My life in less than 2000 words.

For my family history class I was asked to share my testimony and outlook on life. I thought I would share it on here too!

"1.7 Testimony/View of life

For my beloved family and friends, I want to share with you a little about my life and my testimony and conversion. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Gary and Gloria Stubbs. I was the youngest of 4 children and when I was three, we moved to Salem, Oregon to live close to my grandparents.

I really enjoyed my childhood and felt that I didn’t lack any needs. I may not have had cable tv growing up but I did stay out and play until the streetlights came on. My siblings, Megan, Joe, Brendan, and later Emily, are some of the closest people in my life. At the moment, I am closest to my sisters and parents but I want to work on my relationships with my brothers. We have so many fond memories of my parents and the fun things we did together! Disneyland, camping, Renaissance fairs, Harry Potter movie premiers, Christmas, Santa, Thanksgiving, Halloween, General Conference and mom’s famous orange rolls.

The gospel has been a strong influence in my life. With my experiences at home and in the youth programs, I was ready to be baptized at age 8 and felt prompted to read the entire Book of Mormon at age 14. I’ve always felt that the gospel was true but reading The Book of Mormon helped me gain a strong testimony that would be essential for growing up in these times, especially in such a liberal and moralistically declining world. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I never really ‘fit in’ and knew that that was how it was going to be since I was so different. I wasn’t afraid to be a Latter-Day Saint, although I think I could have been a little more loving and tolerant of other people’s beliefs, looking back.

I originally wanted to attend BYU but was not accepted. When I came to terms that I would be going to BYU-Idaho, things were peaceful and I knew that I was on the right path. I met Patrick, my husband, while he was serving a mission during my senior year of high school. He served in my sister’s family ward for 11 months out of his mission and because my sister invited the missionaries over to share dinner with her family of four boys and one girl, we became good friends. When he finished his mission and went home to Arizona, I moved to Idaho for my first semester of college. Before he left, he gave me a letter explaining that he had liked me for months and would like to keep in contact after his mission. I was ecstatic!

Two weeks later he came up to visit me in Rexburg and we started dating long-distance until he was able to attend BYU-Idaho in January. We dated until February and became engaged on the 8^th. During March I planned my wedding in Oregon and we were married April 13^th, 2013 in the Portland mission. We have been married for a year and half and have learned and grown so much already.

We lived in a studio apartment for a year and we recently moved to a one bedroom apartment while attending a wonderful ward. I have been called to serve as a Relief Society president and I am so grateful for this experience! I love the sisters in the ward and am so grateful to be where I am at the moment.

Yes, things are stressful and difficult, and I do get lonely without family near, but I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and that I have one of the greatest men as a husband who treats me like a 

queen. I love the gospel and am so blessed to be a part of it and to have been able to receive sacred ordinances in the temple.

I hope that as Patrick and I prepare for parenthood

, that I can continue to improve my testimony and love of the gospel as well and be able to take care of myself physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I know that  a love of the gospel and service brings happiness and I am so grateful to have been given so much to work with and to bless the lives of others.

I know that as we experience adversity and are pulled down by the filth of the world and even our own doubts and fears, a hope in Christ and his atonement and the gospel will pull us through. I know that families are essential to Heavenly Fathers plan and I am so excited to start one and to take the good things from my childhood and pass them down to my children."

Ch-ch-ch-changes.

Patrick and I have been prayerfully trying to figure out when and where we should move. We both love Rexburg for the experiences we've had here and the people we've met, but we long to be closer to family. Rexburg is our temporary home and although we've been so blessed to attend Brigham Young University- Idaho for almost two years, we are ready to move... or so we thought ;)

The process of finding jobs in a small college farm town is a tedious one. Patrick has been faithfully applying to jobs and is a hard worker but hasn't heard back about jobs since September, even though he had had some interviews. How frustrating it was! In the fall I was working two jobs and going to school and Patrick was looking for jobs while waiting for his semester to start in January. We we both unhappy about our situation- we barely had time to see each other, I was exhausted to tears, and Patrick was bored to tears and felt like he wasn't providing as much as he could.

We also felt really lonely and detached from what was happening at home in Oregon and Arizona. I remember praying for more friends that I could relate to, especially since a lot of my friends stopped talking to me after moving away and getting married. Life was hard. But we had to continue and endure, what else was there to do?

Although we were grateful for the financial aid and the generous tippers at my work, we prayed and fasted and hoped that a job would happen sooner or later so that we could afford for me to take less shifts and to spend more time together. After months of nothing working out, we decided that it was time to get out of Rexburg to seek jobs elsewhere! We thought about moving to Utah for Patricks band and continue our education there, but that didn't feel quite right. We knew we wanted to move to Arizona to be close to family and to be exposed to lots of sunshine, but when? We wanted to get out as soon as possible and thought that we could be gone by the time spring semester started.

By the time spring semester came around, we had to decide what to do. We spent hours searching apartments in Mesa, Gilbert, and Chandler on the internet and had even planned to carpool down there with a friend from work who was getting married and had extra room in her U-haul truck. We were determined to get down there! And finding out that our family members were going to have babies soon made us want to move even more quickly! The sunshine and warmth were extremely tempting, especially since we had been suffering below 10 degrees for a few months or so.

Registration for classes in the spring started and we registered just in case... Something felt right. And then we realized, why not stay one more spring semester, since last spring was so beautiful? It was settled and we chose to stay and tough it out so that we could save and so that I could receive my associates. We figured Patrick could finish his last semester for his associates this fall online. And we'd be able to go hiking, swimming, and have bonfires that we never really got to do when we were dating and newly married! We'd move to Arizona after spring semester and all would be well.

Not quite, Patrick was still job hunting. I have to confess, by this time I was working so much, I hardly got to see him fill out applications and work on his resume. I carelessly assumed that he had given up which was even more frustrating to me. After a good talk, and a very humbled heart, we suited up and decided to continue facing unemployment together and to keep praying for any job opportunities.

Around May Patrick finally got the call we were waiting for! After a phone interview, they asked him to come in for a face-to-face interview. We had gone to the temple and finally realized that we should stay one more semester so that Patrick could build his resume and graduate with his associates. After months of praying to know when we should move, we finally felt good about waiting until December. Things were so great and we were really excited about this opportunity. The interview was successful and it seemed like the employer was going to give Patrick the job.


During this time we celebrated by making our favorite no bake cookies. I had the distinct impression to go take some to the bishop on Sunday. We love our bishop so much and he recently informed us that he will be going through chemotherapy. We hoped to visit with him and to let him know we are happy that the doctors caught the leukemia at an early stage. So we went over and let him know about the job interview and that we decided to stay here a few more months.

He was overjoyed! So much so that it was a little disconcerting.. and knowing that the relief society presidency was going to be released, I had a random thought that I'd be called. I immediately thought, "What? Me? Of all the sisters in the ward, bishop would not call such an imperfect and inexperienced person." So I threw the thought aside and we visited with bishop until it was time to go.

The following week the bishopric kept trying to contact Patrick and I and that Thursday evening after a late shift, we went to the bishops home where he extended the call to be the Relief Society president over the Rexburg Married Student 34th ward. Holy. Poop. No wonder we felt prompted to stay in Rexburg for just a bit longer!

We weren't looking forward to telling family that we were moving later in the year because we were ashamed of our inconsistency, but now we had to tell them and they took the news with love, of course. So now that we were staying in Rexburg, the job would have to work out, right?

 We waited for a couple weeks for call that was so promising, until we had to come to the realization that they dropped the ball and weren't decent enough to call Patrick that they weren't going to hire him. We were very upset and confused. This has happened before and we were sure that this was an answer to our prayers! We had felt great about it in the Temple and everything seemed to be going well. Why in the world was this happening again? We had suffered months of unemployment and had even moved to a tiny studio apartment to save on rent. And we felt so secure that this job would be the one, especially since it was one that Patrick could gain applicable experience for his career.

So back to square one, except with a great and wonderful calling from the Lord and a little bit more worry about our car has been having troubles. Prayer, my friends. Prayer. And fasting. This calling has brought so many blessings already and I am still trying to find a balance in life, but who isn't? One prayer has most definitely been answered and that is that we don't feel that lonely anymore. I am so humbled to be rubbing elbows with such wonderful women and men in our ward. Service does great things and we are starting to feel like people care about whether or not we're doing okay.

 Anyway, how disappointing it was to not hear back from the job? But we continued to pray and fast and tried to hope for a brighter future. As we waited another week, wondering what we were going to do next, it came. Our prayers were answered. Patrick received a call from Frontier Pies, a restaurant that shares the parking lot with our hotel style apartment complex. Not the best food, but still a job! He applied to be a dishwasher and they called for an interview. Ironically the interview was far more awkward than the one for the job we thought we'd get. They called him the same day and offered a cook position!

Hallelujah! A prayer of gratitude and  joy was given. Although it wasn't going to be a $10 an hour or an office job Patrick was looking for, it is exactly what Heavenly Father knows we need. Patrick starts this Tuesday and we feel so humbled and blessed. Yes, we work in the food industry, but hey- we can afford all that we need and maybe have a little extra to save for a car. Also, an occasional free meal ;)


There's no telling what changes are going to happen next. Maybe we'll feel prompted to stay longer. Maybe we'll be blessed with a little one (knock-on-wood). Or Maybe we'll win the lottery and be able to buy an awesome car. It doesn't matter what happens because we know we're in the Lords hands.

He has a plan for each of us and we are promised that if we trust in him and his timing, we will be blessed immensely. If we endure through adverse times and maintain communication with God and a grateful heart, it'll all work out. He loves us. He answers prayers. And changes will come as we grow and learn and gain experiences in this life which will stay with us into eternity.

Fresh Laundry

While I wait for our laundry to dry, I am studying Christs teaching for my new testament class that's later today. Patrick and I actually are taking the same class from the same instructor at two separate times so it's been great to talk about His teachings together. Anyway, the window is cracked a few inches and the smell of fresh laundry and the early summer air are evoking the best of feelings. Today is going to be a great day.

Our first post!

Hello! Patrick and I are so excited to be starting a blog! I may be more excited to be starting one than he is. He's asleep in bed at the moment while I wait for my ipod to charge before I go running. We are so happy to be sharing what we're up to and any dreams and ideas that we have. If you are reading this, we hope you enjoy! 

S'more kisses please?

Patrick and I are starting a blog for so many reasons. It's been a long time comin'! We wanted to stay in touch with family, share our thoughts and beliefs, and record what we do throughout the years (hopefully.) 

Well, why don't we use a social media?  

1. Not all of our family is on facebook! This is much more informational anyway. 

2. Also, when people share beliefs on a social network like facebook, often times they're met with opposition and hateful words from others that don't agree and aren't willing to listen or look further into the why we believe or what we believe. I've had a couple painful encounters with dear friends that I'll never forget and I know the outcome would have been more positive if we talked about our beliefs in person.

3. How many stupid advertisements and adds do you see on social media! Facebook especially. It's ridiculously annoying and misleading to how we view ourselves and the world. 
With just one click you could be headed into a dangerous website filled with filth, deceit, and lies. I may sound paranoid or over-dramtic to some but I personally know that the internet has some terrible and misleading images that change people, ruin families, and do not help us to become better.

4. Why do we follow and 'like' things of people that we don't really know. We may have been acquaintances first and then have grown apart but why not put the smart phone or laptop down and focus on the people around you. If you're meant to stay in touch with others, there are many meaningful ways to do so via a phone call, text, or email. I have somehow been under the impression that I have to know what's going on in everyone's life all the time but it is emotionally draining! Hopefully not using facebook as much will simplify our life.

5. And with a long scroll down the feed, I personally tend to feel like everyone else is having the time of their lives while our life isn't the best. Why? Because people often post only the surface of their life and rarely the 'whole story.' How smart is it to compare peoples successes and failures with your own? Hardly EVER a good idea. 

6. Which brings me to the biggest point yet. My  mental health. Patrick doesn't struggle with  facebook usage nearly as much as I do. I admit that I am addicted. I'd like to be able to stay on because there are numerous benefits, especially if you are limiting your time and have a small friend list that post uplifting words every moment of the day, but that is simply not the case for me. I also struggle with minor anxiety and depression. It happens more often than you think! But studies have shown the facebook is not complementary to mental health and actually contributes to anxiety and depression.(article here)

I find myself constantly checking the feed and turning to facebook when I'd rather not accomplish the things I need to (schoolwork, house cleaning, cooking, exercising, in gereal- taking care of my body and family.) It drains my motivation to get things done. It makes me sad to see so much success and a huge gap between their successes and my failures, which leads to guilt because I know that envy and comparing is wrong and that I should rejoice in others happiness. 


It is a vicious cycle. And I am done! I want to feel better! I want to be healthy. I want the people around me to know that I love them because I'm spending time with them or talking to them over the phone and genuinely asking how they're doing. I want to combat this depression and get out of the apartment sometimes! I want to be happy where I am, in this exact moment of my life, whatever circumstances life gives Patrick and I to work through together.


We have a life to live and spending so much time glued to our screens is not helping us do so, especially since we're on our laptops doing homework a lot of the time anyway. We are so excited to share our life with whoever is interested in a less time consuming and expressive way.



So, let the blogging begin!



(Disclaimer about social media- many wonderful and great things have come from social media. Missionary work, uplifting words offered to those in need, calmed troubles have been fixed, and so on.Some are not suffering from addiction or do not seem to have a problem so we obviously don't want to make you feel less of a person for using facebook. Our reasons for not using faceboook as often are applicable to some. Please don't be offended and know that we love you.)

-Tamsin