Beautiful Butte Falls

Things are really good. So good in fact that I haven't had time to post in awhile! I love being busy!

Last weekend a bunch of us went repelling at Butte Falls. It was simply beautiful. I have really fallen in love with green Oregon. Salem is so nice because you just drive 30 minutes and you're in a jungle-like wilderness. Drive 45 minutes in another direction and your in downtown Portland. What more can you ask for?

Well here are some pics from Butte Falls. I had never been repelling before and to be quite honest, I was a bit terrified. But, it was an adventure that I couldn't pass up...so I did it.

Here are a bunch of us before we head down the cliff: Jared, Jackie, Me, Joe, Lindsay, Daniel, & Todd
This is the cliff as seen from across the ravine. It was really intimidating! Notice the waterfall right next to it.

This was the scariest part. Trusting in the rope as you start backing off a ledge is quite the experience. I'm not quite sure, but I am pretty sure that I screamed a bit at this point. ;) It certainly makes you feel alive!


About right here I was thinking, "Why am I doing this?!"

About half-way down.
Almost there

We also hiked a bit around and found some other waterfalls. This is definitely one of the most perfect places in the world.I took this from underneath the waterfall.
Again, from behind the waterfall.

Here's my hiking buddy Lindsay. Love that girl!

Overall is was an amazing day with good friends, beautiful surroundings, and an adventure to boot. Definitely a day worth remembering.

What I learned last night.

Sea of Galilee and the Mount of Beatitudes

This hillside is the traditional site of the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5-7).

So I started attending institute and have fallen in love with the New Testament all over again. I love how the stories flow and yet, every verse has some jewel of wisdom. The life of our Savior is unparalleled and every time I study it, I find more direction for my own life.

Last night we spent some time reflecting on personal scripture study and I thought that Brother Moore gave some great ideas on how we can focus our study to get the most out of it. I mean, we should be reading the scriptures over and over throughout our lifetime, so it is always good to get new ideas on how to get the most out of our study. First of all, he encouraged us to get out of the restraint of reading a chapter a day. Instead, he suggested that we give ourselves a time period and then go from there. That way, we can focus on the meaning of the verses we read and not whether we get the the end of the chapter or not. In the end we might spend a whole hour on just one verse, but learn that verse more deeply.

He also gave us 10 other ways we can focus our Scripture study.

10 ways we can "Learn to Look" during our studies.

1. Difficult Words & Phrases - How often do we just pass by words we don't recognise-archaic or otherwise? It is the easiest thing to do. But look it up and then record it in your scriptures for future reference.

2. Footnotes - The JST is simply amazing. Don't pass it up. Also, use cross references to give greater depth to you study.

3. Lists - The Lord gives us a lot of lists in the scriptures and numbering them can help us organize them in our minds and remember them better.

4. Scriptural Definitions - The Lord defines things for us right in the scriptures. Mark it in someway so that next time you need it, you can find it.

5. Scriptural Questions - Take Alma 5 for example. The prophet presents us with a multitude of questions that should make us reflect on our spiritual standing. Record how you would answer those questions and then next time you go back, you can see how you have grown.

6. Sermons in a Sentence - Sometimes just a few words or a sentence can be a sermon of its own and give us a lot to ponder about. Take Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." Such a powerful message in just a few words.

7. Word & Phrase Patterns - Notice how the passages you are reading are constructed. Are you reading prose narrative or poetry? How does that affect how you read?

8. If/Then Statements - The scriptures are full of them. Sometimes we find if/thens that don't specifically use those terms, but still teach the causality of a principle. Mark them in a way that you can see the cause and effect.

9. Prophet's Commentary - What is the writer trying to teach us? "And thus we see" is one indicator that the prophet wants to make sure that we get the point.

10. Antecedents to identify - What is it that the pronouns in the verse are referring to? Focus on exactly what each "he, them, it, etc" refers to to keep clear in your mind what is exactly being taught. Mark it for future reference.


Isn't this an awesome list of ideas? Just thought I would share, because it really gave me some good ideas of how to revamp my study. I love this next quote.

Elder Richard G Scott Said:

"It is through the repeated process of feeling impressions, recording them, and obeying then that one learns to depend on the direction on the spirit more than on the communication through the senses."

All I can say to that is, Amen.

I'll write you a love song...

Janai wrote and performed this lovely song for me. It really brightened my day. I only got the last phrases on video, but you get the picture. :)

Utah Fun

In August I took a trip to Provo to help Cecily and Allie move and clean out my old apartment. It was so great to see old friends. Although I am happy in Salem, Provo was such a good place for me. I met some of the most inspirational people, learned so much, and had way too much fun. Here are some pics from the trip:

I got to visit one of me dear friends Elise before she headed out to live on the east coast. I absolutely LOVE this girl! People used to ask us if we were related when we were missionary companions. I think it's the hair color.

Of course, no trip to Provo would be complete without a midnight run to Denny's!

My dear Pasty was really an awesome roommate. She's an artist by nature and just can't help but doodle wherever she is, even on the Denny's napkins :)

Jen is my fellow Spain enthusiast and one of the silliest girls I know. Love it! Can you tell we were all so tired that night?
Miss Shannon Ference, elementary school teacher extraordinaire and seriously one of the happiest people I know!
Besties Forever!

My dear mother accompanied us and so we had to take her to Zupas, my favorite soup and salad cafe.

This is what I had for lunch: Lobster Bisque, a turkey and avocado panini, complimentary chocolate-dipped strawberry and the most rich and gooey brownie I have ever had.

My lovely and beautiful sisters who always inspire me to reach for greater things.

While looking for the storage unit that we had booked to hold some of Allie's things while she is in France, we got totally lost and somehow ended up underneath the freeway.

This is where the storage unit was supposed to be, but as you can see, we didn't really feel like it was a safe place to store...anything. We though about asking for directions, but after reading the sign on the front gate, decided against it.

After a day of packing and cleaning, we treated ourselves to lunch at Gloria's Italian Restaurant. Yum!