First Tow Truck Ride

As promised, here is the crazy story of when I tried to rent a car a few days ago.

It was about 10:15 at night, when my friend, Hillary, calls me, and tells me she's starving after her dance practice. We thought it'd be nice to go see each other for just a little bit before we each left our own ways for Spring Break.

She looked up the rental car that was by her apartment, but it was being used. I told her I'd just get the one by my apartment, and that I'd be over to pick her up soon. No problem, right?

Let me preface a little anxiety I had before getting into the car. Hillary and I have rented this car twice before. It's a keyless Hyundai Sonata. Pretty slick, right? Yeah, if it's not a rental car. The first time we tried renting it, the car wouldn't even start. It was blinking like crazy in the inside, telling us to "insert key", even though there is NO keyhole we could find. Also, apparently if you keep trying to start a keyless car and it doesn't start after a few tries, the car, being super smart, thinks that you're trying to steal it, and will completely shut down. And then you're completely out of luck. That's what happened the first time we tried renting it, and then we just transferred to the car by Hillary's apartment.

The second time we rented that car, everything was smooth sailing. No problems, whatsoever.

I thought this time that we were renting, it would be like the second time. I knew how to start the car, I knew it's little quirks, whatever.

So, I held my breath a little bit before I started the car, praying that it would start, and I wouldn't have a mess with Enterprise like our first time renting it. It started, and I was able to relax and go get Hillary.

We thought we'd try Sonic, partially because I don't think I've ever had anything from there, and because it was pretty much the only place open that late at night. We pull up to a stall, and they shut all the lights off to the stalls, and we couldn't order. So, we tried seeing if the drive-thru was open.

Nope.

We then laughed at our luck, and decided to go to Wendy's. We ordered our food in the drive-thru, and since I had a frosty, we thought it'd be best if we ate in a parking lot instead of adding miles to pay for if we drove around.

I drove across the street to a well-lit parking lot, and Hillary and I sat and talked and ate our food for a little bit. Important: I turned the car off as we ate, so that it wasn't just running for half an hour.

About 30 minutes later, it was time to start heading back to drop Hillary off, and return the car to its spot. I pushed the "start engine" button, and it lit up, as if I turned the battery on, but the car was not turning on. At all. After a few tries, like I mentioned earlier, the car just shut off completely, and wouldn't even light up. Headlights wouldn't work. Locks weren't working. It was pretty weird.

It had been about 5 minutes of me trying to start the car, and having it give up on me, that I decided to call Enterprise, and tell them my situation. The people I talked to were very nice...but not very helpful. They told me to try starting the car again, this time doing something I had already been trying the entire time (pushing the brake, turning the parking brake on and off, exiting the car and locking and unlocking it, etc.).

Now it's been about 20 minutes since being on the phone with the representative, and we are past our reservation time. The representative then says, "I know. The car thinks you're trying to steal it since it's not your reservation time anymore. I'll just extend your reservation for another hour--that's the minimum amount I can extend it by." I agree, simply because there is absolutely nothing else we can do at that moment.

After another 20 or so minutes of me trying not to be frustrated, and a little scared being alone in a parking lot at night with a car that isn't working, the representative tells me she thinks the battery is dead, and talks to the mechanic for about 10 minutes. We now are 15 minutes past midnight, and I'm getting pretty tired of dealing with people that aren't getting me anywhere. (Maybe this is my lesson for learning patience??)

I finally get off hold, and the representative is back, also with the mechanic on the line. "Hi, I'm _____ from AAA. I just have some routine questions for you before we can release emergency dispatch roadside assistance." I answer the questions, like, "Were you in an accident? Are you on the road, in a parking lot, etc? How many passengers are with you?" I really just wanted to tell him, "Listen! All I did was turn the car off, and when I went to turn the car on, it wouldn't start. That's it. No accident, I'm cold, I'm tired, I'm sick of rental cars, I just want to be back at my apartment!"

After all the questions, he says, "Hmmm. I'm thinking it's your battery that's dead." Really? Anyone else want to pitch in on the dead battery hypothesis? I was tired of people guessing it was the battery, but not sending help.

FINALLY, he says, "Alright, Brittany, we've alerted emergency dispatch roadside assistance, and we have a vehicle coming to help you. It should be there in, oh, I'd say about 45 minutes. Stay within sight of your vehicle, so that you are there when dispatch gets there."

Awesome....that would have landed dispatch getting there at about 1:00 in the morning. Thankfully, the tow truck pulls up about 25 minutes after that phone call, so he was 20 minutes early. We relayed all the information and scenario to him again, and thankfully, he was one of the nicest and most sincere people I have ever met. Thank you Tyler. You saved our lives, seriously.

We popped the hood to jump the battery, and...couldn't find a battery. It's a hybrid, so apparently the battery lives in the trunk. Which, awesome sauce, wouldn't unlock since the car thinks we're still trying to steal it. Why the hood pops and the trunk doesn't is beyond me. There's also no way to open the trunk with the little key that comes out of the remote, but the keyhole is in the trunk.

I'm sorry, but nothing about this car makes sense. :)

Tyler could tell we were freezing after being in a car that wasn't on for an hour and a half, so he asked if we'd like to sit in his truck and warm up. We gladly accepted, and sat in the truck, where it was SO warm. It felt so nice! He stayed out and finally got the trunk to open up, hooked the jumper cables up to the battery, and the car finally lit up. It still wouldn't turn on, but at least there was battery power. He tried turning it on to get it to go into neutral, but, the car shut down again, thinking we were stealing it again. We had to wait for a while so it reset, and finally got the car to light up (like we turned the battery on), and he was actually able to move it into neutral, which he said was lucky, because with the same models he's worked with, the car won't shift if it's thinking you're stealing it.

ANYWAYS, we sit in the truck, waiting for clearance to tow the car from Enterprise and AAA. If it was my personal car, things would have been so much faster. He could just tow it to the shop. Since it was a rental car, we had to get all these clearances. After about 45 minutes, it's now about 2:15 in the morning, and we get clearance to tow the car back to it's parking spot.

Tyler got the car onto the flatbed of the truck, and I thought it was pretty slick. I've never been in a tow truck before, especially as a car is being loaded onto it, and it almost felt like we were in a rollercoaster, haha. I now wasn't worried, at least as much, because I knew we were okay. We were taking care of the car, Hillary and I were somewhere warm, and our tow truck driver wasn't creepy.

We get the car back to its spot in the parking lot, and Tyler tells us that he can't get the car to lock. He was thankfully able to shift it back to park, but nothing else was working. Car wouldn't start, lock/unlock, headlights wouldn't turn on--nothing.

Since we both live close to where the rental car was, and it was really late, Tyler just dropped us off at our apartment complexes, which I am so thankful for.

The next day, I had several phone calls from Enterprise, asking me about the situation, and to just relay the situation again. It was so overwhelming, just answering the same questions over and over again, but I think everything is fixed and done with now.

So, long story short, don't buy keyless hybrid cars. At least Hyundai sonatas. From what Tyler said, those types of keyless cars, as well as hybrids are the most frustrating models that he's ever had to work with.

In the end, I'm okay. Hillary is okay. The car is...well, hopefully starting for people other than me.

And that's what matters.

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

Concentrate on Christ

In the past few weeks, I've been thinking about the differences between being of the world and living the gospel in the world. After really trying to live the differences, and stick closer to the teachings of Christ, I've seen an incredible difference in my outlook, personality, and attitude towards everything. Everything seems easier, brighter, lighter, and I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. When I tried to rely on my own strengths, and seemed to focus on myself or on school, things got harder, more confusing, and it was incredibly easy to get down on myself.

When God is within your heart, your countenance, and is constantly in your mind, life is so beautiful, and can not be easily or fully expressed in it's grandeur. I'm so glad that we have this way to live, and that the results and rewards from living closer to Christ are so wonderful!

The world wants us to think that we aren't quite pretty enough, we aren't good enough, we'll never reach the gold standard, or that reaching that standard requires you lowering your morals. The world teaches us that gender is a decision you can personally make, that families can be headed by two people of the same gender, and that work is more important than time together spent in the home. The world wants us to think that women aren't pretty enough, no matter how much time they spend on their makeup, buying clothes, or that wanting to be a mother is the lowest choice we could make. The world wants men to focus on success instead of families and being powerful instead of a gentleman or a loving and kind father.

Through all the movies, advertisements, songs, pictures, and all other sorts of media and messages we look at all day through different social media and content websites, it's no wonder that the world seems confused, or discouraged at their attempts to live life.

No matter how hard you try, the world will always say you're not quite good enough. That there is something more you could have done, that you didn't really give it your all, or that there is someone better than you in a ranking somewhere.

Facebook delivers the best news, pictures, and highlights of people's days, and it's no surprise to hear people say that they wish they could get married, that their life could be picture perfect like the ones they see every day, or that they could just get their act together and move up in the world.

After talking to several people, and studying, and reading, and really thinking about it, I've realized that not only is the gospel so simple to live, but in every case, it is so much easier and so much more worth it to live! It may be harder to stand up for what you believe in, because people aren't used to the fact that you can say no to choices that the world teaches are just part of living.

The gospel teaches you that everyone, no matter what they've done, are beautiful. God sees us in the same light, and has the same goal, that is ultimately reachable by everyone and anyone. The gospel teaches us that even when we make a mistake--big or small--that we can overcome it. It isn't the end. It teaches that families are forever when they are headed by a man and a woman, for they are the two genders needed to create a family. Not only are they both needed to create life, they are both needed for the physical and psychological well-being of a child. We're taught that motherhood and fatherhood are the highest callings, and that each gender has a specific role in a family. Neither is belittled or better than the other, for both work equally with God in creating a family and raising them unto Him. We aren't taught to focus on success, fame, and riches, but in being a diligent student of the scriptures, praying with fervor to Heavenly Father for our concerns, needs, and wishes, and that the greatest blessing and richness in this life and in the life to come is our family, and our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

I promise you that as you concentrate on Christ, your lives will be brighter, and more full, with the knowledge that God loves you, you are a child of God, and that He thinks you are wonderfully beautifully in the unique way that separates you from anybody else in the world--past, present, or future. I know coming closer to Christ, living like Christ, and trying to be like Christ will result in the best possible outcomes, you'll be genuinely happier, and you will be able to overcome trials that come in your path. It won't necessarily be easy through life, but with Christ, everything is made possible. We grow, we learn, and we become so much better and stronger though Him.

I am so thankful for the knowledge and the peace that the gospel brings. I'm so glad that I am able to come closer to Christ, and learn about my true spiritual self, and what the great potential is that I have, as well as the people around me. I think it's so wonderful, and beautiful that Heavenly Father has set up such an amazing plan for each of us. There is a plan for each of us, and a time table we are each on. I am so glad that my life has been blessed with the experiences and people that I've met and befriended. Family, friends, and the knowledge of my spiritual self have been some of the absolute greatest blessings that I've ever had in my life.

I am thankful for each of you, and I hope we all find joy in the journey, especially as we come closer to Christ, and see what a wonderful difference it can make in each of our lives.

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

Friends Bring Out the Best

Have you ever felt like you go through experiences, and everything is confusing, and cloudy, and you don't understand why you were placed there to go through them, why you are in the place you are, and why you are in certain situations? 

For most of my life, actually, scratch that, for all of my life until very recently, I've never been able to see where I fit in. With family, with friends, in school, and just life in general. I don't remember anything much from when I was really young, but starting in Kindergarten, I knew I wasn't like most of the other kids. I was different from a lot of them. 

I believed different things than them. I went to church and loved hearing stories from the scriptures, whereas most of my classmates didn't even know what the word "church" was or meant. I didn't talk or use the same language as them. My family was different from their families--my parents didn't fight, smoke, or use profane language around us. I thought that's how all families were. 

Throughout school I'd receive awards for being a "Shining Star", and I thought it was a great accomplishment. Instead, kids would pick on me or tease me for being smart. I'd have teachers that wanted me to use my brain power, so they'd send me home with a fun book and extra homework packets to keep me learning and not stagnant. (I loved it by the way, I didn't resent that work!) Again, kids would ask what was wrong with me, or if my teacher didn't like me if she kept sending me home with much more homework than them. 

Through the years, I kept getting more and more different from people, or so I thought. I got glasses in second grade, where everyone told me I looked weird, and that I was different looking. Sometimes it'd be so embarrassing that after I'd leave home to go to school, I'd tuck my glasses in my backpack so that people wouldn't make fun of me. But then it's equally embarrassing when you can't tell what the teacher is writing on the board and you can't say the answer to the question you can't read. 

My hair got super curly one day in 6th grade, and a lot of my friends didn't like it. Bus rides to and from school were the lowest parts of my day. I'd get on the bus and immediately almost the entire bus would call me names, teasing me by my hair, or that I carried a violin with me, "afro girl", "orch dork", etc. I cried almost every day on the bus or during the walk home from the stop. Now I had super curly hair, glasses, and I was in the "Gifted and Talented" program, as well as Orchestra. If there was any child in the school district with the most nerdy labels, that was me. 

However, I found the greatest friends. If we hadn't been in the same Gifted program, I don't know if we'd ever have been friends. I had such low self esteem, I knew I was different from everyone else, and they had all been friends since kindergarten. Thankfully, I found them, and by some miracle, most of us are all still friends and get together to this day. 

Even though I had that little friend group through the years growing up, my self esteem had always been horrible, no matter how complimenting my friends were, or how much they said they appreciated me. I took it nicely, but somewhere deep inside of me, those nagging little voices from all those influential years kept crawling back and telling me that they were friends, and were supposed to say something nice--but they didn't have to mean it. 

Maybe I was a project to them. Maybe they felt sorry for me. 

The two years I spent at BYU-Idaho were quite literally, the best and worst of times. I loved my major, and the people I met in my major and as a few neighbors are still close friends and they helped me be comfortable with living away from home in a new place. Then they left on their missions, and I felt like I just slumped back into being comfortable with mediocre. Which isn't bad--I just wasn't wanting to stand out and be noticed, like I had been when I first got to school. 

(This is where the blog gets better, I promise!)

As you know, my very last semester of school at BYU-Idaho was extremely hard on me. I didn't feel like I had any friends, being at my apartment was the last place I wanted to be, and the friends that I did have were either in a different major so we never saw each other, or they were on a mission. I did, however, have one class that I absolutely loved going to. I knew my teacher cared about me, about his whole class, and making sure that we learned the material as well as growing closer to Christ. 

I sat at a table the very first day with a few open seats, and got to know the other 5 people as my group for that class. I didn't do much with them, mostly just smiled and had some small talk before and after class, but then I didn't see any of them afterwards. During one of the last weeks of the semester, this girl and I were talking, and after a little bit, we realized that we were both transferring to USU that fall, and surprisingly, to the same major. 

That was the day that I met one of the greatest friends I'll ever have, and hopefully continue to have. 

That summer, we didn't talk much. In fact, I thought she probably thought I was annoying for trying to talk to her, or see if she was excited for school. So when the new semester started, I told myself not to get my hopes up of being her friend, and just smiling whenever I saw her, and saying hello. 

Little did I know that Hillary would change my life, and my views of myself completely. 

After the first few weeks of school, Hillary and I did everything together. We tried figuring out the bus system in Logan together, we did homework together, went to class together, and ultimately found out that we got along surprisingly well, and that we were a pretty good team. We went through some hard times, but those experiences built our friendship even stronger, and for the first time in my life, it hit me: someone really cares about me. Besides my family and my best friend, Robyn (and a select handful of people from high school), I hadn't felt that physically in a long time. In my mind though, I guess I had always thought that the above mentioned people loved me and cared about me just because I was around so much. Kind of like a cat. :) They're probably really annoying, but you love them because they are around, and sometimes, they make you laugh. 

Throughout this school year, and I don't know how she's managed to help me completely change my perspective on things, Hillary has helped me realize my potential, who I really am, and the kind of person I deserve to end up with. She has really helped me branch out, come out of my shell, and embrace who I am. 

And you know what? I absolutely love who I am and what I know I'm capable of accomplishing. And quite honestly, without her, I wouldn't be confident with myself, with knowing I can do hard things, and that I'm able to do so much. 

Hillary, thank you. Thank you for being in Logan, at USU, and in the same major as I am. Thank you for loving me the way I am and for helping me (even if you didn't know it) realize what the true meaning of love and loving people for who they are is. Thank you for physically being there for me when times are hard, when my vision of who I'm supposed to be gets blurry or out of focus. 

And thank you, for being my friend. Without you, I wouldn't be as confident about how I am--how I look, feel, think, and act. I now realize (or am realizing) what the meaning of true beauty is and how it takes some work and some feeling uncomfortable to help you see yourself as God sees you, not as man or the world sees you. 

I hope that whoever reads this can see their potential, their true beauty, and their great friends. The best friends to have in life are the ones who build you up when you're down, help wipe the foggy window when you can't see where to go next, and will tell you the honest truth of things to help you, even when it is hard to hear. 

Also, to my friends back home or from Idaho, you are still some of the greatest guiding lights in my life. I have always appreciated you, loved having you as a close friend, and still cherish our friendship. It's hard going away from home and leaving friends and family behind. This post is in no way saying I'm forgetting old friendships or throwing them away. Quite the contrary. While Hillary is physically here in Logan with me, she has helped snap me back into reality and seeing who I really am and who I can become. 

And thank you, to all my friends. I love you all, and miss you lots. 

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

Bury Your Swords of Sin

Read to the end! There's a Family Home Evening and a Personal Study activity attached that I've made!

Today I was reading in Alma 24, and I thought there could be a really great activity attached to this chapter.

In this chapter, it talks about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, and their promise to the Lord. The promise? They repented to the Lord, forsake their sins of killing, and promised to bury their weapons of war for peace instead. They were so thankful for the Lord and the atonement process that allows us to be made clean again, that they did not dare commit that sin again. The easiest way for them to forsake their sins, to leave them behind, and to not be tempted to commit murder was to bury their weapons.

When it came time, the Lamanites came upon them, and they knelt to the ground, praying to God, and praising His name. The Lamanites slew many of them, but after they realized what the Anti-Nephi-Lehies were doing, many of their hearts were softened, and they realized the horror of the sin they were performing.

I also thought the last verse of the chapter was interesting (Alma 24:30). It states, "And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had never known these things."

Let us not forget to use the Atonement that Christ has given us so that we can return to Him and our Heavenly Father. I am so thankful that we are given the process of repenting and forsaking sins. It is a truly humbling experience, and I am more thankful for this blessing we are all given every day.

Heavenly Father has given us the Atonement because He loves us so much, and so perfectly. It is up to US to determine how much we love Him by how hard we are willing to work and sacrifice to make it back to live with Him.

So for this week's printable, I made a Family Home Evening activity, or even just a personal activity you can do for yourself.

There are pages with instructions and three swords on them for you to freely print. And if you do print them, let me know! I'd love to know that they're being used! Write your "swords" of sin that you want to bury and leave behind, and work on it for a month, a week, or even just a day. Let's all become closer to Christ by leaving our sins behind and coming closer to Him.

There are two additional pages as well. One has extra swords if you want to write down more than 3 that are given on the first page. The other page has two bigger swords if you want to cut them out and have a family sword that you're wanting to bury.

Family Home Evening & Personal Study Swords

Love. Laugh. Grow.

What is Light?

Yesterday at church, I had a great day. Overall, it was an amazing Sunday! I love it when you get a really uplifting and spiritually powerful Sunday. It's such a motivator, I can feel the Spirit testifying of truth, and I feel so close to my Heavenly Father.

I loved Sacrament meeting and Relief Society, but Sunday School particularly caught my attention.

Our teacher brought the topic of the Holy Ghost up, but then told us he felt like sharing the Church's videos, called "Patterns of Light." David A. Bednar narrates the videos and shares experiences and truth throughout them.

(Watch all three videos in one video here:)

As one of the videos states, there is a direct correlation between light and warmth, and dark and coldness. It is also stated that if you are in the biggest darkest room, and the smallest amount of light enters the room, it overpowers all the darkness, and that's what grabs your attention.

I had never really paid attention to that correlation before yesterday, but it really got me thinking, and I felt the Spirit so strongly as I made those connections.

God is light. When we are in a room or outside when it is light, we are warm, we are happy, and we feel whole. Satan and evil are consumed by darkness. When it is dark, I feel a yearning for even the smallest amount of light.

Physically and spiritually, we all yearn for light. We want to know truth. Our spirits and bodies want to be close to God, to light, to warmth, and to the receiving of inspiration from the Holy Ghost.

As I was making these connections, and marveling at how amazing God is and how even the simplest things can have such significant meaning to all of us, I came across President Monson's message in this month's Ensign. At the very end of his message, he states, "If you want to see the light of heaven, if you want to feel the inspiration of Almighty God, if you want to have that feeling within your bosom that Heavenly Father is guiding you, then follow the prophets of God."

I LOVED that statement, and not soon after I read it, I realized that was what I needed to make my printable on for this week.

I hope you enjoy it! The picture version and the PDF of 2 pictures are below.

PDF Picture

Picture

Let us all look for light and recognize the Spirit and it's inspiration to us more often this coming year. 

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow. 

Reach Your Goals!

As promised, here is a printable from me to you this week!

Pinterest Link
Picture Link
PDF Link

I know it's only been two days since New Year's, but I feel like posting every weekend is easier than trying to remember in the middle of the week.

For the past few days, I've stared at my resolution list, excited to see the changes that living these goals will bring, but that little nagging voice in the back of my head tells me I'll forget or I'll stop doing them within a few months, weeks, or even days.

I wanted some motivation to help me stay on top of completing my resolutions, and I found this great quote by Elder Richard G. Scott.

I hope this helps you out as you start out this great new year!

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.