Hello, readers!
Life for me this week has been great! I have had some major eye opening and spirit inviting activities and enlightenment's this week that I would like to share. It has been so refreshing:)
My YSA ward had our "Especially for Young Single Adults (EFYSA)" This last Friday & Saturday. It was seriously the best thing ever. JUST what I needed.
Friday night we had our Stake President speak to us, and answer questions that some of the YSA had written down for him. And then after the devotional with him, we went outside on the field and broke up into little groups so that we could meet new people and talk with them. I absolutely LOVED my group and I loved meeting so many new people. After getting home, you'd be surprised at how difficult it can be to meet new people... We had a homework assignment to get into even smaller groups and create a MormonAd. Ours won in my book :) We talked a lot about the topic of being OVERWHELMED. Which is something I felt on my LDS mission quite often. Satan and God both use the term. Satan uses us being overwhelmed as a time to make us feel like giving up and breaking down, and God wants us to be overwhelmed, because that is when we turn to him on our knees for help, strength, and guidance.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed right now, I promise it's a good thing, just don't give up, and use it to come closer to God, and His plan for you.
Saturday was super good, too! We had workshops all day, and I learned a lot about Courage, and the Atonement.
Courage is always seen as a POSITIVE thing. It doesn't really take courage to do something evil or sinful... Anything that requires us to have courage, usually stretches us and pushes us in a RIGHTEOUS direction.
So RIGHTEOUSNESS uses courage.
And EVIL uses disCOURAGEment.
How cool is that???! One of my favorite quotes since I've been home, goes something like this--- "We don't fall into Satan's hands when we make a mistake, we fall into his hands when we get DISCOURAGED & depressed about our mistakes"
I know for a fact that we ALL make mistakes, and I also know for a fact that so many of us too often are our own worst critic and we are WAY too hard on ourselves. I am extremely guilty of this. But something that has been on my mind deeply is to "be happy in any circumstances" Nothing will show Satan what is up, more than us being HAPPY in our trials.
I read the first presidency message in the LDS Ensign for the month of July, and smiled when I read that it was about our beloved pioneers. My mission truly helped me gain a stronger testimony & knowledge of them.
President Uchtdorf, in it, talked about how one of the greatest things we can learn and apply from the lives of the pioneers, is their ATTITUDE & OPTIMISM.
"Despite having every reason to shout "All is not well," they cultivated an attitude we cannot help but admire today. They looked beyond their troubles to eternal blessings. They were grateful in their circumstances. Despite evidence to the contrary, they sang with all the conviction of their souls, "All IS well!"
Another thing to learn from them, is their COMPASSION. They didn't try to get to Zion in a race and leave their brothers and sisters stranded behind them. The first thing in their minds was to help their brothers and sisters around them get through the storms and rivers, and to leave help and guidance to those who come after them. We must do the same. Stop trying to "get ahead" in life, and help others to get there with us. Success is only success, if we help others to find that success also.
One of my favorite quotes about this was from the talk "Your 4 Minutes" given in a conference about a year ago. A olympic medalist said that she wanted to do her best, but she wanted her competitors to do their best too. How great is that?? We can all succeed and non if us is better than another.
Tonight, for the Sabbath, I got my parents to sit down with me to watch 17 Miracles.. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to watch it! I believe it is on NETFLIX- and especially at this time of year, as we are about to celebrate the 24th of July- Pioneer day, it's a great way to gain a knowledge and appreciation for all the went through.
As I watched it again, and was reminded of all the stories, and memories of these pioneers that I had the opportunity to share while serving a transfer as a missionary at the Mormon Trail Center, The spirit that was on that hallowed ground, is so special to me. And that feeling is one that will forever come back to me as I am reminded of the pioneers.
Tonight, I was OVERWHELMED, at the power of their faith and testimonies once again. Overwhelmed to the point where I have felt the urge to come again to my Father in prayer to ask for a greater desire to serve those around me. A greater sense to push forward, and a greater sense to forgive and understand. I want a faith like theirs.
While sitting in EFYSA this week, I had felt a strong urge, to change the focus of what I've wanted my major in school to be. The subject that I've set out to study right now, I really haven't ever felt super set on. My mission has changed the idea of the career that I want, and as I was surrounded by the spirit this weekend, I have felt the courage to dive into something that I have never even considered being a part of before. I'm registering this week, for a CNA class, and I have been so excited!! It is so strange to me, logically to be interested in this, but I am, and I know this was something that was brought by no coincidence.
Do not be afraid! Have the courage to be on the Lord's side each and every day. You are not alone. The Lord will provide you with miracles beyond your belief. Pray for specific miracles. Be yourself, and share your voice, because you never know which person you talk to that will need YOU. Keep your testimony at the core of your very being, and always remember who loves you most.
1 Nephi 19:9
"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yeah, the spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his long-suffering towards the children of men."
I hope y'all are keeping your eye out for all the tender mercies of the Lord in your lives. I hope you are stretching yourself to reach goals and desires that you may not even know you have. It is so exciting to try new things and discover new things about yourself.
Be grateful in your trials! Sometimes we just need to do what is best for us, even if it is harder. Those things that are most worth while, aren't always the easiest.
Donut Worry, and Bee Happy!!!
Sincerely, Meg
