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My heart is so full. 💜

Today, I got to read my book, The Power of You, to the sweetest kiddos at Valley Academy. Thank you to the teachers and administrators for welcoming @misswashingtoncounty.ut and me into your school and letting us spend time with these amazing kids. 🥹💜

This book means the world to me because it’s my story. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was just 5 years old, and for a long time, I thought it was something that would hold me back. I never imagined that something I once saw as a stumbling block would become a catalyst for my own success.

As I stood there reading today, I couldn’t help but think about the little girl I used to be, sitting in a classroom and feeling alone in her diagnosis. If I could go back and tell that little girl one thing, it would be this: We did it. 💜

I could not be more proud to say those words. “You are strong, you are loved, and there is so much power in being you!” — The Power of You 💜

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A little pumpkin patch magic with my favorite crown on.🎃👑❤️🍂

Miss Red Mountain reporting for pumpkin season! 🧡

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There was a time in my life when I felt completely lost. I was tired, hurting, and felt like I couldn’t take another day. I couldn’t see past the pain I was in or imagine what life could look like on the other side of it.

But somehow, I stayed.

Looking back now, I can see the people, circumstances, and miracles that helped me through that season. Things I didn’t understand at the time, but that I see so differently now. I truly believe I was given another chance.

“Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.”

That song has always meant something different to me because I know what it feels like to need mercy, to need hope, and to simply hold on.

Years later, I can say with my whole heart:

“I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.”

He truly is the miracle that rescued me. 💜

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I’ve been feeling extra grateful for my family lately. 🤍

With this weekend’s General Conference, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about how easy it is to get caught up in everything going on and forget to slow down and appreciate the people right in front of us.

I’m so grateful for my family and for all the little moments we get to share. The laughs, the conversations, the memories, and even the hard moments that bring us closer. I don’t ever want to take any of it for granted.

There is something really special about knowing that the people we love can be part of our lives forever. 🤍

Feeling especially thankful for my people today. 💜 @momstack2017 , I think it’s time for some new family photos. 😂

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This last week I had the opportunity to compete in @mamelemountains in Soldier Hollow. It was hard, my body is definitely still feeling it, but it was so good.

The highest point of the trail run had 1,526 feet of elevation gain. When I first saw the mountain ahead of me, I remember thinking, “I can’t do this.”

But then I realized I had two choices. I could give up before I even tried, or I could choose to speak positively to myself and keep going. So I told myself, “I can do hard things,” put on my “Go Get It Girl” playlist, and started climbing.

The mountain didn’t suddenly become easier. There were moments when I wondered what I had gotten myself into, but every checkpoint I crossed reminded me that I was capable of more than I thought.

It made me realize how much power our words have. I believe what I tell myself. When I told myself I couldn’t, I believed it. When I changed my words, my mindset changed too.

I started finding happiness in the challenge. I became grateful for a body that could carry me through 8 miles, grateful for the soreness that reminded me I had pushed myself, and grateful that I didn’t give up.

And I made it to the finish line.

My lesson this week: Be careful what you tell yourself. Speak to yourself with the same encouragement you would give someone you love. You can do hard things. 🤍

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My heart has been so incredibly full these past few weeks.

The Miss America Opportunity has changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. It took a girl who once struggled to look at herself in the mirror and taught her that beauty was never about perfection. It was about recognizing the worth, strength, and light within herself.

It took a girl who was once shy in a room full of people and gave her the courage to raise her hand, speak her mind, and know that her voice matters.

It took someone who was constantly trying to make herself smaller and taught her to stand tall, take up space, and never apologize for who she is.

I am so grateful for the girl I was, but I am even more grateful for the woman I am becoming. 🥹❤️

I couldn’t be more proud to be part of the Miss America Opportunity. It truly prepares strong women for the world while, at the same time, preparing the world for strong women. 💪🏼❤️

Watching our new @missamerica be crowned this past Sunday was such a beautiful reminder of why we do this. I cannot wait to watch all the incredible things @reganhutsell accomplishes and the lives she will touch along the way. 👑

And to Miss America, thank you for giving me more than a crown to look up to. Thank you for giving me a community, a purpose, a voice, and most importantly, the courage to discover who I am and to love her. ❤️👑

Thank you, @__photosby_el for capturing these beautiful pictures for me! If you ever need photos, @__photosby_el is your girl! 🤍 Also shoutout to @suzysclosetdresses for this AMAZING dress!

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“I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I’m meant to be, this is me.”

These photos were taken 2 years ago, but, I remember these photos like it was yesterday.

My dog had gone and grabbed my dad and sister to alert them that I was having a seizure. When I woke up, my eye was incredibly sore and tender, and my dad rushed me to the emergency room. The doctors immediately checked my eye to make sure I hadn’t seriously injured it.

Thankfully, I had only lightly scratched my actual eye, and it would heal quickly. It was the skin surrounding my eye that took the brunt of the injury from my seizure.

I was scared. I had hurt myself, and I wasn’t even conscious enough to know that it was happening. My mind filled with questions and fears. What else could happen if I had another seizure? What if I got hurt even worse?

But underneath all of that fear, there was also a sense of calm. Something inside me told me that it was going to be okay. Just take it one step at a time. I was reminded of Alma 58:11, where the Lord gave His people “peace” and “assurances” that they could rely on Him. I didn’t know what the future would hold, but I could feel that same peace in the middle of my fear.

And that’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned from living with epilepsy. Sometimes, you just have to take it one step at a time.

Sometimes epilepsy leaves us with bruises or scars. Sometimes it leaves us mentally scarred, constantly wondering about the next “what if.”

I’m here to share my story because if you’re living with epilepsy, I want you to know that you are not alone. I’ve been there. I still have fears that pop up from time to time.

But it isn’t about whether I’m afraid. It’s about what I choose to do with that fear.

My epilepsy is part of my story, but it is not the only thing that defines me.

“Look out ’cause here I come, and I’m marching on to the beat I drum. I’m not scared to be seen, I make no apologies, this is me.” 💜

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So grateful to all those who serve and have served our country, giving us the incredible freedoms to celebrate events like Peach Days. 🇺🇸🍑 It’s because of their service, sacrifice, and dedication that we’re able to enjoy so many freedoms that we often take for granted.

Thank you to everyone who has served and continues to serve our country. Wishing everyone a wonderful Peach Days! 💜🍑

Miss Red Mountain

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About two years ago, I had one of the best days of my life. I spent the morning hiking through Snow Canyon with friends and ended the day with boba. I remember thinking what an incredible day it had been.

Ten hours later, I was found on the bathroom floor having a seizure.

When I woke up, I tasted blood in my mouth from biting through over a quarter of my taste buds. My head hurt so badly, my body wouldn’t stop shaking, and all I could think was, Why? If the Savior healed the blind, helped the lame walk, and cleansed the lepers, why couldn’t He heal me? I was asking for one miracle.

As I poured my heart out to Heavenly Father, I felt a quiet impression: “I know. I know it’s hard.”

For the first time, I felt like the Savior of the world was weeping with me.

I immediately thought of Lazarus. Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, but before He performed the miracle, He chose to weep with those He loved. That’s when I realized that one day the Savior will heal me too. But for now, He is sitting with me in mortality.

As I look back, I know miracles happened that night. My roommate felt prompted to come be with me at 11:30 p.m. She sat in the only place where she could see the bathroom door. She heard me fall, saw my hair beneath the door, and even though I had locked it, the lock didn’t work. I woke up for just a few seconds during my seizure and had enough strength to scoot back so she could get in before I slipped back into the seizure. Help arrived because of those miracles.

I know angels were with me that night. But most of all, I know my Savior was.

If you are in a season where you are wondering where God is, I promise He is aware of you. Sometimes the miracle isn’t immediate healing. Sometimes the miracle is knowing He is with us until the day He makes all things whole.

I know He lives. I know He loves us. And because of Him, All is well. 💜

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Growing up, I have always loved Dolly Parton and the joy her music brings. Songs like I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5 have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Her music has brought happiness to generations, and her career is truly incredible.

But what inspires me most about Dolly isn’t just her music or her success, it’s her heart. When people talk about Dolly, they don’t only talk about the songs she has written or the career she has built. They talk about her kindness, her foundations, and the countless ways she has used her success to serve others and uplift communities.

That is what makes Dolly’s legacy so special. Her greatest impact extends far beyond the stage. She has shown that true success is measured not only by what you accomplish, but by how you use your influence to bring joy, serve others, and leave the world a little brighter. That is a legacy worth remembering.

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To quote Princess Mia Thermopolis: “SHUT UP!” 😭💜

Like… actually, SHUT UP. I keep waiting for someone to wake me up because this genuinely does not feel real. This has been a dream of mine for sooooo long, and somehow I get to be your new @missredmountain.ut?!?!

I am equal parts screaming, crying, and wondering how on earth this is my life right now. 😂💜 I love this opportunity more than I can put into words, and I promise I’ll take good care of this title and the incredible community it represents.

Still waiting for the tiara to disappear and for someone to tell me this was all a dream. 👑💜

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