As a man thinketh: Bloom where you're planted:

I watched a video this evening about a group of 300 youth from the greater Las Vegas area who came together to share their talents through musical performances--to share their beliefs about what they know to be true.  One of the youth shared how she believes that

"wherever you are, you can bloom where you’re planted

and make where you are a special place and a holy place."

 

Earlier this week I opened up James Allen's As a Man Thinketh and (re?)discovered that he was born on Nov. 28th, 1864.  Thanksgiving this year fell on Nov. 28th, as did my assignment to present at the annual Langnet Conference (held in JKL this year, thankfully!).  

I was struck by this particular quote:

 

"The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth--that strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will at once begin to exert itself, and, thus believing, adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong.

As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking. To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to

enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully" (p. 31-32).  

 

It is inspiring to watch these youth learn applying themselves and using their talents and abilities to uplift and strengthen each other and those around them.  They are learning such valuable lessons--and really, a pattern for life--at such a young age.  It's truly inspiring.

 

This thought has run through my mind countless times this week:

 

By small and simple things that great things are brought to pass (Alma 37:6).

 

Here are a few of the small and simple things that have brought so much happiness my way this week (in no particular order):

 

an email from a friend saying hello and encouraging me to continue to write;

 

the arrival of the polar night which means...

  

 

that the moon greets us in the mornings;

 

 

every morning that it's clear outside.  We've had the most INCREDIBLY clear skies this week. 

"Good morning moon", is what I find myself saying as I walked from Kirsti's car (she drops me off in front of the Musica building every morning) to my (NEW!) office;

 

 



 

This week I was reassigned to a new office.  Here it is.  I had my choice of which side of the room I wanted to settle into.  When given a choice, I usually choose the right.  :)  So...you'll find me on the right side of the partition.  I feel much better working in this new building.  (I've had headaches and felt dizzy since I returned to Finland.  The building that I've been working in is a 'sick' building so I feel very fortunate to now be working in a 'clean' building.) 

 

The best feature is the...

 

 

WHITE BOARD!!  This is--seriously!!--better than striking gold.  These suckers are hard to come by.  I think the building supervisor who moved me into this new space thought I had lost my marbles when I shouted for joy at the sight of this sucker.  I cannot adequately express how THRILLED I am to have this in my office.

 

The second best part is...

 

 

my office number: 330.  (Hint: Think birthday...)

 

 

 

and welcoming visitors in the entryway of the building is a Christmas tree.  Awww!!

 

 

So here's to good health working in a clean office with lots of lights, a white board, evergreens downstairs, and green tomatoes upstairs (check them out!!; this was my first time to try a green tomato).

 

 

Earlier this week I gave a lecture in a course on the use of popular culture in language teaching.  My colleague who is in charge of the course dropped a package of goodies by to say thank you for giving the lecture.  It was something really small but so, so thoughtful--and especially awesome because the Celestial Seasonings tea she gave me is the exact sampler I bring back from the states every time I return to Finland.  I don't know where she found it (I have yet to see this sampler here) but it made my week.  A taste of home on Thanksgiving.  :)

 

 

Kirsti drew attention to the ice on the windshield.  It reflects the light from the street lamp. 

Pretty cool, eh?

 

 

The oldest choir in Finland that sings in Finnish was formed in Jyvaskyla in the mid/late 1800s.  They are still performing today.  We were able to see them perform at the university's Seminary building (where the PhD defenses are usually held) this week (the choir is comprised of 40 men).  It was wonderful!!  There was a music professor who gave a short talk on the history of music at the teacher's college (Univ. of JKL began as a teacher's seminary college in 1864) and how music has played an important role throughout the history of the university and how it has had a lasting influence throughout the country as well.  One of the songs they sang had the word "Lempi" in it.  Lempi is the name of my great-grandmother who was born in Finland and moved to the US when she was a teenager.  I love those small 'coincidences'.

 

 

 Here's the full program.  The choir began performing Sibelius' work in 1901.

 

  Here they are (wearing purple!! ties). 

 

Maisa Martin's opening remarks at the Langnet conference.

I presented part of my dissertation research at the conference.

 



 

 and I attended the defense of one of the PhD students from the Center for Applied Language Studies.  It's really hard to believe that one day I'll be defending my dissertation.

 

Katie performed at a recital this week.  The place where the recital was held is the same room where they filmed parts of a documentary on Finnish deaf education.  Students from the school for the deaf in JKL come here for music lessons.

Katie is in her element when she's singing.  She is incredibly talented.

 



It's getting chilly here.  It was a little below 0 this morning when I arrived to church...

 



to teach the first of a series of workshops on interpreting. 

I'm totally in my element when I get to do this. 

I LOVE the interpreters at church.

And I LOVE Maria!!  She was my first roommate  here in Finland (last summer) before she left me for her studies in Kuopio.  How could she?!?!  :)  I was OVER THE MOON excited to see her today as she was in town visiting.  It was she and her grandmother who taught me about the ginger remedy last summer when I fell ill over Juhannus.  She took such great care of me.  Ihana!! 

One of the sweet, older sisters in my congregation who is assigned as my visiting teacher brought this beautifully wrapped gift for me.  Awww!!  She just radiates love and warmth.  She always has a smile (which is uncommon for Finns, may I add) which lights up the room.  I just love this woman. 

 

Tonight we had two (of the six)  missionaries in our congregation stop by for a visit: Sister Cribbs and Sister Curtis.  Sister Cribbs (on the right) gives the BEST hugs, and Sis. Curtis has the BEST quips.  The older I get, the more I can appreciate the love and gratitude that the people I served as a missionary in Chile would express.  We often heard people say, "Hermanas--you bring such hope, peace, and joy into our lives."  I thought, "Oh, that's really sweet."  But as I've grown older, my appreciation for what missionaries bring by way of hope, strength, joy, and love to those that they are called to serve, to teach, and to strengthen.

 

Wherever you find yourself, know that your unique talents, abilities, and gifts are needed.  I echo the invitation of the youth and the words of James Allen: 

 

"bloom where you're planted" by 

"adding effort to effort, patience to patience, and strength to strength." 

In doing so, you "will never cease to develop, and will at last grow divinely strong."