10 Simple Dates In Rexburg

1. Adopt a Dog for a Day
     Visit the Rexburg Animal Shelter located 490 W 4th N and walk
     the dogs. Open Fridays 12pm-1pm, 3pm-6pm

2. Miniature Golf
     Play miniature golf indoors with a children’s plastic golf set
     around campus on the weekend.

3. D.I. and Picture Scavenger Hunt Challenge
     Buy your date an outfit from D.I. and go on a picture scavenger
     hunt. Great for double dates.
     Here are some ideas to start you off:
         - Human pyramid.
         - Arm wrestling competition with another couple.
         - Shaking a man's hand that has a beard.
         - Filling up a person's car with gas and washing their
           windshield.
  
4. Romney Planetarium
     Look for the man in the moon, constellations, and planets. Visit the BYUI website
     http://www.byui.edu/planetarium/calendar for hours and public shows.

5. Dinner Scramble
     Blind fold your date and have them pick 3 food items, from the store or from your cabinet. Make
     dinner from the items chosen.

6. Media Night
     Make a movie together. Find odd props around the house, then come up with a creative plot to act
     out.

7. Designer  Tee Shirts
     Design a t-shirt for each other from a plain shirt and wear it to dinner, an intramural game, or
     movie.

8. Ice Cream Sculptures
     Create sculptures out of ice cream. Use toppings to add character.

9. Italian Dinner
     Make home-made pizzas and bread sticks over candle light.

10. Lost City Laser Tag at The Craze
     Open Fri-Sat 12pm-midnight
     $5 per game

http://www.niftydateideas.com/Pages/Indoor-Date-Ideas.html
http://www.byuidating.com/rexburg-date-ideas-that-are-fun/

Creativity: A Spiritual Process

As a child growing up on Long Island, New York, Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles learned many lessons from his parents. He particularly recalls one experience when his father taught him about establishing the proper atmosphere for creativity.

“Father was a commercial artist for a large advertising agency in New York City,” Elder Hales explains. “On one occasion he was under tremendous stress to produce an advertising campaign. He had come home on a Friday evening and worked most of the night. Saturday morning, after a few hours working in the yard, he retired to his studio to create an advertising campaign for a new product.

“My sister and I found great delight in chasing each other round and round the dining room table, which was situated in a room directly over his head. He had told us to please stop at least twice, but to no avail. This time he came bounding up the steps and collared me. He sat me down and taught a great lesson. He did not yell or strike me even though he was very annoyed.

“He explained the creative process, the spiritual process, if you will, and the need for quiet pondering and getting close to the Spirit for his creativity to function. Because he took time to explain and help me understand, I learned a lesson that has been put to use almost daily in my life.”

Steps for Increasing Creativity

Elder Hales says: “The process of creative thinking reminds me time and again of the work we used to do on my uncle’s ranch. The steps used in growing crops offer a good guideline:

“Prepare the soil. Start with prayer to clear your mind and set the proper atmosphere. Research the problem thoroughly. Develop a positive attitude that a solution can be found. Establish an atmosphere of trust in yourself and in others.

“Plant the seeds. Investigate what you can do to help. Determine where you may need help. Ask for counsel when you are ready to act on the advice given to you, but don’t ask someone else to make the decision for you.

“Let the seeds grow. Don’t uproot your idea before it has a chance to grow. Back off and give the idea time to develop. But you must be willing to face failure with a willingness to try again.

“Examine your crops. Weed out ideas that don’t belong. Through obedience to the Lord, you are entitled to inspiration. Review D&C 9:7–9. Inspiration comes when we ask if we have made a correct decision.

“Harvest. The most productive farmers in the world would be unsuccessful if they didn’t harvest their crops. Do something about your ideas. Take the initiative to share your thoughts with others and to take action on your own.”

Content for this article came from: lds.org

Making Time for Nutrition

How can you eat a nutritious diet with a hectic schedule? Running from place to place doesn’t leave a lot of time to think about eating healthy. We set out to discover innovative ways to eat healthy on a busy schedule.

Stock your house with only healthy foods. When you are busy and have junk food lying around, it is easy to pick up and run out the door while munching. Replace all these foods with fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, cottage cheese and yogurt.  If you do not have access to unhealthy foods, it will be impossible to eat them.
 
Plan ahead. Prepare food ahead of time. Separate food into easy to grab bags. This can help you control your portion sizes as well. Below is a list of examples of healthy snacks that are good for sticking in your bag on the way out the door on a demanding day.

• Almonds
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Peppers
• Sandwiches
• Granola bars
• Bananas
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Applesauce
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Pretzels
• Dried fruit

• Baked chips
• Trail-mix
• Wraps
• Cereal
• Granola
• Low-fat beef jerky
• Oranges
• Pistachios
• Pita chips
• Veggies and dressing
• Popcorn
• Snap peas
• Cranberries
• Oatmeal

Buy frozen fruit and vegetables. In the winter months when fresh fruits and vegetables are not in season, buy them frozen. They last longer and are cheaper than fresh options during those months.

Freeze your leftovers. Another great option for to-go food is frozen meals. Freeze individual portions of leftovers when you make large meals. This often is healthier than store bought or fast food options. If you know there will be a microwave available to you then this is an option for hot meals. Since these meals were originally frozen then they are able to keep themselves cold for some time until you are able to eat them.

Creative and Convenient Meals

Pack a potato. One creative option is to pack a raw potato. Potatoes are easily microwaved but be sure to poke holes in the potato with a fork so steam can be released. Many microwaves have a potato cooking function to simplify this process. Add toppings to make it a flavorful meal.

Add frozen fruit to your yogurt. If you add frozen fruit such as mixed berries to plain yogurt, then the frozen fruit will keep the yogurt cold for a few hours until it can be eaten.

Instant Avocado Dip. Mash a ripe avocado in the peel with a fork and season with lime or lemon juice, and salt. Then you can use it as a dip for raw veggies or crackers.

Make and freeze smoothies in advance. If you stick them in your lunch bag pre-frozen then they can be used as an icepack for the rest of your food. By the time you eat it then it will be unthawed enough to drink it.

Pre-made salads. Salads can be prepared ahead of time as long as you wait to add salad dressing. You can stick a separate container with dressing in your bag and you are good to go.

Learning to Overcome Shyness

As a young child I was very shy. Although as I have grown older I have outgrown the need to hide behind my mother, I still find myself to be reserved especially when meeting new people. Below are some tips to help people like me overcome shyness and reach out of their comfort zone to improve interpersonal skills which are so important in today’s world.

Introduce yourself. This sounds basic but many people are afraid to take the first step. Our little shy alter-ego tells us at this point that no one wants to know our name and we should just keep quiet. I can guarantee that a big smile and a simple “my name’s blank, what’s yours” will be all you’ll need to get the ball rolling. Do it straight away because the longer you wait the harder it will be.

Don’t feel the need to qualify yourself.    

A humble but accurate description when asked is all that is needed, and if you make people feel good about themselves that’s the best social qualifier of all. We’ve all been in a situation where a new acquaintance has gone to great pains to express just how great they are. Whether it’s how fantastic their job is, how much money they have or how hot their girlfriend is, it never leaves a good impression.

Ask more, talk less. People love to talk about themselves.  Ask the questions that let them talk about their lives. And then listen with interest. Simple as that.

Remember detail. Everyone wants to feel special, and we’re all looking for someone else to give us evidence that we are. If you’ve met someone before, remembering their name and just one detail about them will be the greatest gift you can give them. For help with this check out our article How to Increase Your Ability to Remember Names.

Compliment others. I’m not suggesting you compliment someone for the sake of it, but if you genuinely like something then go ahead and tell them! Everyone loves a compliment, they start conversations and they give people confidence.

Think of others. When in social situations stop thinking about yourself and think about the other people there. If someone wants to join your conversation then make it easy for them. Help the host with serving or clearing away. Introduce people to one another. In short, get out of your own head and make sure others are having a good time.

http://zenhabits.net/eight-essential-tips-to-overcoming-shyness-and-making-a-good-impression/

Common Myths of Weight Loss

Since weight loss is such an important topic in today’s society there have been many myths about weight loss that have developed in everyday conversation. Perhaps you are familiar with some of these myths.

Skipping Meals. A common myth is that skipping meals will help you to lose weight. Eating less food should lead to weight loss right? Wrong. The National Institutes of Health’s Weight Control Information Network reports that skipping meals-particularly breakfast- and eating fewer meals in the day is linked to heavier weight than people who eat small meals four or five times a day including breakfast.

Water Will Help You Lose Weight. One of the most common weight loss myths has to do with drinking water. While drinking adequate water is a healthy habit, and provides for your body, it will not take place of nutrients in food or help you to lose fat. Drinking water doesn’t boost your metabolism, since it doesn’t have any calories. It is not wise to try to lose weight by drinking lots of water without eating food. Your body will still need energy that it gets from food and you will likely be very hungry.

Never Eat After 8P.M. There are lots of different versions of this myth, each giving different times in the evening. Many people believe that calories that are consumed in the evening will turn into fat while you are sleeping. It isn’t when you eat but what you eat and how much you eat that causes you to gain weight.

Fat Burning Foods. Many people believe that if you consume fat burning foods in large amounts you will be able to burn more fat. Many fad diets are based off of this idea of fat burning foods, such as grapefruit, celery, cabbage soup, etc. While these foods do contain essential vitamins and minerals, they can’t speed up your metabolism or cause you to burn more fat.

Eat High-protein, Low-carb. Many fad diets such as the Adkins diet, tell us that we should be eating high-protein, and low-carb diets. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, a diet that focuses on high-protein foods and strictly reduces the number of grains, fruits, and vegetables consumed provide unbalanced nutrition that result in weight loss only short termed because of restriction.  In the long term this kind of diet can result in a number of health conditions including high cholesterol, increased heart disease risk, and kidney disease. Also, it is reported that when compared to low-fat dieters, low carb dieters lose weight quicker but will also gain it back in six months and end up heavier than they were before they started the diet.

Go Vegetarian to Lose Weight. It is also very common for those who are trying to lose weight to hear that if they eat a vegetarian diet then they will lose weight. While vegetarians overall do tend to consume fewer calories and less fat than non-vegetarians, it is not true that switching to a vegetarian diet will cause you to lose the weight. There are many ways to eat high-calorie and high fat foods while being a vegetarian. As with every aspect of weight loss it is important to focus on what you are eating, how much of it you eat and that you engage in regular physical activity.

Be aware that what you hear may not always be true about weight loss. Do your research before changing your lifestyle to fit these types of myths. Not everything that you read or see is true; make sure you can find credible sources for the information before you apply it to your life.

Preparing for Missionary Service

Since the founding of the church in 1830, over 1.1 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have served full time missions throughout the world. The number of missionaries that are serving has increased in recent years and is anticipated to rise significantly with this new announcement.   

Elder Holland said that the time spent by new missionaries at the church's 15 Missionary Training Centers will be cut by one-third for all missionaries. He stated that due to this change, prospective missionaries “will be asked to enhance their pre-mission preparation, including total personal worthiness supplemented by gospel study (especially the Book of Mormon), seminary and Institute classes, and systematic study of Preach My Gospel.” Young men and women should be intimately familiar with Preach My Gospel before they get to the MTC. Making it a regular part of gospel study is encouraged.

“Elder Holland said parents need to help their children prepare for missionary service.” A great deal of missionary preparation should take place within the home. With the recent age change and consequently shorter stays in MTCs, parents have a great responsibility to make sure that their children are prepared and worthy to serve. Parents should be constantly striving to teach their children gospel principles and help them in learning to recognize the Spirit. 

Missionary service is a wonderful opportunity to be a tool in the Lord’s hands. President Monson states, “Courage is the word we need to hear and hold near our hearts-courage to turn our backs on temptation, courage to lift up the voices in testimony to all whom we meet, remembering that everyone must have an opportunity to hear the message. “ We pray that those who are willing and preparing to serve will be blessed in their efforts.

If you are planning on serving a mission check out the Student Health Center page regarding mission physicals. Click here for more information.

Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Plan ahead. Before you go shopping, plan your menu for the week. Doing this will limit the trips you need to make to the grocery store, as well as reduce your urge to make frequent impulse buys.

 

Use what you have. This goes right along with planning ahead. If you are better able to use what you have without letting food go to waste additional money will be saved and you won’t waste gas on an avoidable trip to the grocery store.

 

Find alternatives. The next time you go to the grocery store, hang on to your receipt and circle the most expensive items. Then, consider lower-cost alternatives for those items in your planning for your next shopping trip.

 

Skip prepared and convenience foods. Save money by making your own food. For example, premade salads and sandwiches are much more expensive than buying ingredients for salads or sandwiches and making them yourself. Making your own fresh foods generally doesn’t take much time either.

 

Look up and down. Items which tend to be more expensive usually are commonly placed at eye-level. When you're shopping, look down or up for cheaper items such as generic brand items. Most generic brand items, especially in canned goods are cheaper than the name-brand equivalents.

 

Skip buying personal-care products at the grocery store. Unless you do your grocery shopping at a supercenter, you're better off buying shampoo, toothpaste, cotton balls and other personal-care products at a drugstore or dollar store, where they're cheaper.

 

Stock up. It is recommended to stock up on items which you would regularly buy when they go on sale. If the item has a long shelf life (or if you have room to freeze it), buy several and score big savings.

 

Check unit prices. Most stores often display a unit price for items. This price typically shows how much you're paying per ounce and can point you to the better deal. For some items, you'll get a better deal buying several smaller packages rather than one large package. This is why you should always look at unit price to get the best deal.

 

Buy in season or frozen. Save by buying fruits and vegetables when they're in season. When they are out of season they can cost twice as much. Buying frozen veggies also can be a big money saver, especially considering they won't go bad if you don't eat them within a week.

Enhancing Spiritual Communication

Life often confronts us with difficult decisions that cause us to become reliant on spiritual communication with God. Elder Richard G. Scott teaches us how to better enhance our spiritual interaction.

Fast, Pray and Seek. “When I am faced with a very difficult matter, this is how I try to understand what to do. I fast. I pray to find and understand scriptures that will be helpful. That process is cyclical. I start reading a passage of scripture; I ponder what the verse means and pray for inspiration. I then ponder and pray to know if I have captured all the Lord wants me to do. Often more impressions come with increased understanding of doctrine. I have found that pattern to be a good way to learn from the scriptures.”

Avoid Anger. “…yielding to emotions such as anger or hurt or defensiveness will drive away the Holy Ghost. Those emotions must be eliminated, or our chance for receiving revelation is slight.”

Be Careful with Humor. “Another principle is to be cautious with humor. Loud, inappropriate laughter will offend the Spirit. A good sense of humor helps revelation; loud laughter does not. A sense of humor is an escape valve for the pressures of life.”

Use Quiet Speech. “Another enemy to revelation comes from exaggeration or loudness in what is stated. Careful, quiet speech will favor the receipt of revelation.”

Use Good Health Practices. “…spiritual communication can be enhanced by good health practices. Exercise, reasonable amounts of sleep, and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive and understand revelation. We will live for our appointed life span. However, we can improve both the quality of our service and our well-being by making careful, appropriate choices.”

Avoid Distraction. “It is important that our daily activities do not distract us from listening to the Spirit.”

Through improving our spiritual communication with God, we will be better able to make correct decisions and develop a better relationship with Him.

*Quotes taken from Richard G. Scott’s, “How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for your Personal Life“, April 2012 General Conference

How to Increase Your Ability to Remember Names

Remembering the name of someone you have just met takes a conscious, consistent effort. You must make a commitment to remember their name. You can remember names if you want to and work at it.

Concentrate. When they tell you their name initially, focus on it. If you miss it or find a few seconds later that you've already forgotten it, say "I'm sorry, I missed your name. Can you give it to me again?" If you still have trouble with it, say, "I'm sorry, but would you spell that out for me?" After getting a grip on the name, focus to get a clear, detailed impression of the person. The more vividly you observe a person's physical characteristics, the more likely you are to remember them. By paying closer attention to the details around you, you will increase your skills of observation, improve your eye contact and increase your ability to remember the person.

Repeat. Repetition helps engrave the name in your memory. When you first hear the name, use it immediately, then repeat it silently to yourself. Use the name at least three times in your initial conversation. Do your best to use it occasionally in the conversation without overdoing it, and then use it again when leaving.

Associate. Associate their name with a unique feature of that person, such as a facial feature or physical attribute of some sort. It’s best to use something that is likely to be a permanent feature versus something that might change, like an article of clothing or piece of jewelry. Link the name and feature, and then visualize the connection.

Get Creative. Create a picture in your mind. What’s unique about that person? Make up a story about them in your mind, or create a rhythm that will help you remember that person’s name. 

Exercise Your Brain. Consistently exposing the brain to new things improves the brain’s ability to search and retrieve information efficiently. Similar to building muscle strength, the best way to strengthen memory is to provide the brain with regular work outs. Things such as a daily word search or a crossword puzzle, starting a new hobby, learning a foreign language or picking up a new musical instrument can help. These are all things that involve the brain thinking in new ways. They will not only improve memory, but overall brain health. 

All it takes to remember names is time and energy. It makes people feel important when you remember their name, and it opens the door to successful relationships.