Family History Project- Full Details

IT'S TIME!

Remember how I mentioned I have some family names I need help with? Well, we're ready! Details below.

Most of you are aware of just how much I love the temple. That's why this project is so important to me. I'm grateful for the sacred work that happens in the temple and I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of this gospel. Families CAN be together forever. If you'd like to talk more about that, please reach out to me. :)

Scheri Marrow (find through my Facebook post) is amazing and is taking care of sending names out. We ESPECIALLY need help with male endowments!

For my Logan friends and those not around Cedar, send a message to Scheri through FB, a text at 435.669.8667 or email scherimarrow@yahoo.com. She can send you a name or two. Do it. It will be awesome.

If you're in Cedar City or the area, contact Scheri anytime you'd like to take a name. We are also planning a group session at the St George Utah Temple on January 19th, meet in the chapel ready to go at 7:30 pm with the session starting at 8 pm. If you come that night, you can stop by the church building east of the temple and pick up a name (between 6:45 and 7:40 pm) and then head into the temple. Guys. It's going to be amazing.

If you plan on coming the 19th, will you let me or Scheri know so we have a count?

Also, in Scheri's words: "After receiving the card in the mail, go and do the work! Pick up the card before leaving the temple. Turn over the card and write a birthday note to Erik, make sure and sign your name. Mail Erik his card via snail mail."

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Keep running.

My Birthday Project

My birthday is on SATURDAY! And I have a way to celebrate that you can help me with. Two options I'm throwing out there- you can join in on one, or both, or whatever you'd like!

1. I have a handful of ancestor names through FamilySearch that have been waiting to receive temple ordinances. Scheri Marrow, from the ward, has graciously offered to hand out these ordinances. I have a few hundred ordinances, and I'd love for you to take a name the next time you attend the temple! We are in the beginning stages of working this out, so watch for another post next week about this. :)

2. My good friend Joshua Palmer started what he called the "Erik Gray Challenge." In his own words: "The #erikgraychallenge is simple: find something that you haven't done yet, but have always wanted to do. Climb a mountain, go skydiving, eat a quadruple from Wendy's, something that you've never had the courage to do before. Do this thing, and share your experience on the internets. Use this achievement in your life to show yourself that you aren't the victim of your circumstances, but that you can live the life that you want to, regardless of the situations you might be in. For me, I shaved my head. I may not have control over my emotions all of the time, but I do control whether or not there is hair on my head. If you decide to take the #erikgraychallenge , make sure to use the hashtag #erikgraychallenge , in case you didn't gather from the preceding paragraph that the name of the #erikgraychallenge is the #erikgraychallenge."

So this is what I want for my birthday. Do something for someone else through temple service, or do something that utterly scares you that also makes you scream YOLO. Or both. Who's in?

Keep running.

Life is What You Make It

Wow. I seriously cannot believe it is the last day of 2016.

This year has flown by- but at the same time, it's been a long year. Isn't it crazy to think back and look at how much has gone on in just 365 days? At this time last year, I was home for Christmas break, spending one more week at home before heading back up to Logan for the spring semester, and recuperating from the interesting semester that was Fall 2015.

As I look at the end of 2016, there are a lot of emotions that I'm feeling. Grateful that the year is over, sad that I'm leaving behind great memories of the year, and a new hope as we symbolically get to "start again."

I see some people whine and complain about how awful 2016 was, and for the next minute, I'd like to speak to you (and I mean it in the most loving way): Grow up. Sure, 2016 might have been bad to you... I've seen complaints about celebrity deaths, hard times, the tough year that just took too much. GUYS, I AM LITERALLY DYING and yet I call 2016 a success. If this was a bad year, please just take a minute and count your blessings. I am happy. Me, of all people. So please find your reason to be happy and stick to it.

In my life experiences, I am certain more and more every day that life is what you make it. If you want life to be hard, it's going to be hard. If you want life to be fun and adventurous, then again, you've got it. Yes, there are circumstances in life that cannot be controlled- for example, my cancer- but I have decided that I will worry about what I can control.

And I hope you do the same.

Happy new year, friends. Use tonight as a chance to revamp your life, to reassess your goals, and reevaluate how you can make today the best day ever!

Keep running.