For the beauty of the earth

Today, like 100 other people in Utah, I went on a drive up the alpine loop.
I was geeking out. The wet air, foggy skies, and colorful trees. 

Seriously. It was beautiful. Left me wildly speechless. 

It was a great way to spend my Sunday.

A great way to fill my heart with gratitude for all the work that my Heavenly Father put in to give me a beautiful place to grow, learn, and love. 

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use or man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;"

D&C 59:18

My heart is certainly gladdened. 

I don't know who MF and SF is, but I hope they stay in love forever. 

p.s. take a look at my photo blog: http://rachelmariesaphotography.blogspot.com/

It's always a fun time when friends come home

recently a large (understatement) amount of my friends
have been coming home from lds missions.

basically it's the greatest.
i missed my friends too much.

it amazes me so much and not at all that
we can all stay up til 3 in the morning just being great friends.

p.s. happy birthday carter, i think you're hilarious, cause you are. 

xo, rach

Solid Ground

I started going to my new singles ward a couple weeks ago.
{at least I thought it was my singles ward.}
 I mingled, made a few friends, got invited to a party.
Nope, wrong ward.

The clerks kindly directed me to my right ward
{at least I thought it was the right ward}
I mingled, made a few friends, got a calling extended to me.
Nope, wrong ward.

I'm proud to say I am now in right ward,
but its tough getting bounced around like a beach ball.
I consider myself a friendly person,
but a girl can only make new friends so many times.

I was starting to feel a bummed out.
I was tired of all this "new."
definitely headed towards frustrated.
and then I remembered a few things.

1. God has a plan for me.
sometimes it's scary, unpleasant, and lonely.
but in the end it will make me happy.

2.Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-9

3. This quote from Elder Uchtdorf's talk
"The why of priesthood service" from April 2012 general Conference

I'm nervous for what lies ahead
but I'm not afraid to stumble,
I've got plenty of solid ground beneath my feet.

xo, rach