The Knight Dragon vs. the Sandstorm - Heroes & Villains [1.3]

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Roger ran through the streets of the city, his body only a gray blur as he moved. His power was speed. He could run a mile in five seconds. Roger always joked though that his real power was controlling his speed. It was what helped him excel in track in high school and college with no one ever figuring out about his powers. It all lead to his current career as the track coach at the very same high school he had attended as a teenager. He was a legend there and proud of it. Roger came to an abrupt halt right beside Ben in his Knight Dragon suit. The suburban street around them was scattered with sand piles. Ben glanced over at him, seeing Roger’s new suit for the first time. Roger’s suit was a light gray with a thin black line down the sides. The fabric hugged his lean frame. He wore a hood and mask, shielding his identity.

“Nice suit,” Ben said, his voice distorted from the mic Ellie had put in his own suit. Roger looked down at himself.

“That girl you found is pretty talented,” Roger asked, his voice also distorted. “We should bring her around more often.” Roger winked. Ben rolled his eyes.

“You still think I have a crush on her, that’s the only reason you want her around.” Ben retorted. Roger grinned.

“I’m a hopeless romantic, what can I say?” Roger said with a shrug.

“Well, she apparently has a boyfriend,” Ben said sourly. Roger’s smile widened.

“And you’re so irritated by this, why?” Roger asked.  Ben cleared his throat.

“So the villain we’re facing tonight is named ‘Sandy’ Burton. Nickname, that's not his actual name.” Ben said, ignoring Roger’s question. “He takes the dust and dirt around him and can control it, turn it into different objects or just create a mess, which is why we were called in. He’s currently attacking his ex-girlfriend’s house and he’s put quite a few people in danger already.”

“How’s the girlfriend?” Roger asked, switching effortlessly into a controlled and concentrated superhero, his teasing smile vanishing.

“Soon to be drowning in sand.” Ben winced. “Our objective is to get anyone in danger out of there and take Sandy into custody.” Roger nodded.

The Knight Dragon vs. His New Suit - Heroes & Villains [1.2]

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Ben Baker stood at the top of the parking garage leaning against the low wall, gulping down an energy drink. Beside him, his best friend Roger Adams was leaning over the edge looking down. Ben was impatiently tapping his foot and looking down at his watch. The air was cool, a slight breeze blowing through the dark night air. The city was quiet with sleep. It was three in the morning and no one and nothing seemed awake but them.

“So what’s she like?” Roger asked suddenly looking up at Ben. Ben turned to him, the corner of his mouth fighting back a smile as he thought about his first encounter with Eleanor Washington. He hadn’t known what to expect when he called her into his office. He knew her background and nothing more. Ellie was a whirlwind of smiles, fast talking, and awkward comments, but Ben couldn’t get his interview with her out of his head. He had never met anyone like Eleanor Washington.

“She talks a lot,” Ben replied, figuring it was the best way to sum her up. Roger frowned.

“Perfect. That’s what you need for someone who knows about your secret.”

“She won’t tell,” Ben said confidently. “She’s smart, probably the smartest person Bakersfield has in their employment. Did you know she invented the Wonder Key? Her name isn’t on any of the patents and you have to do a ton of research to find her name connected to it at all, but she did. She admitted it to me.”

“She should sue if someone took her idea,” Roger commented.

“I don’t think she cares,” Ben said, sounding amazed. “She’s brilliant but she specifically applied for the data entry job instead of a higher up one she’s more than qualified for. She doesn’t seem to care about getting recognition, which is exactly what we need if she’s joining our team.”

“True.”

“And she’s loyal.”

“You’ve met her once.” Roger rolled his eyes. “You really think you can judge loyalty from one meeting?” Ben looked back down at his watch, not registering the time, just wanting to look away from Roger.

“I trust her.” Ben replied. Roger looked over Ben with curiosity for a moment.

“I get it,” Roger said. “She’s pretty and you have a crush on her.” Ben turned to him quickly.

“That’s not what it is,” Ben said. Roger grinned.

Thoughts On General Conference October 2016

Hello friends! I'm feeling really emotional today. Maybe it's my cold that's already making my eyes (and nose) water or that it's October or that my birthday is coming up or that it's General Conference or that I cannot tell you the last time I cried (that's a literal achievement). There's a lot going on. So this post is basically pouring out my heart.

This weekend is General Conference. I remember last October conference very well. I went on a trip with my family to St. George. We listened to the sessions while driving and went to a musical at Tuacahn. Oh. And I was pregnant.

My mom took me shopping in St. George and bought me some maternity clothes. We had talked a lot about my future child and how excited we all were for it. My baby was the first grandchild in the family and all of us were so excited to welcome them into the family.

But... as fate would have it, a few weeks later my baby stopped growing. It took a couple weeks for me to realize and on my birthday on November 4th, I had a surgical procedure to remove the fetus from my body.

I was no longer pregnant. I no longer had a child. My parents were no longer going to be grandparents. And I was no longer going to be a mother.

It sucked. And that's putting it extremely lightly.

My whole plan for my life had collapsed. I was lost and I didn't know what to do. The next year of my life had been planned around being a mother and now...

When April General Conference rolled around I barely registered it. I'm pretty sure I had it playing in the background of my apartment but I didn't pay attention. April Conference had landed the week before my baby was supposed to be due.

I was angry and bitter. I was horribly depressed. I was in pieces. I was confused. I was lost. I didn't have friends or anyone to talk to. I felt so alone and helpless.

I had prayed every day of my pregnancy that my baby would be safe. And I prayed for a few weeks after my miscarriage that I would be comforted. And then I just stopped.

I don't remember what triggered it, my return to the gospel. I think all it took was one more prayer. One prayer asking my Father in Heaven for help.

I started going to church again. I started (occasionally) praying again. I started making an effort to take control of my life.

This weekend, listening to General Conference I'm reminded how blessed we are to hear the words of God through modern day prophets. I believe, with all my heart, that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet called of God. The messages that he shares with us each conference are the words of God, the words we need to hear most.

I'm not perfect. I still make so many mistakes. I have things to repent for and changes to make. I don't consistently pray or read my scriptures.  I still have work to do to get my testimony stronger. I still struggle now and again, those feelings of anger coming back to me. But God has never once given up on me and I would be crazy to ever give up on Him.

I'm not a perfect member of the church, nor do I think anyone really is. But I know that this church is true and as long as I center my life around God, then I know I'm in a better place.

I love General Conference and I urge each of you, members or not, to watch the Sunday sessions and see what you can take from it. There's so much information, but as long as you take one small thing from it, then its done it's job.

Never give up on God. Because he will never give up on you.

If you would like information on General Conference or the LDS church in general, you can visit www.mormon.org. You can also send me an email at thedancingcowblogger@gmail.com and I would be happy to send you a Book of Mormon.

Eleanor Washington vs. the Interview - Heroes & Villians [1.1]

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Eleanor Washington stepped off the elevator onto the top floor of the office building, her red heels clicking on the marble floors as she made her way over to the receptionist’s desk. The older woman behind the desk was typing slowly on her keyboard, her body hunched over to stare down at the keys. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into a small ponytail just above her neck, a few fly-aways framing her face. Ellie placed a hand on the desk and tapped her black painted fingernails against the wood.

“Hi, how are you?” Ellie asked with her usual enthusiasm. The secretary looked up at her, eyeing Ellie’s dyed, Cherry Coke red hair and black nails with disdain. Ellie hesitated, waiting for an answer that never came. Ellie glanced towards the woman’s badge hanging from her neck. “Hey, Wilma,  I was told by my supervisor to come up here.”

“Name?” Wilma droned, adjusting her glasses on her nose.

“Eleanor Washington.” Ellie replied. “But I go by Ellie. Eleanor is too long a name.”  Wilma perked up.

“Oh yes, Mr. Baker will be happy to see you,” She said. Ellie frowned, her whole body freezing. “Please take a seat and…”

“Mr. Baker?” Ellie interrupted. “As in the CEO?”

“No, his son.” Wilma said giving Ellie a disgusted look.

“So, the next CEO.” Ellie said, still frowning. Wilma smirked, clearly amused by the horrified expression on Ellie’s face.

“Yes, the younger Mr. Baker. Please take a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.” Ellie backed away from the desk slowly and moved to sit in one of the many large arm chairs against the wall. Ellie kept her eyes on the secretary, waiting for Wilma to call her back and say it was all a joke. This had to be a joke. Ellie worked for one of the largest technological and engineering companies in the country, but she only worked data entry - she was basically a nobody in the scheme of things. Meeting with the CEO of the company couldn’t be real. It had to be some kind of prank.

One of the two office doors behind the secretary’s desk opened inward, and Benjamin Baker leaned out. Ellie stopped breathing for a minute. He was just as handsome as the press had always made him out to be. Ellie was born and raised in Apple Creek, and the Baker family practically owned this town. She had always known about Benjamin, the second eldest son in the Baker family; though, despite working for their family’s company, she had never once seen him in person before. The Bakers were one of the richest families in the country and were on the cover of every paper and magazine that made its way through Apple Creek. Since a young age, Ellie had always adored Ben, finding him the most attractive (and closest to her age) of the three Baker sons. She had spent all of middle school crushing on him. Despite no longer being fourteen, seeing Benjamin Baker in person was one of the most intimidating experiences of her life.

“Eleanor?” Benjamin smiled towards her. Ellie couldn’t help but smile hearing his voice say her name. Even his voice was attractive. She wondered idly if he had any unattractive characteristics. She needed a few to keep her heart rate down. She wasn’t in middle school anymore, her life was different now. She couldn’t react like this. Not with him.