"Love is the only word to describe what we've been through together."

This weekend was absolutely perfect!!


Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went to Salt Lake City to do a session in the temple before it's closed at the end of the year for renovations (and to see the lights), and then we grabbed a bite to eat. We met up with my sisters (who were both randomly also in Salt Lake city to see the lights). After meeting up with them, he took me to a favorite park of his, where he then PROPOSED to me! I happily (and tearfully) said yes! I am so very excited and happy!! I am so excited for this next adventure in our lives and I can't wait to start planning for it! This has been the best Christmas ever, and it's not even Christmas yet!!!

My life has definitely not gone the way that I planned it or wanted it to...but somehow, looking back, it was just perfect. I thank my lucky stars every day that I have loving Heavenly Parents who want what is best for me and who know just what I need in my life and when. And I pray every day that I will not be such a Negative Nan as much as I have been in the past...but that is something that needs work. And I hope and pray every day that today will be better than yesterday, or that I can have at least one positive moment. So far, I am finding that one positive moment a day leads to more positive moments the next days. 

I am so thankful for my fiancé, who is my best friend and who is absolutely perfect for me. He's smart, kind, sweet, sensitive, thoughtful, a great listener, a worthy priesthood holder, and an all-around amazing son of God. I am so lucky to have him in my life. He makes me want to be a better person every day.

I am thankful for my Heavenly Parents, who love me and have given me so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for my earthly parents, who love me and have given me so much experience, knowledge, love, and happiness. I am thankful for my family, who not only tolerate my craziness, but love me in spite of it. 🤣 I am thankful for my friends, who have helped me have a wonderful time and have helped me to look on the bright side of things, and who have helped me to rise above and beyond my mental illnesses and to stand my ground against the adversary.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I've got a lot going on this week!! I have jury service tomorrow and really hope I get selected! I'd love a chance to participate as a member of the jury because court life fascinates me. I'm finishing up my Christmas gift shopping and probably sleeping more too! I'm also celebrating Christmas with my fiancé before he leaves to spend time with his family and I am so very excited!!

Happy holidays!! May you have a safe and happy holiday season with your loved ones!! 

Xoxo

Mattie

I can #LightTheWorld by loving.

I was able to be at home today for Bridger's ordination to the Aaronic priesthood. I'm so proud of him! It was good to be with my family and a good start to this week's #LightTheWorld initiative, which is Light Your Family. Serving with your family can bring you closer together, but serving your family members can bring the light of Christ into your own home. This week, focus on ways you can serve the people you love most.

I am so glad that I was able to be home today! My mom is the ward choir director and since I'll be home next Sunday for the Christmas program, I'm going to help sing. My little brothers are so excited to have me home for Christmas! I can't wait for them to see what I got them for Christmas!

It's kind of hard to serve your family when you live either super far away, or when you live far enough away that your lives don't always cross. So here are some suggestions that I have:

1. You can text, call, or FaceTime your family each night, or just one night this week. You can study scriptures together, or even just chat with each other about life.

2. You can write letters to your family and send them! Or you could send them a package. Whatever you like.

3. You can have a group chat and send silly memes to each other, or even your favorite scriptures. Just let them know that you are thinking of them. 

There are so many ways that you can serve your family! I am so excited for Christmas! I may or may not have gotten everyone in my family a gift this year. And they may or may not be absolutely perfect for each member of my family. And I may or may not be extremely excited to see how they react when they open their gifts.

While I'm waiting to go home, I'm going to try and serve those closest to me as if they were my family. And I'm also going to be making plans to serve my family this week while we're apart. I'm so excited for the holidays and I can't wait for the New Year! 

I'm so thankful for my Heavenly Father! Last night I went to Temple Square with my ward (and had a fantastic time and took some amazing pictures, which I will show here in a second)! We were able to pass out 113 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to homeless people on the streets and it was so awesome! Afterwards, we were so blessed to be able to make it to the 9:03 train because it was delayed so we didn't miss it! It was super cool to spend a bunch of time looking at the lights and the temple and just being so amazed and in awe of the beauty of the temple and of the world. I am so excited to be able to go through the temple next month and I can't wait!!

These are my peeps! This is my ward! Love them so much!

I really had a fantastic time taking pictures!! There were a TON of people around so it was super crowded but it was super fun! It wasn't too cold, which was perfect! 

Thought this was a cool angle!

So pretty!! 

I really loved the moon!

I loved the blue lights, the red lights, and the white temple!
And the moon was cool, too!

This was so serene. I loved the lamps!
They reminded me of the lamp in the Chronicles of Narnia!

LOVED the temple through the lights!

Beauty.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to go see the temple lights! I am grateful for my family, and for the love that I feel for them and from them. I am so excited to be celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful for all the love that He has for us, and all that He has done for us.

I hope y'all have a wonderful week! I'm just trying to get through till Thursday...scheduled finals on the last two days is the worst, but somehow, I know I will make it through! 

Xoxo
Mattie