Salt Lake City Temple

This summer I have had the amazing opportunity of living in the heart of Salt Lake City. I literally live down the street from the Utah State Capitol. That means that I live a convenient couple of blocks away from Temple Square. I have spent a lot of time there this summer. I have had opportunities to do endowment sessions, sealing sessions, and initiatory work. I also spent many mornings, afternoons, and evenings walking around Temple Square. On many of these occasions, I have enjoyed taking pictures of the temple. And now I want to share some of them with you.

North Visitor's Center

Reflection Pond

I love the temple. I used to think that the Salt Lake City temple was so overrated, but now I have a lot greater appreciation for it. It really is beautiful, and there is such a sweet spirit that surrounds it. It truly has been a blessing for me this summer.

Inside Out in Real Life

Here are some stories from the life of the one and only, Kelsey Simpson. I wrote this as a way to write down some memories, and I thought that doing it based on the movie Inside Out would be a fun way to go about it.

Fear

Once upon a time, I decided that I wanted to dress up as a mailbox for Halloween. It was brilliant. My mother painted a big box blue, and put the USPS logo on it. When I was inside the box, I couldn’t bend my arms. They just stuck straight out the sides. My mom sent me and my sisters around the block trick-or-treating before we hit up the rest of the town. When we came back from visiting all of our neighbors, my mom was waiting for us hidden by the garage door. As we walked up to the front door, she started banging on the garage door and screaming frantically. It scared the poop out of my sisters and they ran inside. But unfortunately for me, the door slammed shut behind them. And because my arms were sticking out the sides of the box, I couldn’t open the door. So I was screaming bloody murder, bawling like a baby, and running repeatedly into the screen door because I didn’t have anywhere else to go. It was traumatizing, but oh so funny to laugh about now. We all agreed that if we had gotten it on video, it would’ve been worth $10,000 on America’s Funniest Home Video.

Disgust

One time, my sisters had a bright idea to play Truth or Dare. That’s never a good idea. When it was my turn, they dared me to hold Emily’s hand for ten minutes. This was a big deal to me, because I really hated holding hands with people. But I did it. And the entire time, Emily was stroking my thumb with hers, really making me squirm. I give this experience full responsibility for my adolescent fear of physical touch.

Anger

When I was growing up, the punishment in my family for misbehaving was getting pepper put on our tongue. I remember one time in particular that I got pepper put on my tongue. I was so angry about it, that when my mom told me to go rinse my mouth out, I refused. I decided that I was going to wait in the bathroom and let the pepper sit there. I was sure that I was teaching my mother a lesson. Although now I look back and laugh at how incredibly irrational I was.

Sadness

When I was five years old my Grandpa Simpson died. I don’t remember too much about my grandpa. But I still remember when my mom told me he had died. It was early on a Sunday morning. Cortney and I shared the bedroom across the hall from my parents’ room. We slept in the light colored bunk beds that were actually separated at the time. I was sleeping in the top bunk next to the closet. My mom came in and sat down on my bed, and told us that Grandpa had died the night before. He had died with my aunts and uncles gathered around him to give him a blessing. I don’t know why, but I have always distinctly remembered getting that news.

Joy

I’ve tried so hard to pinpoint one good story that illustrates the emotion of Joy. I couldn’t pick just one. I feel like my life is filled with joy, every minute of every day. Even when I experience those other emotions, the Joy is always present in the background. Lately a very dear friend of mine has kept telling me how much they love how happy I am. Their theory is that my endless joy comes from the faith that I have in Heavenly Father and His plan of happiness for his children. I absolutely agree with that theory. I was told once in a blessing that throughout my life I will demonstrate that there is never reason to fear. I find so much joy in living the gospel of Jesus Christ. I find joy in doing the things necessary to maintain a close relationship with him. I find joy in being around loved ones. I find joy in helping those loved ones; whether it is with yard work, or emotional/spiritual support. I find joy every day of my life.

My Vacation in Salt Lake

Last week was fabulous!!! I had planned to visit Dallas, but when those plans were canceled I decided to still take the week off and vacation in Salt Lake instead. Here’s the thing, I’ve never lived near Salt Lake before, and so I had a whole bucket list of things to do this summer. So why not just take a week and hammer them all out? Here are all of the adventures that I went on:

Thanksgiving Point

            This was brilliant way to start off the week! I spent an entire day visiting the four main attractions Thanksgiving Point. The Museum of Ancient Life was really cool. Especially since I had recently watched Jurassic World, so I was feeling particularly in touch with my inner-child. My absolute favorite however, was the Botanical Gardens. I had no idea what I was signing up for when I arrived. It was phenomenal. Acres and acres of gorgeous land that was all perfectly groomed to match different themes. There was an Italian Garden, Secret Garden, Butterfly Garden, Rose Garden, Mountain Garden, and who even knows what else. The coolest part was the ginormous waterfall. My friend told me that it is the largest man-made waterfall in this hemisphere. From the perspective of someone who has spent an unusual amount of time around Civil Engineers, that is very impressive.

Salt Lake Bees’ Game

            This one was definitely on my bucket list. What kind of summer would it be if I didn’t spend at least one night at a ball park watching a baseball game? Does life get any better than that? I should think, not. Baseball games are fun. What I like about baseball games that is different than other sporting events, is the type of fans that the games draw in. Baseball fans are all just so laid back, laughing, chit-chatting it up, and just happy to be there. It’s just a different environment than you get at basketball or soccer games.

Rollerblading

            I had the super fun opportunity to visit my dear friend Lindsey in Ogden and go rollerblading. We went on a little bike trail that was at some park, up some canyon. It was a blast. There was lots of screaming, and frantic waving of arms, but boy was it fun. Then I got to try a “World Famous Mormon Muffin” I didn’t know those were famous. But they were pretty delicious.

Hiking

            I have had at least half of a dozen people tell me that I needed to hike to Donut Falls. With that many recommendations, I figured that it was probably a big deal. So I did it. It was fun. The kid I went with is super out-doorsy and likes to rock climb, so he was all over the place. I had to keep reminding him that I have extremely short limbs, and am very much not a rock climber. I made it to the bottom of the falls alive. But in the process of crossing the stream, my shoes got soaking wet. Normally that is enough to drastically ruin my mood. But this time I managed to keep my act together and stay happy. Although, I did opt to stop climbing at that point. All in all, it was a good experience.

Temple Square

            What would a summer in Salt Lake be without a visit (or a dozen) to Temple Square?! I woke up one day at the crack of dawn and did a temple session. It was really nice. Then I went on a tour of the conference center. There is a lot of really beautiful pieces of art there. And did you know there is four acres of landscaping on the roof? FOUR ACRES!!! Woah. I also visited the visitor’s center and saw the wall of nametags. It was pretty cool, I won’t lie.

Natural History Museum of Utah

            This activity was one of my favorites. The museum has a dinosaur exhibit that absolutely shamed the one at Thanksgiving Point. It was pretty epic. They even had a wall devoted to the different species of Triceratops (Which I know is NOT the scientific name for them). My favorite exhibit, however, was not the dinosaurs, but the Extreme Mammals. That exhibit was beyond awesome. I took about two hours to walk through just that part of the museum. I learned so much. Like did you know that Platypuses has a sixth sense that most mammals don’t? As if those little guys weren’t cool enough!!!

Well, why don't they call it The Big Chill? Or The Nippy Era? I'm just sayin', how do we know it's an Ice Age?

Miniature Golfing

            One night I had a blind date who treated me to miniature golfing and dinner. It was so much fun. Legitimately the best blind date I’ve ever been on (hope that doesn’t offend anyone.) My date was really good at coming up with fun questions to ask, like, “What is the most embarrassing song in your iTunes library?” By the end of the date, we were singing Backstreet Boys’ songs and quoting Winnie the Pooh to each other. It was a fantastic date. Also, he was a very nice gentleman.

Salt Lake City Cemetery

            This was one of my other favorite activities. I found a map of the Salt Lake City Cemetery, and I set out to find the headstones of some of the prophets and apostles. That cemetery is massive, and even with the map it was still a pretty good scavenger hunt. I found most of the ones I wanted. But I never could find Bruce R. McConkie’s. My friend and I spent forever looking for that one.

My last dinner date of the weekend canceled on me at the last minute. Which I was actually alright with. I was beyond exhausted. So I ordered some pizza and watched some X-Men. It was a nice relaxing way to finish off my exciting week.

God Thinks You're Wonderful!

It's been a while since I've written. And lately I've been feeling overwhelmingly grateful for all of my blessings. Especially special people that God has given to me. I've been trying to figure out the best way to express what has been on my mind. While doing so, I came across a book that I received while I was in Texas. This book expresses perfectly the way that I feel. It's as if the book was written specifically for me. I want to share with you the words of that book.

God Thinks You're Wonderful! by Max Lucado

God is fond of you... If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. He sends you flowers every spring, and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. Face it, Friend. He's crazy about you!

By the way, it may be difficult for you to believe that God knows your name... But He does. Written on His hand. Spoken by His mouth. Whispered by His lips. Your name. Our hearts are not large enough to contain the blessings that God wants to give. So try this. The next time a sunrise steals your breath... Or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless... remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you." If we give gifts to show our love, how much more would He? He could have left the world flat and gray... but He didn't. He splashed orange in the sunrise... and cast the sky in blue. And if you love to see geese as they gather, chances are that you'll see that too. Did He have to make the squirrel's tail furry? Was He obliged to make the birds sing? And the funny way that chickens scurry... Or the majesty of thunder when it rings? Why give flower fragrance? Why give food it's taste? Could it be He loves to see that look upon your face? 

So promise me you'll never forget... that you aren't an accident or an incident... You are a gift to the world, a divine work of art signed by God. You were knit together. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth... by the Master Craftsman. He thinks you are the best thing to come down the pike in quite a while. Turn to the sidelines; that's God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that's God applauding your steps. God is for you. Had He a calendar, your birthday, your birthday would be circled. If He drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there's a tree in heaven, He's carved your name in the bark. 

Maybe you don't want to trouble God with your hurts, but... "He cares about you" [1 Peter 5:7]. He is waiting for you, to embrace you whether you succeed or fail. Your Heavenly Father is very fond of you and only wants to share His love with you. Unteathered by time, God sees us all. Vagabonds and ragamuffins all, He saw us before we were born. And he loves what he sees. Flooded by emotion, overcome by pride, the Star Maker turns to us, one by one, and says, "You are my child. I love you dearly. I'm aware that someday you'll turn from me and walk away. But I want you to know I've already provided a way back." You have captured the heart of God. He cannot bear to live without you. God's dream is to make you right with Him. And the path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back. "Can anything make me stop loving you?" God asks. "You wonder how long my love will last. Watch me speak you language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Find your answer on a splintered cross on a craggy hill. That's how much I love you." 

God does more than forgive our mistakes; He removes them. We simply have to take them to Him. You can talk to God, because God listens. Let a tear appear on your cheek, and He is there to wipe it. He has sent His angels to care for you, His holy spirit to dwell in you... His church to encourage you, and His word to guide you. As much as you want to see Him, He wants to see you more. If you want to touch God's heart, use the name He loves to hear. Call Him "Father." He thinks you're wonderful!

My Divine Identity

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ~KJV

I had a realization last night when I was visiting with and introducing myself to my new bishopric member and his wife. I realized that I am pretty dang awesome. I don’t say this to sound arrogant, but more as positive reinforcement so that I can look back on it to remind myself that it is true.

But really… I am actually a pretty exceptional human being. I am pretty well rounded, I have high moral standards (compared to the rest of the world), I have a super solid testimony and a fairly good working knowledge of the gospel. I am intelligent and ambitious. And I even have a decent personality to mesh all those things together.

I might not currently be a sports fanatic, but I was at one point. That has given me the ability to appreciate a good sporting event here and there, especially attending live events. I also know how to work hard and get dirt under my fingernails. Don’t mistake me for a complete Tom-boy though. I also love to cook. That is a talent that I hope to develop more in the future. I am also passionate about the piano. I don’t pretend to be an amazing concert pianist, and I don’t need to. I’m perfectly happy playing for my own pleasure and sharing with others when the occasion calls for it. I love to dance. I’ve learned nine different dance genres before. Again, I don’t pretend to be a professional performer, but I won’t lie; I’m a pretty decent dancer. And most importantly, I enjoy it. I like to relax and watch all sorts of movies. But I have learned my lesson before and do not enjoy watching sleazy reality TV shows, or even crude sitcoms. I do have some standards, and I like to keep that trash out of my brain. But don’t worry; I’m not a couch potato whose life revolves around movies. I LOVE school and can’t get enough knowledge. I have high hopes and want to gain as much education as I possibly can. I spend a disgusting amount of time at the library studying and doing my best to earn good grades. I’m not a complete book worm though. I thrive on positive personal relationships. I love to be around friends. I love to listen when they need to talk. I love throwing parties and playing games. I’m not shy about making new friends.

I served a full time mission for my church. The list of skills and character traits that I developed from that experience is endless. I’ll let you fill in the blanks. But the most important thing is that I have a firm testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that because of him I never have to walk my path alone. He makes it possible for me to leave my sins and mistakes in the past and become better from them. I know that He restored his church to the earth through a young man named Joseph Smith. I know that part of that restoration was restoring precious truths and guidelines to help us through the trials of life and prepare us to live with God forever someday. I know that God has more in store for me than I can even imagine all because I am a child of God. I am the daughter of a divine King.

I know that I am in no way, shape, or form perfect. I have just as many flaws and weaknesses as the next guy. I could write a whole blog post about them (although that would a depressingly stupid idea). I’ve always seen those flaws as carrying more weight in my character make-up than they really do. I’ve always seen myself as exceptionally average. And in some ways I am. But last night I had a stroke of insight where God allowed me to see in myself all of the great things that he sees in me. It was a very empowering moment, but also a very humbling moment. I know that the life events that define me were divinely orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father. I am who he wants me to be right now, and I am becoming the person he wants me to be in the future.

The Value of Kindness

Today I had the great opportunity to see the effects of a good deed I did a few weeks ago. I don't tell this story to toot my own horn, but to make a point. Here's how it went:

Once upon a time, I went to Chick-fil-a at least once a week for the first half of the semester. I noticed in all my times going, that there was one girl who worked there who seemed extra special. I know that Chick-fil-a is known for their friendly employees, but this girl was really something else. Her kindness was more sincere than the required politeness. And she had the most beautiful smile that I've ever seen in my life. So a few weeks ago I went into the restaurant for lunch. I decided that I wanted to tell that girl that I thought she had a beautiful smile and that I appreciated how sweet she was. So I did. When I was finished eating, I asked her to refill my cup, and then I gave her the compliment. I just did it because I figured that it would make my day if someone said something like that to me. I went on my way hoping that I had brightened her day a little bit.

Now fast forward to today. I went back to Chick-fil-a for the first time since that incident. It just so happened that this same girl was the one that took my order. She didn't say anything about our last interaction, but I could tell she remembered. This time she treated me like I was her friend. We talked about our weekend plans while she was taking my order and getting my drink. Then as I was leaving, she went out of her way to come ask me if I wanted her to tip off my lemonade before I left.

I don't know if I did this story justice, or accurately described the tenderness of the whole thing. But the point of the story is this. Three weeks ago, I extended a little kindness to a stranger, and I had no way of knowing that nearly a month later, I would still be able to see the effects of that. So never hesitate to be kind to someone. You never know what it will mean to them.

PS- If you haven't seen the video "Validation", you really should. The link is on the side of my blog.

Dancing Queen

Who is the dancing queen? That would be me. I am the dancing queen. I love to dance!!! I don't know which style is my favorite. Ballroom is elegant and beautiful. The Tango is my favorite ballroom dance. That passion is so fun to get into. Then there's Big Band Swing. That genre is just fun and challenging. It also looks incredible when you do it well. And last of all is Country Swing. This one is just fun and super social. Also, it is the only genre that I would dare try to sing along to while I danced (just saying...) So I'm going to tell you all about my Country Dance class and the project we just did.

So way back in the day I took the beginning county swing class twice. I won't lie. I was a pretty good dancer by the end of all that. Then I left on my mission. When I came home, I signed up for the intermediate country swing class. It's basically the same class, except this time around you learn the moves a lot quicker, and learn a few extra lifts that are cool. The big thing with the intermediate class is that you get to choreograph a dance and perform it at the Fun Park. So my teacher assigned partners. I got paired up with Steven who is definitely one of the best dancers in the class. The class split into two groups and we started choreographing to the song Looking for a Good Time, by Lady Antebellum. Steven and I were put into the most advanced group within our group. The two of us choreographed the routine that we used in the chorus'. That was great, but when it came our advanced group's routine Steven and I struggled. We were doing a move called "Set Your Sails". To do this move, the girl kicks her legs up, and basically just holds them up in the air while the boy holds her upside down on his shoulder while he spins around. Steven could do it with anyone else, I could do it with other people, we were just struggling to do it together. It was rough. But somehow we were able to pull it off beautifully in the performance.

We also struggled with the very end of the song. We legitimately didn't learn that part until the day of the performance. Whoops. And the very last move was a killer. It's was this weird lift where the guy basically breaks his wrist and squeezes the girl's ribs until they snap. It was brutal. Combine that with being sick and achy, I thought I was going to die. My ribs are still in extreme pain from the experience. At the very last minute someone showed us an alternative move that basically looked about the same, but was a ton easier. We choose to do that one instead. And basically, we knocked it out of the ball park. It was fantastic. Everything came together perfectly. We got both parts down so no one would ever know that we had been struggling. Go team go!!!