GOD♥JUL FRA NORGE!!!!! :D / Merry♥Christmas from Norway!!!! :D

GOD JUL EVERYONE!!!!!!
This Christmas has been so great!! My family and I went to Norway to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side of the family. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by family and to be there for each other. I love my family so much, and I am so, so grateful for them!!! For one reason or another, this Christmas has been extra reflective for me, which has been way good because I have been able to focus more on the Savior, too. I am so, so thankful for an amazing and wonderful Savior who cares so much and loves us all so much. I honestly don't know where I would be without Him and His love, guidance, strength, encouragement, support, comfort, kindness and mercy. I am so very thankful for Him. Merry Christmas to all!!! And may we always remember and keep the Savior close to our hearts♥

We're Ducklings!

So- many of you may or may not know about the flooding in Thailand right now. For those of you who don't know, Thailand has 2 seasons, wet and dry. During the wet season is also monsoon season, and the heavens POUR like CRAZY. It is not like anything you have ever seen in your entire life, but it is also so incredible. Anyways, this rain is AMAZING. Unfortunately, if the water doesn't recede fast enough, there are floods, and Thailand is having the worst flooding that they have seen in 50 years!! People are being flooded out of their homes, their work places, etc. and have had to relocate, pitch tents, move in with relatives, or the water is up to the 2nd story of their homes and they have to live in water to make sure the rest of the house stays above it. It is so, so sad. Some main roads have about 3 meters (10ft or so) of water, and so many people have to get around in boats and their homes have water up to the 2nd story. People have moved all of their belongings to these boats and have lived out of them for months. Thailand has been great in producing mass flood relief projects and everyone is doing what they can to help everyone by producing emergency kits, hygiene kits, and many kits with food, hygiene products, etc. Thailand has always been so positive and so happy, and many of the people here have so much faith and hope. I love that!!! Just remember to keep Thailand in your prayers, and hope that the water recedes soon and people are blessed♥

Norge, Norge Høst♥ :D

So for fall break, we went back to Norway to spend some time with my Mormor (grandma :D) and the family. My grandma is really sick, so we have been trying to spend as much time with her as we can, even though we are half way around the world from her, too. I love living in Thailand, but sometimes it is so hard when we can't always be near family and friends. If only the world was stuck together again. Hahahaha
So, because of the flooding in Thailand, school for my brothers kept on getting canceled and postponed, so we ended up staying for 3 weeks which was a HUGE blessing. It was great that I was able to keep doing the rest of my internship over email so that I could stay on top of that, and since school was canceled, the rest of the kids I tutor weren't asking for tutors either-YAY!!!
It was so great to be able to spend some quality time with my grandma and to be able to help her and the rest of the family. My sister was able to come from Salt Lake, so that was soo great to see her as well!! It was nice to all be able to spend time together, especially with my grandma. My grandma has always been the one who had such a great sense of humor and who always had such great advise about life, and it was so great to be able to rekindle our conversations. She has always been the greatest role model of positivity and of someone who has her priorities straight. I love her so much.
I'm so glad that we have the opportunities to travel and see family and I am so thankful for my grandma-she has always been such a great friend and example to me of kindness, love, trust, positivity, faith, strength, and of someone who was so knowledgeable about life and truth. I'm so glad that she is a part of our family and that we all had the opportunity to visit her and spend so much time with her-especially during this time. She is wonderful♥
So, while we were there, we also went on a few adventures around town in the fall-which was absolutely BREATHTAKINGLY GORGEOUS. Here are a few of the photos that we took :) It was so great to be able to be there for so long and spend time with everyone!!!

Joy in the Journey :)

Alrighty-it has been awhile since I have blogged, apologies. Hahahahaa. It has definitely been a huge roller coaster the last few months of my life with so much to figure out and so many things to do/take care of, but I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to come home this semester to be able to support and help the people around me, and be able to figure out what I need or want out of life. And I think I finally have more of life figured out. Thank goodness, it is all starting to make sense. Hahahahaha.
Life isn't always as we imagined or planned it to be. There are always bigger and better things planned for us that we don't know about, and sometimes that we are too blind to see. I know that when we have faith and look towards the future with hope, that the best always comes to us. I'm so thankful that the Lord is always so aware of us and that He always places the best before us. As we rely on Him and submit to His will, we will have the best before us and our paths will be filled with light. That always comes through positivity and initiation on our part, and as we laugh off and make the most of the bad and smile at the good with hope, we are in the clear. "In life, have much joy and laughter-life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."- Gordon B. Hinckley. I know that there is joy in the journey in all circumstances and that our greatest dreams can come true as we rely on Christ, look to the future with hope and faith, and make the best of it. The Lord said, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." I am so thankful that the Savior made it possible for us to experience joy and happiness, and sometimes even sorrow or pain so that we could appreciate the good and the shining moments that make life worth living.

a heart filled with gratitude♥

It is seriously SO amazing how much the Lord loves us and how aware He is of all of us. He knows us SO well. I am so, so grateful for my Father in Heaven and my Savior who know us so well, who look out for us, who show their love for us everyday, and who help guide and direct our paths. I don't know where I would be without them!!
I know that I had to come home this semester for a reason-little did I know that I would discover so much more than just one reason. There have been so, so many experiences that have flooded and filled my life ever since I have come back home to Thailand for a semester. I know that I had to be home here to find out Heavenly Father's will for me and to help the people in my life. I was very nervous to come home to try to sort out everything in my life and to help out with things going on around me, but I knew that the Lord would show me as I got here.
I can honestly say, the first few weeks I was here, I thought I had made an incorrect choice, until I started to really pray about it and figure out what the Lord needed me to do here. At first it was so stressful and overwhelming, but now as I have involved the Lord, He has stuck by my side and helped me figure everything out. I know without a doubt that God lives and that He hears and answers our prayers in more ways than one, and then He will give us countless blessings. I know the Lord wants more than anything for us to know how much He loves us and that He is always there. I am so, so grateful that He is. My life is so much better when He is there and is helping me shape my future and guiding me.
He is always by our side, carrying us if need be, to discover our paths and to help us accept His will and to fulfill our potential. I am so grateful.

E.F.Y!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) The BEST Summer of My ENTIRE Life!!!!

So, this summer, I had the AMAZING opportunity to work as a counselor with the Especially For Youth program!!! To say the very least, it was the best summer of my entire life. I don't think I could ever describe to you how wonderful it was!! I had such amazing and incredible experiences that I would never trade for anything and I met some of the most incredible people in this world who have changed my life for the better.

As I worked for EFY, I truly learned what it means to be humble, to give everything to the Lord, and place everything in His hands. I wanted to give these kids the best experiences that they would ever have, and I knew that I couldn't do it without the Lord and His help and support. As I prayed for guidance, for strength, and for the ability to recognize and act on the promptings of the Spirit, I was able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands in bringing His children closer to Christ and in bringing His lost sheep back to His fold. I was able to really serve Him and His children-and it never brought me greater joy. I had never been filled with so much love-I was truly able to have a small taste of the amount of love our Savior has for each of us. I loved these kids with all of my being. I had never been this happy in my entire life. For that, I can thank my Heavenly Father. I truly learned what it means to find "Joy in His Service." I may have helped these kids discover who they really are and bring them closer to Christ, but I know and am so grateful that Christ was and is always the One who changes their hearts and strengthens them. The One who changes their lives around. I was brought closer to Christ and strengthened and uplifted by these youth more than they will ever know, and they did more for me than anyone else ever has.

We all helped strengthen each other and we all helped each other grow closer to Christ and were changed for the better. I am eternally grateful.





My first week was at Utah State University. I don't think I could ever describe to you how nervous I was-mainly because I am a very outgoing person, but I am not always SUPER outgoing the first couple of times you meet me. And I know that there wasn't enough time to be that way if we only had 5 days with each other. The first couple hours were scary, but after a bit I was able to adjust pretty quickly and everything went well.
This was such a great week, and one in which I learned so, so much. Many of these kids came to EFY searching for answers, and it was so awesome to just be their friend and help them step by step in the gospel. We all became so, so close so fast, and it was so great to be able to strengthen each other in friendship as well as in the gospel. They taught me so much about who we are as children of God and what it means to respect and uphold that title. I love them so much!!!!!






My 2nd week was also at Utah State :) It was such a great week!!! These kids taught me so much about relying on Christ with faith. They were such great examples of that and they taught me so much about being strong!! And they were so fun!! It was so awesome to be able to work with these kids to help develop long lasting friendships that would strengthen each other and each others testimonies. We all helped relate the gospel to our lives and were able to edify each other. We were able to help challenge each other to grow in the gospel. They were all so supportive of each other. It was amazing!!! They are so awesome!!!!



My third week was at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. All of these kids had such amazing testimonies of the gospel and even though they had been through so much, they were still so strong on so many levels and that really strengthened me as well. So many of them had experienced so many hardships I could never imagine, but as we all became good friends, uplifted and strengthened each other, and shared with one another our testimonies and experiences, we were able to lift each other up and place more hope in our hearts. I love them!!! They were such great examples to me and we all grew together so much!!! They are wonderful!!!
PIZZA NIGHT!!! :D




My fourth week of EFY was amazing, just as the others were. This was such a wonderful week!! All of these kids were so great. They each were so eager to learn and to grow, and they shared so much of their testimonies and shared so much of what they were learning. We all had so much strength from each other and were able to follow such great examples. So many of them opened up throughout the week and were able to grow even more. I know that the Lord orchestrates this life SO perfectly, and I'm so grateful that the Lord is always there for us with open arms. I know He helped these children have an even firmer foundation and strengthened their testimonies so much. He was able to change their hearts and bring them back to the fold as they grew at EFY. I was so, so glad that the Lord entrusted them to me that week and I was able to share so much of my life and testimony with so many of them personally so we could all grow. They are amazing!!! They were truly set on the firm foundation. They certainly helped change me for the better and they taught me so much and we all became such great friends!!! I love them so much!!!!



My last week of EFY was also at the U, and I was able to be entrusted with some of the spunkiest kids ever!! Hahahaha!! They were so fun!! So many of them were experiencing so many changes in their lives and so many of them had times when their faith was tested, but they are all so strong with such a great determination. They all embraced each other so quickly and were there for each other through everything knowing their true identity as children of God. They all were able to grow together. It was awesome to be able to sit down with some of them and talk about their lives and help them out as a friend and be able to talk about the gospel. We all strengthened each others faith so much. They are awesome and I love them so much!!! They are so determined and are such strong believers, and I admire them so much for that!!!






Working with Especially For Youth is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know that many of these kids had their hearts and lives changed at EFY because of the Spirit they felt there and through all of the testimonies and lessons they learned, but everything at EFY also strengthened me. I was able to learn even more about how much the Lord loves every one of His children, of our true identity as Son's and Daughter's of God, and of the reality of our Savior and the Atonement. I was able to learn so much about the pure love of Christ, of service and patience, and I was able to learn so much about humility and prayer. My testimony grew so much as well, and I learned so much from these amazing kids at EFY.
I was able to grow in friendships not only with the youth, but also be great friends with the people that I work with. I was able to meet some wonderful and amazing friends who strengthened me as a person and in the gospel, and they were people I could trust so much. I made friendships that will last a lifetime and I know that the Lord placed them in my life for a great reason. They are so great!! I'm so thankful for them, their friendship, and their examples!!!

I have never felt so grateful in my life for the amazing opportunities that I have been so blessed with-especially the ones that I received this summer. I'm so grateful that I was able to help in the work of the Lord and be able to grow closer to Him, and more importantly, with the Lord's help, to be able to help His children come closer to the Savior to be changed by Him. I am so, so thankful for Him and for our Father in Heaven. I know that they live and love us so, so much.

I LOOVEEE THESE PEOPLE SO, SO MUCH!!!!!!

I LUB YOU LONG TIME, LAYDEE!!!!!!!! :D
The EPIC Weekly SMITH'S RUN!!!! :D

BAHA BLASTS!!! Taco Bell Wednesday's :)







Counselor Sandwich :)



What we do when the children aren't around...hahahaha!!


LOVE! My team!!

"He Said, I Am." I Love My Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you to my dear friend, Kylie White, for this amazing video that has influenced my life so, so much!!!!
I am so, so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for all that He has done and continues to do for me and for everyone. I don't know where I would be without His constant love, awareness, & comfort. I know He lives and He loves us all, His children, with a perfect, infinite, complete, & unconditional love. I am forever grateful♥

Norway's Terror Attacks

On July 22, 2011, Norway had two devastating terrorist attacks on the same day that soon became known as Norway's 9/11. In Oslo, Norway, the country's capital, there was a car bomb explosion in Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter of Oslo, which is just outside Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's office and other government buildings. The explosion killed 8 people and wounded many others. The second attack occurred about two hours later on the island of Utøya at a youth camp for AUF of the Norwegian labor party (AP). A man came onto the island dressed as a policeman motioned for them to come closer for "police inspection" and then he opened fired at the campers, killing about 80 people, including the Prince's step brother and friends of Prime Minister Stoltenberg. This Norwegian man, Anders Behring Breivik, is a right-wing extremist who was unhappy with the Norwegian government for making it incredibly easy for so many immigrants to enter the country. He was charged for both attacks and has been sentenced to at least 21 years in prison. He had been planning these attacks for about 9 years.



After the car bomb had occurred, they heard of other attacks that were occurring on the island of Utøya, just outside Oslo. Many were sent to stop the shootings and many were sent to rescue, but Breivik had already been there for a period of time. One lady said that the hardest thing to do was to go to the youth camp to rescue as many people as she could at one time, but then to tell the others there that they would have to wait, while the shooter was still there, for another boat to come to save them. One of the boys there who was from up North was a very experienced rower and rowed about 20 of the youth camp participants to the main land, while one boy dragged his wounded friend across the ocean to the main land to save him.



The country has been in mourning ever since the attacks and are continuing to pay their respects by having vigil marches with torches and roses in different cities around the country. There have been different areas around different cities where masses of people come and place their roses, candles, torches, signs, flags, etc. to pay respects to those who passed away.

It has been a rough time for Norway, but as one of Trondheim's citizens said "If one man can have so much hate, think of how much love we all have together and how we can show that love." My heart and my thoughts and prayers are with one of my native countries and it's people<3