Sunday Church Day Funday

Today is Monday, yesterday was Sunday and here is what I did. I woke up and got ready for the next 3 hours to be full of church and learning. I ditched the jacket since it was a bit warmer and snow wasn’t falling on my head causing me to look like a wet dog. I pretty much chased Becky up the hill, my short leg span has got nothing on her long leg span. After diddly daddling on campus we made the quarter of a mile trek home… in the car of course, who are we kidding here.

Which brings me to Sunday activities.

It’s not like the old times. Sunday was just another day of the weekend then. I’d go shopping, not attend any church, lay around like a bum, etc. Well, some days I still lay around like a bum, Sunday naps are the best. Point is, these Sundays are 100x better. Want to know why?

Oh yeah, um maybe because this is a day we devote to our Heavenly Father, our faith and growth! Testimonies are shared, hymns are sung and the spirit is always present. Think I am over exaggerating? I’m not.

My roommate Becky and I enjoy making treats for people after church. Yesterday we made some amazing chocolate covered strawberries and snicker doodle cookies and brought them around to people. It always feels great to serve others, even if it's just desserts. We spent time at the assisted living center and sang to the grandma and grandpas of Provo. We were taught a lesson by some of the best Home Teacher's around. I was able to sit around and relax, not use this day to run errands, but instead take a few moments to read my scriptures and focus on the upcoming week. Had to throw in a chapter of the newest Nicholas Sparks novel as well.

I love the church and the fact that it is a lifestyle. I love that it helps me to think more about others and service, than myself. I love that you can go to our church anywhere in the world and still be learning the same thing. I love the standards it upholds. I love the optimism for life and excitement for eternity it expresses. I love that it focuses on family. What I really love, is to be able to share these experiences and things I am constantly learning with whoever is willing to listen.

One of my absolute favorites.

Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for the things which are not seen, which are true. -Alma 32:32

*Throughout my posts I will provide a link you click on for LDS terms such as "Home Teacher" and so forth, so that people that are not members of the Church can better understand. Trust me, it took me awhile to catch onto the lingo.

Blessings!

I went to the temple today, and while I was waiting I started to write this blog post. Normally these words come typed out on my computer, instead of hand written in my journal. There was something that prompted me to physically write this out with a certain topic in mind, my patriarchal blessing or just blessings in general.

Patriarchal blessings are given to worthy members of the Church by ordained patriarchs. Patriarchal blessings include a declaration of a person's lineage in the house of Israel and contain personal counsel from the Lord. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection.

As my hand met the paper, I realized what prompted me to begin writing this right then and there. I slid back quite a few journal pages, and came to one dated April 15^th, 2012. I was able to relive that day, with an entry of before I received my blessing and afterwards.

Taking a few steps back, if I had heard about patriarchal blessings, I would have thought that some crazy person was fortune telling and all these members of the church were flocking to get their palms read. This is not the case.

I can clearly remember that day and what I felt. I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. It was a Sunday. I was slightly upset because I knew that this was something so personal that was to only be shared with my family, who obviously were not present. If they asked right now, I would happily share it with them though :) While I was at the patriarchs house, I could feel the spirit. Really, I could feel it in my bones and mind and arms and legs and okay okay okay haha.

While I wont share the details of my blessing, I can testify of its truth. Receiving that blessing and being able to read it whenever I want, gives me strength and comfort. Whenever I am going through something tough, it helps me get through it. Whenever I don’t think that something is going to happen cough marriage cough haha kidding, kind of. I remember that it is on Heavenly Fathers time table and that He has promised blessings to me, if I continue to live worthily of them.

Which brings me to another point, blessings in general. Heavenly Father knows us! He does! Each of us on a personal level! Even though some times we think that our life is going in one direction and something turns it upside down, He is aware. He gives us the strength to get through and learn from those moments.

Exhibit A: Last spring/summer I thought my life was going in a certain direction. I thought that the thing I wanted the most was going to happen, but it didn’t. It wasn’t right no matter how badly I wanted it and I was aware of that. As hard as it was, I am grateful for it. Heavenly Father has a plan.

That trial was a blessing. Contradictory much? No. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have learned to be less selfish. I wouldn’t have grown even more close to Heavenly Father. I wouldn’t have the examples that are present in my everyday life. I wouldn’t have been forced to move in with a random roommate who has become my best friend and teaches me new things everyday.

I think it is all in perspective. We are given blessings daily. Big or small, we just need to strive to be more aware of them. I appreciate so much more when I am open to recognizing the spirit. 

I am blessed with the mistakes of my past, I know what it is like to not have the spirit in my life. I am blessed with knowledge of the gospel. I am blessed with...

Family!

 Friends!

Pizza! (Yes, pizza, I love it.)

Life is just so much more meaningful and happy when you realize what Heavenly Father has given us, has blessed us with. Even the simple things matter. 

Keeper of a Journal

Growing up as a child, I had a diary. It was super cute I promise. It was navy blue with Hello Kitty on the front. Oh, and a lock. Can’t forget about that. I could never imagine my younger siblings stealing it and reading my deepest darkest secrets! You know the usual, which boy I was crushing on in the 5^th grade stuff. 15 years later, here I am spilling it all on the Internet to whomever in the world wants to read.

About this time last year, I made myself a promise to keep a journal and write in it as often as possible. Whether it was a good day or bad day, any strong emotion that I was feeling I attempted to record.

The Church advises to keep a record of your life and experiences. All throughout the Book of Mormon it says, “to remember.” I think that one of the most useful things that I did this past year was to write down the events in my life as they were happening, as I was feeling them. I’m on the verge of 25 and I can already tell my ability to remember the details are going south!

As this past year was coming to a close I began to reflect. January I moved to Utah. March I started working at my current job. May I became engaged. July I became unengaged. August I moved into an apartment with random roommates. September I was given a new calling. November I took a trip to New York. December I was able to spend time at home with my family. A few of those instances were extremely hard, and some were extremely gratifying.

2012 was a rollercoaster and I am grateful that I kept a record of it. As I flip through those hand-written pages I can see exactly where my mind was at and why I was thinking certain thoughts. I can probably see cheetoh marks on the pages as well haha stupid cheesy fingers. Back to what I was talking about. Trials are so vivid and I can clearly make out the blessings that came from them. I am reminded of the spiritual promptings that occurred and the result of me acting upon them or not. I can see Gods hand in my life.

If you really think about it, that is what the Bible and Book of Mormon are. They are records! Those scriptures are here on earth to help guide us in these Latter-days. My personal record keeping is here to help me continue learning as I grow older.

This past Christmas I gave journals to my siblings as gifts. I also threw in a pair of gloves; it’s a poor girl life haha. The ability to remember is one of the greatest blessings.

Family and Church

I’ve been really struggling to write this post because I want to be able to express everything I am feeling/have felt.  It’s such a minor thing, but so important and powerful to me.

My youngest sister Franki flew to Utah to visit me this past week (after some nagging on my part). There is just something about family that makes you whole. I am grateful she was willing to endure these below freezing temperatures for me, or maybe she just didn’t know what she was getting herself into haha.

I have a rule. If you visit me, you come to church with me. The thought of that just made me incredibly happy. I didn’t really know how it would truly affect me. The day started with me setting out an outfit for her. The jeans she packed, weren’t gonna cut it, I wouldn’t allow it haha.

We went through sacrament, we went through Sunday school (actually I had a meeting so she went with Kelli) and then we got to Relief Society. I absolutely love Sundays. Even though half of the Sunday meetings my stomach growls loud enough for everybody to hear, the spirit is still just so strong and present. Especially this day. I don’t know what eventually did it, but I just sat there and thought… wow, my sister is here in church with me. I have never had any of my family here. If I hadn’t become a Latter-day Saint, this wouldn’t be happening. Needless to say, I started to tear up. Such happy happy tears. There is nothing greater than family.

Ever since I joined the Church, I have been filled with the most unexplainable happiness. It is a deep-rooted happiness that I never knew was missing, but couldn’t imagine life without now. Obviously, this is something that I would want the most, for the people that I love the most. My family. 

They are going to read this (cause they are so great and amazing, read my blog and love me no matter what), but I want these things for them, even if I have never said that directly. We all have our agency and beliefs, and I am grateful for that. I am grateful that I am able to make new decisions daily, as well as them. A girl can pray for happiness for their family though, right?

Over and over I kept thinking, for once a part of my family is here with me. Even if all she got out of it was that we aren’t a bunch of weirdos and that 3 hour church really isn’t as long as it seems, I am happy.

Sometimes when I am home, I try to be a little sneaky. You know, leave my Book of Mormon around in hopes that maybe they will pick it up and read a verse or two. Accidently forget my Ensign on the kitchen table.  If  they weren’t already aware, now they are :)

“Now ye my suppose that this is foolishness in me;

but behold I say unto you,

that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

Alma 37:6

If my family never even gives the Church a chance, I will love them just the same. I will always be here and open with them, if they ever have any questions. I truly want them to understand what I believe, what Heavenly Fathers plan for us is, how He loves us and helps to guide us today. I have a testimony of this. I am thankful and blessed with so much.

I love Heavenly Father, I love Him for giving me my family, I love my family.

The Move

I am not exactly sure of the moment I decided I was moving to Utah. I noticed myself slowly losing self-control over my new life. It was hard going to church without my family.  It was the new me, in the same old town.

As I felt myself slowly slipping, I knew I had to make a change. It came in the form of an apartment opening with Kelli (who at the time I barely knew). I think it was sort of an instant decision. You might want to double check with my mom, but I think I just came home and told her I was moving in a couple of months. I would figure out the details later.

Recognizing that need was huge. It changed everything in my life. It gave me hope for the future and a new drive. I knew people that share the same faith and standards would surround me.

It scares me to think of how I would be if I had stayed there. Where I am now and where I was a year ago is an extreme difference. I am constantly learning. I am constantly meeting new people. I have a much more positive outlook on life. You are the only person who can make the decisions for change.

Faith.

That simple word carries such a significant meaning. I had faith that things would work out. I trusted in the decision I was making because when I would sincerely kneel and pray, I felt good about it. Faith has guided me in everything since that moment I decided to strive to be more Christ like and be baptized. I was blessed with the spirit of the Holy Ghost which has been present every day of my life since. I can testify of that. I have my own testimony that I love to share with people.

Utah has been a blessing, trials included.