11.11 @ 11:11

Every year Zurich prepares for Mercedes Benz Fashion Days with a carnival. 

The main event is a parade held at 11:11 on November 11. 

We took a break from our studies to hop on down to see the celebration!

Basically lots of people dress up in crazy costumes, paint their faces, 

and musical groups from all over play music in the square

ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 

We should have brought ear plugs.  But it was awesome. 

Nearer My God to Thee

Ward Prayer, 

the most spiritual part of my day. 

Olivia shared a really touching story, 

then we sang the song below. 

The way everyone harmonized naturally, 

the peaceful tone,

it was beautiful.

Nearer My God To Thee

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me, 
still all my song shall be, 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, 
darkness be over me, my rest a stone; 
yet in my dreams I'd be 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven; 
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given; 
angels to beckon me 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

 

Not Like the Movies

Okay, I'm not trying to hint at anything by posting this song.
I just really like it.
And this performance in particular made me appreciate Katy Perry as a real vocalist.

read along with the lyrics found below

He put it on me, I put it on,
Like there was nothing wrong.
It didn't fit,
It wasn't right.
Wasn't just the size.
They say you know,
When you know.
I don't know.

I didn't feel
The fairytale feeling, no.
Am I a stupid girl
For even dreaming that I could.

If it's not like the movies,
Thats how it should be, yeah.
When he's the one,
I'll come undone,
And my world will stop spinning
And that's just the beginning, yeah.

Snow white said when I was young,
"One day my prince will come."
So I wait for that date.
They say its hard to meet your match,
Find my better half.
So we make perfect shapes.

If stars don't align,
If it doesn't stop time,
If you cant see the sign,
Wait for it.
One hundred percent,
With every penny spent.
He'll be the one that,
Finishes your sentences.

If it's not like the movies,
Thats how it should be.
When he's the one,
He'll come undone,
And my world will stop spinning,
And thats just the beginning.

'Cause I know you're out there,
And your, your love came for me.
It's a crazy idea that you were made,
Perfectly for me you'll see.

Just like the movies.
That's how it will be.
Cinematic and dramatic with the perfect ending.
It's not like the movies,
But that's how it will be.
When he's the one,
You'll come undone,
And your world will stop spinning,
And it's just the beginning

To Become Like Him

To Become Like Him

Jenny Phillips

You look around you 

And you wonder 

If you'll ever measure up

In this world it seems 

You may never be enough

Don't let anyone 

Convince you that it's true

So much beauty 

Lives inside of you

You are enough

Just look up

Remember you are greatest

When you walk with God

When his light is in your eyes

You are truly strong

You don't have to prove your beauty

In the eyes of men

You are divine within

You were sent here to become like him

When you’re uncertain 

Of a place you hold in who you are inside

He will share with you 

Your part in his design

Seek for his meekness

Seek to emulate his light

And you will feel him

Always by your side

You have his love

Just look up

Remember you are greatest 

When you walk with God

When his light is in your eyes

You are truly strong

You don't have to prove your beauty

In the eyes of men

You are divine within

You were sent here to become like him

Holiness

Love

Good works 

Mercy

To be like him

Charity

Hope

Truth 

And Wisdom

To be like him

Remember you are greatest 

When you walk with God

When his light is in your eyes

You are truly strong

You don't have to prove your beauty

In the eyes of men

You are divine within

You were sent here to become like him

You were sent here to become like him.

Nearer, My God, to Thee

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

E’en though it be a cross

That raiseth me.

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

 There let the way appear,

Steps unto heav’n;

All that thou sendest me,

In mercy giv’n;

Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

Then with my waking thoughts

Bright with thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs

Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

Christmas music

I added Christmas music : )

and for those of you who do not like music on blogs, 

don't worry;

It doesn't start automatically.

Norah Jones

I woke up today 

after hitting snooze once every five minutes

for an hour and a half. 

It was raining outside. 

The sky was gray.

I worked on a paper. 

Walked to school.

Jeans, Sperry's, a big baggy t-shirt, and zip up hoodie.

 Struggled through math

trying to visualize multi-dimensional eigenvectors

not succeeding.

and all the while, 

my roommate's music is playing in my head. 

The perfect post-breakup movie music.

You know in movies, 

after some big breakup happens

or an adventure ends

and everyone goes their separate ways

back to their normal lives;

When they try to go back to life without that person.

And that sad, mellow, music plays 

as you watch the video montage.

You see their sadness and just want to scream at the television

"you're both miserable, just go get her!"

But of course it just keeps going on

That's how my day has felt today. 

Sad

Unfeeling

Swallowed by that perfect, mellow, post-breakup movie music. 

Live Like You Believe

You have felt the warmth of the fire
You have seen a glimmer of light
Its someing that you have been missing inside
Something that you have been longing to fing
Hold on to the yearning
And wherever you are on your journey

Chorus
Live like you believe
Live like you know
It's one sure way
Your faith will grow
Listen to your heart
Search in your soul
And you'll find
The strength that you need
His light, the gift of His peace
When you live like you believe

There are things you'll have to let go
And you might feel, you're just hanging on
When you find yourself alone and afraid
Questioning all the choices you've made
Hold on the burning
He's leading you on thru the journey
Repeat Chorus



Hold on to the yearning
And wherever you are on the journey
Repeat Chorus


Jenny Phillips
photos via papertissue

Ingrid Michaelson and snow...

"I'm going to learn to play it on the looping pedal and I'm going to kick some A-S- man... I'm a little scared...I'm in Salt Lake...."    -Ingrid Michaelson

Her concert was fabulous.
We didn't get her autograph.
But we did get snow!
first snow of the season.

 

 

an incredibly talented human being. 

GNO with the Petersons!!

Tonight, Kelly Ashley and I took a little trip to SLC to see

Matt Costa

it was an AMAZING Saturday night

FIRST:

Matt and Co. came in through the audience.

and we touched him. 

THEN he played a fantastic concert

including performances on at least a half-dozen different guitars, the piano, the harmonica, and the trumpet

 

 here's Mr Pitiful:

and FINALLY

We talked to him and he signed our shirts!

AND called Ashley a babe :)

it was a splendid night to say the least. 

in my freshman year talent show

I sang this song

Beautiful to Him

By Rachel Thibodeau

So much noise, so much peace destroyed,
I can hardly hear the voice, leading me through the void,
So much noise.
The world's little lies,
Destruction in disguise, opportunities to compromise,
To make me beautiful in their eyes,
But I'm not gonna buy the world's little lies.

'Cuz I define myself and find my beauty in the light He gives.
I'm refined by His divine intentions every day I live.
It doesn't matter what the world believes,
Or what they say that beauty means,
It comes from within,
I want to be beautiful to Him.

He's given me His trust, so I'll be strong enough,
To run from a dangerous touch, I don't need that kind of love,
I don't need that crutch, He's given me his trust.

I define myself and find my beauty in the light He gives.
I'm refined by His divine intentions every day I live.
It doesn't matter what the world believes,
Or what they say that beauty means,
It comes from within,
I want to be beautiful to Him.

I know how to shine, my life's not really mine.
It's not about a worldly climb, it's all about His design.
So in His eyes, I want to shine.

'Cuz I define myself and find my beauty in the light He gives.
I'm refined by His divine intentions every day I live.
It doesn't matter what the world believes,
Or what they say that beauty means,
It comes from within,
I want to be beautiful to Him.

I want to live to have His peace,
And feel the holiness He seeks.
It comes from within.
I want to be beautiful... to Him.

Cinderella

I LOVE this song.

I know im a baby, but I cry every time.

I love my daddy.

Birds

Kate Nash

She was waitin` at the station

he was gettin` off the train

he didn't have a ticket so he had to run through the barriors, again.

well the ticket inspector saw him rushin` through he said, girl you don't know how much i've missed you 

but 

we better run 

cause i havent got the funds to pay 

this

fine 

she said

fine

so they ran out of the station 

and jumped onto a bus with 

two of yesterdays travel cards 

and two bottles of bud

and he said you look well nice.

well she was wearin a skirt 

and he thought she looked nice and

yeah she didn't really care about

anything else because she only

wanted him to think that she looked nice

and he did

but he was lookin' at her yeah

all funny in the eye

she said c`mon boy 

tell me what you're thinkin` now

dont be shy

he said alright i'll try

well the stars up in the sky

and the leaves in the trees

all the broken bits that make you trip up and grassy bits inbetween

all the matter in the world

is how much i like you

she said what?

he said let me try and explain again

right birds can fly so high

and they can crap on your head

yeah they can almost fly into your eye

and make you feel so scared

but when you look at them

and you see that they're beautiful

thats how i feel about you

she said what?

he said you

she said what are you talking about?

he said you

right birds can fly so high

and they can crap on your head

yeah they can almost fly into your eye

and make you feel so scared

but when you look at them

and you see that they're beautiful

thats how i feel about you

right thats how i feel about you

she said thanks i like you too

he said cool

Redeemer of Israel

The congregation sang a beautiful rendition of this song for the closing number of conference on Sunday.

The final verse was set apart by a wonderful, profound bridge 

and I was moved to tears. 

It was beautiful.

Redeemer of Israel,

Our only delight,

On whom for a blessing we call,

Our shadow by day

And our pillar by night,

Our King, our Deliv'rer, our all!

We know he is coming

To gather his sheep

And lead them to Zion in love,

For why in the valley

Of death should they weep

Or in the lone wilderness rove?

How long we have wandered

As strangers in sin

And cried in the desert for thee!

Our foes have rejoiced

When our sorrows they've seen,

But Israel will shortly be free.

As children of Zion,

Good tidings for us.

The tokens already appear.

Fear not, and be just,

For the kingdom is ours.

The hour of redemption is near.

did I mention

I went to a John Mayer/Train concert a couple weeks ago?

I realized that I blogged my Six Flags adventure that Saturday, but not the most important part of the weekend;  the reason for the adventure...

Well, my appologies.... I left out a huge exciting adventure.

But here it is!

My first concert (aside from Crawfish Boil)

before :)

Rachel, Meredith, Hannah, Rachel and me

Train came out with a long train whistle that scared Meredith and Rachel to death

it was hilarious 

John Mayer!

meredith! she touched JM :)

 

Rachel :)

Rachel and Hannah's seats were a little ways over so I didn't get many pictures with them during the concert

The next day we went to Six Flags and it was fantastic. The rest of the gang were sleep deprived and exhausted after 2 rides so they headed home. I, being the crazy fool I am, stayed with our other friends that had joined us at the park for a very full day of excitement. 

A long weekend with little sleep.  I was able to control my screaming through a fabulous concert AND some of the best rollercoasters in the US - unheard of, I know - so that I could sing in sacrament the next morning. The sharing of my *unpracticed* song in sacrament sealed the weekend as one of the best of the summer :)

click here to read about my six flags experience

and here to read about my sacrament song ;)

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

consider all the works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed; 

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze; 

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art! 

When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art! 

what's in store

I am off for a weekend full of adventure with amazing friends ;)

You Belong with Me

I have many times said that I am not a Taylor Swift fan.  But I must admit, she writes very catchy songs with lyrics that are very true to real life. 

In an effort to re-write the lyrics for a girls camp skit, I came across the official music video for "You Belong with Me" and fell in love with it.  

Check it out

I believe in Christ

I believe in Christ

He stands SUPREME

from him i'll gain

my fondest dream

and while i strive through grief and pain

his voice is heard,

"ye shall obtain"

I believe in Christ

so come what may

with him I'll stand

in that great day

when on this Earth he comes again

to rule among the sons of man

< 3

...I just want to know today, know today, know today

I just want to know something today

I just want to know today, know today, know today

Know that maybe I will be ok..."