american soil never looked so good.

I returned to the United States just over a week ago and was so grateful to be back in the presence of the people I love the most. And I was excited to put these purchases to good use...


Thanks for your love and support. I truly felt of your strength even on the other side of the world.

Reflections on my Experience in Amman:
"On the first day of clinical at the University of Jordan Hospital, seven bright-eyed BYU students stepped onto the medical-surgical floors to discover that we, the Americans, were under scrupulous watch. Our every move was being watched and critiqued. Many of the Jordanians questioned our motives and resisted our foreign techniques or ideas concerning patient care. It was a rough environment in which to be immersed. Against my natural man instinct to fight against this opposition and want to prove my skills and knowledge acquired in an American nursing school, I instead turned to my Father in Heaven. During the first week, faith, reading the scriptures, praying, and clinging to the spirit were the things that helped me to endure the week. Through this reliance on the Lord, I was prompted to humble myself, continue to extend friendship, love the nursing students, staff, and patients, and listen to the spirit. Furthermore, I realized that my role as a nurse is the same no matter whether I am in the United States or in the Middle East. In fact, the Book of Mormon teaches that “God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth” (Alma 26:37). As the Savior accomplished his mission and touched the lives of thousands during his mortal ministry despite scrutiny, I could do the same and touch the lives of my Jordanian patients. With Christ as my example, His light in my life, and my ability to touch people’s lives as a practitioner of the Healer’s art, I knew I could improve patient’s well being and satisfaction even in the face of hardship of people doubting my abilities. I set out the next clinical week convinced that I would be the vehicle for Heavenly Father to let his beloved children in the University of Jordan Hospital know that God was aware of them and to bring His healing power to their lives. Whether it was by a dressing change, human touch, talking to someone for a few moments, a smile, laughter, or changing the bed linens, I was determined to let the Healer’s art work through me. I would be undeterred by questioning eyes to bring the message of love to the bedside. As the clinical days continued, I observed that as my approach changed from proving my nursing knowledge to letting the light of the Healer shine through me, the Jordanian nursing students, staff, and patients began to change their outlooks toward me as well to one of greater compassion and love for a fellow healthcare worker. Through this entire process I learned the reality of the principle taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. In this chapter, Christ teaches that a key to true discipleship is treating others with love and respect despite racial, political, or religious differences. In the same respect, to be a true practitioner of the Healer’s art, it is required that care and compassion be given to all people despite differences. Consequently these two interweaving thoughts caused me to see and remember that the Healer’s art is a selfless practice of love and compassion to all people in all nations and of all cultures as if my hands were His hands."