19. Give Someone a copy of The Book of Mormon

I love to share the joy and peace I have found from reading the Book of Mormon but don’t give out copies to people I know as much as I would like to. In fact, it had been a few years since I have actually given someone a Book of Mormon. I started off by doing what any LDS missionary would ask members of the church to do: Pray to ask God who I should give this book to. A name of someone came to mind almost as soon as I finished the prayer but I questioned if the timing was right. Instead, I would hope that it would just come up in conversation and basically have her say something along the lines of “I would really like to read the Book of Mormon, Where can I get it?” As you can guess, that didn't happen.

In the meantime, I decided to be prepared for this person or anyone else to show interest and keep a copy of the Book of Mormon in my car. I also continued to think about other people I could give it to or hoping that someone would ask for one.

Then, I had a pretty cool “missionary experience”. One Sunday after church I went for a walk in the park by my house and had two guys stop and talk to me. They mentioned they had recently moved to Edmonton and were asking some questions about the area. One of them asked if he could join me in my walk. At first I was thinking "No!" (unfortunately, we live in a world where you can’t easily trust people, especially as women) but I looked around and there were lots of people around and I felt OK about it. We got on the topic of religion and he shared interest in knowing more. Long story short, he came to our Family Home Evening (FHE) activity the next day with his friend who I also met at the park that day. They met with the missionaries who gave them each a copy of the Book of Mormon. They continue to meet with them. At first I thought, “Hey, I could count this because I introduced them to the missionaries who gave them the Book of Mormon. However, I still felt that I needed to give this book to a friend of mine (the first person that came to mind when I prayed about it).

I recently went for lunch with this friend and on our way back she was asking me about church and things I was involved with. As we were sitting in my car about to get out I told her that there was actually something I wanted to give her and since I had a copy in my car I was able to give it to her then. We talked a little bit about it and she seemed happy that I wanted to give it to her. I hope that she will read it and find the peace and joy that I have experienced, especially in more fully recognizing the love that God and the Savior has for her.

If you would like to read about my gratitude for this book, you can click here to read a post in my gratitude blog. You can also click here to read more about this book on www.Mormon.org. You can also request a free copy if you would like or you could also ask me for one. I would be more than happy to get one for you. J

18. Have a Spa Day

“Spa” type things are things I have come to really enjoy recently and I like treating myself once in awhile. My Spa Day was actually over two days as I wasn't able to fit everything into one day. First was an evening spent having a lower neck/upper back massage and then soaking in a bathtub with vanilla scented bath salts. I have been going for massages consistently, every six weeks, for the past year and have found that it really helps with the tension I have felt in my lower neck/upper back for probably the past ten years. The reason I have started going and continue to go is that they are covered under my benefits plan. Probably my favourite part of my benefits plan.

The second part of my spa day was getting a manicure and pedicure. It seems that my nails look so much better when someone else does them then when I do it myself. I just got clear polish for my finger nails, which I usually do. However, for St. Patrick’s Day, my friend Michelle did my nails for me with green and gold tips and a clover on one nail. I loved how it turned out and plan to use her services again and try out another design. As for pedicures, I love how my feet feel after! For my toe nails I choose a summery pink and now that the warm weather is here, I can wear flip flops and show off my pretty toes. 

17. Sign Up For a Community Class

Last year, I came across a deal on dealfind where I could get 20 Zumba classes for $20. Sounded like a great deal and Zumba sounded like fun!  Since attending my first class, I have spent most Saturday mornings enjoying a Zumba workout at Desert Rose Dance Studio on the West end of Jasper Ave. It’s a nice studio with friendly staff and in a nice area of Edmonton with an art gallery next door and several homes in the neighbourhood that have been converted into businesses. It seems like a business area in a residential area which I think is kind of cool.

During the first couple of classes I thought of Meme’s I have seen like this:

Except I did feel like I looked like Napoleon Dynamite. I feel like I have the hang of it now but maybe, like this Meme suggests, I don’t look as good as I think. Hahaha.

I have 3 classes left on my 20-class pass and will have to think about if I want to continue. Maybe I can find another deal for Zumba classes or maybe I can try something else. Either way, it has been a fun experience! 

16. Read a New Book

I decided that the perfect time to read a new book was during an 18 hour road trip. I decided to go to Chapters soon before I left to buy a book. It wasn’t long before I picked up the book, “Sarah’s Key” and as I read the back, I knew that it was one I would be interested in reading. I continued to browse but eventually left the store having purchased “Sarah’s Key” which is written by Tatiana De Rosnay.

“Sarah’s Key” is a historical fiction which I enjoy reading. The novel takes place in two time periods, 1942 and 2002, and goes back and forth between each. The writer first takes its readers to the spring of 1942 in Paris, France during the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup where Parisian Jewish families (mostly women and children) where arrested by French police in German occupied France. Although, not mentioned right away but implied early on is that Sarah is the ten year-old girl who has been taken with her family. I was really drawn to this character throughout the novel; a sweet, innocent girl trying to make sense of what was happening. I wanted her to escape, I wanted her to find her brother safe, I wanted her to live a happy life and I wanted Julia to find her.

Julia is the main character presented in the present time (2002) and is referred to in the first person. Julia is an American journalist who is living in France with her husband and daughter. Julia is assigned to work on an assignment to write an article on the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup and discovers a connection her husband’s family has with Sarah. Julia develops quite a strong attachment to Sarah and begins a personal quest to uncover the story of Sarah and her family.

Like most novels, there are parts that are predictable but there are also a few surprises included. I like how the author connected the past with the present. However, there were two things in the novel that I was uncomfortable with: one was swearing, not a lot but swearing is something I really detest especially when it is used casually. The other was a seemingly pro-choice stance on abortion.

While looking in my day timer at this week’s events I noticed that Sunday is Holocaust Remembrance Day. I think it is important to remember that this happened, that it was a traumatizing event, It’s affects are still being felt, it was unjust and should never have happened and nothing like this should happen again.  I think the author did a great job in connecting her readers to the events surrounding the roundup and the fear and feelings of betrayal that were felt. It is hard to comprehend how these Jewish families felt, what they experienced and why it happened in the first place. Before reading this novel I was not aware of the role that France (and apparently other countries as well) played in the execution of Jewish people during the War. While Nazi Germany played the largest role, other countries were also involved. There were so many horrible things done to people during this war.

Being half German, I am sensitive to the remarks and jokes made about Germans as a whole. Many Germans at this time did not like what was happening to their country and to individuals because of their nationality or religion or other views. My Grandma`s family was one of those Germans, who spoke among themselves of the injustices. My Grandma told me that her father would often say, ``Hitler is no good, he is no good for our country``. He died in 1935, less than 3 years after Hitler became chancellor of Germany. Soon after he became chancellor, Hitler began taking rights away from the Jewish people. Grandma`s brother refused to fight and was put into a prison camp and her mother who had grieved for 17 years for the loss of her 6, 5 and 3 year old sons in a fire thanked God that her sons were spared from the war. By the end of the war the part of Germany they lived in had been awarded to Poland and the family was forced to leave their homes and start over. I hope to someday visit my Grandma`s childhood home and tour the parts of Germany and now-Poland she lived. From what I hear, the people who live in the home are very inviting to my family members who come to visit.

It would be hard to see the places where traumatic events took place but at the same time it is this story as told to me by my Grandma that has sparked an interest in understanding the events that took place during World War II.    

15. Go to an LDS Temple I Have Not Been to Before

While compiling my list I thought of some of my favourite things to do and one that came to mind was going to the temple. I love the feeling of peace that is found in the temple and an understanding of Heavenly Fathers plan for all of his children.  

I have currently been inside 11 of the 141 operating temples worldwide: Vancouver, BC; Cardston, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; Seattle, Washington; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Salt Lake City, Utah; Jordan River, Utah; Bountiful, Utah; Preston, England and most recently Provo, Utah. I have also driven by or walked the grounds of others.  

Although each temple has the same purpose, I love how unique each one is in design and often reflect the landscape of the city it is located in.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity last week to attend a session at the Provo, Utah temple with my twin sister. I have been to Utah quite a few times and stayed in Provo each time except for one (When Melissa got married, we stayed at a hotel in Salt Lake) and was surprised that I had not made it to the temple there before now.

As we walked up to the temple from the parking lot I took a moment to take in the beauty of the temple, the mountains in the background and the sun beginning to set. Temples are built to be beautiful both on the outside and inside; we see temples as a House of God, A place of learning, a place of peace and a sanctuary from the world. Members of the church believe that temples are the holiest places on earth, engraved on the outside of each temple are the words “Holiness to the Lord”.

With General Conference coming up, I am excited to learn if there will be any more temples announced.

Have you ever wondered why Mormons build temples? Here is a great video that explains why. 

14. Go Roller Skating!

Last night I got back from spending a week and a half in Utah and the weekend in Lethbridge. I had a lot of fun spending time with my family in Utah and friends in Lethbridge, which included checking a few things off my list. The first one was roller skating.  Going roller skating was one of my favourite things to do as a child with my siblings and Dad. It was good to relive the “good old days” but this time we included the younger generation: my 13 year-old sister and 7, 5, and 2 year old nieces.

We all chose to rent the traditional roller skates except for my brother who chose rollerblades instead. Before my brother stepped on the rink, he turned to me and said “I am way better than anyone else on here”. I laughed both at his pride and in knowing that he was right which I’m sure comes from many years of playing roller hockey.

It had been a few years since I had gone roller skating but I thought that with spending a winter ice skating, roller skating would be a breeze. I soon realized that it is quite different. However, after a couple of times around the rink I felt I had a good handle on it. It really was a blast! My little nieces also seemed to enjoy skating with some help from the adults and the walker-style things to hold on to. Well, I am not sure about 2-year old Miriam, she didn’t seem to like it too much.

It has become harder and harder to find public roller skating rinks; the one I went to in my youth, Stardust, closed down in 2005 and I recently learned that the one I went to a few years ago in Edmonton, Sportsworld, has also closed down. Although, from their facebook page it seems like they are looking for a new building. I was excited when my sister found a roller skating rink in Orem Utah at Classic Fun Center. Better yet, it was $1 Thursday which meant $1 Skate rentals and $1/hour to skate, can’t beat that deal!

 

13. Dip Strawberries in Chocolate

Strawberries are my favourite food so I wanted something on my list to be related to strawberries. I also enjoy chocolate and love strawberries and chocolate together, which is how dipping strawberries into chocolate ended up on the list. I also feel that chocolate covered strawberries are a great Valentines treat so I thought today would be the perfect day to check this goal off my list. I actually made them last night and planned to drizzle them with white chocolate but I was tired and wanted to go to bed so I decided that I would wake up earlier in the morning and do it then. However, that didn’t happen. They still taste good; they would have just looked fancier. I left some for my roommates and gave some to a friend of mine (who is awesome and spent part of the Valentine’s Day evening with me) and kept a few for myself to enjoy.

Although there seems to be a lot of negativity surrounding Valentine’s Day coming from single people, I can honestly say that I love Valentine’s Day. I love the colour pink, chocolate, and pretty things like hearts and flowers. Most importantly I love that it is a day to remember, show and tell people that you love how much you care about them.