Crazy Christmas Time

So I was thinking about how busy this time of year gets. How we all have so many places to go and so many parties to go to. Suddenly we are filled with thoughts of what to buy for those we love. How to show people we care. It can get very overwhelming. Now I'm not going to complain that we've lost the meaning of Christmas. No, what I have realized is that this is totally the meaning of Christmas. All the things we spend our time on, all the events we engage in, all have to do with those we love. I like that Christmas time is when we all tend to think of one another. Get together with old friends, try and find something for each person that has helped us get through one more year. As hectic as we make it, I think it's fun. There really is no other meaning for Christmas, than thinking of those we love most.
That iss why I'm glad we celebrate the birth of our savior this time of year. He truly gave those he loved most, the greatest gift of all. He descended below us all to come to earth and perform the greatest act. He was only thinking of us when he chose to come to earth. No longer at the right hand of our Father in Heaven where we reigns and rules the Heavens but, down here among those who regarded him as nothing, so that we could one day be with our Father again. So just as we fill this time of year with parties and events that bring us close to each other, I think of how that is just what our Savior did. He caused the event that will one day unite us eternally all together.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. I hope that each of us was able to and continues to feel of the Love of our Savior, for that is the spirit of Christmas.
Love you!

Hope

I realize lately how easy it is to focus on all the things that I can't do because of the situation I find myself in. I recognize how often I reflect on the things that are withheld from me instead of the things bestowed upon me. Maybe this is a time to open my mind to new things. To not get stuck on what I think is best or right but to look for opportunities to change in the direction that is intended. I feel that I've been so concerned trying to figure out all the things that I want that I quite possibly have been keeping the door shut to receiving guidance from the one who know what will bring me the most joy. For we know that 'men are that they might have joy.' As I think about the word joy, a lot of experiences come to mind. Most of them have to do with a time that I was able to see someone else experience joy. I cannot think of anything greater to behold. Each time someone was filled with joy it was directly related to them being taught about the gospel, which naturally leads one to hope. I'm reminded of the story in the book of Alma when Ammon gains the trust of kind Lamoni and has the opportunity to teach him all about the 'plan of redemption which was prepared from the foundation of the world; he also made known until them concerning the coming of Christ.' Lamoni had not heard these things before and upon learning them, he immediately turned to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy. He was so overcome with 'joy that he sunk to the earth.' He was taught there was more, better, greater things to come. He had reason now to Hope for a better live than he currently had.
"Hope is the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur."(PMG pg 117) It is so easy to get caught up in the things that aren't happening, trust me I'm an expert. But I know that the Lord does not promise something he does not intend to deliver. So now I guess is time for me to just think of other things to do with my time and make the most of it and to push out those thoughts of doubt and discouragement. Because they will undoubtedly come. But I know that with 'confidence, optimism, enthusiasm and patience' we can live our lives in a way that opens our hearts and souls to joy. For that is why we are here.

Charity

So once again not much to update so I thought I would share with you what I have been thinking about and read. I've been thinking a lot about charity lately and how much I lack :) just go with me here. So I was reading out of PMG (preach my gospel) in chapter 6, 'Christlike attributes.', and in there it lists what Charity is and then how to obtain it as well. In Moroni 7 we learn that we can "pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love" So I read on and it says that as you do this, certain things will come. So I posed some questions to myself. Am I willing to do all these things that are natural reactions to being filled with Charity?
Am I will to . . .
1. Feel a sincere concern for the eternal welfare and happiness of other people?
2. See others as children of God with the potential of becoming like our Heavenly Father?
3. Avoid negative feelings such as anger, envy, lust, or covetousness?
4. Avoid judging others, criticizing them, or saying negative things about them?
5. Try to understand others and their points of view?
6. Be patient with others and try to them them when they are struggling or discouraged?

I'm sure there are more but this is what is listed. So I asked myself, 'when I'm praying for this gift of charity, am I taking into account what it will mean?'
One of my favorite scriptures is found in Romans 8 vs 35-38.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, or life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We are so lucky to have the knowledge that we do. And what great opportunity it is to live up to such wonderful expectations. I hope ya'll have a good day!

Much Love!

I'm so grateful that we have an example in our savior Jesus Christ. Where all these things are hard to do and take time and a whole lot of practise I know that through the help of the holy ghost and continually looking to Christ as an example we can become like this.

Not much to share yet

So I don't have any new news yet. . . I've been interviewing and stuff but no jobs yet. A lot of things are up in the air. It's very annoying. But I'm way happy for it to be the holidays. It's so much more fun with snow all around.
I got to go to the game on Saturday! I really thought that the Y had it. OH man that was so much fun. Not so much fun to watch the Utes play like crap. But 10-2 is pretty dang good. I was begining to think I was bad luck. . . You can imagine my relief when I realized I wasn't.

On Thanksgiving I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the people in my life. I have realized how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. I am so grateful for my family. And also to be surrounded by so many woderful friends. I miss my 'family' in Texas so much but it's been wonderful to be home and see how loved I am here as well. I'm most grateful for family and friends this year. There are very few things that will last beyond the veil. Our relationship with others is truly what pulls us through life, and also what I believe is most important to our Father and Savior. " . . . the second is like unto it. To love they neighbor as thyself." I'm convinced that we all love christmas time so much because the spirit of our Savior is more abundant. I pray that we may all have a safe and wonderful holiday season and always show love to our brothers and sisters.

Making the most of our time

So I've been thinking a lot lately about this life and now what I get to do with it. There are so many unknowns. And each day we are faced with things that we must do. 1. go to work 2. do the dishes, 3. take out the garbage 4. buy food 5. make food 6. clean the house . . . the list goes on. Each day we must get things done. But what happened to the list that matters?
a. make someone smile. b. enjoy the beauty around us c. find one more thing you can do to make someone else's life that much easier d. prayer . . . This list is eternal. Because the fruits of this list are those that will last forever.
This is what has been most difficult about being home. I miss only having to worry about the second set of 'things to get done today' and as the first list is important and must be accomplished, oh how I long for the day when we get to 'rest from all our troubles and all our cares' and be in the presence of our Father and Savior once more.
As you can see my postings are a bit different than before, but these are the things that are on my mind. And even though it has been a rough transition for me I hope never to lose sight of the things that really matter from day to day.
I hope you all have a great day today and if it's not a good day, do something to make it so. (something for someone else almost always does the trick.)

Things I've learned.

So until I have more news to share I thought that I would share with you some things I've learned and share stories from my past many months of my life.

So I'll take you back to the begining of my mission. I'll be honest. I didn't really want to be there. Each day was a struggle having the desire to do the work. I kept thinking of all the things I could be doing and the things I was missing out on. I was thinking all about what I wanted. Pretty selfish I know. This obviously led to me feeling completely guilty that I wasn't wanting to be there doing the Lords work. I so badly wanted to give up and come home. I knew that no one would judge me or think less of me. But what I knew more is that I didn't want to be THAT person. I wanted to be someone that could do hard things. Someone that would do what was expected and do it well. I found strength through the scriptures and prayer.

One of my favorite example of doing hard things and faith is in the Book of Mormon, following the Prophet Alma. In Alma 8, Alma finds himself in the city of Ammonihah where "Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestlng with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance." The response was the people withstood 'all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city . . .' so Alma left and while leaving this city he was 'being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tibulation and anguish of soul. . . it came to pass while Alam was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying: Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God . . . Behold I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah and preach again unto the people of the city. . "

Okay I don't know about you but I sure as heck wouldn't want to go back to a place that I had been rejected and spit upon. I saw a lot of rejection in TX and there was never a time when I was rejected by someone that I ever would think to go back and try again. However here is where Alma's strength and faith are exemplified Alma 8:18 ". . . that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way. . ." He returned speedily! What faith! For crying out loud. I think I would question and doubt and definitly not go speedily. This would be so hard and Alma just did it. In vs 20 we see how merciful the Lord is. Alma comes to a man and asks him for food. He is receieved by Amulek, a worthy man that the Lord had prepared to recieve his servant. Alma had NO idea that he would find safety in the walls of the city. He did not know that the Lord had prepared Amulek to not only take him in but become his greatest companion in the gospel.

I know that if we face those things that seem impossible with faith in the Lord he will prepare a way for us to be provided for. I know that the Lord only asks us to do things for our benefit. I did not want to be serving a mission at first, but once I gave up myself and submited to the Lord I began to thank him each day for the opportunity to serve him. We can serve him each day. By being a living example of him. Sometimes it may be hard to be like him, but I know he can help us do it.

Pres. Uchtdorf said "Try and keep trying until that which seems difficult becomes possile and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you."

I share these things in the name of our savior, Jesus Christ.

Home again Home again

Well I think most people know that I'm home. But I just thought that I would say Hi to ya'll. I'll be better at putting something fun up here. This is just a quick hi and welcome back to my blog. I'll share thoughts and things that I learned. But first I have to get my room organized. Turns out that you can life off a lot in a year and half and you come home with a bunch of junk!
But look for more to come from me!

Love to you all.