A Tender Mercy

Ever since we moved to Las Vegas I've felt like I don't have any friends, well besides John! He is my best friend and we do everything together, but sometimes you need some girl time! Someone to laugh with and unwind from school, home, and being a wife! It's definitely not been easy this past year being a full time wife,student, and teacher (for the majority of the year). I mean, I know I have friends, but none close by. It's different being married now. I'm not living with four other girls on campus or in student housing and I have struggled with this transition. However, when we moved into our house last May and into our new ward I told myself I was going to be outgoing and meet new people. I was really going to try and make an effort to get to know the sisters in my ward! I realized, there has to be other women out there feeling the exact same way. 

Well, the first month was a blur... the summer was hit and miss, and then I got called into nursery! I told my mom, "it's not that I don't like nursery, it's just all I'm doing is meeting people's kids!" I don't know any adults names because all I know are there kids! I did meet some of the nursery leaders though so I started associating with others! Then they moved me up to primary, more specifically the sunbeams. I love those little sunbeams, but getting ten kids to hold still and be quiet! That was a challenge!! Our ward is huge!! Over 650 people every Sunday  Our bishop warned us not to get discouraged if we didn't meet any people! He said, "give it at least 6 months and then let me know if you still feel out of place, the Pinnacle Ward truly is a great ward and very friendly, but there are just so many people!" Well, luckily for us then our ward split the week after the primary program in the fall! That was a tender mercy! I'm so grateful for the way the church is organized and for all of our leaders! It was sad to see some of the people in our ward go that I had begun to know, but I knew having a normal sized ward would make it easier to get to know people! When the ward split a lot of new callings were given including the Relief Society Presidency and the Primary Presidency! I love the Sisters in the new Primary Presidency! They reached out to me and asked if I liked being in primary and to express any concerns I may have, they also moved me up to the CTR 4 class. Then I began participating in ward choir! This was another tender mercy! In ward choir I was able to participate in something I love and meet tons of wonderful people in our ward! I was a little hesitant to go at first; I knew I really wanted to do it, but I didn't want to go alone and I couldn't convince John to go with me! But, I did it! I told myself 2 minutes of courage when I pulled up to the Rosequists home. Looking back now I really don't know why I was so worried and nervous! I loved practicing all of the holiday choir music as we prepared ourselves for December! I'm truly grateful that the lord blesses us with talents! At choir, I really got to know people who I shared common interests with!

Also, around the same time I joined choir I got my visiting teaching assignment , another tender mercy! (this is what this post was intended to be about, until I started writing it and just decided to start at the very beginning) In  December I learned who my sisters were! I didn't give them anything for Christmas, which I feel really bad about, but I did talk to them and tell them I'm their visiting teacher! I was still trying to figure out who my partner was... which, still remains a mystery! As the holidays came to an end I made my New Years Resolutions/Goals and I decided that I was going to have 100% visiting teaching for the year of 2013! 

So far, so good! The first month I mailed two of my sisters a letter because they had no phone number and only an address. Then I met with the other two sisters in person. I am so grateful for Visiting teaching and the Relief Society! What a strong sisterhood we have. I am so grateful for Kylee and Rachel! The fact that I was assigned to them, to look over them, and care for them was just what I needed. As I continue to serve them, and care for them I have truly made friends! The past two months I have been able to strengthen our friendships as well! Kylee is a newly wed and we decided we needed to plan some girls nights! We were both feeling the same way, we felt lonely, like we didn't fit in or have a place, mostly because we don't have kids yet! So we decided to find other sisters in the ward and planned a Wednesday night girl night! We decided Wednesday's because both of our husbands are at the church that night! At our first get together, we had some delicious treats and watched The Lucky One that Is where I met Marren! I'm so grateful to have met Marren! Then their is Rachel! I am so grateful for Rachel's friendship! I really look up to her! Which leads me to the pictures I have with this post! One random morning, Rachel texted me and invited me to go to the temple with her! She had planned on going with her husband, but then their kids were sick and he told her she could still  go and he would stay home. Then she thought, I'm going to text Alicia and see if she wants to go with me even though it's so last minute. I was so grateful to receive that text! What a tender mercy... We had planned to go to the 8:00 session, but little did we know the last session on Saturday night is 7:30! What a wonderful feeling to be at the temple! We still had a wonderful time with each other and we talked non-stop the entire way there and back home! Plus, I got to take this beautiful picture of the Las Vegas temple! What a beautiful place to spend a Saturday night! 

Long story short, when I take a second to slow down and think about my life I am so grateful for the many tender mercies that I have. I am grateful for the gospel, my life, my ward, and for the many friendships that I have made. I truly am so lucky and so blessed and I am grateful!