Broadway Ill Humor

I heard about the new Broadway show titled "The Book of Mormon" a couple of weeks ago and hoped that it was not true. I'm not sure why the creators of South Park and The Book of Mormon feel the need to make continual jabs at the LDS Church and the things that we believe.

A friend posted this article yesterday on facebook from Huffington Post, it made me happy to hear him say that he doesn't agree with people supporting this show. I really loved hearing what the Church had to say in response...

"The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ."

...what a beautiful response, not rude but still able to share what we believe to be the truth. I hope that others can find what I and many more have found to be true, the Book of Mormon does change lives forever, a change that I am so grateful to have had.

A Challenge

If you read enough blogs or spend enough time on facebook you probably have heard about the 30 Day Photo Challenge that is going around, I have decided to give in and do it. Mine probably won't be consistent or complete but I will try.

For those that might be interested in doing it themselves here is the complete list...

30 day Photo Challenge

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.

Day 02 - A picture of you and someone you used to be close with.

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.

Day 04 - A picture of your favorite night.

Day 05 - A picture of one of your favorite memories.

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item.

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the silliest things with.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate.

Day 12 - A picture of something you love.

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.

Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.

Day 25 - A picture of your favorite day.

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of.

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

Reunion of Friends

I love my freshman ward! I have kept the most friendships from there and continually talk with those that were in that ward---whether it be via facebook, e-mail, letters, in person, or on the phone. I am extremely grateful for the awesome people and bishopric from that ward. In the middle of September we had reunion at my bishops house (he actually has completed his 3 years of being bishop and was released so it was a mega reunion with all 3 wards crowded in), it was so much fun to see the guys that have been returning from their missions these last few months.

It's not very often that we get all of my roommates together and we were still missing Erika, but we had to at least take a picture of all of us together.

We had to add our adopted roommate Erin...she spent many a night on our couch or in someone's bed.

Allisyn made her public appearance and was a big hit with everyone!

Cody and Josh entertained us with their dancing and singing from freshman year (it was so funny, I was standing by some people from one of the other wards and they kept saying "what the heck is going on?" I explained to them that they had, had a group called Mustache Anonymous our freshman year and wrote several songs, etc.)

My Mom's On Facebook!!

I was looking at a couple of websites for ideas of what to blog about, you know for those days that Beth's brain goes blank and her world is wiped clean (I'm sure it will happen someday!). One blog had a list of 100 topics that you could write about, most of them were either boring or didn't really apply to me and my blog (such as Branding Strategies I Use), but one that just made me laugh was "My Mom's On Facebook." Yes, my Mom is on Facebook, but I have to admit, I'm the one that set-up the account for her and she hardly ever uses it.

This is the first time that I have heard/read something about concern/happiness with parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles/etc. being on Facebook. Some people have some very strong opinions against it, they think that it's weird and they don't like having the adults in their lives watching over every move that they are making.

Now I have a slightly different opinion about this, and maybe it's because I'm not a 13 year old girl who really likes a cute boy or 15 year old boy that is drinking every night, or because of the parents that I have had but I'm ok with adults being on facebook...

BUT! (yep there's a but) I think that there needs to be some rules and the adults need to have some certain understandings before they join Facebook or any other social website. These websites were created for the younger generation and as such have certain ways things are done, it is the responsibility of the adult to understand how things are done and follow those social unwritten "rules." If they are not willing to follow those I can understand how a teenager would have a problem with Mom being on Facebook.

So, yes, my Mom's on Facebook, and I'm ok with it as long as she follows the social "rules," if she doesn't she will most certainly hear from me (but with her maybe getting on once a month I'm not too concerned :D).

Time Budget

We had our visiting teacher over today after church. She gave us a wonderful message from the March's Ensign (you can see the VT message here). Sister Goa said something though that has been running through my mind all evening, she said that Satan has realized that he can't tempt us with the bad things like smoking, drugs, and drinking. So instead he has begun to tempt us to do "good." Now at first that doesn't sound very bad, it even sounds like a good thing, hey Satan's on my side! But upon referring to the talk entitled "Good, Better, Best," given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the October 2007 General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (you can read it here). You discover that what Satan is doing is not in the best interest of you and I. He is tempting us to be not the "best" of our abilities.

I think that this has been running through my mind over and over this afternoon because I realize that it is very true for me, not that my days are always filled with bad activities, but they aren't filled with the best activities either.

What does this have to do with time budget? One of my areas that I am not doing the best at is time budget, I spend much too much time on facebook, twitter, playing games and other such things. I am starting a new goal, a new rule, every night I can not be on facebook after 9pm and have to turn my computer off at 10pm, unless I am working on my class. I am hoping that by making this new change/goal that I will be able to accomplish 2 things: that I will be able to go to bed earlier and receive the sleep that I need (lately I have been going to bed between midnight and 1, not a good thing when I should be getting up at 7) and I hope that with the time that I am not using my computer that I have been that I will be able to fill my time with more scripture study, pondering, prayer, conference talk reading, and other wholesome activities meant to build my testimony and help me to become the best that I can be.