100th post, I thought I'd elaborate on my Facebook status from a couple of days ago about seeing double. :) Don't remember or didn't see the post? Well, let me quote it for you (or at least paraphrase it; Facebook is being dumb, so I may not successfully put the post word-for-word...)<div>
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"Today I practiced two different instruments, made two trips to Wal-Mart, had two cell phones on my person for about two hours, and wrote two pages of text that will be read in front of over two thousand people. Is it just me, or am I seeing double?"</div>
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Confused? Well, that <i>was</i> kind of the point. :) However, I thought you might enjoy it if I explained some of the "doubles" to you. :)</div>
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The two instruments one is pretty easy. Right now I'm in private organ lessons and private cello lessons. So on Thursday the 5th, I went to campus to practice my two instruments, the organ and the cello, before embarking on the rest of my hectic day.</div>
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The next two kind of go together. My roommate Jill had her wisdom teeth removed on the 5th. I know, fun... So she gave me charge of her cell phone during the surgery and for a while after the surgery. She didn't want to risk being like one of those people that reacts poorly to the anesthesia and sends random, incoherent texts to her friends or family. Can't say I blame her. :) However, there was no need for that precaution. Within a few minutes of us leaving the oral surgeon's office, it was clear to me that Jill was fully coherent and didn't seem to have any negative effects from the anesthesia beyond being a little tired and unsteady on her feet. Lucky her. :) And the two trips to Wal-Mart came into effect when I had to call in and then pick up Jill's prescriptions. The wait was long enough when I called them in that I decided to go home and then go back later to pick them up.</div>
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And now for the last one. I've been kind of sitting on this for a little bit, but now I'm ready to come out and say it more openly. :) I've been asked to speak at graduation!!! There are two different parts to graduation. There's commencement, which is the big huge ceremony for all of BYU, and then there's convocation, which is a smaller ceremony for each of the different colleges. And I've been asked to speak at the convocation for the McKay School of Education on April 20th! I can't believe it! It's one of those huge privileges that always happen to someone else. But now it's happening to me! So I have written two single-spaced pages of text that I will be reading in front of over 2,000 people. Talk about scary! But it's a huge honor, and I'm super excited! Should be great!</div>Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644527777410153944.post-72771468476520309202012-04-02T09:19:00.001-06:002012-04-02T09:19:58.078-06:00Surprise!I have now switched to the world of Blogger! For those of you who might be disoriented by the change, I apologize but would like to point out that it's not totally my fault. :) The logistics of my blog were determined by my computer-nerdy brother. He was the one who decided what blog sit I should use and then decided Blogger would be better for me in the long run. Ah well. I had fun picking out a new template for my blog, though! :) So those who use Google Reader or other such things will need to re-subscribe to my blog. Otherwise, things shouldn't change too much. (Except that I will hopefully blog more. :)) So...enjoy the new look!<br />
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(New look, same rambling nerd. :))Ariellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07726087206983532202noreply@blogger.com1