Fixation? Passion? Addiction?

However you choose to label it, I'm OBSESSED with Family History work. I LOVE learning about my family--past and present. I love searching through documents, reading histories, examining photographs, and handling heirlooms. And I LOVE finding new names to take to the temple and perform ordinances on their behalf so that they, too, can be part of my eternal family. When I was younger my dad would say that I'd been bitten by the Spirit of Elijah. Well, now I guess I would have to say that it's almost consumed me. I cannot explain my fascination with my family, but I know that I have a deep love, admiration, and gratitude for each of them and my heart burns with the desire to know them.

The Church's new family history database, Family Tree, is INCREDIBLE. But it only encourages my addiction. Last night I worked on family history until 2am. My problem is that once I start working on a particular family line, I find it incredibly difficult to stop working until I've completed every person in that line. I don't want to lose my place. I don't want to forget anybody. I don't want to get distracted and not finish. I don't want to have all the information I've been gathering all evening to slip from my mind during a night's sleep. So instead, I don't sleep. Back in June, I actually pulled my first all-nighter since finals week at BYU working on Family History. I started at 11am and didn't stop until about 7am the next day. All because of the aforementioned fears. Last night I luckily was able to pull myself away when I realized my brain was ceasing to function properly. And then I noticed the glares from the dog that so eloquently sounded like "It is past my bedtime" and "Would you be so kind as to turn off the light and retire to your own room if you would stay awake?" complete with British accent, of course. When the dog starts speaking to me with a British accent via glares, I know it's time to call it a night. I subsequently dreamt in a bizarre sort of way about family history, and I vaguely remember some cameo appearances of some of my ancestors.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, "Hi. My name is Dana, and I am addicted to Family History."

Alum Ally

I'm going to divulge a small miraculous secret that will change your life. Well, it will change your life whenever you get a canker sore in your mouth. POWDERED ALUM. Yep, that spice used for pickling that no one ever seems to have in their pantry (because who pickles enough to buy alum these days?) Well, I don't. Pickle things, that is. But I DO use powdered alum whenever I get a bad canker sore. Mix a pinch of it with a couple drops of water to make a gritty pasty alum mixture and with your finger put it on your canker sores. It stings a bit, and it will definitely make you pucker (it isn't used for pickling for no reason...). But IT WORKS!!! You're basically pickling your canker sore into oblivion. Earlier in the week I was suffering from two massive canker sores, one on each corner of my mouth. It made it extremely difficult and painful to eat anything. So after all of my family members each replied that none of them had alum in their pantry of spices, I went and bought my own. It only took ONE APPLICATION of my pickle paste to clear up my canker sores. I'm NOT exaggerating. Within an hour I couldn't feel them at all! Miracle. So stop spending your money on all those silly pain relievers that numb your entire mouth but don't take away the canker sores. Spend the $3 on a tiny jar of powdered alum and use it for the next 10+ years. You won't regret it.

Gluten-free is good for me.

I LOVE me so gluten. Or rather, I LOVE me all the things that contain gluten. I've learned enough about all of my health complications, however, that I know I really need to go gluten-free. It's expensive, and I am poor. It's challenging and sometimes limiting in social situations, and I've been too lazy and easy-going. It's true that I am in no immediate danger by consuming gluten. BUT I need to do all I can to keep my body as happy as possible. It's prone to fits of rage and long-term pouting, in the forms of searing pain, throbbing, and extreme fatigue. For those who know nothing about gluten, all of those symptoms can be aided by decreasing/cutting gluten from your diet. So I'm going to try it. I did it partially in July, but I was doing SO many other things that it's hard to know if it made a difference. But for the month of January, I'm going to do my absolute best to not consume any gluten. And I'm going to keep track of how my body reacts so I know if it helps enough to make it permanent. The idea of permanently being off gluten is a little overwhelming, so I'm starting with just 31 days. I can do ANYTHING for 31 days! And I'm sure if I can make it 31 days then I can make it a new lifestyle. For those interested in learning more about gluten and going gluten-free, here's a blog that I LOVE: http://glutenfreegirl.com. There are lots of them, but that's one of my favorites.

And heads up to all my friends and family I'll be seeing over the next month: when you invite me over for food or a party, PLEASE don't be offended that I bring my own dinner or snacks to enjoy in your company. Your food is ALL delicious! I LOVE food. Especially when it's free and made with so much love! But alas, my body is a gift from God. In fact, it's one of the reasons why I came to earth. So I need to learn how best to take care of it. So just enjoy my delightful company and don't worry about what I'm going to eat. I'll be doing enough of that on my own!

My Missionary Family

The last few days have been a whirlwind, but I'm so happy and proud of my Mom and Bob! As of yesterday, they became full-time missionaries #4 and #5 for the year 2012 to serve from my immediate family (Skylar, Tanner and I all overlapping for the first 4.5 months of the year). Their setting apart blessings were beautiful and exactly what they each needed to hear. I know they have each struggled in their own way to make the necessary sacrifices in order to serve full time for 18 months. But I also know that the Lord has great need of them individually and as a couple, for their prompting to go was strong and persistent enough to cut through the worried thoughts of a mother faced with the idea of leaving children with unsettled lives behind for so long. I am grateful for their example of faith, sacrifice, and service.

It is absolutely true that one need not be set apart as a full-time missionary in order to share the gospel with those around us. President Uchtdorf says, "Share the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." I've always loved that quote. It summarizes everything my dear parents drilled into me from as long as I can remember. Always be kind. Always offer a smile or a helping hand when possible. And if ever given an opportunity to share with others what makes me so happy and confident, embrace the chance to plant a seed, soften a heart, and possibly change their lives for eternity. Ok that was never given to me in a lecture during Family Home Evening or anything. But it WAS drilled into me by the incredible example my parents set for me. As a youth I thought I got embarrassed if one of my parents brought up the Church, the Gospel, or even religion with random people we didn't know. The cashier at the grocery store. The box boy at Barnes & Noble. The prize booth attendant at Chuck E Cheese. And yes, that REALLY did happen. I thought it was embarrassment because my chest would feel tight and my face would get hot. Now I realize that every time I heard them offer a simple testimony to a stranger, those weird sensations were the Holy Ghost testifying to my own heart simultaneously, building my own testimony line upon line.

By the time I got to junior high and high school, I had no doubt in my mind that the Gospel was true, and that the Church of Jesus Christ had been restored upon the earth in its Fulness. My high school had 4000 students. I honestly can't remember a single day when I wasn't asked at least one question about the church, my beliefs, of why on earth I would go to a religion class that started at 5:50 am every school day. With one question a day, every year for 3.5 years (I graduated early), that means I answered at least 630 questions about my beliefs before I had even graduated high school. I don't know if that's the usual for an LDS youth, but it was for me. Sharing the Gospel was a part of me because my parents had made it part of our family. The missionaries assigned to our ward called my mother "Mama B." We accompanied them to lessons, gave rides to and befriended investigators, and gave them as many referrals as we could think of. Our lives have been so enriched, and eternally blessed, by making missionary work a part of our lives.

As both a returned missionary and member missionary, I'll shout from the pulpit that one need not be a set apart, full time missionary to be an instrument in the Lord's hands, to be an example, to plant a seed, to extend an invitation, or to declare simple restored truths and the opportunities arise. In fact, one Gospel Truth that I can't seem to shout loud enough is that MEMBERS do the FINDING. MISSIONARIES do the TEACHING. It takes ALL of us to help our brothers and sisters all return to live with our Heavenly Parents. There are two kinds of conversion, and both are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY: Social conversion and Spiritual conversion. I hope it's clear to everyone that members are to help especially in the social conversion, and that the full-time missionaries' responsibility is primarily the spiritual conversion. See? There is expedient work for ALL OF US!!! However, I can also say that there is an incredibly sweet power and authority that comes from being set apart as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Spirit is palpable. The mantle is real. It transforms an ordinary, faith-filled member of the church into a Representative of Jesus Christ, a prophet filled with the power and authority to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ to God's children in your assigned area, and an angel bearing good tidings of great joy to all who will hear. I can't put into words how powerful and how humbling the weight of that mantle feels. It has been many months now since that mantle was removed from me. In the following months it felt as if it had taken half of me with it when I was released. But then, life got in the way and I forgot the sheer magnitude of the privilege it was for me to serve a full-time mission. Yesterday, I was reminded once again. The reminder has been bitter-sweet, but in the best possible way, like dark chocolate. It's left me craving once again the opportunity to share the Gospel with others. So this new year, I'm going to make more determined an effort to let my light shine. My patriarchal blessing says that I'll be able to radiate the peace the Gospel brings. THAT is who I'm meant to be.

I am not sharing this to boast, or make it sound like my family had tried to single-handedly change the religion of every acquaintance. That has never been what missionary work is about to my family. It's about sharing our peace and joy, sharing the fulness of truth that has been restored. It's about helping others have the peace of an eternal family, which has been our single greatest blessing of having the gospel in our lives. I am sharing this because I am so overwhelmingly grateful that my parents made our family a missionary family. My parents' simple testimony shared often with others was absolutely the foundation to everything I have become. 

May we all radiate the peace and joy of the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. Happy 2013!

P.S. For those of you interested, here is the link to my Mom and Bob's mission blog. http://bobandvickie.blogspot.com

Starvation and Schooling are NOT Mutually Exclusive

One can only be rejected from jobs she doesn't even want for so long before she turns to another option. Sometimes Heavenly Father's means aren't very subtle. When He closes a door He opens a window. But I've found that sometimes He likes to block all windows for a good long time til you're sweating like a pig and out of desperation start to look for loose bricks in the *walls*... I'm pretty sure He would have starved me out of any and all jobs (the threat of starvation is far more plausible in my current situation) until I came to this conclusion. The only viable option I've really come up with over the last 7 months. Take out a loan for thousands of dollars and go to graduate school. In the UK. Entirely Logical. I'm applying to the University of Manchester for the MA in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response, as well as to the University of Birmingham for the MSc in International Development--Conflict, Security, and Development pathway. My applications will be submitted by the end of January. I'm STOKED!!!!! So I'm hoping that His means to what I think was that end will hopefully actually come to an end soon. However, I also acknowledge that taking out a loan for thousands of dollars will actually probably mean the threat of starvation will continue to loom.

*Speaking of walls, I was reminded of one of my favorite scripture passages, found in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 21:14-16 (which is Nephi quoting Isaiah): "But behold, Zion (read Dana) hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not. For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should ot have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel (read Dana). Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."*

So, just as quickly as I can succumb to that sweaty, panicky feeling of having NO idea what I'm doing with my life, the Spirit whispers peace to my mind and my heart and I KNOW that no matter what ACTUALLY happens, I will be just fine. Even better than fine. As long as I keep my sacred covenants. And even more so now than as a missionary, I have come to understand the incredible power, peace, and freedom that comes from keeping your covenants, and from keeping them sacred.

Are stray dogs parasites?

In ten days my mother and stepfather leave on their mission, and then my 20-year-old little brother will become what we've affectionately dubbed my "sugar brother." AKA he's the one working and paying all the bills, while I live off of the remaining food storage and scraps of food that he'll supply for me. Put like that I sound a bit like a stray dog. However I refuse to become a permanent parasite on my family at the age of 25. Especially on the youngest member of my family! But I have a temporary solution... I'm going to watch my aunt's dog and house for a month. In Provo. That gives me at least 31 more days to find some sort of employment that pays in US Dollars, with the added bonus of removing any sense of obligation he might feel. At least for those 31 days.

Reincarnation

The plight of a missionary who returns to a place where they know no one, and who somehow is still unemployed after 7 months, is actually a rather peculiar one. My best friend tells me I'm living the life of a retiree, which I have found is not entirely inapt. I spend my days working on family history and temple work, applying for jobs while watching reruns of Reba and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, playing the piano, reading books, cooking, and on especially lucky days, volunteering in my sister's classroom. I feel a bit like Rapunzel in Tangled... always doing the same things over and over and over again. (On more than one occasion, Bob's house has felt a bit like an isolated tower where I'm literally trapped.) But for the most part, I'm completely content. That being said, though, I really DON'T get out much. And I have A LOT to say, but no one to listen. So for the primary purpose of preserving my sanity, I've decided to reincarnate my blog after a 2-yr absence.

New Mission Blog

To follow my mission adventures, visit my mission blog at http://www.hermanablackburn.blogspot.com.

Mission Call

I've been called to serve in the California San Fernando Mission, Spanish Speaking!!! I report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on 16 February 2011.

The last week has been quite a whirlwind! I received my call on Friday, 17 December. I worked my last day of picking roots on Monday, moved home Tuesday, went to see my new "nephew" on Wednesday, went mission shopping on Thursday, and then celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my mom and Tanner, and even the Sister Missionaries for a few hours! We also got to talk to Skylar today for almost an hour! It really has been a CRAZY week, but I'm loving it!

Thoughts on the call: EEEEKK!!!!! Where exactly is that you ask? Well, let me tell you! It is one of the missions just north of LA (LA lies in the southern end of the San Fernando valley), so still in Southern California. It doesn't include much coastline, but is a pretty long mission that extends into the interior quite a ways. It includes a couple national forests, and a lot of areas populated by mostly migrant farm workers (aka illegal immigrants) according to Logan, who taught a lot of people who traveled between his area and mine depending on the growing seasons. Tim and Jan know my mission president, who they say goes home in July, so I'll only be there a couple months with him. Ah well. It happens, right?

So... How am I feeling about this, you ask? How am I NOT feeling?! hahaha... but alas, I know you can relate, so I'll try to sum it up briefly: 1) TERRIFIED. about being a missionary. about this actually happening. and about learning Spanish. 2) STOKED. about being a missionary. about this actually happening. and about learning Spanish. and WARM weather for almost the entire year, give or take a few rainy weeks! haha (I guess they didn't pay attention to my wearing a scarf in my picture! haha) and also about having something to talk about with Logan both now and for the rest of our lives. And we can do it in Spanish, even! 3) RELIEVED. that I'm staying in the states (as much as I love traveling, I know better than most my age that it is not nearly as glamorous as most think it is, and with all the adjusting I will have to do anyway, I'm just really glad that I'll still be able to a) buy cheap shampoo in huge American bottles, b) buy JIF Crunchy peanut butter, Oreos, ice cream, and all my other favorite comfort foods if the need arises, c) I don't have to take a ridiculous amount of things with me because I KNOW I can get them in the field. 4) STRESSED. I essentially have about 6 weeks to go through the Temple in Nauvoo, go to Arizona to get my things from Erika's, go to Provo to get some missionary essentials that you just can't really get anywhere else, do some hardcore studying, and mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepare to "lose" myself, as much as anyone can prepare for that--as you well know! haha So I have A LOT to do! 5) SAD. Unexpectedly, I've come to realize just how attached I am to several people here in Mississippi, and I really am sad to not only have to say goodbye, but having to leave immediately with the likely prospect of never seeing them again. But this also makes me feel like I didn't completely fail here, which is a bit of a relief, too!

But, I'm off for another adventure! This time though, it has nothing to do with me, and I could really use all the prayers that you can remember to say for me!!

Reading in the Mississippi Mud

So, I took a video to document what I actually do at work, cuz I know you are all just so curious to know what a Day in the Life of a Root Picker is really like... haha. Sadly, Blogger has decided not to load my video. :( Chin up though, because what I REALLY do is listen to audiobooks. So, here's a list of the 42 books I've read or listened to so far this summer. If you want a review on any of them let me know, because unless I felt really strongly about them, I haven't gone into detail about them. By Author's last name:

Catherine Anderson
Star Bright

Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice

David Baldacci
The First Family

Suzanne Brockmann
Stand-in Groom (didn't love this)

Geraldine Brooks
People of the Book

Suzanne Collins (love her writing!)
The Hunger Games (again)
Catching Fire (again)
Mockingjay

Jennifer Crusie
The Cinderella Deal
Faking It

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes

Janet Evanovich
Hero at Large

Ariana Franklin
Grave Goods

Diana Gabaldon
Outlander
Dragonfly in Amber
Voyager
Drums of Autumn
The Fiery Cross
A Breath of Snow and Ashes
An Echo in the Bone

Elizabeth Gilbert (I love that she's so thought-provoking, even if I disagree with her sometimes)
Eat, Pray, Love
Committed

Chris Heimerdinger
Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites
Gadiantons and the Silver Sword
Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent, part 1
Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent, part 2
The Sacred Quest
The Lost Scrolls
The Golden Crown
Warriors of Cumorah
Tower of Thunder
Kingdoms and Conquerors
Sorcerers and Seers

Khaled Hosseini
Kite Runner


Sophie Kinsella
The Undomestic Goddess

Linda Francis Lee
The Ex-Debutante

Daniel Levin
The Last Ember

Truman G. Madsen
Jesus of Nazareth

Susan Mallery
Hot on Her Heels
Finding Perfect

Greg Mortenson (he's my hero)
Three Cups of Tea
Stones into Schools

Elizabeth Peters
Laughter of Dead Kings

Francine Rivers
Leota's Garden

Danielle Steele
One Day at a Time (didn't enjoy this one compared to most)

Lauren Willig (I love this series, and the narrator, so I listen to my favorite parts consistently)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
The Masque of the Black Tulip
The Deception of the Emerald Ring (my absolute favorite)
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (my next favorite)
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
The Betrayal of the Blood Lily
The Mischief of the Mistletoe

Stuart Woods
LA Dead (hated this...)