Filming Presentation

This morning my mom and I drove up to Draper, Utah to meet up with a lady from the Utah Parent Center in Salt Lake to assist them with a project they are working on, and trying to get a message out there to young kids about how their supporters can help them trying to live successful lives as adults in the future. It was such a treat for me to spend quality time with my mom and getting to practice on my message with her on the way up, was definitely something that I'll always remember. We arrived at the recording studio quite a bit earlier from when we were supposed to show up and spent a bit of time waiting for them to get everything ready for me!!! I was not really quite sure how things would go with this videotaping session, because I didn't know if I ended up making any mistakes that they noticed had to be fixed they could easily make it happen. Once we started rolling the camera, I just quickly got into my experiences about what has successfully helped me be the person I am now. It's been quite a journey for me with many tears shed along the way and trying to keep myself together, through it all despite what was going on around me. I took about three minutes max to giving all of what I had prepared for them to know about my life adventures with getting my first job doing store maintenance two days a week. It was incredibly difficult for me to communicate with the person that was in charge of the employees, because of the language barrier that made me feel like it just was not worth my time continuing on any much longer. I felt really lonely not having someone to talk with & trying to make the best of the situation was not getting much easier, as those two years went on. I am certainly not someone whoever thought of themselves doing store maintenance, which did teach me some job skills but never got any better with changes happening unexpectedly. I was incredibly glad to have shared my own experiences with other people who may need some encouragement, when it comes to them finding a job that they can make some good money for and spend it at the same time too!!! 

Be sure to check the videos once they are out on the Utah Parent Center website, which I am not sure when they will get officially out there... and please out for them!!! I felt incredibly proud of myself in having been a part of this project and encouraging other people to know, that they can have a circle of supporters to help them in whatever it is they want to pursue their dreams in.

New Journey

Self Advocacy Filming Project

NEXT TUESDAY----I will be heading up to Draper, Utah in helping the Utah Parent Center with this project they are working on and needed two advocates to share their success life stories. I have really tried to keep away from sharing this kind of stuff on my blog, just simply because I don't necessarily like getting too personal in the things I write up about. I am determined to make the best of this new experience and hopefully can inspire other individuals like myself, to know they are never alone in whatever it is they want to pursue their dreams. This presentation should only take a few minutes of my morning to get finished as well as just making a good impression on those who will be there. I'm certainly a little bit nervous whenever I get asked to do something out of my comfort zone, but it will be completely worth every minute!!! I am grateful for the privilege to be a part of this project and not being afraid to share what has helped me to be where I am now. 

Volunteering Adventures (Part One)

This school year has only been in session for a couple of weeks, but I am definitely learning so much about patience and trying to stick it out as best as possible. It has given me an opportunity with putting my faith and trust in the Savior, that everything is gonna turn out for the better. Everyday this week, I have continuously prayed multiple times a day to help one of the teachers who has quite a lot to get under their feet.



Even though I am not a professional school teacher, it is the least I can do and making their school year a little bit easier, with all of the many new adventures that they have to take on. I am grateful for the experience to put my faith to the test and make an effort, to remind them that they are doing a fabulous job doing what they can to teach those kiddos what they need to learn. 


There are only so many times when I wished I could have done something more to help out, rather than just assume it will get taken care of itself without any meaningful effort put in behind the scenes. I know this is such a small little thing to do for someone else, but I cannot fathom it enough in my head about what it has done to help this teacher friend of mine know they can do hard things. I truly have to believe that even when one school year is hard, that's where you learn and grow the most as a person...but it also reminds you that no matter the many challenges you have in life, it will make you stronger. 

Weekly Updates

Unfortunately, I don't necessarily have much of anything new to share with people right now and life has continued to be a little busier than usual, but it is all good at the same time!!! I am truly grateful and excited for the many more experiences that will take place this coming year, but if you must know I am really quite anxious to see how they turn out down the road. I am determined to make the best of everything that comes in my way this next year and would literally do whatever it takes to overcome it with courage. Some of you out there know that I have considered doing this inspiring non beauty pageant for awhile and I've not registered for it quite yet. I really wish there was more information for me to share with you guys on this new chapter of my life, but after my questions are answered--I will have stories to share and memories to write up about for you all to read!!

Special Needs Institute

My twin sister and I have been attending this class for a couple of years now, which almost seems a little crazy when you think about how long it has gone on. We have enjoyed getting to feel the spirit every week with friends who are continuously striving to be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ each day and it warms my heart to know that they are making this world a better place. I am grateful for the many blessings that have come from this experience and remembering what my purpose is here on earth. I have really liked getting to meet so many new people who are just like me & love feeling the spirit talk to them as we listen to the lessons given by our wonderful teachers. We may not be so close as friends in anyway whatsoever, but they have made every week so much fun and sharing lots of laughs only puts a bigger smile on my face. 

Heartbreak Update:

This year has made me reflect so much on how much stronger of a person I'm becoming everyday & not feeling afraid to speak up for what is a priority in my life. I know it is through him that all of us can strive a little harder to pay more attention to what is going on around me. I am truly blessed for the many people who have kept me in their thoughts and prayers, even when I was doing great--so many tears were being shed at the same time. I know it will never get any easy after having faced the most difficult heartbreak ever and it will not be my last one either. It will only get better as the months/weeks/years go on, despite everything in this life has continues to happen for each of us...but never lose hope on what it is helping ya become along the way.



I also have been able to feel this literal inner strength inside of me to keep me on my toes and realize that despite however many challenges, that come in my way I will always have the Savior on my side to help me through any situation. I've also been able to understand that regardless of what others think of me in this world or how I look at all of my struggles in life...There is someone who has already paid the price for us and I am forever grateful to him for his willingness to give up his life so that we could be the people we are today. I know it will never get any easier with the more heartbreaks that I will be experiencing throughout my life as the years go on, but I will never lose hope in what is most important to me and trying to strive everyday to have him be the center of my life in everything that occurs to me on a regular basis.


Whether or not I have been able to see that at times throughout this year, is a completely different story for me to tell at some other time down the road but I am truly blessed for the opportunities that this experience has given me to persevere as well as make the best of everything that life throws at us. It has made me recognize his hand in everything that has happened to me this year, because without him I would not have made it to the example I am going to be for others. 

School Adventures

This school year has already kicked off to an incredible start and experiences that I cannot wait to have take place in the next few weeks!!! I am grateful for both of the phenomenal teachers that I'm working alongside with this year and cannot wait to get to know a lot better. They have been such a joy to be around more than anything in this world & I feel so blessed to have this year to share with both of them!!! I have only been at the school for a couple of weeks now and I am absolutely loving every single minute of that I get to be in those classrooms, with the cutest kiddos I could ever ask for in this world. I am so incredibly blessed to be at a school that is truly almost like my second home & I know that sounds a little bit strange of me to admit, but it is true in more ways than one!!! I've just loved getting the opportunity to serve other people in some capacity, has brought me so much more happiness than I can ever begin to tell you at this very moment.



Since my first year there as a high school student intern at seventeen years old, I never would have expected myself to be good with children in a classroom and trying to make the best of everything that life threw at me. I am really grateful for the way it has changed me into a better person & feeling more comfortable with going out of my comfort zone to make a person's life easier in some way or other. I am helping out in two different classes this year in third and second grade, which has been quite a transition for me from years past because I've never helped in one of the portable classrooms throughout my years at the elementary school. I have absolutely loved getting to cut things out for the teachers, whenever it's needed as well as filing assignments/grading math papers and everything else in between. 

I am probably never gonna know when things in my life will settle down and there is not anymore stressful things to be concerned about. I am determined to make the most of every situation that life throws at me during this school year as best as I possibly can do, but at the same time-- I have really continued to pray for the teacher whose still getting their feet under them. I think deep down inside they appreciate all of the help that I am able to give them whenever it's needed at any time!!! I feel confident that they are going to make it through this trial of faith and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Obviously, I am not a professional school teacher by any means whatsoever but with being one of the volunteers at the school there is only so much I can do. I believe with all of my heart, it will get better as the rest of this month goes on and everything gets to where it needs to be. As I've prayed for them continuously throughout the last couple of weeks and trying to help them feel the love of the Savior on a weekly basis...it really brings me so much peace to know that it's all gonna work out. 

Early Start

TONIGHT---I received the news about heading back over to the elementary school and can't wait to help out with anything that needs to be done. I am incredibly thrilled to look forward to this amazing new school year and the many experiences that will get to be a part of. I really didn't necessarily quite think it would happen so quickly considering most of the teachers would need extra time, figuring all their stuff out before they are ready to have volunteers come into help. It has definitely been quite an interesting couple of weeks for me as I go back into routine with things and simply wanting to make the best in every situation that I'll have this year. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve & help one of the other third grade teachers, whom I've slowly come to know a little bit off/on throughout the past two years. It probably sounds a little too overly excited right now about the fact, that I haven't been there since this school year started but I do know it's gonna be an unforgettable experience for all of us involved.



This inspiring quote by the world famous Winston Churchill is one that I'd heard of before and it has really stuck out in my mind, about how we do make a life by what we give. I'm definitely gonna admit that when we give of our time to other people and make a difference in their lives, we strive to be a little better than we would otherwise think of ourselves to be. I'm really quite excited to get started with these cute little third graders, who maybe at times drive me almost crazy up to the point where I'll almost burst into tears. I will have an amazingly legitimate teacher whose going to put me right to work and going on stuff that I've never done in my life, but it will certainly give me an opportunity to make a impact on the lives of those kiddos. With all of that said, I wanted to make sure that this coming Thursday will be an unforgettable moment to remember and I can hardly wait for the many memories I will make with so many amazing people. 

One Year

Trial Of Faith - Part One

It was literally the absolute hardest experience of my life and one that I'm grateful to hopefully never face again in the distant future. I couldn't even have told you without tears running down my face with how incredibly scared I felt in those moments leading up to my dad surprisingly needing to have major surgery on his heart. I wished it had not taken place during a time when we had originally scheduled to do something really fun on the weekend of my mom's birthday. I cannot even begin to tell you how much emotional pain came into my heart, when I really  just wished things could have all turned out completely differently than expected.


I completely felt like my entire world turned upside down & we had absolutely no idea that something such as this situation was gonna feel as close to home as it did. My grandpa had the same operation when he was in his early sixties and if that was not quite enough at the time, to see my own dad in this position scared me to death. It could have been a lot worse than it was at he time to find my own father, sitting in a hospital room and having a lot of people come in to help out with what needed to done. I was incredibly heart wrenched about all of this and did not know if I was gonna be able to handle it emotionally, somehow let alone wanting to not have a meltdown at some point down the road. 

Obviously, I knew that he struggled with not being able to walk far distances let alone really do as much as he could to just simply exuberant himself into shoveling snow off the sidewalk and mowing the lawn when it needed to be done. To make a long story short, because I would rather not bore everyone who may be reading through my blog post right now, that it ended up being a successful operation and slowly had to be patient for what would happen next. One of the many things that I had considered not wanting to do at all was go on this camp out that my Independent Living Center scheduled for a couple of days up somewhere in American Fork Canyon.



It was not typically something that I wanted to go on and felt perfectly well with wanting to stay back from the adventure, so I could help out with my dad in his recovery. He was scheduled to go home from the hospital after a week of staying there and being monitored to make sure, everything went like it needed to go. It was extremely difficult for me to be on this camp out with my friends and not feel slightly like, I just didn't want anything to do with it at all anymore because life was too difficult at the time to be around other people.



I did join up with my friends to do this activity and I do look back on it now wishing that I had never participated in it to begin with. It really felt hard for me to be around people who are not members of the church and also simply doing things that I know are not good for you, but to them it is perfectly normal. I do know that it was an amazing opportunity to get outside and looking around at the beautiful world our Savior, Jesus Christ made for all of us. I am so grateful for him and his direction in my life everyday, because it has truly strengthened me to be a little better of a person & friend towards everyone else who has made such an impact on me. 

Trial Of Faith - Part Two

I cannot even begin to thank you all enough for the faith and prayers, you all gave in our behalf. It was truly something that took a lot of unbearable moments for me, not to feel so heavy weighted on my shoulders. There were many times when I'd just want to burst myself into tears and not think of anything else through the rest of the day, but it gave me an opportunity to reflect on how amazingly simple this gospel is. Shortly after a couple of weeks, I returned back to the elementary school and one of my third graders asked me how my dad was doing--I genuinely responded with saying this:"He's doing super and home taking it nice/easy for awhile... But for me, it was incredibly difficult wanting to not talk about that stuff anymore. I just needed some time to let this all sink in and did notice that the third grade teacher was looking over at me, probably to make sure that I would not find myself being teary eyed in that very moment. From the time that I had told my friend, Miss B about what was going on with my dad.. I briefly sent her general little updates on my dad's recovery after his surgery. I really never mentioned much of anything to other friends because I did not feel comfortable with letting them know what was going on and how I'd felt about it all. I knew most of them wouldn't necessarily understand the seriousness behind everything and so for a person like me to share that stuff with them, never felt completely right either. I was more than grateful for all of the many prayers that people continuously did for our family, truly made me feel like I could handle anything that comes in my path. There is so much power in prayer and it's absolutely REAL without any shadow of a doubt in my mind. It definitely works miracles in more ways than anyone reading through this would ever think of them to and for me, I couldn't have felt less or more happy with how this all ended up. 

New Experience

One of the many things that I never imagined myself to do is compete in pageants and try to appear as the person who was just wanting to get out of being the center of attention. It is terribly scary for me to be up in front of people and not try to get emotional, but at the same time... It would be such a rewarding experience for me. I had a good friend of mine who competed in this pageant late last year and never expected that I would give it a shot, considering how much fun it looks like to do!!! I am so glad that it is not a scholarship pageant with money involved and just an experience for individuals like me to build up their confidence and self esteem in a very positive environment. There are so many things that I would love to see myself accomplish in the upcoming year and one of them would be getting to use my voice in a way that I never have before. I have not necessarily registered for this kind of stuff yet and still have a lot of questions to ask a friend of mine about various things that I would need to prepare myself for. 

There are four separate core divisions that I would be participating in such as: (Talent which is totally an optional thing and basically just having fun out on stage without the worrisome of being scored in how I present myself to an audience.) Introduction is simply where you can share anything about you like your name, age, favorite things to do, etc. It would seriously be one of the most nervous things I would ever do in my life, but also such an amazing opportunity to express who I am in this world to other people. 

Following those two core divisions, I would also participate in an one on one interview with the judges along with a representative or buddy that would be with me as well. We would get asked questions about things on this overview form and trying to make eye contact with people is just uncomfortable for me in more ways than one, but I'll need to make an effort & be as professional with everything they would ask questions about. 

Presentation In Evening Wear:

This division of the competition would simply give me an opportunity to express myself and how I'd like to show off my confidence that is inside me all through this portion of the pageant. I would most definitely give it my best possible shot in every single phase of competition, to not only become such a better person in this world but to empower others to make a difference for those around them. This is certainly most likely gonna be my favorite part of this event and feeling like a queen on stage, will most definitely be an unforgettable moment to remember for a lifetime!!!