Holiday Break

One of the highlights from this past week was getting my twin sister and I, along with our best friends Danielle & Maria for a little Christmas party. We picked up Maria on our way to Danielle's house and spent the afternoon having so much fun, telling stories and getting into the holiday spirit- believe it or not!!! :) We also got to Face Time with our best friend Camille who is currently living in Baltimore, Maryland while her parents are serving as Mission Presidents there. It has definitely been fun getting to see Camille once in awhile when she gets to come home and visit for a few days until she has to go back again. We are so incredibly proud of her and everything that she is doing to serve other people as well as her Heavenly Father. We went to the movie theater to go see Ferdinand, which was just absolutely hilarious and very entertaining if you haven't already gone to see it!!! We went to lunch at Sizzler and just enjoyed being with each other.. because that doesn't really happen too much but whenever the opportunity comes around, we don't want to miss it.

Wonder

This book was one that I actually read several years ago while volunteering at the neighborhood elementary school and it really struck a chord with me personally. It's about this young boy whose born with facial deformities and has been home schooled through a period of his life, but also just entering into the fifth grade for the first time. You are basically seeing his journey of what it is like for this little boy to be going into junior high and how he learns to feel accepted and loved by those around him. I definitely was inspired by how this ten year old boy never gave up on what he knew he was capable of and letting everyone know that he was more than just different from the other kids. It has made me reflect quite a lot on myself and even though I'm not like everyone else in this world, I don't need to let those situations get me down. I may not be like this little boy who just wants to feel part of society and have people who love him just the way he is. My life situation itself is not nearly close to what our friend Auggie in this film has to battle everyday, but I do understand how it feels being different because sometimes people may not even realize. I am very much looking forward to learning more about how it feels better to know: "Why blend in when you were born to stand out?"

#CHOOSEKIND

This hashtag really may just seem like every other topic you've seen out there on social media, but I will say that this one in particular means a lot to me. I have definitely been through my own share of experiences that really taught me how to better understand why something happened the way it did-- or whatever it is... I know my Heavenly Father would never give me a situation that he knows I could not handle. I may choose to see this hashtag as just something fun to share with people, but really just think about what it would mean to choose kindness over any feeling that you get sometimes & take a moment to see what happens.

YAC Experience

NINJA Conference Alumni (Youth Advisory Committee)

I have probably shared one if not too many experiences about how much I love being a NINJA Alum and getting the opportunities of advocating for people like myself in this world. It has literally given me lots of privileges to share my message of letting individuals such as me know that their voices are heard no matter how much life is throwing at them every once in awhile. We all have challenges that test our ways of whether or not we can stand up for what we know and believe in, but having said all of this here I am more than willing to put myself out there and make a positive social change. I may be one of those millions of people with disabilities who want seriously nothing more than to feel just as accepted in this world like everybody else, without coming across to people as an absolute mistake because we're different. Well, let me tell you something:

"If you wanna find who's not going to take being mistreated & disrespected for no logical reason whatsoever, just simply because they are not like most people in this so called world of ours, then TRY being in our situations and turn around to see who will stick around a person like you." Just try it out for awhile if not forever, just feeling some what of a glimpse into how it feels to be different from everyone else who thinks we are nothing more than something they have ZERO expertise or knowledge in...Think about this and let me know who stuck around for you in that time period."  #JustSaying

I'm beginning the application process to be on this Youth Advisory Committee and it sounds like such an incredible opportunity to empower, implement and let people with disabilities know that they can do anything they set their minds to and doing it in a positive way. I am grateful for the many lessons and things that I will be able to participate in as well as educate people on what is important to us in this world. More about this later when I have more stories and things to share with you!!!

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As we enter into this very festive holiday season, I would like to let you all know what this season really is about and how it should be the center of what we are celebrating at this time of year. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and the significant role he continues to play throughout my life everyday more than anything in this world. He is the ultimate gift that we should keep our focus on instead of the material things that we are so desperately anxious to open, because honestly there are seriously no greater presents in this world than that of the one who laid down his life for each one of us.

This past year in 2017 has definitely been filled with ups and downs along the way, just everybody faces in life it was certainly an experience in putting my faith to the test among other memorable moments. I was really able to feel the love and support and prayers from our community of such incredible people who continue to do whatever they can to reach out & lend their helping hand. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for these moments of seeing the Lord's hand in our lives everyday whether we see it or not sometimes. It is always there whenever we need to take a hold of him and guide us through anything we maybe facing with at any given time.