A Life of Capability Celebrated and Remembered

Last fall, a friend stopped by and brought me a fridge magnet that she said caught her attention and made her think of me. In bold white letters on a black background is the quote:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, steer a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new project, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly." -- Robert Heinlein.

The friend who gave me this great fridge magnet was complimenting my capability. I was humbled and honored, and I immediately thought of a role model who exhibited capabilities and capacities far beyond my own, in whom I look to as a mentor and guide.

My maternal grandmother, Karen Louise Rasmussen Lundell Steele was the epitome of capability. She was 5 ft. 1 inches of pure power. Though in the physical sense, most every family member over the age of ten towered over her, in the spiritual sense, she was boundless. Day in and day out, she rose at 4:00 AM to greet the morning with a five mile power walk. Walking her pace made the blood pool in my fingers, as I had to swing my arms too hard to keep the pace. I went with her a few times and practically jogged to keep up.

Her day flowed from one activity to the next. She accomplished more by 9:00 AM than most people achieve in a 24 hour period. I watched in awe as she scrubbed dishes, walls and baseboards, vacuumed, made telephone calls, fixed meals to take to sick friends and neighbors, weeded her yard, planned a primary lesson, organized a closet, finished a quilt, and prepared to leave to run errands. Did I mention she could do all that by 9:00 AM?! She could never sit still. Even in her down time, which consisted of watching the 10:00 PM news while brushing her teeth and writing in her journal, she was exquisitely productive. She hit her pillow each night exhausted from the thrill of hard work and real living and rose again with the same renewed and tireless vigor she carried throughout her life.

An afternoon in her presence was inspiring. She filled volumes and volumes of journals, left a legacy of six children, twenty seven grandchildren, and who knows how many great grandchildren. Well, she did. She had every one of them scheduled into her calendar and each received a birthday card, religiously. Each grandchild received a handmade quilt upon their high school graduation. Each new grandbaby and great grandbaby received a handmade quilt. Every Christmas and Easter she put on the biggest parties imaginable in her small and welcoming house. These events could be counted on as surely as the sun rising each day. She was faithful and consistent in every aspect of her life. Nothing got in her way, nothing held her back, not even cancer, and only death itself could stop her.

She was all a grandma should be, fun loving, creative, family focused, full of faith and love. She loved the Lord and used her considerable and varied talents, skills, gifts and abilities to serve others. The capability at which she could perform these skills was superhuman in life, and perfect in death. I feel her presence often and know that she is assisting and intervening in my behalf and especially in important family matters. Her influence is now completely unstoppable and eternal and the impact she has is just as broad.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I love you and miss you and look forward to seeing you again!

The Power of Creativity + a Plan = Amazing Results

Every amazing event, pursuit, action or result I have ever witnessed or experienced was the natural result of a masterful plan. Life itself is God's greatest plan, specifically designed for the ultimate happiness, growth and eternal progression of each His children.

I am so inspired when I witness the creative power to impact eternity, carried out through a purposeful plan. Nothing inspires me like the creative process, and the result such creativity brings. The purposeful design and beauty of everything from the universe, to nature, to animals and people and their raw potential for greatness, stir within me an unparalleled rapture and awe as I recognize the hand of the Creator in all. It is difficult for me not to feel moved to the point of tears as I walk through a crowd of people . I am touched at the beauty and diversity of the size, shape and color of each individual. God's artistic expression is evident in the face and physique of each person. We are each, basically, a purposeful, planned, and unique work of art. My heart also swells when I view beauty in the handmade works of man, knowing that these works too are a gift from God.

As we are each patterned after God's image in both form and function, we too are creators. Creativity is our birthright. Creative expression comes as naturally and deeply to each soul as the experience of emotion. This life offers each of us ample opportunity to discover or role as creators, insight into our individual gifts of creative expression, and a boundless canvas to impact our surroundings. All that is needed to bridge the gap from potential possibilities, to completion, is purposeful action taken on a plan. A plan is the tool to enact and unleash creativity from its potential state and bring it to a state of completion; the result.

Since creativity can be used for good, or evil, according to the will and application of the creator, intention and motive are critical. I have often pondered such results as the Holocaust, and the purposeful actions of terrorism, genocide, and abortion and traced the results back to the origin of thought, which is always the first step in the creative process. Thought always precedes action. When the thought is dark, wicked, corrupt and vile, the result created will always be as well.

The power to create good or evil is given to each of us. The creative power is meant to be used with wisdom, discernment, and an eagerness to please God. When our creative intention is anything other than the desire to please and glorify God, especially, when it is self-serving, it is subject to all manner of corruption. Enlightenment or entrapment directly result from the correct or incorrect application of creative expression.

With boundless potential to impact eternity, and the gift of creativity to do it, we are each prepared to complete God's will and build His kingdom. I am especially excited when youth recognize their creative capacity and engage in such a process. I got to witness such an action, on a grand scale, even, this summer.

One Thursday morning, July 15, to be exact, I watched as two teens created a plan that impacted their lives, my life, and the lives of the rest of my family. Aunts, uncles, cousins and friends also joined in the fun. They essentially impacted eternity for good. The result was such a memorable and enjoyable month, that none of us will ever forget it. The planning session took three concentrated hours that consisted of making a list of fun activities and experiences they wanted to do. Once their list was complete, they systematically fit the activity list into specified days and times on a calendar. Because the plan was so well thought out and incredibly fun, the whole family got behind it and greatly benefitted from it.

Planning session.

The calendar:



Highlights:

Rope swing at Burston Ponds.

Water fight.

Horsey rides.

Dirtbiking.

Zip line and Alpine Slide at Snowbird.

Jet Skiing and boating at Jordanelle Reservoir.

Hiking, backpacking and camping in the Uintah's.

Taking pics at Temple Square.

I love it when today's youth exhibit so much faith, vision, creativity, attention to detail, unity, cooperation and purposeful application. It inspires me, and reassures me that the leadership of tomorrow rests with the wise and the capable. The upcoming generation is powerful, good, strong, intelligent and fun. We were blessed enough to get to experience a preview of their power this summer. I can't wait to see this generation serve missions, pursue an education, assume leadership positions, rear children, and impact the world for good. It won't be long before they set out to work. They are creating their plans now...

Ulcer Century Ride

It's strange and exciting how "chance" encounters change or introduce new ideas that expand the vision, even the possibilities of the course of one's life. Friday morning as I was nearing the end of my ride, I experienced one such encounter. I was only a half a mile from home and stopped at a red light waiting to make a left turn. A white car pulled up next to me also turning left. The window rolled down and the driver, a middle aged man, yelled something to me. I turned down my ipod and asked him to repeat himself as I didn't hear.

He asked if I was doing the century ride the next day and told me that he had just registered for it. I told him that I hadn't heard about it. I asked him where it was and how long it takes him to complete it. He told me that it was 110 miles around Utah Lake and said he hadn't done it before as he was new to cycling. I wished him luck as the light turned green.

Prior to that moment, I had not thought of doing such a ride, but by the time I got home two minutes later, I could see myself completing it. Shawn was out front as I pulled in the driveway and I told him all about it. He pulled out his iphone and within seconds, had all the details of the century ride. That was it. I was committed. Shawn was too. I never would have thought I would enter such a ride. Something of that nature had never appealed to me before. Thinking back to the twenty five mile ride Shawn coaxed me into doing in April; I smiled at how much trepidation I had about it, wondering if I could finish it, and how much I've improved since then. Now that my daily rides are at least twenty five miles, a one hundred and ten mile ride seemed totally possible.

The day before, I told Shawn that I eventually wanted to get a new bike with more gears and better performance capacity. As I've now put almost 3000 miles on my beginner "Specialized Dolce," I have topped out its performance ability. For a higher level of progression, I'd need to start out on the low end of a better bike. On Friday afternoon, Shawn asked me to go for a drive with him to run some errands. We went to the bike shop and he had me try out a couple of professional womens' bicycles for fun. After I'd tried a few, and as we were leaving the shop, he said "So what do you think? Do you want to get it?" He was referring to the beautiful red and white "Specialized Amira" I tried last, the women's version of the bike that just won "Tour de France."

Despite my protests, and needless to say, he was all too excited to buy it for me. He was beaming as much as I was as we lifted it into the back of the truck. I was as giddy as a kid on Christmas. Shawn insisted I run and grab my cycling shoes and give it a try as soon as we got home.

Saturday morning, Shawn and I entered the "Ulcer Century Ride" together. The course started at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT and generally followed Utah Lake down through Provo, Springville, Spanish Fork, Lake Shore, Benjamin and to the furthest reaches of Utah county in Goshen. I was ashamed to say that I grew up in Payson, and had never been around the backside of West Mountain to Goshen, Genola or Elberta.

2100 riders culminated at the start and were released in groups of 100 riders every ten minutes from 6:30 AM. Our start time was 7:30 AM. It is always thrilling to gather with such a large group of others who are united in the same positive purpose, whether it be cycling, pursuing an education, or communing with God in a worship service.

Within the first fifteen miles, the pack thinned out as the ability and experience of each rider advanced, or slowed them in contrast to the other riders. The first food/water stop was at the twenty five mile mark. We refilled our water bottles, loaded our jersey pockets with snacks, and had the best tasting peanut butter and jelly sandwich I've ever eaten. There were many riders at the first stop and a general feeling of excitement was present.

Fifteen miles later, the mid morning sun was blazing pretty hard by our next water stop. We stopped at the fringe of Palmyra and Lake Shore to again refill our water bottles. Shawn took off his helmet and doused his head with water, at the same time devouring a cup of ice. By this time, we'd seen a lot of dismounted bicycles as flat tires and other minor accidents forced riders off the road. We too had a ten minute delay earlier on, as Shawn got a flat tire in the East Bay area of Provo.

A strong south wind started picking up as we headed for our lunch destination at the fifty mile mark at Lincoln Beach in Lake Shore. As we were traveling south for a bit, we got to push into some strongish head winds, watching our average speed drop from 20-22 mph to 14-15 mph. By this time we'd seen mountains, farmland, swamps, and were again coming alongside the lake. We stopped at the top of the hill overlooking Lincoln Beach and took these pics.


It was here that I discovered my phone was no longer working. I could hear it ringing, and dinging signifying new calls and texts, but the screen was blacked out. Shawn said it was a sign that I needed to get an iphone like his and Aura's and Christian's. I love my blackberry though, and wasn't trying to kill it, but I think it received too much moisture from riding against by back for fifty miles.

The number of other riders who culminated at the lunch spot, when we were there, had reduced by half or more since the first stop. There were many riders with their shoes off, sprawled on the grass under shaded pavilions. Talk of fatigue, sore muscles, and an appreciation for a plate of pasta marinara seemed to be the conversation I heard the most. I also started to hear some negative and gloomy conjectures as many realized that they were not, technically, yet to the halfway point of the 110 mile ride. Shawn suggested we keep our stop brief before our muscles cooled and stiffness set in. We rolled out again within twenty minutes again fueled, water refilled, and our pockets full of snacks.

The next five miles, as we rounded the lake, were rather enjoyable. We laughed and marveled at the beauty of the lake, sky, and mountains. We played and took pics of each other with Shawn's iphone as we rode. This playfulness and the positivity it produced, was just what we needed to rely on, as the level of difficulty suddenly and unexpectedly increased on the backside of West Mountain.

Dark and brooding clouds rolled in accompanied by strong gusts of wind. Gusts of 60+ mph pounded us, threatening to tip our bikes. Many riders were dismounted and sitting, or walking their bicycles. Our average speed dropped to 7-9 mph over a 12 mile section of the ride through Goshen and Genola. I don't mind pushing into headwinds, but the crosswinds are the most dreaded and dangerous. It appeared that all the riders were tilted several degrees as the winds bent the straight line trajectory we tried to maintain. I watched as riders all around me opted out of the ride, instead choosing to rack their bikes on a support truck and climb in back to be shuttled back to the start. I too mentally explored the possibility of quitting, before grasping the hope of the realization that if I could keep pushing on through the crosswinds, I'd eventually meet up with Highway 68 and turn north. At that juncture, those strong south and brutal winds would be beneficial to me as they would then be at my back. I bent lower on the handle bars and committed myself to reach Highway 68.

My mantra became 68, 68, 68, as I tried to apply some sort of cadence to it to keep turning the pedals. Headphones weren't allowed as per the rules of the ride and it was there I realized how important music really is as a tool of motivation and a source of strength, as it can be such a connection to the Divine. I sang to myself as it was my only option. The winds continued to increase and our forward progress dropped again markedly as our average speed dropped to 5 mph. I found myself thinking about my Hugenot, Pilgrim, and Pioneer ancestry and the difficulties they faced and how my little ride was so miniscule in comparison. I also thought of the Tour de France, that consists of 21 back to back days of 110 mile rides and how it is a competitive race where every moment demands top performance. Surely I could finish this one little ride.

With three miles to the next food/water stop at the 70 mile mark, we passed a gas station in Genola where a family sat in lawn chairs out front. They did the wave as we passed and cheered loudly for us. I thanked them as we passed as their encouragement really helped me keep going. We were so excited to see that the food/water stop we reached was located at the corner of the intersection marking Highway 68!

By this time, we had burned over 4500 calories and were so grateful to refuel and start heading north. Again, we alotted twenty minutes at the stop and returned to the road. Just as we expected, the fierce wind at our backs propelled our average speed to 25-30 mph. For a stretch of twenty miles, it felt as though we were flying.
We started to notice that many single riders had their own "support vehicles" as cars full of family and friends sidled up next to them offering encouragement, food, or water. I thought of how crucial and beneficial real life support is to any and every person, whether it comes from loved ones in this mortal sphere or from the spirit world beyond. I also felt grateful to be riding along side Shawn, undertaking the challenge together.

With every revolution of the pedals, my gratitude for health, vitality and physical capacity, and for the opportunity to ride, surged through me. Several times the mental clarity I achieved, coupled with strong physical exertion, produced the sensation of chills over my entire body. I love that feeling. I especially love the tingling in my face and particularly my lips, after I have been sprinting up a hill in an anaerobic push to the top. When I again return to my seat and my regular breathing pattern, a rush of oxygen flows back into my face causing a sublime, even spiritual catharsis.

My mind rolled over many truths I've often pondered while riding. I thought of the power of attitude. When I am faced with strong winds, steep hills, or cold or daunting weather while riding, I smile. Months ago, it occurred to me that I had the power to influence all I publicly encountered from other cyclists, and passersby, to the motorists alongside me. I could create a positive or negative feeling associated with cycling in the minds of those people through the expressions and demeanor I chose. I consciously decided to wear a smile. Granted, sometimes it is broad and toothy, and sometimes faint and demure, but always a smile. I've swallowed a few bugs on those broad and toothy days, but it was worth it, I think. I would hate to discourage someone from taking up such an enjoyable and challenging pursuit by making it look miserable. This is also how I choose to do life. I want my love of it and my gratitude for it, to be easily recognizable and contagious.

By the time we reached the final water stop and ten miles to the finish, just a handful of other cyclists were present. It was blustery and dark clouds threatened rain. We took ten minutes to snack and collect ourselves mentally for the final push to the finish. That final stretch seemed the longest. It was there I experienced a real appreciation for endurance and what it means. I thought of all the elderly people I know and how the storms of life have crushed down on them over the duration of their years. The measure of endurance they have achieved through life's difficulties is commendable. I too hope to emulate the positivity and strength so many family members, friends, and mentors both young and old, have shown me by the example of their lives.

Six hours and forty two minutes and 6500 calories burned since the start, we crossed the finish line. We kept riding until we reached the awaiting pasta buffet. Fettucini Alfredo and bread sticks never tasted so good. I was glad to have arrived, but saddened that the number of riders finishing had decreased so much since the start. I was again reminded and convicted of the work I have to do to continue educating, inspiring and uniting my family. It is my greatest desire to achieve this purpose; to endure out the difficulties of life, to finish strong, and together.

I think I will do another century ride. It was enjoyable and worth it. Perhaps I am training for something bigger, a cross country ride some years in the future...

4 Days Post Crash: Again Enjoying the Ride

So, initially I said it would be 4-6 weeks of "at home on an indoor trainer" before going back outside to ride. Since I have never been hit by a car and broken my clavicle before, I honestly thought that 4-6 weeks of healing sounded reasonable. But, that was before I knew what Heavenly Father wanted me to learn from the crash experience and that the position of my arms on the handle bars actually HELP the healing of my broken clavicle. I didn't know that 4 days would be sufficient. With that said, it is easy to see why I decided to return to my outdoor ride today.

I'm still high on the experience as I just got back from my regular 20 mile ride. I started out on the trainer, and I tried to stay content with it, but it was all wrong. Sunny days and good health are meant to be spent OUTSIDE. Heck, I ride on the blustery, cold and gray days where I seldom see another rider, so looking out the window on a gorgeous day like today and knowing that I have the physical capacity to ride, I couldn't stand being restrained any longer. Having mentally ridden my route as I pedaled on the trainer yesterday, and knowing that my shoulders can handle it, there was just no other reason to remain stuck on an indoor trainer another day. It was just time to get back outside. There is just no replacement for the sun, wind, hills, people, all that natural beauty beyond the walls of my living room.

Shawn was skittish and offered his concern over my decision to have him take my bike off the training block. I know that he could see the passion and determination in my eyes and conceded with a question. Are you sure you can do it? Of course I was. He lifted the bike off the trainer and brought it out on the lawn for me. He waved half heartedly as I pedaled down the street, head bowed and shaking, probably praying silently. I was. I thanked God for His goodness at granting me physical health. I was also shining the broadest smile I've mustered this week.

My ride was a phenomenal, incredible, awesome, amazing...all the great adjectives! I beat my previous best time on my 20 mile route by five minutes and burned more calories than usual. I know it was because I was so excited, grateful, and fired up about riding; about experiencing freedom after the temporary loss of it.

It is nothing short of a miracle that I could be hit by a car on Tuesday and experience a broken clavicle, and be able to return to my normal rides on Saturday of the same week. I have experienced and am grateful for the Lord's tender mercies. I feel very blessed indeed. At the time of this writing, my normal range of motion has almost completely returned for my left arm--the one with the broken clavicle. Pain is minimal and I feel an overall presence of healing.

Part of my decision to get back out on my bike so quickly after such an accident was about being an example of faith and fortitude to my children. I am all too aware of the fact that example is the best teacher, far more powerful than words. There was so much I wanted to convey to them about pressing on with a good attitude, especially in the face of pain and misery. What better way to teach this lesson than to live it? I know they will be required to do difficult things over the course of their lives and I want them to look back and draw on past experiences for strength, especially if I'm no longer here to teach them. My example of living a miracle is meant to teach them to believe in miracles too.

The rest of the reason was to fulfill my purpose, to be the best instrument I can be in the hands of the Lord. As long as my heart is beating and there is breath in my lungs, I will do all that is required for good to complete His will on earth. My capacity to perform the tasks He needs will continue to enlarge as I put my faith to use.

Amy Kenney

After the Crash: The Purpose in the Pain

Last night we picked up my bike from the bike shop after getting it repaired. Luckily, the damages to it, like the ones I sustained, were minor. I got a new helmet and some new cycling clothes as mine have gotten too big anyway. I rode my bike across the parking lot and my smile was beaming! It just so happens that the angle of leaning to grip the handlebars is just the proper stance and pressure to hold a broken clavicle in the correct healing position. :)

This morning I rode the trainer in my living room. Shawn set it up to face the window and opened it for me so the wind was on my face. I was amazed at the irony of the ride. When I am out riding on the street, I can mentally be other places, thinking about other things. When I was riding the trainer, my mind was out on my regular 20 mile route. I was able to visualize stride for stride, exactly where I would be on the ride by the music and muscle memory. I stood up on the pedals in the places I normally would to get up a hill or get through a light. I even pulled in the driveway at home right as the music went back to the first song--the place it always gets to when I'm done. I checked the time and exactly an hour and a half had passed just as it does when I ride 20 miles outside. Of course outside is better, but I'm contenting myself with what my protective Other Half (aka Shawn) feels is a good idea right now.



During that time today, I was thinking about my injury and how it really was so minimal in the overall scheme of things. I mean, I was hit by a car. I wondered at the purpose for it. In that moment, a rush of inspiration entered my mind powerfully, as Heavenly Father told me what it was about. He was getting my attention, just as He did through my birth, and near death experience with my last baby, Matthew. He focused my mind on the fact that I was fully geared up, protected, covered by the proper helmet, gloves, and clothing, and that I had been obedient to all traffic laws, and that because I was obedient and prepared, my damages were minimal. Metaphorically, I had on the full armor of God. I was not destroyed by the fiery darts of the adversary. I experienced the physical representation of being attacked, yet being shielded by the armor of God and its subsequent protection.

God wanted my mind and heart focused on this fact in my preparation to create Battle For Souls. He wants my mind and heart focused on the correct message that I am to communicate and to have a very real temporal and spiritual testimony of it.

I will literally be riding outside again next week. I am healing quickly and ability is returning rapidly. Today I was able to fully dress myself! :) I talked with a bike shop employee last night who also was hit by a car years ago and broke his clavicle. He had muscle damage as well and required surgery. He was back on his bike inside a week. He got an insurance settlement for his injury. He used it to buy an expensive racing bike as it had always been his dream. He talked about how much that accident changed and saved his life for the better and that the discomfort of that accident was so miniscule compared to the health benefits he has received over the last 20 years of riding. I got teary listening to him as I felt the truth of what he said. "Accidents" tend do do that; change us for the better, if we let them.

Life is risk. It is dangerous. Sometimes it is pain. Becoming excellent at something means risking misery and pain as it teaches us excellence and becoming more like God. Living "small", not doing what it takes to learn excellence, living in fear, afraid of failure and pain only keep us small. The joy, mental clarity, inspiration, weight loss and overall health benefits I've experienced will keep me riding despite this temporary setback. Temporally and spiritually, I will remain fully engaged in the battle and keep on the full armor of God.

Bring It On!

This morning I could hardly see to cycle. Tears come easily for me and my experience today was too much.

Aura joined me for a twenty mile ride. She was adamant that I go my usual pace and not slow down for her. I can respect that. I love a challenge too. This put her about a half mile behind me at any given time. As I looked back over my shoulder to check her progress, a wave of joy passed over me. For just an instant, I saw her. I mean, really saw her, the way I experienced her when I was pregnant with her. Her spirit was so strong and all encompassing, when I finally met her, I knew her name had to be Aura. Just as I did when I looked into her eyes for the first time and noticed what a wise old soul she is, I understood so much about her and felt such gratitude for the opportunity to be her mother. This feeling is not uncommon, as I watch her often with that same admiration and amazement.

When Aura was an infant, I remember feeling, as she peered into my eyes, that she was looking right through me. Her presence and influence did much to inspire me to change. I was a selfish, wild and disobedient youth prior to having her. It took being a single mother for a time for me to learn many difficult life lessons. During my pregnancy, she undoubtedly felt the same emotional heartaches, struggles, and pain that I faced. I am sure those trying times did much to train her strength and empathy.

I ran two to five miles a day, and danced a lot while I was pregnant. I remember noticing that the baby had perfect rhythm and often "danced" and kicked on beat even in utero. She has kept that rhythm and has been a lifelong music lover, singer, and dancer.

I met Shawn when she was two months old. I remember our first date; the first time he held Aura and how nervous and rigid he was as if he were about to hold a fragile China doll. I said "Relax. You're not going to break her," as I put her in his arms. He loved her from the first time he saw her. Shawn and I were married six months later. Aura, Shawn and I smile with pleasure when people tell her how much she looks like him, even more so than she looks like me.

We were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple fifteen months later. By this time, we had welcomed Aura's best friend, Christian to the family. She has shared a tight emotional bond with him since the day he was born. I remember having to continually let her hold him. She would not leave him alone. The love and care she has for him is still just as strong.

She has always been very outgoing and social, yet keenly observant in an almost introverted sort of way. She talked to anybody and everybody we saw, often watching people for hours. Consequently, she's a good actress and even better at mimicking "spot-on" impressions. Her natural tendency toward leadership was evident from a young age. Her cheeful confidence attracts people young and old alike. She was often stubborn, and her need for power and control often wore me out because of our daily battles. She eventually grew out of the tantrums as her power of verbal expression grew, which was such a blessing! As she matured, her ability for concentration, deep thought and powerful verbal expression expanded greatly. We have been having deep philosophical and spiritual conversations since she was about five years old. She is a perfectionist and works tirelessly at the things she deems worthy of her time.

Aura was an incredible violinist as a young child. Sadly one day she announced that she didn't love to play and that it was something I wanted more than she did. She was about 7 years old when she told me that. I was astounded at her maturity, but still disappointed she wanted to give up something she excelled at so much. The truth is, she has excelled at any pursuit she puts her heart into. She is a fast learner and tries new things regularly. She preferred to spend her time, energy, passion and countless devoted hours to dance, gymnastics, singing and guitar. She's an amazing performer with a charisma that is truly mesmerizing to watch. I am sure it is due to her passion and purposeful decision to glorify God in all she does.

Over time, as I've recognized more and more of her gifts and talents, I have come to be more and more in awe of her tremendous strength and capacity to love and serve others. She is so much better a person than I was at her age, much more wise, devoted, obedient and accomplished.

When she was 13, a huge transformation occurred in her overall attitude and demeanor. She gained a sense of purpose and gratitude I wasn't expecting until much later. One day while I was writing on the computer and she was reading on the sofa next to me, she put her book down and made a statement that I never thought I'd hear until she had children of her own. She said "Mom, thank you for homeschooling me. A lot of my friends want to be home schooled and they beg their parents. They want to spend time pursuing their talents like art, music or dance. They don't like getting teased at school or being around a lot of bad stuff that is there. Their parents tell them to deal with it. It makes me sad because these kids know what they need and their parents don't want to help them because they might have to sacrifice their own things for their kids. They tell their kids it's too hard. It reminds me of the picture of Jesus that says "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." I'm so glad you thought I was worth it, Mom." I was dumbfounded for several minutes, and teary of course

After that time, she became very purposeful about the books she read, music she listened to, the way she spent her time. She wrote essays and stories, and gained more and more conviction and a love for truth and virtue. She went to the temple weekly from the time she was twelve, maybe missing only a period of six months when she was sixteen. That was a long enough contrast for her to realize that she would never be too busy or distracted to go without regular attendance again. This was always my prayer for her. I knew how strong, stubborn and hard headed she was as a toddler and child. I knew that if she could be set in the right direction, she'd go on forever on her own, unstoppable in her desire to do and be good. One of her first words was "appropriate." I still laugh when I think of it. And yes, it is still one of her favorite words! She sets a great example for her eight younger siblings and is conscientious of her role as an influence and mentor. She has discovered and lives well her greatest life purpose, leading people to Christ.

Aura has a courageous, daring, and brave streak that has been very fun to watch. Our family went on a river rafting trip down the Snake River in Jackson Hole, WY when she was eight. There were Class 5 rapids most of the way. The rapids were twice as high as our raft most of the time and it often seemed to buckle and fold toward the helm where she was sitting. I will never forget watching Aura soaked and dripping from the spray of the rapids, smiling as broadly as she could, laughing uncontrollably and yelling at the top of her lungs "Bring it on!" This is how I picture her in my mind. It is the statement that sums up her determination and love of a challenge. Shawn and I went bungee jumping when she was even younger, maybe five. She cried and cried to be big because she was too young and too light to do it herself as per the rules. She had a great time jumping from a forty foot+ rickety platform inside a gran cenote. This cenote was a large underground cave that we visited somewhere between Tulum and Coba, in Mexico.

Christian has earned over 50 merit badges, and Aura has basically earned them along with him, doing all the requirements and rugged outdoor fun with him and Shawn. That was her only complaint about girls' camp, the fact they didn't get to canoe, shoot guns, backpack, rappel, or climb. They made jewelry instead. She loves such outdoor activities as paragliding, scuba diving, cycling, running, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, dirt biking, body boarding, jet skiing, and hiking. One of her favorite trips was to Zion's to hike the Narrows and to slot canyoneer Keyhole Canyon.

A few years ago, she started running with me. It wasn't long before her long, slender and graceful legs outpaced mine. I expect it's only a matter of time before the same will hold true for cycling, and in life in general. This is actually my hope and prayer for her. I would love for her to outpace me in every way, and in many ways, she already has. She is a truly excellent and beautiful woman, inside and out. In another year, she will be gone, off for the adventure of college away from home. My heart is already breaking, but at the same time, I'm wildly excited for her!


Thanks for all the joy you bring to my life, Aura. I love you.

Love,

Mom