My Lord, My Savior

My Lord, My Savior

Nothing else matters when I think of thee.

All fears, insecurities will suddenly flee.

They sacrifice for us was done.

The battle against Satan will be won.

Everything I can do seems so miniscule

But I am more than that, I am a jewel.

Something little can do so much.

Do your best and each life you can touch.

July 2014

Logan 

Ogden openhouse

Jordan River

Jordan River with KB

Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo

Salt Lake City

Brigham City

TEMPLES

The blessings of a temple 

the design not so simple

questions in your heart

ask, and answers will start

to enter your mind

and you will soon find

the Lord cares for you

has a plan for you to do.

Love of God inside the walls

he'll help you through life's halls

it's ups and downs 

it's smiles and frowns

God can always be there

just open your heart and share

Oquirrh

So for my 2014 New Years Resolutions I decided that I wanted to make the temple a bigger part of my life and a priority.  I was living in Cedar City, UT at the time and so the closest temple was the St. George temple 45 minutes away.  I decided that with my crazy schedule with school and everything that I could make time for the temple at least once a month.  I thought about it like this, it's only 12 times the whole year, I can do this!  I'm pretty sure that I went at least once, if not more each month while I was in Cedar City.
In May, I moved back home for good.  I decided that I wanted to do my student teaching in South Jordan and live at home. I realized that now I was near 4 temples and it was Summer time.  I no longer had any excuses for not going to the temple even more than once a month.  I decided that I would go to the temple each week.  My friend Kristine Broome helped me accomplish this goal.  We wanted to do lifting workouts together and decided that we would lift 4 times a week, with a break in the middle on Wednesday mornings to go to the temple.  What a great friend and amazing example she is!!  So, this is where it started!  I think that I missed maybe a couple of weeks during the summer because of traveling and such.  

Jordan River with Nani

Before my student teaching started in August I decided that the only way I was going to "get through" and complete it was if I put the Lord first.  I decided that one way I would put the Lord first was to go to the temple each week, continuing my new Summer tradition.  I can proudly say that I did NOT miss a week the whole time I was student teaching.  I did not always get up in the mornings to work out, but I ALWAYS got up to go to the temple.  The workers on Wednesday mornings at the Jordan River Temple now know who I am and it is now a habit in my life.  I cannot tell you how much of a blessing it has been in my life.  It gave me something to look forward to right in the middle of my busy week.  It helped me refocus my mind and efforts.  It gave me strength and power to do hard things and overcome weaknesses or temptations.  I LOVE THE TEMPLE with all my heart!  I have had many prayers answered, revelation through scriptures and thoughts, as I have spent time in the temple.  

St. George with Maria Lee

D&C 97

15 And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it;

16 Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.  

17 But if it be defiled I will not come unto it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into unholy temples.  

St. George with the Hansen girls

I believe that as we spend time in the temple we are helping our own personal temples.  Our bodies are temples and we feed our spirits and temples each time we make time for the Lord and attend the temple.  We will have his presence with us as we attend the temple and people who we come in contact with will be able to see God through us.

I am grateful that Heavenly Father helped me keep my promise of attending the temple each week, this year.  I have learned so much, drawn closer to my Savior, received answers, been strengthened, and developed a strong testimony of the temple.  I will continue this habit throughout the new year!  What a blessing this gospel is in my life!!    

St. George with Jackson, Amber, Emalee, & Robbie

Manti Temple

Shanae's wedding Manti Temple

Draper

Manti Pageant

Manti Temple

St. George with Katie Lloyd and Alyssa Hall

St. George with Amber Swann

50 things you need to know if you wanna be my friend.

This idea is courtesy of my cute cousin Aleisha a long time ago and she got it from some other people...so it's been passed down along a huge line of people!  I just loved the idea though because it's gonna make me think about the things that make me who I am. :)

1. I am obsessed with earrings, hats, t-shirts, swimsuits, and Sunday clothes!
      *currently the count is 70+ earrings, 21 hats, at least 60 t-shirts, 12 or more swimsuits, 24 skirts, and 18 dresses ha-ha
2. Some of my most favorite foods are: Lasagna, sweet-n-sour chicken, cherry orchard Yoplait yogurt, spinach, maple donuts, banana shakes, oatmeal, Recess peanut butter cups, swedish fish, and twizzlers.
3. I love basically any kind of music...really into country right now, but just to name a few of my favs: Colbie Caillat, Ingrid Michaelson, Ed Sheeran, Sara Bareilles, The Coors, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Gavin DeGraw, John Mayer, Jason Reeves, David Archuleta, Train, Jack Johnson, Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift, He Is We, Celine Dion, etc :)
4.  I love notebooks, planners, anything you can write lists and plan on!  I get super excited when I see them at stores, and just have the urge to buy another one, even though I haven't finished with my others...this is the teacher inside coming out :)
5. Containers...I love containers.  Anything cute to put things in, to organize.  I am weird.
6. I love nail polish and having my nails done.  There is seldom times where my toes and nails aren't painted with at least left over polish.

7.  I am really silly, and love to laugh.  Stupid jokes and play on words are hilarious to me.
8. I think the only food I have discovered that I really don't enjoy is tomato soup.  I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to food.
9. I love journals, pictures, memories.  I love to save things from places I go or things I see!
10. I love to do crafts.  Whether creating something from an original idea, someone else's, or just straight-up decorating, I love it!  
11. In my spare time I like to do weird things like: clean and organize.  Like I live for it.  I'd rather do it than a lot of other things.
12.  I love taking pictures of everything.  It's my way of remember things that happen.  If you saw my computer and hard drive you would know.
13.  Ever since I was young I have always cared about my sister Erika.  I'd be out with my mom and we'd go out to McDonalds or something for a reward...I would have to save some fries to share with Erika later, even though she didn't have to know we went out to eat without her!  To this day, I usually have to get Erika things that I get myself.  The other day, I got some sandals that were on sale from Target.  Got some for me...and got some for Erika.
14. I absolutely love the mail man and "snail mail".  I love getting it, I love sending it!  LOVE!  Something exciting about going out to the mailbox and finding a letter with your name written on it...or thinking about that happening to someone else!
15. LOVE Savers and the D.I. (or the D as Grandma Bentley called it yesterday..ha-ha)  "Savers has saved my life" and "When you go to the D.I., you have to have the eye"...are things Sof and I would say all the time.  I love getting deals and things from clearance, I always make it known too when people ask.  You could say I'm thrifty!
16. I LOVE clocks and watches!  Another thing I get excited to see at Walmart.  But...I hate ticking...oxymoron?
17. Some of my pet peeves are popping knuckles and other parts of the body, and when the toilet paper roll is on the wrong direction.
18. I love playing basketball, running, dancing, and lifting weights to stay in shape.
19. I love being tall!  Well, it's all I've ever known really, but I do love it.  You can see more, reach more, and it's just great!
20. I am somewhat of a hoarder.  When I was younger I used to collect the little kid's meal boxes and play with them.  I've grown up since then, so most things that I "hoard" I use!  So that's not considering hoarding then right? :)
21. I love to write poetry and to read it! Rhyming is my favorite, but I have done some free verse.
22. I have a goal to visit and do work at all the Utah temples...slowly but surely.
23. I want to ride in a hot air balloon someday!
24. I love birthdays and giving gifts!  It is so much fun for me to think of something to give and then their faces when they get it is always priceless and makes me want to do it even more!
25. I have a somewhat random desire to travel.  A lot!  I wanna go to Europe, Japan, Australia, all around the United States!  Once I'm graduated and earning money, here I come world!
26.  I love random adventures and being spontaneous...most of the time.  If I don't already have set plans in my trusty dusty planner that is :)
27. I am a rule follower.  It's seldom that you'd see me doing something I'm not supposed to.
28. I love people!  I love making connections and hearing about everyone's lives.
29. I like to be loved.  Who doesn't!  You can show me you love me through spending time with me, hugging me, talking with me, serving me, basically...anything I do to you that makes you happy, I would love the same back to me!  Which is probably why I try to do it to others because I know I would like it :)
30. I have only kissed one boy and had one boyfriend.  I am either very picky, too tall, or hard to date...hmmmm....:)
31. I used to be very shy, but consider myself no where near that anymore.  Well, except in certain situations of course.  Most of the time I like to be in the center of the party and involved.
32.  Speaking of involved, I have a hard time going to bed early because I don't want to miss out on things that are going on.  This was hard in college, a little easier now that I am living back at home.
33. I love to listen to people and what they have to say.  I have realized that people come to me when they need to talk.  It's not that I have the best advice or even ever know what to say, a lot of the time I just listen and let them know that I care about them.  It's pretty odd though because friends that I am not really close to will come to me with things.  I guess I'll take it as a compliment and think that I am approachable :)
34. I am pretty sensitive a lot of the time.  I want to be accepted and loved by all, so sometimes a lot of teasing, rudeness, or when I am gained up upon, I can totally shut down and usually remove myself from the situation in tears.  I am trying to get better at this and not take things so personally, but it is part of who I am too!  I am just tender :)
35. My favorite color changes, but lately it's been turquoise, teal, coral, but if I had to give one, I would say turquoise, for some reason I'm drawn to it, I think it's my birth stone.
36. I drive a tan Chevy Impala grandma car...it's got a smooth ride.
37. I love playing games!
38. I love parties and planning them!
39. My family is everything to me and I love being involved in all the gatherings and activities.
40. I am trying to learn how to play the guitar.
41. I only just barely figured out my true shoe size.  I used to think I was always a size 11...I would just copy the basketball shoes that Erika got cause I thought I was the same.  I think I am slightly smaller...depends on the shoes, but I can fit anything from a 9-11!  :)
42. I love temples, the gospel, institute, YSA activities anything to do with the church!
43. I love Disney and just love to quote movies!
44. I don't know if I am a morning person or a night person...I love sleeping in, but seldom do it because I have so many things to do each day...I like going to bed early because it feels good, but I also seldom do this because I don't wanna miss out on anything, like I mentioned above.  So I guess in conclusion, I am an every time person!

45. I can get ready really fast and still look good. In fact I am pro, because I am usually running late!
46. My favorite restaurant is undecided because I love all food and it just depends on my mood!  Here are some favs though: I-Hop, Mimi's Cafe, Chick-fi-la, Wendy's, Jimmy Johns, Einstein Bagels, Smash Burger, and Subway!
47. I was an alto in choir from 7th grade to my senior year and loved every minute!  Singing is the best!
48. I took piano for 7 or 8 years.  I am trying to teach myself how to play the guitar now!
49. Some of my favorite movies are: Princess Bride, Emperor's New Groove, Finding Nemo, Little Mermaid, Megamind, Toy Story, She's the Man, Anastasia, etc.
50. Lake Powell is my most favorite vacation spot!

Ever thought about??

...why they haven't made a holiday in August?
...why we schedule ourselves so much that we are so busy we forget to eat?  (well that doesn't happen too often, I'm a true Bentley :)
...why when we do have a second of free time we spend it on facebook or waste it
    or...we quickly schedule something for ourselves before we get to bored (at least that's what I do)
...what Flag Day is for? well...In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.
...what the future holds?