Life is to be filled with love and laughter.

Guys, this is my life's dream:

#Goals

Also, I may or may not have a thing for acting. ;)

OK #4 Why not?!

Three posts in ONE day?!

Woah, guys!! 

I am on a roll today! :) hehe

But really?! - I don't know what's gotten into me.

I'm listening to hymns all the time, I love working, and I love finding ways to make other people HAPPY.

I guess I'm doing something right for once, and I'm not ashamed to share it with the world if it means someone else is reading this and wants to or is becoming happy too!

賴姐弟

This morning, I woke up at 4:00 a.m.

Why did I wake up so early, you ask?

Well, it so happens that two very important siblings that I met in Taiwan ( 賴姐弟) got baptized today!

Even though I was on skype and wasn't there in person to attend their beautiful baptism, I still got to see their happy faces and witness as they were immersed in water.

I couldn't help but notice how grateful and joyful they both were as they bore their testimonies in from of all those who came to support and attend their baptism.

賴姐弟 have been waiting years and years to be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  After years and years of meeting with the missionaries and making commitments to improve and better their lives in small and simple ways, they chose to enter into the waters of baptism and progress towards Eternal Life!! :)

I am so grateful that God allowed me to be there for them now and forever!

Here are some of the pictures that I snapped this morning.

The top photo is of  賴姐姐.  Next to her is another one of my RC's (recent converts) who I contacted on the streets in Dakeng.  I was blessed to be transferred to Tanzi where I attended her baptism before I left Taiwan for America.  And to the very left of the picture is another spectacular woman who I contacted while serving in Taichung.  - Not yet baptized, but perhaps one day? :) She is bright, hopeful, and filled with so much light!!

I know that this gospel is full of truths that do bring blessings to our lives.  Although I still have much to learn and much to grow, I know that as long as I am striving to act in a Christ-like way, my life will be filled with hope and peace.  :)

So, no matter where you stand, I know there are opportunities for you to serve in ways that are unique only to you!!! - Go fill the world with truth and light. :)

CLEAN

I am feeling like a NEW ME today. :) 

Yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon cleaning out my room with the help of my expert Mom. (She's THE BEST.)  Even though I kind of hated cleaning, I realized how GOOD It was for me.  My Mom believes that the way we keep ourselves and our surroundings is a reflection of how we are inside.  - So, if our surroundings are cluttered and messy, then our hearts and our minds may be cluttered with all sorts of scattered thoughts.  

As I threw out excess belongings and plain-out trash, I noticed that I had more space and more freedom to organize things the way I felt the most comfortable.  By the end of the day, I knew where everything had been placed, the room felt brighter, and I myself felt better!

Last night was also one of the first nights I went through my mission letters and memorabilia.  I was filled with so much joy and was inspired to pick myself up and improve.  - I am so grateful for a Mother who encourages me to be a clean person and prepare myself for the Lord's blessings by keeping myself pure in every single way.  

It's never too late to start cleansing and improving your life. :)  So, here's an invitation to YOU, yes you - to CLEAN YOUR SURROUNDINGS, whether that means staying in all day to reorganize your room or wash those dishes!! At the end of the day, enjoy your new environment and record how you feel. I promise it'll make you feel wonderful. :) You can do it!

Sam Smith - Not in That Way

We live to die.

We die to live.

Revert to draft.

Breathe.

Live.

So I'm hurt.

You win.

Cotton Mind

Since I've moved out, I've had a lot of time to meditate, spend time thinking on my own and with friends.

I've spent time pondering the things like my conversion to my religious beliefs, my goals, and my purpose.  I've listened to countless conference talks, attended service projects, and prayed, prayed, prayed.

I'm often discouraged by my ever-philosophical mind and complex thoughts, but I find peace that even a web of cotton can be spun into string.

Coconut Oil and Hair Growth

Today I biked to the Asian Store to buy some coconut oil. :)
Coconut oil apparently stimulates hair growth and is extremely healthy for damaged or brittle hair.

We are not alone - at least, we're alone only if we choose to be alone. We're alone only if we choose to go through life solely on our own strength rather than learning to draw upon the power of God. Thus, the question for each of us is, what do we believe?
Sheri Dew

Want U Back Boyce Avenue

Okay?

Last night I dreamt that you were running with some other girl.
And so I wrote you a letter that said this:

It looks like you're happy.
"He's a lover," my friend said.

So I'm letting you go because you're happy
And I'm moving on.

If you say it's true, then I'll be okay.

Okay?

Five Minute List

List

List all the thoughts that cross your mind in the next five minutes:

Stripes - Gray and white stripes on the shirt-dress I'm wearing right now
The noise my iPhone keyboard makes as I type.
The cursor blinking as I take time to find the best character, the next line.
My nails - the nail polish isn't there anymore because I took it off... I couldn't stand it.
I should probably be practicing piano right now.
Podcasts are really fun to listen to, I mean, it's all preference.
I'm so tired. - Really feeling that lunch I just made.

Why do I always forget to put the eggs in the pot first before I boil the water?!
My eyelids, man... Totally drooping and so heavy.

Are the five minutes up?! It's taking forever.

Alight, fine. Something a little more interesting: I was on my way home from work today when I realized that I was feeling content for the first time in a while.

I am happy being where I'm at right now, and I feel more peaceful and trusting of myself. :)

Ok. My five minutes are up. - Your turn! Go!

I'm happy that we have the choice in this life to be happy - for opportunities to change, to grow, to try again.

I guess it's. God's way of saying, "I love you."

Sounds to Cope

I have officially started posting on my podcast.  It's mostly going to be a bunch of samples of me experimenting with different sounds: covers, classical repertoire, and short compositions:

click here for my profile. 

Vera

Dear Anonymous,

Yes, I've written songs about you.

No, these songs haven't actually helped me get over you.

So if by any chance, you're here on your own accord,

and you know you're still in love with me,
and that girl you're dating isn't me,

and you want it to be me...

More than a few days, 

and definitely more than a few weeks, or months, or years, or lives,

then heck!

Come find me.

Do you know the feeling?

That feeling that you get when you've put yourself out there

just to end up waiting and brooding over the mistakes you've made.

There's a weight that presses upon your chest,

and you can't breathe.

So, you take a walk, or you take a break.

You hope that tomorrow it'll get better -

That you won't miss what's already gone before.

And day by day, you wake up just to fall back asleep,

hoping one day, you'll get up with the light you once possessed.

Value yourself.

YAWEH

If we meet tonight, then I won't let you go.

Blind to selfish pride
Gave birth to the purest hide

She, a quiet whisper through the clouds
Knew not what wrong she did, so bowed

Kneeled right before that bride
Who swore in arrogance to contain her lies

Seized that Purest Hide
And with it, wrapped the thickest sighs

Inter-twining spindles of fallen light

Dreary weight dangling off of weary eyes

Metallic heartstrings pulled ever so tight

Across two walls of hidden spite

Intrigue lot the pale moonlight

"I'm not for you, and you're not for me."

Innocence marked by Saint Calvary. 

Big Girls Do Cry

When I was little, I hated being young and innocent.
I hated that I was naive.
I hated that I was gullible, foolish, and shy.
I hated that I didn't understand dirty jokes - jokes that everyone immediately got except me.
I just didn't get that humor.

And now?

I guess I'm still a little girl, and I'm not as innocent and I'm not as young.
But I am happy that I'm still a little naive.
I love that I'm gullible and a little foolish sometimes.
I love that I still don't understand that silly humor -
I love me.
I love that I'm sensitive and that I do cry.

So yes, I'm still small, and I'm still growing but this time around, I kind of like being innocent, and I want so much to be pure.

I know that's not what the world views as cool or hip nowadays, but I don't care.

I guess big girls do cry.

You can boast about anything if it's all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast.
John Steinbeck

Some people think I hate them.

I don't.

It's actually quite the opposite.

If you wanna see me, come find me.

So I deactivated my facebook but had to save these photos because, well, my good friend Amy spent a lot of time on these:

I am Verina Chen - beautiful, independent, kind, and real.  I am more than a profile on social media.  I am more.
So if you want to see me, then come find me.
I won't have it any other way.