THe SiMPLe THiNGS aND THe aLoHa SPiRiT

Hawaii is an absolute dream! The sun, the heat, the water, the beach, the palm trees. If you know me at all you know how much I LOVE those things :) I'd be lying if I said that I didn't plan my flights with every intention of some extended time here. Heck, I was gonna have to come through here anyway, so why not make a day of it? 

Before I left Utah one of my friends was able to line up a place for me to stay while I was here which I am SO grateful for! Jackie and her adorable little girl came and picked me up at the airport and took my to explore a place called Ford Island. It has some really neat history to it. One of the buildings there used to be the old barracks during WWII. Right after Pearl Harbor was attacked they took some of the wounded there and used it as a hospital. There are several spots on he island where you can actually see the USS Arizona Memorial up close without having to take the ferry out. You can't get on it from there, but it was still really neat to see. 

Right around that same area are several other memorials that have to do with the attacks on Pearl Harbor.  I've always loved studying that part of history, so being able to see some of the lesser known memorials was a really neat experience!

The USS Oklahoma & Battleship Missouri Memorials

After looking at the memorials it started to rain a little bit, but it was actually really refreshing. It was still warm out though, and the rain was just light so the kids and I opted to played some ball in it :) 

Once Kirk got home we all piled in to the family car. Jackie thought it would be fun to pick up some sandwiches and go have a picnic on the beach while we watched the sunset, so we did just that. We played tag. We dug holes. We ran in the water. We played tic tac toe in the sand. It was something so simple, but that is the kind of stuff I love the most. Just a night on the beach with another family I didn't know before. Just another night where I felt completely at home. 

THiS WHoLe SoLo TRaVeL THiNG

I won't lie, up until around 5 'o' clock yesterday night the tought of traveling alone made me kind of nervous. I knew I could do it but that didn't make it any less nerve racking. But do you know what? This has been on of the best experiences! It's been full of tender mercies, like randomly running into James Beadle, a friend from my home ward growing up at the airport. Or realizing I was on the wrong train before I got to the point where I would have to back track. There was also the part where the person sitting next to me on my flight to Honolulu was a Filipino. Instant connection. 

I have met some of the nicest people too! Like Terry, the lady who was on her way to Oakland to visit her grandson. She was traveling alone too so we stuck together. Both she and this cute couple we met before our flight to Oakland we're quick to offer me a ride to the home I was staying at. We later realized that it wasn't in the same direction, so I told them I would be fine taking the BART, but the offer was there and it meant a lot. 

Then there was Guy and Sue. On Sunday I was talking to my friend Monica and I told her about my initial plan to just spend 19 hours in the airport. By Sunday night she had arranged for me to stay with Guy and Sue. They were kind enough to let me, this girl they've never met, just stay in their home. Not only that buthey fed me, helped me find my way around and made sure I was comfortable. I've never felt more at home in a strangers house. 

As far as wandering Oakland goes, I really didn't, unless you count going out on the BART. I'm just gonna say that should count for something even if it's something small...haha. I got in to town with just enough time to eat dinner with Guy and Sue, cheesecake included. Shortly after Sue asked if I wanted to watch some CSI with them. Definitely said yes and definitely fell asleep during in the middle of it. 

There really are so many good people out there! I love that I've got to spend so much time with complete strangers. It's made me want to be that way; a pay it forward type thing. Is there a definite learning curve to traveling solo? Yes. But it's worth every bit of it!

TODAY I AM FULL OF...

GRaTiTuDe. That is what I think of when I think of the last month and a half. GRATITUDE for the experience I gained working with Philippine Improvement Group and Revive. GRATITUDE for the doors that were opened because of it. GRATITUDE for a friend who did for me what I wouldn't have done for myself. GRATITUDE for the person who was a friend when I felt like I had no one. GRATITUDE for a calling that was given to me because Heavenly Father knew I would need it. GRATITUDE for a Bishop and the council he gives. GRATITUDE for friends who have always been there for me no matter how blind I may be at times. GRATITUDE for incredible coworkers who have showed me more love than I ever deserved. GRATITUDE for the chance I had, and will continue to have, to set and make goals for myself. GRATITUDE for roadtrips with a longtime friend. GRATITUDE for get togethers with friends who I don't get to see very often. GRATITUDE for a ward that has brought me so many irreplaceable friends. GRATITUDE for a mom who pushes me when I don't want to, but need to be pushed. GRATITUDE for my extended family and the horrendous version of "Happy Birthday" they sing whenever they can. GRATITUDE for brothers who make the greatest roommates. GRATITUDE for HELP International, the friends I have there and the vision and ability they have to do good.  GRATITUDE for an amazing group of people that I get to spend my entire summer with. GRATITUDE for all the people who are constantly bringing a smile to my face. GRATITUDE for the strangers who have so graciously welcomed me in to their homes. GRATITUDE for the people who arranged for that to happen. GRATITUDE for Terry, the kind lady who I met at the airport and the time we spent laughing. GRATITUDE for the offer Terry and the other cute couple at the airport gave me and for their kindness. GRATITUDE for a familiar face as I stepped in to the unknown. GRATITUDE for a bed to sleep in, food to eat, the people that made it possible  and their patience as I learned the BART system.

In today's world it is so easy to get discouraged by all the horrible things we see going on in the world around us. But today all I can do is smile and hope that one day I will be able to pay all these people back for their kindness. Just know that each and every one of you have been a shining example in my life and I it is somethng that be defects my life each and every day. 

As for the trip, I'll start documenting the details of it tomorrow, but for now I couldn't move on with out saying "THANK YOU" to all throws who have for me to where I am today :)

LeaViNG THe BuBBLe

Every once in a while life tends to 

grab me by the ears,

look me in the face 

and say,

"LISTEN BRITTANY, 

if you aren't going to do something about this 

I'LL MAKE IT SO THAT YOU HAVE TO."

That is never a fun time. 

You see I'm the girl who is very comfortable in my little bubble.

I tend to plan my life within the bubble;

thinking that there are no other opportunities outside of it. 

That's usually when life pulls out the pin and pops said bubble.

It's not a happy time when your bubble gets popped. 

You feel LOST.

You feel ALONE.

You feel DIRECTIONLESS.

All you want is to get back into your bubble, 

but you can't. 

It's gone.

Even if you could make a new bubble with all the same contents, it would still be a different bubble.

BUT, 

after you fall from the air and on to the ground

SOMETHING NEAT HAPPENS.

You realize that there are other people on the ground.

They have cared about you all along, 

yet they respected the fact that you liked your bubble. 

They never left your side. 

  

YOU WERE NEVER ALONE.

You still have a problem though.

You are still 

LOST

and have 

NO DIRECTION. 

At least you're not alone.

Those people who never left your side; they have some ideas. 

Some of them might sound good. 

Some of them might even seem great.

You start to consider the options they helped you to see. 

You may even consider things you really didn't want to do

(They weren't bad. You were happy in your bubble).

YOU ARE RELIEVED;
THERE ARE OPTIONS.

From there you quickly run into another problem. 

What if you make the wrong decision? 

These are BIG decisions. 

Remember?

Your life was in the bubble. 

You had it all planned. 

Now you have to plan your life, AGAIN. 

At this point you do all the things you've been taught.

You talk to your friends and family.

You talk to the others whom you trust. 

You pray.

You read the scriptures. 

From there one of two things will happen. 

You'll either get the answer you were looking for, or you won't. 

We all like to think that the first scenario is the one we'll be given. 

Honestly though, 

for myself the scenario I'm handed is usually the latter. 

That's when you have to realize that 

a loving 

Heavenly Father 

is giving you the opportunity to make your own decision. 

He's allowing you to build trust in your own abilities. 

He always has been, and always will be there for you.

What you have to do is take the opportunity he has given you and run with it. 

Amazing things will happen when you allow that opportunity to work within you.

Trust in your own abilities, 

and realize that Heavenly Father's hand is in all things. 

He knows what is best for you, 

but He also trusts you. 

So go ahead, 

TRUST YOURSELF.

and know that in that as long as both options are good

HE WILL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR DECISION
because
LIFE ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER IN THE BUBBLE.

PuRPoSe To ouR LiVeS

I know it has been quite some time since I last blogged. 

Over a year to be exact.

Will this be a one time post, 

see you in another year kind of thing?

Or will I really start to blog again?

(like I really do want too)

Only time will tell.

For now though

LETS START HERE :)

I was doing some reading today and came across this scripture:

I found it in this month's edition of the Ensign in a talk by

PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON

called

"Serve the Lord with Love"

President Monson then goes on to say this about the scripture:

"I believe, the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives."

He then goes on to say,

"We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness - be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers."

I know this is true. 

For the last couple years I haven't been in school, 

which sometimes I do feel ashamed about,

but in all honesty

I know this time has not been wasted.

These last couple years I have been given more opportunities to serve than I ever remember having before. 

My FAMILY.

My FRIENDS.

My COWORKERS.

My NEIGHBORS.

People I never knew before, 

both HERE AT HOME

and THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY.

Having those experiences has taught me more about life than I could have ever learned otherwise. 

The result for me has always been the same;

a GREATER LOVE for the people I am able to serve, 

an APPRECIATION FOR WHAT I HAVE been given, 

and 

a sense of PURPOSE in my life. 

The times I have been able to spend helping others truly has brought me the greatest sense of joy and accomplishment. 

"THERE ARE FEET TO STEADY, HANDS TO GRASP, MINDS TO ENCOURAGE, HEARTS TO INSPIRE, AND SOULS TO SAVE. YOURS IS THE PRIVILEGE TO BE NOT SPECTATORS BUT PARTICIPANTS ON THE STAGE OF … SERVICE."

For that I am so grateful.