Change

I wanted to write a little today about change, especially because fall is coming on and summer is changing into fall... Today has been really warm.  Surprisingly.  But lately you can feel the crisp air coming and the tip of the leaves are changing their green colors for warmer reds and browns.  It is sad to see summer leave, but it is fun to see autumn come.  The longer I've lived the more I've realized the amount of changes a person has in a lifetime.  There is always change.  Life changes from day to day, week to week, and year to year. It is really quite incredible the constant changes that we all go through.  Not only does the world change around us but we as people change.  I was doing some reading this morning on repentance, and it was talking about how repentance was really a way that we can change each day. Most people look at repentance as something needed for those who commit awful crimes, but repentance really is changing our life and living closer to our Father in Heaven.  I really like this quote by Elder Neil A. Anderson, it says:

“The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to ‘re-turn’ toward God. It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments.”

We all have a need to repent everyday, to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and to change.  It is really incredible to know that we can become better everyday.  We hold the pen that writes our future. We are the ones that decide.  God has created a perfect plan and through His Son Christ we can repent everyday and be a little better.  I ask you all to find something to change.  Just like Summer to Autumn is a beautiful change so is repenting everyday!

Peace

There is a hymn in my church that I love.  One of the line in it says... "Where can I turn for peace, where is my solace.." I often think about that line when I am sad, or when I just can't seem to find a ray of sunshine at all. Then I think of the scripture in John 14 that says in verse 27

 "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."

It clicks.  Christ is the answer.  He is the one who gives us peace, because of him we can recieve peace and solace in our lives. I remember feeling so alone and getting on my knees and asking God to comfort me. I couldn't believe the love that poured over me as I thought of the Savior.  I have a picture in my room of a young women kneeling at the Saviors knees asking for forgiveness.  I love it because I know that we can receive peace from him if we believe and if we go to him. So find peace today, seek out the Savior.

Embarrassing moments?!

I feel like I got such a good attendance with my awkward post that it was probably time I wrote another one.  I was thinking today, why did it get so many hits? And I realized who doesn't have an awkward moment in their life... Seriously all of us has have had one, at one time or another. So I decided to break down and tell you one of my awkward stories... ha ha you'll have to laugh with me and not at me please :) So I was walking home from class one day at the University that I attended. On that campus is a HUGE hill. You probably know where this is going... Well I was walking down it, midday, which meant the bulk of the students there were either coming out of class or going to class. So pretty much everyone was walking up or down the hill.  For some reason I decided it would be faster to take the grass, instead of the stairs (BAD IDEA).  So I was walking down with probably too much weight in my little back-pack... And one wrong step and there I go.  It happened so fast I'm not exactly sure what happened all I know is that I had grass stains on my knees but landed on my rear.  My books were out of my bag, strewn across the hill.  I was so embarrassed I didn't even know what to do with myself... Which caused me to do something more embarrassing... I just pulled out my books and started to read!!  In my shaken mind I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could make it appear that I meant to do that just so I could study.  Yeah I know.  Well after about three minutes of insanity I realized that I looked very dumb.  So the embarrassment set in and I decided to call a good friend to maybe take away some of my embarrassment. Of course she didn't answer and I proceeded to leave a long message with all the details of the event.  Which after led to a pretty hilarious recreation of the whole event... other story, for another day. So with my pride completely gone, I gathered my books and made my way down the remainder of the hill to my car.  I sat in the car for a few minutes and just laughed and laughed. Well the reason I am telling you this story is because this is a good analogy to our lives. 

Sometimes we have a lot on our plate or backpack, and think maybe this route will get me where I need to quicker... Which sometimes it does, but on this particular day it didn't.  I ended getting myself in a very unfortunate predicament and then had to deal with an extra problem on top of my already crazy life.  So moral of the story, follow the path prepared for us.  The best one is the path of the Savior.  That day I saw so many people taking it the stairs, but I chose to be different and look where it got me.  I know that choosing to follow the Savior will ease our burdens and help us get where we need to.

"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ.." (2 Nephi 31:21)

easter