The Game of Risk

Starting the game. Yellow: Cass. Red: Tay. Green : Kate. Blue: Holly.

I've ALWAYS hated the game Risk! Why? I don't know, maybe because it's my brother's favorite! Maybe it is because it takes FOREVER! Maybe it's because I always loose! I mean even as a I started writing this yesterday, I was playing the dumb game and lost... (Freak-en Satan!) Or maybe it's just that I hate the idea of the whole world at war.

Yesterday I taught my first lesson ever in Relief Society! It was about Missionary Work and the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ! They always say when you teach a lesson you learn more than if you just listen and participate, and I believe whole heartily that that is true. When you prepare or teach, you have to learn as much as you can about the subject and then only share the highlights. I learned so much about the peace of the gospel in preparing the lesson.

I know each sect, person and group has a ton of good in them, but I also know that as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I have access throughout my life to all the keys of eternity, and the opportunity to live with my loved ones forever and ever. This knowledge gives me peace. This is the peace of the gospel. This is the peace I want to share with my spiritual brothers and sisters throughout the world! I want to serve a mission so that others may live with their families forever as well. I believe in forever!

The game of Risk is about World  War Three. This is a war I know will happen. It has to! Before Christ comes again, there will be another world war. Ironically a lot of the fighting I at least did was in the areas that WWIII will be fought in: The Middle East and Jerusalem. In our game, as yellow (and no, for once I wasn't yellow, Cass loves yellow just like me) slowly took over the world I couldn't complain too much. (Ironically, as a side note, yellow also started in North America, home of Adamondiamin and the head quarters for the LDS church.) Yellow is happy! How happy will we be the whole world war is over when Christ comes again.

No I don't think at first we will be happy. As the world is baptized with fire, and some of our brothers and sisters who are unrighteous get taken with it, I think we'll feel lots of sorrow for them, but then when the smoke clears and the whole world is so good and righteous that Satan is bound as if by chains we will be as the people in 4th Nephi, when in verse 16 it says: "...surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God." What is the key to happiness? No contention. How do we achieve that? True peace and love. Where can we find peace and love? In the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I believe everything can be related to the gospel of Jesus Christ, mainly for the reason that our Savior and Heavenly Father created EVERYTHING.

So Risk. The name of the game is a gospel principle. We need to take good Risks. Risk the opportunity to talk to someone new about the gospel. Risk how people look at you to hold fast to your standards. Risk not getting your homework, or other stuff done to read the scriptures and talk to your Father. Life is about risks, but when you Risk something good for something even better, you will be blessed for it.

So while the game is still not my favorite, and I'm still not a big fan of wars, I look forward to the peace at the end of the battle. I enjoy playing games with my roommates so much, and even when we are battling over Asia and they won't even let my keep my stupid Europe, I enjoy the competitiveness, bet even more, I enjoy when its all over and I (second place) and Cass (first place), can stay up till after one laughing about stupid high school stories, even though a little over an hour before i was ticked she beat me.

Sometimes we have to take a Risk to get better, or endure a battle to have true happiness and peace.

My Indecisive Mind Speaks

I am indecisive.  Extremely indecisive.  I can't commit and I never know if what I've chosen is truly the right thing for me.  Should I write my final English paper on unfairly distributing scholarships to minorities first or on how Christmas has become too commercial, or on one of the 4 other ideas I have running around on my head.  (Feel free to comment your opinion.  I probably need it.)  I can't chose what to eat at meals, and I take forever getting ready because I don't know whether to wear this outfit or that one.  Even today as I'm writing this post should I go with choice one or two?  I can't choose one, and I don't think they'd be that easy to combine, so I'm possible gonna write a two part blog.  Maybe.

Part 1: Christmas Time!

Yes, It is the first of November and Yes, I do realize Christmas is just under two months away, but for a girl who thrives on the spirit of Christmas, two months just isn't enough!  "I need a little Christmas right this very minute!" is my motto all year round! 

I know, I've heard all the arguments, Christmas isn't as special if you celebrate it too early, all the songs sound the same, "what about Thanksgiving?".  Hear is my refute, how can the most angelic and special day of the year become less special. Christ came to this world, and died for us so that we could return to him again.  I know he was probably born in April, but this is the day to celebrate all he has given us.  And even though a lot of the world has forgotten what Christmas really means, I love the spirit of Christmas, the fact that people are wondering about what to get others (yes, maybe a bit too much), and that we as humans smile a little more.  I love that Christmas songs either make me cry or make me laugh and smile.  I love that towns light up and people just care about each other a little bit more during the Christmas season!  I love the Holidays, everything about them.  I love decorating my house, and I love spending time with my family.  I love wrapping presents and I love drinking hot chocolate and watching Christmas shows, cuddled up on the couch. 

Christmas is my favorite.  So I won't apologize for celebrating the holiday all year round, especially because my name is Holly.  "I cry the day that I take the tree down, I want the season to last all year round..."  I wish we'd all act in the Christmas spirit more, even I could and should act better.  Celebrating early lets me remember to be a little nicer, smile a little wider and love a little more.

When I celebrate Christmas!

An Early Christmas Present for you!

Part 2: My Best Friends

I seriously believe that I live in the best place ever.  A fantastic beautiful city at the base of incredible mountains.  I live right on campus and I live with some of the most wonderful people in the world, and it shocks me that I haven't written about them yet.  So, while I love all my roommates, the people I have met here and my friends back home, I just want to touch on a few people in my life and what they mean to me.

First of all Cassidy.  Cass is incredible.  She's the reason I am even writing this blog because hers in incredible, (she is almost a English major, so her's is a lot better.)  She lives in my room, but on the other side, by the window.  She is totally chill and fun loving and I love talking to her.  She gives great advice.  We are either the exact same or polar opposites.  We were born in the same town (maybe the same hospital) and at the time our families both lived in another town, we both love yellow, and we got the same ACT score.  She's an English Major, and I'm in Engineering.  I love Christmas (see Part One) and she hates it.  Cass is an early bird, (usually) and I'm a night owl.  I have the BESTEST roommate on campus, possibly in the world.

Hannah.  Hannah has been my best friend for a couple years now and she is fabulous.  She just got home from Ecuador working at an orphanage.  She knows all my secrets and can make me laugh.  Hannah danced with me and she is super graceful and beautiful.  She's so kind and incredibly smart.  We get each other and have so many inside jokes.  She's the reason my car's name has a silent  number in it, (my car's name is Ber3nie).  Hannah is the first person I talk to about boys, things bugging me or my worries.  I love Hannah for all the support she has given me throughout the years, and I don't know where I would be without her.

Katie is crazy.  Well actually she is sparkly, and pink.  She lives right above me, like her bed is directly above me.  She's from Montana, but she is the opposite of a hick or red neck.  Katie is also a twin; her twin's name is Emma.  Katie and I get along great as we are both incredibly social, bright and happy.  We both love the idea of romance and love, and we both adore teenage dramas, like Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries and more.  Katie is really smart and wants to combine graphic design and marketing, to design ads and such for companies, and she will be fabulous!  She is so creative and her favorite thing ever is sewing tutu's and other tule skirts.

Another of my roommates is Kate.  Kate is from Arizona, and she is so intelligent.  She is the sweetest and most motherly of my roommates.  She helps out with a special needs institute class which I completely admire her for.  Kate is constantly looking for new ways to help people, and the only time I've ever seen her truly upset was because she can't figure out what she wants to do.  Kate pushes herself, and hates it when she can't figure something out.  She is the kind of person who genuinely loves everyone.  I love the example Kate is to me.

I'm kinda all over, but jumping back home to Rexburg, Amiee.  I occasionally refer to Amiee as mini-me, but that isn't true at all, she is a thousand times more impressive than me.  I was yearbook editor, and this year Amiee is.  I want to be an electrical engineer, and she is thinking more mechanical.  I went to NASA camp, and so did she.  But Ames is incredible.  She is so positive and happy all the time.  she is silly and also incredibly graceful.  Amiee is an amazing photographer and designer, and she is so smart it isn't even funny.  Some people are only great at one or two subjects, math and science, or English, or History and Government, but Amiee is pro at them all.  I don't know yet, where she is planning on heading to for college, but where ever she goes, she will excel! Amiee is fabulous and I love her lots!

Back to roommates: Taylor.  Taylor is the funniest.  She is so silly and chill.  I love that things don't generally bug her and even when they do she just brushes it off.  Tay is also from Arizona, and her sisters are her best friends.  Tay cares so much for her family and misses them so much every day.  Out of her nine blogposts over a third of them directly talk about how much she misses her family.  She has the cutest smile and I love her so much.  She wants to be a pediatrician which is so perfect for her cause she's loving and so kind.  Tay is my angel and my entertainment.

Adam lives down the hall from us and he's probably my best guy friend right now.  He just got his mission call to Canada, and he'll be one of the best missionaries ever.  He set a goal to read all of the standard works before he leaves in February, which i think is super impressive and he's well on his way to meet that goal.  Adam wants to be a surgeon which is also super impressive, and something I could never do.  He's also extremely kind and entertaining.  Adam is also my brother away from my brothers, and by that i mean he teases me like my brothers do.  Him and I both did marching band in High school and went to at least a couple of the same competitions.  If that isn't coincidence enough, he also lives in my cousin's ward, which also happens to be Hannah's cousin's ward.  I'm gunna miss Adam lots next semester, and the Canadians are lucky to have him.

Audge is the last person I want to mention today.  Audrianna is her full name and she also is a roommate.  She's from Washington but recently moved to Logan, and she's sassy.  She is so assertive and isn't afraid to speak her mind.  That can sometimes be a bad thing, but not in Audge's case.  She is a powerful leader, but leads in a kind way.  It's funny, because when we all moved in she told us to call her Anna, then a couple days later decided she wants to be Audge instead.  She's the vice president of the LLC RHA council and she's incredible, always planning activities our designing posters.  Audge wants to be a psych professor when she grows up, and she will be incredible at it.  I love her and her spunk so very much.

There are other incredible people in my life, my family and some other friends, but these guys stand out in my life right now.  They are exactly what I need, and I'm so lucky to know each and every one of them.  I love my friends, each and every one, the ones i mentioned and those i didn't, basically, if you're reading this you probably mean a lot to me.

Tay and I!

Me, Cass, Tay and Kate!

Me and Amiee!

Wryn, Emma, Me, Kate, Katie and Faith.

My roommates (minus Faith and plus Karina): Top: Jess, Me, Kelci, Karina, Audge, Kate. Bottom: Cass and Tay

Libby, Anna, Emma, Me and Hannah!

Katie and I!

Part 3: (see i couldn't decide on just two) The Blessings of Being Indecisive

I think it is funny, because while I am extremely indecisive, the hardest decisions of my life have come easy to me.  I knew I was supposed to come here to USU.  I know I'm supposed to be an engineer, and I know I'm supposed to serve a mission!  These have been the easiest decisions to make, and since I'm so indecisive, the knowledge that these were so easy for me to make testifies to me that their right.  I mean look at how blessed I've been for coming to Logan, and all of the wonderful people I've met.  I know i will be blessed for following the Lord's guidance.

Again, sorry this post has been so long, but I couldn't decide on just one, but I probably could've written more about any of the three.  Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.  Have a Merry Christmas season. :)