Treasures Beyond Compare

There’s definitely a reason why I have been otherwise preoccupied with life and have not written a single blog since March.  In six months time, many valuable things have come into my possession.

For example, a college diploma from Whitworth University. In packing up my room at my mom’s place, I realized just what $150,000 looks like: two very full, very heavy boxes full of notes, sheet music, exams, and corrected homework summed up in one slender red, patented leather sleeve with a diploma inside. The material evidence of my college degree hardly sums up the totality of my experience at Whitworth. A sheet of paper saying I have a bachelor’s does not express the sleepless nights and the tears that went into achieving it, nor does it express the victories. It doesn’t encompass the friendships and the character-building interactions, the courage mustered to openly talk about your faith as a latter-day saint at a Presbyterian university, the opportunities to allow your life color mix with the life color of others, allowing you to be a completely different color than you were as a freshman. A diploma, nor a box of class notes, can express the loneliness and crazy joy of travel and living in a foreign country. Your gradepoint does not show how much you learned serving as a resident assistant, nor how a few jobs on campus changed everything. I am so grateful for Whitworth and all I learned and all I experienced at that beautiful, acoustic-loving, flannel-wearing, mason-jar-drinking, Bible-bashing, selfless-serving, ironically-liberal, religious-hodge-podged, good-intentioned, buffet-style-Christian, open-doored place. I am proud to be a Whitworth Alumn. And I am excited to be moving forward.

In my possession have also fallen several indescribable miracles. It was a miracle that housing for the summer worked out perfectly and it was a miracle I was able to find work in Spokane for just three months. Not just any work, I had two jobs, both of which just happened to have opposite schedules, allowing me to work both without hassle. Another is moving to Provo, UT. In that development, I had a roller coaster of a time figuring out where I would be living. Miraculously, after I thought all hope was lost, a room opened in my best friend’s house, which had been my hope all along.  After countless rejections (like months and months of rejections), I also finally landed a job my first full day in Utah. It’s in a lab. Just 45 minutes away from where I live. It’s going to be a bit of an adjustment, but it has been very good so far and will give me some much-needed job experience. 

my handsome brother Brian and his bride

I have also gained a sister-in-law! Seeing my brother so happy at his wedding was indescribable and my family was likewise joyous. She has made such a wonderful impact on my family and especially on my brother, who would be nearly unrecognizable had you met him a few years ago. Her family has welcomed in our family and I am very excited to see where the union of Brian and Britney takes them! 

I have since moved down to Utah and in so doing, gained a framework of mountains. It really is beautiful here. I’ve heard many who move here from Washington state and other greener areas that they miss trees. That much is true. I miss them too, but I have gorgeous views on every side, like the mountains are guardians over us. These provide beautiful views are present from both the valley, even in the deep Salt Lake City downtown, but also many hiking opportunities. 

I have gained the best of roommates, one of which being my best friend (and maid of honor), Elyssa. It is the first time I have ever lived with other Latter-Day Saints and that has been a lovely change. 

I have also had the deep privilege of many very sacred experiences involving the temple. For those of you who do not know, Latter-Day Saints build temples and believe them to be the House of the Lord in as literal a manner as we can conceive. We believe that Christ has walked the halls of our temples and the ordinances are deserving of utmost reverence. I am now blessed to live very close to several temples and even pass three on my way to work alone. I have been able to attend every week and I cannot tell you how much of a blessing that has been. There is a lot of confusion about our temples, so in an attempt to explain better, here are a few links that may help. Also, I love the temple and have no inhibitions in talking about it, so if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask! 

The greatest possession, seconded only to my temple experiences,  is threefold: my best friend Vaughn returned home from a mission, he gave me a beautiful sparkly ring, and now I have a fiancé. The ring is beautiful, and I adore it, but I am far more excited about being married to my best friend of three years. Honestly, if he had proposed with a ring pop, I still would have said yes because he makes me so unbelievably happy. I’m still in shock that in three months I will be married to such a wonderful man. I am very grateful and pleasantly surprised at how everything worked out. There has been a lot of redemption and blessings in our relationship, and he teaches me how to be better every day. He is evidence that life isn’t fair, and thank heavens for that. Otherwise I would never deserve the tender mercy of such a blessing. 

This outpouring of precious gifts have been very humbling and I know I deserve none of them. I realize though, that this is how it works in God's economy. A dollar in cash does not equal a dollar in goods when you're working with the Father of all creation. If you take a step forward, grace and love propels you miles. With such blessings comes the responsibility and trials to bear them, but I will welcome them with open arms out of gratitude and try my best to never take them for granted. 

you can't buy this kind of happiness.

 "Contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."
Alma 34:38