Sunday, December 21, 2014

Silent Night

It's my favorite time of year again! Christmas! This year is a little different for me because I haven't been home throughout the month and it's been weird not being a part of my family's traditions. Every night in December my family reads a Christmas story before we go to bed and we do the Elf on the Shelf for my little sister and not to mention missing decorating the Christmas tree...not being able to be there for these things has made this Christmas season very different. But it's a part of growing up, right?
I wanted to focus on the hymn Silent Night in this post. Every time we sing this song in church I can't help but cry because of the peace and love that I feel. This song is the perfect description of our Savior Jesus Christ. The night he was born, "all is calm". He brought peace to the world the day He was born and He continues to bring peace into our world today. He is the light in the world, much like the star that led many to see Him the night of his birth. If we follow His light, we will find ourselves next to Him wrapped in His loving arms. This is a Christmas song that gets sung a lot and I just want to post the lyrics and invite you to ponder them and what they truly mean and focus on how you feel.

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child
Holy infant, tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Shepherds quake, at the sight
Glories stream from heaven above
Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah.
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.


Silent night, Holy night
Silent night, Holy night

I know that our Savior lives and that He was sent here as a gift from our Heavenly Father to save every single one of us. "For unto YOU a Savior is born"...He was born for you personally. He is the gift. I know I have been caught up in school and life these past couple of weeks with finals and the semester ending and I have been slacking on the basics of prayer and scripture reading, but as I have been thinking about the miracle of the Christmas story I am filled with the Spirit and I remember why we celebrate this time of year. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father to send His son to earth for each and every one of us. And I am grateful the Savior was so obedient to His Father's will to accept what He had to do. 
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. I find myself a little happier, serving more, and easier to love those around me around this time of year. I try to be this way all the time, but it's hard not to be my best self around Christmas when I am so focused on Christ. Try to live in the spirit of Christmas all year round. The Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit. And remember Christmas starts with Christ.
May all of you have a joyful, Christ centered, peaceful Christmas. 
"As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit. Not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always." -Thomas S. Monson

Friday, December 12, 2014

We Can Defeat Satan

Earlier this week I had the amazing opportunity to go to UVU and listen to Elizabeth Smart speak about her story. I know I have talked about her before on my blog, but I just gotta say how much I love that lady. She is truly amazing and what she did is amazing. Her faith and devotion is inspiring and she is one of my idols.
While telling her story, she told us that after she was found, her mother gave her the best advice she had ever been given before. Her mother told her that these people had taken 9 months of her life away that she will never get back and "the best punishment you can give him is to be happy". She understood that by re-living the 9 months over and over and constantly worrying and thinking about it is still giving her captors time of her life she will never get back.
This advice is so applicable in everybody's lives, not just for her situation. Satan is in our world and he is trying to get us to follow him. And sometimes we do, because we are not perfect. But we cannot let that stop us from progressing. We have to move on. And just like for Elizabeth Smart's captors, the best punishment we can give Satan is being happy.
Satan wants anything but happiness for us. So when he sees that we are happy and moved on from past mistakes, it kills him. This is a strength for us to defeat him. We will mess up. It's part of life. But the Atonement allows us to repent and move on. And when we repent we have the spirit with us, so naturally we will become happier.
It is most likely that everyone isn't going to have the same experience as Elizabeth Smart, but we all have our struggles and battles and problems and trials. We all feel like we can't move on. We all feel like we want to give up at times. But I promise you that those words are coming from the devil. Our Heavenly Father believes in us and He knows what potential we have. He has provided us a way to find the ultimate happiness in life!
We are in a constant battle against Satan. But we have the resources to defeat him. In the end, we will win! Show him how happy we are in our life.
I know this says 'woman', but this applies to everyone! We don't want Satan to have power over us!
Yep....that's what i want them all to say.  lol

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The Atonement Was Made For YOU

Hello! It has been so long! I get caught up in homework and work and I just realized how long it's been since I last blogged!
I just wanted to share some recent thoughts of mine. I have been thinking a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have learned so much about the Atonement and how it applies to our lives more here in the past few months than I have my whole life. I have always known what the Atonement was and that it was the greatest debt to ever be paid. But I have learned about what this great sacrifice means on a personal level. "It is not enough to simply know about the Atonement...it must become personal." (Bonnie Oscarson) We had a Relief Society activity and a speaker came to talk to us. He talked about the worth and value of items. When we purchase an item, we are willing to give up money for that item because we want it. Then he held up his wedding ring and said that ring is priceless because it wasn't only a ring, but it was his family and his marriage. He said he would give up his life for his family. The value of us to Christ is priceless. He loves us and cherishes us so much that He did give up His life for us. We are his younger brothers and sisters and He knew what had to be done to save us, and He was willing to pay that for us. He would have paid that price even if it was just for you. He loves each and every one of us that much. "Our Savior has taken upon himself our pains and our suffering and afflictions so that He can know what we feel and how to comfort us." (Linda S. Reeves)
I have gone through many ups and downs in my life and every time I reach out to Christ I can feel Him draw close to me. He has felt everything we have gone through. I don't know how, but He has. And He has felt it for every person who has lived and who will live. Studying the Book of Mormon has strengthened my testimony of this. The prophets testify that there will be a Christ to come and He will save the world. The cool thing is that even though Christ wasn't born, the Atonement still applied to all of those who lived before He was even born!
Since it is Christmas season, it is easier to think more about Christ in our lives. We would be nothing without Him. Literally nothing. Our Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son to the world as a gift to us, which we celebrate this time of year. This gift is so important because without Christ coming to the earth, He wouldn't have been able to perform the Atonement and we would be stuck without progression.
I remember a fireside our ward held when I was a beehive. I remember hearing about it and thinking it was silly, but it was so powerful and it has stuck with me over the years. All the youth in our ward was gathered and a young man was chosen for the special task that was to take place. The bishopric brought out donuts they had bought for all the youth. They told us in order to take a donut, the young man had to do 10 push ups. So, the bishopric went around one by one asking who wanted donuts. Obviously, everyone wanted a donut, so the young man did 10 push ups for every person who took a donut. It all changed when someone said they didn't want a donut. The young man was still required to do the 10 push ups for that person. From then on, there were a few more who didn't want donuts yet the young man still performed the push ups. By the end, he had totaled somewhere around 300 push ups and was exhausted. The point of this was to show us about the sacrifice of the Atonement. The Atonement covers everyone. And when I say everyone I mean EVERYONE. Even those who don't partake of it. When we crossed the veil, everyone forgot what went on in the pre-mortal life, and some unfortunately forgot that they chose God's plan to come to earth. There are people who don't even know what the Atonement is and the miracles it can perform in their life! There are some people who just choose not to use the Atonement for whatever reason. Christ suffered for these people too, because He loves them just as much as He loves every other person.


Jeffery R Holland quote, one of my top favorite quotes, because it speaks to each of us. We've all been there, we can all get back againNOW THAT'S TRUE LOVE. ... One of the Greatest Books I've Ever Read, "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

You are never alone

I have learned something so important since coming to college. I will tell you, that I have never felt more alone than I have here. Being surrounded by strangers is something I'm not used to. Back home I would know someone everywhere I went. Now, I walk around and look at everyone around me and I am surrounded by people that I have no idea who they are. I also don't have my family here with me, which is so hard for me. My three siblings are my best friends. My family is the most important and special thing to me! It was so hard leaving them.
But then I thought about how everyone else around here is feeling. A lot of people probably feel the same way-alone. Everyone has sacrificed their old friends from home and leaving their family to be here. And then I thought about something else. I'm not alone. I'm never alone. NONE of us are EVER alone. Heavenly Father is always with us. Whether we notice it or not, He is always there. He is working miracles for us and guiding us on our path. 
I don't have my dad here with me anymore. I used to be able to walk down the stairs in my house just to give my dad a hug and talk to him, but now the closest thing I have is being able to call him. This has been a hard transition, but it has increased my relationship with my Father in Heaven. Instead of walking to give my dad a hug, I can kneel and cry to Heavenly Father. He always has His arm stretched out to give me a hug of comfort and love and peace when I need it. He is also there to laugh with me and rejoice with me. 
It took me realizing how prideful I was and not recognizing the Lord's hand in my life. Through humbling myself, I know that we are never left alone. He is in every aspect of our lives.
"Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we don't have to..." -Elder Holland

Also, I want to say that He answers our prayers. Always. It may be hard and the answer may not come in the way you want, but He will always answer your prayers. Be faithful and live worthily of the Spirit and you will feel the influence of the Savior.








Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Prince of Peace

This past weekend was my favorite weekend of the year, LDS General Conference! All of the sessions were so great, and it was amazing to hear talks given in native languages for the first time! The gospel is the same, the message is the same, the spirit is the same, no matter what language. I also had the opportunity to attend conference live for my first time! I attended the Sunday morning session, which was so great. The general authorities have such strong spirits they can simply be felt by being in the same room as them.
I want to talk today about my favorite talk given in conference. It was given by Elder Richard G. Scott in the Sunday afternoon session. His talk is entitled "Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority".
My favorite title of Christ is that He is the Prince of Peace. I have a personal testimony of this title because I have cried to Him in prayer and every time I am encompassed with His love and I find peace in my life through Him.
Elder Scott talks about our trials and how we can use the Atonement to find peace through these hard times. The four tools he talked about to find this peace are four things that those of us who have grown up in the church have been taught since we were in primary. But, his conviction and emotion when speaking about these topics changed these simple things for me.
The first one is prayer. He said "CHOOSE to converse with your Father in Heaven often...as you exercise this agency and include Him in EVERY aspect of your life, your heart will begin to fill with peace."
The next is scripture study. Throughout high school, I (regrettably) often made the excuse that I had too much studying to do to read the scriptures. I would often just read a few verses really quick and then get back to studying. This was even happening to me the first couple weeks here at BYU. But, my Book of Mormon class has really helped me with this because studying scriptures now has become homework. Elder Scott said that studying scriptures is even more important than sleep and school. He promises that peace does not come from the outside world, but by reading scriptures we will feel His peace.
The third is family home evening. Here at BYU, we are put into FHE groups in our ward and hold family home evening every Monday night. Some nights it's really hard because I just need to study, but just as Sister Linda S. Reeves testifies, family home evening takes away stress.
The last is temple attendance. This is the section that I felt most influenced by the spirit. Coming to BYU in the summer, I came with the goal to go to the temple every week, but unfortunately that goal only lasted about 2 weeks. The temple is the most peaceful place on this earth. Elder Scott said, "The temple is one of the best places to come to understand the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ...Seek Him there." After hearing this, I rededicated myself to going to the temple every week. I went yesterday, restarting this goal, and Satan has already tried to get me to slip up on this goal of mine. I woke up at 5 AM to go before classes. My alarm went off and I woke up, but then laid my head down for just a couple more minutes. I kept thinking 'I'm so tired, maybe I'll go later'...and then I sat up and literally said, "NO!" I knew Satan was telling me that I was too tired to go to the temple. Though I hadn't gotten much sleep, I got dressed and walked to the temple at 5:30 AM. The whole time, I was thinking of the line in Praise to the Man that says "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven". I knew that I would be blessed by sacrificing a couple more hours of sleep. I promise the temple brings so much peace and the blessings we receive are so great.
My favorite line in this talk was "Challenges help make us more like our Father in Heaven, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes it possible to endure these challenges." That thought is amazing to me. Our trials we go through are making us more like our perfect Father and more worthy to be able to stand in front of Him again one day. Instead of focusing on the negative in our trials, which is much easier said than done, we can realized how blessed we are through these hard times. He is giving us the opportunity to be perfected like Him. Elder Uchtdorf reminds us, "He is not waiting to love you after you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles."
Remember, peace does not come through this world, but only through applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ into your life. Pray for peace. Study the scriptures. Make family home evening a habit. Attend the temple. Peace will flow into your hearts.



Friday, September 26, 2014

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL


I wanted to share my favorite message from my favorite man today. And though this talk is titled 'To Young Women', I suggest boys watch this too, because I know not only girls struggle with self confidence. This message is so important especially in our world today. 




Imagine you are an artist, and you are painting a picture for a close friend or family member-someone you love so much. When you finish the painting, you look at it and you are so proud of what you have created and you think it is the most beautiful thing. You give it to this person you care so much about and when they receive it, all they do is point out the many flaws in the painting. You feel so upset because you worked so hard and you knew you had created a masterpiece. This is how Heavenly Father feels when we critique ourselves and point out our flaws. He created you beautifully and in the image of himself. He wants us to see ourselves as the marvelous masterpiece we are. He created you and He doesn't make mistakes.
We are all beautiful literal children of our Heavenly Father. We need to never forget that. And more importantly, as Elder Holland says, we should not compare ourselves or want to look more like someone else. Comparison is the thief of joy. "When you let people's opinions make you self conscious you give away your power." YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise.
Spread this message. Our world today needs to be reminded of this. It is so important. Make everyone feel beautiful!

Friday, September 12, 2014

He is ALWAYS there

It's been a while...
With the new "share goodness" theme going around on social media, I have been thinking about something I want to share to share a little bit of goodness.
The past several weeks I have really opened my eyes to seeing the Lord in my life. My testimony has strengthened in this aspect so much.
Being away from home, I am far away from my family, which has made me rely more on my Heavenly Father than I have ever had to before. This has been such a blessing to me because as I struggle with homesickness and stuff, I can turn to my Heavenly Father and my strengthened relationship with Him.
The Lord is in the details of our lives. He is EVERYWHERE! He is in the phone call you receive from a friend that you needed to hear from. He is in the parking spot in the front of the lot after a long and tiring day. He is in the callings you receive in church. No matter where you look, He is there, and it's because He sincerely cares about you.
He cries with you. He laughs with you. He aches with you. He rejoices with you. He suffers with you. He smiles with you.
Even when you feel alone, and I promise you will feel like it at times, you are never alone. Because He is always there.

Happy Sunday!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Life is an uphill battle

I spent this past weekend in Bear Lake for a family reunion. It was so much fun and it was so great to see family and spend time with them! Family is so important and special to me and I am so grateful I got to spend time with all of them. 
So, one day while I was there, one of my cousins and I went on a run. The cabin we were staying at was on the mountains and we decided to run up the mountain. To be honest, I thought I was going to die. Running, though I love it, isn't a strength of mine, and then to be running all uphill made it even harder. I seriously thought I was going to die. When we conquered one hill, we would reach the top only to see that there was another hill we had to climb. 
This made me think about something in life. Our life is an uphill climb. We are constantly climbing mountains of different sizes in our lives. Struggles, doubts, sickness, and trials are all a part of these "mountains" in our lives. 
There are going to be times through our journey where we may feel like we might die. We might want to give up or climb back down because it is too hard. But we need to endure and keep pushing onward. The reward will always outweigh the bad. 
Each of us have different mountains in our lives. And each of us are traveling at different paces. Some may be moving slower, and others may be stuck on one huge mountain for a long time. 
Similar to my run, when we reach the top of a mountain, there is always going to be another one ahead. But, another thing I learned from my run, is once you reach the top, you can turn around and see what you just accomplished. You can feel proud of what you just did and nothing can take that away from you. 
This is the same in life. When you go through a trial or struggle and you have made it through, you can look back and see how experiencing that has blessed you. 
And then we keep going. We face our next trial and we repeat the process. And one day, we will make it to the very top and we won't have another mountain to climb, because we will have reached home with our father in Heaven. What a blessing that day will be. 
Life may get hard, the mountains may be long. You may want to give up. Don't! The sweetness we will experience will be worth the pain we have to endure here. 


Sunday, July 27, 2014

God is a God of miracles

Mormon 9:19 says: "And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles." 
My family has experienced an incredible miracle the past 7 months. My cousin, Eli, was born on Christmas day this past December weighing 2 pounds 7 ounces. He was supposed to be born in April. It was unknown of what was going to happen, but we all prayed for this little baby and for his parents and had faith that God's will would be apparent to us all. 
Eli suffered more in his first few weeks of life than I have had my entire life. He went through surgeries and treatments and scary things that babies, or anyone for that matter, should ever have to go through. 
Today, I was able to attend his blessing. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever experienced. Looking at little Eli, I knew that he is a direct gift from God to remind us all that God is still a God of miracles. Eli is living proof that there is a God who is ready to bless us and answer our prayers. While Eli was receiving his blessing, I just sobbed because I was reassured that God loves us and He has a plan for each and every one of us. 
Eli has made many people depend on their faith in Heavenly Father for comfort and for answers. Eli is a miracle and he has helped many people strengthen their relationship with the Savior. Miracles strengthen our faith. 
I know that miracles are still performed today, just like they were when Christ was on the earth. 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

The House of the Lord

Last night I drove to the Draper temple (my favorite temple!!!) with three amazing people I have met here at BYU. I am so grateful for the temple. It really is a special place and I am so grateful that we have temples on earth. It is the closest thing to heaven on earth. Walking into the sacred building, I can just feel all of the stress from life vanish and all that matters is the work I am doing.
I was so overwhelmed with the Spirit. I couldn't help but cry when I walked into the baptistry and just sat and thought about my Savior, Jesus Christ. While I was sitting, I looked at the paintings around and there was one that caught my eye. It was a picture of Christ surrounded by white sheep and he was holding a black lamb.
One thing I have learned at college is that there are times where you feel alone, but you are never ever forgotten. Christ is always with you. I have felt like that little black lamb before: alone, different. That doesn't matter to Christ. He will always stand by us no matter what our circumstance. He does it because He loves us.


This time at the temple was a different experience for me because I have always been confirmed and baptized by the temple workers, but the young man that went with me performed these ordinances. I had never had that experience before. It made me even more grateful for the priesthood and even more importantly, worthy priesthood holders. I look up to young men who honor their priesthood so much and I treasure their examples in my life.
The temple is such a special place for me. I try to go once a week so I can be edified by the wonderful Spirit that is felt there. It is my one on one time with my Savior. I am so grateful for the holy house of the Lord and that I am able to attend. I can not wait until I can be sealed to the love of my life in the temple.
I am especially grateful to be here in Provo, where the temple is just down the road and I am able to walk to the temple. I wasn't ever able to do that back home. I love walking around campus and always being able to see the steeple and Angel Moroni. Elder Holland said, "I testify that angels are still sent to help us." Angel Moroni is a symbol for me to come unto Christ and remember Him at all times. Seeing him all the time keeps Christ on my mind at all times. I am eternally grateful for all my Savior has done for me and that I am able to go into Heavenly Father's home and feel His love for me.
"As long as you can see the temple, you are never lost."



Wednesday, July 9, 2014

It's Not a Requirement

           For my writing class we were assigned to write an opinion editorial on something we have a strong opinion about. We had a one on one meeting with our professor about our paper, and my professor actually gave me the idea to post my opinion editorial on a blog for it to be read. Little did he know I actually do have a blog and  his idea was brilliant! So, this is my paper for my writing class, that I want to share with all y'all. (PS: Life here at BYU is great & I love it more and more every single day!)


           A father of a 20-year-old wrote a blog post about one Sunday at a sister missionary’s farewell, that his daughter was asked many times when she is serving, though she hadn’t received the prompting to serve. The father wrote about how he could tell she felt uncomfortable and that he felt the judgment that she was receiving. He expresses his concerns for all young women who don’t serve a mission; will they be thought of as not worthy to serve a mission, will boys not want to marry them, are some girls just going on a mission because it’s the “cool” thing to do?     
Being an almost 19-year-old LDS girl, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how many times I have been asked, “When are you going on a mission?” Not if I am going on a mission, but when. In 2012, President Monson delivered the news about the missionary age change. Young men, who previously left at 19, can now leave at the age of 18, and young women, who previously left at 21, now can leave at 19. With this age requirement lowered, it has become more common that young women serve missions, which has placed social pressure on 19-year-old girls of the church.
            First things first, I am not saying that going on a mission is a bad thing. I think it’s awesome that girls have the opportunity to serve. I have had aunts, ward members, and friends serve missions, and I have only heard positive things. I have a personal testimony of missionary work and how important it is. I am not in anyway trying to say that girls shouldn’t serve missions. I’m saying just the opposite - girls who feel that they should serve definitely should. That is the way it has always been and that is the way it always will be.
            However, with the age lowering, so many more young women have been deciding to serve that there is now added pressure for all young women to serve. President Monson said, "We affirm that missionary work is a priesthood duty—and we encourage all young men who are worthy and who are physically able and mentally capable, to respond to the call to serve. Many young women also serve, but they are not under the same mandate to serve as are the young men. We assure the young sisters of the Church, however, that they make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome their service."  The prophet of the church, the one who received the revelation to lower the age requirement, said very clearly that young women are not required to serve a mission.
The flood of missionaries, especially sister missionaries, is so exciting. How rapidly the good news is spreading is exhilarating. I think it is wonderful that sisters choose to serve a mission. They are wonderful examples to me. I strive to be as faithful as the young women I know who have served a mission and hearing their stories has strengthened my testimony. Other sisters in the church that are wonderful mothers and sisters who haven’t served missions are just as good of an example and have just as strong of a testimony. I look up to them and they have affected my life just as those who have served missions.
One of my friends told me that at her high school, boys are now saying that they aren’t going to marry a woman unless she is a return missionary. This standard is a bit ridiculous considering the fact that girls aren’t required to serve a mission. Girls need to pray and fast to receive their answer on whether or not they are supposed to serve. Nothing should influence a girl’s decision except for inspiration received from Heavenly Father.
I have felt the judgment of others when I say I am not planning on going on a mission. I have felt almost expected to go on a mission. Sometimes I even feel like I am letting people down because I’m not planning on a mission, and it’s all due to the pressure and judgement that is being placed on us young women. Family members always ask me when I am planning on putting my mission papers in and I feel like I am upsetting them when I say that a mission isn’t in my plan as of right now.
I have spoken to some of my roommates and friends about this subject, and they all agree that there is so much pressure. Some of them are planning on serving a mission, but even though they have chosen to serve, they agree and say they can see the pressure that is so prevalent. The age change should not have caused this social shift.
The pressure on young women needs to stop because it is a problem. Everyone needs to remember what President Monson said: that young women are welcome to serve, but it is not a responsibility for them.
God has a plan for each and every one of us. Some girls are meant to go on a mission and others aren’t. Others are called to get married and start a family, while others are called to serve. Is the young woman who chooses eternal marriage and motherhood instead of first taking the option to serve a full-time mission any less servable to in the kingdom of God? Either way, the kingdom of God is growing and people are being blessed.
A girl who isn’t planning on serving a mission shouldn’t feel less about herself or feel looked down upon. Serving a mission doesn’t establish if you are a good person or not. What you do in this life and how you follow God’s plan for you shows Him how faithful you are. Serving a mission isn’t required of you. You have a choice. Let Heavenly Father guide you.


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Happy, bright, and you

I want to focus this blog post on the title of my blog: Be happy. Be bright. Be you.
1. Be happy.
Life is too short to be anything but happy! If something isn't making you happy, remove it from your life! Surround yourself with things and people that make you happy.
Of course there are going to be hard days and sad times, and it's okay to be sad and to cry. But through these times, look around and find the happy things in life. They are there! You just have to take a step back and look!
In the end, it's up to you to choose happiness. No one can force it on you. If you have a negative attitude about life, then you won't be happy. And no one can help you.
I was in a funk for a while, just feeling so down and I never wanted to do anything or see anyone. I realized what my problem was and I knew unless I fixed it, I would be like that forever. I didn't want to be gloomy and depressed any longer than I was! I removed the negative stuff out of my life and I have become much happier! I am still working on being completely cured of this negativity but my progress is one of the many things that makes me happy each day.
Do what makes you happy. Surround yourself with people that make you happy. Be in a place that makes you happy. If it's not, change it!
2. Be bright.
Each and every one of us has a light. We must not dim our light. Share it with those around you. Someone specifically needs you in their life. You have what they need. Don't be afraid! You never know the affect you could have on someone.
Your light is unique to you. Everyone's is different. It is made up of your divine qualities and talents.
Stand out among the crowd. You weren't born to be the same as everyone else. Don't be afraid to let your light be seen. It's needed in the world.
I was once commented on why I have a light about me. That was one of the biggest compliments I have ever received. I knew then that I wasn't putting out my light, but my light truly was showing and it was showing bright. And from then on, I chose to live that way so everyone around me could see my light.
I challenge the same to you. Don't dim your light. Shine!
3. Be you.
You were made to be exactly who you are. God made you and God doesn't make mistakes.
You can't go through life pretending to be someone else. Embrace the person you are no matter what people think about you. God's opinion is the only opinion that is important, and His opinion of you should be your opinion of yourself.
I have struggled with this, struggled with loving myself. But I know from personal experience that you will not find happiness, nor will your light shine, if you don't love you.
You are not here randomly or by change; you are here for a reason and you are who you are for a reason. Don't forget that.
Each and every one of us is a child of God. A child of the creator! How cool is that? He created the earth, the stars, the moon, and He also created us. We are creations of Him. We are literally His children. When you understand that, you need to treat yourself as such.
Wise words from Dr. Suess: "Today yo are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" You are special. No one else could replace you. Don't be someone else. Love yourself. Be YOU!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Forget Yourself

Service is one of the closest things we have to godliness on this earth. I personally know how important service is because it has changed my life. I have gone through some times when I would just sit in my room and cry and not want to go out with friends or do anything. I was miserable and I didn't want to be in public. All I wanted to do was be alone. I was going through medical problems as well at this time and I was given the choice to go talk to a professional about everything I was feeling, but I chose not to. I wanted to overcome this on my own, but I had no idea where to start. And then one day I realized how selfish I was being. I realized the only way I was gong to get over this was to get out, forget about myself, and serve. There are so many people who need my light and I was sitting in my room dwelling in my own self pity. I was keeping my light and gifts to myself when I needed to be out sharing them with the people around me. I devoted myself to serving every time I got the chance. I made cookies, I walked elderly women to their cars after church, I told people how much they meant to me, I did anything I could to share my light with someone else. Doing this has changed my life.
Service is so important to me. There is such happiness that only comes through serving others. I can't explain it, but I have felt it. Gordon B. Hinckley said, "The happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others." Through service, I was pulled out of my miserable state and I remembered why I am here on this earth. I am here to share what I have with everyone around me.
Forgetting yourself seems hard at times, but when it seems the most hard, that's when it is the most important. Serving others deepens your love for others, opens your eyes to what you have, and makes us discover who we really are. Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness."
When Christ was on the earth all He did was serve. We are His hands on the earth today and we need to reach out to those who are struggling or down trodden. We are promised that when we serve, Satan will lose power over us.
Forget yourself and serve.
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -Mahatama Gandhi

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Resolve to be better

I was on a run today with my neighbor, and she asked me if I wish I would have done anything different throughout high school and if I had any regrets. I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head but I've been thinking about it throughout the day.
On Sunday, a kid I've grown up with and who I have gone to church with for years took his own life. I was shocked when I first heard and I didn't want to believe it. This really opened my eyes and made me feel more deeply for those around me.
So, with this tragic event that just occurred and the question I was asked, yes I do have regrets. Two big ones.
Regret number 1: I wish I would have reached out to others more.
Everyone needs a friend. Everyone needs to feel loved. Thinking back to so many people who I could have gone and sat by who was alone or saying hi to someone who looked distressed makes me wish I would have done those things. I regret not befriending people who needed it the most.
A guy in my seminary class said "While Christ was on the earth, He spent all of His time with those who were afflicted or downtrodden or lonely. Why can't we do the same and spent our time with these people who need someone in their lives?"
We can be a light to people who are stuck in the dark. We are Christ's hands on earth.
"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of reward. Your life will never be the same again." -Og Mandino
It can be so simple. Give a smile. Say hello. Ask someone to sit by you in class. Give a compliment. Invite someone to lunch with you. Anything to show that they are loved. Remind them who they really are, children of our Heavenly Father.
"Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime."
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle."
Regret number 2: I wish I would have shown those I care about how I felt about them.
I think I assume that my friends around me know I care about them, but I can't remember any specific time telling them how I truly feel. After I received the news on Sunday, I did text three of my closest friends, telling them I loved them and I was grateful for them, but it's almost pathetic it took a big event like this to make me tell my friends I love them.
It has been easier for me to show my family I care about them this year because I know I'm leaving them in just a short amount of time, but same concept, it took me until my senior year to say I love you to my brother and to spent time with my parents on the weekend.
I wish I would have shown this love and care throughout.
I want my friends and family to know that not a day goes by that I don't think about any of you. I am so grateful to have you in my life. Every night in my prayers, I thank God to have you in my life. I am so grateful that I get to spend all of eternity with my family.
"We should remember that saying 'I love you' is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly, we need to consistently show it." -David A. Bednar
We all get annoyed with our friends and family, but I think it is during those times that it is even more important to show how much they mean to you. You never know when it will be the last time you see them, so make sure to speak kindly and say I love you.

I hope that those who read this can learn from my regrets and not make the same mistakes as I did. I am resolving to change and start living more Christlike now.
He reaches out to everyone and so should we.


Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sunday thought

Life is so fragile. Stop judging. Start loving.
When you step back, you can see everything as a whole. Take a step back when you feel lonely or depressed. You will realize you are not alone and that someone loves you.
Everyone needs to be loved. Be that one person who shows someone they are cared about.
Live with no regrets.
Tell your family and friends you love them. And don't forget to show them either.
Be kind. Be patient. Be loving.
Little things go a long way. The Lord works in small and simple ways to bring about great and marvelous things.
Be a friend. Reach out.
You are not alone.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

None were with Him

With the Easter season fast approaching, I often find myself thinking about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and what it means to me personally. 
I know He suffered for me personally to find out how I would feel when I came to this earth. He had to experience the heartache, the disappointment, the sorrow, the sin, that I would face during my life. And I know He suffered these feelings not only for me, but for every single person to ever live. 
I love Easter time because it is the beginning of spring. When I see the flowers and the trees start to blossom and grow, I often think of myself as I reflect on the Atonement. I am given the chance to start over again through theAtonement and become a person I am more proud of and my Savior would want me to become. Because of this sacrifice, I am able to do these things that I take for granted so often. 
Remember this unforgettable sacrifice and don't take it for granted because there was a price paid for each of us, whether we use it or not.  
During this Easter season, reflect on your life and make the changes you need to. Devote your life to Christ. 
"Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to."




Sunday, March 9, 2014

Forgiveness

This has been a hot topic on my mind lately. I have been trying to be more Christlike and one of my biggest weaknesses is I can hold a grudge like no other.
Studying Christ's life, I know that He forgave everyone and loved every single person. A few years ago, in church choir, we sang a version of Love One Another and one of the verses said something about how He loved everyone even those who killed Him. (I wish I remembered the exact words...) That line was special to me and always will be. He loved the people who took away His life, so I can forgive those who have hurt me.
I know forgiving others is hard. Believe me. But I know it is essential for us. These past few months, I have had a lot of hateful feelings, and I finally realized it started weighing me down and making me a different person. I knew I needed to apologize and forgive and forget, so I could get that burden lifted. I can promise that forgiveness is strength and a God given commandment because it makes a difference.
"Brothers and sisters, there is enough sorrow and heartache in this life without adding to it through our stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment. We are not perfect. The people around us are not perfect. People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life, it will always be that way. Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn to let go of such things. That is the Lord's way." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Forgiving others shows strength, but even harder is forgiving ourselves. I have experienced this as well. It is hard to forgive yourself and let go of what happened to start over.
The song Let it Go from Frozen reminds me to let go of who I used to be and be the person I am now. It is so crucially important to be able to forgive yourself because you deserve peace. Christ forgives and forgets so why can't we?

Sunday, February 23, 2014

How Great Thou Art

Today, I just want to share with you my favorite hymn. How Great Thou Art has always been special to me because the first time I heard it, it brought such a strong spirit to me and I usually can hardly make it through the song without crying.
The words to this song are beautiful.

     O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, 
     Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; 
     I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, 
     Thy power throughout the universe displayed. 
  
    Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art. 
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art! 

     When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, 
     And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. 
     When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur 
     And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. 

     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art. 
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art! 

     And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing; 
     Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; 
     That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, 
     He bled and died to take away my sin. 

     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art. 
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art! 

     When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, 
     And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. 
     Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, 
     And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!" 

     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art. 
     Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 
     How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

God has created everything. I look around and I truly am amazed at all He has made and how beautiful it is. And then I think that He took the time to create me while making this beautiful world. And I am part of His beautiful creations. And so is every person to live. 
He paid the greatest price for us and we will forever be indebted to Him. But, we can thank Him and in live in gratitude. 
Music is so powerful and hymns are a great source for spiritual uplifting. 
This is my favorite version of How Great Thou Art. Enjoy! 



Monday, January 27, 2014

It's all a lie

I want to talk about something I feel very passionately about. I want to talk about how the media is affecting the way we think, act, and feel. This has affected my self confidence and I don't want it to affect anyone else's.
A couple of weeks ago, I came across this girl's blog who wrote about modesty and how sorry she is to the guys who have to see immodesty wherever they go. Reading this blog, it changed my view on modesty and that it isn't only affecting me and how I act, but it is making it even harder for the boys around me, when they are already being pressed with immodest images everywhere they go. (Here is the link to this article if anyone wants to read it, and I highly suggest it: http://bemalleable.wordpress.com/2013/12/31/sincerely-one-of-many-girls-who-care/)
But every girl is faced with the dilemma of dressing modestly and showing her self respect or trying to get a guy's attention. I know how frustrating it is to see the guy you like drooling over the 'hottest' girl in school who hardly wears any clothes, who has perfect hair and perfect skin, and has the best body. It's so tempting to want to wear that shorter of shorts or a skimpy swimsuit just to see if he will notice you instead. But let me tell you, it is not worth it to slip. Guys who notice you because of how little you are wearing, are not noticing you for you. They are noticing you because they want to see what you are giving them. Respect yourselves and respect the young men who are fighting so hard.
To all young men, don't let the media win this battle. Us girls need strong young men who can care for us and respect us so we can respect ourselves. We need to be commended for not slipping and staying true to who we are. I know that it is hard to be a teenage boy in these times. In the blog I mentioned earlier she says to the boys, "Don't you think you'd want to wait for a girl who will encourage you on your walk with God? Who will work in protecting your purity? Who will respect you and encourage you to follow your dreams? Who will see you as redeemed? Who will be by your side during the good AND bad? Too often, it is girls who are told not to settle for a guy. But guys, the same goes for you. Don't waste your time and emotions on a girl who really could care less about you and just wants you for what you will do for her. You too deserve someone who will see you as amazing and treat you accordingly."
The media tell us all lies. Everything is a lie. Yet, it is controlling our thoughts, and even worse, it controls how we feel about ourselves. When I was younger, I started feeling self conscience because every single girl on TV, movies, magazines, etc. had stick thin legs. I do not have stick thin legs. I was blessed with strong, curvy legs and I have had to accept that. But it is so hard to love what I look like when every girl getting praise from boys has itty bitty legs. This is my weakness and where Satan gets his grasp on me because sometimes I fall into his traps and believe that the only pretty girls are the ones that wear a size 0. But I am here to tell you all that EVERYTHING THE MEDIA SAYS IS GARBAGE. I'm not saying that if you do have itty bitty legs, that you are ugly, because that isn't true either. But the media pushes so hard on the fact that girls have to look a certain way, that if we don't look that certain way, it's hard for us to feel beautiful.
In a world where the media is everywhere, it is hard to escape from it all. But I can promise that as long as you try to distance yourselves and ask yourself who you really are, it will make all the difference. The media can't determine who is beautiful and who can get a boyfriend. That is up to us to change the way the world thinks. This right here is Satan's biggest tactic to get control over us. And it is successful for him. He knows how we think and he knows our weaknesses. We have to be stronger than him and show him that we know who we are and we are going to treat and love ourselves that way.
I have very strong feeling about this and I'm sorry this post was all over the place, I have so many thoughts. I hate what the media portrays. I wish it would disappear and not pressure us all into thinking that there is only one 'cookie cutter' form of beauty. It's all a lie. Remember that. Please remember. Satan never wants you to feel good enough. If we try to live by what the media says, we will never amount to anything, because there will always be something wrong or something we are lacking. But in God's eyes, we all are good enough because we are fighting. You must show that effort and He will notice and He will bless you and protect you from the onslaughts of Satan. He knows what we are all going through and He wants to help so badly. We must make that effort to overcome, though. We have to try. I beg with the girl who wrote the blog article as well as many others that both men and women: fight and love yourself for who you are and what you look like. Self confidence is key and it goes a long way, and the media can't determine how you feel about yourself, it has to come from you.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

O Remember, Remember

Today I just feel like sharing some of my favorite quotes. In one way or another each one of these have affected my life and I hope at least one will touch you.

"The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead." -Marjorie Hinckley

"Lighthouses don't go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining."

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus." -Neal A. Maxwell

"God's love is there for you whether you deserve it or not." -Jeffery Holland

"We're all just walking each other home." -Ram Dass

"Lord, you placed the stars in the sky, yet you call me beautiful."

"God is for us, so it doesn't matter who is against us." -Al Foxx

"Hard times will constantly be there. But so will Christ." -Al Foxx

"Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we don't have to." -Jeffery Holland

"I just want people to see Christ in me. I don't even care if they know my name, as long as they get to know my God."

"If you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?"

"I believe in Christ, so come what may."

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right and forget the ones who don't. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance- take it; if it changes your life- let it. Nobody said it would be easy... They only promised it would be worth it."

"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." -2 Timothy 2:3

"God made you.. And God doesn't make mistakes."

"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything."

"We become what we want to be by constantly being what we want to become."

"You can't live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people's opinions make you self conscious you give away your power... The key to feeling confident is to always listen to your inner self-the real you. And in the kingdom of God, the real you is more precious than rubies." -Jeffery Holland

"Every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us." -Jeffery Holland

"You are not defined by your circumstances." -Robert Hales

"Preach the gospel always, and if necessary, use words."

"This is an important thing. When you encounter another person, when you have dealings with anyone at all, it is as if a question is being put to you. So you must think, What is the Lord asking of me in this moment, in this situation?" -Gilead

Again, these are just a few of the many quotes that have touched me and I hope that you remember who you are and what you can become. Remember that no matter what you are loved and there are good times ahead.


Thursday, January 2, 2014

The Saratov Approach

Last night my parents and I went to the movie last night to see The Saratov Approach. For those of you who don't know what this movie is about, it is based on the true story that happened in 1998 when two Mormon missionaries were kidnapped in Russia.
The story is incredible. These missionaries showed such amazing faith and dedication to the Lord. The captors captured them for ransom money, but the church could not pay the money because then the church would be a target to receive money. The missionaries knew that the money wouldn't come but prayed they would be protected, and they always prayed for their captors. They prayed they would feel the love of Christ and have their hearts softened towards them. I know we are told to pray for our enemies, but to pray for someone who kidnapped you would be so incredibly hard.
My favorite thing that was said was "light will always overcome darkness". I know that the light of Christ will always conquer the darkness Satan brings to life. Things will happen, nobody or nothing is perfect, but if you have faith in the only perfect being, then you will win.
My favorite part of the movie was so intense and brought me to tears. One of the missionaries managed to get the keys to the handcuffs and unlock them. They were free to escape. They made a plan to trap the captors and knock them out and get away. When they were all set up, the missionary who took the key stopped because he didn't feel right. They were all set up for their plan and to escape and he felt that this wasn't the way they were going to survive. He knew that God had a plan for everyone, including them. He knew that God would bring them to of this situation and to safety. So, he went back and they locked themselves back up. If that doesn't show faith, I don't know what faith is. That was probably the biggest example of faith I have ever seen. My testimony increased dramatically.
Though we all may not be kidnapped and handcuffed in a dirty apartment by two satanic men, but we will have trials of our own. We will be tried and tested of our faith, just like these missionaries. It would have been so easy for these men to be mad at God for their situation and blame Him, but they didn't. They prayed and knew that He would perform miracles. We can receive the same blessings in our life if we show Him we trust Him and we truly do have faith in Him.
If you have not seen this movie, I strongly encourage you to! You will be touched and inspired!