June is going to be absolutely amazing. The first day of June hasn’t even ended yet and it’s been a blast. I woke up at 5:30 this morning, took a shower, turned on my computer and started arranging John Philip Sousa’s “The Liberty Bell” for organ. I want to arrange a few Sousa marches for organ before I leave on my mission.
I slept in until 7 this morning, which was perfect considering I didn’t get home until Midnight last night.
This morning, I went to BioLife to donate plasma and got another $20 dollars out of doing that. Next, I went all over town finding an ATM that works with Citigroup cards. While on the hunt, I pretended to be a news reporter on twitter by tweeting about a choo-choo train that was blocking about a mile of train crossings. I finally found an ATM at Copps on the Northside of appleton and stopped at the brat fry there to get a hot dog.
Woke up at about 5:30am after yesterday’s hard work day. I was going to edit a song before I went to work, but for some reason I never got around to it.
Continue reading Live from Green Bay, it’s Friday Night Sports Night!
I woke up at 5am this morning and hopped into the shower. Instead of doing my usual shower routine of conducting, I sang instead because today we are having tryouts to sing the national anthem for my Walmart’s (#2958) grand re-opening ceremony. I wanted to make sure my voice was in tip-top shape for this.
I woke up at a half way reasonable time this morning to a beautiful sunrise, but unfortunately I failed to snap a picture of it.
1 And God made a pig, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the eighth day.
2 And God said let there be bacon, and [insert dramatic pause here] there was bacon.
3 For my soul delighteth in the eating of #bacon; yea, the eating of bacon by the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.
Allen 1:1-3
Today is Memorial Day, one of several holidays to that pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country in the Military.
At 9am, Appleton had it’s annual parade. My favorite part of the parade was definitely the marching bands.
I would call this Sunday, my second Sunday in a row that is a spiritual high for me.
I woke up at 5:15 or so in order to be at church by 7 to have plenty of time to practice the organ. Between 9 and 10, I prepared my lesson for priesthood; at 10, I had branch presidency meeting.
Church started at 11, as always. I gave the lesson. It was from Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ talk from the April 2014 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, entitled “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood.” It ties in greatly with the Sunday School lesson.
Thom Barbola taught Sunday School today. We are currently in the Old Testament and read from the Book of Ruth. This is how it ties greatly with the lesson in priesthood. Women don’t have the priesthood authority like men do, but as they are obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ and serve faithfully in their callings, they are greatly blessed by the priesthood. It is also through Women, that Men are better able to serve in priesthood functions. Ruth is a great example of this because she was faithful and obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ and thus blessed because of it and was a huge blessing to her husband.
In sacrament meeting, the theme was on repentance and the atonement. Our hymns were as follows:
Opening: 241 Count Your Blessings
Sacrament: 193 I Stand All Amazed
Intermediate: 301 I Am A Child of God
Closing: 19 We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet
Our first speakers were the sister missionaries. Both spoke on repentance and how as you repent through the atonement of Jesus Christ, great blessings lay in store after you repent and come unto Jesus. The closing speaker, Chase Johnston, also hit on that same subject.
I went home for about 2 1/2 hours before going back to church for Seminary Graduation.
I played the organ for graduation. The hymns were “True to the Faith” and “As Zion’s Youth in Latter Days.” The congregation was extremely loud (my favorite!) so I got to play louder than normal. The first talk was given by a young man from Fon du Lac who shared how scriptures have helped him to prepare for his mission. Then the sister missionaries from the YSA branch sang a beautiful musical number. One of the graduating young women gave a talk about how the scriptures have helped her through trials in her life. President Cropper of the Stake Presidency shared how memorizing scriptures have blessed him , particularly a time on his mission when a rifle was pointed at him and if it wasn’t for reading the scriptures and knowing for himself that the church is true, he may not be alive right now.
Tomorrow is Memorial Day and I have the day off!!! Woot woot!
Woke up late today at about 6:00. Rolled out of bed to the computer to edit a piece of music that a small musical ensemble will perform next month.
After much time lounging around, I went to BioLife to donate plasma. Because of this, I got $20.