Let Him.

The way God works fascinates me.

Simple as that.

It amazes me how reading your scriptures can change EVERYTHiNG.

I testify that the scriptures ARE true and that God speaks to us through them!

He teaches us through them;

He comforts us through them;

and 

He reminds us of the love that he has for us through them.

I testify of the happiness that the scriptures can bring to you in your life.

I know it is hard sometimes to open them up and to start reading, but if you can push past that block in the road, I promise you that you won't regret it.

As you may or may not know, I have been battling this strange disease called shingles. I have struggled the past week with excruciating pain, misery, and fatigue. I have felt down, discouraged, and grumpy. My spirits have not been as bright as they normally are and I have definitely had an influence on those around me. 

The Lord had a reason to why I had to go through this trial and today it finally hit me-- He wanted me to learn patience, and gratitude; but most importantly, He wanted me to realize how powerful and special the Atonement is and how it can HEAL you. 

First of all, I have learned how precious a healthy body is. Please, please, pleaseee thank God everyday for a body. I am so grateful for legs that can walk, arms that can move, and the strength to do those things. You definitely don't realize what you have until it's gone-- it's true. Shingles have made me realize how precious "feeling normal" is. I know that I have taken for granted peaceful nights of sleep. Constant aching shots of pain and being uncomfortable no matter what while trying to sleep is miserable and I don't wish it upon anyone.

So be grateful.

Pray always.

And seek Him always (in prayer and in scripture)

Also, be patient (always)...  and in all matters of affliction.

I had a friend remind me of the scripture in D&C 121:7-8 that says: 

"...thine afflictions shall be but a small moment"

Shortly after my friend reminded me of that scripture, I came across another reminder of patience in my own reading.

Alma 34: 40-41 "...have patience and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."

Wow! I knew for a fact God was trying to tell me something right there. Be PATIENT Kate!! This trial will only be but for a small moment and if you endure it well (meaning, if you press forward in faith, without wavering, being obedient and steadfast) then you will be blessed! 

reminder reminder reminder reminder reminder reminder!!!

Do not give up. EVER.

And in the hardest of times, turn to the Lord. Let Him lighten your burden. He is ALWAYS there and will carry you at the hardest times of your life.

That leads me to my last realization: the power of the Atonement. 

First of all, Alma 33: 20-23 really hit me. It is about being healed by Jesus Christ through the Atonement. (vs. 23: "may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son.")

Then today in church it was all just perfect. The sacrament talks were focused on the atonement, the songs we sung were about trials, (Be Still My Soul--- favorite hymn ever), and it just seemed like everything I heard was perfect for what the Lord wanted me to hear and learn. 

The Atonement covers everything... even shingles! ha ha I know that it is probably so weird that I am talking about shingles and the Atonement, but really this has been such a huge learning/humbling experience for me. And in all honesty, I am grateful for this experience.

Then someone shared this scripture today:

1 Peter 4: 12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Holy moly! This 'fiery trial' is to try me, so I should rejoice! We're all partakers of Christ's sufferings and we will be filled with joy if we let him heal us. "Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end" <Be Still My Soul>

So pretty much in a nutshell, the Atonement is for us. I have learned how to rely on Jesus Christ. I am constantly learning how to let him heal me, and I am letting the Atonement work for me in my life. He suffered for all of us so that he could succor us. Meaning, he suffered all pains, and afflictions so he would know how to comfort us, help us, and strengthen us.

I love this gospel. I love my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the love that I feel from both of them and the strength that they provide me with.

I am also grateful for the people in my life. To my friends and loved ones who have provided me with support while I have struggled, thank you. I appreciate the love so much, and I hope you all know that. But especially to my best friend Tiana, I couldn't thank you enough for all that you do for me. Thank you for being there for me. 

Love,

Kate

Errrryday...

I'm gonna shpill a secret that is gross and disgusting.

So don't read this if you don't want to get grossed out.

I'm warning you right now.

And please, please, please don't judge me.

Okay

here

it

goes...

Okay, well I will start out by telling you the story:

Saturday night I noticed my right armpit was a little irritated. I figured it was from shaving. It wasn't anything worth worrying about.

The next morning (Sunday) I noticed that my armpit had a couple red bumps on it. There were also some bumps on my chest next to my armpit. I figured I had been bit by a spider! The bumps were sensitive. I didn't really think anything of it, other than the fact that I had slept with a spider or something. Yikes.

The next morning (Monday) the bumps seemed to be more of a rash. I was beginning to wonder what was going on and I was getting nervous. The rash on my armpit was irritated and sometimes stung. The rash on my chest was itchy. I was extremely uncomfortable. My clothes would rub against both rashes and it was not pleasant.

Tuesday I didn't notice until later in the afternoon that I had another rash located on my tricep. As I was "examining" myself, so-to-say, my roommate Kylei noticed that I had the rash on my back as well. (On my right shoulder blade.) By now I was worried. Something was definitely wrong and I did NOT want to go to the doctor.

I was upset.

Well I sent my mom a picture of my crazy ugly rashes and she told me I needed to go to the doctor.

So I went.

I went to the dermatologist and found out

that I have
SHINGLES.

Come to find out, I got a shingles attack triggered from stress. I got the chicken pox when I was younger and the diseases lies dormant in the body until something like stress triggers it in one of the nerves. Usually young people don't have to worry about getting it. You're more likely to get shingles if you are older but hey it's not the first time I've been told that I am like an old person in a young body. Geeeez louise.

So there ya have it. I have shingles and I just have to let it run its course. It will be painful, itchy, and annoying. My rashes will blister, scab, and eventually heal. My nerve that the virus decided to infect and "attack" is sore and shoots pain up my neck, through my armpit, and down my arm sometimes. I hate it.

I'm so uncomfortable. I feel like I have the chicken pox all over again.

It's disgusting.

Who would have ever known what stress could do to ya? Heck, I didn't really even realize that I was stressing.

But yeah, soooo I've felt like crap lately. I'm tired alllllll the time and I have a constant headache.

But it's fine. I'll get better eventually.

So there ya have it. That's my story.

I have shingles.

So now I sing: "Errrrrday I'm shinglin!"

Love,

Kate

Ps. One other thing; be thankful for a healthy body.

5 simple words

Do good to feel good.

Eat clean.

Work hard.

Serve happily .

Listen intently.

Pray always.

Be happy.

Love,

Kate

Let me riddle you a ditty

"Let me riddle you a ditty it's just an itty bitty little thing on my mind..."

I would be lying if I said I didn't believe in dreams coming true because after this weekend I was proved wrong. I am here to tell the world that DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!

I had the awesome opportunity to go with one of my very best friends Tanner T. McAllister to Vegas to see my all time favorite band HE IS WE perform! I have been obsessed with He Is We since I was in high school although I feel like I have loved them my whole life. I can't even recall the first time I even heard about them or how I found out about them. They've just always been in my heart I guess.

So anyways, I am a die hard He Is We fan. Rachel Taylor (the singer) is my inspiration. Her lyrics are genius and absolutely beautiful. Her voice is unique and I love it and the sound of the music is perfect. 

So Tan drove to Cedar and picked me up and we traveled to St. George, picked up a sandwich at Jimmy John's and then headed to Vegas. We sang to our favorite songs and talked the entire time till I fell asleep. (I was exhausted, it had been a big long week full of figuring classes out and getting into the swing of things again with school and all.)

We got to Vegas around four and spent some time walking the somewhat of a mile distance around the Miracle Mile Mall. It was fun! I really like that mall. When we were done, we walked back out to the parking garage to realize that we had absolutely NO idea what level we had parked on! So somehow we ended up riding the elevator to the very top level. We got out and it was beautiful. The Vegas skies were a gorgeous blue/orange because it was sunset, the lights of the city were barely gleaming, there were no other vehicles around and we were the only two on top of the building. It was incredible. I felt like we were at a location that the Bachelor would have some fancy dinner set up for a special "Vegas Date" if you get what I mean. It was amazing! As we breathed in the air of Sin City we let the beauty of the moment sink in and then we ran. We ran down flights of stairs, down car ramps, and across parking lots trying to find the level our car was parked on. After about seven levels, we finally found our car on the fifth level. (Thank goodness for the alarm button on the keys! I don't know how we would have ever found it with out that.)

By now it was time to head over to Hard Rock Cafe to stand in line for the concert! 

We drove down the strip, found another parking garage, made sure we knew what level we parked on (we learned our lesson, no worries), and then ran over to Walgreens to get a 5hour energy thing and a twix. With nothing but some cash in our pockets, our phones, Tanner's camera, and our tickets for the concert, we ran over to Hard Rock Cafe and stood in line for about a half hour. The line consisted of mostly girls probably around the age of 15, no joke. It was quite funny. We met some kids that were standing by us that were actually going to Dixie College and we had we knew some of the same people. Small world... & it keeps getting smaller.

Now let me get this clear real quick-- the concert was for The Cab. He Is We, The Summer Set, Days Difference, and Paradise Fears were all the other bands touring with them. The Cab is a band from Las Vegas so this was their "hometown" concert so most of the people who were at the concert were there to see them.

The concert was held in a little venue up on the top floor of the Hard Rock Cafe. We had to get black X's drawn on our hands to indicate that we were younger than 21 so that we wouldn't go into the bar or whatever. 

I saw Trevor and Rachel (He Is We guitarist and singer) walk in before everything had started and I didn't fully realize it was them until they came out on the stage a little while later to perform.

Tan and I made our way up to the front of the stage-- at least as far up as we could get. We were about four people from the front. People were smashed together, it was sweaty, smelly, and smuggy. But it was all worth it. 

As the time got nearer and nearer to He Is We's performance, I got more and more antsy. I couldn't even hold still! I was shaking!!! Trevor came out and tuned his guitar and I was in shock, I just couldn't believe any of this was real. 

Then Rachel came on.

I didn't even recognize her! I was thrown off for a bit because she looked a little different than I imagined her looking, but it was HER. I was in the presence of my favorite artist who has written the lyrics for my life (basically) and the music that has been the soundtrack of my life for the past four years. 

It wasn't real.

[Oh ps! On a side note real quick-- the night before I read on Twitter than Rachel had gotten sick and wasn't able to perform at their last location {California} and so I was SO scared that she wouldn't be singing that night either. I had also had a nightmare the other night that I had gone to the concert and she got sick and wasn't able to perform so when I read that tweet from He Is We on Twitter, I was afraid that my nightmare was coming true!]

However, she spoke into the microphone with her raspy voice, sounding miserably sick, but she explained that she would be singing AGAINST the doctor's orders, but she'd only be singing four songs. Man! I didn't even care, I was just so impressed that she was singing! Ha I felt like she sang for me. It was amazing.

She sang the best she could and I didn't even care that her voice was raspy. It was amazing. 

She sang And Run, All About Us, Happily Ever After, and ___ wow I can't even remember the fourth one. But whatever, it's fine. I was so happy. I can't even describe how I felt.

We didn't stay in the crowd for The Cab but instead listened to them outside of the venue instead. We wanted to meet Rachel and Trevor ha so we waited out by the merch until all was over. We bought a shirt, and we actually ended up being the first ones in line to see them!

Then all of a sudden, in the midst of all the commotion and clutter and butterflies and nerves, they were there. Right in front of my eyes. I was shaking! I got hugs from both of them and I was just in shock. Rachel couldn't talk because she had to save her voice if she wanted to finish out the tour-- so it was fine. I just told her that I loved her and that she was my inspiration. Trevor told me that he thought my dimple was cute and he liked it. He kept telling me to give him a hug, ha ha it was funny. 

I only got one picture with them but it turned out to be pretty funny! It just goes to show ya what their personalities are like and all the emotion that was packed into that experience. Trevor and Rachel are both awesome and totally funny. 

I walked away and it all felt unreal. I had just met He Is We. 

I couldn't even breathe haahaha seriously it was crazy. I was crazy. I was jumping off the walls and squealing. I couldn't even control myself. Not just because I was in shock, but the 5hour energy thing probably had a lot to do with it too. 

I later found out that I was more crazy than I realized. Tan said I was bouncing off the walls for the rest of night. I was so hyper, he said I was hilarious and I wouldn't be quiet or settle down or even catch my breath.  ha ha...

Well by this time it was almost midnight and we were hungered, so we headed over to the Earl of Sandwich and got delicious sandwiches on ciabatta bread. yum! I'd recommend that place to everyone.

Then let's see... I can't really remember the rest of the night clearly. We walked along the strip for a bit. We stopped at the Bellagio fountains for a while and then eventually we got some hot chocolate from Seven-Eleven to warm us up. It was a wee bit chilly and I couldn't feel my toes!

We finally made our way back to the car and we set off for St. George. I stayed awake the entire drive and we got to our friend's house around 6a.m.

We left the house around 1p.m. to get lunch at Paradise Bakery. That was really good, but pretty pricey.

Then we visited our friend Candace for a bit and then headed over to the St. George Tabernacle for Tanner's missionary photo shoot. I guess you could say I was like an assistant the entire time running around and helping him and the photographer with whatever they needed. It was a lot of fun to be apart of that experience though. I love photography and it was really neat to see how she works. I can't wait to see the edited pictures!! They're going to be so neat.

We got back to Cedar around 6:30p.m. and visited with Tiana for a bit.

Later Tan left for Richfield and I rested for a bit before going to a dance with T and a bunch of other friends. But overall, the trip was incredible. Honestly, it was one of the best days of my entire life. I am glad I was with Tanner too, he's one of my best friends and I love him to death. So thank you Tanner for taking me to see my favorite band. You are the best and I had an amazing experience with you! It will be one that I will never forget.

Love,

Kate

No one can stop me, no.

Sometimes I just need a day to sit on my bed and eat chocolate. Sometimes I just need to breathe. Sometimes I just simply need a break.

Sundays are my favorite days just because of that. It's a day of rest and I just love it.

Today church was exactly what I needed. I felt like every lesson was exactly what I needed to hear. God definitely was reminding me of the love that He has for me.

"Your happiness will be in proportion to your charity and to your kindness and to your LOVE for those with whom you associate here on earth." -George Albert Smith

I've been thinking about the relationships and friendships I have lately. I came to realize today that I just need to be happy with where I am in life, who I have in my life, and what I do in life. For "this life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." 

I need to tell the people I love that I love them. They need to know that I appreciate them and I need to treat them right. I need to serve them and I need to be there for them. 

Well enough of that shpill. I learned how to play Blackjack the other night and had to be a dealer for it at Casino Night for SUU! It was legit. Everyone was dressed up fancy and the entire experience was a thrill. I loved it. I can't wait to turn 21 so I can <maybe> play a few rounds of Blackjack down in Vegas, ha ha.

I fell in love with the game. It's crazy I know, but it's fun! So the other night a bunch of us decided to play Blackjack with fruit loops. Ha, it only lasted two rounds. We're going to play again sometime when we have better things to bet... such as tootie frooties :)

 So that's my life. Now that I have had my fair share of chocolate for the next five years (it's fine), and I feel sick to my stomach, I don't even care. Today is my day and I'll do what I want.

Love,

Kate

Ps. I love instagram. Follow me.

I also am new to Twitter. Follow me.

And if you ever want to surprise me, I'm always up for a friendly HeyTell message.

1/6/92... 1/6/12

Hi there.

This is what I did yesterday on my birthday:

I woke up at 7:30 a.m. to eat crepes [my favorite] with my family before they left for school.

Then I went back to sleep for a little while.

Later I went to Wingers for lunch with my good friends Tanner, Ben, Tiana, and Corrie!

My sister Kambry had a basketball game that evening so my family went to that and then came home to eat a delicious dinner real quick before some more family came over for cake. 

I spent the evening with some family and I had a great time. That right there could have honestly been the best thing about my entire day-- just being able to be with my family. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

I went to Tanner's house later that night with Tiana and we played rockband for a while.

That's my birthday in a nutshell.

It was a great day and I appreciated all of the birthday wishes!

Now I am back in Cedar and it took me forever to unpack.

Blah.

I'm having bittersweet feelings. It's fine though.

Also! I got two letters from some of my missionary friends and they BOTH commented on how happiness is a choice, so why would we choose to be any different!? That thought is going to be something I am going to focus on this semester...

Choosing to be happy!

Love,

Kate

Goodbye teenage years.

Today is my day of birth. Yep, it's my birthday. I'm no longer a teenager. I am now twenty years old.
I will be posting about how my day goes later because when I checked my email today Hotmail said " It's your special day, so enjoy it. And don't forget to share with the friends in your life what you are doing today," so that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Love,

Kate

Where's the snow?

I woke up bright and early and went ice fishing with my dad, brother, uncle, and cousins yesterday. It was so fun! The sun was shining, my cheeks got a little red, the ice was clear and slick, and I was with great people. Was it worth waking up that early? 

Definitely.

This morning I went on a date with a gentleman. He's probably (no joke) one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. We went to the shooting range and shot his 22, a pistol, and his 308. Once again, it was a beautiful sunny morning. I had a fantastic experience.

Love,

Kate

if ya give a little love, you can get a little love

Well, I spent my last day of 2011 traveling up to Salt Lake City with my best friend Tiana Belle McEwen. 

We spent the evening shopping at the Fashion Place mall and hit up H&M for {my} first time ever. We ate at the famous Chick-fil-a and loved it, and then went ice skating at the Oval with our friends Alyssa, Ryan, Kj, and Kolt.  

 
The Oval is where the speed skating was held for the Olympics back in the day. It was way cool and I had a blast!

Later that night we drove down to Orem and went to the UVU party/dance thing and welcomed the new year by counting down to pretty much nothing. :\ yeah ... it wasn't really anything special and no, I still have never had a New Year's "midnight" kiss. I have yet another year to try to get one. Oh well though I guess. Good things come to those who wait ;)

So I got pulled up on to the stage to dance with a bunch of people randomly and I was right on the edge. I have good balance and all and didn't even worry until I was shoved off the stage and fell on to people before somehow landing perfectly on my two feet. I was in mild shock for a little while afterwards, but it's fine. Crazy things like that happen to me all the time-- it's normal.

We danced and danced and saw random people that we hadn't seen forever from like past EFY experiences. We're talking about people from FOUR years ago!! This world keeps getting smaller. After the dance we drove back up to SLC where I drank a thing of chocolate milk [my fav] and then watched the movie Just Go With It back at Ryan's house.

Stayed up till 7am talking.

Slept till 11:30am.

Went to a singles' ward.

Drove back to Richfield.

And then played games with the family.

Man, do I love my family. They're absolutely amazing and I have been so blessed to have them in my lives.

Now the upcoming week should be good... These are my last few days of being a teenager so I gotta "live it up" as Tiana says. I'm going to be TWENTY years old on friday. Weird.

I'm going ice fishing bright and early in the morning with my dad and Konner :) and then we're having some family over for my birthday tomorrow night. 

I don't want this break to be over yet :(

But hey, let's live it up while we can, right!?

Deal.

Love,

Kate