A YEAR AGO.......

TORREON MEXICO, 2008

About a year ago today, my family and I went on a Humanitarian Trip to Torreon, Mexico. One of the first days we were there, we were able to watch general conference at their local Stake Center. Going to General Conference with the Mexicans was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I realized that I take for granted that I can sit at home and watch it! These people travelled from all over, in their Sunday best so that they could hear the voice of prophets and apostles. They gave up their entire day. They were such a great example to me! I can honestly say that our trip to Mexico changed my life. I met people that have hardly any worldly possessions, yet they were some of the happiest people I have ever met. We stayed in members homes. My mom, dad, and brothers stayed in a different house than hillary and I. Hillary and I stayed with a woman and her two daughters who didn't know a word of English. At first, I had never been so scared in my life. But, as the time went on, I learned that there are many other ways to communicate besides speech. The Spirit was with us and it and we ended up making lifelong friends, even though we couldn't speak each other's language. 

Our main project was building a house for The Sanchez family. The "house" they lived in was made of pieces of plywood, cardboard, and pieces of wood. They had a dirt floor. It was very unsanitary and unsafe. They had a wooden pole in the middle of the house, and it was signed from top to bottom by missionaries who had visited the Sanchez family. We were able to build them a house made of cinder blocks and a cement floor, that was smaller than the family room at my house. They were SO Thankful. To them, we were building their dream house. There were three little children, and Sister Sanchez kept saying how she wished we could take them back with us because she knew that they would have a better life. 

I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to do this! It was such a great opportunity! If any of you have the chance to do Humanitarian work some day, take advantage of it!

Hillary and me with some Mexican children at the church house. 

Mexican Poverty. People really live like this. 

Hillary and I at the work site. 

The house that we stayed at. It was nicer than most. This was our family's awesome car that they drove us around in. 

Saying goodbye at the airport. 

Mom and Dad

The Church

The Boys driving to the work site

My favorite little girl, Carolina. It was for her family that we built the house. 

Me and Meghan with Carolina. Notice the house in the back ground, those are what the walls were made of .

My brothers are studs! This is Austin working hard. 

Brandon!

Me and Hillary with Carolina! we just loved her. 

Austin and Brandon playing football with the boys from their host family

At a different house, clearing out the bedroom so we could put a cement floor in for them. 

Waiting for the cement to dry in the family room. Notice the pictures on the wall of the temple and Christ. 

The guys making cement

The Organization we went through: Family to Family Humanitarian Expeditions

We filled one extra suitcase per person and brought extra cloths that were needed for members of the Stake. 

We also brought church materials that were very much needed. 

On the last night, they prepared a show for us and girls from the Young Women danced for us!

We sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" -not a dry eye in the place!

My parents host family- Sylvia and Jorge and their boys

One of the boys in our group made newborn kits for babies in the hospital. We were able to go to the hospital and deliver them. 

Brandon was a big hit with the little kids!

Making our way to the work site. 

Carolina's little sister. Playing on the dirt floor. 

Only the BEST sister ever!

For Christmas, Hillary wrote me this little poem. .

 I love my sister so much and I don't know what I would do without her! 

She really is my best friend.

I'm so blessed to have a sister so close in age to me.

We have so much fun together, I love it! 

I love my sister! :)

full of thought today

With all of this opposition to our church with Proposition 8, I found this quote. Its what I think about what's been happening lately in the world, mainly concerning political issues. I definitely gave me some comfort! 

Written 30 Years ago: 

Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.... Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted... This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. 

Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do.

We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today,"

BYU Devotional October 10, 1978

“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

I'm back!

So.. yeah... its been awhile. but I'm back to blogging. Mainly because I had this institute class about how important it is to keep a journal... oops...I'm pretty bad at that. But then it was mentioned that having a blog is another way of keeping a journal. So I'm on the computer for school and facebook pleasures anyway, so why not blog right? And I can keep in touch with all of you beautiful people. 

My Family is the Bomb dot com.

Family is so awesome, they're the people that will love you always, even if you're a complete jerk. I love my family, Mom, Dad, Hill, Austin and Brandon. We love each other. Nuff said. 

Some people that I know aren't very close to their extended family. For instance, when I say that I have two family reunions during the summer, they groan for me and say, "ah I'm sorry, that sucks...." But secretly... I love them! And I'm extremely lucky because I have two extended families that we're very close to. Pretty Much it Rocks. 

The Dodd Familia: 

The Martin Familia: