Confidence

My roommate and I have a theme song.  Almost every morning, one of us will say something like “you know what time it is…”  Then we proceed to blast and sing along with David Archuleta’s “Glorious” on repeat for about fifteen minutes.

If you haven't seen it, you have to listen to it!

Verse 2 is my favorite:

     You will know how to let it ring out as you discover who you are
     Others around you will start to wake up
     To the sounds that are in their hearts
     It's so amazing, what we're all creating

  

When we discover and understand who we are, we positively influence those around us.  They start to understand their identity more fully.  It’s a repeating circle.

While it’s wonderful to think about being able to help others value their identity, sometimes it’s hard to know the best way to build personal confidence.  There must be over a million articles titled “How to Be Confident,” and they all say something different.

I believe that gaining more confidence and understanding our identity has less to do with believing in ourselves, as many articles suggest, and more to do with believing in the Plan of Salvation.   

The Plan of Salvation is God's plan for the happiness of His children.  It provides answers to these questions: "Where did I come from?"  "What is my purpose in life?"  Where will I go after this life?"  If you would like to learn more about it, click here.

When we believe in the Plan of Salvation, we are believing in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ will never fail us.  Consequently, we can have continual confidence because the source of our confidence is unfailing.  We might make mistakes or others might let us down, but our confidence will remain intact because it is based on Jesus Christ.

Let us pause to consider the source of our confidence.  Is it centered on the right thing? 

I know that when we build our confidence on the right thing, our understanding of who are will become so powerful that others will naturally “start to wake up to the sounds that are in their hearts.”

**In case you want to read all the lyrics to “Glorious,” here they are:

[Verse 1:]

There are times when you might feel aimless
You can't see the places where you belong
But you will find that there is a purpose
It's been there within you all along and when you're near it
You can almost hear it.

[Chorus:]
It's like a symphony just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start to figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece in their own melodies
In each one of us, oh, it's glorious

[Verse 2:]
You will know how to let it ring out as you discover who you are
Others around you will start to wake up
To the sounds that are in their hearts
It's so amazing, what we're all creating

[Chorus:]
It's like a symphony just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start to figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece in their own melodies
In each one of us, oh, it's glorious

[Bridge:]
And as you feel the notes build higher
You will see

[Chorus:]
It's like a symphony just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start to figure out your part
Everyone plays a piece in their own melodies
In each one of us, oh, it's glorious

Our Daily Bread

In temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we learn about the creation of the earth.  I recently wondered why the creation was spread over a six day period.  Jesus Christ certainly could have created the earth and formed mankind in one day, but that was not Heavenly Father’s will.  Heavenly Father directed our Savior to create the earth in stages.

In our lives, Heavenly Father rarely causes events to change instantaneously.  Circumstances change slowly.  We make it through tough times one day at a time.  Needs are met piece by piece.

Slow change can drive many of us crazy because the alternative option is instant gratification, which always appears great.  As much as I don’t like it, I am grateful that Heavenly Father provides gradual change because it gives all of us a unique opportunity to practice relying on the Lord to give us our daily bread. 

One of the twelve apostles of the church recently shared with young single adults about a personal financial difficulty that taught him the significance of coming to the Lord each day:

Though I suffered then, as I look back now, I am grateful that there was not a quick solution to my problem. The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me truly how to pray and get answers to prayer and taught me in a very practical way to have faith in God. I came to know my Savior and my Heavenly Father in a way and to a degree that might not have happened otherwise or that might have taken me much longer to achieve. I learned that daily bread is a precious commodity. I learned that manna today can be as real as the physical manna of biblical history. I learned to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I learned to walk with Him day by day. (Elder Christofferson, Click HERE to access it.)

I am grateful that Heavenly Father did not rush the creation.  I don't know why it needed to take six days, but I know that He knew what He was doing.  As much as we would like Him to hurry-up with the details of our lives, I am grateful that He (usually) keeps the pace slow because it allows us to focus more on our daily bread, which increases our faith.  I am grateful to know that Heavenly Father knows exactly what He is doing with all of our lives.  May we trust Him more, especially on a daily basis.

Defining Dreams

One of the toughest first date questions…“So what are you passionate about?” GULP!    

If we were all a little more candid in response to that question, it could go something like this…I am passionate about brushing my teeth really well before I go to bed.  Two minutes just isn’t enough time to get the job done right.  I am passionate about going to the county fair.  The pigs are my favorite because they have so much personality.  Let me also add that I am passionate about eating real food for breakfast.

Most of us would probably never be that candid or silly.  Why not?  I believe it’s because we feel an underlying pressure to have one passion that breathes life into our souls and gives us a purpose for living.  Without an all-consuming passion, we might just come across as ordinary people.

The same underlying pressure exists when it comes to dreams.  By dreams, I mean our goals and desires.  For some reason, what we label as ‘dreams’ seems to be only those aspirations which include exotic lands, prestigious titles, or back-breaking sacrifice.  But why do dreams have to be big, noble, or innovative in order to be labeled dreams? 

Can we be dreamers even if our dreams are small, random, or uncreative?  Absolutely!  There are no parameters defining dreams.  It’s a matter of how we define dreams and dreamers in our minds. 

It’s also a matter of how we react and encourage others when they share their dreams.  For example, compare the two following responses that a girl could give to her date when he shares that he is passionate about brushing his teeth (to be a little silly):  (1) “I love it!  Just out of curiosity, what do you think about when you brush your teeth?”  (2) “That’s random, so what are you majoring in again?”

With response (1), the couple could probably have a hilarious follow-up conversation.  Even more importantly, the guy would walk away feeling confident about his passions, even the small ones.  The girl would walk away with a better idea of what makes her date, himself.

With response (2), it’s clear that there would be no potential for an awesome teeth brushing party.  Worse yet, the guy would walk away subconsciously feeling that the only passions worth sharing are the socially-expected ones and not necessarily the ones which make him himself.

Just as it does for passions, our reactions when others share their dreams can send different messages. 

I used to think that I wasn’t a dreamer.  I eventually realized that I was looking at it the wrong way.  We are all dreamers.  We dream more than we realize.  Sometimes it’s a matter of adjusting our viewpoint.  (Here’s a little secret--adjusting our viewpoints can help with a lot of “I’m not _________” statements.)

Once we believe that we are dreamers and once we give ourselves permission to dream small, we will find that we dream more.  Dreaming won’t be something that only those people with perfect lives do.  We will dream even when we are busy or tired.

I would be amiss if I did not acknowledge Heavenly Father’s ability to create dreams within us.  Several years ago, I returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I never dreamed of being a missionary when I was growing up.  Then, one day about six months into my missionary service, I realized that being a missionary was my dream. 

I recently accepted a full time job offer.  It’s a different position than what I ever expected to have, but suddenly I feel that it is my dream job.  Heavenly Father has implanted that genuine enthusiasm within me.  He’s created the dream within me.

In the spirit of writing about dreams, I’ll share a few of my simple dreams for the upcoming weeks.  I would love to hear from you, as well, about your dreams.

I am dreaming of making delicious berry pies for Thanksgiving.  I am dreaming of building a fire in the woodstove when I go home.  I am dreaming of going sledding this winter.  I am dreaming of memorizing “The Living Christ.”  I am dreaming of finishing a book called The Outliers by the end of December.  I am dreaming of putting together food packets that I can leave in my car to give to homeless people.…Now it’s your turn to naming!

Every Day--A Miracle Day!

I want to share a little bit of my testimony about scripture study.  It is that every day is miracle day when I start my day with scripture study.  Every time I prioritize scripture study before anything else, I miraculously have enough time during the day.  

To me, it's the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.  Figuratively speaking, I give my five loaves and two fishes (my limited time) to the Lord and by the end of the day a multitude of 5,000 has been fed (i.e. I've gotten everything done)!  In five years of college (which includes working, exercising, dating, fulfilling my calling, applying for jobs, sickness, etc.), the Lord has never let me down when I've given him my meager five loaves and fishes.  That is true as long as I first demonstrate a little bit of faith by prioritizing scripture study.

May we all make a greater effort to prioritize scripture study.  I know that it's challenging when work or classes come early.  If that is the case, may we work on going to bed earlier so that we can each get up early enough to start our day with scripture study.

Our Beautiful Heartbreak

Meet my adorable nephew:

 

In the words of the singer Hilary Weeks, he is our "beautiful heartbreak."

The story begins in 2011.  My brother and sister-in-law learned that they were going to be able to adopt a little boy.  As the time drew closer, my brother and sister-in-law talked about possible names.  One day my sister-in-law proposed a new name and it felt right.  There came an assurance that this little boy was supposed to be a part of the Blunck family and that was the right name for him.

The time came for my nephew’s birth and my brother and sister-in-law flew out to pick him up.  They arrived at their destination, and then suddenly everything changed.  They weren’t able to adopt their son.

My sister-in-law describes driving into the garage after flying home as one of the most difficult moments of the whole experience.  Her two sons ran up to the car as fast as their little legs could carry them and begged to see their new brother.  She had to explain that they weren’t going to have another brother after all.

She shares that after flying home without her son, one song stood out to her.  She listened to it over and over again and let the tears flow.  It was Hilary Weeks’ song “Beautiful Heartbreak.”

The lyrics are powerful and touching:

I had it all mapped out in front of me
Knew just where I wanted to go
But life decided to change my plans
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road
I knew there was no way to move it
So I searched for a way around
Broken-hearted I started climbing
And at the top I found

Every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through
Was the price that I paid to see this view
Now that I'm here I would never trade
The grace that I feel and the faith that I find
Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights
I used to pray He'd take it all away
But instead it became
A beautiful heartbreak

I never dreamed my heart would make it
And I thought about turning around
But Heaven has shown me miracles
I never would have seen from the ground
Now I take the rain with the sunshine
Cause there's one thing that I know
He picks up the pieces
Along each broken road

Every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through
Was the price that I paid to see this view
Now that I'm here I would never trade
The grace that I feel and the faith that I find
Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights
I used to pray He'd take it all away
But instead it became
A beautiful heartbreak

The entire situation was utterly confusing for my brother and sister-in-law because there had been an assurance that the adoption was supposed to happen.  How could they have returned home without him?  Reluctantly and “broken-hearted [they] started climbing” the mountain in front of them.

Many months later, they received a phone call that changed their lives.  They were invited to fly out and bring their son home after all.  There is no doubt that was a miracle.

While this a story with a beautiful ending, there were also feelings of true heartbreak. 

Some people question God’s reality because they see heartbreak in the world and experience it in their lives.  They believe that the suffering is a sign that God doesn’t love us or that He’s not real.

Those thoughts are misguided.  God understands heartbreak better than anyone.  That’s because He watched His perfect son experience the “gall of bitterness” to pay for sins that the son had never committed.  It would break any parent’s heart not to intervene when seeing his child suffer so intensely.  God, the perfect father, surely suffered more than any mortal father ever could when He watched his first-born son suffer in Gethsemane and on the cross.  It broke His heart not to intervene on His son’s behalf.  The only reason that God did not intervene is because He knew that Christ’s suffering was necessary for us to be able to return to God.

We are all intimately acquainted with heartbreak, be it big or small.  I pray that this little post leaves you feeling encouraged.  I don’t pretend that every heartbreak will end with a miraculous turn of events.  I also recognize that discussing the potential of heartbreaks to strengthen us does not suddenly make a current heartbreak feel all-better.

I hope that you will feel assurance that heartbreaks can be beautiful.  Even the heartbreaks with no surprise happy endings can be beautiful because they give us the opportunity to watch how “He picks up the pieces along each broken road.”  We can experience Christ’s strengthening power and find the courage to take steps forward.

Below is the music video for "Beautiful Heartbreak."  I think you'll love it!

Why So Different?

My brother is an engineer.  I cannot figure out how to open my jammed stapler.  My sister is a math teacher.  Hearing the word calculus makes me feel like I might pass out.

How could we be so different?  We have the same genes and grew up in same home.  Simply put, that’s just how we came. 

Every person on the earth today lived with Heavenly Father before this life.  During that time, each one of us was blessed with unique characteristics, strengths, and aptitudes. 

As a little girl, I always imagined us lining up in front of Heavenly Father and waiting for Him to sprinkle a little bit of magic dust on our heads.  After the dust was sprinkled, we walked away with our personalities and talents.  That’s definitely a silly way to think of it.  I don’t really know how Heavenly Father made each of us so unique, but I rejoice in knowing that “God is the author of diversity” (Meet the Mormons).

Differences are beautiful.  If everyone was like me, we would all be in touch with our feelings but we would have no way to share them.  We likely wouldn’t have paper and most definitely would not have computers.  In fact, we would probably be living in huts with no electricity.

I am grateful for engineers who use their minds to develop technology that produces paper.  I’m looking at my bed right now and it makes me laugh because I see two journals, a notebook for scribbling down blog post ideas, and a few miscellaneous papers.  I am grateful for people who understand electricity and computers because they allow me to share some of my ideas.

I am grateful for people who understand politics, law, economics, medicine, and communications.  The list goes on.  My life and everyone else’s life is profoundly blessed by the combined strength that our individual differences create.

Even with our differences, there are two common threads that connect every single one of us.  (1) We are all children of Heavenly Father.  (2) We all desire to create.

Heavenly Father loves every one of us, and He loves all of us equally.  Ask any set of parents, and few would ever say that they love one more child more than the other.  They may love their children differently, but still equally.  Heavenly Father is the best parent.  His love is endless and equal for each of us.

We can follow Heavenly Father’s example by seeing every person around us as our equal.  We are, after all, spiritual brothers and sisters.

With regards to the desire to create, a leader in the LDS church explained that “the desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf).  Why would that be?  “Remember that you are spirit [children] of the most creative Being in the universe” (Uchdtdorf).  Because we are God’s children, we possess some of His desire to create.

We all create differently.  I create through words.  My mom creates through flowers.  Some people create through cooking.  Some people create through art.  Some people create through music.  Some people create through woodworking.  The list is infinite.  We all seek to create.

The next time we feel tempted to let ourselves feel divided because we approach creation in different ways, may we work to be more unified because of our common effort to create.  May we also remember, most importantly, our common identity as children of Heavenly Father.

Parable of Love (I mean, "the Talents")

Love is absolutely confusing.  I was blessed to understand a Bible story in a new way today that helped me make better sense of love.  I hope you enjoy...

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one.”

“And he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents…But he that received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money” (Matthew 25: 14-18).

Love can be considered the Savior’s money.  It’s something that He gives to us.  To some He gives a greater measure and to others, not as much.

We are free to choose what we do with the love that He gives us.  We can trade and share that love with others or we can stifle (hide away) that love.

“After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents…His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord…And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou has that is thine.  His lord answered and said…take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents” (verses 19-28).

Whatever measure of love that we have been blessed with, the only way for that love to grow and multiply is if we do something with it.  If we withhold love because of fear, it won’t grow.  In fact, one day we will find that it’s gone and we feel nothing because it’s been taken from us.

This means for all of us that when we feel the smallest amount of love, we have to do as much as possible to build it.  Then, suddenly, we will find that it's been multiplied and the cycle continues.

If you would like to see a short movie of this Bible video, click here.

Would You See Her?

If she was twenty pounds lighter, would you see her?  If he didn’t have acne, would you see him?

One of my goals in this very personal post is to reflect about how we let physical appearance influence the attention that we give (or don’t give) to other people.  My other goal is to express gratitude to all of my guy friends who have unknowingly bolstered me throughout the years.   

Before I comment about appearance and attention, allow me to share a little background from my life.  When I was little, I loved life.  As I grew a little older, I started exercising regularly because it made me feel happy and I loved being happy. 

About my junior year of high school, however, I started noticing changes.  I often felt anxious and sad, even after exercising.  That was odd because exercising had always been a cure-all for me.   To my dismay, I also started gaining weight.  Sometimes I exercised two hours a day, but I kept gaining weight.  It didn’t make any sense because I was eating healthy.

Finally, I decided to see a doctor.  I learned, much to my relief, that the weight gain and anxiety wasn’t entirely my fault.  There was something going on inside my body that needed to be addressed.  I was diagnosed with a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  PCOS is a female hormone disorder which usually manifests itself through weight gain, sugar cravings, acne, extra hair growth, and muscle bulkiness (all those things that girls just hate J).

Ever since that diagnosis, I have been treating the condition.  I feel much better now than I did in high school, but I’ve learned that ultimately treatment is just treatment.  It is not a cure.  That means that there are times when my body, for whatever reason, stops responding to treatment and symptoms which have been under control will come back.

I dislike those times when my PCOS flares up because I feel like I’m not in control of my body.  While some people may believe otherwise, I’ve found that sometimes getting rid of acne isn’t as straightforward as having better hygiene and not eating greasy foods.  Sometimes managing weight isn’t as easy as exercising and eating well.  Sometimes choosing to eat healthy instead of eating sweets isn’t as simple as exercising self-discipline.

So whenever I see a girl at school who is struggling with her weight or with her acne, my heart aches for her.  I wonder if something is going on in her body that is out of her control.  I wonder if she even realizes that something might be wrong.

And then I wonder if boys will see her (I mean really see her), despite her physical imperfections.  Will they talk with her?  Will they help her to feel that she is worth loving?  Will we girls also see her, or will we shy away?

I started thinking about this idea of seeing people last school year.  After a guy that I thought was very handsome paid me a compliment, two questions came to mind--If you had met me a year ago when I was ten pounds heavier and had more acne, would you still have seen me?  Would you have said the same thing to me?  (Now don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying that I think guys are shallow, nor do I believe that I’m the best at remembering to look past outside appearances.  I also firmly believe in attraction when it comes to marriage.)

Just as soon as I thought of these questions, I also remembered all of the wonderful men in my life who had always seen me.  They never knew when I was experiencing a PCOS flare-up, but they had always been there.  During those times when my confidence was suffering, they were simultaneously building it by noticing me and giving me attention.  To all of you dear friends, I say thank you!!!

I pray that by sharing a little bit about myself and my thoughts, we all might feel inspired to work at seeing the people around us.  Let us reach out to them, no matter their physical appearance, just like the Savior would.

"Come Boldly Unto the Throne of Grace"

I don't have any funny stories or super profound thoughts to share.  I was simply touched this morning by two scripture verses about Jesus Christ, and I hope that you will feel inspired as you read them:  


"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).


The high priest referred to in the first verse is Jesus Christ.  I love the message that we can come unto Him even though we are imperfect and have struggles.  He experienced all of the temptations that we are confronted with.  He knows and understands exactly how challenging they can be because He is just like us, a human being.  

Not only does He understand the power of temptation, He also knows how we feel when we are weak and give in to temptation.  This is because He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Even though He didn't have to, He chose to bring our pains upon Himself.  He wanted to feel for himself how we suffer when we sin so that He could truly empathize with us.  I am grateful that He is perfectly sympathetic; I am even more grateful that because of His suffering, I can be forgiven of my sins and return to live with God someday.  There is no greater blessing!

My favorite word in the second verse is boldly.  We are invited to come unto Christ with courage and confidence.  Christ does not want us to approach Him with fear.  Little children are great examples of approaching life and other people with boldness.  Fear is a foreign concept for them.  They will talk with anyone.  You can be one of their best friends within minutes.  This is because they hold nothing back and they trust that you will not hold anything back either.  It should be the same way for us with the Savior.  

The promise that we may "find grace to help in time of need" is sweet.  It is true.  I know it. 


I would love to receive comments from you about these verses and what stands out to you.  I look forward to hearing from you...

Donut Prayers and Donut Days

I once heard of someone accidentally walking into the room where a modern day prophet was praying and heard the prophet laughing during his prayer.  When asked why he was laughing, the prophet remarked that he was telling God about a joke he'd heard that day and thought was hilarious.

While I've never shared any of my favorite jokes while praying, I do pray about donuts...A lot, actually.

It all comes back to a little story that I heard a college friend share in church.  After going through some challenging times, she finally blurted in one of her morning prayers, "I really want a donut today.  I just want a donut."  To her great surprise, she got her donut that day.  There was a giant box of donuts waiting for her in a meeting that she dutifully attended later in the day. 

My friend explained that she knew those donuts were a testimony that Heavenly Father was listening to her prayers and understood just what would cheer her up.

Since hearing that story, I sometimes find myself thinking and figuratively expressing in my prayers, I wouldn't mind if today was a donut day.  I could even go for some chocolate icing and sprinkles.

A lot of days, even though that's the desire of my heart, it's not a donut day.  If I got a donut day every day, every week, or every month, would I really be delighted for a donut day?  Probably not.

It's true that sometimes donut days feel few and far between, but Heavenly Father knows the perfect timing for a donut day.  I'm glad that He knows when I've had enough saltine cracker days and tart grapefruit days to really be able to savor a sweet donut day.  

The scriptures teach that we are better able to prize the good because we taste and experience the bitter.  I affirm that we should not doubt that God loves us just because every day isn't a donut day.  Sometimes donut days don't come when we ask for them, but they always come.  ALWAYS.  KEEP PRAYING.  HE HEARS!

A New Favorite Vase

My sister was helping her kiddos get ready for school recently when the sudden sound of shattering glass startled everyone.  A vase that my sister had put on top of the fridge for "safe keeping" wasn't safe afer all.  

She commented quietly to herself as she started sweeping the broken glass, "That's really too bad.  That was my favorite vase." 

A few minutes later, my sweet nephew approached his mom with tears in his eyes and a fistfull of crumpled dollar bills.  He held out his hand and explained, "Mom, this is for you to buy a new favorite vase."

Since my sister told me about this little experience, I've thought about it repeatedly.  It mattered to my nephew and really saddened him that his mom's favorite vase was broken.  He was willing to give all that he had saved so that she could be happy.  I wonder if I would have even thought twice about what the vase meant to my sister.  Would I have been willing to give all my savings to buy a "new favorite vase?"  I don't think I would have, and I feel badly about that.

I learn from this experience that little ones can teach us how to care more about the big and little events in the lives of the people that are important to us.  I better understand why our Savior would command men to "become as a little children."  There is much to learn and emulate!

"I Will Lead You Along"

It's finals week, but my mind keeps wandering from my studies.  The Lord's beautiful promise "I will lead you along" occupies my mind.  I clearly see this promise being fulfilled in my life, and I am grateful.  

I don't pretend to be more spiritual or blessed than anyone else.  I share about a few experiences and thoughts only for reflection's sake.  I hope that what I write inspires you, in some way, to reflect more.  

As I concluded last school year, I felt sure that I wanted to move to a new apartment complex.  I visited other apartments and then discovered something odd.  My logical mind was telling me to move, but something inside of me (the Spirit) was telling me to stay where I had been living.  I followed that feeling with apprehension, and now I know that I was being led.  

Living in the same complex as last year has been a huge blessing.  My roommates are phenomenal, and I have been able to form more friendships than ever before.  This year has been the best year of my college experience and much of it is because of the people I have been able to meet where I am living.

This semester, I took a family history class at BYU.  It took me maybe 30 seconds to register for the class.  There was not one glance at the professor's name or his ratings.  It turns out that the professor is a specialist in German research, and our line that my family knows the least about is from Germany.  Imagine that.  In the last week, the professor has spent about two hours outside of class helping me write to civil registries in Germany to ask for copies of my ancestors' vital records.  

Do I think signing up for this professor's family history class was an accident?  Not in the least.  I had no intention of researching the German line when I started the family history class because I thought it would be too hard.  A few months later, I found myself in my professor's office asking if there was a chance he would help me.  The next thing I knew, he was telling me how excited he was to help and he was sending off emails in German.  There's no doubt--I was led to this class.

Last year, I stumbled into the major Spanish translation.  That wasn't an accident.  I was led after searching for some time.  To my amazement this year, I've had more opportunities and motivation to jump into Spanish translation, after just a few months of study, than I ever could have imagined.  (See, for example, sumakandean.com/en.  The English webpage didn't exist four months ago :D)  Suddenly, I now also have a network with professionals in the translation field. That amazes me because networking has always been intimidating.  Might I also add to all of this that I never really planned on having a career when I was little...    

How did these things happen?  I don't have a formula.  It all just fell into place step by step.  (I used to be skeptical of people when they said things like that because it seemed like such a vague answer.  Now I am guilty of saying it.  Sorry!)  Written below is the best answer I've come up with.  It comes from modern revelation:  

"Ye are as little children, and ye have not yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you...Nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along" (Doctrine & Covenants 78:17-18).

Without a doubt, He leads us along.  What a blessing.

After the Leap

The confirmation comes after the leap

This week marks my two year anniversary of concluding my service as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I have been thinking about what the mission taught me about leaps--the BIG ones and the little ones--in life.

The mission was a BIG leap for me.  It was never something that I planned or wanted to do.  I decided to be a missionary because I felt the Spirit prompting me to do it.  Describing a prompting of the Spirit is kind of like describing how love feels.  It's hard to describe with anything tangible.  It's simply a feeling inside.

In all honesty, it was scary to pause my life in the U.S. for 18 months based on a feeling.  That's part of the reason why the mission was a big leap. 

I had a sweet experience six months after starting my mission that taught me that the confirmation comes after the leap.  I'll explain what I mean by confirmation, but let me share about the experience first.  My brother wrote me and explained that he had sat next to a man on a public transit bus who happened to work for the missionary department of the LDS church. My brother mentioned that I was on a mission in Peru, as well as our parents.  To my brother's surprise, the man responded that he remember the day when I was assigned my mission call.  He recounted that it had been discussed that my parents already had a call to serve in Peru.  The church leaders who were discussing my call also knew that I already had a visa to come to Peru with my parents.

One of my unspoken concerns that I carried during those first six months of my mission was that I was asked to serve in Peru simply because that was the easiest option with regards to a visa.  What my brother's bus friend explained resolved those concerns.  He shared, "Even though your sister's parents were already going to Peru and she had a visa, that wasn't the reason she wasn't asked to serve in Peru.  The men who assigned her call felt inspired that Heavenly Father wanted her to go to Cuzco, Peru."  

This was a confirmation or an assurance to me that I was in the right place in terms of my physical location.  It was also a confirmation that I was doing the right thing with my life because Heavenly Father had been instrumental in the process of helping me get there. 

So when did this confirmation come?  It came after the leap.  That's how it usually is in life.  Sometimes we take BIG leaps or small ones and the confirmation doesn't come until some time later.  It might even be years later.  That can be frustrating, but it is blessing for us because it gives us the opportunity to show Heavenly Father our faith.

God's Signatures

Yesterday, I went to a meeting at church and I was struck by an idea that one of the speakers shared.  She talked about God leaving His signature.

When an artist finishes one of his works, what does he do?  He signs it.  He leaves his mark to show that it's his creation and it's his work.

I started thinking...Does God leave His signature on all His works?  If we could put on special goggles that helped us see the signatures, would we discover God's signature everywhere?  I think the answer is yes!  We would be amazed!

Just think of a tucan with its colorful beak, a snow-covered mountain contrasted against a blue sky, or a new baby.  That new baby developed from two microscopic cells into a living being with a unique fingerprint, diverse interests, and a one-of-a-kind personality.  I imagine God smiling at those beautiful creations and signing His name.

God's creations are not the only place to look for God's signature.  What about life events?  Couldn't His hand be involved in those situations?  For example, my parents saw each other for the first time when they were 14 years old.  After 4 summers, they were still too shy to talk to each other.  In fact, the reason they finally said "hi" was because they were set-up on a blind date after high school graduation.  I envision God smiling down after my parent's first date and signing His name, knowing how important of an event that was.

God's signature is also part of life's seemingly insignificant events.  This last week I bumped into a friend who is taking the same technology class as me be but at a different time.  I had been struggling with a software problem and had not thought to ask my friend for help.  When I ran into her, it clicked that I should ask her for help and she had all the answers that I needed.  God knew that I needed some extra help and that's just what He gave me, as He signed His name on that event.

I invite you to put on your "goggles" this week to see God's signature.  Where do you see it?  When do you see it?

Hope you have a great week!

Foot-Pops and Fairy Tales

Some time earlier this year, I cried to my mom that I felt like my bubble had been "popped."  I explained that I felt like my naive view of life as a fairy tale had been crushed. 

I was like Mia from Princess Diaries (one of only two movies that I can quote entirely) when she cries to her mom after her first kiss fiasco, "My foot didn't even pop!" (Remember that Mia's fairy tale dream was a "foot-pop and kiss.")  I'd heard it before but my mom's response really struck home at that moment: "You have to make your fairy tale."

How can fairy tales be made?  I don't know all the answers.  I'd love to hear what you have to share.

Something that I believe can help tremendously is laughing.  Sister Hinckley, wife of the 15th president of the LDS church, puts it best.  "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through.  You either have to laugh or cry.  I prefer to laugh.  Crying gives me a headache."  (I know, it's ironic to discuss laughing after writing about a teary moment.  I don't profess perfection.)

Whenever I need a laugh (and sometimes my roommates catch me laughing to myself which is funny itself), I think of a goofy saying on a cartoon drawing of an old lady that my friend's mom always had hanging in the window of their family's blue astro van:  "When life hands you lemons, stuff them in your bra."  It's funny to me because it's so random, and my friend's mom is a woman with a unique sense of humor.  Maybe you don't think it's funny at all, but what saying or picture makes you laugh?  Can you picture it?

I'll share one more saying that makes my mom and I laugh (instead of cry), especially in the face of intimidating or challenging situations.  Our saying is "It's time for me to put on my big-girl panties!"  I have no idea how we came up with that saying, but it always makes us smile.

Tribute to My Mom

Today is my beautiful mother's birthday.  She is the perfect mom for me.  Oh how I love her!  Every time I reflect, I think of a new list of values and lessons that she has taught me.  Today I want to highlight three lessons that I have been thinking about recently.  My mom has taught me...

To Beautify  
"Your work is to beautify the face of the earth until it shall become as the Garden of Eden (Brigham Young). 

This is one of her favorite quotes, and she lives her life by it.  If her car is in the garage but she's not in the house, it's a given--she's outside gardening.  My mom is not afraid to get her hands dirty and work up a sweat in order to beautify the land around us.  I'm grateful for the love my mother has instilled in me for this earth and its potential to bring forth flowers and fruits.

She's not only taught me to beautify the land.  Something that she's often repeated to me is "It's important to take care of yourself, even after you get married."  That doesn't mean there's no room for unhealthy foods (we love our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies) or that the Blunck women get their make-up on every day.  The point is to accentuate the beauty that God has given His children.

I love coming home because I always know there will be changes to discover.  My mom is always working to beautify our home.  I'm a "home body," and much of it has to do with the feeling that my mom has fostered in our home by decorating it and making it inviting.



To Listen
My dad jokes with my sister and I about our ability to call while my parents were on their mission within 2 or 3 minutes of when they walked through the door after a trip to visit their missionaries.  My response is "well, the odds are pretty good if you call 13 times within an hour."  My sister and I always knew the day and roughly the time when they would be returning, and we couldn't wait to tell Mom everything.  We knew (and we still know) that she cared about all that we had to share.  That assurance came from 20+ years of experience talking to her and recognizing that she'd heard it all.

My mom and I have a little story (that involves a swear word and an apostle's book) behind one of our favorite phrases: "I'm having a human moment."  It's a phrase that I usually say when I'm feeling teary.  What it means is something like I know everything is going to work out.  I know I need to trust God. I'm grateful to know that you'll listen and won't try to give me a list of answers.  I'm grateful that you don't think less of me because I'm having a hard time and I struggle.  Listening opens doors for people to share their human side, their true feelings, and to find strength.  My mom has helped me understand that.



To Grow
Having grown up during the 1970s when women's careers were really starting to be pushed, being a stay-at-home mom was hard for my mom to embrace.  She talks about how challenging it was for her to find fulfillment in that role.  What I take away and value is that she grew.  She didn't reject the idea because it was hard for her.  She worked to love her children and as she did that, she slowly began to recognize that her greatest work was within our family. 

I loved getting my mom's letters while she was on her mission (and I was on my mission) because I could see her growing.  (It's interesting to realize as a child that your parents are still growing :D)  Leaving her home and family for 3 years to go to a third world country where everyone spoke a different language was hard, but she didn't quit.  She worked to learn Spanish, she embraced the Peruvian people, she loved her missionaries, and she studied the scriptures in order to learn more about Christ.  She had "human moments" and sometimes yearned to return home.  What matters is that the attitude that won-out was her willingnes to embrace growth.  One of our family mottos is "We can do hard things."  That motto was coined during my parent's mission and it has everything to do with growth.      




Oh how I love my mother.  May we all look to our mothers and see what lessons they have taught us.  None of them will be perfect women, but there is much good to see in them.

It's Time

After having my mission letters posted on this blog, I decided after my mission not to post anything more.  I didn't want to start blogging but then not be consistent.  I've revisited that decision several times because I love to write and reflect.  My journals are full, and I've written plenty of letters to my future spouse.  For some reason I feel it's time now to start posting a few thoughts.  


I've always been endeared to the people who are "open books."  It's probably because being that way is not one of my strengths.  There are a lot of things that I feel and think about which are still too tender and fresh to write about publicly.  I can't make any promises that I'll always be consistent or I'll always have something amazing to share, but I hope you will enjoy reading my posts from time to time.