Love Love Love

This is Sister Dee

This is Sister Danielle Ycmat.  From now on, Sister Dee.

Sister Dee is pretty awesome.  As of last week, she is now in the Philippines.  Which is crazy.

Sister Dee was asked to speak in the Thanksgiving devotional at the MTC, and shown at the MTC's around the world.  With Elder Nelson.

Yeah. She's a pretty big deal.

Here's a little excerpt from her last email:


I knew coming to the Philippines and witnessing the poverty and everything
else would be culture shock, but I had no idea how much it would
break my heart.  These people have nothing but a tin roof over their heads,
jobs where they make barely enough to get by, and yet despite their hardship,
they're happy.  Their eyes literally glow.  They always smile.  They
all say hello.  And even though I can only bear my testimony to them 
in Tagalog (which they barely understand anyway), they smile at me and 
tell me they appreciate I'm trying.  I LOVE these people.  I have so 
much to learn from them. ahhhhhhhh...I've experienced SO much here in
such a short amount of time, but words can't even justify.

Isn't she amazing?  I really love how immediately upon entering a third-world country, you immediately have a love for its people.  I am a believer that those people do the very best they can in their situation.  If those people were born into the life we have, were given the same opportunities we are, they would do their very best, and live a fabulous life. 

But there is a difference between us, they haven't been given those chances.  But those people are some of the greatest people I've ever met, and will continue to be at the top of my list throughout my life.  I'm calling Sister Dee's mission "The Real Third-World: Season 2, Sister Dee Takes on the Pines."

Here we go. Into the last week of classes.  Here is a little to do list, starting from the week of Thanksgiving:

SME Poster
SME Design Rationale
Zweig Paper (1 1/2 pages)
Editing Semester Portfolio
HIST 4720 Paper (4 pages)
Brit Lit. Paper Revision(5 pages)
Client-Based Final Project (Handbook, 2 brochures, and a poster)
Client-Based Final Project Design Rationale
Client-Based Final Project Presentation
Editing Final Collaboration (a giant document)
Editing Final Collaboration memo
Editing Final Collaboration Presentation
British Literature Final Paper (6 pages)
SME Poster Presentation
HIST 1110 Final
HIST 4720 Final
ENGL 3345 (British Literature) Final-didn't I already write a final paper for this class?

If I can stay focused this will be a piece of cake...right?

White Christmas

I'm still in bed. Lazy I know. I just finished The Hunger Games (don't worry, not for the first time, after watching the  movie trailer over and over I just had to read it again!)  As I watched the snow fall outside of my window, I got onto FB to find a video link from my African bff Hollee.  She's not African, we just met in Africa, and after sharing my first boda boda ride were pretty much allies from then on. Right Holy?  So anyway, this video was of a man in a Ugandan village making a rolex.  A rolex is 100% the best thing I ate in 2011. Hands down. At least once a day. Everyday. For 6 weeks.  Oh and add that chocolate milk from Kenya and a fresh 2,000 UGX ($0.75ish) pineapple, and you've got yourself pretty much the best meal ever.  I almost started crying as I watched the video.  What I wouldn't give for that egg rolled in chapati.  I actually decided that a trip to Uganda would be totally worth it just for a rolex from Hassan.  Well, any rolex actually, but Hassan's from Lugazi was the best we ever had.  And the fact that he only charged 800 UGX was outstanding.  People, that is like 40 cents, probably less!  You can't beat that.  Oh especially when he put the fresh garlic in...ok, I need to stop. I'm salivating.

This is Hassan and his rolex stand.
That is how he supported himself and his family.

Watch the video HERE, seriously, watch it.  At least to get a little glimpse into the simple life of Uganda.  And Brooke, go to Uganda, and eat 683 of these for me. Kthnx.