Catch up journal on a great week!

This week has been amazing!!!!

Tuesday the 16th I passed a math quiz that I was working really hard on. It took me several times to pass it. Then I was so busy with homework and different things, that I hadn't practiced at all, and was worried that my lesson would be frustrating and disappointing. Fortunately Dr. Uzur understood that I was writing my composition, doing math, practicing with my quartet and trio, writing an English paper, and preparing for our orchestra concert. He told me to brush up on my scales and arpeggios, and to just focus on the 2nd movement of the Boccherini. I was relieved that Dr. Uzur was so merciful and understanding.

Wednesay night the 17th was the talent show. There were many great talents shared. I played "Reminiscing with Grandma," "Farewell," and my newest composition that is untitled at the moment. Everyone was pretty impressed with it. I met a girl that I like. I think she likes me too and really enjoyed my music. I don't want to marry someone who just wants to marry me for my musical side, but to marry me for who I am, and let the  music part be a bonus for them. I was so excited that night. The bishopric did a hilarious number with their heads upside down hanging off the stage with taped eyes on their chins, and pictures of suit and ties on their forheads. They sang "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree," and "If You're Happy and You Know It!" Then all the girls got up and sang with seashells on their shirts, covered in a blue sheet "I need a Man." (to the tune of part of your world)
Some of the remembered lines include
"What would I give, if I could live in Salt Lake City? What would I pay to spend a day on Temple ground. A boy who is smart, a boy who is cute, a boy who'd look good in a suit. What's that word again? Oh, Commitment. You want to go dutch? I've got a $20. What's that word again? Ring. I'm worth more than 8 cows! Wouldn't it be great, why can't I date? I need a man..." 

Friday night the 19th was the Stake Classical musical night. I got all dressed up and ready to go with Emily, and Kimberly Heiner called me and said she was at Weber, but that she forgot her music and had to drive back to Salt Lake to get it. The program started at 7pm, but fortunately we were after the intermission. So we didnt really play until like 8:25 or so. Zach Ewell played a difficult Brahms piece and didnt make any mistakes. It was so amazing. Andrew Johnson played "Meditation" on the violin and it was so beautiful. It sounds like the same style as "The Swan" by Saint Saens. In the singles ward, Chase Gabbitas played something really impressive and hard. At the talent show he played, Jon Schmidt's "All of Me." Two girls got up and sang a comical opera number. Melanie Day's husband Bryce sang the cello version of "Oh Divine Redeemer." I could hear it, and I knew every piano part that was played. We did really well on our Schubert number and everyone really liked it. I lost my place and made a few bad notes, but quickly recovered and played great the rest of the time. Everyone made it sound better than it was. I guess it was our best. A week before Kimberly had Carolyn Kingston and I play for her class. We had to cut the middle part out because it was too hard to get it together in a few days. We finally played all of it, so It was good and Lyssa used Kimberly's ipad to record it on video. It was a great night. Jared, and Lyssa were in the bad, and he saved Emily a fruit roll-up. Emily was my last minute page turner for accompanist Kimberly Heiner. Carolyn was on the Violin.

General Conference

General Conference was really inspiring. A deeper understanding of my connection with the Savior was experienced. There is a level of hearing it and believing it. Then there is a different depth of understanding. The feeling is similar to when somebody that you admire greatly and look up to cares about you in a way that reaches you deep and changes you in a way like none other. President Uchtdorf spoke about how our Heavenly Father sees us as a toddler taking imperfect baby steps to grow to become like him. Will he punish us for stumbling? No he reaches out and rejoices in our every success. He is not focused on our imperfections rather He is concerned if our hearts are not headed towards Him.

New Emily

Disney Hunchback Release

Disney's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME IS NOW AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE ON BLU-RAY! SHARE THIS SPECTACULAR FILM WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!! Click here to Preview and Buy: http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame-two-movie-collection.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In 1482 Paris, Clopin, a gypsy puppeteer, narrates the origin of the titular hunchback. A group of gypsies sneak illegally into Paris, but are ambushed by Judge Claude Frollo, the minister of justice, and his guards. A gypsy woman from the group attempts to flee with her deformed baby, but Frollo pursues and kills her outside Notre Dame. He tries to kill the baby as well, saying that it is an "unholy demon" from Hell, but is confronted by the cathedral's archdeacon, who accuses Frollo of murdering an innocent woman. To atone for his sin, Frollo agrees to raise the deformed child in Notre Dame as his son, naming him Quasimodo.

Twenty years later, Quasimodo develops into a kind yet isolated young man who dreams of seeing life outside the bell tower, but is told by Frollo that he is a monster and would be rejected by the outside world. A trio of living stone gargoyles serve as Quasimodo's only company and friends. The gargoyles urge Quasimodo to attend the annually-held Festival of Fools. He goes but is stopped by Frollo who tells him he should stay inside the bell tower and forgives Quasimodo. Despite Frollo's warnings, Quasimodo attends the festival and he is celebrated for his bizarre appearance, only to be humiliated by the crowd after Frollo's men start a riot. Frollo refuses to help Quasimodo, but Esmeralda, a kind gypsy, intervenes by freeing the hunchback, and uses a magic trick to evade arrest. Frollo confronts Quasimodo and sends him back inside the cathedral.

Esmeralda follows Quasimodo to find him, but is herself followed by Captain Phoebus of Frollo's guard. Phoebus does not approve of Frollo's methods and refuses to arrest her for alleged witchcraft inside Notre Dame and has her confined to the cathedral. Esmeralda, under the suggestion of the Archdeacon, offers a prayer to God to help her and the outcast. Esmeralda finds and befriends Quasimodo, who helps her escape Notre Dame out of gratitude for defending him. Esmeralda entrusts Quasimodo a pendant containing a map to the gypsies' hideout, the Court of Miracles. Frollo soon develops lustful feelings for Esmeralda and upon realizing them, Frollo begs the Virgin Mary (referring to her as Maria) to save him from her "spell" to avoid eternal damnation, upon learning of her escape, initiates a city-wide manhunt for her in which he burns down numerous houses which would shelter gypsies in his way. The gargoyles try to make him feel better about himself. Phoebus, now realizing Frollo's evil reputation, defies him after being ordered to burn down the home of an innocent family and is ordered to be executed, but flees. Phoebus is briefly injured and falls into a river, but Esmeralda rescues him and takes him to Notre Dame for refuge.

Frollo returns to Notre Dame later that night and knowing that Quasimodo helped Esmeralda escape, bluffs that he knows about the Court of Miracles and that he intends to attack at dawn. Using the map Esmeralda gave Quasimodo, he and Phoebus find the court to warn the gypsies, only for Frollo to follow them and capture all the gypsies present. Frollo prepares to burn Esmeralda at the stake after refusing his advances, but Quasimodo, chained up inside the Bell Tower, manages to free himself and rescue her in time, bringing her to the cathedral. Phoebus frees himself and the gypsies and rallies the citizens of Paris against Frollo and his men, who attempt to break into the cathedral. Quasimodo and the gargoyles pour molten copper onto the streets to ensure no one enters, but Frollo successfully breaks in and pursues Quasimodo and Esmeralda to the balcony where he and Quasimodo both stumble off the cathedral. Frollo falls to his death in the molten copper, while Quasimodo is caught by Phoebus on a lower floor. Afterward, Quasimodo is encouraged by Phoebus and Esmeralda to leave the cathedral into the outside world, where the citizens hail him as a hero and accept him into society.

Also released:
Mulan- http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/mulan-two-movie.html
Brother Bear- http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/brother-bear-two-movie.html

Ward Conference

             Today was a special day because the Stake Presidency was visiting today. Its such a spiritual pack-combo when you look up there and see the Bishopric and the Stake Presidency all sitting up there. Its like a spiritual boost! I blessed the sacrament, and felt happy afterwards that I was able to serve. When we think about what the sacrament really means, then it strengthens our appreciation and attitude towards it. Bishop Tuller got up first to speak and did a wonderful job as usual. He talked about the Lion King and the message within that we should all "REMEMBER WHO [WE] REALLY ARE!"
            Then President Edington got up and gave his talk about how we can each be more like the 5 wise virgins and fill up our lamps and be ready. One of the specific ways we can prepare to be ready is to go to the temple. I think we made a goal for each YSA member to go to the temple during this year. I felt the spirit so strong all day, and came home and read my scriptures. I really look up to righteous leaders that inspire and show the way. Each time I meet somebody that inspires me, I think of Nephi, or Joseph Smith, and wonder what they were like. John the Baptist was considered one of the greatest preachers of all time. I would like to meet him and see how far he impresses me. It would be so cool. I ran into some scriptures today that inspired me to be better.

• Philippians 3:14 I ^apress toward the mark for the ^bprize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
• Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and ^adisputings:
• Revelation 3:21 To him that ^aovercometh will I grant to ^bsit with me in my ^cthrone, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

These just inspired me to overcome my troubles and temptations. I hope they help you as a reader also.

Here is a awesome picture that expresses the power of the Book of Mormon.

 

Here is a picture of the Temple:

 

Only a few days left!

Sunday Musical Number

I was asked by Quinn DeFriez to provide a musical number for the Pioneer care center in town. At first I couldnt think of what to come up with for a piano musical number because all I knew on the piano was Disney. So I got the idea to perform A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief by Kyle Warr. I grabbed my iPod and leared it in a week. After my performance, many tears were shed, and a man thanked me and said that the performance was beyond works to express. He gave me he Grandpa Madsen cry and thanked me. Many people were so deeply impressed. Thats what I wanted. I wanted the music to dive deep into their soul. Im trying not to care about the attention and praise. Just to focus on the music. It was a sweet experience.