Harlem Bell Tower

I was walking home from church today in good 'ol Harlem (I LOVE IT!!!!!!) and there was a bell tower in a nearby church that was playing hymns, and not just one, or chiming the time, but playing full arrangements of hymns. And as I got closer to that church in might walk there was a point where I noticed all of the cluttery noise of the city dimmed out, and people were quiet, and cars were distant and the music was so beautiful. I noticed how each bell has a dissonant overtone, which brings to mind all the dissonance in happy times that makes life truly gorgeous.

I listened to the hymns and was reminded of a talk I was reading recently by Elder Packer about music in the church and how sometimes trained and tenured musicians who are members get bored of the repetition of the same hymns all the time and they would like to see new modern works performed in sacrament meetings (a discussion meant for another post at another time). What struck me from the talk in this particular instance was that I found myself wishing that I'd had the repetition of the hymns being played by this amazing bell tower so I could enjoy the music, not just for it's sound waves, but also for the meaning that comes with the lyrics to an inspired hymn.

I'm so grateful for music in my life and the beauty and peace and Spirit of the Lord that hymns bring to my soul. I have a friend who knows very little about our doctrine, and from the few conversations we've had about our beliefs often is confused by how things tie together, simply because he hasn't learned all the things in between and how the specific and different things we do relate directly to the Savior. BUT when he hears the Mormon Tabernacle Choir I know (even if he does not recognize it yet) that he feels the spirit.

Music is so important to me in my life and I'm so grateful for it. I hope I can use the incredible talents and gifts that the Lord has blessed me with to further His work and do His will. As I walked home today I couldn't stop smiling, because I know the Lord sent me that tender mercy of the Harlem bells :)

Ellen and her MISSION CALL! / being sick :S wa wa

Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long since I've written anything. Blogging really falls off my radar, especially when I'm trying to do everything at once. I have a tendency to do that.

I've been sick the last couple of days. Being sick is so consuming. I think the best part about it though has been seeing who jumps in and wants to be there for you. My trainer at work was so nice about giving me the days off. Tim has been especially accommodating of my moody-ness and needy-ness. Of course my family has been really loving too, helping me feel better when I call them about how "sad" my life has suddenly become (thanks Em for helping me count my blessings :) LOVE YOU!!). And I have to say my roommates were SO Christ-like and amazing. First Ingrid spent an hour and half scouring the internet for every get-better-remedy there was, Julie immediately ran to the store to find the ingredients for said remedies, Kristi gave me lovely hugs, Courtney keeps checking in and Erin (as always) just helped me to laugh and be ok. I am so loved, it's amazing!

O and in other news....

ELL GOT HER MISSION CALL!!!!!
She's going to ARGENTINA!!!!

We all got to watch her open her call on Wednesday night :). She'll be such an amazing missionary! I'm so excited for her to serve the Lord. Just after she opened her call, I watched everyone giving her hugs and congratulating her, and I just wished I could be there to hug her myself. To tell her how much I look up to her amazing and brave choice to leave her worldly ambitions behind to just do the exhausting and difficult work that the Lord would have her do.

I really am so proud of her. That's not an easy decision to make. I know whenever I've thought about making that choice for myself I get concerned about the things I'm doing with my career and school and money and all those temporal things that you worry about. But honestly, I know that the Lord takes care of his missionaries. The Savior even said ( I was going to paraphrase but this scripture in its entirety is great):

Matt. 6-
25- Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; not yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat ad the body more than raiment?
26- Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27-Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?
28- And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not niether do they spin:
29-And Yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30-Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31-Therefore take no thought, saying , What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed
32- (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.


There are a lot of AMAZING things in this scripture (and I apologize for any typos that I may have missed). But what stands out to me today is that when you put God first, He takes care of you. And though that doesn't mean you'll always be in a mansion with five full baths and a master bedroom on the first floor....you WILL have the things that you need. And you WILL have enough to enjoy life. So much of happiness is choice based.

Anyway,
Proud of the sis. Look up to her a lot. Go get 'em Sister Larsen. They're waiting and prepared for YOU to bring the GOOD NEWS- Christ has called a Prophet to the earth :). yay!

What I'm Missing Video!

Health = physical happiness

I've been thinking in the last couple days about happiness and our bodies. And I came accross this article in the New York Times.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/in-obesity-epidemic-whats-one-cookie/?ex=1283144400&en=943eb4260d1cb839&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=HL-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M139-ROS-0310-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

It's about childhood obesity theories and how little changes in our lifestyle could affect weight loss or weight gain, but ultimately big weight changes require big life changes due to the compensatory abilities that our bodies have.

Read the article it's short and good. But my main observation about it is that what I've noticed for myself is that when I focus on the adjustment of a habit rather than the out come of that adjustment, and the choice to change is motivated by a desire to do something that will make me happy, the adjustment is much easier, and the outcome happens naturally without me trying. For example if I focus on "get skinny get skinny get skinny" I'm not going to- I'll just be thinking about how fat I am and get depressed and have "the last cookie" before I "really kick it into gear and eat better"- except that last cookie starts calling out everyday until a week's gone by and I've had a sugar headache every night when I go to bed because I hate my body.

BUT if I focus on choosing to excercise and eat well because it makes me feel good and whole and I'm able to expend my energy and not feel guilty all the time, but feel balanced and well and RESTED...that weight is gone before you know it and I'm in a state of mind and health where I can emjoy it, and not resent all the good food I've been missing.

Being "healthy" is really just an adjective for having physical happiness. I like that. That's my new attitude about THAT. If you read this and see me on a regular basis, try to remind me of that :)

Spiritual thought for the day...

I was studying my scriptures today and came accross Rev. 21:4 - it's about the Second Coming of Christ and the words are so beautiful:

4- God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Isn't that gorgeous?? I read it over a few times and started thinking about all the people I know who are so happy, through the gospel. They're clean and pure and joyous, and when things go wrong they're not embittered. They have hope for something better in the future and that hope makes things BETTER for the PRESENT. So my goal is to be more focused on the Savior and less focused on my career/work/romance/friends/auditions/ blah blah blah. Because all of those things have NO POINT. If I'm not able to enjoy them. And I KNOW I can enjoy them if I make Christ a PART of them. Because He is the epitome of LOVE, and UNDERSTANDING, and PEACE, and INTEGRITY, and HONESTY....and a million other traits that can be categorized as "good" BECAUSE THEY BRING LASTING JOY (not temporal happiness) TO THOSE WHO APPLY THEM


FOCUS ON FINDING HAPPINESS NOW. BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T FIND IT NOW YOUR PAST WILL BE FILLED WITH NONE BUT SAD MEMORIES, AND YOU WILL BE OUT OF PRACTICE FOR THE FUTURE.

Peace out homies. Love you!

LDS FILM FESTIVAL!!

Hey folks! For all of you who are going to be in Utah on the 23rd of January head out to the LDS Film Festival.

Our Short Film is in the competition and it would awesome to have people out there cheering it on. I also won't be able to make it because I'll be in Boston :(- so GO IN MY STEAD! You may see my parents there :).

Thanks for being there for me always! Love you all!!

SHORT FILM MANIA!!

FEEDBACK PLEASE
Hey everybody- I did this short film over Thanksgiving break and we need feedback on how well the story reads. So be brutally honest about what doesn't make sense and what you'd like to see in the story. We have quite a bit of footage to work with so... sky's the limit. ANY THING AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU CAN'T OFFEND ME. We need your opinion! Thanks guys!!

http://vimeo.com/8163550

O and title help would be awesome. We've been thinking of :

'missing'
'sky turn(ed) violet'
'violet sky'
'what I'm missing'

Thanks

I'm so thank ful for the Lord. He sends me the right things at the right time. I'm so grateful to have known Him well enough in the past that I know I need to get to know Him again :). And I can hold on to that knowledge forever, no one can take it :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuwid8_O8dk&feature=player_embedded

An apostle of the Lord

http://www.lds.org/broadcast/ces/0,7341,395,00.html

Excellent video from one of the Lord's apostles- Deiter F. Uchtdorf. I believe this man knows and speaks the words of God! Enjoy!

loves this website..

So I kind of like this new website- if you're wondering about the variety of Raw food this website will BLOW YOUR MIND!!!

http://www.rawfoodcrafting.com/

Checks it outs!!

Auditions, Decisions, Trust and Faith :)

This week was pretty good. Started with working hard, a little Family Home evening where we played woofel ball-( a favorite childhood past time. Nothing like some good woofel ball in the back yard with my siblings. We kept losing the ball over the fence, but the neighbor kids conveniently kicked down a few boards to solve that problem. I'm sure we helped in that endeavor but I don't specifically remember that. But it was a well established pathway. Eventually our mothers gave into the idea and consented to concrete slabs by the hole that gave it legitimacy as entrance- good times, good memories).

In the middle of the week I got an audition at A.R.T. for a 70s disco show called The Donkey Show. A.R.T. is kind of a big deal and the director has an amazing resume so I was way excited. I was supposed to go to New York right after with some friends from the ward. But while auditioning they liked me enough to all but beg me not to go (awesome right???). I consented to stay, planning to catch a bus to New York the next day and meet up with friends then. As I thought about the show and everything I had learned about it, I knew it wasn't an appropriate choice for me. It was scantily costumed, the content was centered and drugs and other badness, and I thought I might pull out of the callback. But after some thought and prayer, I felt good about at least being seen by Diane Paulus, the Tony- award- winning artistic director (right? check out her resume she's amazing. She brought her little girls to the call back too- ADORABLE)

So I went the next day, and it went really really well. They were auditioning me as a swing, so I basically got to showcase a lot of work for them. I sang, I danced a lot, and they had me improv A LOT which was really fun. I enjoyed the callback immensely. I also got to meet and catch up with a lot of great performers from the area, which was fun. Afterwards there was an interview. This was the nerve racking part, I needed to tell them I couldn't do it for moral reasons, which I hoped they would understand.

So in the interview Allegra (assistant Director) told me more about the show, and all the new info confirmed my feelings that it wasn't the right thing for me. And when I finally told her about being conservative and not being comfortable with some of these things, she reacted so well. She said it didn't mess up future opportunities, it was great that I knew my world, they were sad to lose me in the production (not that they were necessarily offering me anything but still). In short she was very complimentary and said future opportunities would be great for me.

I went that night to the production they were showing of Aurelia's Oratorio- which was SO GOOD. It was clever and witty and fabulous. I would recommend it to anyone. It was also totally clean which was a great contrast to the audition I'd just come from. :). I got to see a lot of wholesome entertainment this week, which always buoys me up.

So I left feeling great about it. And I have to give credit to the Lord. I was going to chicken out and go to New York, but He helped me feel good about at least going to the callback. Who knows what will happen now, but I'm really grateful for His help this week, with EVERYTHING. I'm so blessed with love, family, friends, an amazing body that is somehow full of talent that I don't deserve. I love Him for His gifts. He is good and great!

BEACH BOYS, cooking and relationships

Tonight I heard the Beach Boys play totally live in person. It was awesome. The night was perfect too. Perfect temperature, nice little breeze, I was chillin with my sweet neighbors from Apt. 25 next door- they're so funny and amazing. After the concert we all walked back by the river, then Alex gave me a lime so I wouldn't have to buy one. Which was really nice of her and makes us better friends now.

Tomorrow there's a potluck after church I'm taking potato wedges to :). I found a recipe online for pepper lime pototato wedges, supposedly it's the way they do potatoes in New Zealand...cool right? I'm gonna give it a try. I really like the website I got it off of. It's a blog where the girl writes about her life experiences and includes a cool healthy recipe at the end of each post. Then she has all the recipes catalogued by name or ingredient on the side. She's also a fabulous photographer, so all the stuff she does looks amazing, and all the food she cooks looks even better. But what I really like about it is she talks about living experiences. Moments w/people, doing things that bring them closer together. That's what it's all about.

I was inspired by it. So instead of going grocery shopping tonight, I went to the Beach Boys with my neighbors. Because Relationships are what matter. Relationships are the reason we do everything else that we do. LIke work for example- we work to make money, so we can support our families, so we can all stay alive and be together. Life is about BEING TOGETHER. And that's what I learned today. :). I sure love life. It's wonderful.

O here's the link to that blog I told you about:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/about/


And the recipe for the Potatoes ;)-

Black Pepper and Lime Oven Fries

1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 lime
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375, oven racks in the middle.

In a medium bowl toss the potato wedges with the olive oil, a few big pinches of sea salt and five or six cranks of the pepper grinder. Arrange the potatoes cut side down on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, tossing the potatoes with a metal spatula half way through.

While the potatoes are baking, zest the lime and cut it into a few wedges.

When the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt and pepper to taste (don't skimp on the pepper!). Serve in a big shallow bowl, or on a platter, drizzled with lime juice and dusted with the lime zest and Parmesan.

Serves 4 - 6.

Donut

"Dad, I tend to do a lot better when I can have a donut"

-Mary Peggy Thompson (4 yrs. old)

Organized religion and Spirituality

Today on the train, after a long AMAZING picnic at a Professor's house, some classmates and I started talking a little bit about spirituality and the cons of organized religion. I had to get off before the conversation had finished :( and I wanted to put a couple of thoughts out there to the world about the God that I have come to know and love, both in my individual pursuits in spiritual progression, and also in my understanding of the pros and cons of organized religion, and how the two coincide and benefit each other. In expressing these ideas, beliefs and opinions it is not my intention to disregard anyone else's thoughts or opinions, but merely to clarify my own.

First, spirituality. I don't know what the word means in terms of the conversation I mentioned earlier- I think it means a lot of things to a lot of people. For this note I've interpreted it to mean having a living relationship with something or someone greater than yourself, and continually striving to strengthen that relationship and become ONE with that greater thing. In my case that means building a strong, living relationship with God, my literal Heavenly Father, and by striving to become more like Him become one with Him.

Second, Organized religion. There are many arguments that come against organized religion. I don't want to discount any of them or argue them- I'll never "win" nor is that my objective. In fact I have some problems with organized religion myself. So how is it that I devoutly attend church each week, pay a tithe (10% of my earnings), teach sunday school, go to scripture study classes etc etc etc? I'll tell you some reasons:

1- I know for myself through hours of study and prayer and a spiritual witness from the Holy Ghost in my mind and heart that God is my Heavenly Father, and that He sent His Son to suffer every pain and affliction I feel, give me peace and help whenever I ask for it (anytime, everytime), and to enable me to return to live with my Father someday. I don't obey God out of fear, I obey Him out of love for Him and a sincere desire to live with Him again.

2-I know for myself...that Christ's teachings are truth, and that they bring happiness, and He ORGANIZED a group of twelve men to teach of His Father and to come unto Christ that they may be brought unto the eternal well of LOVE that He can offer.

3- I know for myself... that that organization was lost for hundreds of years- the fundamentals were shifted, re-organized a million different ways by men, so that they became a thing of men and no longer of God. But I also know that when the world was ready a loving Heavenly Father restored that organization to a Prophet, Joseph Smith, in the early 1800s, and through instruction from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The principles of the organization are perfect, though the men and women striving to uphold those principles are far from perfect.

My connection between spirituality and organized religion thus follows: because every spiritual truth I have gained testifies of a God who loves me infinitely, I am fully convicted in doing what He asks of me. Organized religion in my life has brought me greater opportunities to be taught of Him, and take those teachings to my knees and find out...for myself...if what I have been taught is truth. I am taught through a prophet, through scripture, through sunday school teachers, through discussions with close friends. I am also taught by professors, classmates, textbooks, THEATER, my family, good books, and countless other things. What COUNTS is that I don't have to take anyone else's word for it. I can ask God, and if I have faith that He'll answer, He will. Everything I question comes from everything. Everything I know, without doubt, has been confirmed by God.

In closing, I'd say that spirituality comes first, and organized religion serves to increase and magnify it. If you are converted to a culture, you will not be fulfilled. If you are converted to true principles, you will be led to fulfillment. I testify to all of you seeking that as you continue seek with a firm faith that you will find truth, you WILL FIND IT. I testify that God loves you no matter what. There is NOTHING you could EVER DO that would stop Him from trying to be a part of your life. He will never force His way in, He respects your choices, but He's always waiting at the door if you want to let Him in.

Thanks for reading the whole thing. I love listening and talking any ideas on religion or spirituality or atheism or whatever. I'd love to hear anyone else's personal experience, good or bad. Share your thoughts! Love you all!!

-Val

the dailies

Amazing thing #1: I saw a woodpecker today.

Amazing thing #2: I HEARD him FIRST!

Amazing thing #3: He was in a tree on MY street.

Most amazing: I might see him/hear him again TOMORROW!

Keep it up!

SO I took some pictures of my laptop a while ago, with every intention blogging this story.

When I got back to school after Christmas break, I was on my way out of a slump that I'd been going through the semester before. Not just any slump- a really tuffy. Anyway, one day I was feeling particularly discouraged and I was on my computer and I shut it really quickly to go do some other things. And when I shut it I looked down at the colored stickers on the back



The stickers were put there by my niece, Sarah, while I was home for Christmas (She's inappropriately cute)




As I looked at the stickers I got so happy! One in particular stuck out to me




I felt so loved and all the things I was worrying about seemed so stupid and petty. I'm so grateful for family. I'm going to miss them this summer :(. But they are always in my heart. And I know that Heavenly Father sends us children to remind us what is important, and that He loves us and wants us to Keep Doing Our Best, and to enjoy every minute of life. Everything is going to work out- because He's in charge. Sigh* what a relief.

Always...

Never let your education of something stop you from actually doing it.

Never let the knowledge that someone else could do it better stop you from creating.

Never let someone's opinion of your work stop you from trying again.

Never give Satan a vote for your self esteem.

Never forget to give God the credit He deserves.

Never be less than what know you are.

Always do your best, no matter what.

So i think it's art....

The question remains, whether or not you think it's good or means anything to you. What do YOU think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayPw-Ytr1Ys

Copy and paste that link and try to be patient with this video. Instead of discarding it as crap before the first two minutes are over, see if you can find anything meaningful in it. Post your response- no matter what it is ;). I'm excited

Fast Sunday and my testimony :)

Happy Sabbath!
I love Sundays. Especially FAST SUNDAY! I love fasting for many many reasons. First, that you have a constant reminder all day of the fact that you are sacrificing something for the Lord. Second, that hunger feeling helps you to remember the specific thing that you've decided to fast for. Third, it's reminder of both those things that helps you to recognize other things in your life that you'd like to change. Fourth, it brings unity to all church members- we all have a shared experience of giving something up to the Lord together. Fifth, the fast offering not only brings you promised blessings of joy in helping others, but also brings sustenance to those in need. What a wonderful gift of service. And sixth- probably my favorite- you have the opportunity to hear and bear testimony. What a blessing to have the opportunity to profess those things nearest and dearest to each of our hearts once a month.

Being that today is fast sunday I'd like to bear my testimony to all who read this blog:

I know that God is real. That he's is my Father. That He loves me and each and every one of us perfectly. That He does not compare us to one another nor base His love for us on anything we do or say, but rather our actions determine whether or not we can FEEL that love. His arms are always always always always open to us. I know that He keeps His promises, and that when we keep our promises to Him He will bless us one hundred fold.

I know that Satan is real. That everything he ever does, says, or offers to us is a lie and will ONLY BRING US SORROW. His promises are twisted, warped versions of the real thing, "shortcuts" to nowhere. He is cunning and EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. We must be watching always and doing all we can to live in the light, that his darkness may not over take us- for darkness is only the absence of light and has no power over it.

I know that Christ lives. That His light is brighter and more powerful than any other force. Through Him, and ONLY through Him can we return to live with our Heavenly Father someday. yay!! What a glorious opportunity. I know He suffered for my sins, my pains, my heartache, my loss and that He knows them perfectly. I know that He also knows my joys, my achievements, my moments of peace (granted by Him), and my longings fulfilled. In my gamut of experience He has experienced all and beyond, that He may be a part of each MOMENT of my life, as I choose to let Him in. He knows all things and is one with the Father. He has overcome the drudgery that life can be, the day to day messes that we so often feel, the temptations to mediocrity, the specific weaknesses that you and I fight to get past- He is already past, and stands on the other side offering His hand and lifeline that you and I can overcome also, to be with Him. He is my best friend. I need to make more room for Him always.

I know that His church is restored to the earth. That through revelation given to a prophet of God we may know and follow His will. And know that through the ordinances He has given us we may be made clean and commit to His work, recieve the Holy Ghost to be our companion, recieve the blessings of God's power on earth-the priesthood, recieve the blessings of the endowment, and be sealed to our loved ones, not just for this life, but for eternity (imagine Christmas break with the people you love most in your life, having a blast- FOR ETERNITY!!! sign me up). I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that we can get closer to Christ by reading it than any other book.

I know all these things by the spirit. After many hours of study, fasting and prayer I gained this knowledge- not because I earned it, not because I deserved it and not because I've done anything that makes me "more righteous" than anyone else. But because Heavenly Father has enough mercy, love and grace to GIVE it to me, as a gift of the spirit, as a burning in my bosom, as pure light to my mind, as a peace and comfort in heart and all consciousness. I know that I know it, and I know that God knows of my knowledge. I am accountable to share these things, and blessed to share these things. I pray that as I open my mouth that He may fill it, and that He will use me as an instrument in the blessing, loving and of bringing joy and happiness to others.

With love and affection for you all, I bear this testimony and stand as a witness of the truthfulness of these things, in and through the Holy Name of my Savior Jesus Christ, amen.


For more information on any of the things I've talked about, email me at lavie49@hotmail.com, or visit this website for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- www.mormon.org

Love and kisses,
Have an amazing day!!

The Greatest Principle...

While pondering the beauties of the gospel one day, recently, I was thinking about missionary work and how great it would be if everyone you knew just walked up and asked you "what's the most important thing you ever learned. If you had one last life lesson to share with the world what would it be?" because then you could just tell them how great Christ is. And then I thought, "wow, what a great thing to ask people who are TOTALLY different from you." So I decided that would be my soul searcher for the semester. But even though it's something they'd say to the world I'm paraphrasing so I'll keep it anonoymous- with initials so I can at least remember. Here's the first two so far

C. J. A. 1/16/09:

I've come to realize something about people, and I first noticed it on my mission. That people, wherever they are in their progression, have infinite potential to go in a good direction, and infinite potential to go in a bad direction. It is amazing how far, and how quickly one person can progress when they humbly seek the direction of Heavenly Father.

M. W. 1/17/09

I would want everyone to know that Jesus Christ IS who He SAYS He is. And that He can and does do everything He says He can. I think that's the most important thing really.


Isn't that cool! I feel like it's a great way to open up a deep conversation and get to know what it is that really matters to a person. What's the greatest thing YOU'VE ever learned- what would you share with the whole world if you had the chance?