Adjusting...

So I'm finding that it is very strange living somewhere where you know absolutely no one! For the first few days it felt like a vacation...then this morning when I took a wrong turn and ended up going down a one way street, the wrong way, and it hit me a little more...WHERE AM I AND WHAT AM I DOING??? I am loving my house, loving my neighborhood. Logan is not as far off as every says it is...though if you like shopping, this is not the place to live...good thing I don't like shopping! There is a Cafe Rio, Best Buy, several scrapbooks stores (one AMAZING one), Smiths Marketplace, Walmart, Shopko, etc....pretty much everything one needs to survive...except Target! But that's o.k. I can handle that. Last night the head coach had me over for dinner and this morning she showed me a couple hiking trails (hence the pics below of the view of Cache Valley from the trail we were on this morning). I went into the offices to see my humble little office where I will be spending the next year and found out a few of my responsibilities when I start my assistant coaching duties. I officially start as an assistant coach on August 1st!

Mom's Visit and Moving to Logan

My mom came up two weeks ago for my niece's birthday. Eva is now four, and my domesticated sister-in-law, Heather, made a castle cake...way cool. I took mom to the RSL game since she has never been. It was really fun! On Friday night we took care of Eva and Linnea so Kevin and Heather could go away for the night...they stayed at Grand America and decided they wanted to take the girls swimming! So we all went swimming! It was sweet! Kevin and Heather were on the 23rd floor and had a view of the Salt Lake Valley. Eva's birthday party was on Sunday and she was very excited about her presents from her cousins and extended family.
GRAND AMERICA!







EVA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Pin the crown on princess??? First time I've ever heard of that!








RSL GAME


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I am now an official resident of Logan, Utah. I moved yesterday and all went very smoothly thanks to the Burge family, my mom, and many members of the elders' quorum from the Brighton 9th Ward (Cottonwood Heights), the Dahl family from the Cliffside 2nd ward (Logan), my brother, my friend Mark Amakasu, my roommate and her two friends Jason and Mark. The Burges brought their trailor and made a day trip out of the move. Brent, Kristine and their three kids, Ashley, Erika and Braden were a huge help throughout the day. The girls even helped my mom unpack and put away my clothes! After going to lunch and hitting Walmart for a much needed fan in the house with no AC, my mom, my new roommate and I headed back down to Salt Lake City. Becky and I went to the Real Salt Lake vs. Club America game while my mom babysat my nieces so Kevin and Heather could go out on a date. We had a great time at the game...but missed the goal because we were in line for food! ARGH! But it was still a lot of fun. Today after church my mom and I started unpacking...it's almost all done! I have three boxes of random crap I have to figure out...other than that, I am set!!! I'm ready for this new adventure!


The Burge Family who helped me move!


My new roommate, Becky, and I at the RSL game...after the goal...but the food was good. :)


My house in Logan!

Pics of the backyard

Happy 29th Birthday Tyler!!

On June 29, 1980, I landed myself a new baby brother! Tyler Robert Nelson made his entrance into the world. Little did I know that he’d not only be my brother, but my roommate, partner in crime, travel companion and friend. Happy 29th birthday to my big “little” brother! Thanks for the good times and the memories! My life would be very different without you in it!

Utah Summer Games 2009

This was such a fun tournament and a perfect way to end the last tournament with my U11s. I will miss them so much!!!! We took 2nd place...lost in double overtime. The girls played awesome. You can click on the pictures below to view all of them in a bigger size...

Housing....Speeding Tickets....and DAVID ARCHULETA!

HOUSING
I went up to Logan on Saturday and found a place to live! I'll be living with a girl who teaches orchestra at Logan High School! She used to teach at Lehi High School, so it was fun to talk about her time down in my neck of the woods. She plays the piano and the violin. She plays violin in the orchestra on Temple Square down in Salt Lake as well...so yes...there is a piano in the house! She is my age and seems pretty down to earth. Another girl might move in with us, she is still deciding. The house is in a really nice neighborhood and it has a huge backyard with three fruit trees, a garden and a lot of grass to relax on!
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SPEED DEMON!
I got my third....yes....my third speeding ticket in a year. I didn't go to traffic school for the first, went for the second with the condition that if I didn't get another moving violation within a year that 50 points would be removed from my record...and then, on my way to the RSL game, I was pulled over and was written up for 35 in a 30...I was going a little faster than that...but seriously, give me a freakin' warning if you are only going to write me up for 5 over! I'm not even going to bother going to court since they won't let me take traffic school and I already know that if I get one more ticket, I'm done. So...I will just have to pay better attention and make sure I pay better attention to my speed!
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DAVID ARCHULETA
O.k. So the kid is 17...but he can sing to me ANYTIME! I went to the Real Salt Lake game Saturday night...Real tied 1-1. Then David Archuleta sang a brief concert afterwards for a charity event that was taking place throughout the game! It was a lot of fun!


One of my U11 players and her sister made a sign for their brother to hold up...it says: "I came to see soccer, not to see this" with an arrow pointing at a picture of David Archuleta.



I wish I could say I sat this close...but really...


...I was only this close. :(

The Media Fast....

...is so much harder than I thought! I am taking an online class...and everything at work is through email...and most communication for soccer is via email or texting...plus I am moving and trying to make a few purchases online for things I need to move, prepare for Logan, and as thank you gifts for people here...so it's been a tough go of it. On the days where I completely adhered to my media fast, I was more focused, I emotionally and mentally felt better about my life and circumstances. I also found that I slept through the night on the days where I adhered to my fast, and on the days when I didn't, I had a hard time sleeping...I don't know if being online had anything to do with it...maybe the peace of mind helped?? On the days where I slipped a little, I was more anxious and frustrated, I felt like I was rushed or pressed for time which made me feel extremely anxious, I was definitely not at peace. I seemed to worry about trifling things that were of no consequence hours or days later, and things seemed to weigh on my mind more and more than the days when I wasn't going into email or the internet several times. And when I went on once, I felt this need to get on again and again and again....whereas the days where I adhered to the fast, I didn't feel a need to be checking my email or to be on the internet all the time. I have felt the difference. I have not needed facebook. I slipped one day and went on once and realized that it was pointless. But email and texting I'm having a hard time with. I am going to continue for one more week and see how I do.

THE TEST...Removing Unnecessary Things From My Life

“The Internet is a new source of information that offers tremendous opportunities as well as another potential—becoming addicted. … Worldly influences enter our homes in new shapes and forms to challenge our resolve to use our time wisely and for the Lord’s purposes.”

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “A Year of Jubilee,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 76.

I have realized that I spend WAY too much time on the computer...email, facebook, surfing the web... Then a talk by Elder David A. Bednar has been in the back of my mind for the last few weeks. It is entitled "Things as They Really Are." He talks about the harmful and potential spiritually deadening uses of the internet, video games, online gaming, texting (though texting is not the internet, it can still have the same effects if we allow it to take up much of our time and take us away from things that are important...harmful media, pictures and messages can be sent via text just as easily as they can be via email), etc. He gives apostolic warning if we misuse these things or do not turn away from them. Then, the next Sunday at church, our high councilman talked about the Atonement and challenged us to look at our lives and get rid of anything that prohibits the Spirit from always being with us. The question that comes to my mind after spending a large portion of my time on facebook, email, or texting has been, "how much could have gotten done if I hadn't had my butt on the couch chatting and surfing?" I think the internet can be used for productive and useful means, however, I know it can also make us apathetic, lazy, and addicted if we allow it to take up our time from things that should take priority, such as family time, putting our homes in order, reading and studying the scriptures, etc. I've had some experiences with chatting that caused me to realize how dangerous it can be. I've had people say things to me that immediately took away the Spirit, I've had people tempt me to do things outside of my standards when they know full well what my standards are, people I don't even know who talk to me about things they should not be talking to a complete stranger about that also cause me to turn my thoughts to places where they should not be going at all. Harmful influences are only a click away...they are literally at our fingertips, and if we are not careful, we will be sucked in, we will justify that "it's o.k. to do this and take care of something more important later" only to find ourselves continuing the habit and watching our time slide away so fast that it is gone.

My co-teacher told me that the week before General Conference, her ward took part in a media "fast." They were encouraged to only use media in the home if absolutely necessary. This week, I am doing a media "fast." No facebook, no online chatting, and only email and text when absolutely necessary. I remember being challenged by an institute teacher that if we question a principle, commandment, standard, or doctrine, test it for ourselves...do what is asked of us and see if we notice a difference in our lives...that is what I am doing this week. Though I fully KNOW that the internet can be harmful to our spiritual, emotional and mental well-being if not used wisely, not only because of the content that can be viewed, but because of the time it can take away from things that should take priority; I am going to put this standard we've been given to the test...I WANT to feel the difference, so I can share with others my experience in taking something out of my life that is potentially harmful if I am not careful in how I use it. How will my thoughts change? How different will my treatment of others be? How much will I accomplish of the things that should take precedence over things that are not important? How much more will I feel the Spirit throughout the day? How much more will I recognize the "tender mercies" placed in my path? How will my attitude towards certain circumstances change? How much more knowledge will I gain as I spend my time with good books, music, my family and friends (who are within driving distance), and in the service of others?

Below are some church magazine articles, including Elder Bednar's talk about the harmful effects of the internet, and suggestions on how we can use these things more productively and effeciently to avoid the addiction of "wasting time" and being taken away from things that should take priority. I'll see how it goes and check back in next week! It's going to be tough...I am already tempted to get on facebook, take a few quizzes, chat with friends, post updates, I want to see who I will bump into online...but I need to do this. I want to learn to use my time more wisely, to "grow in Spirit," and I think the time I spend on the computer is something that keeps me from doing so.


Things As They Really Are by David A. Bednar

Tangled in the Web

What's Your Media Diet?

Keep Texting from Taking Over

"If we do not make good choices, the media can devastate our families and pull our children away from the narrow gospel path. In the virtual reality and the perceived reality of large and small screens, family-destructive viewpoints and behavior are regularly portrayed as pleasurable, as stylish, as exciting, and as normal. Often media's most devastating attacks on family are not direct or frontal or openly immoral. Intelligent evil is too cunning for that, knowing that most people still profess belief in family and in traditional values. Rather the attacks are subtle and amoral—issues of right and wrong don't even come up. Immorality and sexual innuendo are everywhere, causing some to believe that because everyone is doing it, it must be all right. This pernicious evil is not out in the street somewhere; it is coming right into our homes, right into the heart of our families"

("Let Our Voices Be Heard," Ensign, Nov. 2003, 16–17).

I'M GOING TO LOGAN!!! I start around August 1st! There's a lot to do, but I am looking forward to it.

My U11 team took part in a service opportunity thanks to my AMAZING team admin! Here is the article link on UYSA's website about them!

UFIT