I Love to See the Temple

Mariah here!

I would like to inform you that I am not, in fact, dead. I am here! Sorry, Emma, when you get back! I took a blog hiatus. Laura, you should blog for us. :)

Today I went to a soccer game with my mom, Savannah and Russell, grandma Mary, and myself! Alyvia scored a goal, and she worked very well with her team! I am proud of that girl. I think I will keep her!

After the soccer game we were famished! So we went to IHOP to get some yuummy pancakes. Man, I was so happy we went. Won't have IHOP for another 18 months!

Since we were on Riverdale we decided to go shopping! I got two pairs of the comfiest shoes on earth for my mission. Man, I am certain I will be praying my thanks about those after a while. I really needed some good, sturdy shoes. It was so nice of my mom to get them for me! I love that girl!

To cap it all off-- I went to the temple today with mi madre and some choice people! It was really so wonderful. The peaceful feeling felt there and the symbolism are my favorite things. I expected to feel super weird, but everyone was so helpful. I have had to change desires, habits, and choices so that I could enter into the Lord's temple, but it was no sacrifice.

President Monson says it 29054x better than me! :)

"Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort." 

(President Thomas S. Monson, "The Holy Temple--A Beacon to the World," April 2011 General Conference)

I hope your Saturday was wonderful!

Mariah

In My Heart of Hearts I Do Trust. ... No thanks to Ali and Kelly.

Once upon a time, I said something like, "In my heart of hearts, ... (I can't remember the rest)." Kelly and Ali made fun of me for that, but I thought it was a perfectly legitimate and common phrase. Apparently it was campy and cliché.

Maybe Ali and Kelly thought I was silly or foolish for using that phrase (I think I just sounded like an old emotional lady).  BUT I discovered today that the phrase comes from one of a larger repute than I--and he is not an old emotional lady!

 Shakespeare.

Act 3, Scene 2 of Hamlet:

"In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart, as I do thee." 

So yeah, it might be outdated, but if that's the case-- so are "all of a sudden," "dead as a doornail," "fight fire with fire," and "wear my heart on my sleeve." Plus, some of those are pretty campy and cliché, too. So, there. 

Love,
Mariah

Day 4 of GISHWHES

It is over half-way over. How can this be? GUYS, I have to tell you that I love GISHWHES so much. PLEASE do it next year. Laura, this has your name written all over it. Find a team, win the wooster. Do some charity. Por favor!

Tonight I am making a robot costume in order to...

WEAR IT TO WORK.

How abnosome is that?*

I can't post pictures now, but I will after the Hunt.

Things I will miss about GISHWHES/things that I love about GISHWHES

• Watching Merlin while wigmaking
• Getting injuries while wigmaking
• Making abnosome costumes to wear in public places
• Asking people on Facebook for the most random favors
• Being part of a community of total strangers who are willing to work together in order to, get this, help other total strangers
• Having something to be totally, whole-heartedly pumped about

{Please consider GISHWHES next year and write me all about it!}

Love,

Mariah the Grand

* Abnosome: abnormally awesome

Before GISHWHES

This is me before GISHWHES.

I go to BYU, and I love art. I am a friend to many, a lover of books, a proud Harry Potter nerd, and above all, a normal, testimony-bearing, young adult. 

In 5 minutes and 34 seconds, the world will break!

Love,
Mariah

3 Days, 17 hours, 59 minutes, and 03 seconds until GISHWHES

Oh my gosh, I am so scared for this.

WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR GISHWHES? SEND ME THE LIST! aaah

I am dying inside from anticipation and fright and excitement and emotions  This is going to be great! I am psyched!

Love,
Mariah

Pepsi, Buzzfeed, Cleaning, and Sleep or the Lack Thereof

I tried to go to bed at 12:30 tonight (well, actually, I tried to go to bed earlier but I ended up in my bed at about 12:30), and just could not sleep! So of course, I meandered on Pottermore for a half hour or so until I felt sleepy. But then I decided a Pepsi sounded good (and I never ever have pop so why did that sound good?), and then I really couldn't sleep.

Now, here I am at 3:30 in the morning looking at buzzfeed's articles on cleaning. I want to get up and clean right now, but I know I need sleep and also I will be one ornery gal tomorrow if I don't sleep soon. Also I hate sleeping in. Then I decide maybe I can stay up all night and tomorrow! That is a horrible idea, though, and I know it. But what has become of my life?!?!

LIKE, really?!

Well, I hope I can clean a lot tomorrow and that I still feel like it.

Good night/good morning!
Mariah

Emma's Safe, Bloggers Needed

Emma got to Mexico safe and sound with little trouble!

Read about her adventures at makingnerdyohsoclassy.blogspot.com :3

ALSO -- someone should really blog, because this was never meant to be just Mariah's blog.

LOVE YOU ALL,
Mariah

Google is Coo-gle. That Means Cool.

Hello, people!

Did you know you could do this?

Because I did not and that is some fancy stuff that I can't wait to partake in! For various reasons. ... Nah, I really have no reason to use this. hahaha BUT it is awesome!

I can't believe I hated google just two years ago. ... I still don't know why. Actually, I thought they were going to be too big of a business, and I was right about that. ... So nevermind, I know.

HAVE A GOOD DAY,
Mariah

There is no Title For This Post

I was beginning to think this blog was gathering cobwebs and becoming an old haunted blog, so I am happy to see Emma Rose posted TWICE! Twice, people! Now we will just work on Laura. ;D ... And Kemyla. And Charlotte.  Oh, my. ;)

Lately my life has been work, work, work. I mean, I only work like 35 hours a week, and my mom won't let me get another job. But it has been good for me! I am happy I get to save for my mission, and with most of my friends out and about, I have nothing to spend my money on besides my mission! haha It is superb.

Also, today I said almost goodbye to one of my very best friends, Emma Rose. You guys, I don't know if you can understand the impact knowing her has made in my life. She makes me want to be my best self, who is a daughter of God! She is so easy for me to be CER-AZAY with, and I just love that. Her service-mindedness and love never cease to amaze me! I so would not be the same without that girl. Just knowing how she has blessed my life makes me feel 100% okay with her leaving for 18 months to Washington. She will truly be a tool in God's hand, doing His work and spreading His love and joy. What a pleasure and what a blessing.

Love,
Mariah

PANIC ATTACK

As if I am not stressing out enough due to the fact that I am speaking in front of people tomorrow, I just had the most horrible moment of my existence.

I had been working on completing my farewell talk this morning when I realized I had no idea where by scriptures were. I looked around every place I could have left them, but with no avail. So I notified my parents about my concern over my missing scriptures. But they were busy working on the house and said, well why don't you look were you last had them. Which I had! So I started stressing out to the tenth degree.

I ended up putting off finishing my talk so I could run my errands all across Utah. I came back eight hours later and went straight to finishing my talk. One major problem though. I still had no idea where my scriptures went! So instead of focusing on what I was writing all I could think about were these words that were running through my head:

"Seriously, who in the world loses their scriptures the day before their farewell! Emma, how completely un-together you must be!"

Huh, not really the kind of thoughts you want whirling in your head while you are writing a talk! So I went searching for my scriptures again. But this time it was the panic searching where you look in every completely unlikely spot in your house because you are so frazzled in where the thing must be! I was looking behind couches, underneath dirty dishes, and in every dark corner of my home. I went to my mother again for help, plus you know that your mom is the best finder of anything. Only she looked and couldn't find them either! So then I knew I was hopeless, cause if yo mamma can't find it, ain't nobody finding it. 

Well, to keep this story short, a miracle was sent to me! I was directed right to the place of their current dwelling. My nieces had been playing house and for some unknown reason they had stuffed my scriptures in a purse and left it in my mom's office. A room I only go in biannually. 

Well, now if I can just calm down, I will go finish my talk. Technically looking at time amount I am done. It is only to be 10-15 minutes. But with just my introduction and conclusion I am at 12.... Thus is my life. So now I get to shorten and write up a storm! Then tonight I will be posting my farewell post, for tonight will be my last personal post for a year and a half! 

Love you lots!

Life is stressful, but at least it is interesting. 

And shout out to my nieces! I love you! And I love that you love my scriptures! But next time.... Return them afterwards please! They are very dear to me!