"The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs!"

Hi. I am certain I am not going to adequately express my feelings but I'm going to try.

I am in shock of what has transpired over the past month (and more so what has happened in the past week.)

this
           obviously this too

But, I have also been shocked by this. Not just the riots and looting. But the shootings that have happened throughout the country to innocent men and women who are trying to protect and serve others.

Now. I believe the officers in the first two links show everything wrong that can transpire when one group, or one person, feels that they are above another group or person.

I also believe that those claiming that blatant crimes are "justice" are in the wrong.

Okay.

To my title.

The other week my family and I re-read "The Last Battle" by C.S Lewis. This is one of my favorite books in the Chronicles of Narnia, and also one of the ones where I feel the saddest.

The saddest part of the book to me are the dwarfs.  I could give you a whole backstory here but what is important to know is that "the dwarfs are for the dwarfs."


What did this phrase mean? It meant that they would not side with those that were actually seeking justice for the Narnians and they would not side with those against the Narnians. They were for themselves. But it didn't just stop there. Instead of leaving the fight between the two parties, the dwarfs actively destroyed those around them. Killing the Narnian talking horses, shooting down Calormene soldiers left and right, because "the dwarfs are for the dwarfs!"

Honestly, you might be looking at this mess of my thoughts and be thinking "what does this have to do with anything?" Well, luckily (hopefully) we are not this far that we cannot recognize those who are trying to help us have a better world and those who are intent to destroy all that is good. For the most part, we can see who is there to overcome the injustices that are part of an imperfect society.

However, in viewing how a few minorities have responded (by more violence and by taking revenge on people who have truly done no wrong) it frightens me that there are some who are so much for themselves that instead of fighting the good fight, they are purposefully tearing down everyone to gain what they want.

Continue posting about the injustices in the world. Continue trying to fight them. Strive to understand those from different backgrounds than you. Work on and teach empathy. And above all remember, "...courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan.”
   

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Church thought:
"May we be equally committed to freeing the world from the virus of hunger, freeing neighborhoods and nations from the virus of poverty. May we hope for schools where students are taught—not terrified they will be shot—and for the gift of personal dignity for every child of God, unmarred by any form of racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice. Undergirding all of this is our relentless hope for greater devotion to the two greatest of all commandments: to love God by keeping His counsel and to love our neighbors by showing kindness and compassion, patience and forgiveness.11 These two divine directives are still—and forever will be—the only real hope we have for giving our children a better world than the one they now know." --Jeffrey R. Holland

Song thought:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTBx-hHf4BE

Overcoming the Wilderness of Mediocrity

Happy Sabbath!

As many over this past week have been thinking over the past year and how to improve in this new one. I can't say that I haven't thought about resolutions, I think everyone does--but then when we don't achieve our goals immediately we settle for the same, mediocre lives.

I am certain that this is a phase that each of us pass through in life...multiple times, but it's not just a modern day folly, but one that has been made throughout all time.

In Ether 2, Moroni explains that the Lord was directing the people of Jared to the promised land, it reads:

5 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should ago forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel.

6 And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.
.....
13 And now I proceed with my record; for behold, it came to pass that the Lord did bring Jared and his brethren forth even to that great sea which divideth the lands. And as they came to the sea they pitched their tents; and they called the name of the place Moriancumer; and they dwelt in tents, and dwelt in tents upon the seashore for the space of four years.

Now I'm sure that the wilderness beyond the sea was a lovely place, I mean they decided to stay there for four years after they got there so it couldn't have been the worst place, but it was not where the Lord intended them to be. He was wanting to lead them to the promised land. He didn't want them to live mediocre lives, going through the motions day to day in the wilderness, He wanted them to thrive, to have the best of the best.

I know without a doubt that this is what the Lord desires for each of us.

But how do we get there? How do we get to our own eternal promised land?

I believe that in order to have all that the Lord has prepared for us, we have to break out of our mold that we have created for ourselves, we have to learn to overcome the comfortable wilderness of mediocrity.

In this past April general conference Sister Becky Craven spoke on the difference between living carefully verses casually, she says:

“There is a careful way and a casual way to do everything, including living the gospel. As we consider our commitment to the Savior, are we careful or casual? Because of our mortal nature, don’t we sometimes rationalize our behavior, at times referring to our actions as being in the gray, or mixing good with something that’s not so good? Anytime we say, “however,” “except,” or “but” when it applies to following the counsel of our prophet leaders or living the gospel carefully, we are in fact saying,

'That counsel does not apply to me.' We can rationalize all we want, but the fact is, there is not a right way to do the wrong thing!

Being careful in living the gospel does not necessarily mean being formal or stuffy. What it does mean is being appropriate in our thoughts and behavior as disciples of Jesus Christ. As we ponder the difference between careful and casual in our gospel living, here are some thoughts to consider:
Are we careful in our Sabbath-day worship and in our preparation to partake of the sacrament each week?
Could we be more careful in our prayers and scripture study or be more actively engaged in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families?
Are we careful in our temple worship, and do we carefully and deliberately live the covenants we made both at baptism and in the temple? Are we careful in our appearance and modest in our dress, especially in sacred places and circumstances? Are we careful in how we wear the sacred temple garments? Or do the fashions of the world dictate a more casual attitude?
Are we careful in how we minister to others and in how we fulfill our callings in the Church, or are we indifferent or casual in our call to serve?
Are we careful or casual in what we read and what we watch on TV and our mobile devices? Are we careful in our language? Or do we casually embrace the crude and vulgar?
...
We do not lower our standards to fit in or to make someone else feel comfortable. We are disciples of Jesus Christ, and as such we are about elevating others, lifting them to a higher, holier place where they too can reap greater blessings.”

So, when we are living good, routine lives, we have a tendency to casually go through the motions of what we are supposed to do. We know that the gospel is true, we read the scriptures, text those we minister to, and go to the temple when we have time, but we let some bits and pieces of the world into our lives because it’s “not that bad.”

President Hinckley stated that, “Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better.”

So how can we be better, how can we have the best of the best, break out of our routines and receive all that the Lord desires for us?

In this most recent Priesthood session President Nelson gave a wonderful talk titled, “We Can Do Better and Be Better,” he said,
"Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ...Whether you are diligently moving along the covenant path, have slipped or stepped from the covenant path, or can’t even see the path from where you are now, I plead with you to repent. Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day. When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him.8 When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!”

In order, to avoid the mundane, the usual, the comfortable--we have to learn to repent daily and use Christ’s atonement more fully in our lives. We can start a new year, every single day, when we don't achieve our goals immediately, we have the chance to start anew because of Christ's atonement. Now, I’m not saying that once we do our school lives, work lives, dating lives whatever thing in life that you are just trying to breeze through will improve dramatically in that instant, week, month, or year--but I do know that you will change to become the best you that you can be and that you will be lead to your eternal promised land.

This past year has been a difficult one fore me. I hit some big milestones in life but getting there was tough. I just wanted to get to the end of that mile so badly that I did not enjoy the moments in between as fully as I could. Then, on other occasions, the mile I thought I needed to get to was only really one that I wanted to get to, and ended up being a detour on the way to where I actually needed to be.

C.S. Lewis said, “Will you come with me to the mountains? It will hurt at first, until your feet are hardened. Reality is harsh to the feet of shadows. But will you come?”
Whenever we want to overcome our mediocre tendencies we have to embrace some discomfort.

I believe in God. I believe He loves us always, but I also believe that He asks us sometimes to get rid of the expectations of what we believe we deserve because of what our belief and actions. I have learned that I have to drop what I thought God “owed” me and to just love God. I know that the gospel is the path to our promised land, some might have to cross perilous seas like the Jaredites or climb rough trails in the mountains to get there. We might need to put aside our desires or remove people or things from our lives and mostly we just have to go forward trusting that there is something better ahead, and I know that there is. He will lead us to where we truly need to be and who we need to be.

My Unbelief

Hey there.

Happy Mother's Day Sunday, this post is not about my mother, but you should know she is an exceptional person.

This past week I have been thinking of the insanity of this past year, especially this past semester.

If anyone had asked me back in January where I wanted to be after graduation my answer was pretty simple: not in Utah.

Because I wanted to be out of Utah, I applied to a lot of jobs outside of Utah, had a lot of interviews, and quite a few offers to some incredible places, but none of them seemed like the "right fit."

But I really wanted to get out of Utah.

Finally, after months of my mom simply saying, "just apply to some positions in Utah, it can't hurt anything." I gave in.

I looked online at positions at the UofU Hospital, applied, and the next day got a call for an interview that Friday. It seemed like a great opportunity and it was something that I knew would be impacting people (which so many of the other positions, although great, would be more of the behind the scenes and less actually working one on one with people.)

I still had two positions I had to either accept or deny, I got a job shadow for the one at the U but the other positions needed to know what my decision was the Monday after the job shadow. I hadn't been offered the job yet, but I felt that I needed to turn down the jobs in Denver and Kansas City. It was terrifying rejecting these two well paying jobs (you know, for Public Health positions) without a confirmation that I had the job here. But I did it.

I got the job here. But that whole story isn't the point of this post.

In reflecting over this past year I have been reminded of the story of the father bringing his son to Christ in Mark 9:

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.


Now, this is all good and well--we know the story. But whenever I think of these verses I think of the older church bible videos with the father that literally sounds like he's sassing Christ (if you need to refresh your memory, press here, it's minute mark 10) and I used to watch that and be like, "whoa, dude, chill." However, I realize now, more than ever that I am in many cases like the father in this story:

Do I believe that the Lord has a plan for me?

I believe!

Do I believe that as long as I am trying my best to follow Him that all things will work out for my good?

(cue me pulling out my hair because of stress) I believe!

Do I believe He knows why I need to stay in Utah even though I reeeeeaaallly wanted to be elsewhere this year?

YEAH, I BELIEVE! (many times crying out with tears in my eyes.)

But in those moments, that my blocked view, my walking in the dark, my fear of being vulnerable, and my cautiousness of putting everything in His hands come, I have to take that moment--just like that anxious, believing father--to re-evaluate, humble myself and ask Him to give me His grace to help my unbelief and to give me the faith in His power and in His will, over my own abilities and desires.

So that's that. I don't know where He is leading me. But I do know that it is most definitely better than where I was planning on leading myself.

My cute missionary brother shared this article with me last week--I recommend anyone reading this post, read the article.

Happy Sunday again!

Seek Not to Counsel the Lord

First of all--hello, it's been a while, and it will probably be a while again after this post...we'll see.

I have had some thoughts running through my mind that I thought I should share, so here they are:

I have always sought guidance from others. When I make a decision, I want it to be well thought out and with many different opinions so I can choose “the best” thing for me.

 Since I was young I was taught to seek eternal guidance through prayer and although I could not always understand the answers I received I knew my Heavenly Father was guiding me to do what was right.

I am blessed to come from a family where I was taught in my youth to “counsel with the Lord.” My grandpa’s favorite scripture happened to be Alma 37:37,

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.”

I have trusted in these promises and have always tried to seek His counsel in both small and big decisions.

I always received clear answers.

Always, that was, until after my mission.

The August after coming back from the Villahermosa Mexico Mission my siblings and I were receiving “back to school” Father’s blessings. I had been fretting about going back to school and deciding what to major in. I wanted a bit more clarity. 

As I listened to the blessings my siblings received, I was excited to hear what the Lord wanted to tell me. When it was finally my turn, my father placed his hands upon my head and simply said, “The Lord has been preparing you for this time in your life. He trusts you. You know what to do.”

I didn’t know what emotion to feel. Happy that the Lord trusted me? Yes. Sad because I wanted more guidance? Definitely. Mainly, I was just confused.

I can honestly say I have been confused ever since. 

I have wanted Him to tell me where I am needed and what I am supposed to be doing. I've wanted His counsel.

It wasn’t until last week that the Lord taught me an important principle. While (again) fretting over life decisions (I do it a lot, making choices is hard.) I turned to Jacob 4 and began reading, in verse ten I received a different kind of answer:

“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.”

“Seek not to counsel the Lord.” It was in that moment that it hit me that I had been trying to counsel the Lord during these past three years. I had wanted Him to tell me what I wanted to hear, a clear answer. Instead of accepting the counsel that He was so willingly offering me.

That evening, I received a priesthood blessing from my dad. Although the words spoken did not tell me where to move to after graduation or which job to accept—the words spoken were beautiful and from my Heavenly Father. They told me again that the Lord trusted me, but that He would be guiding me.

I can’t say that I am certain of where I am going come May, I have no idea. But I know with a surety that whatever the plan is He has for me, is perfect for me. And that as I come to trust the decisions I make, as He trusts me to make them, things will fall into place.  

Oh hi... I'm back

I've been off the grid recently...kind of deciding between using this blog or my one I had to use for a class last semester... but unless something crazy happens, I think I will be sticking to this one...
(if you want to see what I wrote last semester you may click here)
So here I am Spring term almost done and getting ready for the adventures that Summer holds.

Also, my siblings and I have a new blog right HERE
Give it a follow...or just follow up every once and awhile... trust me you'll be glad you did.

That's all for now lovelies.

Hasta la proxima

new begginings

so here I am again at BYU, second day, but I'm feeling good.

you can tell it's going to be a good year when you get along with your roommates, and when your hardest class (so far) seems to be Doctrine and Covenants or maybe American Heritage.
I am truly excited to start this new chapter in my life, the mission has prepared me for all that is ahead and I can't wait.

also, I will be starting a new section called "You can hear us down the hall." Talking about my room, and all the silly things we say, and the much laughter everyone can hear that comes from it.

adios!

Who's the baddest of them all?

Hello there!
So, today while driving to and from my post surgery appointment the song "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic came on the radio and while listening I remembered the song my sister had introduced me to, the parody "Counting Scars" by the Disney Villains.
If you have never seen it, here it is:

Nice huh?

Catchy tune.

Catchy words.

I enjoy it.

However, ever since the first time Megan showed it to me, I've had a problem with it.

Is Scar really the "baddest" Disney Villains there is? I don't think so.

Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you:

oh! ouch!

I believe Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast" is the scariest Disney Villain there is, here's why:

He is liked by everyone.

He's selfish. 

He's prideful. 

(And he acts on both his pride and his lust.)

He is EXTREMELY vain. 

(♪you're so vain, you probably think Belle should like you, YOU'RE SO VAIN! ♪)

He is "totally prime-evil"

He's an idiot, and he is STILL liked by everyone.

People follow him. Now, people follow Scar too, BUT the difference is that when Scar loses, when his followers see that he is wrong, they turn on him.

Gaston is different when Belle shows her father isn't crazy, that The Beast is real, they aren't like "Gaston! Give it up! They were right! Let's go back and eat the same old bread and rolls that we always do."

Nope.

Instead, they keep following him, proving that "50 french-men [CAN] be wrong."

Isn't that terrifying? Even though he's wrong they keep following him. Yikes! *shutter* That is why I think Gaston is the baddest of them all, he has no powers, he has no kingdoms, he is a man. But he is the complete "natural man" and that is why he is so scary.

Granted everyone has their opinion, but this is why I have a blog, to state mine, but if anyone has any thoughts feel free to share.