Tomorrow is my first French test. And while I could come out of it extremely joyous, pleased with my knowledge, and thrilled for my grade, my hopes aren't quite that optimistic. As such, I want to share with you my favorite bit of French linguistic "trivia", before I end up hating everything from french conjugation to french fries.
A few years ago, I picked up a French Hymn book, and at that moment, realized that the French use the "tutoyer form" (Tu, ton, tes, etc) to address Heavenly Father in prayer and praise, as opposed to the "vousvoyer form" (vous, vos, etc). The difference is simple: You use "Tutoyer" to address one person who you know quite intimately. A child, a peer, your parents, or your friends. You use "Vousvoyer" to address one person formally, such as a boss, teacher, or superior, or to address multiple people at once.
This BLEW MY MIND. It meant, basically, that the French address our Father in Heaven as our Father. He is our God, He is our Maker, and He is the literal Best of all. And yet, they address him as affectionately and personally as you would your friend, or your earthly father.
I've always loved that. I thought about it constantly, comparing it to the "we adress Heavenly Father formally, with respect" that we learn in Primary. I didn't stop using "Thee, Thine, Thou" in prayers, but did think about it...my attitude in praying changed, and my personal testimony and relationship with Heavenly Father quite honestly grew.
NOW are you ready to have YOUR Anglo-Saxon mind COMPLETELY BLOWN?
This morning in French, while reviewing for our test, our teacher reminded us the purpose of tutoyer vs. vousvoyer. He told us, "In modern English, we use "you" to mean both singular and plural, formal and informal. English speakers used to have two separate terms-" (I know what you're thinking. Thee, Thine, Thou is formal, right? WRONG!) "-'You' was only used for plural or formal addresses, and 'Thou' was used for singular, affectionate people."
Now you can clean your bits of brain off your keyboards, wipe the drool off your face, and be amazed with me. As we pray to Heavenly Father, using the language we've grown up using in the Church, we're not being overly formal. We're being incredibly personal! We address him in our prayers as our Father, Friend, and Helper. Who also happens to be Almighty God. We pray in utmost humility and worship him in our unworthy state, yes, but ask his loving favor as his children, who love him as a Father first.
Goodness Gracious. I just...wow. C: He is so...unbelievable. It's true, what He said, that every thing testifies of him. Even in the very language we use every day of our life. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have one Awesome God on our side.
"How Great Thou Art" can be found in the hymnal
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
We're Happy Together
Seeing as I haven’t updated my blog for nearly half a year, I would not be surprised if no one noticed the sudden change in background, layout, and header. If you haven’t, take a moment to scroll to the top of the screen, be fantastically impressed, and swoon in adoration.
This week is my third week at BYU (in case the T-shirt and cougar you were swooning over weren’t a big enough clue, I picked the Y for my Higher Learning), and by now I would consider myself “in the swing”. As such, I have run out of excuses as to why I should withhold the college freshman of 2010 experience from the world (especially since mine will probably be pretty different from most).
Today, I’m just going to introduce my lovely roommates. I have FIVE of them, so it will take long enough.
First of all, my camarade de chambre (The French are terribly lucky for to have only one phrase for bunkmate/person you share a bedroom with/and the ever awkward “person you sleep with”) is Tiffanie. Tiffanie and I have known each other for a terribly long time, becoming real friends around freshman year or so. She told me (I think Junior year) that her Dad had this lovely idea that we should room together at BYU. The idea kind of stuck, and VOILA. Now I get to see her lovely half-asian face every morning, night, and bizarre hour in between.
Tiffanie is a lovely, wonderful person. She’s honest, generous, and very humorous, and studying English. Last night, when we had both finished our homework and experienced the odd sensation of not needing to stay up until past midnight (but deciding to anyway), she helped me decide what the header should be, immortalizing our ugly brick wall and a few of our strange “decorations”. Beyond ideas, we also share meals often enough, and seem to be equal levels of messiness (A huge embarrassment for me as before college, her room was to the point where you literally could not see the floor. To have apparently sunk to her become her equal? I shudder at the thought!). She has a boyfriend, Connor, who visits us quite often. Okay, actually, who visits Tiffanie quite often. Connor is also from home, and he’s a really funny guy. Not my type, but that’s a very good thing, seeing as I shouldn’t be favoring my roommate’s man anyway!
Next door to us are the beautiful Aimee and Kaitlyn. They met during Spring/Summer semester as each other’s roommates. Although they never knew each other beforehand, their dorm clicked like lego bricks, and act as if they’ve been BFFs for life. Their other past roommate, Jenna, basically lives here. Launa visits often as well. And though she shares a name with my sworn nemesis, Lana Lang, she’s quite the opposite. I could spend forever explaining Launa’s zaniness, but she isn’t my cocolotaire, now is she? Nope! It’s nice that they attended over the spring/summer because they seem to know EvErYtHiNg.
Aimee is from Sandy or Murry or Lehi or some nearby UT city like that, and as such, her mother comes up to take her shopping/bring her things quite often. She’s studying Elementary Ed, along with about 14 other majors (okay, two, but STILL). And as crazy ambitious as she is, Aimee is very down-to-earth, and at the same time pretty darn hilarious. She’s also a genius at cooking and is around whenever anyone has questions in our kitchen. She rescued the hard-boiled explosion eggs, probably could have prevented the enchiladas-in-the-rice-cooker ordeal, and convinced me to not use an entire garlic when the recipe called for a clove. Who knew a garlic clove was those crazy bumps hugging the center of it? Aimee did!
Kaitlyn is a neverending spring of joy and laughter, I swear. She’s from New Mexico, and brings with her lovely personality a stunning array of enchiladas recipes. Kaitlyn is looking to go into the nursing program, which is crazy hard, by the way. She always has something hilarious to add to any conversation, and is just the sweetest girl I’ve met at BYU. She’ll be your friend before you even think about not liking her, and while the rest of my roommates are quickly becoming accustomed to my voice becoming white noise, she’ll often pipe up “Alaina, I would LOVE to hear whatever words you are saying”. Let me tell you, I do not hear that often enough!
Aaaaand at the end of the hall are Rorie and Rachelle. Neither of them knew each other (Aurora came to BYU knowing no one at all from home!), but if I ever see proof that you don’t make roommates by coincidence, that Heavenly Father sets us up with who we need (for better or for worse), it is these two ladies. They are soul sisters completely. I love going in their room (especially when Tiffanie is off gallivanting with Connor) because it is just such a friendly, content zone. There is so much confidence in their friendship, you could cut it with a knife.
Rorie hails from The United States, and is roommate #2 studying Elementary Ed. She is fantastically dedicated at all she does, and is such a great example and open girl. She always lets us know what’s up, and never fails to include herself. I wish I had that kind of spunk! Rorie somehow ended up with all the teachers at BYU that love to give readings and homework as if it was their job (oh WAIT!), and as such is often confined to read behind her books. And while she’d love to be going out more often, she still makes every moment like a party.
Then there’s Rachelle. Oh goodness, Rachelle. Who couldn’t love her? She’s from Oregon and, although she’s “of Latino decent”, we’ve all agreed Kaitlyn is more Mexican than Rachelle will ever be. She is the third and final Elementary Ed roommate, making it a full half-population in our lovely dorm. Rachelle is just plain hilarious. Anything she says is almost guaranteed to be funny, and she’s so easy to be friends with. Not to mention she seems to share an ice-cream addiction with me, so it’s nice to have someone to run to the Creamery with. (Be very proud! I’ve gone only twice so far! I’m shocked myself.)
I really, really love our roommates. So…much. Unlike most of my friends' rooms, we don’t seem to have any odd-ducks out, and we all get along famously. Of course, it’s possible that I’m the odd-duck out, but thus far, it doesn’t look that way. It’s a charming cast of characters, and we’re all pretty fond of each other. Hopefully, and you can stay tuned for to find out, this mutual appreciation won’t change anytime soon.
“Happy Together” was first recorded by The Turtles
This week is my third week at BYU (in case the T-shirt and cougar you were swooning over weren’t a big enough clue, I picked the Y for my Higher Learning), and by now I would consider myself “in the swing”. As such, I have run out of excuses as to why I should withhold the college freshman of 2010 experience from the world (especially since mine will probably be pretty different from most).
Today, I’m just going to introduce my lovely roommates. I have FIVE of them, so it will take long enough.
First of all, my camarade de chambre (The French are terribly lucky for to have only one phrase for bunkmate/person you share a bedroom with/and the ever awkward “person you sleep with”) is Tiffanie. Tiffanie and I have known each other for a terribly long time, becoming real friends around freshman year or so. She told me (I think Junior year) that her Dad had this lovely idea that we should room together at BYU. The idea kind of stuck, and VOILA. Now I get to see her lovely half-asian face every morning, night, and bizarre hour in between.
Tiffanie is a lovely, wonderful person. She’s honest, generous, and very humorous, and studying English. Last night, when we had both finished our homework and experienced the odd sensation of not needing to stay up until past midnight (but deciding to anyway), she helped me decide what the header should be, immortalizing our ugly brick wall and a few of our strange “decorations”. Beyond ideas, we also share meals often enough, and seem to be equal levels of messiness (A huge embarrassment for me as before college, her room was to the point where you literally could not see the floor. To have apparently sunk to her become her equal? I shudder at the thought!). She has a boyfriend, Connor, who visits us quite often. Okay, actually, who visits Tiffanie quite often. Connor is also from home, and he’s a really funny guy. Not my type, but that’s a very good thing, seeing as I shouldn’t be favoring my roommate’s man anyway!
Next door to us are the beautiful Aimee and Kaitlyn. They met during Spring/Summer semester as each other’s roommates. Although they never knew each other beforehand, their dorm clicked like lego bricks, and act as if they’ve been BFFs for life. Their other past roommate, Jenna, basically lives here. Launa visits often as well. And though she shares a name with my sworn nemesis, Lana Lang, she’s quite the opposite. I could spend forever explaining Launa’s zaniness, but she isn’t my cocolotaire, now is she? Nope! It’s nice that they attended over the spring/summer because they seem to know EvErYtHiNg.
Aimee is from Sandy or Murry or Lehi or some nearby UT city like that, and as such, her mother comes up to take her shopping/bring her things quite often. She’s studying Elementary Ed, along with about 14 other majors (okay, two, but STILL). And as crazy ambitious as she is, Aimee is very down-to-earth, and at the same time pretty darn hilarious. She’s also a genius at cooking and is around whenever anyone has questions in our kitchen. She rescued the hard-boiled explosion eggs, probably could have prevented the enchiladas-in-the-rice-cooker ordeal, and convinced me to not use an entire garlic when the recipe called for a clove. Who knew a garlic clove was those crazy bumps hugging the center of it? Aimee did!
Kaitlyn is a neverending spring of joy and laughter, I swear. She’s from New Mexico, and brings with her lovely personality a stunning array of enchiladas recipes. Kaitlyn is looking to go into the nursing program, which is crazy hard, by the way. She always has something hilarious to add to any conversation, and is just the sweetest girl I’ve met at BYU. She’ll be your friend before you even think about not liking her, and while the rest of my roommates are quickly becoming accustomed to my voice becoming white noise, she’ll often pipe up “Alaina, I would LOVE to hear whatever words you are saying”. Let me tell you, I do not hear that often enough!
Aaaaand at the end of the hall are Rorie and Rachelle. Neither of them knew each other (Aurora came to BYU knowing no one at all from home!), but if I ever see proof that you don’t make roommates by coincidence, that Heavenly Father sets us up with who we need (for better or for worse), it is these two ladies. They are soul sisters completely. I love going in their room (especially when Tiffanie is off gallivanting with Connor) because it is just such a friendly, content zone. There is so much confidence in their friendship, you could cut it with a knife.
Rorie hails from The United States, and is roommate #2 studying Elementary Ed. She is fantastically dedicated at all she does, and is such a great example and open girl. She always lets us know what’s up, and never fails to include herself. I wish I had that kind of spunk! Rorie somehow ended up with all the teachers at BYU that love to give readings and homework as if it was their job (oh WAIT!), and as such is often confined to read behind her books. And while she’d love to be going out more often, she still makes every moment like a party.
Then there’s Rachelle. Oh goodness, Rachelle. Who couldn’t love her? She’s from Oregon and, although she’s “of Latino decent”, we’ve all agreed Kaitlyn is more Mexican than Rachelle will ever be. She is the third and final Elementary Ed roommate, making it a full half-population in our lovely dorm. Rachelle is just plain hilarious. Anything she says is almost guaranteed to be funny, and she’s so easy to be friends with. Not to mention she seems to share an ice-cream addiction with me, so it’s nice to have someone to run to the Creamery with. (Be very proud! I’ve gone only twice so far! I’m shocked myself.)
I really, really love our roommates. So…much. Unlike most of my friends' rooms, we don’t seem to have any odd-ducks out, and we all get along famously. Of course, it’s possible that I’m the odd-duck out, but thus far, it doesn’t look that way. It’s a charming cast of characters, and we’re all pretty fond of each other. Hopefully, and you can stay tuned for to find out, this mutual appreciation won’t change anytime soon.
“Happy Together” was first recorded by The Turtles
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