New Job

I got another job (because I'm not nearly busy enough: I still sleep at night)

It's actually pretty amazing. My church (click here) is pretty awesome but some people don't know that. So the church headquarters in Salt Lake City have created this campaign called "I am a Mormon." At it's most basic level, it's mini documentaries about Mormons all over the world. It's used to help people understand that we don't eat our young or worship seagulls. Just the normal crazy stuff like no coffee and three hours of church on Sundays. By portraying people doing normal things, they're helping to make Mormons less mysterious and more inviting.

Pretty awesome, right? Right! My job, then, is to call these potential subjects and get to know them. I interview them for an hour or so and come up with a good angle that the producers can take with them. I've had the job for exactly one week and have already done four interviews and have two more set up.

At first I was really nervous. I hate talking on the phone and words that are so clear in my mind often come out as "blsgrebfwnnuuuuhhhhh...." Not cute. But these people are so amazing. I ask one question and they just open up to me. Everything from scuba divers to farmers in New Zealand. They have amazing and inspiring stories. One woman made me cry when she told me about the obstacles she faced when adopting her daughter from China. Another couple told me about all the times they've almost died but through miracles were saved. I'm realizing that people are awesome. And not it the "dude, you're awesome, bra" kind of way. In a way that actually inspires awe. One woman visits orphanages in Thailand every year and raises thousands of dollars for them. Her story is incredible, but so is the man's who wakes up every morning at 4 am to milk his cows, run his farm, and then goes to the school board meeting.

I've said before that I hate people, but that's a lie. These friends (which they feel like and are... on facebook) are reminding me that there is good all around. We don't have to be bogged down by the negativity that is out there. Hurray for wonderful humans who talk to me, and hurray for the comapany that pays me to to do it. And hurray for the Church that brings them all together!