and i'm a mormon.

last semester i filled out a profile on mormon.org. i checked it frequently but every time i looked it still hadn't been approved. tonight i remembered i hadn't checked in a while, and just like that it was up! there are some things about it i wish i could change/re-write and it's not even been that long...funny how quickly we change {i even used a picture of me when my hair was red}. the rest of my profile is cut out of the picture, so if you want to read all of it you will have to go look me up!

anyway i recommend you all make one. and if you aren't mormon go check out the site for more info on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or ask me any questions you might have and i will do my best to answer them! 

also, check out this video of my awesome professor dan barney's wife cassandra. he is one of my favorite teachers ever. have i mentioned how much i love the opportunities i have as an art education student at BYU? because i do. i have the best classes, with the best of people. not many people can say that they welded or screen printed today.

oh hey and i also created this person in photoshop in one of my classes. she is made up of six different people. {body/face shape: ellie, eye shape/brow: stacey, eye color: holli, nose: me, mouth: courtney, hair/ears: emily}. the background is a picture i took of a field in france, and i even added a sheep. don't believe everything you see in magazines folks, because all of it is photoshopped. and as you can see, pretty much anything is possible thanks to adobe. {and she definitely isn't perfect}.

LONDON: Building up Zion

Today we went to the London Hyde Park Ward, which is only a 10 minute walk away. We also have our two classes in that chapel. I am struggling to put all my thoughts into words, but in a nutshell I really miss diverse wards and family wards. Singles ward in Utah is great for different reasons but I am so grateful to have a break from them. I forgot how much I missed being around converts. They are such an inspiration to me. Today was fast sunday so we got hear the members' testimonies. They bore beautiful but simple and humble truths. I thought coming to church I would hear British accents the whole time, but I really only heard a few people with them, while many were members from Asia, Eastern Europe, India, New Zealand and Africa (many visitors also travel through).

Afterwards the stake president spoke to us in a separate "sunday school" meeting. He was young, probably early thirties and was completely led by the Spirit. He had such a passion and a love for the people of the London stake. He spoke to us of the people who have come through that have touched him and changed his life forever, and how they would do the same to us. He gave inspiration, hope, and a desire to serve and build up the Kingdom of God that I haven't felt in a while, especially being at BYU where everyone is a member, making it is easy to blend in, sit back, and let others step forward. We are only passing through for 6 weeks but he took the time out of his schedule to talk to us and say what he felt we needed to hear, and I loved every minute of it.

The stake president had prayed about each one of us and gave us our assignments to serve in the wards/branches throughout the stake to help the members and new converts there. We had a fireside tonight where our professors spoke about the Gospel and the Arts which was also amazing. And afterwards we were split into our groups for each proceeding Sunday. I have been assigned to the South Kensington Portuguese-speaking Ward! It is in the same chapel, whereas other groups even have to travel as much an hour. I am so excited to serve them. I don't speak Portuguese but I am hoping that my four years of Spanish in school and growing up in Florida will come in handy. But no matter the language, I know that that is where I am supposed to be, serving the people through love and action. As one of my professors said today, we go in (just as with baptism or with creating a piece of original artwork) and come out a completely changed person. I am looking forward to what they can teach me and it just solidifies my desire to serve a mission even more :) and makes me excited to be with the members in Thailand soon as well.

A picture of the chapel from the internet

ps- sorry this is such a long post haha...plus I don't usually put this type of post up but I thought I should share :)