tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13416559837386916332024-02-20T07:15:11.656-07:00J.DJames_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-10579623417356294232011-07-06T11:09:00.003-06:002011-07-06T11:13:15.717-06:00Philmont HymnSilver on the sage,<br />Starlit skies above,<br />Aspen covered hills,<br />Country that I love.<br />Philmont, here's to thee,<br />Scouting Paradise,<br />Out in God's country, tonight <br /><br />Wind in whispering pines,<br />Eagles soaring high,<br />Purple mountains rise,<br />Against an azure sky.<br />Philmont, here's to thee,<br />Scouting Paradise, <br />Out in God's country, tonightJames_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-22293043361579120892011-05-17T00:12:00.002-06:002011-05-17T00:31:55.007-06:00Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VdQmXxvNG0VJ6AbNTYwbwfCHew18cP0jnfEu1UjSLDE42BKOOcQj7-lUQ2sZhJBC0szhVTvKu7T59G9lW3H-k1YgBB3eoa_GIo6ijKqW3kSCXUzWYoT36T_pGSIHiBcugsDntxQWnWo/s1600/228711_10150199478049668_630549667_6870820_3244287_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VdQmXxvNG0VJ6AbNTYwbwfCHew18cP0jnfEu1UjSLDE42BKOOcQj7-lUQ2sZhJBC0szhVTvKu7T59G9lW3H-k1YgBB3eoa_GIo6ijKqW3kSCXUzWYoT36T_pGSIHiBcugsDntxQWnWo/s320/228711_10150199478049668_630549667_6870820_3244287_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607568978712810530" /></a><br />Do you ever remember the term "BFF" back in grade school? Well I must admit I have never had a friend that I would refer to as a "BFF". Except one. One Holly Henrich. Almost 8 years ago, when I was eleven, an awkward eleven year old girl walked into my sixth grade classroom. Her cumbersome braces and oval-rimmed glasses were a sight to behold. Then several days later on Sunday, she walked into my primary class, and the rest was history. She sat next to me, and we instantly became friends. That's my first memory of my "BFF". She's gotten me through her embarrassing juke of me on the soccer field, to coping with my move to Utah two years later. Even being 614 miles apart, couldn't stop Miss Henrich from being my friend. Gotta love your best friends right? Mine's pretty great.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-19823079554552752182011-05-15T22:52:00.002-06:002011-05-15T22:57:50.455-06:00Kronk<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Fv-sKP17xTw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />Kronk's Shoulder Devil: Listen up, big guy. I got three good reasons why you should just walk away. Number one. Look at that guy! He's got that sissy stringy music thing. <br />Kronk's Shoulder Angel: We've been through this. It's a harp, and you know it. <br />Kronk's Shoulder Devil: Oh, right. That's a harp, and that's a dress. <br />Kronk's Shoulder Angel: Robe! <br />Kronk's Shoulder Devil: Reason number two. Look what I can do. Ha-ha, ha! <br />[does one-armed handstand] <br />Kronk: But what does that have to do with anything? <br />Kronk's Shoulder Angel: No, no. He's got a point. <br /><br />Enjoy :)James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-88188125634144026402011-04-20T22:07:00.002-06:002011-04-20T22:37:50.706-06:00mission callsDear Elder Daniel:<br /><br />You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Texas Fort Worth Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months.<br /><br />You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, August 10, 2011. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. <br /><br />Sincerely, <br /><br />-President Monson. <br /><br />My dream has finally come. A dream to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I cannot believe that the call to serve is fainlly here. I have even been called to serve in the best mission ever! The Texas, Fort Worth mission. I will spend two years of my life there, serving and preaching the gospel. I don't know that there has been another man more excited for his mission, than I amJames_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-45138376179218782192011-04-19T12:53:00.003-06:002011-04-19T13:13:54.926-06:00Shotgun!Among the many wars and strifes we have in the world today, a common argument arises; Who receives the front seat of a car ride? There are many different rules and regulations, that varies from person to person. However I would like to suggest a set of rules that everybody should follow, so that everybody can stop the arguing! <br /><br />1. One MUST say the word shotgun in order to claim the ownership of the shotgun. The shotgun call must be loud enough so that everyone involved in the race to the car can hear it. No word, other than shotgun, will be tolerated. If all these steps are performed then the person gets the shotgun and gets to sit in the front passenger seat.<br /><br />2. The shotgunner must be in clear sight of the car for the shotgun call to be considered valid. The shotgun can be called regardless of whether the driver is in the sight of the car.<br /><br />3.In order to decide who gets the shotgun when simultaneous shotgun calls are made, a foot race to the passenger side door determines who will get the shotgun. This race involves all the people who called shotgun at the same time. The first one to get to the door is given the shotgun.<br /><br />4.Shotgun cannot be called whilst inside a building, except if you are in a multistory or underground parking lot<br /><br />5.Once shotgun has been called, the driver has the option of a re-load. The driver yells out "re-load" and this means that all previous call of shotgun are void. The first person to call shotgun again gets the front seat. This is helpful if the driver really does not like the person who first called shotgun. It can also be used when the shotgun call is simultaneous and the driver is unsure of the outcome. Note: a shotgun only has two barrels, so a re-load can only be called once. <br /><br />6. Because everyone is created equal, men have the same right to front seat of the car as women do! <br /><br />7. Once the journey has begun, the driver is the obvious controller of the tunes. However, if they feel that the road requires their full attention, it becomes the shotgunner's duty to control the tunes. Nevertheless, putting on a bad song or allowing for silence when the iPod finishes a song, or ANY other variation of this will result in a demotion to the middle back seat.<br /><br />8.Shotgun overrules every other call. It is more powerful than dibs, baggsies, and any other call. <br /><br />9.If someone has successfully called shotgun, they have the right to the front seat. They do not have the right to correct the driver on their navigation skills, (take a left here!!) or Driving ability (I would be in third gear if I was driving). If the passenger does this, they are forced to forfeit their position as the shotgun holder. <br /><br />10. If the shotgunner attempts to open the door just as the driver is unlocking it and it jams the lock half open, making the driver have to unlock it again, the person has to forfeit their possession of the shotgun. <br /><br />11.The holder of the shotgun assumes the responsibility for all gate openings, drive through ordering and question asking. He/she is, in essence, the copilot and therefore the enforcer of the behavior in the vehicle. <br /><br />12.If the driver is the boyfriend/girlfriend/date of a passenger in the car, this person has the right to the seat of their choice. <br /><br />13.If one of the potential occupants of the vehicle is convincingly dressed as a pirate, then they are given the shotgun automatically. In the event of more than one pirate being present, a sword fight to the death shall determine who will get the shotgun.<br /><br />14.If an occupant of the car sees a Volkswagen Beetle they are allowed to punch the closes person while saying slug bug. Since riding shotgun is a benefit, people in the back seat are allowed to punch the shotgunner, but he/she isn't allowed to punch them back. <br /><br />15.When riding in a 2 or 3 door car, it is the responsibility of the shotgunner to allow rear passengers in an out of the back of the car. This is in no way the driver's job, regardless of the weather conditions.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-64362029092139069432011-02-27T22:50:00.002-07:002011-02-27T23:20:08.470-07:00MissionarySince I've been here in college, life moves fast! This Wednesday one of my life long dreams will open in a quiet meeting with my bishop. I will begin my missionary papers for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I suppose my impatience with waiting until my 19th birthday will be put on hold while I fill out my paperwork, but the impatience will probably be focused until April 7th when my papers are eligible to be sent into Salt Lake City. I have been so excited to serve a mission, and I hate waiting. I've been counting down since my 18th birthday for this occasion, and it is 3 days away, and my papers are can be sent in 39 days! I've even found my missionary scripture I would like on my plaque! Alma 29: 9<br /><br />-"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hat commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."<br /><br />39 days until my papers get sent in! I'll keep everyone posted on the missionary process!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-5210814985888195602011-02-17T09:24:00.003-07:002011-02-17T09:39:08.611-07:00EnglishI'm sitting here in English pretending to pay attention, but it's just not happening. My English professor has the most intense tangents. I thought my 12th grade English teacher was bad when she went on a tangent about Tiger Woods and gang bangers. We are currently reading the book, "The Lucifer Effect," which is about the Stanford prison experiment put on my Dr. Phillip Zimbardo (It's a pretty interesting book, I would recommend it). Anyway we were discussing about one of the "prisoners" in the book and went off on a tangent of President Obama's latest screw up in his presidency. Then suddenly he threw a wrench in the process and changed topics completely by discussing the end of the world in 2012. 5 minutes later he brought up a new topic: Female athletes in romantic relationships with sociopaths. Finally he brought up his latest topic: Evil babies are born more on Tuesdays than any other day of the week! Needless to say I don't ever have a dull moment in my English 1010 class... oh wait... It's a hour and 20 minutes of pure dullness. You'd think these random tangents could be something exciting to talk about right? Nope... Also here is the latest update in his thought process: Having the impulses to throw your clothes at random people. In specifics your underwear.....James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-65725460107845273782011-01-26T23:52:00.008-07:002011-05-15T22:18:43.827-06:00GiftsI have been given a gift. It has been one of the greatest gifts that I have ever received. It isn't tangible, nor can you see it. You can only hear it, and feel it. I have been given the gift of music. I don't wish this to be a post about how talented I am with music, but rather how grateful I am that I have been blessed with music in my life. <br />One of the greatest joys in my life, has been feeling the friction between my fingers and the piano keys as my fingers run up and down the piano. The feeling of guitar strings burning callouses into my fingers. The feeling of musical notes pouring out of my hands and floating into the ears of innocent bystanders. The feeling of solving a musical puzzle, and looking at the beautiful rewards that come from solving that puzzle. <br />Music has been a wonderful to express myself throughout my life. It has always been my closest friend, it has always been something with whom I could vent and share my darkest feelings. <br />As I have grown older, I have unlocked mysteries of music, and have been able to apply them to my own musical studies. I have been able to learn different instruments, and take instrumental theories and apply them to other instruments. This is one of my favorite aspects of music. Musical theory is universal, it applies to everything! <br />Hopefully I have the sense to use my talent to serve my fellow human beings. Music isn't something that should be used for selfish reasons, it should be used to bring beauty and fulfillment into the lives of others.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-43246235228434883672010-12-21T23:12:00.003-07:002010-12-21T23:44:25.921-07:00Christmas TraditionsWhen I was a small child, my family had a wonderful Christmas tradition, which unfortunately was discontinued when the children in my family grew up. My family owns a book, which contains 25 wonderful Christmas stories, one for every night leading up to Christmas. Every night the children would gather around my mother or father, often with a comfortable warm fire blazing in the background, and listen to stories of service and of love. It is one family tradition that I most utterly miss. I don't believe that my family has done these stories since I was about 8 years old. Now that I am 18 years old, the tradition has faded into the memories of me, my brother, and my sister, but I can still recall the magic that it brought into my life as a young child during the most magical of all seasons. For my blog post tonight, I would like to retell one of my most favorite stories entitled, "The Sixth Word." <br /><br />Just a week before Christmas, I had a visitor, this is how it happened. I had just finished the household chores and was preparing to go to my bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room, and to my surprise, Santa Claus himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his fingers over his mouth so I would not cry out.<br /><br />"What are you doing...?" I started to ask, but the words chocked up in my throat as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone-gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.<br /><br />He then answered me with a simple statement of "Teach the children." I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood there bewildered, Santa said again, "Teach the children. Teach them the old meaning of Christmas-the meanings that Christmas nowadays has forgotten."<br /><br />I started to say, "How can I..." when Santa reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.<br /><br />"Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promise long ages ago. God promised a Savior for the world and the star was a sign of the fulfillment of that promise. The countless shining stars at night-one for each man- now show the burning hope of all mankind." Santa gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth from the bag a glittering red Christmas tree ornament.<br /><br />"Teach the children that red is the first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the blood which was shed for all the people by the Savior. Christ gave His life and shed His blood that every man might have God's gift of Eternal Life. Red is deep, intense, vivid-it is the greatest color of all. it is the symbol of the gift of God."<br /><br />"Teach the children," he said as he dislodged a small Christmas tree from the depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantle and gently hung the red ornament on it. The deep green of the fir tree was a perfect background for the ornament. Here was the second color of Christmas.<br /><br />"The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round," he said. "This depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. green is the youthful, hopeful, abundant color of nature. All the needles point heavenward-symbols of Man's returning thoughts toward heaven. The great green tree has been man's best friend. It has sheltered him, warmed him, made beauty for him." Suddenly, I heard a soft tinkling sound. <br /><br />"Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring for man to return to the fold-it means guidance and return. It further signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord. As the soft sound of the bell faded into the night, Santa drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast a glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in shadows slowly dance and weaved upon the walls. <br /><br />"Teach the children," whispered Santa, "that the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago. Its small light is the mirror of starlight. At first, candles were placed on the trees-they were like many glowing stars shining against the dark green. The colored lights have now taken over in remembrance." <br /><br />Santa turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow and said, "A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as men should be tied, all of use together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow."<br /><br />Santa slung his bag over his shoulder and began to reach for the candy cane placed high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.<br /><br />"Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane represents the helping hand we should show at Christmas time. The candy cane is the symbol we are our brother's keepers."<br /><br />As Santa looked about the room, a feeling of satisfaction shone in his face. He read wonderment in my eyes, and I am sure he sensed admiration for this night. <br /><br />He reached into his bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it on the door and said, "Please teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops, or ends. It is the one continuous round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things and in many colors. It should remind us of all the things of Christmas."<br /><br />Santa's face seemed to light up in the darkness as a smile creeped up his rosy cheeks. A tear ran down his face and got lost in his big white beard. "Goodbye my friend," he said, and in the blink of an eye Santa disappeared. A melodious whisper seemed to float on the wind after Santa left, "Please teach the Children"James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-3450143081903771292010-11-21T16:44:00.003-07:002010-11-21T17:23:44.048-07:00Harry Potter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-hD2FRf2KLR1sr1Eed2VRmfHhuNZFbGWsufJJFmr99zpFoS5gh40rDIOSNwnhmUpiQ8oebyAIyu5j2wG606e1d-9ELj1A07uu07rgzmrqyQKJLwcy_ijk_PRlgdo9kPIp9gEC67chyphenhyphenw/s1600/Harry_Potter-logo_90894o.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-hD2FRf2KLR1sr1Eed2VRmfHhuNZFbGWsufJJFmr99zpFoS5gh40rDIOSNwnhmUpiQ8oebyAIyu5j2wG606e1d-9ELj1A07uu07rgzmrqyQKJLwcy_ijk_PRlgdo9kPIp9gEC67chyphenhyphenw/s320/Harry_Potter-logo_90894o.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542163140850729026" /></a><br /><br />It seems like everyone is blogging about Harry Potter right now, so I will add my blog to the list of everybody's blog. From the first time I read the Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone, I was hooked. Harry Potter was my favorite book ever. I grew up with the boy, what do you expect. My sister and I even loved playing Hogwarts when we were children. I even convinced myself that when I turned eleven, my acceptance letter to Hogwarts would come, and I would be whisked away to a magical land, wherein my magical training could commence. I looked forward to the quidditch matches I would be involved in, and the hexes I would shoot at my enemies. Sadly, I grew up, and my imaginative relativity quickly became only my imagination. I continued reading however. I read of Harry's tales of fighting Basilisks, winning wild quidditch matches, snogging girls, fighting dragons, Winning triwizard cups, a kind old man named Albus Dumbldore, rivalry battles with Draco Malfoy, also fighting the dark lord Voldemort. I read recently in an article that JK Rowling's Harry Potter series had sold over 400 million books, which made her the first billionaire author ever and the Harry Potter movies, have so far made 5.5 billion dollars, which does not include the first part of movie number seven, and part two as well. <br />JK Rowling's books also made the number of people that read books, go up. When her first book was released people hardly read at all. During the years that all seven books were written and released, the world saw the number of readers go up drastically. The Harry Potter novels were translated into 67 languages, so it's no wonder why we saw that number go up. Now that all the books have been released the world is seeing the number of readers decline again, which makes me sad. Reading can introduce people to all kinds of wonders. <br />Now that the Harry Potter books are done, and the movies are almost done, a sadness creeps up my limbs. I'll always have the books and movies yes, but the suspense of when the next movie or book being release is gone. Harry Potter is all grown up, and now I suppose I have to grow up as well. Thank you JK Rowling for introducing me to the wondrous, magical world of Hogwarts, where all things are possible. Thank you Harry Potter, for your brave tales of valor. I'll join you at Hogwarts in my imagination.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-60938837737856546622010-11-16T12:56:00.002-07:002010-11-16T12:59:23.780-07:00VertigoYesterday I was diagnosed with vertigo. Apparently my ears have filled up with fluid, which cancels out the balancing feature of my head. Basically every time I move just slightly, I get incredibly dizzy. Not just spin in a circle buzzed dizzy. Like merry-go-round as fast as you can, then getting off and can't even stand up dizzy. It pretty much sucks. I don't recommend getting it. Sunday night was full of vomiting and dizziness. With a small convulsion, which was fun I must say....James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-70091381027109086122010-11-13T22:42:00.003-07:002010-11-13T22:53:07.428-07:00Sacrament talkSo I'm giving a talk in sacrament meeting in ten hours and 7 minutes, so enjoy my talk on the Stripling warriors! <br /><br /><br /><br /> Good morning brothers and sisters. For those of you that don’t know me, my name is James Daniel. I’m 18 years old, I grew up in Provo, Utah, but I’ve lived in California twice, Colorado, and Indiana. Most people, who know me, know that I have two loves: Baseball and piano. I’ve been playing and watching baseball for about 8 years, and I’ve been playing the piano for even longer. There are 142 days until my mission papers can be sent into Salt Lake and 268 days until my 19th birthday, so I’m pretty excited to serve a mission. I am currently a political science major at Weber State University, and that’s about it for me.<br /> My purpose today is to speak to you about the 2,000 stripling warriors, and the lessons that we can learn from studying about them. Growing up in primary I had two favorite scripture stories. First was the story of Ammon chopping off all the Lamanite robber’s arms, and let’s face it, what ten old boy isn’t going to love a story about arms being chopped off. Second was the story of Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors. Reading about them in the 53rd and 56th chapter of Alma is always a delight, and I am very excited to discuss the wonderful lessons we learn from these fine young men. <br /> About 90 years before the coming of Christ, the Ammonite people, converted by Ammon, made a wonderful covenant with the Lord to bury their weapons of war deep in the Earth. They covenanted that “they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.” <br /> About 26 years later, the war between the Nephites and Lamanites pressured the Ammonites to break their covenant, and to fight to protect their families and religion. They saw the sacrifice that the Nephites were making for them, and they were “desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country.” A man named Helaman prevented these men from breaking their covenant, and in the process saved their souls. In 53rd chapter of Alma, we read of the sons of the Ammonites, who did not make a covenant with the Lord. In defense of their people, they take up arms, and Helaman takes command of these 2,000 sons of the Ammonites. To make a long story short, the stripling warriors are involved in multiple battles, and to Helaman’s astonishment, none of the 2,000 warriors died.<br /> From the stripling warrior’s mighty example, we can learn of many very important lessons, however I would like to focus on 3. The first is faith. When the stripling warriors went into battle, they had no battle experience at all. They had never as much as picked up a weapon, and yet they had no fear when they went into battle against the Lamanites. They knew that if they did not doubt that God would deliver them and keep them safe. Alma 56: 47 says, “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives.” Like the Stripling warriors, what aspects of our lives can we go into with no fear? For me, it was moving away from home. I’m 18 years old. I was scared to death to move away for the first time away from my family. My first two weeks here in Ogden were miserable, and I had no idea what to do. I missed my family terribly; I still hadn’t made a whole lot of new friends. I was figuratively in my own personal war against an army of Lamanites. Fear is a big part of everybody’s life, but the thing that destroys fear and gives you hope is faith. When you exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, you can conquer entire legions of Lamanite armies. Eventually, I exercised faith and I was able to make friends, and the homesickness and fear dissolved into strength and courage. I know that using faith is easier said than done, but in Alma 56:56, we get to see the results of when the stripling warriors used their faith. Helaman says, “But behold, to my great joy there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.” Not only did none of the Stripling warriors perish, but they scared the Lamanites so much, that they surrendered! And they had never fought before! I imagine looking upon an army of Lamanite soldiers can be quite an intimidating thing, and yet they did not fear. Similar in our life, when we see figurative Lamanite armies and we do not fear, we can do the same things that the stripling warriors did, we will fight against our opposition with mighty power, and eventually we will scare it off. Our fears become scared of us. <br /> The second lesson that we can learn, is obeying the words of our parents. Alma 56:47-48 says, “Yea, they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt, god would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” The Family A Proclamation To The World says, “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live” Parent’s roles are so very important in children’s lives. We can see the effects of righteous parents with the stripling warriors. Their mothers helped them develop such incredible faith, that they conquered multiple armies of the Lamanites. That means that today our parents can do a similar thing. I don’t believe I could have conquered my fear of moving out to Ogden, without the faith and courage that my parents taught me. What an awesome responsibility we will have when we become parents. We will have the ability to teach our children how to conquer any problem, and how to use and exercise faith. And after we teach them faith, they can bring forth mighty miracles.<br /> The third lesson that we learn, is that of good missionary attributes. Alma 53:20-21 lists many attributes that described the stripling warriors that can help us become good missionaries. They were exceedingly valiant for courage; they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted. They were men of truth and soberness. They kept the commandments of God and walked uprightly before him. Elder Ballard in a Liahona article said, “While we are profoundly grateful for the many members of the Church who are doing great things in the battle for truth and right, I must honestly tell you it still is not enough. We need much more help. And so, as the people of Ammon looked to their sons for reinforcement in the war against the Lamanites, we look to you, my young brethren and sisters of the Church. We need you. Like Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors, you also are the spirit sons and daughters of God, and you too can be endowed with power to build up and defend His kingdom. We need you to make sacred covenants, just as they did. We need you to be meticulously obedient and faithful, just as they were…What we need now is the greatest generation of missionaries in the history of the Church. We need worthy, qualified, spiritually energized missionaries who, like Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors, are “exceedingly valiant for courage and also for strength and activity” and who are “true at all times in whatsoever thing they [are] entrusted” (Alma 53:20).<br />Listen to those words, my young brethren and sisters: valiant, courage, strength, active, true. We don’t need spiritually weak and semicommitted young men and woman. We don’t need you to just fill a position; we need your whole heart and soul. We need vibrant, thinking, passionate missionaries who know how to listen to and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t a time for spiritual weaklings. We cannot send you on a mission to be reactivated, reformed, or to receive a testimony. We just don’t have time for that. We need you to be filled with “faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God” (D&C 4:5).” <br />Although we have no record of the stripling warriors serving full time missions, their example can help everybody be better missionaries, even if you are not officially called as a full-time missionary. It will help those brothers and sisters serving full time missions, but it will also help those who do not go on missions, and those who have returned from serving missions. Those who have returned from serving missions, your work is not yet done. When living by these attributes, you can be such an example to those who are not of our faith, and serve all of God’s children. These attributes can also apply to magnifying your calling. If everybody were to serve in their callings with these kinds of attributes, can you imagine how our church would be? Can you imagine the kind of missionaries that the church could produce, if all the young men in our church lived by these qualities? <br />The stripling warriors are an incredible group of young men, from whom we can and have learned many valuable lessons. Their tale is incredible, and the lessons we learn from them are priceless. There is a very important reason why Moroni included their story in the Book of Mormon, and we cannot ignore the multiple lessons we learn from them. I touched on just a few, the more you read of their account, the more lessons you will learn.<br />I know that this church is true. It cannot be false. I know that Joseph Smith, did see the Father and the son in the Sacred Grove. I know that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, and that is God's word to us on the Earth today. I know that Jesus is the Christ, and that he did atone for all of my sins, and all of your sins. I know that President Monson is God's prophet on the Earth today, and that he receives God's will for his children today. In this I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-52063781325515753602010-11-05T01:06:00.004-06:002010-11-05T01:22:51.470-06:00QuotesYes it is currently 1:06 in the morning, and yes I am completing a blog post right now. My friends a floor above me recently began the process of completing a quote "door" in which they post random quotes written upon post it upon their door. In a similar fashion I will post some of my favorite quotes from my college experience on my lovely blog. <br /><br />Diego:"Your shirt is so red, did you join a Nazi group or something?"<br />Kim:"No I didn't join a Nazi group..."<br />Limson:"Oh do you mean the relief society?" <br /><br />Taylor:"Tanya your leg is so warm!"<br /><br />Taylor:"Everybody should touch Tanya."<br /><br />Nacho Libre:"Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun."<br /><br />Megan: "Can't sleep - but too sleepy to get up and get the drugs. Surely, this is what hell is like." <br /><br />Megan: "I feel like a butterfly hitchhiking on an airplane." <br /><br />Megan: "There's no worse feeling than sitting on a warm toilet seat."<br /><br />Kenna: "Ah, we meet again." <br /><br />Diego,"What if Limson were black?"<br />Kinsley,"Then he would look like Michael Jackson." <br /><br />James,"What if Vance gave birth to a unicorn."<br />Heather,"Then I would be seriously disturbed!" <br /><br /><br />You have just experienced some of the most lovely quotes I have experienced in college. I certainly hope you enjoyed them, and got some sort of giggle from them. Perhaps in the future I'll have a new assorted batch of quotes that are possibly profound or life changing, However i seriously doubt that since my friends are the funny sort of people, rather than the profound sort of people. They give Michael Jackson quotes, rather than the quotes given by Ghandi.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-11096644307118158322010-11-03T21:38:00.003-06:002010-11-03T21:45:54.634-06:00I'm sick of schoolToday I had the disgusting thought of how many more years I will be in school... at least 7 more years (9 if you include mission time). Yuck. I'll be 27 by the time I am done with all my schooling. If I'm sick of college now, one semester into my college experience, I can't stomach the thought of graduating with a doctorate degree 9 years in the future. 9 years! That is how old my youngest sister is, and it seems like forever ago she was born. I cannot express my distaste toward 14 more semesters of college. Good thing I'll get a two year respite from my mission I suppose! <br /><br />mission countdowns<br />122 days until I start my papers <br />153 days until my papers go in<br />275 days until my 19th birthday!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-83848477291059980752010-10-11T00:17:00.004-06:002010-10-11T09:55:23.344-06:00ConferenceOne of my favorite talks from general conference was Elder Ballard's talk, "O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One." He spoke very movingly on devices that Satan uses to ensnare and capture us with. He made a very impressive analogy between a fly fisherman hand carving a lure to capture a fish. He said, "The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman studies trout behavior, weather, the water current, and the types of insects trout eat and when those insects hatch. He will often craft by hand the lures he uses. He knows these artificial insects embedded with tiny hooks need to be a perfect deception because the trout will identify even the slightest flaw and reject the fly." He compared this to how Satan "handcrafts" his lures to ensnare the children of God. One of the traps that Satan uses in our modern days, is addictions. Elder Ballard spoke of the usual addictions that plagues our world today, but he added a new addiction to the list. One I had never thought as something that could be addicting. Elder Ballard spoke of the technology that addicts us as a human race. He said, "There is also great concern about some of the pernicious, addictive behaviors like gambling and evil pornography that are so personally destructive and so rampant in our society. Remember, brothers and sisters, any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent. Thus, video-gaming and texting on cell phones need to be added to the list. Some gamers claim to spend up to 18 hours a day going through level after level of video games, neglecting all other aspects of their lives. Texting on cell phones can become an addiction, causing the important interpersonal human communication to become lost. Not long ago a bishop told me two of his youth were standing side by side texting one another rather than talking to each other." I have never thought that I could ever be addicted to texting, but now looking back, I can see that I have been! Another technology that can be addicting is that of Facebook. I spend WAY too much time on Facebook, keeping myself updated on aspects of people's lives, that I just frankly don't care too much about, and yet, I can't stop! Every time I log onto firefox, I find myself automatically typing in Facebook's web address. Technology should be use for furthering the gospel, and every time something comes along to further the gospel, Satan jumps in with his counterfeit. Trying to ensnare us in something to prevent us from furthering God's plan for His children. Use the advancements of technology for good, not for your own pleasure! I know I have things to work on!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-87087708671317507242010-10-02T21:07:00.003-06:002010-10-03T09:24:55.108-06:00DisclaimerI wrote my last blog post before president Uchtdorf's talk in the October 2nd priesthood session of general conference. I had no idea he would speak on almost the exact same thing!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-65112451067973914522010-10-02T13:57:00.005-06:002010-10-02T14:48:47.822-06:00I'm slowly begninng to hate sportsDon't get me wrong I LOVE sports. I do enjoy watching sports, but the rivalries are draining my love for it. For example I love BYU, but because I love BYU I am expected to hate the U of U. I think the U of U is a fine school, and i think they have fine athletic programs. I was reading some comments on my friend's facebook status about Utah State's win over BYU, and the things this young man was saying about BYU and my religon was terrible. I don't understand how anybody can have such hate and enmity towards a school, and every person that attends that school. I think rivalries could be a fun simple things, but people take them WAY too far. The BYU and U of U rivalry is now completely blown out of proportion, and the people who are participating in the awful fight, frankly need to grow up. People attending and participating in the rivalry are in college, they are seen as adults in the United State's eyes, and they behave like spoiled children. As Elder Quentin L. Cook said in the second session of general conference, "treat ever person as a son and daughter of God. The fact that I am now prone to get in an argument every time my favorite team loses to Utah University, or any sports team in general, has completely ruined the enjoyment of watching sports. Fans all over the world, please... just grow up.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-61804261723482251212010-09-28T15:41:00.002-06:002010-09-28T15:48:45.938-06:00Why can't we be friends?Chunky peanut butter or smooth peanut butter? The two types of peanut butter seem to be bitter rivals. Like BYU and U of U, it seems like you can't like either one, unless you are a weirdo. I'm one of those weirdos who enjoys both chunky and smooth peanut butter. Both have delicious peanutty benefits, and it doesn't seem like either has a negative side to it. You get your nice "crunch" from the peanut butter, and the nice smooth feeling from the smooth. Why everybody can't enjoy both styles is beyond me. Every time I mention that I enjoy both styles, I get very odd looks back. Nobody enjoys both! Peanut butter is peanut butter, it doesn't matter the texture of the peanut butter. Stop arguing! Just enjoy the sweet peanutty taste of peanut butter!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-84374657004194647232010-09-18T22:38:00.003-06:002010-09-18T23:00:17.072-06:00I like collegeI'm starting to enjoy college now. Here is a list of my favorite things. (In no particular order)<br /><br />1. Playing a piano with four broken keys<br />2. Losing 6 pounds in four weeks <br />3. Playing spoons until 2 in the morning <br />4. Playing ward volleyball with 20 teammates <br />5. Pita Pit <br />6. 4 games of bowling for $5.00<br />7. Having my roommate disappear for a week<br />8. Getting drenched with foam<br />9. Having my name appear on a fridge for no apparent reason<br />10. Taking 9 tests in 2 weeks <br />11. Tripping on every staircase I walk on<br />12. The football practice horn<br />13. Leaving the football game at halftime, then finding out that the game went into 4 overtimes, and Weber in fact won the game.<br />14. Seeing my bowling teacher at the football game without a shirt<br />15. Watching 5 seasons of the office in two weeks<br />16. Forgetting my ID, and running back to my dorm room to get it so I can get into a class<br />17. Having one of my coworkers leaving work early because he was too hungover<br />18. Leaving my ID at pizza factory <br />19. Remember the Titans<br />20. Discovering that Oreos are dark brown, not black.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-53999471657334973182010-09-15T16:39:00.002-06:002010-09-15T16:47:40.763-06:00History of MusicSo i haven't blogged in quite a while.... ha sorry. Anyway I wrote this Essay about my own personal music history. Hope everyone enjoys it!<br /><br /><br />My first memory of being exposed to music was ten years and 36 days ago. On my 8th birthday my sweet mother introduced me to the beauty of the piano through formal piano lessons. Very rapidly in my studies of the piano I was introduced to wondrous and beauty melodies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. While I was learning basic musical theory and classical style music on the piano, my mother once again introduced me to music coupled with words, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Although I did receive many queer looks from my schoolmates when I informed them that my favorite music was classical, I was very proud of my musical tastes. The combination of classical music and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir served as a base to my favorite musical styles for years to come. <br /> After my 8th birthday, the only music I can recall listening to (other than piano music I was playing and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) was in the movies that I watched. I quickly developed a taste for musical scores from movies. In fact, the first song I ever purchased was a song from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and I still enjoy musical scores today. Through grade school and seventh grade I participated in the band programs as a percussionist to stay involved with orchestra type music. I even won a student of the year award, and from that award I was able to obtain an acoustic guitar. I quickly set to work teaching myself the rhythms of the acoustic guitar, and I still have a small knowledge of that instrument today. By 8th grade I was able to play the piano, the acoustic guitar, snare drums, bass drums, vibraphone, xylophone, and many more percussion instruments fluently.<br /> <br /> When I entered 8th grade, I quickly found my musical selection changing. Because of my background in piano, acoustic guitar, and percussion, I was drawn to music that had primarily those three instruments. In time I found my favorite artists: The Fray, Jack Johnson, and Jon Schmidt. All three have piano, guitar, or percussion as the main instrument portrayed. While I do enjoy other types of music; the more piano, acoustic guitar, or percussion a song has in the song, the more drawn I am to enjoy it. My background with these three instruments helps me relate to the song better. <br /> Music to me is a way to serve. A wise man once told me, “May you have the sense of using your talent as a means of bringing beauty and joy into the lives of others.”I believe that music is a way to uplift and make people feel good. I strive to use the music that I play to serve people. I consider myself a musician, and as such I make music quite often. While I love playing music, I still love to listen to other artists as a consumer. Listening to other artists as a consumer helps me also as a musician. It helps me imagine new music puzzle pieces that I put together when I create my own music. <br />I enrolled in Music 1010 hoping that it would be an introductory course on musical theory. I was sorely disappointed on my first day of music 1010. I took the class because of the fine arts credit offered, but I stay because of the fascinating information I learn about my own craft. From learning the history of music, I can provide a more melodic future for music.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-53116270560645472662010-08-24T16:41:00.003-06:002010-08-24T17:02:44.667-06:00collegeThe first three days of living on my own have been hard. I've never experienced homesickness before, but I do now. It seems like I can't concentrate in my classes, nor can I make any friends, because I seem so down and depressed. Added upon my homesickness is my desire to know what I want to be when I grow up. I get nervous every time I ponder about it. I switched my major from athletic training to general education, which cost me almost 300 more dollars extra in book fees because the Weber State bookstore won't give me a refund on my athletic training books, because I took the plastic off the books. Added upon all of that is my lack of a job and friends. searching for a part time job in our current economy is frustrating to say the least. the only way that I can get through college is to find a job to support myself. It's been a lonely three days for me. My dorm room is the worst prison cell on the face of the planet. It seems like a weightlifter had dropped a dozen 700 pound weights on my back, and I have to carry those around from class to class. I'm so scared, and there is only one piece of knowledge that will help me get through this: My knowledge of my savior's atonement. My elder brother, Jesus Christ, suffered the agonies of Gethsemane so that I can return to live to my Heavenly Father again. In the third chapter of Mosiah, seventh verse, we read, "And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people." Christ knows exactly how I feel right now. He suffered for it in the Atonement. I'll never be alone with His atonement in mind, and that goes for everyone. He knows what you have experienced, and He is anxious to help you. <br />I also found words of comfort in section 121 in the Doctrine and Covenants. Verse 7 and 8 read, "My son, peace be unto thy soul: thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." Later in the section it speaks of Job, the "perfect" man from the book of Job. We all know of his trials, he lost everything he had, and then lost even more. I am not yet as Job, so I guess I should stop complaining. I'll get through this. I know I will. Pray for me!James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-70180089771065070842010-08-20T10:08:00.003-06:002010-08-20T10:17:02.666-06:00Last DayToday is my last full day in Provo. It is my last day living in the place I've called home for 18 days. It is the last day I have the security of my home surrounding me. It is the last day that I will sleep in a comfortable queen sized bed, before moving to a less comfortable dorm sized bed. Needless to say I'm a bit nervous to set out on my own. I think the nervousness cancels out my excitement. I guess that's part of growing up though right?James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-59600448776947212922010-08-11T23:38:00.002-06:002010-08-11T23:43:50.435-06:00Family Vacation 2010 Pictures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLsv7fIQlykB1OKRdmaZW9uVilBkZdZ_8XIt7hm3Tx-gVKOE9Cz0vXkPxk_dbJdtMqHqo1B7osO23ByCwiHQzZp28YIrGgcYCSXNQSq3HGaAQHsIga2Zm0HWTnpVOekHTeUvm-vOdVHE/s1600/DSCN0737.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLsv7fIQlykB1OKRdmaZW9uVilBkZdZ_8XIt7hm3Tx-gVKOE9Cz0vXkPxk_dbJdtMqHqo1B7osO23ByCwiHQzZp28YIrGgcYCSXNQSq3HGaAQHsIga2Zm0HWTnpVOekHTeUvm-vOdVHE/s200/DSCN0737.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504394859006139970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDscW4ZNTDIYj8ByLg863k-MDH7HT0HNjOE0eTfV46ccEyCDJCxQyOP9EntJU-cqBM6RHddX3yK_lQHuo4lAp0pMmlzlvdXqIiLq73e5ZpwEhyDwQlFzTBE6cq-lkvWdRA44jgcKuZeY/s1600/DSCN0734.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; 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cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Tx7DYFTfMEtu91dqp9hfnxSSICo1rmC1c02QwjCTlNjzq81mpfVKf7OyEHyZhw3FxPo0jQrHtsuG7pjaOHoeqGB6nzjUGhs2JlZm81SofHbVmZic_To4argiUhvwMcMycW7GwRh2r_4/s200/DSCN0671.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504393937681802210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt7zfInDwNiCGIQiL8DtPvhww-RZhlGmzWIJfH5QXxWfGxo45QmoH4aEDiwRnPnwFHEaEig6XI_crB6cN-tySZyUvsCNJdQPL6zP5yVzjwGZbxojPZ9Uma09F8c3eErR0BfeTc76SEDk/s1600/DSCN0672.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt7zfInDwNiCGIQiL8DtPvhww-RZhlGmzWIJfH5QXxWfGxo45QmoH4aEDiwRnPnwFHEaEig6XI_crB6cN-tySZyUvsCNJdQPL6zP5yVzjwGZbxojPZ9Uma09F8c3eErR0BfeTc76SEDk/s200/DSCN0672.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504393927351314306" /></a>James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-59492875866123403242010-08-11T22:40:00.009-06:002010-08-12T10:38:23.545-06:00Family VactionToday I got home from my family vacation from Island Park. We left Sunday after my ordination as an Elder, then arrived at my aunt and uncle's house four hours later. we spent the night there, then woke up at 6:30 the following morning. Me, my sister, and my cousin saddled up her horses and helped my uncle round up his cattle. We spent all morning riding horses and rounding up cattle to send to a feeding farm so our fellow Americans can enjoy the privilege of eating meat. After our adventure as cowboys and cowgirls we began driving to the cabin we would stay in for three days. On the way we stopped at Mesa Falls. <br /><br /><br />After our brief intervention at Mesa Falls, we arrived at our cabin and hour later. Our first night consisted of board games, movies, and food. After our first night in very comfortable beds, we left to go to Yellowstone National Park. It was my fist time going there in almost 10 years. We drove around for hours, visiting various geysers, and watching the geysers spurt water swiftly out of the ground. Then almost immediately as the boiling water reacted with the air, it turned into steam. We even got to watch "old faithful" exploded with a very large geyser. In fact the largest in North America. <br /><br /> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzg9_KAkTVRamrdMGfaUIJqo6fqnJwHMF3lnt8UZz2qtcnkHGaINiu4kYhIyzMD1TQdk6ia8r9Mgemt-wgOzw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />After our encounter with Old Faithful we drove another two hours, passing the most beautiful tress and lakes. When you looked at the lake, you couldn't tell when the lake ended and the sky begun. The sky and the mountains were reflected off the water, making the most beautiful image in the lake. On our two hour drive to the upper and lower falls we faced a herd of bison. They decided to ignore the masses of honking cars and walk into the road, backing up traffic for miles. <br /><br />We finally made it past the bison and proceed to view the upper and lower falls of Yellowstone park. The upper waterfall was a swirling flurry of water, rushing down a 100 foot drop. The lower waterfall was comparable to my favorite waterfall, havasu falls in the grand canyon. The lower fall was at least double the height of its upper counterpart and at least double the ferocity and beauty. <br /><br />After our visit to the two falls our trip to Yellowstone was over. We survived the herd of bison and the 5/8 of a mile hike to both the falls. we survived at least 6 hours in the car going only 10 miles an hour most of the time. Yellowstone is a beautiful place.<br /><br />We drove back to our homely cabin and played more board games, then promptly went to sleep. Our eyelids were struggling to stay open after our third game of 1-100. We awoke this morning and drove home! That was my 2010 family vacation.James_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1341655983738691633.post-75739903000163400692010-07-31T22:11:00.005-06:002010-08-01T09:55:20.694-06:00Writer's blockSometimes I have writer's block... thus preventing me from writing a interesting blog piece. I apologize for my lack of engaging ideas and thoughts. Unfortunately my thoughts are swirling in a bit of a haze right now, and they refuse to settle just long enough for me to write a blog post. So until my thoughts stop their thrill ride in my head, I cannot access them to entertain readers. Hopefully you could entertain yourself with a nice snack, or perhaps a relaxing nap. It may be a while before I write something worth reading.<br /><br /><br />5 days until my birthday<br /><br />21 days until i move out<br /><br />23 days until classes startJames_Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06499058790438988292noreply@blogger.com0