Sweet, adorable, old people. Oh...and chocolate brown hair.

Today at church we had a great lesson about becoming charitable. I really got to thinking about how it is something that can become part of our nature. I made a mental goal that I wanted to make an effort to become more service oriented. I know there are opportunities all around us to serve, we just need to become aware and be willing! After I got home from church I was reading through some blogs and a friend of mine posted this quote on hers.

“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others. I recall visiting a college campus where I heard the usual complaining of [students] about the pressures of school—as if it were a burden rather than an opportunity to partake of the knowledge of the earth—complaints about [roommates], [complaints about] housing and food. I counseled those [students] that if the pressures of school were too heavy, if they felt to complain then I could suggest a cure for their problems. I suggested they lay their books aside for a few hours and go visit someone who is old and lonely, or someone sick and discouraged. By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves” -Gordon B. Hinckley

I absolutely love it. What a true and inspiring principle. I feel like President Hinkley was always good to remind us that it is only when we point our arrows outward that we will truly be able to be happy. What an opposite principle from what the way the world thinks. The world would have you believe that if you are unhappy you should take "me time" to make yourself happy. Quite a contrast....So after I read this lo and behold our neighbor came in our door and told us they were going to go sing at an assisted living home and they wanted us to come. My adorable roomies and I were mid-lunch and in our PJ's so we gave a 1/2 hearted..ehhh ummm...k...maybe...and then he left. As soon as he walked out of the door we decided we really should go, so we hurried and changed and went and met the group. It was a good thing Roxanne, Benita, and I decided to go because we double to the numbers of the group. There were only 7 of us, and the other 4 were ward members that I didn't know very well. We headed over to Jamestown Assisted Living Center and the people at the front desk gave us a list of the individuals who we could go and visit. Can I just say ADORABLE. We spent the next hour and a half talking to these amazing individuals who you could tell were so happy just to have visitors. We sang to them and got to know them a little bit better. It was almost heart braking to leave because you could tell that they were pretty lonely. As we left I just felt so good. Despite the realization of the lonliness of some of these sweet people, I felt like we'd really helped bring happiness and love, and it was so easy. I will definitely be going back. I think it made me happier than it made them.

Oh yeah, and yesterday. I dyed my hair brown. Traci and I have been joking about it for the past few times i've got my hair done because my hair has been so boring the past little while, not much change. SO, she helped me be brave, and she did an AMAZING job. I really like it! Here's a preview...