To my daughter(s),

Something that I've always treasured and will always treasure, is the knowledge I have gained regarding modesty. Please value this knowledge and apply it in your lives. Be an example of dressing modestly to your own daughters, granddaughters, and everyone you come in contact with...
Living in Logan, Utah it can get really cold or really hot. It always amazes me how some find a way to make outfits not-so-much modest...even when it's below zero!!
I like to be modest. I do. I find joy in walking around knowing 100% that I am modest.
A few years ago my friend and I were laying down on the QUAD (big grassy area at USU...your future school;)), we were enjoying the sun in all its glory. It was nice to feel the warm sunshine after months of cold, gloomy winter weather. On this particular day we were wearing shorts...knee-length shorts. I will never forget when a woman, roughly our age, came up to us and said "Thank you for being modest, I appreciate it. You don't see that a lot so thank you for your example!" and she was off. Simple. Sincere. And gosh, it has impacted my life in more ways than I can explain.
I had another experience shortly after. I was having a conversation with three of my close guy friends about modesty. Towards the end, they all proceeded to thank my roommate and I for being modest, and how they could only name a few girls who were always modest. No matter what.
The last experience I want to share with you is the one that has impacted me the most. It involves the guy I liked at the moment, we'll call him T, so you better believe it stuck with me:). We were on our way to a soccer game, and found ourselves walking behind a group of girls...wearing short shorts. I knew these girls, they were gorgeous! T and his friends started talking about how pretty they were and I asked "Would you date one of them?" his response: No. Because I don't want my daughters to look at pictures of their mother wearing short shorts and think that it is OK.

What a blessing it has been in my life- to be modest. Something that maybe we don't think about a lot but is so, so important. I love the primary song 'If the Savior stood beside me', I like to sing it and change the words a little bit...

If the Savior stood beside me, would I wear the things I wear?

I hope you appreciate modesty as much as I do. You are beautiful and I can't think of a better way to flaunt that than by being modest, right?

A mentor. A friend.

Today was not like any other Monday. I first heard about the terrible news in the middle of a meeting...awful. I didn't want to believe it but then I got the email. It was shocking, sad, and unbelievable. I can't quite express how I'm feeling right now, the reality of his passing is slowly starting to sink in.
How thankful I am to have met such an amazing professor. I had three classes with him this semester, three of the five... He was a remarkable mentor. I got to know him personally and because I too am a Graphic Designer, I wanted to be like him: passionate about his work and full of life! Alan Hashimoto is a legend. He was the man who was our constant advocate throughout our education here at USU. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and two little boys.

When a loved one passed, I use to wonder and sometimes fear. Now as I've come to understand the Atonement better, I can't help but rejoice at the thought of them embracing our Savior. How sweet it is that all will live again. And we will BE with them again!

“Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place—the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed.

“... we can receive profound peace from the words of the angel that first Easter morning: ‘He is not here: for he is risen.’"

While we may feel pain and sorrow right now, we can find peace through the Atonement. "He is not here: for he is risen" how sweet are those words.

To my daughter(s),
Since it's the beginning of February, I thought I'd start your month with a little love. One of the greatest blessings in my life has been the knowledge I have of Christ's love for us. He truly loves us. How great it is that we can pray to Him and He will always be right there, listening. I hope that you come to realize {if you haven't already} that our Savior loves you so much.
Now, I want to focus on another love. The love that I hope you will have for others around you. NO matter what they look like, what they choose to do, what they choose to say. Love them. Please love them. Part of that love will come through forgiveness... “Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother… standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all” (D&C 64:9–10).
The Lord said "love one another as I have loved you". You will find this to be difficult at times. Especially when someone dear to us disappoints or hurts us. I can recall many experiences when I've been in that situation. One specific example was when a boy broke my heart. Twice. CLASSIC. I remember feeling anger and disappointment, and thinking...well, mean things about him. I got to a point where the hurt had passed but I still felt anger. So I turned to the Lord. Day and night I prayed that I would be able to see this boy as He sees him. Beyond the hurt and disappointment. That I could love and forgive him.
Some of the happiest moments in my life have been when I've been able to feel Christ's love for his children. You will feel joy as you specifically pray for this. Another experience I had was when I served in the Relief Society Presidency in one of my student wards. I remember one Sunday as I sat in the front, I was looking over at all of our girls and their beautiful smiles. An overwhelming feeling of love towards these ladies came over me that I simply can not express in words! I know that I got to feel a tiny bit of how much the Savior loves the sisters in the church!
As you grow, love everyone around you. Pray to feel that love everyday. Don't let the small things of the world keep you from accepting and loving everyone you come in contact with. I promise that as you do so, you will find joy and you will radiate the light of Christ. Remember that His love never ceases and neither should ours.