Meagen & Chirs

Dear READER,


You know how in life you just have those few people you love so dearly? Well my cousin Meagen and her husband Chris are two of those people for me.

They are the kindest, coolest, funniest people I know. They would do anything for you, just because they want to....because they love ya.


Meagen is so sweet and she loved taking photos.....so we did a little of our own photo taking when we went to see them in Idaho. I know they are nothing like what Meagen takes but they are there as a memory of when we visited them and saw their new home.

 Cousins are the greatest things ever created -- ok family first but cousins are family too right. So they are the best.



LOVE YOU BOTH!!!!!


The reason there are so many and they look almost exactly the same is because we were all sitting there waiting for Michael to take the photo and little did we know that he was taking them all along as we were all getting ready and waiting. Uggg!

This is me finally figuring out that he just keeps on taking photos with my camera

Yours Truly,


Jenessa

Brigham Young University Idaho

Dear READER,


So my Sisters were up in Rexburg Idaho with me for graduation. It was so fun to have them up there. Well the morning after graduation I walked them all over campus, showing them where I had classes. Walking to all the weird places. Showing where I had my breakup, my first kiss, and where I first held hands. I should them the day I saw President Eyring for the first time (my stake president). I also showed them where you will see the most people fall on a snowy day. It was so much fun.

I didn't really think I would miss it until I was showing them around everywhere and than I thought -- WOW this is my home and I'm not coming back. It was a bit of a sad thought but exciting as it meant life was moving on.

Well anyways the point of me telling you this is just because I have tons of pictures I would like to share with you. I hope you enjoy it....for those of you who have not been there, this will be a sneak peak of campus. For those of you who have or might even be up there now you will laugh at some of the places I took them.

THE HINCKLEY BUILDING

THE GARDENS

THE TAYLOR BUILDING 

This is where me and Blaine had Church

THE MC 

This is the middle building of campus - the go to place 

THE CROSSROADS 

The food court in the MC

DAVID O. MCKAY LIBRARY

and yes I made them walk the three sets of stairs

THE SPORI BUILDING

This is where I spent most of my school experience

THE SNOW BUILDING

THE BALLROOMS

 Also located in the MC

shall we dance, da da da, shall we dance...

I had the girls walk down campus and then back up --- I didn't make them do it fast though so it was fine but we were cold by the time we got back up to the Ricks building where the car was parked

Yours Truly,


Jenessa

FAMILY TIME

Dear READER,


Family - family means nobody gets left behind, according to Stitch, but what does family really mean? Well my family came out to visit for a while and I really saw what it meant to be family.

Family is: Nobody is forgotten, it's love unbound, it's time, it's the smile they give you, the hugs and kisses you get, it's the money they don't have and spend anyways, it's the small little acts of service, it's being able to walk into a room and people say 'oh you must be Blaine's sister you look so much alike (I love that). Family is having someone to run to, someone to hold onto, someone to tell you your being really stupid.

I can't say enough about family and what it really is -- my family is the greatest. I bet each one of you feel the same way about your family as well. Remember to tell them how much they mean to you.

These were just a few photos from my family - Hope you enjoy

Oh and just in case you didn't note - yes we did take family photos as we were together



Yours Truly,


Jenessa

SCRIPTURE STUDY 1 Nephi 16-17

Dear READER,

I found myself very distracted during this study so it took me twice as long as it usually does to do my study and I didn't get through that much. With that said there were still a lot of gold nuggets that came from it. Hope you enjoy.


1 Nephi 16-17

• The wicked take the truth to be hard
• How great the joy when someone humbles themselves before the Lord.
• Do we follow ALL that the Lord asks us to do or do we pick and choose what we will follow and what we wont
• The Lord provided Lehi's family with the most fertial parts of land while they traveled in the wilderness
• Where were Lamen and Lemuels bow and arrows? Why was the loss of Nephis such a great deal?
• Nephi followed the chain of authority and even though his father the prophet was murmuring, he still went to him and asked "...whither shall I go to obtain food?" SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE
• We must first go out and do what we can and than go to the Lord
• The Liahona works through faith, meaning that the Holy Ghost works when we exercise faith
• "...by small means the Lord can bring about great things."
• We need to be grateful to the Lord for the things he has given us
• 1 Nephi 16:36, Nephis wife murmured against him -- are all wives really naggy?
• Lamen and Lemuels problem seems to be that they don't want to leave and be in a new land because they are scared that Nephi will become a kind over them and they don't want that
• With trials come blessings and with blessings come trials
• They traveled eight years int he wilderness....eight YEARS
• Irreantum means 'many waters'
• Why did the Lord have Nephi build the ship/get the instructions on how to do it instead of Lehi who was the prophet?
• It is by the Lord we are led to prosper
• Can you be preserved if ye hearken not unto the Lord?
• He that is righteous is favored of God
• The earth was created so we could love on it
• Do we sometimes not do things because they seem to simple, to easy? For example the fiery serpents and the Children of Israel. All they had to do was look and they would be saved.
• "...if God had commanded me to do all things I could do them."

Yours Truly,


Jenessa

GRADUATION PHOTOS

Dear READER,


I'm sorry that this is with the other graduation post....it's hard when you don't have all the photos at once. So here are just a few more photos from Graduation. Hope you feel like you are able to share in the experience with me as you look through them.


These are just a few photos with people who made my graduation possible - they were there for me the whole time.....my biggest support. --- THANK YOU!!!

My Sisters

My Brothers

My Parents

My Grandparents

Yours Truly,


Jenessa

SCRIPTURE SUTDY 1 Nephi 12-15

Dear READER,


Today while reading I had this distinct impression that I needed to write down my notes and share them with other people. Well because of that I decided to write my study (well most of it) down on this blog.

I know that perhaps some of you might not even read these ones, but for those of you who do I hope you can gain at lease one point that will be helpful to you today or this week. I am enjoying the reading and learning so much more as I read it again and am writing this time as well. I hope you enjoy today's reading.


1 Nephi 12-15

• 12 Apostles judge the 12 nephite apostles. Are we judged by the 12 nephite apostles?
• We are only made white through the blood of Christ
• Through our Faith we are made clean
• We can not let our brethren dwindle in unbelief we must go forth and give of the light we have
• We must have righteous desires
• Do i do what i do because I want praise from the world or because its what God wants?
• Humility will help us receive the power of the Lord
• They did take many things out of the Bible -- do we today have a full translation of the Bible from Joseph Smith?
• The Lord makes things so simple for us to understand. The Gospel is not complicated
• The Lamb of God is merciful unto his people
• What does it mean by "how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be?"
• All men must come unto Christ or they cannot be saved
• Christ went to the Jews first but at his second coming will come first unto the Gentiles
• The Lord will take away our stumbling blocks if we hearken unto him
• We will be placed int he pits we dig for others - we will get what is coming to us
• If we but repent all will be well
• 'Look' = let them do the action so they can learn of themselves and not just be told
• We need to remember to inquire of the Lord, and he will give us understanding
• We cannot receive an answer from the Lord if we do not first come to him in the right state. I cannot believe God won't answer me and than get an answer
• We must first believe, then we are given
• We must first have a knowledge of the gospel in order to know how to come unto Christ and be saved
• If we but hold to the World of God (the iron rod) then we will not perish and the devil will have no power over us
• The fruit of the Tree of Life is the greatest gift of God ---  how wonderful to know that important fact

Yours Truly,

Jenessa

SCRIPTURE STUDY 1 Nephi 6-11

Dear READER


Today's reading comes from 1 Nephi 6-11. It was very nice reading and I think one of my new favorite scriptures comes from these chapters. Hope you enjoy as much as I did.


1 Nephi 6-11

• The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to help bring people unto the God of Abraham
• Only things of worth are to be written in the Book of Mormon
• Do not write of the world but write of the Spirit, things that are not of this world
• Have Faith in the Lord
• How does the Lord soften our hearts?
• Hearken unto the will of the Lord - this means to let go of what we want and do what the Lord would have us do
• "...the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him. Wherefore, let us be faithful to him."
• when the lord says it, it must be fulfilled
• The Lord always gives us our agency even if it might hurt or harm us
• We are to frankly forgive those who have come against us
• We must also pray unto the father for forgiveness
• We show our gratitude by giving sacrifices unto the Lord. What is my sacrifice unto the Lord?
• Parents have the authority/right to gain revelation for their children
• True happiness comes only through Christ
• When we gain something so precious we should desire to share it with others
• We need to not heed the wicked
• Our parents give us council and guide us because they love us even if it feels like they are just preaching to us
• The Lords ways are wise
• The Lord does things because he sees the whole picture and even thought we might not understand why we need to do something - The Lord knows
• We would all be in a lost and fallen state had it not been for the Savior
• How is it that John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin could look on him and know he was the messiah. i wonder how John felt when he knew?
• We receive the Holy Ghost only after we first have faith on the Son of God
• The power of the Holy Ghost is a gift to all who seek it
• We will be judged for ALL things we have done
• We are sometimes given signs, in order or so that we can than bear record of them
• Did Nephi see different angels during his vision in chapter 11 -- did different angles appear because they each taught different things?
• We can only be healed through the power of the Lamb of God

Yours Truly,

Jenessa

SCRIPTURE STUDY 1 Nephi 1-5

Dear READER,


I have started the Book of Mormon - Another testament of Jesus Christ - again and would love to bring you along with me as I learn and grow. This will be mostly my thoughts as I read through the chapters. Some are points I learned, and others are questions I had while reading. I don't have time every day to write it in my journal and then blog it so you might get a few all on one day but you can just take your time in going through them (sorry about that if I had about three more hours in my day i could probably do it)

If you don't already have a copy of the Book of Mormon and would like one (so that you can follow along) please feel free to email me at jen06013@gmail.com and I will get one to you.


I hope you enjoy --- this is going to be a great journey!!


1 Nephi 1-5

• The lord still allowed lehi's family to suffer and be afflicted while in the wilderness. The Lord was still with them through it all though
• Lehi taught his children in the right ways
• Nephi was taught to keep a record. Just like we are taught to keep a journal
• Lehi prayed for his people (All of them good and bad)
• 1 Nephi 1:7 the Spirit maketh or spiritual things make us tired or weak (is this why all those people fall asleep in church)
• When exactly did Lehi become a Prophet?
• Tender Mercies are given to those who have Faith
• Faith delivers us
• We are blessed because of the things we do
• When asked to do something would you leave all to do it or do I hold on to the things I feel are more important?
• We need to give thanks in all things great and small
• We murmur because we do not know the dealings of God...it is our job to seek it
• We must gain (ask the Lord) to soften our hearts
• 1 Nephi 2:18 We need to plead with the Lord for those in our families who are struggling
• The Lord prepared the way for us
• We are to teach those around us
• The oldest is to lead the way - the lot fell upon lamen
• "...we were obliged to leave behind our property" --- I don't know I just thought it was a bit funny how he wrote that in there
• Younger children follow the examples of those above them
• Sam was also smote with a rod 1Nephi 3:28
• "...Wherefore can-ye doubt?"
• The Spirit leadeth only in paths of truth and righteousness
• Do I follow the counsel with a glad heart or do I murmer all along the way?
• It is better that one wicked man should die so that many may/can believe on Christ
• We must be taught first in order to follow
• Nephi delivered or freed Zoram from slavery
• Lehi and his family are either from the house of Ephraimm or Mannasses
• It is through the Scriptures that we are able to keep the commandments of the Lord

Yours Truly,

Jenessa

GRADUATION

Dear READER,


Wow I can't believe it's been four days since I graduated. It's CRAZY!!!!! So for those of you who didn't hear....I graduated on April 6, 2012 with a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Brigham Young University Idaho. It only took me six years but I finally did it.


I had two very BIG goals in my life, one was to go on a mission which I did in 2009-2010 and the other was to graduate from college. So I accomplished them and now it's on to new goals. I can't believe it.

Next goals in life ---- well the sky is the limit really. I am trying to create a list or a bucket list and so I'm trying to figure out what I want now. That will have to go in a later Post as I'm not even close to getting one together let alone started. I look at it and well it's just crazy to me to think that I have to come up with big lifetime goals all over again. I had been working toward a mission and graduation so long that now coming up with new ones seems harder than I remember.

Besides the point really --- Graduation was great and Elder Ballard came and talked to us. I hope the photos help in making you feel like you were there with me.

Me and Lauren Vail

Me and Sarah Dighans

Me and Sister Hendricks

                                                                                               She was my Comm. Teacher

Graduated in Communications

Yours Truly,

Jenessa