Let's make it better: Let's become

I found these two rocks the other day. 

So I picked them up, put them in my purse and walked away.

It may have seemed silly to pick up some rocks. 

They're just rocks.

Well, that's what I usually think.

However, this time was different. It may be because I'm taking a natural disasters class and have become a tiny bit obsessed with nature. 

(especially volcanoes)

I picked up these rocks because I felt them to be one of the closest things I have to Heavenly Father. 

They were created by Him.

And then I began thinking of the formation of these rocks.

These rocks didn't just exist as they have come to be. They were formed together through weathering, erosion, or through cooling. It was a process. Now, these rocks are strong, unbreakable rocks. 

I began relating this to us, to people.

We were not born into this mortal life with our purpose already fulfilled. We were not born perfect. 

But through life's experiences we can progress and we can become. 

We can become those strong foundations and one day be perfect. 

This short amount of time we have here on Earth is a time for progression. 

Take advantage of it and become the person God wants you to be. 

The Saratov Approach

Parents anticipate the day their child's mission call will come in the mail. 

The decision of a young man or young lady to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an honorable one.

The excitement, dedication, and love of a missionary is something I look up to very much. 

In 1998, 2 LDS missionaries were serving their honorable missions in Russia and were abducted and ransomed. 

I forget how strong the adversary will work to stop the work of the Lord. 

And in this case, these 2 missionaries had to experience being kidnapped. It's frightening to think of what these missionaries had to experience. So, I watched their movie, "The Saratov Approach" and was absolutely moved. 

In this movie, you will experience the very nightmare these missionaries had to go through. And through their trial, you will be inspired and uplifted. Their faith and submission to the will of God is the main focus of this movie, at least to me. 

I know these two young men had a very important purpose on their mission. And although the adversary tried to stop them, they came out victorious. 

I absolutely loved this movie. It was such a testimony builder. And I encourage everyone to go out and experience this movie. It comes out in theaters nationwide on December 26, 2013. 

GO & WATCH IT.

The Saratov Approach was absolute greatness! 

Special Needs Halloween Party

This was such a special event to help out at. So grateful for the Service Activities here at BYU-Idaho.
Here are some pics of the Halloween party! Great way to spend a Friday evening! 

Photo Credit: Laken Bowling

Let's make it better: Don't complain

This week was very interesting. It was new to me. Let me enlighten you as to why:
My roommates and I challenged ourselves to not complain for an entire week. Crazy, huh?! Well that's what I thought. I even complained about not complaining. And I'm saying this in complete honesty. I'm not perfect so this seemed like it was gonna be tough. I thought this was going to be nearly impossible. However, every one loves a good challenge, so I accepted, and with enthusiasm may I add.
Monday came around and, well, I think we all know how everyone feels about Monday. So I began my day & realized  I was already super behind on homework. Already! And it was my fault! However, I remembered a quote by Henry Ford I found on Pinterest, "Don't find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain." So I did just that. I worked on the things I needed to get done and wasn't able to finish completely. And I received the consequences. However, since I wasn't going to complain, I felt okay, I felt at peace. I knew I could make things better so I went home and did just that. It was great to notice the change of attitude I had acquired throughout the day. I never found myself upset, ungrateful, or even in the need of complaining. It was awesome!
The week continued and even through the stress, the physical and  mental exhaustion, I was happy!

I really learned a very important lesson that week. The need to complain is the worlds way of making you think you will feel better. When truly, prayer is Heavenly Fathers way of truly giving you peace. I was on my knees a lot that week. And it was a huge testimony builder. I challenge you all to make a goal of not complaining for a week and pay close attention to the wonderful blessings you begin to notice, your change of attitude, and your ability to enlighten & uplift those around you. 

Two Days of Bliss

Saturday morning I woke up with the sunshine lighting up my bedroom. Marissa was still sound asleep so I laid in bed for a couple minutes. My alarm went off for the 5th time, and I finally decided to turn it off. It was time to wake up. It was the beginning of General Conference weekend. 

This time felt different. Great different. We're always told to prepare for Conference. So, I did. Scriptures were read, I spent many moments on my knees, and I pondered on the promptings of the Spirit I had recently been receiving. It was great to have felt the Spirit so many times before this conference. It allowed me to have inspired questions in my mind. It allowed me to open my eyes and see more clearly. It allowed me to hear more consistently, and it allowed my heart to be open to the teachings I was to be receiving this weekend. 

So I awoke and joined my roommates out in the living room to begin conference together, as a family. I always begin to miss my family around such a joyous time. Nevertheless, the Spirit was still the same, still as strong. We laughed, cried, and took in the Spirit we were all feeling. I know we all grew a little closer during these two days of conference. We shared some thoughts, we shared our new goals, and we shared our love for one another. We may not always use words, but our actions surely do show that they love me and I love them. 

After 8 hours of conference, it is now over. In 6 months will the world be united all together once again, listening to the Prophet and his counsel. And until then and forevermore, we will apply these teachings into our lives, and we will be a stronger Zion. All 15 million of us. As we hasten the work and share these glad tidings unto the world, the Lord's church is steadily increasing. I am grateful to be witnessing the gathering of Israel. And to be a part of such a great work. I am so grateful for this amazing gospel I have in my life. I know God loves me, all of us. General Conference always reminds me, and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to hear from the Prophet, his counselors, and other great general authorities. Their counsel strengthens me. 

As Elder Bednar said, "Your faith strengthens my faith. Your devotion helps me be more devoted." 

Happy General Conference weekend everyone! I hope it was a great one for all of you as well! I will be posting some of my favorite quotes sometime this week, so come back & visit! 

Love, Sister Ortega

Didn't get a chance to watch conference? That's okay! Here's a link to where you can read, watch, and download the talks. Everyone's welcome! 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2013/10?

cid=HPFR100413105&lang=eng

Do More Now.

"I want to remember this summer, Troy. But not like this." Okay, yes, that is a line from High School Musical 2. Whoops. Secrets out, I'm an HSM fan.

Any who, after Gabriella says this to Troy she walks away from what is unnecessarily dragging her down throughout this summer. Of course, she also sings about it.

I'm definitely not going to sing a song, but I am going to walk away.

We all have things in our past that haunt us and make us ask, "What if?"

But I'd like to pose a knew question: "What now?" Well, NOW, I'm going to do things that make me happy. NOW, I'm going to try even harder, NOW, I'm going to be even better.

There's a promise I've been making to myself for about a year now. It's a promise I make every Sunday as the week is about to begin. It's that this week I will be even better than last. I have my own things that are part of me becoming better, such as more scripture study, more time with my family, more time pondering the will of God, and more time praying to my Heavenly Father.

And NOW, I'm choosing to have more more's.

It's a start.

I'm going to help others more. I'm going to write more. I'm going to play the piano more. I'm going to practice more. I'm going to read more. I'm going to listen more. I'm going to look for others more. I'm going to love more. And I don't mean fall in love with someone new every week. I'm going to love others as our Father loves us.

I know I'll be happier and wiser and more aware of the spirit, and as well as more willing to do of the Fathers will. If we do more for others, do more to strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and do more to strengthen and build ourselves we will feel and notice more of God's blessings and more of God's infinite love for us.

So DO, do MORE, and do it NOW.

"As bright as the Dallas sky"

I'm back in Dallas, you see. I've been home for 1 month. There was something very beautiful about flying to Dallas. The moment I saw downtown I knew I was home. That being because once you spot that one green building, you turn your eyes over to the left, keep going a bit. And BAM, you spot Oak Cliff. I love my little fabulous ghetto neighborhood.

So, when I left Colorado it was snowing. Then after landing, I realized the workers outside were melting "like a Popsicle on the Fourth of July."(And yes, that was a Little Rascals reference.) Instantly I knew I had just landed in the great state of Texas. The humidity was noticeable this time. The hot weather as well. But more importantly, I noticed how much I had missed Texas. How much I missed home. I love Texas. I love Dallas. There's no other place on earth so wonderful. THERE IS NO DEBATING THIS. So, I'm home. Home sweet home, deep in the heart of Texas.

 Downtown Dallas

  

City lights

Apartment 39.

The semester is long over, and I noticed that I failed to write about some very important girls: the girls of Apartment 39. Which happens to be my wonderful apartment, & I was blessed to spend such wonderful months with this group of girls. Now, I know everyone always says, "My roommates are the best roommates I could have ever asked for!" And that's neat and all. But when you can mean it, with all of your heart is when it's really special. So yes, my roommates were the best roommates I could have ever asked for! And let me tell you why.

Alisha: The sweetest woman you will ever meet. No seriously! When you are in the presence of my sweet Alisha you cannot help but smile. You just want to be as happy as she is. And be as cute as her (which is impossible). I never received any negative emotions from her. Even when she had the roughest of days, she'd come home smiling. One day, she wasn't feeling so good, so she made some cookies and gave them to someone who needed a pick me up. Even though she was having a rough time herself. This was her pick me up: service. What a wonderful example she is to me of someone who is happy, loves life and all those in it!

Bree: The wise, hardworking, and sweet woman who served an honorable mission in California! She is very committed to anything she sets her mind to. And she'll never break any promises she has made. She's just that kind of person. She will not forsake. And she will always put a smile on your face when she begins to laugh. Her snort is the cutest, I love it!! She has such beautiful curly hair. And a beautiful personality. She's amazing!!

Stacie: The greatest indexer in the whole entire world! This woman can work wonders. She has no limits! She is always above and beyond in anything she does. Oh and did I mention she's an awesome unicyclist! She's tons of fun & also has the sweetest spirit. I just love that nothing can get in the way of Stacie. It's something I truly admire. Shes just 100% all of the time! I love it!

Kari: My sweet cuddly Karebear! She is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! I'm still wondering what I'm going to do without her for 18 months, but that's what letters are for! I always knew she would serve a mission. She is wise beyond her years. She's all or nothing in anything she does. And she will stop everything she is doing to hear you speak of absolutely anything you wish to speak of. I could not have survived this year without her. She's the greatest!

And speaking of not being able to survive without someone, last but not least: Marissa, my room roomie since day one. I knew from the moment we both began to recite the monologue from A Knights Tale that we would become the best of friends. I could not overcome a trial, I could not be as happy as I am now if I did not have her in my life. She's crazy positive! She's crazy beautiful! She's crazy funny! She's very strong! The list can go on and on. I understand her & she understands me. Those moments when we both just needed a good cry, there we were, giving each other a shoulder to lean on. Everyone needs a woman like Marissa in their lives. She's "more than a woman!!" She's the greatest!

I never thought I would ever meet such an amazing group of girls. I have been blessed to have them in my life. And those who have met them can certainly testify of their greatness. I love these girls. Apartment 39, it's where it's at.

Vacationing in Colorado!

So after all that happened this past weekend with the car. I made the decision to stay in Colorado for 2 to 3 weeks!

I'm so ready for the exciting things I will be doing this summer.  It's gonna be a good one! :)

This too can be a blessing.

All of my life I have been taught that every trial is for a reason. That we will learn something from this hardship. I absolutely agree with this. But I would like to pose a question: How often do we think about this while experiencing this trial? How often do we keep in mind that this trial is a blessing? I have to admit, it can get a little difficult. 
Friday, my friends and I took off for a road trip back home. The trip would consist of one night spent in Utah, another in Colorado, another in Oklahoma, then we would split and I'd head to Texas with my sister as she would go pick me up in Tulsa, which is about 4 hours from good ol' Dallas. The plan was set. I'd be home by Monday and all would be hunckey-dory. However, things did not go quite the way we had expected. 45 minutes away from where we were going to be staying in Colorado, we heard a weird sound coming from the car. So, we pulled over to a diner parking lot and checked the car. The car was not okay. And we definitely could not continue driving it, not even for another 45 minutes. So there we were. We made a quick call and Marissa's mom was more than willing to come and pick us up. For the meantime, we all agreed that we were starving so we went ahead and entered the diner for a quick meal. Despite all that was going on, we kept pretty cheerful faces. Yes, I knew we weren't all feeling okay, but together, we tried to keep our smiles on our faces. And throughout this meal, we laughed, spoke of our summer goals, and just enjoyed each others company. It was wonderful. However, I was struggling in remembrance that every trial is for a reason. I couldn't help but think: "Why did this have to happen, to all of us?" As I continued contemplating this, I began to change my question. Or at least my view on this situation. We were driving to Marissa's and I kept thinking, "What am I meant to learn from this? How can this be a blessing to all of us?" I still do not know the answer to this. We are all currently spending a couple of days at Marissa's. Maybe I'll find the reason sometime soon. Maybe not. But for the meantime, I will thank my Father in Heaven we're safe, and thank him for the compliment that He has trusted us with this trial.
 I know that when we look at trials as blessings from the moment they are happening until, well forever, they will surely become blessings. And we will see the Lord's hand in our lives, as well as his unconditional love every day of our lives. 
"If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. " -President Henry B. Eyring

"Why does every moment have to be so hard?"

"Why does every moment have to be so hard?"
I was listening to "Won't Go Home Without You" by Maroon 5 and was intrigued by these few lyrics. Now, what I am to write concerning this has nothing to do with the song.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to watch the CES Devotional given by Elder David A Bednar. I really enjoyed the topic of his talk. It is understood that when we listen to talks, the spirit will testify to us certain things pertaining to our own personal situations in that moment. So here's just a brief summary of what the spirit testified to me just last night.

I find it so hard for me to be okay with me not getting what I want in life. I'm pretty sure that is a natural human characteristic, although my family blames it on the fact that I am the "baby" of the family. I beg to differ. Failure scares me. Sadly, it happens quite a lot. And I cannot find myself to be okay with it. It is difficult for me to "take of the bitter cup" and not become bitter. However, recently I have been very positive about school and relationships. Which is such an amazing thing! But there's no point in acting positive about a hardship in life when your aspect on the situation continues to be negative in the long run. Elder Bednar posed a very important question as he was telling the story of the young couple. He asked, "Do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?" I'm definitely not going through a hardship like the young couple was going through, however, I was very touched with how I, in my personal trials, would answer this question. Do I have the faith? Will I have the faith to not be angry with life if I am not "healed"? How about when the guy I really like stops talking to me? Or what about when I don't get the grade I was expecting on a test? Or what if a family member loses their only job unexpectedly?  Will I give up?

NO.

Do I have the faith to submit my will for God's will? 

YES. 

Although I can get slightly hurt when things do not go right. I am blessed to know of the grace of the atonement of Christ that has saved and redeemed me. My goal is to not just be with God, but to be like God. In Brad Wilcox "The Continuous Atonement" he mentions, "Because of the redemption offered by Christ, when we return [to our Heavenly Father] we will not only still be friends with God, we will be better friends than ever because we will have so much more in common." What a glorious truth! It really will be all worth it.

So, "Why does every moment have to be so hard?" Well, I'll just say the atonement was not for nothing. There was a purpose for what Christ went through. And it's comfort to know there's someone that will ALWAYS understand. And hey, let's never forget that "men are, that they might have joy." There's always a sunny day after the dark night. Enjoy life and cherish both the sunny days and even those dark cloudy days. It's truly so worth it.

Bajo el mismo sol

I watched the sunset today. I walked a friend to her apartments and on the way back I decided to just watch it. I crossed the street and walked up the stadium that faces the sunset perfectly.

In A Knights Tale, Chaucer takes a moment & exclaims, "Days like these are far too rare to cheapen with heavy handed words." It was in that moment as I watched the sunset that I understood those words. I couldn't explain what I saw, for words could not describe. It was more of a feeling. A feeling I definitely enjoyed. I loved today's sunset and I'm hoping to make this "climbing up the stadium to watch the sunset" an everyday thing. I hope you can take a moment of your day to watch the sun set. You know what they say, no sunset is ever the same.

Come what may & love it.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave an amazing talk about these words. They were words his mom would speak to him after things didn't quite go the way he'd expect them too. Those simple but powerful words helped him take the bad, with the good.

This semester, I feel like I am definitely learning what it means to take what life throws at you and loving it. I started this semester very different than my previous semester. I'm not going to get into detail, but I will say that I wasn't happy with the way things had gone down before heading back to school and I wasn't ready to go back to Idaho just yet.

But I did leave. And it was mostly because I needed a place to runaway from everything that wasn't going the way I wanted it to. However, problems don't go away by just running away from them. That just doesn't happen. No matter how much I wished it could.

I learned a very important lesson that first week I was back in Rexburg:

GOD TAKES CARE OF IT. Especially after we do our part and put our trust in him.

Things are still not perfect. But I've learned to be okay with that. There's this quote from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants that has always stuck with me, "Being happy isn't having everything in your life be perfect. Maybe it's about stringing together all the little things."

The 21st.

It's been a while. 

Months, actually.

I went to Dallas for three weeks in December. It was great to be home. And it was great to have received closure for everything I had left behind. 

I'm back in Rexburg.

I'm back to adulthood. 

I'm glad to be back.

I really, really am. 

Things don't seem as crazy as they did before.

I'm happy. 

And my emotions aren't off the roof.

They're okay.They're calming.

And that's all I ever wished for. 

No craziness, no rollercoaster emotions.

I'm learning to control them. All of them,

Worry, stress, attachment. I'm working on them. 

& I think I'm doing okay.