purpose of life

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, 

to see behind the walls, draw closer, 

to find each other, and to feel. 

That is the purpose of life."

candid

I'm sitting here hoping that inspiration will come. I really want to write, to have the words just come to me and I figured the best way to do that is to just jump right in.

However, I don't have a topic to write about just yet.

thinking...
                                  thinking...
                                                                           thinking...

There are only 3 things that come to mind and they are completely unrelated. But here we go.

I started decorating today. The first thing to go up was the infamous quote wall. Here's to another year of bright color and infinite wisdom. LOVE.

For future reference.
DO NOT leave your laundry in the washer for 2 days. I don't know if I should even be admitting that, but I knew that some of my scarves were missing and I could not find them anywhere in my apartment! So I went downstairs and sure enough, I had forgotten to check that one. Oops!

I've been listening to this song the past couple days and it's quite catchy.

"You said, remember that life is 

not meant to be wasted. We can always keep chasing the sun"

It just makes me think about happiness. About making your life what you want it to be. Chasing after your dreams, having fun, never giving up, and living life to the fullest. Making a plan and follow it to the ends of the earth. 

So there ya have it. Any post ideas would be well appreciated. 

I've been thinking about what I could write and I have this idea in my head of the kind of writer I want to be. But sometimes it's scary. Thinking about opening up, writing about all the discombobulated thoughts in my head, my feelings about life, goals, relationships, interests, being vulnerable. Yikes. It's quite frightening, but also quite thrilling. And then I try to rationalize it by saying that someone out there must feel the same way I do. It can't just be me. What if they're afraid to say what they're thinking too? What if I can help someone with an experience I share. 

So, who knows. This blog might take on a whole new tone. More candid, I suppose. And most importantly, maybe, just maybe I'll find myself. The words on the page will help define me, help me to realize who I am and who I want to be. It's a journey, but I'm sure it'll be a fun one. 

Here's to new beginnings. Only 6 more days until my first day of junior year. And tomorrow, majority of all my new freshman friends will move in. 

A new adventure is on its way.

monday musing #13

MIS HERMANAS! 

Sorry things have been so crazy lately! I have like a billion letters to write and have had zero time to do anything this week. Mostly because my time was consumed with RA training round three and being with my cute family.

This week I have learned so much about s e r v i c e. What a beautiful thing. The residence life mission statement of BYU is "enabling individuals to live, learn, work, and grow in gospel-centered communities." 

Sounds like a mini-mission, huh. 

So that's what I'm taking upon myself. The opportunity to really lose myself in the service of these girls. I know, it's a little crazy. I'm 4-5 years older than them and I live with them 24/7. 

but.

they need:

-a role model

-a friend

-someone who... checks their cleaning, gives them resources on campus, gets them involved, helps them solve their problems

-a cheerleader 

-a confidant 

I need:

-to find myself

It's a win-win situation. 

As you well know, serving others allows us to be blessed. In the end, we are the ones that change. Yes, you will influence others along the way, but really, the reward is yours. Crazy how that works. 

And to end this lovely email,

a quote.

"By becoming the answer to someone's PRAYER, 

we often find the answer to our own."

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

So just do it. Forget about yourself. Don't let your own woes and problems get in the way of you loving someone. We all need help in this life and right now you get to devote all energy to a single cause. Serving our Father's children. I have faith in you. I support you. I love you.

Make it a great week!

♥ mary

food for the next 4 months of my life. LOVE Costco.

This cute boy went through the temple and I'm so glad I got to be there #families are forever

My door tags! Are you anchored in Christ??

monday musing #12

(Note): this is not my spiritual thought, but just let it be known that it's important to recognize the spiritual moments in our lives and not be like Sister Blackner who oftentimes gets to Sunday afternoon and wonders what spiritual thing happened this week. 

This morning I was reflecting as I was lounging on the couch after an incredibly loonnngggg week. Mmmm just a lil R&R does good for the soul :) 

And I thought about how sometimes the little things make all the difference. Sometimes we need to do things purely out of obedience. 

With all the craziness of this week, there were A LOT of prayers said. Even though it was a little stressful, I can't imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't prayed. Probably more stress, a bad test grade, a disaster at work, who knows. But it was all good! So even if nothing spectacular happened, I do know that prayer works. Heavenly Father is willing to bless us, if only we're willing to ask. 

And when we do our part! This was one of those weeks when I just went out there and got it done. Granted, sleeping an eating kind of went out the window haha!, but now it feels so good on this sabbath day of rest because I worked so hard and accomplished so much! 

So in mission world, just think about how good you're going to feel when you walk off that plane, bodies sore, exhausted, blisters, awkward tan lines, worn clothes. AMAZING. Because you gave it your all. You will be (already are) champions for the Lord. 

It's been a crazy weekend con mi familia so sorry for the lack of info. Love you!

~Mary 

Kong cones!

spent the day with these cute girlies Ü

slacker

Getting back into the blog has been a lot more difficult than I thought it would be! Sometimes all the great ideas and thoughts that are running through my head take way to long to get down on the page and I just don't have enough time for that!

So. Here we are. 

finals week. 

summer term. 

BYU 2014. 

It's been a good one. Crazy to think that exactly 3 years ago I was completely my very first summer term of college. EVER. That summer set the standard pretty high. I made some of my dearest friends that summer. I aced my classes. I had a great ward. We lived it up and partied hard.

This summer:

-has gone by way too fast
-has been super hot
-I lived with some cute freshman
-I caught up with old friends
-I took the best religion class on campus
-I went home for a weekend!
-I watercolored
-I ate chick-fil-a
-I RAed (yes, it's a new verb)
-I walked. a lot.
-there was literally no one on campus
-it was good to be back at BYU

You live. You laugh. You learn. 

What more can I say??

life.is.good.

monday musing #11

WHAT. A. WEEK.

Upcoming this week...

finals, checkout, and moving. oh my!

It's basically one of those weeks as a college student that before it begins, you already want it to be over haha!

This past week though definitely had its ups and downs, but I definitely learned a lot. The thought I would like to share today is about having a positive attitude. It can really change your whole world. 

Wednesday was one of those days where everything seemed to be going wrong. I had gotten reminded about the importance of having a positive attitude the night before and it seemed that Heavenly Father just wanted to give me a reason to put it into practice. (I'm sure I'll thank him later)

After fighting back tears and having some less desirable conversations, I ended the day with some venting. And realized with the help of some awesome friends that:

-sometimes things aren't as bad as they seem 

-sometimes we just have to take things one step at a time 

-worrying about things doesn't help the problem 

-make your priority lists!

-good friends are just the best

-the gospel brings so much peace into our lives

"A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances instead of your circumstances having power over you." -Joyce Meyer

"So much in life depends on our attitude. They way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference." -President Monson

That's my two cents. It literally turns your world upside down and you can see things completely differently with a good attitude. It's not always easy and you might not be able to do it right away. But especially after a good night's sleep, things always seem to be much better Ü

What a beautiful world we have to live in! What amazing blessings the Lord has given us! What a privilege to know so many wonderful people. 

I am grateful for agency. For the ability to choose to be happy. To choose to have a positive attitude. And to choose the direction my life will take.

One last quote.

"Often it's not who you are, but who you think you're not that holds you back" 

Be confident! Remember who you are! Believe that you can achieve! Focus on the good! 

Ok, that's my little pep talk for the week. I love you all dearly and wish the best for you this week. Go be awesome!

♥love,

Sister Blackner

It's true! Keep moving forward!

Hermana Isaak's homecoming

Made me miss BAMA soooo much!

monday musing #10

Sabbath days are the best days. I've started calling them Sunday Fundays. Except not so much fun when you have to work. :/ Anywhooo.... This week I would like to talk about the atonement. Most importantly, the enabling power of the atonement.

I don't have time to go into all the details, but I've kind of gone on a power trip recently and decided that I am completely anti-boy/anti-utah/anti-allthingsthatarestoppingmefromacheivingmygoals.

The point is, I'm not waiting around for people or opportunities anymore. I'm going out and grabbing them. I am being independent taking advantage of this wonderful time in my life. I always had this plan for my life and I always thought that the plan would never change. And I also thought that some things were out of my control. But they're not. I can still do all the things I want to and let other things happen when they're supposed to. (aka getting married) 

Why can't I just wait and be social when all of you come home?? :)  

So. Here's what's happening. I'm going on a study abroad. Either to Vienna to do my music or to New Zealand to do a teaching practicum. It's happening. I'm always planning on being an EFY counselor next summer. I will also be going back to Washington to teach someday. No questions asked. And I'm expanding my circle of influence by just being awesome and working on myself. Which means not spending so much time with people who aren't helping me get where I need to be. So what does this have to do with the atonement??

Well, working on yourself and being so busy doing all the right things and trying to be successful is kind of lonely. How many college students do you know that still keep the mission schedule?ha ha! My point exactly. It takes some sacrifice. And that doesn't mean that you can't still interact with people or serve them, but it's all about time management. 

So. 

Who's there when it feels like no one else is? Who understands you when no one else does? Who suffered all things and still came out conqueror? Who has provided a way for you to access the greatest gift ever given to mankind?

The Savior.

And He will always be there.

And through Him you will be able to become 

more than you ever thought possible.

#becauseofHim

watch the video again if you forgot how blessed we are.

entonces...a couple quotes.

"But do we also understand that the Atonement is for faithful men and women who are obedient, worthy, and conscientious and who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully? I wonder if we fail to fully acknowledge this strengthening aspect of the Atonement in our lives and mistakenly believe we must carry our load all alone—through sheer grit, willpower, and discipline and with our obviously limited capacities." 

-Elder David A. Bednar

Why do we think we have to do it all on our own?

"Each day, ours is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change" 

-Elder Russell M. Nelson

And a video...

Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever

Mormon Message: Lifting Burdens

I am so excited to start relying on my Savior more. It has to be a conscientious choice and it's going to take a lot of effort and humility, but I can't wait to see where I will go and who I will become and the people I will be able to help along the way. I know that my Savior lives and that through Him is the only way to return to live with my Heavenly Father. I know that the atonement is for everyone and that we have been given the gift of prayer to be able to communicate with our Father who not only knows us and loves us perfectly, but has a plan for us, and is willing to help if only we will ask. 

Strive this week to become better than you already are. To use the enabling part of the atonement. To understand more fully the Savior's sacrifice for us and to teach an investigator or random person on the street about how this gift has impacted you and how it can change their life. 

Just be awesome.

lots of love,

Sister Blackner

Movie night with my girls

Lots of leftover soda

Y mount

Sometimes snapchat is fun :)

Me rockin the bowling shoes. I literally wore them all night.