Once, when I was in kindergarten or first grade, I was walking by the 6th grade classrooms. I thought of how smart they were and despaired to think that I wasn't ever going to be smart enough to make it in 6th grade. Well, I made it through that year, and then each year after that. Now I've been accepted to grad school, and I'm facing those same fears.
In church today, we discussed Christ - and who He truly is. He is someone who will help me through each day of my program. It will be a miracle, but as I learn to have faith in Him, He will show His power and plan for me. I don't know if that sentence makes sense... but somehow, with His help, I will be able to overcome huge obstacles and become more like my Savior.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
God loves me
This is a paragraph from one of my all time favorite books, "The Continuous Atonement" by Brad Wilcox. I wanted to share it on my blog so that as you read it, you can feel of God's love for you, too.
"God loves me just as He loves His living prophets. I am one of the reasons for living prophets. God loves me just has He loves Joseph Smith. I am one of the reasons for the Restoration. God loves me just as He loves Jesus. I am one of the reasons for the Atonement. God loves people of every era just as He loved the people to whom Christ was sent in the meridian of time. Alma asked, 'Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul . . . at the time of His coming?' (Alma 39:17). Paul assured us that nothing can separate us from the love of God (see Romans 8:35-39). Jesus Himself said to ancient Israel, 'Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee" (Isaiah 49:15). " (page 134)
and
"No matter how deficient and beyond recovery I thought I was, God was bound to love me. No matter how many balls I had juggled and let fall, no matter how much weight I had gained, how much lack of self-control I demonstrated, and how many regrets I carried from the past, He was bound to love me. ... Earth life is not merely a way of proving myself to them, but also a way for them to prove their love to me. God and Jesus are bound to believe in me - in my potential and possibilities - even when I don't. ... He is a perfect parent. ... And knowing He has not failed gives me the power I need to succeed." (page 133)
"God loves me just as He loves His living prophets. I am one of the reasons for living prophets. God loves me just has He loves Joseph Smith. I am one of the reasons for the Restoration. God loves me just as He loves Jesus. I am one of the reasons for the Atonement. God loves people of every era just as He loved the people to whom Christ was sent in the meridian of time. Alma asked, 'Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul . . . at the time of His coming?' (Alma 39:17). Paul assured us that nothing can separate us from the love of God (see Romans 8:35-39). Jesus Himself said to ancient Israel, 'Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee" (Isaiah 49:15). " (page 134)
and
"No matter how deficient and beyond recovery I thought I was, God was bound to love me. No matter how many balls I had juggled and let fall, no matter how much weight I had gained, how much lack of self-control I demonstrated, and how many regrets I carried from the past, He was bound to love me. ... Earth life is not merely a way of proving myself to them, but also a way for them to prove their love to me. God and Jesus are bound to believe in me - in my potential and possibilities - even when I don't. ... He is a perfect parent. ... And knowing He has not failed gives me the power I need to succeed." (page 133)
Sunday, November 3, 2013
It's Been Awhile
It's been awhile, journal-blog readers.
I'm not sure I have a good excuse except that life happens and I get distracted. I also feel like this blog helped me reconnect with my church attendance and its purpose may have been fulfilled (not to say that it isn't still useful).
At church today, I felt the Spirit again. There are many life questions, lots of pain, and it's hard to stay true to what we know, but as we consistently stay true to what we do know, what we do feel, then we are able to come unto Christ and find healing and find motivation to keep going.
I'm not sure I have a good excuse except that life happens and I get distracted. I also feel like this blog helped me reconnect with my church attendance and its purpose may have been fulfilled (not to say that it isn't still useful).
At church today, I felt the Spirit again. There are many life questions, lots of pain, and it's hard to stay true to what we know, but as we consistently stay true to what we do know, what we do feel, then we are able to come unto Christ and find healing and find motivation to keep going.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Atonement and Becoming Better
Guys, since I've started this blog, I've come to know myself better. You'd think you already would know yourself... I mean, really. You're always talking to yourself. :) ANYway. I am coming to be a little more aware of who I am, what I want, and where I'm going.
First, I am grateful for the Atonement. I have really come to recognize and apply it in my life this past couple of years. I feel like I am in a prep / store-up for winter / type period in my life and so I am trying to write and remember and truly become a better person because of it. Hopefully I'll be ready when the next emergency / unexpected trial comes.
We have been taught so much lately, and it sounds (and probably is) ignorant of me to say, but I am doing much better than I realized / was aware of. And so much of that is because I have started trying to be more grateful. Do not be tempted to get me wrong - I have also discovered how far I really have to go - BUT it's nice to know that I have made some progress.
I am easily intimidated, which is something I'm working on. Until I overcome it, through the Atonement, I am working on just taking one day at a time and not worrying about trying to keep it up for the rest of my life.
Church today was full of the Spirit, we talked so much about the process of coming to know Christ, what things really mean in our lives, and how to more fully use the Atonement and recognize His hand in our lives. We also talked a lot about our motives - something I've been trying to understand about myself lately. Where I still am very self-centered, I have noticed occasions where I've thought of myself a little less than I would normally do, which is great. By the time I'm 100, hopefully I'll get it down. One day at a time though.
Anyway, those are my thoughts about church today.
First, I am grateful for the Atonement. I have really come to recognize and apply it in my life this past couple of years. I feel like I am in a prep / store-up for winter / type period in my life and so I am trying to write and remember and truly become a better person because of it. Hopefully I'll be ready when the next emergency / unexpected trial comes.
We have been taught so much lately, and it sounds (and probably is) ignorant of me to say, but I am doing much better than I realized / was aware of. And so much of that is because I have started trying to be more grateful. Do not be tempted to get me wrong - I have also discovered how far I really have to go - BUT it's nice to know that I have made some progress.
I am easily intimidated, which is something I'm working on. Until I overcome it, through the Atonement, I am working on just taking one day at a time and not worrying about trying to keep it up for the rest of my life.
Church today was full of the Spirit, we talked so much about the process of coming to know Christ, what things really mean in our lives, and how to more fully use the Atonement and recognize His hand in our lives. We also talked a lot about our motives - something I've been trying to understand about myself lately. Where I still am very self-centered, I have noticed occasions where I've thought of myself a little less than I would normally do, which is great. By the time I'm 100, hopefully I'll get it down. One day at a time though.
Anyway, those are my thoughts about church today.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Fast Sunday - Uchtdorf - New Calling
Hello, blog-journal-thing. Yesterday, I met President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, of the First Presidency. He shook my hand and it was nice. His wife is adorable.
Today at church, I was released from being a Gospel Doctrine instructor, which kind of makes me sad. I'm now the 1st counselor in the Relief Society. Do not get me wrong, this will be a good calling too - I just always like teaching... so anyway. :)
At church, it was Fast and Testimony meeting, which is always nice. Then I taught my last lesson - it went alright. It was on President Brigham Young, and the beginnings of the journey west. It was nice, people really brought up good points and it was a pretty good discussion. It wasn't my favorite lesson ever, but that's ok.
Relief Society we talked about temples and the importance of attending regularly. I definitely need to be better about that.
This week I was able to be part of some service activities which was a nice break from my usual self-centered-ness. :) I want to improve my attitude and feel like a more deliberate effort to be of service to others could really help. One step at a time.
Also, I have a testimony about bearing testimonies, ever since I heard Elder Holland's talk where he told us to lean on his strength when we need it, for some reason it just clicked more firmly for me. We need to hear reminders of other people's journeys, and their faith. It reminds us that we can have faith too. Surround yourself with goodness and strength, and you will be an example for others too.
Today at church, I was released from being a Gospel Doctrine instructor, which kind of makes me sad. I'm now the 1st counselor in the Relief Society. Do not get me wrong, this will be a good calling too - I just always like teaching... so anyway. :)
At church, it was Fast and Testimony meeting, which is always nice. Then I taught my last lesson - it went alright. It was on President Brigham Young, and the beginnings of the journey west. It was nice, people really brought up good points and it was a pretty good discussion. It wasn't my favorite lesson ever, but that's ok.
Relief Society we talked about temples and the importance of attending regularly. I definitely need to be better about that.
This week I was able to be part of some service activities which was a nice break from my usual self-centered-ness. :) I want to improve my attitude and feel like a more deliberate effort to be of service to others could really help. One step at a time.
Also, I have a testimony about bearing testimonies, ever since I heard Elder Holland's talk where he told us to lean on his strength when we need it, for some reason it just clicked more firmly for me. We need to hear reminders of other people's journeys, and their faith. It reminds us that we can have faith too. Surround yourself with goodness and strength, and you will be an example for others too.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Catch Up
Guys, I've been not very consistent at this lately - the trouble is that now I teach a lesson each week, so I feel like I get all my thoughts out there already.
Today I just wanted to express my gratitude for the people in my ward and the Spirit not giving up on me, guiding me in what questions to ask.
See, this week's lesson was really hard for me to know what to say, it was the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. So, I started to doubt that I could have a good lesson about this, but as I was diligent in asking for help - I found good questions. And the people in my ward really thought about them, and answered from their hearts and brought the Spirit even more into the lesson. So, it was great.
Of course, the rest of church is always really good. Today was really meaningful because going into it, I didn't know what I was going to say for this lesson, and every step of the way I was prompted to speak, or to ask, or to just listen to my friends share and teach all of us. It was great.
Today I just wanted to express my gratitude for the people in my ward and the Spirit not giving up on me, guiding me in what questions to ask.
See, this week's lesson was really hard for me to know what to say, it was the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. So, I started to doubt that I could have a good lesson about this, but as I was diligent in asking for help - I found good questions. And the people in my ward really thought about them, and answered from their hearts and brought the Spirit even more into the lesson. So, it was great.
Of course, the rest of church is always really good. Today was really meaningful because going into it, I didn't know what I was going to say for this lesson, and every step of the way I was prompted to speak, or to ask, or to just listen to my friends share and teach all of us. It was great.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Endure with Patience
In good times and in bad we are shaping our character, but it is up to us to make decisions in faith and move forward with our lives and service to others.
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