Picture Perfect.

"I get lost in the beauty of everything I see;

The world ain’t half as bad as they paint it to be.

If all the sons, all the daughters stopped to take it in...

hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin."

-Come Home, One Republic

National Mall

National Archives

United States Supreme Court

View from Speaker Boehner's balcony

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

Martin Luther King Memorial

Tidal Basin

Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial

Every single one of these was a, "hold on, I gotta take a picture real quick."

...with my iPhone. Prrrrrety amazing.

Is this real life?

...is what I am thinking in my brain every time I walk to and from Union Station to Capitol Hill.

And then when I get to have two little girls today holding each of my hands when we walk through the crowded touristy spots of the Capitol...

...I get to call this work?

Measure your life in love.

"It's time now, to sing out, though the story never ends." -Seasons of Love, Rent

via: Pinterest.com

Just like every other girl on the planet understands very well, love is the most important thing on the planet. A love for God, a love for your family, and let's not forget a love to call your own. (I'll give a shoutout to the guys too--I know quite a few men who want and need it just as much.) But us girls...it seems like we want it just a bit more.

The best thing about real, true love, is it doesn't stop--for anything, under any circumstance. That's a quick and easy way to determine whether it's at the point of being the "real deal" or not. That goes for all types of love, but especially that unconditional kind where you have absolutely no logical explanation as to why you still actually care and pray (a lot) about this person and hope all of his/her dreams and desires come true. You're always wondering, why them?! I know the feeling. Join the club.

That, my friends, is called charity. The "pure love of Christ." Sometimes not romantic love. Please do not get that overly confused. Charity is possible for multiple people--it actually was designed for the masses, because we are under covenant and commandment to do so to all of God's children. Don't feel overwhelmed with that statement; it comes one person at a time. But if you've ever felt this, you're getting a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father feels about you. Only just a glimpse, because we all know how impossible that kind of love is to comprehend in this mortal state. It's the most powerful force in the world...because what do they say? Love makes you do crazy things. Most of the time, this feeling just doesn't make sense. But that's the best part!

Bottom line: How do you measure your life?

More than imagination.

General Conference will always go down in history as any kid's favorite Sunday.

Don't worry--that never changes. But what does change, is the perspective. I used to think church in pajamas was a genius idea, and thought there had to be someway to broadcast Sacrament Meeting to each ward every week. But just like the whole point of General Conference weekend, the comraderie is what keeps a lot of us on the rope of hope and faith.

Which moves me to point out my favorite quote of any of the sessions:

"Faith truly is more than imagination or psychological invention." - Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Am I the only one that struggles with sometimes thinking I'm talking to my pillow instead of my Father in Heaven? This helped me put into perspective that I'm not just a puppet on a string for Him. How many times has someone said, "Oh, don't worry about it...you'll be fine." And then you aren't? Don't you sometimes thing faith is a form of procrastination for things that you feel need to get done right here--right now?

The commandment to have faith is absolutely not just Him delaying the blessings...just because He can. It is definitely not Christ taking advantage of hearing you cry our for Heavenly Father for the things you need. It is more than thinking up something totally irrelevant to your situation and hoping it comes true. Remember, He is a God who weeps. He's going to set up your Plan, not the easiest, but the best way possible for you learn how to just trust Him. He can not only see your past, but He knows your future. He knows you so well that He will be able to tell what decisions you will make in your progression to eternal life, thus giving Him the ability to know such a thing. Faith gives you the strength to follow through with that trust you acquire, and not just to hold on for dear life. It keeps you moving toward perfection in the straightest way possible.

Now that I'm off my soap box, here's just a few pictures from the wonderful, spirit and peace-filled weekend.

That one big city up north.

The adventure begun Saturday morning. We all packed up all of Linda's stuff in this beautiful U-Haul and drove (on an extremely rainy day I might add) all the four hours up to New York City. It's a good thing there was no traffic. (Joke.)

After unloading and moving and dropping off things and everything else in between we had a great time with a bunch of people from the Harlem ward, just hanging out and playing games all night. My cheeks were killing me by the time we left...I haven't laughed that hard in a really long time! Anyway, the next morning, bright and early, I met my mom who happened to be coming to the city this week too...so we got to spend all of Monday and Tuesday together. We did what we do best...exploring with no plans at all!

Everywhere we went, people sarcastically asked if we were related. I'm beginning to see that more and more as I grow up! But it's great being here on the east coast...I get to hang out with my mom more than I did living in Provo. Hopefully when I go back to Mount Zion we can still make it happen just as much. 

As for being in New York City, it really is the, "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere," kinda feel. Expensive. Fast. Huge. Exciting. Nothing like it anywhere else. I'm being talked into applying for NYU's sports management program. I think I'd be okay with that! But on top of everything, it was AMAZING to be back in one of my favorite states. New York will forever have my heart; there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it.

Well, I'm headed back to D.C. on the train right now. Good thing Mom has meetings there the rest of the week, and next week! I just hope those cherry blossoms will be blooming...happy first day of April!