#newyearnewme

reflecting on '14

January:
starting anatomy- and ready for a semester of torture
helping with the auditions for the 2014 Nauvoo Brass Band in SLC

February:
literally making so many new friends in my ward and bettering my old relationships
celebrating my birth with the big 20

March:
eating Juicy Lucys with Cali and Sean for her birthday
my BEST FRIEND got ENGAGED!!!
going to see one my favorite Sisters get married in the Rexburg temple!!
(good month)

April:
finished with Anatomy! and Winter semester.
going to see Wicked with my momma
saying so many freaking goodbyes. "see ya later"

May:
moving to Boise and trying to find work
started a job through a temp agency and the Village Cinema

June:
stopped working for the temp agency. (so not good!)
started watching an elderly lady
began my job at Massage Envy (very good!)

July:
made the yummiest trifle with Momma for the 4th
GOT A CAR!! (car loans stink)

August:
dyed my hair for the VERY FIRST TIME!
drove back to Provo all by myself with practically everything I own.
Love at first sight with all my roommates.

September:
Provo Rooftop concerts
jumping my car
blind dates

October:
weddings
HALLOWEEN- pumpkin carving, dressing up, LOTS of candy, and dance parties

November:
being set apart as a temple worker for the Provo Utah LDS temple
ward parties and hot chocolate
THANKSGIVING- most importantly, seeing my family! (oh and black Friday..... or Thursday?)

December:
Share the gift promotion for the LDS church
DONE with Fall Semester!
Christmas with the Fam Bam



Looking back on this year, my life has been SO GOOD!
I don't have enough fingers, toes, eyes, body parts in general, to help me count my blessings. My heart is overflowing with what I have been given in this life and the people that have helped me along my way.
I am so HAPPY! My heart is happy and I cannot wait for all the happiness that his new year will bring!

#newyearnewme

Open the Gift

day 5



When someone gives you a gift, you see the beautiful wrapping (or maybe not so beautiful) with the colorful bows and ribbons, and your first instinct it to rip it to shreds.

Right?

Well, that is just an assumption on my part because I would say I am that way. My dad is always one of those people who carefully pulls the tape off of the paper (in order to save it) and slides whatever is inside, out. But that is off topic.

Anyway, I wanted to talk more about what we can take from having the greatest gift of all in our lives.

What does He give to us?

"Jesus the Christ, who knew perfectly how to give, set for us the pattern for giving. To those whose hearts are heavy with loneliness and sorrow, He brings compassion and comfort. To those whose bodies and minds are afflicted with illness and suffering, He brings love and healing. To those whose souls are burdened with sin, He offers hope, forgiveness, and redemption.

If the Savior were among us today, we would find Him where He always was—ministering to the meek, the downcast, the humble, the distressed, and the poor in spirit. During this Christmas season and always, may we give to Him by loving as He loves. May we remember the humble dignity of His birth, gifts, and life. And may we, through simple acts of kindness, charity, and compassion, fill the world with the light of His love and healing power."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

I challenge each and every one of you to think of the different gifts the Savior has given to you. Think about how those gifts have impacted your lives and how you have drawn closer to the Savior.

 

 

I guess my best advice that I can give today is to Open the Gift that the Savior has given us. Don't let it sit underneath the Christmas tree to look pretty. What He has offered to us is more than we could ever dream of and I know that if we take the time to open the gift that He has given us, our lives will be filled with more happiness and gratitude for all we have been given.

 

 

The Savior has given me all that I have:

• my family
• my friends
• ability to learn
• provided me with knowledge so I can increase my temporal and spiritual knowledge
• the gospel
• Atonement
• experiences to learn and grow closer to Him
• reassurance that everything will be okay
• comfort
• healing
• repentance/forgiveness
• ability to appreciate every good thing in life

 

#sharethegift #openthegift

 



Day 21

Today I am grateful for the advice my mom gave to me today about the power of peace.

When we can find peace within ourselves, knowing that we are doing all that we can do, it is amazing the miracles that can come from it.

President Heber J. Grant described the Savior’s peace this way: “His peace will ease our suffering, bind up our broken hearts, blot out our hates, engender in our breasts a love of fellow men that will suffuse our souls with calm and happiness.”

When I choose to let go of all the pain that is weighing on my mind and my heart, I can then feel of the peace that has always been there for me.


I have learned that our Heavenly Father only wants to bless us. He only wants to help us in this journey called life.He leads us in the direction that He feels is best. (which most of the time is the best path for me) But He also takes into consideration the desires of our hearts. And He will give us those things based on our personal righteousness and obedience.


We all long for peace. Peace is not just safety or lack of war, violence, conflict, and contention. Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies. The Lord’s answer to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail brings solace to the heart:

“My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

“And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.”