Keep on Dreamin

One of my very favorite bands, Eli Young Band to be exact, sings a song called Even If It Breaks Your Heart. It goes a little something like this:

Oh, oh, I can hear 'em singin
Keep on dreamin even if it breaks your heart.

And that's what I want to focus on. Keep dreaming.

Ever heard of Walt Disney? One genius guy, if you ask me. Did he ever stop dreaming? He couldn't have. And now we get to enjoy his dream of creating a magical fantasy world of Disney.

We all have dreams. Everyone does. It's a part of being human. We hope, we want, and we dream for things that we might eventually get, and even for things we know we will never have.

The point is that somewhere along the quest for a dream, it's going to get bashed and beaten a little bit. You might get made fun of for your dream. You might not reach your dream for a really long time, no matter how bad you want it.

That's ok. Without dreams, there would be no excitement in life. If we instantly got everything we wanted the instant we wanted it, we would never be truly satisfied with what we end up getting. Waiting for something is a way to see if you really want it.

Whenever I go shopping, my mom tells me to put it back on the rack and if I'm still dying to get it the next day, then it is worth buying. Otherwise it would have sat in my closet like the rest of my clothes.

So think of the dream that seems the hardest to wait for, the one that gives you as much grief as it does happiness sometimes. Once you find that dream, keep it. Hold onto that dream with all you got. The chances of that dream helping you soar to new heights is very likely.

So find your dream and don't let it down. If you keep believing, then it will keep you going.

Keep on dreamin, even if it breaks your heart.

-Bree

Thanksgiving

It was just thanksgiving and this weekend has given me time to think of things that I am grateful for:

1. Family. They're my best friends through everything, even when they just drive me crazy. Without them I wouldn't be here. I truly love them.
2. Kade Cook. Let's face it, he's one of the best things that ever happened to me, and I love the boy. He made me grow in more ways than one and I miss him, but I wouldn't trade ANY of our experiences for anything.
3. My bed and my blankets. I love to cuddle, and as of recently, these became my only cuddle buddies. And who doesn't love coming home to their very own bed?
4. My cat. Even though he kinda drives me crazy, I still love him. He makes me happy when he comes to me and wants to be petted. Silly, but still(:
5. Fantabulous roommates. How blessed am I to have been randomly put with 5 other girls, and yet we ended up being the best of friends? They've been there for me through preddy much everything, and I couldn't have asked for better girls to live with.
6. The internet. It makes homework easier and lets me connect with my friends that are all around the world. Without this shnazzy invention, I would lose contact with so many people I love.
7. My friends. Sure I always joke that I have no friends (which is partly true(; haha) but I really have been blessed with some dear girl friends. No matter how long it's been since we last talked, I know that we'll always be able to pick up like we never missed a beat, and that's important.
8. Missionaries. I know too many to even count in countries all over the world. Hearing from them helps me keep my mind focus on the end goal which is eternal life with our Heavenly Father. They each tell me about miracles that seem small, and yet they are huge in the way that they testify of the truth of this gospel. How grateful I am for those who preach God's word.
9. My calling. Sure, it stresses me out each week I teach because I feel so young and inadequate, but then I teach and I love the feeling I have. It can be stressful, but I learn so much. It makes me grow, and why should I be selfish with the knowledge I have?
10. BYU-I. Most of the rumors may be true, and yet there is a whole other side to the university. The fact that the spirit is ever present is not advertised as much as it should be.
11. Seasons. It might seems silly, but how do people not have snow at Christmas or sunshine on the fourth of July? What about the person who has never seen leaves turn in the fall? These simple phenomenons leave me breathless and I love the four seasons.
12. Babies. Holding baby Warren made me realize how sweet and innocent babies really are. They truly are close to the veil. When they 'zone out' and 'can't focus on anything' I'm sure they're looking at the angel standing behind us. They truly are a little piece of heaven we get to hold.
13. Idaho. The best place on earth. With open fields and forests galore, who doesn't love Idaho? It's safe and fairly peaceful, with natural beauty draped across it's land. I love Idaho.
14. Holidays. They're little things, and yet the reason we all love them is because they bring people together. People from all walks of life, wherever they're from, join together and for once political and social things don't matter. On the fourth of July, everyone is proud to be an American. They're the few times a year when our country decides to be banded together.
15. Failing. If I never failed in my life, I never would have learned anything. Failures keep a person humble and on their toes. They keep us moving in the right direction.
16. Music. Those songs that seems to speak to your soul: Jason Aldean: See you when I see you; Eden's Edge: Christ Alone; Josh Turner: anything and everything he sings; Tim McGraw: My best friend; Glee: Lucky; just to name a few.
17. A job. Sure, I work in custodial and people give me the look that reads "ooh that sucks, I'm sorry' but to those people I want to tell them that their perception sucks. I have one of the best jobs ever. My hours are great, I work in a beautiful building, and I'm learning so much. Everything I'm learning to do I will definitely be using through my entire life. Not to mention, I work with some of the best people in the world.
18. Little letters. Those notes someone slipped into my locker sophomore year? Ya, I still read those. The silly letters given to me across the years, the little pick me ups or 'how you doin?'s I kept them all, and I read them when I'm done. How wonderful to know that people look out for each other.
19. Smiles. How dreary would life be with smiles? Smiling makes a person truly beautiful.
20. Tears. They're cleansing and healing. They are not a sign of weakness...they're just a different way of looking into a person's soul and what they're feeling.
21. No letters or emails. They teach patience and redefine the gravity of the situation. It puts me back in my place; this isn't about me being supported, but about me supporting him. It's a good reminder.
22. Memories. Whether they are physical or mental, memories often serve as therapy and a reminder of happy times and blessings we can often times overlook.
23. Health. It's one of the things that we don't seem to fully appreciate until we don't have it anymore. Taking care of ourselves is important. These bodies are a gift, after all.
24. The temple. Not only are they physically beautiful, but they provide so many beautiful spiritual opportunities. The temple is how I am sealed to my family and how I will be sealed to my future family. I can't wait till I am able to see the rest of the blessings the temple offers.
25. Dance. What a miracle in my life. It is the stress reliever and self worth builder of my life. I believe that God puts activities on this earth for us each to find so we can, in turn, find a part of ourselves.
26. Priest Lake. My favorite place on earth. I love this place with all of my heart and give it a lot of credit as to why my family is as close as it is. Two weeks of nothing but family sounds painful, but there it is not. I love that lake and I can not wait till I am able to share it with my own family.
27. Flowers. Silly yes, but they are so meaningful. We give flowers on Valentines Day, at weddings and funerals. They are so symbolic, and yet they are so common place and little. They are often overlooked. I love flowers because of their small and simple beauty, much like the people we love dearly - seemingly common, and yet they have their moments that are so special.
28. Change. This can be painful, and much of the time is unwanted, and yet, it is one of the few things anyone can count on in life. Without change, we would never do anything. Thank heavens for change!
29. The moon. And stars. And sunrises. And sunsets. We see them over the course of every 24 hours, and yet they awe me each time I see them. They represent the beginning and end of each day, of opportunities. They connect us with people around the world because they are universal. They're beautiful phenomenons.
30. Christ. It is through Christ that we have this life that we can live. Through Christ, Heavenly Father was able to give us the atonement - they best gift I could ever ask for. I love him.

-Bree

Week 1 and 2

I've also decided that I'm going to post Kade's emails on here so you can stay updated on what he is doing.

He sounds like he is doing fairly well. Still miss my farm boy though...just glad to know he's in the Lord's hands.

Enjoy!

Week 2:

hello everyone!

 

i guess ill just start from the top. this week we started to teach yolanda! she looks a heck of a lot like my teacher! anyway i dont know what i was thinking but as soon as we knocked on her front door i had this terrible realization... i dont speak spanish! so lets just say it was an experiance that left me stressed and i was on the verge of breaking down when one of the instructors came review with us. not gunna lie i have like no clue what he said but he wipped out a scripture and said something about the language. the scripture said something about all things are possible if it be the will of jesus christ. it was like i got hit by truck! the spirit was so strong! later in the weel we listened to elder bednars talk to the missionaries on christmas and he said, the natural man is the exact opposite of christ, you think that you cant learn the language you think you cant be a missionary and your right, but with gods help you can. so im not as stressed any more!

 

also, anyone ever hear of a guy named russle m neilson? ya he came this week and gave alot of spiritual thought. he told us about i think it was section 85? in D and C maybe not but find it and read it it made me feel better with my home sickness its about a missionary named thomas. its 80 something... its way cool. ya any was i shook elder neilsons had it was great.

 

so now that i got the spiritual experiances out of the way now comes the exciting parts of my week. i tell you this, relying on the hope that someone stops mom from getting on a plane to come get me! :)

 

so we were scheduled to go tracting last friday. and i was nervous at first but then i started getting excited. so i was assigned a bus than was going to the cata graunde ward, and also got paired with a latino companion. so we all piled on this school bus from like the hippie age. i honestly dont know where they found this gem but it was something. my companion, who was like 2 feet shorter than me had his knees in his chest. i kid you not... and i didnt think i got the singleton hips but i barely fit sideways with my feet directly out in the isle.. half of the seats werent even bolted down... it was great.

 

any way... when we got there as i was trying to smooth my pucker marks out of the seat(the traffic here is a whole other email.) my companion shows me a spanish word in the dictionary, whos english traslation is petty theft. then he points down with big eyes and says aqui! or here. so immediatly im like crap! now what. so we get into the church and all the teachers are going around taking everyones watches and rings and one teacher that spoke english says to me dont fight for your tie if they want it.... comforting right!? so just when we are getting ready to head out we get to the gate of the compound(of the church if that tells you anything) and we see people running and we hear POP POP POP! thats right gunshots.. like one street over! so needless to say we were pushed back into the church and we watched church videos for the next 5 hours!

 

 haha very  glad im going to huancayo everyone says its super nice there. any way my time is about up! but im going well here in the CCM! i really do feel the spirit 24/7 here i know im watched over and im where im supposed to be! i love you all

 

Love Elder Cook

 

ps im not kidding about mom... im really i in apsolutely no danger! dont freak out ;)

Week 1:

hello from peru!

 

so the key boards here are kinda strainge so my grammer will struggle a bet. and also i only get an hour a week so i will pretty much just be sending a mass email but i still like reading the individual ones.

 

where to start, so the first daywas really long because we were all running on like 6 hours of sleep and it was all meetings that i didnt understand. i found out really quick than NO ONE SPEAKS ENGLISH HERE. that janitor that i talked to obiously only new how to say where are you from elder, because after that nothing. i feel like talking to my teachers is like the most epic game of guesstures ever. haha of my three teachers one of them speaks alittle broken english. needless to say i am now starting to think in a spanish accent... not spanish.... just the accent.

 

anyway the first day the last thing we did was be interviewed by the branch presidency. so after that i was so ready for bed but then i got called to be the district leader.... ya so thats me leader of district 111. i guess thats a cool thing but it kind of just means more work for me.

 

so im picking up alittle spanish. so far ive learned how to pray. i seriously have never worked so hard at praying before. but its comming. each teacher has asked for our years of spanish class and i just hold my hand in a zero shape and it makes their eyes get big. one teacher either told me i was going to be a mirical, or that it was going to take a mirical for me to learn spanish. im inclined to think the later.i have read it the scriptures multiple times that all things are possible through god. so i guess i keep my nose to the grind stone and hope for the best.

 

so now for the shower of questions. the first day couple days i was here it was really overcast. it almost looked like smog. but the last couple of days have been perfect beautiful days, like sunny and 75.

 

the food is for the most part is actually good, peruvian food is really bland, not spicy. but still good. my comp elder hardison had what i can only think was a chicken spine/ backbone in has soup. we havent found any beaks yet so thats good :). they also dont cook their scrambled eggs all the way so they are wattery but some how still delicious. the biggest thing that the elders have issues with is finding the right ballence between rice and fruit juice if you know what i mean.

 

i cant see the ocean and ive only played soccor once and i tristed my ancle pretty good but its better now

 

i have moment in the CCM (Missionary Tranning Center in spanish) where i get dicourage with the language but but in times like that i just say `look how far you have come in such a short time` it makes me feel better. but 95 percent of the time i love it here. everyone is nice! well not everyone but my district is seriously like my new family. we are all friends in it and we bear each others burdens, and it is so fun to watch and be a part of.

 

SO MOM AND CORTNEY! NO CRYING :)  Know i am safe and i love you all

 

LOVE Elder Cook

 

Ps today (tuesday) was P Day and we went to the temple and what was really simmilar to walmart... a cheap walmart! so im from ruffing it... YET...

Dare Move Along

Lately I have been reminiscing on the 'good old days of high school' that were only six months ago, but they feel like years ago. I remember sitting and watching Tye and Kade fix the old dune buggy, that never made it out of the garage; running through the sprinklers at the senior project presentation; beating Madison at their own homecoming game and then getting pizza to eat on the way home; sleeping under the stairs and talking till four in the morning; my first year at nationals; my first kiss and first date; making it to state cross country after a lucky sprint home. Life is so fast, we don't know that the moment we're living in will become our dearest memory a few years down the road.

Nothing is insignificant in life. What started out as a sweatshirt-pony tail-kind of day, turned to a 'carry the guitar with me out to my truck', which turned into an amazing and life changing conversation, that in the moment was so overwhelming. Everything happens when it is supposed to happen.

And then life has a funny way of moving on. Things happen, and they're lovely. But they're fleeting. Soon our memory becomes so full of memories, we begin to forget. The best way to keep memories, is to keep making them.

Living in the past doesn't do anyone any good. If we all lived in the past, who knows where our technology and medicine would be? While memories are important to remember and love, we can't be stuck in them, wishing for them to come back. That memory is but a moment, and that moment is gone. We need to stand up and move forward.

It's scary. Moving forward into the unknown is hard, and I think 'why would I upset this happy balance I have in my life right now?' My answer is this - Because something happier is waiting for me. Make a plan, ask God about it, listen for his answer, and then DO it. No action terminates the original reason for the question. Why ask a question if you're not willing to do anything about it? I learned this when I was taught to not question the spirit. God told me he wanted me to serve a mission when the age limit was lowered. This was confirmed as I prepared to serve. However, once mission prep was over I had my doubts. Why? Who knows, other than the fact that Satan doesn't want me to go. Listen to the spirit. Don't let Satan persuade you otherwise. He will try to take away valuable time you could use preparing for something fabulous.

Make a plan, ask God, listen for his answer, and then DO it. Dare to move along.

Magical Dates

Yesterday was 11/11 - a magical date in my book. I am a firm believer in the 11:11 wish. And yes, on 11/11/11 at 11:11 my friends and I had a party. I made the most epic wish of my entire life, and am currently trying to make it come true! BUT, that's beside the current point. My email as open and constantly being refreshed, as I was 'patiently' awaiting an email. After several false alarms from Victoria Secret and Jamba Juice, I received a letter from my dear friend Tye! He's currently in Florida, and he sounds like he is doing great!(: it was so good to hear from him. Definitely a magical date.

Today was 11/12/13 - also a magical date. I mean, how often does that happen? Never before in my lifetime. I was again, 'patiently' waiting for an email, but after forever, I had kind of given up hope. I received an email, and went to check it, expecting nothing more than another promotion for the best bra of my life. When I saw my inbox I started screaming. It freaked out the rest of my roommates actually. I happy danced in my seat, doing happy fingers with myself. I finally received my first email from Kade (he's my boyfriend). It was so good to hear from him, to know that he is doing well and enjoying himself, and that he is slowly settling in. He's doing great - already a zone leader. I received confirmation as I read his email that this is where the Lord needs him right now, and if the Lord needs him, then who am I to stop it?

Anywho, lovin all this missionary work. Maybe now the beginning of the week won't be so dreary because I'll get to hear from my two favorite missionaries. And hopefully it's not too selfish of me, but I'm hoping I get a personal letter from them both(: especially Kade though, because I only got his generic email.

And since it's the middle of the week, a shower is much needed(;

Currently jammin to an infectious song with my roomie - Timber by Kesha and Pit Bull. Gotta love my shmanda!

Night all!
-B

Learning from the Journey

This week was quite the week. I have so much I'm trying to balance between all of my classes, my erratic emotions, and my job. I don't know what I would do if I took more credits.

Most importantly though, I had stake conference this week. The entire theme was about hastening the work. This weekend it became apparent that I need to prepare to serve the Lord.

Also on the topic of missionary work, Kade left this week. After almost three years, he left to serve a mission. I saw him in his last few moments before he was set apart, and I barely kept myself together. It's hard to let go of someone who has meant so much to you and always been there for you. The fact that I could talk to my best friend whenever I wanted and then having to quit cold turkey has been difficult. After I finally finished watching one of his favorite movies I wanted to text him to tell him I finished it, but as I was about to press send I realized he wasn't there to answer. Not having him here is the hardest part. I haven't heard from him yet either, which makes it difficult too. I think that if I knew he was ok, that he is happy and settling in, then life would be so much better.

When I came home from saying my 'see you later' (I don't believe in saying goodbye), my roommates were ready with cookies, caramel apples, and Mean Girls. They've been taking care of me. Emily and I keep in touch too. It's awesome to have someone who really does understand what this feels like.

I finally heard from my other best friend Tye! We were the three musketeers in my head, me, Tye and Kade, and now that they're both gone I feel slightly abandoned. But Tye sounds like he is doing well. It was great to hear from.

Every day is a journey we are blessed to have, blessed to learn from. I think that if we try to find the lesson we need to learn, then life would be so much more enjoyable. Knowing that everything happens for a reason is the best way to approach life.

-Bree

Background on Bree

I live in an apartment with six girls, and we're all crazy. But we're the best of friends so it's ok. There's Brindizi, Sydney, Heidi, Shelbey, and Amanda. Between the six of us, we do some insane things. We have twerking parties daily, random screams always coming from our apartment, and something's always being cooked. These girls really have been a blessing in my life and as I told Amanda and Heidi, we're not friends, we're sisters.

My two little sisters are also my best friends. Sam just went to her first dance and Kekoa tells me about all the boys she likes. It makes me feel old and kind of sad that I'm away from them all the time. This is such an exciting time for both of them and I wish that I could be more involved.

My major is communications with an emphasis in journalism. So far it is going great. I love to write anything. Recently we've been working on features which are timeless pieces. They're very informative and I've loved writing them.

I'm LDS and proud of it. I have been a member my whole life, but I became personally converted when I was fourteen and in high school. High school was rough, and the only way I got through was because I had this gospel. Currently I am a sunday school teacher in my ward and I love it. It's a great way for me to test myself on what I really know about this gospel. 

And with that being said, all of my friends are on missions. So I spend time with my roommates and my laptop over the weekends.

And with that, there's my first post!

-Bree