Signs

Life is so weird. Well, at least my life, but I am betting you have those weird days too. I just feel like I have a frequent amount of those really weird days. Sometimes things go how you want and other times, they are the furthest away possible. Well lately, I have had quite the mixture of this. One day is totally awesome and I feel like I am queen of the world and the next is the worst day of my life. I think one reason behind this is, well we have to stay humble somehow. So throwing in a curveball every once in awhile isn't a bad thing. Cause in reality we aren't better than anyone, ever, no matter what. So maybe those curve balls are to calm our ego down. Which makes sense to me. Or else we would all be walking around like bobble-heads cause they'd be so big! In addition to my weird days, I have noticed a lot of signs...

 

I have had a few experiences in my life where I have clearly realized that the outcome of things is rarely in my hands. I mean, yes I am the person that makes the decisions and has the agency to choose how things go, but when it comes down to it all, it's all in Gods hands. Which is SO cliché, but guys it is completely true. And it is weird but awesome all at the same time. Because even if something doesn't go the way you want, you can look back on it and 99% of the time you realize dang, imagine if it would have turned out the other way. But then there is that 1% and maybe sometimes you still are bitter because it didn't turn out the way you wanted. Well, all that means is there is still hope, there is still the possibility of it turning out exactly how you want and it'll be better than you ever imagined, and if it doesn't.. Well all that means is something 10 times better is coming your way! So back to my signs..

 

In my life, I have noticed more often than not there is always signs that are leading you down the right path. You can look at this however you want. Coincidences. Awkward moments. Breakdowns.

Answers to prayers. The options are endless. And I have experienced them all! And lately I have been having a ton of all of these, which have made me endlessly confused, but at the same time happy. They make me excited to actually see what happens in the future. So I guess all I am trying to say is, watch for your signs. Rather they be the simplest things as a song on the radio, to someone calling you on the phone and telling you exactly what you want to hear. Keep those eyes and ears open. The hand of The Lord is constantly in our lives, and maybe he is just waiting for you to ask for a sign. Happy Friday!! I hope everyone has a great weekend and goes and sees Catching Fire :) Thanks for reading!

Love, Nessa

Untouchable

Sometimes I really wonder where I will be in the next 2 in a half to 3 years. I have always thought ya I want to be married and be working and have my own house and yadda, yadda, yadda. The normal future that young girls see. Well now days, since I am mostly submerged into the real world after high school, things can flip in the blink of an eye. And it is exciting and upsetting all at the same time! You don't see things going exactly the way you always have, and I being one who is not a fan of change, I am not the biggest fan of all this growing up business. But one major thing I want to reflect on, that I think is going to be beneficial to not just myself but a lot of young girls who are in this "waiting" stage.

Being a sophomore in college is not all it's cracked up to be, college in general is not all it's cracked up to be. But we go because we have dreams, and we want to be something and ya that is life! But what about the dating aspect of college. Well I am not the girl that loves dating, like I don't like going on dates with different guys all the time, I don't like being set up on dates, I like dating. Just not the dating phase. When you're in a relationship- that is when dating becomes fun, but when you're just one of those wandering fish in the sea. Ya, I am not the biggest fan. Well I have been "single" for going on two years. And in those two years, how many guys have actually like asked me on a date..lets just say I could count them on one hand. Because apparently that just isn't the thing to do anymore, which I'm not complaining. Then I see some of my friends who literally have boys like dropping at their feet. Like I don't have any boys flocking to me?? Then the questions start coming, well what's wrong with me? I'm not bad looking, like I have nice teeth.. I like being outside more than inside.. and I don't understand. And then people always ask me "why are you single, you're the cutest girl" Like what am I suppose to say to that?? Most days I feel completely invisible to guys, and I go to the University of Utah! I go to institute! I live in Utah!! Girls my age should be close to marriage and I feel like I am the farthest away possible, like what is going on!

 

Well my dear friends, if you are feeling this way. If you are feeling almost like you have a repellent on that guys just wont even look at you, if you feel untouchable--like you are just on this pedestal waiting around. That is OK! Why is this ok? Because, let me tell ya. Heavenly Father is preparing us, as well as our prince charming, where ever he may be, a mission, school, living down the street from ya. It is just a matter of time. Oh time, we hate time. This waiting period can get lost, right? Wrong, this is the time we need to be worrying about ourselves, doing good in school or work or preparing for missions, whatever it is you're doing just get lost in it. Because I know that if we lose ourselves in positive aspects of life, the unexpected will happen and you'll look back on this time and laugh because you were worrying over something so silly. It is ok to feel untouchable. Untouchable means you have standards, it means you will love when you're ready and not lonely, and it means you are a daughter of Heavenly Father who is willing to shower us with blessings as soon as we are ready for them. So chin up buttercup. It'll all be ok :) Happy Friday, friends!! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Love, Nessa

Preston's Post

As many of you have probably heard by now about the massive typhoon that went through the Philippines. It was recorded as a 5 and the worst typhoon the world has ever seen. Leaving massive devastation throughout but one city especially wiped out. The city of Tacloban. Well here's a fun fact my cousin, Elder Preston Hughes, was serving his mission in the Tacloban mission. Now when I say cousin people don't think much of that.. Well this cousin, was more like the brother I never had but always wanted. All growing up he and his older brother were the only boys in the family. And Preston was always surrounded by the "younger girls" (even though I am older than him by a year!) Myself, my little sis, and our cousin Shelby. We were all extremely close growing up. Preston however went to the same high school as me and my little sister and it just happens to be the school my mom works at as well. I know tight weaved family. But it could not have been more fun. Preston's senior year he was the SBO president of the school, he is a very talented and hilarious kiddo. Always making us laugh. Preston is the first to ever serve a mission on that side of the family, only because like I said majority girls.. haha. Any who. The day he opened his call and said he was serving in the Philippines many many tears were shed. His mother is a native Filippino and we believed that is the reason why he got called there. My grandma actually guessed that is where he was going to serve and of course she was spot on cause grandma is always right. July 17 he reported to the MTC and The "Best Two Years" began!

 So there's a little background on this cool cuz of mine. So the typhoon right, ya well all the missionaries were to evacuate once they got a call from their mission president. For Preston, and his companion Elder Baker, that call never came. However the week before they were given 72 hour kits. Preston and his companion hunkered down in their apartment until the storm got so bad that they knew they could no longer stay there, they relocated to the church that was across the street and waited for the storm to pass. After it did, they set off on foot and walked forty miles to the next closest city. FORTY MILES!! That's like from here to the ranch and back! As soon as they were found they were taken to Cebu and are now going to Manilla to be transferred. But ya see here's the catch.

All of that is happening in the Philippines, but us back home, ya we know nothing besides what the news is saying. On Friday they announced all LDS Missionaries were safe and accounted for, hours later they said that of the 21 missions in the Philippines all were accounted for except one. The Tacloban mission. Preston's mission. Preston was missing. We were all lost in emotion for the next 48 hours. Flipping through every news station, looking online, posting to pray for the Philippines and spread the word. I sent out emails to a lot of my friends serving missions and asked them to pray as well. We fasted and prayed. I had never prayed so hard in my entire life. Begging and pleading with the Lord to keep Preston safe and have him found. We went and saw my aunt and uncle and a General Authority called telling us he was still missing. I hung out with the best-girl-friend, who is actually one of my best friends too so that has worked out nicely :) We did everything we possibly could think of. But the wait drug on. Saturday night was pretty much sleepless, as well as Sunday. I just could not believe this was really happening. Seeing all the pictures of devastation I just thought he is over there in that. Has he lost everything? Is he hurt? Does he have food and water? We were all worried absolutely sick. Sunday night around midnight I decided to stop watching the news and head to bed, even though I knew I would just be staring at the ceiling for the majority of the night. I got ready for bed, then got down on my knees and said one of the most heartfelt prayers of my life. I then climbed into bed and was looking at some blogs, when my phone lit up, I looked at it and it was my uncle saying. "They found Preston and his companion! The two of them were walking on the road from Merida to Ormoc. More news tomorrow." This was around 12:30 and I immediately broke down in tears. In that moment I felt Heavenly Fathers arms around me and I knew even more than I thought I knew about how much he loves us and how much he loves his missionaries. I sent out a bunch of texts telling my friends they had found them, I ran into my parents room and told them and then to my sister. It was as if a giant weight off my shoulders had been lifted. No I didn't know much about Prest at that moment, but I knew he was safe. As of now all missionaries have officially been accounted for and are safe.

This experience has been one of the most terrifying times of my life. But it has strengthened my testimony immensely. I know that The Lord protects his missionaries, I know that he listens to every single one of our prayers and that he feels what we feel. I believe that there is strength in numbers and without all the people praying and thinking about Preston as well as my family, it would have been a lot harder to get through this difficult time. And I will never be able to thank you all enough. I can not be more grateful this November. This church is truly amazing and I know that they are taking care of the missionaries in the Philippines. I can not be more proud of my cousin, for all he has been through in just a few short months that he has been serving it has proved that he has a true faith and testimony of this church. He is strong mentally, physically and spiritually. He has only been serving for almost 4 months and if this is what the first months of his mission life are like we can't even wait for what the next 597 days will be like for him!! All I know is I cant wait for Christmas to hear this kids voice!! I love ya prest!! And so do a whole lot of other people!! Please pray for the people of the Philippines during this difficult time. I hope everyone is having a good week!! Thanks for reading!

Love, Nessa

To watch Preston's 2 minutes of fame click the link below :)

http://fox13now.com/2013/11/11/utah-lds-missionaries-found-safe-after-typhoon-haiyan/

 

 

Fear

Fear; what a deceiving word. Fear is something that you feel during so many aspects of life. Rather it be a fear or something so small like spiders, or something so silly like going on your first date, or something so big like not knowing if you are going to see tomorrow. Well let me tell you a little something about fear. Fear has four sides. On one side of fear there is hope, on another side there is love, on the third side there is freedom, and on the final side there is faith.

 

I feel like the last little while I have been living in fear. Fear of losing friends, fear of loving, fear of failing, fear of being hurt. And I really have shy'd away from so many things because of it. I get really down on myself a lot more than one should. I have always been a person with very high goals, expectations and standards and this past year I feel like I have failed myself for not doing as well as I wanted in that class, or letting something really good slip away. But then I would get scared, and I would have fear. I wouldn't want to take hard classes or try and figure things out between people, all because I was scared. Which in my opinion is normal. But I let myself be consumed with fear. I became really sad, I was lonely-even though I really wasn't and I just felt sorry for myself all the time. I had the attitude of, I will never find that again, I will never amount to anything, why should I even try anymore. But then one day I was in relief society and a beautiful sister stood up and talked about her trials with The Lord. This sister certainly has not had it easy, she has had multiple serious health problems and for awhile she thought she was not going to make it. But then she said something that just made me really think. She talked about how if she lived in fear of not knowing if she was going to be able to wake up tomorrow and not knowing if she would be able to continue to see her family grow, then she really probably wouldn't. But she looked at the four sides of fear. She knew if she loved, had faith, and hope, then she could have the freedom from fear.

This has really been on my mind a lot lately. Because of an event that has happened in my past, but certain events that have simultaneously kept occurring I have lived in fear. Fear of being hurt by a person that I care for more that I ever thought I would. Because it has happened before. Multiple times. And even after all that pain, I still care and love this person. Maybe not to the extent that I had in the past, and that is because of fear. But I can't keep letting this fear get in the way. It is very difficult to talk to people and tell them your emotions about certain things, about anything, but I know that if we do it with the four things that surround fear we will be much happier. We will be free of something that has been holding us back and we will be able to continue living our lives how we are supposed too. I don't know what I would do with out this gospel in my life, it just keeps leading me in more and more good directions and I am forever grateful. I am so grateful for my friends that I talk to everyday and keep me going, giving me encouragement, and making me laugh, and I am especially thankful for my family. This is the time of year for us to be thankful so I am sure there will be some more of those posts coming up soon!! I hope everyone is having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday!! Hallelujah! Thanks for reading!

-Nessa

 

 

Two Years

Well of course I have another post about missionaries. Only because as of this moment in my life, 95% of the thoughts going through my head are about my missionaries. Ok maybe not that much cause I have to be able to fit in my school and that takes up a lot of brain capacity. But none the less, I still think a lot about my friends serving those missions. Especially when I get letters, emails, or see some of their family, plus I have two more friends heading out Wednesday to serve, so its a constant thought. But I came across a song that really hit me, and I don't even know how many times I have listened to it since, but I can not even tell you the love I have for this song. So I feel obliged to share it with you.

 

I so love this song. Tears come every time I listen, but it is totally worth it.

 

I really wish all the missionaries could read this post. Because I seriously just love you all. Even the ones I don't know. The ones who are preparing. The ones who are waiting to leave. I love you and support you so much. What you are doing is not an easy task, and the fact that you are taking this difficult task upon you means so much. Thank you for always being such an example. For always having the Light of Christ shining through you. I know there are hard days on your mission, but just remember there are people constantly praying for you. Your family and friends who love you and even complete strangers. Thank you. I know that missionary work is of God. I know that the time to hasten the Lords work is now. And even for those who aren't serving missions, Hey that's ok!! You are still a missionary everyday just by being an example and willing to share. I hope everyone is having an awesome Thursday!! Its almost the weekend, we can do it!! Thanks for reading!

<3// Nessa

When in New York

 

Every since I can remember it has always been a dream of mine to go to The Big Apple. Well, this past weekend that dream finally became reality for me! So, let me just warn you now, this will be long, but I have to document while it is fresh in my noggin!! And so it all began, two Fridays ago when I was sitting at the U in my favorite study spot and I got a tweet message from my Uncle. He said would you be interested in going to New York with me and my Aunt. In my head I immediately wanted to reply yes, but there were so many conflicts that weekend. Like we would only be gone four days and everyday something big was going to happen. Thursday I had a big pottery assignment, Friday I had a chemistry midterm, a surprise party, and a relief society activity, Saturday was my cousins baptism I was to speak at, a good friends wedding plus all my family from out of town was coming into town and Sunday was one of my good friends farewells. So, I replied to my uncle with a I will have to talk to my parents, thinking there is no way they will ever let me go. So two hours later I get a text from my uncle asking if I have flown a lot, I reply with a nope, because I had never flown. About two minutes later I get a reply saying my flight was booked and we were to leave SLC Wednesday night at 11:45. I literally started happy dancing as I am walking to my car from class. I was SO excited. So then I had to figure out everything so I was able to turn my pottery in a different day, make up my test, and apologize a hundred times for missing peoples life changing events. But it all worked out because I am back, and everyone still loves me...I think.

THE FLIGHT: Wednesday was probably the slowest day of my life, like I was dying because I just wanted to get to New York! Well school finally ended and I went home and worked on homework that needed to be finished before I left and started packing, I then ventured to the SL temple with my cute friend and we did baptisms and went to dinner before I left. When I got home I rechecked my suitcase for the hundredth time and called it good. One of my friends came over to tell me goodbye and then off to the airport I went! I got there at 10:30 and met my uncle and we went and got our tickets and checked in our bags, went through security and yadda yadda. Well we get to our gate and come to find out our flight is delayed because of mechanical problems, so we sat and waited for at least an hour. We didn't fly out till 1:00 a.m. Now I know why they call them Red Eye flights. Cause everyone's got red eyes!! I couldn't really sleep on the plane because I was so excited to be flying and to be going to New York. What did I think of my first flight? It was good!! I mostly felt like it was a car ride..but in the air. None the less though, I loved it. We landed in New York at around 7 and my cute aunts picked us up at the airport! We then went to my Aunt Olive's apartment because she actually lives in Queens! (shes not really my aunt, but I consider her one) Because we were so tired from our flight we took a quick pick me up nap and then we were off!!

 

DAY ONE: So from Olives house it is a quick walk to the subway and you can get basically anywhere in a matter of minutes but before that we went and ate at a delicious Asian Restaurant and I ate with chopsticks the whole time. I know, so proud. And then we hoped on the "R" train and headed to Rockefeller Plaza. The subway was not as scary as everyone makes it out to be. It's just like Trax, except underground, ten times faster and kinda more dirty..but everyone rides it so it's fine. When we got to our stop we walked upstairs and outside and BAM there it was! Rockefeller plaza!! Like is this real life? Am I really standing right here? I have only seen this ice rink on the tv and in movies, but here I am staring at it in person! It was truly an unreal experience and I was basically floating on cloud nine! And what is right next to Rockefeller Plaza? The Today Show headquarters!!! So that was way awesome! We walked around and took pictures for a bit and then went into the NBC gift shop, spent too much money and then we hit the ground running! I saw Saks & Co from afar and we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Which was amazing! It is under renovation, which was kinda a bummer, but none the less, it was still amazing. The architecture was simply stunning and the high ceilings and stained glass windows unreal. It was very cool to be able to see such a historic part of New York. From there we walked down to Radio City Hall and into a cool little museum that had stuff from Times Square in it. We then headed to TIMES SQUARE!!!!! How amazing is that place?! Like holy crap!! I am in love! It was everything I imagined and so much more! We went into the Disney store, which was giant, and I literally had a hay day shopping in there. It was so fun!!! We went to McDonalds because it was two stories and huge and cool so we had to go. Then we just went and sat in the square for a bit and people watched and I took it all in. It was so so cool. I probably could have spent like an entire day there just going in stores, like the American Eagle there was probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! So from there we hoped back on the subway and headed home. We got Chinese food takeout for dinner and just ate at home, by then I was completely pooped so I went straight to bed so I could be completely rested for the next day. It was weird being two hours ahead of everyone back home. The whole time change thing kinda threw me for a loop. But it worked out.

DAY TWO: Today I woke up, ate a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, jewish rolls and Naked Mango juice, hit the shower, curled the hair and was ready to roll! We headed to the 9/11 Memorial! The lines were endlessly long, but we made it! And let me tell you it was probably one of the coolest spirits I have ever felt. It was like a sense of peace. I probably heard like ten different languages in five minutes and that was unique. Being able to see the foot of where The World Trade Towers once stood and realizing what happened was a lot to take it, it was definitely a cool experience. We then went into the gift shop and spent too much money again. I found my dad a way awesome FDNY shirt and was way excited to get that for him! After that we headed to this department store called Century 21. It was like a Kohls, Macys, and Bed Bath & Beyond all tied in one. It was sweet. Like bring those to Utah! We went to lunch at McDonalds on Wall Street and that was neat because that place had a baby grand piano in it with someone serenading us...like they really take care of their Mickey D's. So then we went to the World Biggest Macy's. I have never seen such a store. Like it just was glistening inside and smelled of wonderousness. It is a shoppers heaven. My mother would have been in heaven!! Also I went on the wooden escalator which is like one of the big things Macy's in NY is known for so that was pretty sweet. We then headed over to the Empire State Building and headed up 86 floors to the Observation deck. Holy heck that was breath taking, being able to see New York from a birds eye view. Like wowza!! Also we could see Lady Liberty which was cool. Because of the government shutdown she had been closed so our hopes and dreams of seeing her were shattered. Thanks Obama... We then went into the gift shop and of course I spent more mullah there. I am pretty sure I bought a keychain and magnet everywhere we went... haha. After that we headed back to the subway, but not before I stopped in a shoe store and bought red Hunter rain boots!! Happiest moment ever!! After that we headed back home and went to a delicious BBQ restaurant for dinner and I had the most delicious Pina Colada drink. It was heavenly. But not to forget that before we got on the subway there was the coolest of cool little bands playing at the subway station, so ya I donated to that cause, they were pretty talented. Like go on America's got Talent my friends!

DAY THREE: On this day we went to Long Island and had lunch with some of my aunts friends. Just so you know, my aunt is Filipino so her friends were Filipino. So we headed on over to their house. They lived in a Jewish community so all the Jews were walking to church because they worship on Saturday so that was kinda cool to see. We got to their house and it was a lovely little place! Probably one of the most unique houses I have ever been in. They had fun painted walls and furniture and a baby grand piano. They had it all!! For lunch we were served Filipino food. Which, honestly I didn't know what I was eating, but it none the less I ate it. For a second I related it to being a missionary and just eating whatever is put in front of you and saying thank you. However, what I was eating was very good. We started off with a chicken and rice soup. Then we had pansit, meat and fresh egg rolls and for dessert we had this really good green jello with like these coconut noodles, it was really delightful. After all that was said and done we headed home. We then ventured out to the subway and headed off to Central Park and FAO Schwartz. Which holy heck let me tell you, that place is incredible. Every child's dream!! I was in heaven! It was so much fun! The biggest toy store in America! I bought a cute FAO Barbie doll and then we went to this Filipino restaurant for dinner. Which I am pretty sure I was the only white person (besides my uncle) on that whole block. They ordered this huge platter with a giant variety of food, so I got to try it all out! So basically I am a Filipino now :) After that we went home and I packed my suitcase and went to bed knowing that tomorrow was my last day in the big apple, I wanted to make the best of it!!

DAY FOUR: My final day in the magical city of New York. How did we spend it? With Lady Liberty of course! So as I mentioned before, The Statue of Liberty had been closed cause of the government shutdown, well prayer works cause it opened up in time for us to go!!! So we headed to the subway and off to Battery Park which is where you board the ferry to get to Liberty Island. It was literally one of the coolest experiences of my life! I was just ecstatic! The ferry ride was so fun! From the ferry you can see New Jersey and New York and it is really pretty awesome. There were lots of sail boats and speed boats that were crusin' around too, so it was fun to see those! When we got onto the island we bought waters and then headed around to see the lady herself. It was just a surreal moment. I am still amazing at how cool of an experience it was! After taking pictures with her and the other billion people, we went into the gift shop and bought some fun stuff, then boarded the ferry and back the to the city we went. As we got off the ferry there were all these people trying to sell fake purses and watches and stuff and well of course you have to experience that at least once in your life, so I got a black Coach purse haha. It was pretty funny to bargain with the dude! Once we got back to the apartment I hurried and finished packing, I was kinda worried I wasn't going to be able to fit everything I bought in my suitcase!! But somehow it all worked out!! We ate some leftovers before we headed to the airport and then off we went. We got to the airport checked in, told Aunt Olive goodbye and headed to our gate. However, we had an hour before we could board the plane so I went and explored the airport and bought a cool sweatshirt haha. We finally boarded the plane and got ready to take off. I feel like take off took forever and a million years!! Like get this bird in the sky already! We finally got in the air and homeward bound we went. I wasn't able to sleep on the flight, because I just cant, its too uncomfortable for me, so I just listened to my music and looked out the window at all the little lights down yonder. After 5 hours we landed in good ol' SLC! My mom and sister came to the airport to pick me up and they even made me a sign :) Best family award!!

New York was seriously the time of my life, and I am so grateful I had the experience to be able to go!! Thanks to these three for being such good hosts and tour guides! I had such a blast and cant wait to go back in the future!! Cause there is no way I can stay away now!! If you ever have the opportunity to go to NYC. GO!!! You will not regret it one bit!! I hope everyone is having a nice week!! Its fall break for me so I am sure enjoying myself :) Thanks for reading! Muah!

<3// Nessa