Last Semester at BYU!

Sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday that I got home from my mission and headed to Provo, UT to attend BYU. Then I recall four years of fun, exciting, educational, and interesting memories that help me realize that it truly is my time to graduate. I am in my last semester of classes and can see the light at the end of the tunnel! At the beginning, I didn't quite know what to expect going to college. There were a lot of surprises and unexpected outcomes, but it has been full of new experiences and opportunities that I will always cherish. I have made friendships that I hope will last throughout the years to come. I have enjoyed being part of BYU's folk dance ensemble, performing for elementary schools all over Utah. I have loved being a member of the BYU racquetball team. I have grown from learning how to balance work, school, extracurricular activities, and church responsibilities. I am grateful for work experience in physical therapy, window washing, youth counseling, door-to-door sales, managerial work, food preparation, and janitorial services. I am now looking forward to working as a recreation therapist at the state hospital where I will be an intern for 4 months. After that, I have decisions to make. I can get a job as a full-time recreation therapist and work for a year or two, and then go on to get a master's. Or I can go go straight into a master's program. I have decided that I want to get a master's in Public Administration. But I still have this fork in the middle of the road that I have to deal with. I'll let you know what I decide and what the outcome will be!

Gratitude List

My good friend Chance inspired me to write a list of things that I am thankful for in in my life. Despite some of the negative things that happened today, like getting pulled over after doing some service, and from having the mechanic repair $600 dollars with of damage to my car when I only wanted an oil change...I still have a pretty good life and sooo much to be thankful for.

I love Thanksgiving for a couple of reasons. It allows for time to reflect and count blessings, time to spend with loved ones and family, and time to eat lots of delicious food and play football. I am very thankful for my great family. All 2o+ siblings, parents, in-laws, and extended family. My family has helped me through tough and trying times and has supported and loved me unconditionally. I am thankful to live in America, where I can enjoy the freedom to worship God. I am thankful for God's plan of redemption. I am thankful to have had the chance to serve a mission in Oregon. I am thankful for the friendships from my mission and from the opportunities to be tested, tried, stretched, strengthened, humbled, jubilated, and changed. I am thankful for my car Whitetrash, even though it has cost me a lot more than it is worth, it is a blessing to have a vehicle that gets me from A to B. I am thankful the cop today only ticketed me for 5 over, rather than a much higher speed, which I will not disclose! I am thankful for great roommates who look out for me and are sincere friends. I am thankful for sports because it: helps relieve stress, develops my mind and physical abilities, it provides great opportunities to establish friendships, makes me feel happy and able, and helps me work and play hard. I am thankful for music because it can be inspiring, uplifting, energetic, exciting, peaceful, upbeat, and makes me want to dance. I am thankful for being at BYU! I am thankful for the opportunities to be in folk dance and on the racquetball team. I am thankful for the opportunity to be an efy counselor and sports and dance camp counselor. I am thankful for different jobs that I have had. I am thankful for the 4H mentoring program and the influence it can have on others, and its influence in my life. I am thankful for great food! I am thankful that I can take pleasure in such simple things like eating. I am thankful for ice cream and ice cream time with dear friends. I am thankful for theraflu and herbal tea and the great game 1,2,3! I am thankful for late night talks with friends and family about life. I am thankful for my cell phone, laptop, and my bed. I am thankful that my mom taught me the importance of a balanced life. I am thankful that we were pushed to excel and make the most of every opportunity. I am thankful for online journaling, blogs and networking that allows me to express myself, and to stay in touch with friends. I am thankful for snowboarding and the times I get to play in the snow, making the harsh winters more tolerable. I am thankful for swimming, hiking, caving, camping, and rock climbing. I am thankful for times that I have had to be swallowed up by the immense beauty of the earth during the day and the majestic skies at night. I am thankful for good books that allow for me to use my imagination and teach me to be a better person. I am thankful for opportunities to correct mistakes and change. I am thankful for jamba juice. I am thankful for opportunities to serve. I am thankful for great leaders, teachers, and friends who have made an impact in my life. I am thankful to live so close to school and to great food places. I am thankful for good movies. I am thankful for sportscenter and the chance to watch great sports on my roommates' big TV. I am thankful to have dated cool girls and for the lessons that I have learned from them. I am thankful for my healthy body. The human body is amazing! I am thankful for pandora, grooveshark, limewire, and itunes. I am thankful for google and the easy access to learning from computers and technology. I am thankful for double laned highways. I am thankful for fast food. I am thankful for contacts that help me see better. I am thankful for reading things that aren't very long, so I'll stop for your sake! Welp, see ya later!

Reality check?

I was told by a female today that I am mediocre, complacent, unambitious, immature and satisfied with my low level of performance. Also that I was hypocritical in thinking that I shouldn't expect so much from a girl, when I don't live up to those expectations myself. Well, she didn't say it quite like that... but still, Talk about a reality check!

There are three approaches to reacting to such criticism. One, I could ignore it because I don't have the ambition to change, and I am too mediocre and immature to realize what excellence would be like. Two, I could ignore it and realize that I never am mediocre, complacent, and immature. Or three, realize and apply the significant quote that says, " If any speak ill of thee, flee home to thy own conscience and examine thy heart. If thou be guilty it is just correction. If not guilty, it is fair instruction. Make use of both so shall thou distill honey out of gall and out of an open enemy create a secret friend." So, I will take this as just correction and fair instruction, accepting that at times I have fallen short and have been mediocre and complacent. However, because I am an ambitious man who desires to be the best that I can, I will take this moment to reevaluate and recommit to being the man that I know I can be.

I have always loved the quote, " What e'er thou art, Act well thy part. Question to self...Self, what art thou?! Do it well!

When I feel the need to make corrections I always love the pep talk given from Joseph Smith. " Let all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward... Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren,: and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad."

I am grateful for the reality check, which has helped me to reestablish a firm commitment to be the man that I know I can and should be. It is my resolve to be removed from complacent mediocrity.

Summer '09

I had a great summer! I worked two part time jobs. I was a sports camp counselor and a coordinator for the 4H youth mentoring program. I was able t go camping, hiking, wakeboarding, visit friends and family during the weekends, so I couldn't have asked for more. I got lots of free food, and made a lot of new friends. Yeah for the summer!

Isn't that beautiful?! Thanks Carianne for your great photography, haha! I probably should get a camera, instead of stealing pictures from others.

I went to Zion's for a couple of days with some good friends. We went to this secluded waterfall. It was pretty sweet. We slid down on the mossy rocks, it was fun.

Hiking.

Family time! I love it. Marshmellow guns wars!

Classic game of Football horse with my bros.

I spent July 4th with my mission buddy Chance Basinger and some friends. We played mud volleyball. I had a lot fun wallowing in the mud and sneaking up on a frog.

We floated down the river right behind Chance's house. Pretty convenient, eh?

The majority of my summer I worked as a sports camp counselor. It was cool.

For two weeks I was counselor to one guy. This is Taylor. He is a danther! But I am pretty thure that he ith straight.

There were quite a few participants that were not LDS. She is a girl that is planning on getting baptized very soon. Pretty cool!

Me and some other cool counselors.

Q & A Session about God

So, lately I have been in deep contemplation about how God is involved in the lives of his children. My initial question that has intrigued me  is: How do I know God is intervening in my life, rather than life just happening? Henry Eyring, a prominent mormon church leader, offers a similar question for us to ponder each day and to keep a record of evidences that we see in our lives. His question is: "Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch me or my family today?" I have been stumped by this temporarily because I was caught up in the idea that because I cannot visually see his hand, or audibly hear his answers to prayers, that maybe they just don't happen quite as often as it is assumed to be by most mormons, due to a mormon custom?  It is all too common to hear others say something like, " God is just trying to teach me a lesson," or "I am so thankful for God's hand in my life." 

I don't pretend to know all of the answers.  When there's a question that causes me to ponder frequently, I have found that writing the thoughts that I have, help me sift through my thoughts to gain more clarity about the answer to the question. 

There are a few more quotes that I like from  Henry Eyring that help to clarify how it is possible to know how God intervenes in our lives. He talks about the importance of remembering the times that we have felt the Holy Ghost bearing witness of God. He says, " It won't be easy to remember. Living as we do with a veil over our eyes, we cannot remember what is was like to be with God...nor can we see with our physical eyes or with reason alone the hand of God in our lives.  Seeing such things take the Holy Ghost. And it is not easy to be worthy of the Holy Ghost's companionship in a wicked world." He talks about how we must not forget about God, but acknowledges ways that we tend to forget God easily. "Sadly, prosperity is not the only reason people forget God. It can also be hard to remember Him when our lives go badly. When we struggle, as so many do, in grinding poverty or when our enemies prevail against us or when sickness is not healed, the enemy of our souls can send his evil message that there is no God or that if He exists He does not care about us. Then it can be hard for the Holy Ghost to bring to our remembrance the lifetime of blessings the Lord has given us from our infancy and in the midst of our distress."

 

The important thing that I have learned from pondering this question, and being somewhat stumped, is that having questions is not a bad thing, if it is asked with humility and with a desire to gain further knowledge and understanding.  Sometimes questions can be dangerous if we do not seek to find truth by praying and searching the brethren first.  I have sought for answers to the question about God's intervention by asking friends first and relying on my own wisdom to understand, but was failing to in my own efforts.  I didn't get a solid answer until I had prayed and searched the words of inspired prophets. 

Eyring finally suggests some information that will help us to remember and to have the Holy Ghost with us to bring to remembrance the hand of God in our lives. "The key to the remembering that brings and maintains testimony is receiving the Holy Ghost as a companion. It is the Holy Ghost who helps us see what God has done for us. It is the Holy Ghost who can help those we serve to see what God has done for them.

Heavenly Father has given a simple pattern for us to receive the Holy Ghost not once but continually in the tumult of our daily lives. The pattern is repeated in the sacramental prayer: We promise that we will always remember the Savior. We promise to take His name upon us. We promise to keep His commandments. And we are promised that if we do that, we will have His Spirit to be with us.6 Those promises work together in a wonderful way to strengthen our testimonies and in time, through the Atonement, to change our natures as we keep our part of the promise."

Once again, when questions arise, the pattern of searching for truth by praying and reading what prophets have said about it, help to establish more clarity and provide further understanding. Having the Holy Ghost will help me to know and recognize the hand of God in my life. 

More Kansas stuff

So, I don't take very many pictures with my old camera. I hardly ever take pictures...in fact, I am not quite sure where my camera is at right now... So, I steal all of the pictures from my sibling's blogs! I have to wait for them to post cool pictures so that I can take the ones that I like and use them as my own. Some may say this is a dirty trick, but until I buy a new camera, this will have to do! 

When I am with my family, one of our favorite activities is to create new games.  This was the final variation of two hours worth of several forms of the "cup" game. 

Most of the family that was present to celebrate Brent and Hunter's law school graduation. 

My dad and me...and Isaac! I have a great dad.  Happy Father's day pops!

We could be in a rodeo...that's what a lot of carousel experience can do for you.  We were on a lot more than just 8 seconds!  Oh, and we planned the color-coordination...we are cool like that!

Cleaning up at Jeremy's apartment. 

Lessons from Ben

I recently got a library card, and read the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.  It was very interesting.  I wanted to highlight some of the main things that I enjoyed from his writings.  

Ben's 13 Virtues:

These eight personal virtues relate to your attitudes toward activities and their challenges. Good personal character traits will better your chances of success in achieving your goals.

Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

These next five social virtues that Franklin stated concern your attitudes toward people with whom you have dealings. Good social character traits result in other people wanting to do business with you or to have relationships with you.

Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

I also enjoyed Ben's take on how to approach religion, although I feel that receiving proper ordinances under the proper authority is most important.  His thoughts are very important to consider and follow as well. 

He says:

"That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service to God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter." 

Fun Family Time in Kansas

Playing with my niece Allyson

My new nephew Sterling Moore

Celebrating Michelle's Graduation from ASU


Playing at the park

At Brent and Hunter's Law school Graduation. Pic w/ Jeremy, Kendra, Isaac, and Blakester

Family Train

Brent, Julie, Mom, Jeremy and Me at Lake Shawnee

I Get Paid to Do This!

So, 4H! I grew up in what may be considered a "Hick" town. For those who are unaware of the meaning of the word, I have tapped into the best resources to help us! From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hick may refer to:
–noun 1. an unsophisticated, boorish, and provincial person; rube. –adjective 2. pertaining to or characteristic of hicks: hick ideas. 3. located in a rural or culturally unsophisticated area: a hick town.
Anyway! Or Anyways...whichever you prefer...

Growing up in Snowflake I was a proud participant of the 4H program, which, for all I knew was about raising pigs, steers, sheep, and rabbits. Raise a pig, sell it at the County Fair auction, put the money in the mission fund....done deal! This program is all about raising youth!

Only recently I found out about the 4H Mentoring Program(Youth and Families with Promise). I then got excited about it and became a coordinator in charge of recruiting youth to participate in the program, involving their families. I also recruit volunteers to be a role model and mentor for the youth. My job is to make sure that my site, or elementary school that I preside over, has 20-30 families and the same amount of volunteers participating in the program. I am in charge of running an afterschool program for the kids once a week. Our Non-profit organization puts on 2-3 fun and exciting activities a month to promote stronger family bonds.

Our most recent events included: Comedy Sportz (an impromptu act), goofy golfing, ultimate frisbee, a rock wall climbing event, and always, lots of food!

Yep, I'm Single and I have a Blog!

So, I just decided to do it. Yep, it's true. Here you have it!  For several years I have always had the thought in mind that only married couples were allowed to blog.  Of course, the word, "allowed" is used  in this context with its social acceptance implications.  For the longest time I always thought blogging was the new "scrapbooking" for newly married girls who needed something to do! Question...do I still feel this way? Maybe.  But, the fact that I am starting a blog is besides the point, right? Well, actually, it is the central point of this spheel, so who am I kidding anyway?!  

So you might ask, "well, why start a blog now, Troy?"  Answer: Good question, I have my doubts.  But I have decided to push aside those doubts and embrace this awesome opportunity to utilize this resource as a great way to journal my life, and to try a new form of networking...ish...something like that. :)  Finally, I would like to write more about the cool things in this so called life as we know it! That's it for now... the end...or is it the beginning! hmmmmm?!  (this is where I do the Austin powers pinky to the mouth and smirk!)