Day 3. And 4. And 5.

#yikes. I'm not doing so well. hah. But I have been thinking of things that I'm grateful for these past few days. So, here goes.

Oh! Also, pictures may be a little more sparse from here on out, because I am fb fasting basically til this thing is over. So I'll have to get pics from either my phone or computer.

Ok, Day 3. I am grateful for:

1. Harry Potter. I know, it's silly. But I just really like it a lot! I got to go to an EPIC HP party on Saturday night. (Thanks Rach), and it was so fun. Everyone was in costume and looked so good and I just had a good time geekin' out. haha. But really. Also, I started reading them in French this summer, but then school started again and life got kray. But I will do that hopefully this summer. Anyways, all this to say, #HP4lyfe and also, I'm starting to be more ok with being a Hufflepuff. But that's a different story for a different time. 

me (Bertie Botts), Forrest ("Jo" Chang), Joseph (Malfoy), Kirsten (Prof. Trelawney), Clark (Bertie Botts), and Devan (a Gryffindor student).

2. Sundays. I'll be honest. At first I was just gonna call this section "Sunday naps." And I can't promise that that won't be one later... But Sundays are so wonderful! I feel like they are my chance to recharge and kinda just "gird up my loins" for the week. (K fine, I really just wanted to say "gird up my loins" there...) But in all seriousness, Sundays are beautiful! I love everything about them. I love that they are different and special from every other day when we choose to make them so. I love that we get to go to church and learn and hear the spirit speak to us. I love that we get to take the sacrament and renew our covenants; that it is a chance for a clean slate. I love singing hymns. I love testifying of gospel truths, whether it be through teaching, conducting, or simply commenting in class. I just love them. 

3. Church callings. I am grateful for my current calling and for previous ones that have I have been given! They are wonderful. I love getting to help serve God's children and getting to help build the kingdom here on earth. It is the best! I love learning from those with whom I serve and from those I serve. Right now I am a counselor in the Relief Society and it has been so fun and just rewarding to get to know all the sisters in my ward. My ward is full of rock stars. They are all incredible ladies that have a great desire to do what's right and to serve the Lord. I am inspired by them and by how they live their sometimes difficult and whirlwind full lives. I want to be more like them! We got to have a dinner at Bishop's where we talked about our theme and just got to eat dinner and chat. It was so fun.

All of us at Bishop and Sister Cook's.

Ok, moving on to day 4. Which was yesterday. hah. I'm getting there.

I am grateful for:

1. Sharp end pins. This is another kinda goofy, but I'm being completely serious one. I got my end pin sharpened this weekend and it is THE BEST! Not to be dramatic or anything. Like I could impale someone with it right now it is so sharp. Which means! My end pin will never slip again! At least not for awhile ;) hah. I did however, feel pretty sketch carrying it around, so I'm glad it's back in my cello so people don't think I have some sort of dangerous weapon.

2. Frostys. #butseriously I don't know if there is anything in this world that can't be made better with a chocolate Frosty from Wendy's. They are just sooo good. I am a big fan. 

Don't worry, I was at a red light and wasn't even looking at the camera.

3. Good roommates. I am grateful for good roommates to laugh with and talk about boys to and have fun with. I have only actually known ALL of my roommates twice here at BYU, so that was way fun. But even when I've lived with random people or have only known my room roommate, I feel like I've lucked out in that department. And this year is no exception. It has been so fun! I'm also grateful for the ones that put a blanket over you when you fall asleep on the couch before they go to sleep in your actual room. (J-Dawg, you da best.)

Ok! And day 5. Today. 

It is only the morning, but I already have my things! Plus, these next 26 ish hours are gonna be kray cause I have to study and write up outlines and finish listening for my string lit test tomorrow morning at 10...

Anyways! Today's three things! I am grateful for:

1. Warm clothes. It's starting to get cold out and when I saw that the high was going to be 39 degrees today I bundled up. (Long sleeve shirt, jeans, ugg boots-- uh quick question, are these still like in style? Cause I was gone a couple years. I mean I know that they were never attractive... But I just like them cause they're fuzzy and warm!-- mittens, North Face, etc.) But I am grateful to be able to have the clothing that I need to bundle up as much as my weird internal thermometer needs to feel warm and cozy even outside. I know that that is a big blessing.

2. I am grateful for classical music. I'm working on completing my four hours of listening that I need to turn in for string lit tomorrow. And up til today I accidentally put it off and only did 45 mins... So today I gotta get in 3 hours and 15 mins. And I don't even mind it! This music-- Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven-- is sooo beautiful and I believe inspired. I could literally listen to nothing but this and I think I would still love it. It's like the pizza of the music. It never gets old.

3. I'm grateful for my education. I was thinking about it the other day, and I think sometimes I tend to whine about it. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved the being in class lectures and the actual learning of new things, but I tend to whine about the hw, the tests, etc. And really, I shouldn't be. Cause how blessed am I? To be studying what I love most at BYU! It is the best. And I am so grateful to be here and to be getting an education! And I can't wait to keep learning and growing.

Well, that's all for now. Life is grand! Don't forget to count your blessings! Cause there is so much to be grateful for!

L'evangile est vrai!

Love, Pono

Day 2

Sooo, I actually decided that we're just gonna say I started on Friday... Cause blogging once a day is already hard. Twice in a day may be impossible.

So here goes, day two for Saturday the seventh. Three things that I am grateful for!

1. The temple! I gotta go last night and man do I love that place. It is the world's greatest. I've loved the temple for a long time, I think it may have started when my oldest sister Mele challenged me my freshman year at BYU to go every week; since I could cause the baptistry is always open. I've tried to do that since then. And my love for it has continued to grow as I've attended. It also grew on my mission because of the New Caledonian people's love for it. (But that's another story for another time, when I talk about those people.) But I think I love the temple most not because I understand it all, or even because I get all my answers to everything there, (thought I do and have received answers there.) But I love it the most because of the overwhelming peace and calm I feel there; the shelter it is from the outside storms and hardships of life. I often find myself not wanting to leave; just wanting to LIVE in the temple because of the peace and love of my Heavenly Father that I feel there. I luh the temple and am grateful to live so close to so many. They are truly the house of the Lord.

I love to see the temple! Oquirrh Mountain Temple (August or September of 2014.) As part of the continuing temple project.

2. Sleep. So here's the thing. I might lose some street cred for this, cause my fave catch phrases are "sleep is for n00bs" and "I'll sleep when I'm dead." But guys, I slept last night. for like 9 hours. And it was WONDERFUL. I slept in this morning til 8:45, and it was glorious. I don't remember the last time I've slept for that long. And it's the best. My body and mind and spirit and everything just feels more awake and alive and I think I might be happier! hah. But seriously. Sleep is good. And I should try and be better about it. Which is hard when school's in sesh, but I'll see what I can do. And for your viewing pleasure... I've selected a few of my fave sleeping shots. All of which came to pass because I finally stopped moving and so, consequently, passed out. And there's more where these came from. HA. Enjoy!

This was at Park Plaza last year. During Mulan. 

Church. Third hour got me baaad.

And this was at Elise's house. I somehow fell asleep during WWZ. Even though it was terrifying... hah. Also, my friends are hilar.

3. I am grateful for hot chocolate. I think I like it so much cause it's chocolate which is delicious. And it's hot. It literally warms up your insides when it's cold out! (Kinda like butterbeer, but in real life.) Anyways, it's delicious. And I can already tell I'm gonna be drinking A LOT of it this season startingggg NOW. 

Well, à demain! 

L'evangile est vrai!

Love, Pono

Day 1

So I was supposed to post this one last night... But I couldn't find my power cord for my laptop. Which is #badnewsbears when your laptop only works when it's plugged in :)

Anyways! Today, or yesterday, I am grateful for:

1.) The Book of Mormon.
I love this book so much! I know that it is scripture and that it truly testifies of Christ and His Atonement. It shows us again and again that because of Christ and through Him we can do all things! I got to read my scriptures before I left the house yesterday, which I don't do a lot, but I think I'm going to try to do more, cause it helps so much!

Qu'est-ce que j'aime ce livre!

2.) This little reminder!

photo cred: Megan Santos

I know it's kinda silly... And I know I've been home for more than 18 months now, but I love seeing my plaque everyday. I have one on my scriptures and one in my cello case. And I think I just like it being so visible because it helps me remember.  Remember who I was during the time I served, but more importantly, who I am becoming because of this springboard experience. 

3.) BYU choirs. And especially BYU Women's Chorus! Which I gotta be apart of for three years. And I was thinking about it... And I'm probably gonna do it next fall. My last semester here. Cause well, it's the best. And I went to the Men's Chorus and Women's Chorus fall concert yesterday night and was just inspired! They are beautiful. And I'm grateful for the testimonies last night that strengthened mine through the beautiful music that was shared. 

From April 2015, the HFAC's 50th birthday gala.

Well, that's all for now. But I'll be back. 

L'evangile est vrai!

Love, Pono

On being grateful.

So I saw this picture on fb today and it totally caught my eye. Because I wanna try it and see if it really works. Cause honestly, sometimes its easy to be sad or tired and just slump through life, complaining and stressed out. But November is a month of gratitude, and I want to find the joy that we were sent here to have! So its happening. I will start tomorrow. But in excited to do his little experiment. Well, à demain!

L'evangile est vrai!
Pono

blessed.

So, in the midst of midterms and papers and projects and lots of performances and even more practicing and memorizing and German and piano playing and all that jazz, I thought I would take a moment to write down some thoughts.

I've been thinking about it lately, and it's SOOO easy to complain. Like ridiculously easy. I sometimes feel like I'm always complaining, about the big things worth complaining about like 4 hour dress rehearsals, to the little things, like not having enough time for everything and being exhausted ALL THE TIME. Sure, it may seem like some of these things justify a little whining, but really, in the grand scheme of things, they do nottt. Not even a little bit.

Cause I was pondering a few mornings ago at work, which happens to be where I do my scripture study every morning. (BEST JOB EVER.) And I was just thinking about how so very blessed I am.

I mean check it out, just to list a few:

1.) I got to serve a mission among these AMAZING people, which, although is over has changed me and will continue to change me for the better throughout my entire life. I am eternally grateful.


2.) I get to play in this orchestra:

And it's such a blast. Like so fun. I love rehearsing and performing again. I missed it so much! And it's so good to be back.

And sometimes we even getta jam out with men's chorus. Which ya know, is fantastic :]

3.) I get to sing in this choir:

It's sooo great!! Like seriously, I know that this is my last year, but one day this week was just a soprano sectional and I didn't go to women's chorus and I didn't even like it. I missed it. It's incredible and it lifts my spirits being just being there. I love cello, don't get me wrong, but words are so powerful.

4.) I get to study at this wonderful university again! Which, even though is a bit colder than my natural habitat, is so incredible!

It's so great and I love it. Sometimes when I'm complaining I forget that in the beginning I had to try two or three times to get where I am today, and then I remember to be grateful.

5.) The Lord is SERIOUSLY divinely intervening in my school work. So even though most Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays I am sitting in Form and Analysis feeling pretty dumb cause I can't remember what a neapolitan chord is, the Lord helps me understand, slowly, but surely. This was made evident when we got back our first projects in f&a. 96%. I cannot even explain how much of a miracle that is. That was NOT me. That was divine help.

6.) Being able to speak this gorgeous language!

But seriously. So blessed! J'aime bieeeennnn. And my french 321 class is going surprisingly well. Another miracle story from about a week ago, I was in the french writing lab, working with this French lady in there, and after we had finished going over my paper, she said something like, "you're really just in 321?" MIRACLES EVERYWHERE. Seriously guys. This is not me and my skills. The Lord's hand is in our everyday lives. It's a miracle to see. And humbling to be apart of.

7.) My family close by!
J.J.- I seriously bug this guy ALL THE TIME for priesthood blessings. And he's the best and always agrees to them. I'm so grateful that he is a worthy priesthood holder that can bless and help me in times of need. He also always sends me funny stuff that he finds.


Megs and I got so close this summer especially when I stayed with them over my week of homelessness. We would talk into the night and it is so fun! She also lets me come ver all the time and do my laundry. She is so patient and kind!


Kalei and Elaine! I love hanging with this dynamic duo. Both my brothers and sister-in-laws are examples of what marriage should be. And I'm so grateful to them for that. I love playing frisbee with these two and just being with them! Kalei and Elaine are so charitable and I love being with them. They are examples to me.


And these cuties. Are they not totally and completely adorable?!


8.) The thousands of temples that are within an hour of where I live. Ok, that's an exaggeration. But really. In New Cal, all the members would save up all year long to go to the temple once a year in New Zealand. More than 1,000 miles away over the ocean. And here they are just everywhere. It's incredible. Specifically, I am grateful for the sealing ordinance that can be performed in this sacred house of the Lord. About a week ago, I had the opportunity to go do sealings with a few people in my ward, and it literally changed me. I learned so much!


9.) This is gonna have to be the last one, cause I'm almost off work, but being able to play cello ALL THE TIME. I didn't realize that I missed it on my mission, but I think I did. And I get to play so much cello! It's THE BEST. And I'm so grateful to be able to study something that I love and adore. It makes me happy!

(Also, I just remembered that I had this picture and had to use it cause it was too funny not to... This was the day after I got my wisdom teeth out 13 days before I went into the MTC.)

Anyways, I guess the point that I wanted to get across was just that I am so blessed, we are all so blessed! And I hope that we can remember these bountiful and infinite blessings even when life feels hard and practically impossible.

L'evangile est vraie!

Love, Pono Santos

The Book of Mormon in 60 days!

So, for those of you who followed my mission emails slash blog, you may have heard me talk about this Book of Mormon chalenge! Reading the Book of Mormon in 60 days. This all started because we did it as a mission to really focus on the Book of Mormon, it's truthfulness, and being able to testify powerfully of it! And I liked it so much that I did it twice more before I came home.

Now I definitely don't think that this is the only way to read and study this book, but I like it because it fortifies my testimony of this amazing book of scripture as well as my testimony that Jesus is the Christ and that only through Him and His Atonement can we be saved.

And! I decided to do this Book of Mormon in 60 days challenge again! I'm starting on the Monday the 23 of June and this one will go til the 21 of August. I thought it'd be a nice little summer time activity! But, I wanted to invite anyone who'd like to do it to do it with me!

So here's the schedule. (And I have the pdf version too. Which is clearer. Just contact me if you want that!)

Anyways, je vous invite, I invite you to join me if you would like to do this Book of Mormon reading simultaneously! I know that in doing so, your testimony of this book will be strengthenedand you will have a greater desire to live and share the principles and eternal truths that are found therein!

I love you all!

L'évangile est vraie!

Love, Pono

Jacob 6:12

I'm sitting in front of my work computer staring at this schedule:


And just wondering if it's a good idea. Two language classes, two ensembles, learning to play piano (ish), etc. I mean it looks like fun! It's just that I'll have to think and pray about it to choose what exactly I want to do.

I was reading this morning President Uchtdorf's priesthood session talk, and he talked about three things that we had to be careful of so that we don't sleep through the Restoration. The first two things that he talked about were 1. selfishness, and 2. addictions, and though I have some problems with those, the one that slapped me in the face (in a good way), was most definitely number 3. competing priorities.

This has always been a problem, especially before my mission, but if there's one thing that I want to change and keep changed, it is that my priorities are always aligned. And going along with that, not biting off more than I can chew so that I have time for the things that really matter most. Daily scripture study and prayer, weekly temple attendance, family history, service both planned and unplanned, visiting teaching, etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be WISE. So that is what I am working on. So far, it's going well. With spring and summer. Fall is when I'm starting to worry about it. But! I know that the Lord will help me and that as I make decisions and pray to know if they are right, I will be led and guided. Thank goodness for personal revelation.

Well! That's all for now. I am so grateful to be here and do the Lord's work here where I am.

L'evangile est vraie!

Love, Pono