Meet Kristy Budge

Thank you for sharing Kristy! We are excited to get to know you.

I am originally from Southern California. I was a junior in High School when my family moved to Providence Utah. I went to Utah State University. I met Brad in the singles ward (they really do work!). We moved to Arizona so Brad could attend Optometry School at Midwestern University. He graduated in May! We have two girls and another baby girl on the way (due in July). Ariana is 5 years old. Sophie is 2 years old.

If I had an hour of free time you might find me doing Genealogy or reading.

I appreciate the times when I feel Heavenly Father's love. Most of those times have come when I was experiencing my own personal struggles. When sometimes doubt and fear have clouded my vision, Heavenly Father makes everything better by his love and by small and simple moments of life. The small revelations I have received helps me to know that he loves me.

My favorite Dessert- anything that has chocolate in it

My favorite Hobbies- wakeboarding and basketball

My favorite season- spring

My favorite scripture- the story of Joseph ( who was sold into Egypt)

Favorite Hymn- A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and How firm a Foundation

May Relief Society Meeting: Smoothies and Volleyball

Smoothies, smoothies, smoothies! Thanks Nicole for teaching us all how to make healthy smoothies. We had so much fun being creative making a variety of smoothies, playing volleyball, and visiting with each other. Thank you to everyone who planned and prepared this meeting, we had a blast!

Meet Dana Erikson

Thank you for sharing Dana! We are excited to get to know you.

I was born in Othello, Washington a farm girl and the youngest of 8 kids, yes I was teased, so any of you sisters out there that are the youngest and grew up with teasing brothers, I can relate.  (I love my 5 bothers and 2 sisters, and now am convinced they loved me so much but they only knew how to show it by teasing... they loved me LOTS). As a YW I had my top 10 list of a dream husband.  Number one was to not be a farmer's son. Well, I broke that rule and married an Idaho Potato farmer's son named Glade. We met on a blind date at Ricks College (yes, I know that dates me). When I go grocery shopping for potatoes I enjoy looking at the bag to see where they are from, if I have a choice between Washington spuds and Idaho spuds, I go with Washington spuds, they're the best (shhh don't tell Glade). After we married Glade and I attended USU in Logan, Ut. I earned my BS in Community Health Education. Glade earned his BS in plant Science then on to MBA, and Econ MS. Then we moved on to WSU for Glade to earn his PhD in Econ. While at WSU I ran a licensed daycare in our apartment while caring for our three small boys. Sometimes I had up to 10 kids in our small two bedroom apt. It was fun. Glade's career brought us to Phoenix with a job offer from American Express in Fraud. I was able to stay home and raise only our kids. We ended up with 5 beautiful, talented, smart, loving kids:  Alex (22), Seth (19), Caleb (16), Celeste (13), and Kaisa (10).

If I had an hour of free time I would probably take a nap.

Currently my favorite hobby is watching my kids sporting events. I am one of those crazy wrestling mom's that watch Caleb wrestle while yelling "pin 'em", "yes! take down", "watch the cross face" or my favorite is just a loud scream! I love watching my daughters volleyball, I get upset when the wrestling and volleyball schedules collide... not a happy mama to have to choose between sports of my kids to watch! If I am not watching a sport, or carpooling to a practice I really don't know what I would be doing.  

My favorite season sometimes depends on my mood. Usually Phoenix winters, but I do miss the beautiful spring time on the farm with all the fields poking up little green crops. I even miss the snowy seasons of the North, but then I remember the shoveling and scrapping ice from windows and that quickly fades.

I don't really have a favorite scripture or hymn, there are too many to choose from. But our families motto is "Return with Honor", whether it be from school, work, mission, or just anything.

My testimony is strengthened every time I see the Holy Ghost at work. Sometimes it's to remind me of how to be a mother, wife, sister, neighbor or friend. I love being with new members of the Gospel that are on fire with the Holy Ghost because they have just learned about it and recognize it. I feel like I take it for granted since I was born in the gospel, but when someone gets truly "converted" it is great to see it in their eyes. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and has a glorious plan for me, if I live worthy to receive His blessings. 

Meet Whitney Batty

Thank you for sharing Whitney! We are excited to get to know you.

I grew up in Price, Utah as a young child and then our family moved to Vernal, Utah while I was in middle school. After high school I went to CEU (in Price) for a year and then got accepted into the Weber State Radiology Tech outreach program back in Vernal. While I was there I was reintroduced to Trevor after his mission. We were married 8-9 months later in the Vernal, Utah Temple (2009). The following fall we moved to Provo where Trevor was finishing his degree at BYU. I was able to work while he went to school, which was a great blessing for our family! We had Claire (2 years old) two and a half weeks before we moved to AZ to attend Midwestern. It was quite the adventure! 

~If you had an hour of free time, what might we find you doing? 

Claire is actually a great napper, knock on wood, so usually you can find me scrapbooking, organizing, working on other projects around the house, or more recently napping myself :)

~Why is the gospel important to you? 

The gospel brings so much meaning and peace to my life. I am blessed immensely because of it.

~What are your following favorites?
Dessert - everything... especially if chocolate is involved!
Hobbies - scrapbooking, decorating, organizing, baking (sometimes), being creative, anything we do as a family
Season - in AZ? WINTER!!!
Scripture - 

   -Alma 37:37: Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

   -Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Hymn - I Believe in Christ, I Know that my Redeemer Lives, All Creatures of our God and King, If You Could Hie to Kolob, and the list could go on and on...

April Relief Society Meeting

We had a wonderful Relief Society Meeting this month. For those who missed it, sisters in our ward performed a musical modern day reenactment of the story of the Ten Virgins. Thank you to everyone who planned, prepared, cooked, and performed. It was such a beautiful evening.

Matthew 25:13 ^aWatch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Meet Amy Standage

Thank you for sharing Amy! We are excited to get to know you.

I'm a stay-at-home Mom, an occasional face-painter, and aspiring author. My husband is a student in the dental program at Midwestern (4th year, almost done!) and we have a 1 year old little boy named Caleb.

~If you had an hour of free time, what might we find you doing? An hour of free time... I'd probably be doing homework. Or writing. Or hanging out with my family.

~Share an experience that strengthened your testimony or why the gospel is important to you. I can't pin point only one experience that has strengthened my testimony. But the gospel is the most important thing in my life because it has made my family eternal. I'm forever grateful to my Savior for making it possible to have my family for all eternity.

~What are your following favorites? Dessert - chocolate chip cookies (can't. stop. eating. them) Hobbies - writing, reading, running, doing crafty things, and I love going to the movies but I never get to anymore. Season - Late fall/early winter Scripture - 2 Nephi 31:20 Hymn - If I had to pick only one: If You Could Hie to Kolob.

Meet Camille Bryant

Thank you for sharing Camille! We are excited to get to know you.

I grew up in southern Arizona in a small town called St. David. My husband is from there as well, and we will be moving back home in June after he graduates from Pharmacy school. I work full-time from home for a secondary marketing company that locks home loans. It is a convenient job that allows me to stay home with our son Remington. Remi is a sweet little one-year-old. 

If I had an hour of free time I would get off my computer and do something. Working from home I am glued to my laptop all day. (You can only scan through pinterest so many times in one day.) I would get outside or go somewhere like Target. Sometimes you just need to walk around Target for an hour. 

Dessert- Soft serve ice cream. Ritas, Froyo, Dairy queen, I'll even go with the $1 McDonalds cone.

Hobbies- DIY projects, sewing, music, crafting, and hiking. 

Season- I have never been able to answer this question. There are things I like/dislike about each season. Maybe I don't know because I grew up in AZ and there isn't really 4 seasons here. 

Scripture- Moroni 7:  45 And ^acharity suffereth long, and is ^bkind, and ^cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily ^dprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Hymn- Where Can I Turn for Peace

The gospel has really strengthened me throughout my life. I went through some tough experiences growing up and it was comforting to know that the gospel was always there. It never changes. Christ is always there to help you anytime, anywhere, through anything. The knowledge of the gospel has been a wonderful blessing in my life.