Friday, June 15, 2012

Y-serve -- BYU Experience Video

I have included Lizi's info below on this video. She did such a great job filming and editing it--and I feel it is true to the nature of joy these wonderful folks remind me to have/be! It's not long, but worth the watch. Thanks Lizi girl!

"Never have I been to a better activity at Brigham Young University than that of BYU Experience. A Friday night of empowering both participants and volunteers. A night of laughing and enjoying the company of one another."

"I prayed a lot while making this video because this event was so dear to my heart. How could I capture them accurately? How could I edit this video to make them proud? Never did I want anyone to make fun of these glorious people. This song is about power and honesty-a theme that I believe these participants deeply conveyed. I do not own the rights to this song so I will upload an ambient noise version of the night."

I'm living in the 21st century doin' something mean to it
Do it better then anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music

[Chorus:]
No one man should have all that power
The clocks tickin' I just count the hours
Stop trippin' I'm tripping off the power
(21st century Schizoid Man)

My child-like creativity, purity and honesty is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me, taking my inner child I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrust in me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece thinking...

No one man should have all that power
The clocks tickin' I just count the hours
Stop trippin' I'm tripping off the power
(21st century Schizoid Man)

Camera: Canon T3i
Sound: H2 Handy Zoom Recorder
Filmed by: Lizi Fesler
Edited by: Lizi Fesler
Edited on: Final Cut Pro
Advisors: Casey Peterson and Janine Green
Program Directors: Whitney Wing, Logan Bird and Audrey Blake.


BYU Experience, Y-serve yserve Center for Service and Learning Brigham Young University BYU
 And in honor of true Lizi style...

I believe in joy.

Friday, June 8, 2012

IT WAS A GOD THING

Here she is...!
I had no idea when I was taking the picture with my phone, that this sunspot was showing up, but I guess it is a good reminder of the process with this car.

It has been over a month since the guy hit me. A month of ups and downs, kindness from my parents as they juggled around their cars so I could have a car to use. (Thank you mom and dad!) Kindness from the folks who were searching for a car for me--truly the experience was a faith one.

Several weeks back as Kathy (the one who was searching the auctions for me) would send me over different cars--I was just at a lost as to which one. Through many impressions, and the blessing of "giving over my car burdens to God" (for entry click here), I came to feel that the car I should/would get would be a Toyota Camry. I didn't really describe my thought process/impressions with Kathy, but would simply deny all the perfectly right and perfectly priced cars she would send over. **Some were BEAUTIFUL temptations. Fully loaded leather, sunroof, pretty cars. And each one she would send over I would quickly respond no. I think she was getting a little frustrated as she was sending me cars that matched what I was looking for. Finally the impression came, "The next Camry she sends over will be your car." It was something to that extent... So when the impression came, I eagerly anticipated it would be that day or for sure the day after. ... NOTHING. For several days, then a full week went by of her sending nothing over. Then when she did finally send of a beauitful car, it was a very sweet loaded corolla. : / . Again I turned it down. And again almost another full week passed, but I could not deny what I felt impressed about. I even told her to stop looking at Honda Accords for so was the impression on the Camry.

I laugh and think of Karisa's impression. She pleaded with the Lord that she just needed one date, just one date with John. The revelation came that she would be given that one date and so clear was the impression that she no longer worried... but that date didn't happen for THREE MONTHS after that revelation came!  Talk about faith!  I only had to wait a few weeks, thankfully. But I like to believe, that I would have waited like Karisa, even for three months. I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THREE MONTHS WAS NOT MY LOT IN HIS PLAN HOWEVER! :D (Karisa--see your dating impressions still apply to different aspects in my life! Love you!)

Last Saturday as mom and I left the Manti temple and started to home, Kathy's email came through- "2009 Camry".  I almost dared not look at the "specs" of this auction car because I already knew this car was to be the one. So within mins of the email coming through (and just viewing the pictures on my phone) I called up Kathy and told her to get it. She sounded surprised. But she told me she would call me Monday. She felt there would be lots more cars going for sale on Monday. So the plan was she was going to call me on Monday. The auction was in AZ on Tues and she had a huge surgery Wed that would put her out for 8 weeks on her one foot That meant, that her husband wouldn't fly out to get the car until at least Thursday. I simply told her no problem and that I looked forward to chatting on Monday.

All last weekend, I didn't' even open the email on a big computer screen because I knew it was the car God was approving/directing me to have--so I didn't want to open up the pictures and start fault finding with the things I didn't like about the car.

Saturday passed, Sunday, Monday came and Monday went. No emails from Kathy no calls. Tuesday came. Still nothing. By 4pm I thought surely the Auction had finished, but not a word. Did the car go through? She was having surgery the next day, should I stay silent/call? After all this couple doesn't make that much money off of helping me--I didn't want to bother them.  So many questions floating around. I was going to the Timp temple that night, and as the temptation of the anxiety threatened to show it's ugly little head, I felt at peace and felt impressed that I would hear from Kathy after the temple.

I came out of the temple and as I looked at my phone, I fully expected to see something- a call, an email.  No email, no call.  I was not disheartened, but as I drove away from the temple (9pm) I reminded the Lord about the impression I had had. No sooner later, this email came through on my phone....
My husband is bringing home the camry, he won't be here till late tonight, but you can call and talk to him tomorrow afternoon, or I will have him call you.  he says it's a really nice car, will talk later take care
 Yes I did pull over to fully read the email.... and good thing too, for the tears just started to pour down my face. I know it is "just" a car, but it has been a month of testing. A month long lesson in faith building and trusting. Not only was the car purchased, but her husband had flown out/now was driving back from AZ with it. I didn't drive for a moment, for the tears were just too steady.

That was Tuesday night. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon that I found out the price of the car/all the details. Apparently their are a lot of rules when you are going to wipe out your saving accounts so you can pay for the car with cash. I was at the bank for nearly a hour with Kaiden. I wondered if just getting a loan instead of paying with cash would have been less "work". But in the end... I have a car, in my garage, completely paid for, and an almost completely empty banking account. A month long process. Saved $1,750.

Does God care about which car we get/have? Where to live, our jobs, our "any" concerns? While those items are just "mortal" items, I know God cares about me, and getting the right car/whatever package I was to invest in was important to me, and because I am important to God, I completely know, God opened up doors and led me to get this specific car.

"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good..." Alma 37:37

It's just a car. = It was just a doing. And His counsel and impressions DID/always do direct me for good.

It was surely a faith thing. It was a God thing. I am a thankful thing! I have a car!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

"...that grey area is all but closed"


A literal dream come true!

3.4.09 (Bridgette's Temple Dream)
So here is my dream.. and yes I still have full intentions on writing it in my journal!

There was a temple that was being built and I would drive by it because it was this beautiful temple and it sat in the middle on the gorgeous rolling hills of green grass and it always seemed to be lit up, whether it was at night or on a cloudy day there was always a glow around this temple. So one day I was going over to my cousins house and I had got lost and I knew where the temple was so I decided to go and walk by it. As I was walking up to the lawn, there was this beautiful tree so I stopped to adore it [the temple] from where this tree was and all the sudden the clouds broke and the sun was shinning right on top of the temple. I was going to take a picture, and then all the sudden there were hundreds of people gathered on the lawn. There were so many people that I was having a hard time walking through the crowd. I had been trying to get in to go and do baptisms but there were so many people we were going to have to wait. Next thing I remember is walking into this building and this place was so overcrowded inside I was having a hard time moving through. At one point I walked into this room and one of the walls was a bunch a windows that had a beautiful view of the temple that was apparently next door to the building I was in. My cousin and I decided to leave, so we made our way back down to the lobby and walked out the doors. When I walked out I turned around and I saw two buildings. One building was a square building that was made of all black windows, and next to it was the temple. I had not even realized that I was even in the black building until I walked out of it. The people in the black building were all hanging out of the windows and laughing and having a good time... there were even people bungee jumping off the roof. Me being the big adrenaline junky, really wanted to go over and join the people in the black building because they were having so much fun and laughing. Then I would look at the temple and want to be there too because the church is everything to me in my life and there is no way that I would ever give that up. It was clear to me as I looked at the divide between the two buildings was that it was time to make a decision and stick to it. It was a real struggle for me and as I looked down I was dressed in my Sunday outfit and I knew that the temple is where I belonged and I chose my side. As I was walking over I could hear my family in the distance sitting by the tree I was first leaning against and adoring the temple, and they were calling me over.

-          I know that times are tough and they are going to get tougher and that grey area is all but closed. The time is coming that not only do I need to make a decision as to what side of the line I am going to be on, but everyone does too, and we should help those who are struggling with that decision as well. As tempting as it was to join the other side because they were having fun, that is not where true happiness. There is true JOY out there that is ours for the taking, and there is plenty of GOOD fun to be had out there in the world; you don’t have to be bad to have fun (I am a true believer that the Lord loves to laugh!). I just hope that when the Savior comes I can look down and know that I am dressed in my Sunday clothes because I have stayed clean enough to always be able to enter into the House of the Lord.

Bridge took out her endowments in the Manti temple this past Saturday. She was ready in every way! It was as if she had already been going with me for the past seven years for she was so natural/comfortable with all the temple had/has to offer.

Truly the experience was among the choicest of life's experiences. To see her obtain her dream, literal and dream from her desires for the past several years--was moving. Congratulations Bridgette! You made the decision of which side of the line you would be on! ...where true happiness is! And yes, you don't have to be bad to have fun. I believe the Lord loves to laugh too!

Here's to choosing to be in "Sunday clothes". The Savior will come!