Missionary Age Changes

The collective gasp is audible as you hear the prophet, President Monson, announce that effective immediately, young men that are worthy (and have completed high school or the equivalent) are eligible to begin a mission at 18. Women may start serving at the age of 19.

What a blessing this inspired change is to the world! 

Conference Is The Best!

Brothers and sisters, boys and girls, it has been a year and a day since I last wrote. I pulled it up today and just couldn't believe it had been so long! I began this blog as an outlet, a place to write my thoughts.

Today, the thing that is on my mind is General Conference. Twice a year, we have the privilege to watch and listen to our prophet and other church leaders. We have the obligation to pray after conference to obtain a testimony of the truthfulness of what we heard. Click here to view the October 2012 conference...it is the best way to spend a few hours!

(President Monson via www.lds.org)

Gratitude

The other day I couldn't help but remember blessings that have been streaming into my life so I thought I would list a few:

- Family that is close in proximity and relationship
- Health
- Health of family
- Air conditioned car and home (this was especially true this summer)
- Car that runs and won't leave me stranded in the ghetto
- Job that doesn't require me to travel to the ghetto anymore
- Job where I can help people
- The Gospel (this encompasses a lot and what I am feeling most grateful for)
- Friends who understand my point of view
- Live in America, land of freedom
- Being a woman at this time with all the rights that accompany this time in the world
- Being a woman period.
- The freedom to have a blog and voice my opinions
- Pets. I love small creatures and appreciate having them around.
- My education. My time at BYU helped me solidify my testimony and opened doors. Earning my master's degree in psychology helped me develop emotionally and put me in a position where I can help others.
- The ability to involved politically in my community.
- Technology

What Matters Most

I fell in love with this video. I was checking my facebook one last time before going to bed on 9/11/11. I had spent the day feeling a mixture of feelings ranging from sad to agitated to peaceful. I was all over the place emotionally that day. And a relative posted this video. As I watched it, my frustrations melted away and I was reminded that it's okay to laugh, smile, and be grateful to be alive. It's important to remember what matters most.

Peace

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - John 14:27

The Reality of Faith

I stumbled across Elder Richard G. Scott's talk, "The Sustaining Powers of Faith in Times in Uncertainty and Testing." And if ever there was a time that we were in times of uncertainty, now was it. I find that when I take these principles into action, my faith is increased and I am filled with joy. When I don't, confusion surrounds me.

"...never doubt the reality of faith. You will gather the fruits of faith as you follow the principles God has established for its use.

Some of those principles are:

• Trust in God and in His willingness to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the circumstance.

• Obey His commandments and live to demonstrate that He can trust you.

• Be sensitive to the quiet prompting of the Spirit.

• Act courageously on that prompting.

• Be patient and understanding when God lets you struggle to grow and answers come a piece at a time over an extended period."

Reminder of Faith

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” - Hebrews 11:1

"Only when our faith is aligned with the will of our Heavenly Father will we be empowered to receive the blessings we seek." - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin October 2002 Conference

“Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” - Ether 12:6

9/11

September 11, 2001 - I was at home in Provo, Utah and my older sister (and roommate) received a call stating that a plane flew into a building in NYC. She and I couldn't get it on tv so we rushed up to BYU campus. I had to work so I ran from building to building, watching the televisions in various buildings with what seemed like all of campus. I arrived at work and stood with dozens of students crammed into a lobby of the business building of campus and watched in horror what occurred. My younger sister was working in the same building and ran to my work with horror on her face as she said the pentagon was hit - we had an uncle that worked in the pentagon. We ran back to the lobby and watched and prayed and waited. Later, BYU held a prayer meeting and the building was packed. We cried and prayed. I felt like my heart broke that day. My uncle lived but so many didn't.

What I choose to think of today are the brave men and women who fought back on the flight in Pennsylvania. I think of the firefighters, police, paramedics, civilians, preachers, and so on that ran in to save those who were trapped.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - John 14:27

Love Is

What a great video! Love is good. Binding. Eternal.

Good Things To Come

I am pretty sure I have posted this video before but I had to post it again. It's one of my favorites. I sure love Elder Holland and his reminder that good things are to come. Stay with it. Have faith and be believing.

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come till heaven. But for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come."