Chapters of us: September 2011

The Challenge

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This month Ashlee and I have challenged the sisters we visit and they in turn challenged us. The challenge is this:

to read the whole Book of Mormon by the end of the year.

I have read it all the way through only once, but can say that i know it to be true. The words in the book are history - a very real account of the early inhabitants of the American continent.

I am really looking forward to reading it from start to finish again. The things in the book never cease to amaze me. I have had many, many, many answers to my prayers by reading this book. I have had the answers in the form of something actually written on the page, and also by thoughts and feelings.

I love this book.

No book has had a greater impact on me than this one. It changed my life, and changed me in so many ways - for the better.

I am challenging everyone out there reading this to give it a go. An LDS member, or not. Anyone can read it. Don't think you have time? A chapter a day will take you all of ten minutes. I know that when i read this book my life is 10x better. I am happier, i am more confident in myself, and life doesn't seem so hard. Feeling down? This book will pick you up (not literally - it IS a book after all ;)

You can dowload the free app for it HERE :)
Now you can have it on your ipod/iphone/ipad and read it while you are on the bus/in the car/waiting in line at the bank/on the toilet etc ;)

Would you rather a paper copy that you can actually hold? Want one for free?
Send me an email and i will personally send you one.
makayla_graham (at) hotmail.com

Or you can click this link and get one sent straight to your house (for free) how cool is that!? :)

Don't like reading? You can also listen to it HERE.

If you want a reading chart to track your progress then click either of these pictures below which will take you to larger versions that you can print.

Think i am crazy but don't want to tell me?
Want to know what the Book of Mormon is actually all about? Then click this link and it will explain it all in a simple way :)

Leave a comment or send me a message or email and let me know that you have accepted the challenge. Or keep it to yourself - that's good too.
Try and accept the challenge though ;)

And just one more plug because i really want you to check out this page ;)

Winters Walk

Thursday, September 15, 2011

A month or so ago Sam and i went on a 'photography walk' ... We were planning on going to Saint Louis Falls, so we headed off up the mountain.
We stopped at different spots along the way to snap some pics.

When we finally got to the track we headed off, with Moses the dog in toe.

We came to a bridge and Sam reveals that Moses is terrified of bridges! He then has to carry a massive dog across a swaying bridge suspended above water! I'm glad i was only snapping the photos!!

I am in love with these next two shots...

A little way into the walk there is an old hut that Sam tells me people used to camp out in (no thanks!!)

A game of Trivial Pursuit was left, ready to play..

We walked a little further and then decided that it was best to turn around. It had been a wet few weeks beforehand and the ground was very wet and muddy, we would have continued but we didn't plan for it and weren't really wearing the best shoes for it.

Moe stopped for a drink on the way back..

And halfway back down the mountain i spot a lake with awesome dead trees galore and screech at Sam to pull over so i can photograph them! :p

It was fun to challenge myself to photograph things other than people, and i am happy with some of what i captured :)

And that is how we take a winters walk in Tasmania..

The end :)

Losing it & finding it

Monday, September 12, 2011

Last week i was feeling super overwhelmed with everything going on, and feeling like i had completely lost my photography mojo (the use of the word 'mojo' meaning 'talent' for the purpose of this blog post, NOT sex appeal ;)

I was feeling like i had lost it in all areas of my life, not just my photography - Uni, Tafe, Nursery, personal. Like everything was moving too fast and that i couldn't keep up - Making me feel just generally crappy. Things were out of balance.

It took a little while but i found it again! I found it in a Relief Society lesson given by Ashlee on 'Desire' which was based on this talk by Dallin H. Oaks. From April 2011 General Conference.

It never fails to amaze me at how well our Heavenly Father knows each one of us and our needs. I knew i needed to be in that lesson, and didn't see a way that i could be as all my nursery helpers were away. The young women were able to take over for me for an hour so that i could be there. And boy am i glad i was.

"God does watch over us and does notice us, but it usually through someone else that he meets our needs." Spencer W. Kimball

This then inspired me to change some bad habits and improve areas that i know need it (Uni, Tafe, Nursery, Visiting Teaching, Scripture reading) and cut more of the crap out of my daily life (facebook, reading when i should be studying, too much photography, wasting time in general etc)

A quote from the talk that i love:

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.

(Dallin H. Oaks)

I realised that even though i had some of the right desires, it is not enough. There needs to be more emphasis on the right desires, and then acting upon those. I realised that even though i had the desire to be a good Visiting Teacher, it doesn't mean that i instantly am. Everything worthwhile takes hard work. I need to work hard to achieve my goal of being a better visiting teacher - not just expecting to be without any effort.

The same with Nursery. I can't expect to have children who sit on a mat and listen to a lesson or to pray, recognise the saviour, etc. When there is not enough work towards getting them to do this. In one of my Uni lectures during the week the lecturer asked the question:

'Are you going to be the kind of teacher that reaches for a workbook at 8am on Monday morning to photocopy like mad?'

She didn't realise that she was also asking me this about my nursery class. And no, i have decided that i am NOT going to be that kind of teacher.

****

Once i remembered to actually act upon my desires and work towards my goals, and to let my desires be guided by this book, suddenly everything settles down and falls into place.

Things aren't so overwhelming - and i can do it ALL... And do it well.

'Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life.'

Dallin H. Oaks

Oh, and my photography mojo?? I found that again Here.

If i were rich...

Friday, September 9, 2011

... i would probably actually be very poor!!

I have about a million cool photography and vintage things that i am in LOVE with at the moment that are on my wish list.

First off - juice box film camera. How cute is it!?

Fish eye lens adapter - fits on lenses you already have.

Photo magnet rope - fun and cool way to display photos. (Will definitely be getting some of these)

Camera USB. No way i would be mixing mine up with other people's if i had one of these!

Diana lens for Digitial SLR! I have some Diana cameras - but how cool to have that look on digital!!

Camera money box - LOTS of incentive to save for the new camera :)

Lens mug.. Editing photos while drinking hot chocolate from a cup shaped like a camera lens.. ah.. (the things that excite me!!!)

Polaroid camera - LOVE polaroid.. Nuff said!

Polaroid wall sticker/frames. VERY cool - Definitely getting these :)

All of those above are from the website Photojojo.

A lensbaby composer...

A red typewriter.. Maybe just to look nice in my room/house, but also a photography prop and would also like it to be useable - love the look of letters from a typewriter.