Happy New Years!

My last post of 2014.
It's so weird to think that another year has already passed by.
Many things have changed,
Yet so many things have stayed the same.

This upcoming year.
I hope there are more changes.
While it can be fine to have thing stay the same.
I would like some more variety in this upcoming year.
To go on more adventures.
To trust in myself more.
To be more social.

So many things.
Hopefully with the beginning of a new year.
I can convince myself that there can be other new beginnings.

So while 2014 was great, even with it's losses.
I'm looking forward to 2015 and hope it's fantastic! :D

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

A Different Gift

Do you ever get a response to something...
And you have no idea how to react to it?
 
I got that yesterday.
You see, the last remaining missionary I'm writing, wrote to me yesterday.
More than the typical 'newsletter' email.
 
She said:
 
"Oh man! Sarnic you are such a hard worker. I love that you are so honest with your time and your effort. You really exemplify that spiritual gift. I feel like I learn something new every time I read one of your letters."

Background: This is in response to me writing her, and giving her a little feedback on how crazy work has been recently. Mostly because I lost a couple of coworkers within a day of each other, and both of them happened to be in my department, which leaves us super short handed. Moreso with school starting up next week and schedules changing...it's basically left me as the only person who can work the morning shift. :S But I was trying to keep a positive attitude about the whole thing.

In any case.
I was left a bit nonplussed at her statement.
Spiritual gift?
Working hard can be a spiritual gift?

It's not something that I had considered before.
I'm just....like that.
If there is a job to get done, I want it done.
I can be a bit single minded about the whole thing really.
I prefer to get tasks done before I take a break for 'fun.'

It's been on my mind today.
That, and that she learns something new when she reads my letters.
I mean....I just talk about work, so it makes sense that she'll learn new info about pets and such.
But I halfway think she means something else as well.
Something on a more spiritual level that helps her in her own work on the mission.

*shrugs*
Who knows.
But it is food for thought. :)

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

October 2002 General Conference Sunday Afternoon

Joseph B. Wirthlin -Shall He Find Faith on the Earth?

• Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
• Faith exists when absolute confidence in that which we cannot see combines with action that is in absolute conformity to the will of our Heavenly Father. Without all three--first, absolute confidence; second, action; and third, absolute conformity--without these three all we have is counterfeit, a weak and watered-down faith.
• First, we must have confidence in that which we cannot see.
• Second, for our faith to make a difference, we must act.
• Third, one's faith should be consistent with the will of our Heavenly Father, including His laws of nature.
• Often what passes for faith in this world is little more than gullibility. It is distressing to see how eager some people are to embrace fads and theories while rejecting or giving less credence and attention to the everlasting principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is distressing how eagerly some rush into foolish or unethical behavior, believing that God will somehow deliver them from the inevitable tragic consequences of their actions. They even go so far as to ask for the blessings of heaven, knowing in their hearts that what they do is contrary to the will of our Father in Heaven.
• Only when our faith is aligned with the will of our Heavenly Father will we be empowered to receive the blessings we seek.
• Our faith is the foundation upon which all our spiritual lives rest. It should be the most important resources of our lives. Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live.
• If we approach them with love rather than reproach, we will find that the faith of our grandchildren will increase as a result of influence and testimony of someone who loves the Savior and His divine Church.
• Sometimes the world appears dark. Sometimes our faith is tried. Sometimes we feel that the heavens are closed against us. Yet we should not despair. We should never abandon our faith. We should not loose hope.
• Often when the world seems dark, when the heavens seem distant, we seek to blame everything around us, when the real cause of the darkness may be a lack of faith within ourselves.
• Be of good cheer. Have faith and confidence. The Lord will not forsake you.

Richard G. Scott -To Be Free of Heavy Burdens

• I know that you can escape the controlling influence of the evil one, and the repressive chains that bind your life.
• Satan strives to convince one that sins can be hidden from others, yet it is he that causes them to be revealed in the most compromising circumstances.
• "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;
• "Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commands of the Lord shall be forgiven."
• That scripture emphasizes that the Lord cannot abide sin but He will forgive the repentant sinner because of His perfect love. It also teaches that not only is it important to keep a commandment you have broken, but by obeying all the commandments you will obtain additional power and support in the process of repentance.
• If you have felt impressions to be free of burdens caused by yourself or others, those prompting are an invitation from the Redeemer. Act upon them now. He loves you. He gave His life that you may be free of needless burdens. He will help you do it. I know that He has the power to heal you. Begin now.

Elder Kenneth Johnson -Yielding to the Enticings of the Holy Spirit

• Physical barriers and external forces may prevent us from pursuing deviant paths, but there is also a feeling within each of us, sometimes described as a still, small voice, that when recognized and responded to will keep us from succumbing to temptation.
• "We cannot set off on a wrong course without first overruling a warning."
• It is clear to me that many decisions--some seemingly small at the time and others with which I have wrestled, recognizing their import--have caused me to climb to higher planes than I would had I not yielded to the enticings of the Holy Spirit.

Claudio R. M. Costa -Fun and Happiness

• Happiness is much more than just fun. Fun is just a fleeting moment, but happiness is a lasting thing.
• Both fun and happiness are fine, but certainly happiness is the most worth seeking. Happiness can encompass fun as well, but fun alone will not assure us true happiness.
• "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Keith B. McMullin -Come to Zion!

• Life is not a struggle with time--it is a struggle between good and evil.
• "Stop! Wait! When you get up in the morning, before you suffer yourselves to eat one mouthful of food, ... bow down before the Lord, ask him to forgive your sins, and protect you through the day, to preserve you from temptation and all evil, to guide your steps aright, that you may do something that day that shall be beneficial to the kingdom of God on the earth. Have you time to do this? ... This is the counsel I have for the Latter-day Saints to day. Stop, do not be in a hurry. ... You are in too much of a hurry; you do not go to meeting enough, you do not pray enough, you do not read the Scriptures enough, you do not mediate enough, you are all the time on the wing, and in such a hurry that you do not know what to do first. ... Let me reduce this to a simple saying--one of the most simple and homely that can be used--'Keep your dish right side up,' so that when the shower of porridge does come you can catch your dish full."
• As we week with all our hearts to bring forth and establish Zion, the vexations of too little time will disappear.
• Zion comes not as a gift but because virtuous covenant people are drawn together and build it.
• The first is love.
• "The laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish."
• Self-reliance comes next.
• Heavenly Father does not do for us what we can and should do four ourselves. He expects us to use the means we receive of Him to care for ourselves and our families. When we do so, we are self-reliant.
• Lastly, consecration.

F. Melvin Hammond -Dad, Are You Awake?

• To every father, I pose the same penetrating question, "Dad, are you awake?" Do your sons ever wonder if you are asleep when it comes to the things that are most important to them?
• First, our love for God and accepting our role as the family leader in keeping His commandments
• Every father in the Church should function as the patriarch of his home. He should take the lead in spiritually guiding the family. He ought not to delegate nor abrogate his responsibilities to the mother.
• Second, the relationship we have with our wives--their mothers.
• Consider everything else that we do, the way we treat our wives could well have the greatest impact on the character of our sons.
• The Spirit of the Lord cannot be expected to bless our lives if we persist in being angry, callous, and cruel to our mates. We cannot expect our sons to develop respect and gentleness toward their mothers if we do not provide the proper example.
• Third, to provide discipline that is just and administered with love.
• Every child needs to be disciplined. Not only do they need it; they expect it; they want it. Discipline gives direction and teaches self-control, but in all discipline there should be a sense of righteous judgment and pure love.

Gordon B. Hinckley -Each a Better Person

• I challenge every one of you who can hear me to rise to the divinity within you.
• If we live by the principles of the gospel, we must be good people, for we will be generous and kind, thoughtful and tolerant, helpful and outreaching to those in distress. We can either subdue the divine nature and hide it so that it finds no expression in our lives, or we can bring it to the front and let it shine through all that we do.
• WE do not need to wear our religion on our sleeves. We certainly do not need to be boastful about it or to be arrogant in any way. Such becomes a negation of the Spirit of the Christ whom we ought to try to emulate. That Spirit finds expression in the heart and the soul, in the quiet and unboastful manner of our lives.
• All of us have seen those we almost envy because they cultivated a manner that, without even mentioning it, speaks of the beauty of the gospel they have incorporated in their behavior.
• We can lower our voices a few decibels. We can return good for evil. We can smile when anger might be so much easier. We can exercise self-control and self-discipline and dismiss any affront levied against us.
• Let us be a happy people. The Lord's plan is a plan of happiness. The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness.

General Relief Society Meeting

Bonnie D. Parkin -With Holiness of Heart

• Covenants save us from needless suffering.
• Have you ever wondered how our sisters survived being driven from Nauvoo, many walking the entire trek? When their feet were tired, they were carried by their covenants! What else could grant such spiritual and physical fortitude?
• Women of covenant stand firm when evil is called good and good is called evil.
• Remembering our covenants keeps us from being led astray.
• Send me where you need me, when you need me.

Kathleen H. Hughes- Blessing Our Families through Our Covenants

• It's important for us to realize that there is no one way that a righteous family looks.
• If we keep these covenants, our families will be blessed. That's not to say we'll never suffer; but in the end, we know that there is a reward for keeping our promises.
• Modesty is a battle worth fighting.
• If we don't teach them the standards, then the world will, with disastrous results.
• Let's rid ourselves of the "what ifs" and the "if onlys" and "cast [our] burden upon the Lord."

Anne C. Pingree -Charity: One Family, One Home at a Time

• "Many small people in many small places doing many small things can alter the face of the earth."
• Charity is not an act but a condition or a state of being [one becomes.]
• I believe the most important acts of charity are small and simple in nature, eternal in consequence, and are rendered within the walls of our own homes.

James E. Faust -You Are All Heaven Sent

• I believe the four great enduring concepts of this (relief) society are:
• First, it is a divinely established sisterhood.
• Second, it is a place of learning.
• Third, it is an organization whose basic charter is to serve others. Its motto is "Charity never faileth."
• Fourth, it is a place where women can socialize and establish eternal friendships.
• Relief Society truly is for all women, regardless of their ages.
• I believe some of you have a tendency to underestimate your profound capacity for blessing the lives of others. More often than not, it is not on the stage with some public pronouncement but in your example of righteousness and the countless gentle acts of love and kindness done so willingly, so often on a one-to-one basis.
• All of the sisters anywhere in the world can inherit and benefit from the blessings of the Lord for women.
• The woman does not walk ahead of the man; neither does the man walk ahead of the woman. They walk side by side as a son and daughter of God on an eternal journey.
• We are all heaven sent, but what we are able to accomplish in the Lord's work depends to a large extent on our willingness and ability.
• "Do the best you can, and remember that the greatest asset you have in this world is those children, whom you've brought into the world, and for whose nurture and care you are responsible."

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Sore

Sore throats have to be one of the most annoying things in the world.
Well, besides stuffy/runny noses.

Still, sore throats. Super annoying.
Especially when they're the dry sore.
And the dry sore, extends up to your nose, making it feel super clear.
So everyday simple action like....breathing, become painful.
Or swallowing.

So my life becomes a cycle of trying to find things to relieve it.
Make it less painful.

Which makes it difficult to focus on other things.
Like work.
With my throat getting so dry, it's hard to talk to people for long periods of time without feeling like I've talked myself dry, even hoarse.

Which means....I'm not looking forward to work tomorrow. :S
Hopefully...its better in the morning.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Was a Guardians of the Galaxy esq dream with me and a crew working to grab contraband, and free ourselves from an tyrant that had a ship (boat ship) that was made out of an iceberg to camouflage it. Our escape involved getting shot out of rockets, and surviving in an amusement water park on rides that weren't always the safest to play on when you weren't strapped in tightly.

-S.N.D

To Hold The Chains

I finally got one thing for Christmas that I've been needing since I moved into my new apartment.
A necklace stand.
One that can hold my longer necklaces.
As right now, most of them are bundled and tangled up in a box.
Which is rather frustrating when you want to get one particular necklace and half the box comes with it when you pull it out.
Now though, I can hang them up so that they won't be as tangled! I will be able to see at a glance what necklaces I have, and which ones I can wear.

Only.
I have one little tiny problem.
I've misplaced the box. :S
I can't find it.
Anywhere.
Of course I haven't looked Everywhere.
But I've checked all the places I last saw it lurking.
And....that box isn't there.

Which leads me to wonder...
Where did I put it?!!?
Seriously.
It's bugging me.

And it will be just my luck that I'll find where I stashed it...
When I pack to move out.
*shakes head*
Guess we'll see.

For now, I have enough necklaces that were floating around to use my necklace stand...just not to it's fullest capacity. :)

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Morning Poem

She looked so peaceful laying there.
All cozied up with long brown hair.
I did not want to disturb her in her place.
For I'm sure she dreamed of guys to chase.

Yet, my daughter dear,
I could not resist drawing near.
To look upon your resting face.
A faint smile, there it graced.

Gently, I brushed back your hair,
Confirming for myself you were still there.
A miracle I've had the chance to raise.
Now grown, beautiful, filled with grace.

While I wish I could keep you near,
Hold you in my arms, still small and dear.
I am proud of how you've grown.
And that I can call you my own.

I love you dearest daughter,
I am so glad you can call me mother.

-S.N.D

-Poem inspired by feeling my mom brush back my hair as I was sleeping this morning before she went off to work.
-I tried to write it from her point of view. :)

Love you Mother Dearest! ^^;;

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was at a movie theatre with some friends, trying to see a particular movie, but I ended up wandering around the entire place, because I was trying to find a restroom, but everytime I would see the sign, I would walk in and this Chinese looking guy would prevent me from entering the theatre because I didn't have a ticket. Which was alright, because I was looking for the bathroom, but I couldn't find it! And it got more annoying as again and again the same chinese guy would turn me away from different theatres. I got the sense that he was annoyed, but I was even more annoyed because I could have sworn the sign had been for a restroom just seconds before. Finally though, I found the restroom, but it was so big and complicated. There were areas for washing your hands, changing clothes, changing baby diapers, and of course stalls for the toilets themselves. But I had a problem, every time I tried to claim a stall, there would be a row of toilets in the same room, and all the others had guys sitting on them -like any normal guy would sit on a bar stool at a bar. They were a rugged lot. All around my age, but looking older because they'd been drinking and smoking, and I had no desire whatsoever to be in their company, so I continually looked around for another place to go, but then suddenly I was at work, and there were a bunch of fishtanks that needed to be cleaned, as they hadn't been cleaned properly in preparation for...the battle? But these fish tanks weren't normal fishtanks. They were like mini worlds, each containing people and species of the place/planet they'd been taken from.....

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

A White Christmas

I woke up to a White Christmas today. ^^
So.
Much.
Awesome!
It was exciting and energizing to see snow finally on the ground! To see it falling in front of me.
It's great!
Finally! Winter has come!

And I hope it stays for a good while longer.  :)

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful time with your loved ones and got gifts that brought joy to your heart!!

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Comfort: Chair Level

There are evenings, where it's simply relaxing to curl up in a comfy chair, sit in darkness, and listen to Christmas music playing.

That's exactly what my family did this evening after our usual Christmas Eve dinner.
We didn't converse much,
Just enjoyed companionable silence, as we all curled up on various chairs in the living room.
Nice, huge, comfy, soft chairs.

Brand new chairs.
As an early Christmas Present, the Parentals bought themselves new furniture.
And I have to say, it's totally worth it.
The chairs are so comfy to curl up in!
Really,
Sitting down, you have no desire whatsoever to get up.
It's the sort of chairs where you can relax in.
Lounge in.
Sleep in.
Read in.
Really, do anything in, because you won't want to get up and do it anywhere else.

It's great! And I'm totally looking forward to spending the next couple of days doing exactly that.
Holing up in one of those chairs and doing stuff.
Who knows what yet.
But I'm going to be in that chair when I do do it. ^^

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

It's hard to describe, but I ended up falling in love with a guy with sunkissed skin and dark hair. He and I had both had arranged marriages by our parents, but we chose to ignore their wishes and get married to each other instead of our intended. Though, by the end...I was wondering if I had moved to fast in this relationship because my husband, kept revealing little tidbits about his past -like his first kiss had been to a girl in my class and she was the one he had intended to marry until he met me- that made me question how faithful he would be, yet I continued to stick by him as he and I were introduced to each other parents and had to pass their assessment that we could do well together.

-S.N.D

Shopping Crazy

I am so thankful that I finished shopping for Christmas like a week ago.
Because I have no envy for all the people who are rushing around like crazy right now.
Nor would I want to venture into the mad house that surely most every store is at the moment.
With parking lots full, harried people rushing to and fro, crazy traffic on the road...
Yes. I am definitely glad I'm done with my shopping.

As it took much longer than it should have to leave even the parking lot of work today.
And the traffic, for afternoon traffic was rather crazy.
I passed a couple of accidents within about a mile of each other, and ended up taking a back route to get out of the crowds.
It was encouragement enough that I didn't venture out again once I got home.
I'd rather keep myself stress free rather than have to deal with the crazy drivers that are probably on the road, racing to get to their stores and find their items as quickly as possible.
Definitely stress and a headache I don't need.

Instead, I spent the evening finally wrapping the rest of the presents I had obtained and listening to Christmas music. ^^ Definitely more enjoyable. :)

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

October 2002 General Conference Sunday Morning

Thomas S. Monson -Models to Follow

• All of us living in the world today need points of reference--even models to follow.
• When God speaks and we obey, we will always be right.
• May we have the unfeigned humility of John the Baptist, the unquestioning obedience of Abraham, the unlimited patience of Job, the unwavering faith of Noah, the undeviating loyalty of Ruth, the unflagging determination of Nephi, the undaunted courage of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the unfailing optimism of President Hinckley. Such will be as a fortress of strength to us throughout our lives.
• May we ever be guided by the supreme Exemplar, even the son of Mary, the Savior Jesus Christ--whose very life provided a perfect model for us to follow.

Dallin H. Oaks -I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go

• "In the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one takes the place to which one is duly called, which place one neither seeks nor declines."
• It is not a sacrifice; it is a privilege.
• "See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength."
• My brothers and sisters, if you are delinquent in commitment, please consider who it is you are refusing or neglecting to serve when you decline a calling or when you accept, promise, and fail to fulfill.

D. Todd Christofferson -That They May Be One in Us

• We are dual beings of flesh and spirit, and we sometimes feel out of harmony or in conflict. Our spirit is enlightened by conscience, the light of Christ, and naturally responds to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and desires to follow truth. But the appetites and temptations to which the flesh is subject can, if permitted, overwhelm and dominate the spirit.
• Becoming at one within ourselves prepares us for the greater blessing of becoming one with God and Christ.
• Submissiveness is not reached in a day.

Margaret D. Nadauld -A Woman of Faith

• A woman of faith trusts God and faces adversity with hope.
• As she prays, she listens--allowing the communication to be two-way. She trusts that in His still and quiet way, He will lead her by the hand and give her answer to her prayers.
• A woman of faith is confident.
• A woman of faith is fearless. She fears no evil, for God is with her. There is no ambiguity, no uncertain trump in her life.

Henry B. Eyring -Rise to Your Call

• First, you are called of God.
• The Lord knows you. He knows whom He would have serve in every position in His Church. He chose you. He has prepared a way so that He could issue your call.
• Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands.
• Just the way you smile or the way you offer to help someone can build their faith.
• There are no small callings to represent the Lord. Your call carries grave responsibility. But you need not fear, because with your call come great promises.
• Second...the Lord will guide you by revelation just as He called you.
• Third... Just as God called you and will guide you, He will magnify you.
• The forces arrayed against you will try not only to frustrate your work but to bring you down.
• There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate. Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone.
• God magnifies those He calls, even in what may seem to you a small or inconspicuous service. You will have the gift of seeing your service magnified. Give thanks while that gift is yours. You will appreciate its wroth more than you can imagine when it is gone.
• It is this: If I only think of my own performance, my sadness deepens. But when I remember that the Lord promised that His power would go with me,  I begin to look for evidence of what He had done in the lives of the people I am to serve. I pray to see with spiritual eyes the effects of His power.
• "Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

Gordon B. Hinckley -The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith

• I knew a so-called intellectual who said the Church was trapped by its history. My response was that without that history we have nothing.
• This wondrous Restoration should make of us a people of tolerance, of neighborliness, of appreciation and kindness toward others. We cannot be boastful. We cannot be proud. We can be thankful, as we must be. We can be humble, as we should be.
• We love those of other churches. We work with them in good causes. We respect them. But we must never forget our roots. Those roots lie deep in the soil of the opening of this, the final dispensation, the dispensation of the fullness of times.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Enough For All

We had a combined ward today for church.
Since it's now Christmas break, everyone has basically disappeared in college town to spend the holiday with their parents.
So instead of meeting as one ward with a handful of people.
We combined together....I think it might have been the whole stake.

And it so happened that me and my friends,
Arrived at church at exactly the right moment,
To be directed to sit in the choir seats on the stand.

Luckily, it wasn't a sneaky conscription tactic to get us into the choir, they were just letting us use those seats for the meeting.
As....a whole lot more people showed up than they had been expecting.
One of the speakers mentioned how last year, they had only like 60 people show up.
Well today... I'm guessing it was closer to 400 people. I can't be sure, but I do know that they had to open up two further areas in order to fit everyone in, and there were still people standing at the very back.

In any case, me and my friends, sat in the nice comfy choir seats.
Which had another benefit as well.
As you see, being on the stand, means that one doesn't have to worry about there not being enough bread and water for the sacrament.
But out in the audience?
An audience that was much bigger than everyone had been expecting to show up?
:S

Every one was able to get the bread and water.
But there were a few tense minutes (it was like 10 minutes really)
Where all the cups in the trays had been used for water.
And there was a long delay in which I'm sure there were a couple of guys scrambling about trying to find more cups to use, and get water into them before the rest of the audience could partake of the water.

I bring this up, because sitting on the stand in the choir chairs,
I had a different perspective than those seated in the audience.

 I watched as one of the bearers came back up to the stand with an empty water tray.
At that point, there was no water cups available. (the guys were still searching I suppose)
So the men on the stand took the tray, and the bearer went back up the aisle empty handed to help out where he could.
As there were still seven other guys who had water cups in their trays.
But then another guy came up, with an empty tray.
And then, a few minutes later, everyone else came up, their trays empty.
Yet, there still were no water cups to be found.
So they all stood there, with empty trays, while a third of the audience appeared to not have yet gotten any water.
Finally, a single tray was brought out, and the lone bearer went back out to serve the water.
A few minutes later, two more trays were brought out,
and a few minutes later, one more tray was brought out to be passed around.

Finally, after taking like ten or so minutes longer than it should have, everyone had gotten the bread and water.

What caught my attention though, was that whole scenario.
Bearers went out to the audience to give of the water they carried, yet, they did not have enough for everyone.
There were the audience members, faithful people who had come to partake of the sacrament, thinking that they would be able to, yet, suddenly faced with uncertainty as first one, then the rest went up, with empty trays, and none came back.

Would they get the water?

It almost felt like a parable of sorts. Like unto the story of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Who all had their lamps, but when the time came, there wasn't enough oil to go around.
Those who had sat towards the back because they preferred it there, or they had come in late enough that those were the only ones available....were suddenly faced with the concept that there might not be 'enough.'
(Never have had that happen in my experience btw.)
Those closer did not have to fear about running out.
Yet those in the back?

How would it feel, to have one lone bearer come back because he had no more to give.
None would remark on it, as there were still others out there, other chances to partake of the water,
Yet, how quickly would the hope fade, when the others would all return back to the front, all without water.
With none ready to come back out?
How would hope spark and flare when a lone bearer manages to gather water and go back out to the mass to serve as many as he could with what he had?
How eagerly would they reach for the cup then? Grateful that there was still was yet some water to give?

Yah, something about that whole scenario, definitely struck a cord with me today.
Where there is the thought....that maybe good isn't good enough, we have to be better.
We have to sit closer to the front, be more active,
So that we do not need to fear that the water would not come, that there would not be enough for us to partake, even though we were there.
It seemed like a little call to me, to try a little harder, be a little better, and sit a little closer.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was with my sister, and we were getting KFC for dinner. I was going to buy for the both of us, so I went up to the counter (which had a set up more like an ice cream shop than a KFC) to get our meal. Because it was both Kikay and I, I chose to go for the 6 piece chicken strips instead of the normal 3. Which meant that the price was $7.99 for those, but then I also decided to get a cup for soda as well. Which would cost me a dollar or two more, plus tax. Which meant that I should be paying about $10 for the whole meal. But as I was ordering, a noisy Spanish speaking family came up next to me, wanting to order their food as well, and the girl behind the counter, apparently was new, or was confused or something, because when she finally rang up my order, she told me the price was something like $31.32. I stopped right as I was handing her my card, pulling it back. No, that wasn't the right price. I had checked the prices of everything, so I asked her. "Are you certain you didn't place my order with theirs?" I gestured to the family next to me. "We're separate." She stared at me, nodded that the order was correct, but I knew it wasn't, yet she seemed to think it was a normal price. Somehow or another, I turned away for a few minutes and turned back to see a gangster looking boy (buzzed dark hair, baggy pants) take one of my chicken strips and eat it! It got me angry and I chased after him, stepping on his shoes, and slapped his face. "Those are mine! Do you have no manners? Did you learn nothing about not stealing! Do not steal!" and I attempted to slap his face again. Somehow, more of the others stole my chicken stripes, and I got into a rolling fight with one of the boys (maybe the same one) where I would throw myself backwards to send them into a roll, to make them hit the ground, yet we would pop back up onto our feet, only for me to throw them backwards again...

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

Timber

They cut down the tree outside of my window yesterday.
A huge thing, towering over the apartment.
And now....it's gone. :(

It's always depressing when a tree is cut down,
Especially when it's because of something it was doing to survive.
Like -rumored- in this case, that it was spreading it's roots out....
and said roots were breaking pipes, making it difficult for water to be available in the apartments.

It's weird now.
As the tree was the view from both kitchen and my bedroom.
Both areas seem a bit brighter now, since the tree isn't casting shade anymore.
I don't think it helps my room too much, in being brighter, but I've only experienced it the once....so I'm not sure...

Yet, cutting down the tree, reminded me of when I was younger.
Where when we drove up to my Grandma Retrun's home,
We would go hiking through the trees,
looking for the perfect pine tree to cut down.
To be our Christmas Tree that year.

It was something I took very seriously.
-To my family's dismay more often or not. lol.
I wanted to find the most perfect tree ever for our home.
While everyone else just wanted to find one and be done with it.

There are many memories associated with going to find the tree.
The smell of the woods,
The deepness of the snow.
The saw carried in my dad's hand.
Holding onto my mom as we wandered looking,
the snow that would get piled into our shoes, leaving our feet freezing cold,

But always, that fun moment of cutting down our tree and bringing it triumphantly home. ^^
Plus, getting oh so cozy and warm in the car again was a definite bonus. lol.

Yes, trees can provide good cheer, however they come, be it in the yard, in the home, or in the fireplace keeping us warm. ^^;;

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was on a mission to steal something important, trying to gather all the pieces of it so I could present it to someone in order to achieve what I wanted to achieve. It involved following very specific patterns on the floor, doing crazy tasks, and just as I was about to reach the end, a group of girls (my sister and her roommates) took the stuff away from me and headed back to the beginning of everything to put it back! It was frustrating and I was racing to try and get to them before they reached the beginning, and ended up in the apartment complex, trying to find food to help with a big gathering....

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D

Wrapping Christmas

Do you ever find yourself humming a song, that has almost no relation to what you're currently thinking or doing, but the words are similar enough that it sent your brain onto that song anyways?

Yah, I just had that happen to me.

As I was sitting here, staring at the mound of gifts to family and friends that I need to wrap.

And I was like "I'm Wrapping Christmas."
Suddenly, a tune started playing in my head.
A familiar one that took me a bit to place.

It's called "Making Christmas" from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas

 

Only now...

lol I want to create my own lyrics to this song.

 

Once more.

It's time.

Wrapping Christmas

Wrapping Christmas

It's a pain

 

To cut and tear and make it fine

So that no one can guess it's mine.

It's all about this Christmas time...

 

*humming*

 

Yah. I'm sure with enough time I could make up something fun. lol.

 

For now, I'll just listen to the actual song and silently plot little verses as I still....

Procrastinate wrapping Christmas. lol.

 

Until you next see these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

 

-Sarnic Dirchi

 

 

The Black Walnut

I love trees.
When I was a boy we lived on a farm in the summer, a fruit farm.
Every year at this season we planted trees.
I think I never missed a spring since I was married, except for two or three years when we were absent from the city, that I have not planted trees, at least one or two-fruit trees, shade trees, ornamental trees, and spruce, fir, and pine among the conifers.
I love trees.

Well, some 36 years ago I planted a black walnut.
It was in a crowded area where it grew straight and tall to get the sunlight.
A year ago, for some reason it died.
But walnut is a precious furniture wood.
I called Brother Ben Banks of the Seventy, who, before giving his full time to the Church, was in the business of hardwood lumber.
He brought his two sons, one a bishop and the other recently released as a bishop and who know run the business, to look at the tree.
From all they could tell it was solid, good, and beautiful wood.
One of them suggested that it would make a pulpit for this hall.
The idea excited me.
The tree was cut down and then cut into two heavy logs.
Then followed the long process of drying, first naturally and then kiln drying.
The logs were cut into boards at a sawmill in Salem, Utah.
The boards were then taken to Fetzer's woodworking plant, where expert craftsmen designed and built this magnificent pulpit with that wood.

The end product is beautiful.
I wish all of you could examine it closely.
It represents superb workmanship, and here I am speaking to you from the tree I grew in my backyard, where my children played and also grew.

It is an emotional thing for me.
I have planted another black walnut or two.
I will be long gone before they mature.
When that day comes and this beautiful pulpit has grown old, perhaps one of them will dot o make a replacement.
To Elder Banks and his sons, Ben and Bradley, and to the skilled workers who have designed and built this, I offer my profound thanks for making it possible to have a small touch of mine in this great hall where the voices of prophets will go out to all the world in testimony of the Redeemer of mankind.

-Gordon B. Hinckley -To All the World in Testimony -April 2000 General Conference

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Lamp On

I had the oddest thing happen the other day.
Or I should say night.

As I went to bed, all like normal. Turning the lights off and everything.

Yet, when I woke up the next morning.

The floor lamp next to my bed had been turned on.

And I have no recollection of turning said lamp on.

It's also impossible to turn it on randomly in my sleep,
as the switch is a twisty switch.
One where you twist the knob to turn it on to one of three brightness settings.
-It's also difficult to operate if your hands are wet as a random fact-

Yet there it was, on. On to the first setting.

And I didn't turn it on.
I hardly think I moved that night.

Yet there it was.

Shining on me at night.

I almost would think that one of my roommates had come in sometime during the night,
but how they could have reached the floor lamp....is a question.
Why they wanted to come in in the first place is another.

So, who was my night time visitor?
Who decided that I needed the lamp on?

I have no idea, but I wonder if it's the same person who was my 'mysterious shadow' that other other night....

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Where's The White?

I stare at the mountain tops.
Covered in snow.
Look out to the lawn below
And see Green.
It's not yet Winter.

There's a chill in the air.
Foggy windows.
Christmas lights.
Yet no snow.

Caroling both outside and on the radio.
Christmas trees.
Wrapping presents.

Yet Where is that Christmas feeling?
That the winter white wonderland brings.

Please come snow.
Please come soon.
You are more anticipated this time of year.

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

October 2002 General Conference Priesthood Session

Boyd K. Packer -The Stake Patriarch

• Patriarchs do not advertise for blessings. Members should seek blessings as they feel inspired to do so. There is no fixed age at which one may receive a patriarchal blessing.
• Except for members of the immediate family, we should not permit others to read our blessing nor should we ask others to interpret it.
• "Because a man has filled with credit a presiding office and has attained a good age is no reason why he should or should not make a good patriarch; ... [He should be one who has] developed within [him] the spirit of the patriarchs; in fact, this should be [his] leading characteristic, ... [a man] of wisdom, possessed of the gift and spirit of blessing as well."
• Stake presidents must provide very careful, special watch care over the patriarch. You should have him sit on the stand and be recognized.
• It has been said that a patriarchal blessing is a "'[paragraph] from the book of your possibilities.' If we read our patriarchal blessings, we will see what the spirit of prophecy has held up to us as to what each of us can become."
• Since there are many bloodlines running in each of us, two members of one family might be declared as being of different tribes in Israel.
• Things of an eternal nature have no boundaries.
• Do not let the office of stake patriarch be neglected or ignored. It is essential to the spiritual power of a stake.
• "Face toward the sunlight of truth so that the shadow of error, disbelief, doubt and discouragement shall be cast behind you.

M. Russell Ballard -The Greatest Generation of Missionaries

• "They were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
• We don't need spiritual weak and semicommitted young men. We don't need you to just fill a position; we need your whole heart and soul. We need vibrant, thinking, passionate missionaries who know how to listen to and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. this isn't a time for spiritual weaklings. We cannot send you on a mission to be reactivated, reformed, or to receive a testimony. We just don't have time for that. We need you to be filled with "faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God."
• We expect you to be missionaries to match our glorious message.
• The day of the "repent and go" missionary is over.
• Some young men have the mistaken idea that they can be involved in sinful behavior and then repent when they're 18 1/2 so they can go on their mission at 19. While it is true that you can repent of your sins, you may or you may not qualify to serve. It is far better to keep yourselves clean and pure and valiant.
• Consequently, if we are "raising the bar" for your sons to serve as missionaries, that means we are also "raising the bar" for you. If we expect more of them, that means we expect more of you and your wife as well.
• Some fathers don't think they have the right to ask worthiness questions of their children. They think that is the purview of the bishop alone. Fathers, not only do you have the right to know the worthiness of your children, you have the responsibility. It is your duty to know how your children are doing with regards to their spiritual well-being and progression. You need to monitor carefully the issues and concerns they share with you. Ask specific questions of your children regarding their worthiness, and refuse to settle for anything less than specific answers.
• Parents should be so intimately aware of what is going on in their children's lives that they know about the problems before the bishop does.
• To those of you who have already served, please remember that you were released from your missions but not from the Church. You spent two years as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. We expect you to always look and act like one of His disciples. Look the part. Act the part. Don't follow worldly trends and fashions. you are better than that.

James E. Faust -I Believe I Can, I Knew I Could

• At times all of us are called upon to stretch ourselves and do more than we think we can.
• "I am only an average man but, by George, I work harder at it than the average man." We develop our talents first by thinking we can.
• Some of us are too content with what we may already be doing. We stand back in the "eat, drink, and be merry" mode when opportunities for growth and development abound. We miss opportunities to build up the kingdom of God because we have the passive notion that someone else will take care of it. The Lord tells us that He will give more to those who are willing. They will be magnified in their efforts, like the little blue engine as it pulled the train up the mountain. But to those who say, "We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."
• While we are not all equal in experience, aptitude, and strength, we have different opportunities to employ these spiritual gifts, and we will all be accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us.
• Each of us must climb mountains that we have never climbed before.

Thomas S. Monson -Peace, Be Still

• A list of destructive demons is length; and each man, young or old, knows the ones with which he must contend. I'll name but a few: The Demon of Greed; the Demon of Dishonesty; the Demon of Debt; The Demon of Doubt; The Demon of Drugs; and the twin Demons of Immodesty and Immorality. Each of these demons can wreak havoc with our lives. A combination of them can spell utter destruction.
• Concerning greed, the council from Ecclesiastes speaks caution: "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase."
• We must learn to separate need from greed.
• We must not allow our yearnings to exceed our earnings.
• "There hath no temptation take you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
• For each of us it is infinitely better to hear and heed the call of conscience, for conscience always warns us as a friend before punishing us as a judge.
• "If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those you might have saved, had you done your duty."
• In the performance of our responsibilities, I have learned that when we heed a silent prompting and act upon it without delay, our Heavenly Father will guide our footsteps and bless our lives and the lives of others. I know of no experience more sweet or feeling more precious than tot heed a prompting only to discover that the Lord has answered another person's prayer through you.

Gordon B. Hinckley -To Men of the Priesthood

• We must raise the bar on the worthiness and qualifications of those who go into the world as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• There is nothing more important that your families.
• Save a little money regularly, and you will be surprised how it accumulates.
• Get out of debt and rid yourself of the terrible bondage that debt brings.
• Discipline yourselves in matters of spending, in matters of borrowing, in practices that lead to bankruptcy and the agony that comes therewith.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Christmas Programs

Christmas Programs.
They happen this time of year.
In many ways, I miss the ones in my home ward.
Back when my Primary class had like a hundred kids in it so we could vary everything a little bit, give lots of spoken parts, sing lots of songs.
(alright so it was like 30, but we filled up the whole 'choir' section of that pulpit. :) ) Which was awesome! Getting to sit up on the big comfy chairs. (Unless you were unlucky and had to sit in a hard chair brought in to fit us all.)

It's hard to say any special memory with those Christmas Programs.
They merge in with Easter, and Mothers Day, and Father's Day programs.

I just remember we had one liners to recite.
Songs to sing.
And the enjoyment of being up on the stand looking to see all the friends and family who came to listen to me and my fellow Primarymates. :)

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

Lex Luther -claiming to be a reformed man, had come to me, trying to convince me to join up with him so I could learn how to control my powers, but I had trouble trusting him, as every time I gave him a little, he seemed to turn it against me, only to make it appear to be for my good, yet I didn't feel that it was.....

-S.N.D

(post written 12/15/14 as I got caught up in the ongoing Sydney Siege Situation. I hope they all make it out safely. :( )

Signing Cards

A woman came into our store today,
Looking for Christmas Cards.
Which, in reality, we should carry in our store.
As we have cards for other reasons. Birthdays, Get Well, etc.
Yet, as much as I looked....we had none.
Which, isn't too surprising either, as we aren't a card store, but a Pet store.

In any case.
I was reminded of back when my siblings and I would all be home during Christmas time.

-Because this lady was like "I need a pack of twenty-four." for her cards (which we don't carry that many of the same thing anyway.

And we would spend around half an hourish, sitting in a circle, signing Christmas cards to send to our extended family.
It seemed like we would have a mountain of cards to sign, because we have sooo many family members.
But that's not quite the case at all.

Still, it was a moment of bonding.
 
;) And being jealous of my sister's fancy signature while mine appeared to be just a scrawl across the page. lol

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Singing In A Mall

I wandered into the mall today, to grab a couple more gifts for friends and family.
And as I walked in, I heard singing.

There was a group of young children right in front of me, with a crowd gathered around them, singing Christmas songs.

And it brought back the memory.
Of the one time I sang in a mall for class.
I was older, jr. high age, from what I remember, in a choir class.

And we went down to a mall -I don't know if it's open anymore, I remember it was near where my mom worked.
Because she was able to come and listen to us sing for her lunch break.

I don't remember much beyond that.
That we were by fountains, on a stage,
that I didn't think we were easy to hear because of the water.

But, that I was singing for my mom was a thrill to me.
It was even better because I got to spend some time with her afterwards.
I don't remember going back to school, so it was either a thing after school, or close enough to the end of school that I didn't return to class.
But Mom and I had lunch, and I was able to hang out with her while she finished up her work day, we may have even visited a book store.

Good times. ^^
I'm glad that I was able to hear those children sing in the mall. It brought a bit of peace and joy into my life. :)

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Becoming Saints

It is sometimes amazing to see the difference this peace can have in the lives of those who accept it.
While I was presiding over the Canada Toronto Mission many years ago, our missionaries began teaching a family that was in spiritual darkness.
They were poor, uneducated, and their personal appearance reflected a lack of appreciation or concern for normal hygiene and grooming.
But they were good, honorable people--among the honest in heart that we always pray for our missionaries to find--and they responded spiritually as they felt for the first time in their lives the peace the gospel offers.

When we learned that they were going to be baptized, Sister Ballard and I attended the baptismal service.
I happened to be standing next to the bishop of the ward when the family arrived.
In all honesty, I must tell you that they were quite a sight.
They looked unkempt, unclean, and somewhat scruffy.
Because he had been out of town for a period of time, the bishop had not yet met the newest members of his ward; so this first impression was, to say the least, unimpressive.
As they walked away, I thought I could feel his knees begin to buckle.

I put my arm around this good bishop to give him my support--physically as well as spiritually.
I felt prompted to say to him: "Bishop, isn't this wonderful?
We will make good Latter-day Saints out of them!"

He looked at me, and smiled.
I just couldn't tell if he was smiling because he agreed with me, or if he thought that I might be just another overenthusiastic missionary.

The baptismal service proceeded, and the family was baptized.
The next day, we decided to attend that ward to make sure the family was well received when they came to their meetings as new members of the Church.

As the family came into the chapel for sacrament meeting, I was sitting on the stand next to the bishop.
The father was wearing a clean white shirt.
It was not large enough for him to fasten the top button at the neck, and he was wearing a tie that I could remember seeing on one of my elders.
But his face radiated with happiness and peace.
The mother and daughters looked like they had been transformed from the previous day.
Their dresses were not fancy, but they were clean and lovely.
They, too, had that special gospel glow.
The little boys wore white shirts that were several sizes too large for them, even with the sleeves rolled up.
And they were wearing ties that almost extended down to their knees.
It was obvious that the missionaries had put their own white shirts and ties on these little boys so they could come to sacrament meeting appropriately dressed.

They sat with their missionaries, and the light of the gospel literally shone from them.
Alma describes this as "[receiving God's] image in your countenances."
I leaned over to the bishop again and said: "See, Bishop?
We will make Saints out of them!"

Of course, that overnight physical transformation was merely superficial when compared to the overwhelming more significant spiritual transformation that took place in that family as the gospel entered their hearts and lives.
Through the instruction of the missionaries and the subsequent fellowshipping of their good bishop and the ward members, this entire family emerged from spiritual darkness into gospel light and truth.
In that light the family was warmed, refreshed, and revitalized by the peace that comes from knowing the Lord Jesus Christ lives.
The light of the gospel truths restored to earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith began to show this family the way to the temple, where one year later they received their eternal blessings.

-M. Russell Ballard -The Peaceable Things of the Kingdom -April 2002 General Conference

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Faces in the Dream

So while scrolling through my new favorite browsing site, UltraFacts, I came across this new interesting tidbit of information.
In which it states that:

"In our Dreams we only see faces that we already know. Our mind is not inventing faces, in our dreams we see real faces of real people that we have seen during our life but may not know or remember. We have all seen hundreds of thousands of faces throughout our lives, so we have an endless supply of characters for our brain to utilize during our dreams."

I found this so intriguing.
Every person I see in my dreams....is a person I've seen before.
So a couple of nights when I dreamt about a creepy guy with a balding head and long reddish fringed hair down to his shoulders....I've seen him somewhere before.
The woman Lydia, I've also seen somewhere.

It's crazy to think really.
I mean, there are some people that just look...odd, in my dreams.
I'm not sure if this fact applies to bodies, or just to faces, but....
There are some strange looking people I've seen if it's true.

lol, but you know my first thought after reading this?
I was like "Then my Prince Charming exists!! I need to go track him down!"

lol.
I mean, I've had those dreams where I'm in a relationship with a handsome guy, or am married to someone amazing.

Perhaps when that sort of dream comes up, it's because I've seen someone recently that subconscious me thinks would be a good match.

Could our dreams be playing matchmaker with us?
Could our dreams be showing us the disasters of potential matches?
Could we have met our best friends, yet only in our dreams realize it?

It's so crazy to think about!

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Dream

I was at work, trying to close, I think, when I came across some kids doing a cookie test. Where they were asked, if they could only eat cookies for every meal what 3 would they pick?
The answers had typical "chocolate chip cookie" answers, but then there was one kid that said he wanted to eat 'gold' while miming eating something like a hamburger.
And another, also miming stuffing his face full and licking his fingers said "Peeeaaaaannnuutts."

Then the unholy tones of daylight pulled me away....
and I became myself again. :)

-S.N.D