How’s It Going?

Well, so far so good. I’ve lost 3lbs. YEAY! I’ve still got 37lbs to go. But it’s going well so I’m happy!

I’m at my parent’s house right now, my internet at my apartment isn’t working. Low and behold my apartment complex has been charging me for the internet but we don’t even have our own network. I checked it out with Comcast today and my complex only registered 6 out of the 150 apartments for internet. So I’ve got to go talk with them tomorrow and let them know that they will be giving me free internet (I refuse to pay any more on the communications fee) once they register a new account under their bulk account.

So I talked with my dad and he’s still excited to see me join. I’m still a far away off. According to my dad I can join and go to OCS and in 16 weeks be an officer. I’ve asked a friend about it so I’ll post when I find out. I think if I did join I’d specialize in aviation.

Pilot: After training for up to 16 months at flight school in Pensacola, Florida, you’ll be assigned to an aircraft in your area of expertise. Whether you fly a fixed-wing, rotary-wing or tilt-rotor aircraft, you’ll be at the controls as one of the elite pilots of the world.

www.marines.com

I can sign up for some aviation classes with UVU now if I wanted. My dad used to fly planes, so I think it’d be fun to try it.
I have a new worry. Since I’ve been working out my knee has continued to pop. I know it should get better over time, but I’m wondering if having knee surgery would prevent me from joining the military if I wanted. I’d hope not, but I don’t know.
Well, I think I’m gonna head home. Just thought I’d update a bit.

Work Work All Day Long

SO I’ve been working this week – my second week at my new job… I think I’m about ready to fall asleep I’m so exhausted. I can’t believe I’ve drained myself already. Cracking out as many designs as I do it tiring. I HOPE that I can get up to the number of designs I should be at. I’m spending so much time designing from scratch, heavens that takes longer than corrections. It kills your quota for the day. Same As Last Years and Corrections are good for your quota.

I’m thinking I’m going to have to go in really early tomorrow to make up some hours. I’ve been hitting about 6.45 hours for some reason every time I head home. The night crew comes in at 4pm so I end up having to move to another computer that doesn’t have all my stuff and it’s rather irritating. So I’m just going to have to come in earlier so I can leave by 4. But tomorrow I hope to be there around 7am… We’ll see though. I’ve got a friend coming over tonight to watch a movie around 10pm… oh boy… lets hope I can get enough sleep. I think I’ll go take a nap now. I’ve got an hour before they come.

For those of you who wanted to know what kind of music you can find me listening to, I hope this gives you a taste into one side…

<b>eScala</b>

<b>Apocalytica</b>

<b>The Rasmus</b>

Relief Society Meeting

So today was my first meeting with the relief society president for my calling as the compassionate service leader. There’s so much I want to do but I have no idea where to start! I need some ideas, too! I want to get the girls more involved to meet each other, because honestly I don’t even know all the girls and I’ve been in the ward since December of ‘07.

Obviously they’ve got the birthday thing and they’d like me to do something for the girls who had a birthday already and what not. I think I’d have to start from May to get the girls from this term’s birthdays.

Then there’s the check and find out who is who and where they live and if they need anything. I’m just going to have to go door to door this week end and find everyone. At least I know our ward is pretty much in building 1 and half of building 2. I was worried I’d have to run all over the complex (I believe there are like 14 buildings or something like that)…

I have to admit while sitting at the table discussing all of this I was shocked to feel like my mission had prepared me for this calling. I’d done this kind of stuff before as a missionary. Granted I had a companion to help me, but now I have a comity to help me. It’s pretty cool how Heavenly Father gives us experiences throughout our lives to prepare us for ones to come.

Last nights birthday party for Emily was a huge hit! We had a few people show up and then Ryan decided since he was the only guy he’d yell out to all the people in the court yard from our balcony and see who’d come. Well the whole ward showed up! HAHA!! I met some really great people. Even was asked about my room mate who has pretty much dated everyone in the ward. Please, brothers, I don’t want to be the one spreading gossip. But the one guy who asked me seemed to be a little bitter about it. It’s almost turned into a ward joke. Sad…

Anyway, after everyone left 3 guys stayed behind to play a game of Cranium, my favorite game! We were teamed up one guy and one girl per team. The game ended and I believe Emily and Rob won. Either way it was still fun! I’d like to have another game night soon.

So, here I am… Compassionate Service Leader for the Relief Society. On the 23rd I meet with my bishop to get a calling as an ordinance worker at the temple. I work Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm as a graphic designer…I seem to like staying busy. There’s so much I want to do! *sigh*

Emergency Numbers
This will certainly be an encouragement to you.

When in sorrow………………………………………………….call John 14
When men fail you……………………….call Psalm 27
If you want to be fruitful……………….call John 15
When you have sinned…………………..call Psalm 51
When you worry……………………………call Matthew 6:19-34
When you are in danger………………….call Psalm 91
When God seems far away……………….call Psalm 139
When you faith needs stirring………….call Hebrews 11
When you are lonely and fearful……….call Psalm 23
When you grow bitter and critical………call I Corinthians 13
For Paul’s secret to happiness……………call Colossians 3:12-17
For understanding of Christianity……….call II Corinthians 5:15-19
When you feel down and out………………call Romans 8:31-39
When you want peace and rest…………….call Matthew 11:25-30
When the world seems bigger than God….call Psalm 90
When you want Christian assurance………..call Romans 8: 1-30
When you leave home for labor or travel…….call Psalm 121
When your prayers grow narrow or selfish…..call Psalm 67
For a great invention/opportunity………………call Isaiah 55
When you want courage for a task………………call Joshua 1
For how to get along with your fellow man……call Romans 12
When you think of investments and returns……call Mark 10
If you are depressed…………………………………..call Psalm 27
If your pocketbook/wallet is empty……………..call Psalm 37
If you are losing confidence in people………….call I Corinthians 13
If people seem unkind……………………………….call John 15
If you are discouraged about your work………..call Psalm 126
If you find the world growing small & yourself great….call Psalm 19

Alternate Numbers:
For dealing with fear…………………call Psalm 34:7
For security…………………………call Psalm 121:3
For assurance………………………..call Mark 8:35
For reassurance………………………call Psalm 145:18

NOTE: ALL LINES TO HEAVEN ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY!!

Marine Dog Tags

Look what I got today! I’m so excited!!! RIGHT ON!!!!

No, I didn’t join yet. These are just my motivational tags. Until I get the real deal. But these ones do have my name, blood type, SSC (that’s why the image is blurred), USMC, Female, and LDS typed on them. They rock!   Semper Fi

The Mission President Returns

So today was my mission president and his wife’s home coming at their ward in Lindon, UT. It was amazing to see.

Last night I saw them for the first time in a little over a year at the picnic they’d invited all the returned missionaries to. I saw so many old friends from the mission, it was exciting! A lot of them looked exactly the same. I missed them.

Today was a lot different than yesterday. As I sat listening to Sister Hacking give her talk the spirit rested on my heart almost making me want to cry. It had been a year since my mission and sitting in that crowded room with hundreds of people I was instantly brought back to countless zone conferences. When President Hacking stood and talked he pounded the podium like he always had during meetings. He even had all of the missionaries stand. I looked around the room at that time and smiled. There had only been one other time I can remember while on my mission that he’d asked missionaries to stand. During the Topeka Stake Conference. He asked all the missionaries to stand and then announced that he placed all his faith and trust in us. My heart raced as I returned to my seat. So many missionaries had changed. They looked so different yet still the same. A few Elders had grown their hair out and now wore beards. But many were the same.

When I left my mission I never really had a formal mission president’s exit interview. Mine was quick as I stood waiting to board my flight in the Kansas City, MO airport. I’d always felt a void concerning it. Like I’d missed out on some kind of revelation or advice that I should have received. Today President Hacking announced to the audience what he tells his missionaries in exit interviews.

1. Read your scriptures daily.
2. Pray both morning and evening.
3. Attend the temple to the extent that is almost becomes a burden. If it isn’t almost a burden then you probably aren’t attending the temple at all.
4. Always live worthy of a temple recommend.
5. Always have a church calling.
6. Live the life you taught your investigators to live. Be the returned missionary your investigators believe you are.

I jotted them down as he listed them and instantly remembered where I’d failed when I returned home. I had done none of those things. No wonder it was so easy for me to fall. But I am who I should be now, or at least starting to be. I have a current temple recommend and am living the way I should so I can hold on to it. I pay my tithing – even though I will be the first to admit in times of trial and financial trouble it is the biggest leap of faith for me to make. I have a calling now, I’m the compassionate service leader in my ward. I will interview with my bishop on the 23rd about working in the temple. I attend my meetings and take the sacrament each week. The part I’m falling behind in I will admit is praying both day and night and reading my scriptures. I promise I will begin this minute to do better. Not tomorrow, now.
As I drove home I was touched. To feel the love of President and Sister Hacking again was fantastic! I couldn’t believe how different it felt to have them near. President Hacking’s commanding presence. His whole talk was dedicated to the missionaries who served with him. He told us all to continue in the faith. To remember that our children were his grandchildren and they needed the gospel.

I loved being a missionary. I don’t think I could ever look back now and regret the time I spent on a mission. I know I served with all the faith I had and worked hard. Life couldn’t be any better than to know you served and did your best. For no matter what time period it was, you did your best. You were the Lord’s missionary. He loves you and He is so very thankful for the time you spent to find your brothers and sisters who needed to hear the great news. That Jesus is the Christ! The only one chosen by God to atone for us so that we may return to live with him again. That the ordinances and covenants of old have returned! They have been restored by a living prophet. That we have prophets and apostles again on the earth today and there is one prophet who receives guidance from the Lord himself! The Lord is in charge of his church. There is order and the holy priesthood again!
To quote Joseph Smith, should we not go on is so great a cause? We have so much before us. There are so many people who don’t know! I know it’s true because I’ve prayed about it. I’ve received the revelation from the Holy Ghost. I’m so thankful to have the knowledge that I do.

On the Up and Up

So it’s been a week since I started my new job. I’m making $3.00 more than I was at my last job (YEAY!)… When I found out I almost fell off my chair! In 90 days I’ll get full benefits and paid vacation time. I love this job already! I can’t believe I’ve been here a week! A WHOLE WEEK! Time has gone by so fast. I had Shauna from my last job call and ask me for a phone number so she wouldn’t have to call our (my old) nasty mean boss lady to find it. When I talked with her I was shocked to find out it was Friday. I’d lost all track of time! I’d put in 37.5 hours this week, I hadn’t put in that many hours without noticing in a long time. At my last job I’d sit at my desk watching the clock. At my new job I’m so busy I don’t have time to watch the clock. And it’s not like I’m busy and doing things that aren’t fun, I’m actually designing. I’m pushing 75 designs in an 8 hour shift! Monday I’m going to be off training and actually out on the floor at my own desk away from the supervisors. I’m a little nervous, but it’s almost like I feel like a kid on my first day of school. I don’t know anyone and I’ll now have to make new friends. Though, I’ve met a few people – granted they aren’t on my team, but I’m sure I’ll have no problem making new friends. HAHA! I love my little pep talk I just gave myself.

Tomorrow is my mission picnic with President and Sister Hacking. I’m looking forward to it, but at the same time am a little nervous. I’ve gained like 10lbs since my mission a year ago. GEEZ! And I gained weight on my mission! I had 2 months to plan this event, I could have lost 30lbs by now. Did I? No. Blah… Oh well, I guess that’s the perk of getting older and going on a mission.

This week I decided to start working out again. I’ve been working out on and off since my surgery, but never as much as I have this week. I’ve been working slowly, not pushing myself too much because I can’t really run or bend my knee a whole lot yet. Right now I’ve been using my hand weights, starting out with 2lbs and making my way up to 4lbs, then 8lbs, Next week I’ll stay at 2lbs and then move up to 4lbs by the week after. I’m starting my slim-fast diet again Sunday. I don’t want to start tomorrow because of the mission BBQ. I’ll just have to watch what I eat like always. I’ve actually not been eating a whole lot, it’s more like I’ve thrown my body into starvation mode. I never eat breakfast or lunch and then just eat dinner. Well only having 1 meal a day – a) Your body holds onto EVERY part of food you take in. b) No matter what you want to tell people, you’re hungry and will eat whatever is placed in front of you. Including that really yummy chocolate cake oozing with even more fudge frosting… Yeah, I’ve been there. Done that.

So I’ve decided to take some kind of action. About a year ago now I dated a young man shortly after getting home from my mission. He was a member of the USMC – that’s United State Marine Corps, people. OOHRAH!!

Anyway, while we were dating I ended up taking a trip to San Diego (I made the plan to go there before I met him). He insisted that I spend some time at the MCRD (Marine Corps Recruitment Depot). So the first place we stopped right after getting off the plane was the MCRD. The woman we stayed with, Denise Glover, her husband worked at the MCRD. So she showed us around. Even more fun was when she called 2 drill instructors over to our car and asked them to yell at my boyfriend over the phone. That was the funniest thing in the world! I learned a lot that trip about Marines, what they stand for, and what they’re taught. Granted, I did break up with the guy on my trip (he was rather controlling and verbally abusive. To quote Denise “#1 Rule – A Marine will NEVER yell at a woman.”)… long story, we wont go there.

Anyway, last night I went through my boxes and pulled out my bright, lemon yellow second battalion shirt and slipped it on. I’d bought it while at the MCRD. I remember watching the new recruits walk into the store and quickly run back out forgetting that they didn’t remove their hats. One recruit got the butt chewing of his life over it. Granted the instructor didn’t yell at him in front of me. He jumped right in that young man’s face, pulled him outside and began barking at him to start over. They only had a few minutes to get everything they needed to begin with. If they had anything in their basket it was the rule that you put everything back and start over. I bought myself a second battalion shirt to match my boyfriend’s that I was also picking up for him. I bought him a challenge coin since I was sure he didn’t buy one for his battalion while at the MCRD.

As I sat at my computer I looked up everything I could about the USMC. They’d impressed me so much during my stay that I wanted to learn more.

I’m a Navy man’s (PO2) daughter and still love the Navy, but the Marines impress me. As I watched videos on YouTube, it really drove me to want to get back into shape. I knew that I could, if I really pushed myself, get back into the shape that would allow me to go and do some of the things those Marines were doing.

Boot Camp Survival Guide was my first find to help me get back into shape. But it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for… Then I stumbled on this. The official United States Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test and Body Composition Program Manual – or in short the MCPFTBCP

Since I’m in the age range from 17-26 (I’m 23 people) these are my requirements:

• Pull-Ups/Flexed Arm: 3/15(sec)
• Abdominal Crunches: 50
• 3.0 Mile Run (minutes): 31

3100. BODY COMPOSITION STANDARDS. The Marine Corps’ weight and body fat standards
are health and performance based, and not based on appearance. Marines are
considered not within these standards when their body weight and body fat exceed
the maximum limits as contained in appendix I. If tested and the Marine’s percent
body fat exceeds the maximum limit (18% for males, 26% for females), then the CO
will evaluate the Marine’s physical performance (e.g., current semi-annual Physical
Fitness Test (PFT)) using the Physical Performance Evaluation in paragraph 3102.
If the Marine does not meet the Physical Performance Evaluation criteria, then the
CO will have the Marine evaluated by a MO and assigned to a BCP – formerly known as
the “Weight Control Program.” Marines assigned to the BCP will receive assistance
in reducing body weight and in particular body fat, in order to attain and maintain
a more healthy physical fitness state. The BCP assignment process and endorsements
are contained in paragraph 3201 and appendix D of this Manual.

According to the Marine Corps, since I’m 67″ tall, the maximum standard weight for me is 160lbs. The minimum is 121lbs – but we wont go there cause I haven’t weighed that since grade school! The max Body Fat percentage is 26%.

So this is now my motivational way to lose weight. I want to be able to meet these standards held by the USMC! Yeah, I don’t have a drill instructor yelling down my neck when I’m working out, but I’m going to have to be my own drill instructor. I’ve got to do it! If there are any Marines, former Marines, etc out there that would be interested in helping me out with my new goal PLEASE COMMENT! I’d love to learn more. The diet they have you guys on, etc…