i love technology.

technology is on a list of many things that i have a love/hate relationship with. when it works, i love it. when it doesn't- i hate it. and i also hate that i suddenly realize just how dependent i have become on it.

but today has been one of our better days.

this evening, the ces fireside was broadcasted all over the world. and how fortunate is it that we are able to tune it and watch anywhere we go?  sister wixom shared one of my favorite quotes from president ezra taft benson.

"Nothing will surprise us more than when we get to heaven and see the
Father and realize how well we know Him and how familiar His face
is to us."

— Ezra Taft Benson

president kimball passed away that exact day that i was born, thus president benson was the prophet that i grew up listening to, praying for and wishing that i could meet. anytime he is referenced i feel a nostalgic comfort from his words. i love that quote. and it reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures, mosiah 5:13, "for how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

food for thought. but how great is it that we have access to so many ways to grow in the gospel? these broadcasts, mormon.org, mormon messages, the new missionary sites, etc.  there are so many resources available to us that make the words of the prophets all the more accessible every single day. 

after the fireside i was able to have a little fun time with hillwawee woo. i miss my sister so much.

and yes...those are rather normal facial expressions for our video chats (or any chats that we have..).

distance is much easier to deal with when you can have some skype sessions. while technology has its downfalls and may cater to our laziness, it also has its benefits if used wisely. i am grateful for the easy access that i have to my family and friend  while we are spread out around the world.

but it is hard to beat face to face interaction. i miss actually laughing with my sister. actually cuddling with her and talking to her. playing with her hair, poking her little potato feet, and just being with her.  tonight was spent with 6 boys in a tent and we had a blast. playing games, laying around and just laughing. face to face is my favorite (some of the best moments you can have with a person are just being with them. no matter the activity or what is being said. just being.). second is letters (not emails. not facebook. but real, handwritten notes and letters. the appreciation and feeling  behind a letter can be invaluable). i guess that gchat would be last on the list. but either way, i will take what i can get.

oh and ps...

it was announced that osama was killed.  i am not sure how i feel about all of it. i realize that he did  absolutely awful things and i love this country and i am so grateful for my freedoms. i have several friends that are active in the military now. my own dad was in the air force. and i know that i am blessed to have everything that i do. but regardless of his evil, people were celebrating the fact that he had been killed. am i wrong for feeling uneasy about that?  when 9/11 happened and they showed us pictures of people partying in the streets in the middle east over our tragedy, we were disgusted...but how are the people at the white house that are celebrating the assassination of osama much better? 

this was us today.

this was them, then.

a life is a life. and maybe i am simply being naive. but i just cannot bring myself to see the killing of a human being as something to celebrate. i realize that we  are also celebrating a victory over terrorism and for that, i could not be more relieved.  perhaps this is one of those times that i should just keep my opinions to myself. because i am just not informed enough. i just know that all of it is sad. it makes me ill. i hate all of it. signs of the times, i suppose.