O Child, Where Art Thou?

This week, we talked today a lot about trials and endurance. We read in D&C 121 where Joseph Smith asked the question "O, God, Where art Thou?" In my life, I've found God is the one asking me why I haven't turned to Him.

So, that is my challenge for the week, to turn to the Lord more quickly about my life and involve Him in my decision making process.

Testimonies and Priesthood

Today was a good day at church. Testimony meeting is always a good meeting and I heard good messages by the Spirit.

"My testimony is simple, but it is mine"

We also discussed the Priesthood, which was wonderful to truly come to understand it by talking with others and answering questions which we all had.

I also had an interesting experience preparing the lesson. I was trying to get a good metaphor for how the priesthood fell into the plan - and the idea of a couple carrying an umbrella came to mind. It was later in the day when I realized that the idea wasn't new - in fact I heard it twice the same day. It was reassuring to know that the Spirit speaks to me and helps me teach others by His words.

We talked about this in Gospel Doctrine and also in a combined Priesthood and Relief Society. We had great discussions and it was a great day to learn together.

Deception and Endurance

Let's see - today the speakers spoke... ha ha.. anyway - on missionary work, conversion, and humility. Then I gave a lesson / led a discussion on deception, then we followed it up with a combined lesson (5th Sunday the bishop taught), on decision making and who Satan is, how to separate it from what is right.

It was wonderful to see how all these melded and meshed together. I also had an interesting test - I decided for this lesson I would only ask questions (I have a tendency, as you can tell from my blog posts, to be long winded). It was quite the experience - I had to make a really long sentence with lots of commas once... haha but I made it. I think it was a good experience to do this and I feel like where they gave me all the credit for the 'good lesson' but it was really all the people who were part of the lesson.

I also decided I'd like to talk with the Bishop about my life - it all just seems unclear, and I'd like to get another perspective I think. There are just so many options, I'm not sure what I want to do and what I'm willing to do. Life is an adventure and it is time for me to figure out my next steps.  The Bishop's lesson talked about having faith and making a decision for yourself - I get that, but I also believe God will give us direction, when we need it and I definitely need it. I shall continue to search faithfully for what is right and what is best for me eternally.

Anyway, that was church today.

Catch-Up

Hello journal readers. :)

I've been away from a computer for awhile and am borrowing this one for a few minutes.

Life has a tendency to get away from me.

Well, the past two weeks the message has just been to keep trying a little harder, and not to give up when I don't understand or know very much. I know enough and have enough support to keep going.

Life is an adventure - live it, with a foundation in Christ - and always moving upward, closer to Him.

Sign Me Up

Today we had a great set of meetings. Sacrament was all about faith, hope, and charity. Sunday School was focused on the signs of the second coming and how we can prepare, and RS was focused on having faith in the Lord and following His will.

It was just a continual reminder that I can keep going in faith and moving forward in my life, that there are great things that await me.

I've got a bit of a migraine headache so I am going to cut this post short now. :)

Glory and Grace

Today we talked about the kingdoms of glory and then about God's grace.

It was a wonderful discussion and helped strengthen my faith in these areas. To be honest, I didn't really hear  anything 'new' but I don't think that was the point. I did come closer to my Savior and I did feel strengthened by the Sacrament, and I was able to be obedient, so I feel at peace with my experience today.

The scripture that says we are saved after all we can do, doesn't say it explicitly, but the 'we' is the reader and Christ. We are saved through His grace after our efforts together. And, if we only want to put in so much work, we are given our desires and will be happy. Our desires and our choices matter, and when we turn to Him, we can feel of His grace.

To See

I just got back from a weekend trip to Washington DC where I saw lots of cool things. It got me thinking about the importance of seeing things and the balance it strikes with faith, which is what we talked about in church today.

I don't really have time to write about it, but I definitely kept it in mind as I worked hard to see things, to make memories, and to take part in history.

This was an excellent weekend where I learned to travel and see life fully, and on my own, for the most part. God is good and has given me so many wonderful blessings, in this, my wonderful life.

More details to come as I sythesize what happened and make it coherent, for people to read.