publishing peace

Nobody can tell me there isn't a magic about Christmastime. There's something about the entire atmosphere of December that is ethereal, almost - it's by turns cold and white and silently peaceful, then glittering and wild, then warm and gold and flickering, cinnamony, feel-good and happy. This holiday season I've been puzzling, and puzzling, and puzzling some more, like the fabled Grinch, about why Christmas does what it does to me -- I am a little kinder, a little more giving, a little more willing to show my love during this time of year. My heart grows three sizes. And I've come to understand, like the Grinch before me, that it has nothing to do with packages, boxes or bags. I love Christmas because my soul loves Christmas. Because this time of year is the time we think about two thousand years ago, when a baby was born to a humble couple in a stable and laid in a manger. We close our eyes and it's almost like we can see an angel that came to shepherds in t

Driving Marv Elders, post-Book of Mormon class Sisters' p-day Goats at the Tolmans' Light Up Inman Don't make me go. Sister Larsen & Kelsey Family. The Rushs The Suns, ft. Sri Racha Shelby & Cam, beauty in a photograph My hermanas At the Walters' farm Melissa Poggio, our best friend Sister Sith Joanne, who didn't want me to see her cry when I left Snow in South Carolina Christmas from Inman Dan & Pat Bubba's Diner John 3:16 Bug Friend Loved. The Life-Changer I've started and restarted writing this five times and I've come to the conclusion that if I were to memorize every word in the English language I still couldn't come up with the right combination to describe these happenings right here. All the above pictures were taken between the dates of September 20th, 2017 and January 23rd, 2018. You'll notice most of

It took only so long for me to recognize that I felt completely at home with Charleston. But I did, and I'm sure that if I went back, she'd greet me with a sweet southern "Hey, little missus". That's the thing about Charleston; get on its good side, and it'll remember you forever. Much of the history of the city has been erased, at least at surface-level. It's an autumnal sort of place - a blend of something brand new and something left over. There's high fashion salons next to Civil War era homes -- the church graveyards, of which one feels that there is no end, are amalgamations of cracked headstones and shiny new plaques. The people have retained a charm, but have shed a lifestyle. Despite all that has perished here, though, Charleston is alive, and I'd even say it's alive and well. Some things just keep kicking, and no one can say Southerners ain't stubborn. Charleston is not your averag

Oh heyyyy. You are probably wondering about the title of this, so let's start there. This was inspired by 2 things: 1) my brother is currently listening to the David Archuleta Christmas album, and David Archuleta was 300% my junior high crush (and if we're being real, I'd probably say yes if he asked me on a date) and 2) General Conference. This post was NOT inspired by: 1) my upcoming marriage. I got the idea for this post from this October's General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you've ever watched General Conference, you know that a lot of things were discussed. However, one of the coolest things about General Conference is that it is a time for you to hear the words of living prophets and receive revelation from them, but it's also a time to directly connect to heaven and receive revelation that doesn't necessarily have to do with what is directly being said. Watching General Conference opens you up to a special spi

I love to take pictures of other humans.  I love catching people in moments with their friends and family, smiles on their faces, eyes all crinkled in a laugh. I love it when I can make a dumb joke that helps someone laugh and get it on camera. I love noticing these little things about people. Recently on all platforms of social media, I have been bombarded with opinions and images and all sorts of things, much of them directed in some way toward the worth of a person. Some of these are even accusatory, claiming that certain people's value is dependent upon their beliefs & religion, their "good" or "poor" decisions, or even (shockingly, incredibly, unbelievably) their outward appearance. I hope to address you today in quite a different spirit. I don't want to attack anyone's beliefs or ideas; rather, I hope to share mine. A significant portion of this will be founded upon the principles of the religion I have chosen to live, but I ho

September. Beginning of fall. The sweaters come out, scarves are unpacked, hot chocolate purchases skyrocket. The leaves start to change and the air almost tastes different. I love September for many reasons, but that vibrant feeling, the crispness in your lungs from that sharp air just makes me feel like something good is coming. For some people, though, September is the beginning of a different season. For some people, September is when they remember the pain of the wintertime. For some people, September is kind of like standing on the edge of a cliff with not much of a ledge. September can be terrifying. September is the beginning of "down" season for many people who experience mental health issues. That's 1 in 4 people in the country, by the way. And also, 90% of those men & women who take their own lives have significant diagnosable mental health issues at the time of their death. For that reason, September is also suicide awareness and prevention m

I'm not perfect, y'all. Shocker, right? No, for real. I'm super not perfect. Let me tell you a little story. I'm currently experiencing the aftermath of this here bad idea, and it still hurts. Let's begin. My family hiked Mount Timpanogos this past weekend. It was a thrill, for sure. I don't know what my favorite part was - getting delayed by a family of moose for 15 minutes, signing the book at the shack on the top of the summit, crawling over rocks because I'm terrified of heights, it was an adventure. But that's not what I'm talking about. No, I'm talking about my sunburn. You see, it was chilly, and so I was deceived. I didn't think it would be that bad. So when my mom reminded us all to put on sun screen, I just put a little on my cheeks and trusted that maybe I'd get a little color, finally putting to rest my little brothers making fun of me because they're redheads and still have darker skin than me. Well,

I'm trying to find the words for this one, folks, but a year and a half doesn't come easy. Let me try and sum it up for you. I have been lonely most of my life, and I went from that to being with someone 24/7, learning every word to Amazing Grace, rewiring electric fences, laughing at Christmas videos, smiling so hard I thought my dimples would be permanent. I went from not really knowing anything to knowing I don't really know anything, but also knowing what I came here for, and who I am, which are probably two of the most important things you could know. They'll tell you a mission is indescribable, and they aren't wrong. They'll tell you it's the hardest thing you'll ever do and they aren't wrong. They'll tell you it's the best thing you'll ever do, and they'll be three for three. Whoever "they" are, you'll pray their accuracy rubs off on the BYU football team (but it probably won't). On my mi