The answers that hurt

God's timing. It's always right isn't it? But it hurts sometimes.

In my short twenty years of living I've come to learn this a few times.

I grew up a competitive power tumbler. It was my everything. I carried a little notebook to school with me and wrote my tumbling goals in it. When I was at the gym I was happy. And when my head would hit the pillow at the end of the day I'd dream of leotards and back flips.

Maybe you've heard this story if you know me very well. But as I was finishing my junior year I competed at the Power Tumbling Utah State Championships. I did the best I'd ever done and found myself with a silver medal and a score that qualified me for what would have been my fourth national championships.

I had it made. Or so I thought. But at the time I truly believed I was on my way to achieving the one thing that would make me happy.

Fortunately for me God knows what would really make me happy. And He knew that tumbling wasn't it. Long story short I received one of the most distinct promptings that I needed to quit tumbling. Many questioned this decision because it didn't really make much sense. And while I couldn't see what would come from this decision I decided to act anyways. I did the hardest thing I had ever done. I quit tumbling.

Over three years later I look back on my life and see how much God has directed me to where I need to be. I see the blessings I received from following that one little prompting. But at the time I knew I just had to act in faith that everything would work out for my good. Even if it hurt.

But while I see the blessings from that experience, I still sometimes have a hard time believing that the trials I face now really will work out.

When I came home from my mission a couple months ago I met a boy. A cute boy I might add. I liked this boy a lot and we started dating. I felt like the protagonist in a Disney Channel Original movie. Again, I felt like I had it made. I felt like I was on my way to achieving the one thing that would make me happy.

But I guess I still had something to learn about God's timing, and His plan because this cute boy recently told me he had been praying about our relationship and received an answer to his prayers. As he told me about the answer he had received my throat felt like it was choking as I fought the tears that were flooding to my eyes.

This answer hurt.

And doesn't it often feel like this? Haven't we all looked towards the heavens and questioned why things aren't working out the way we want them to?

I went for a drive tonight as the sun was setting just to think.

I watched the sun set with beautiful pink colors as I talked to my Heavenly Father. I asked Him about His plan. I asked Him why things have worked out the way they have. I asked Him what I needed to learn from this.

A familiar song from my phone played through my speakers.

While I can't say I know how things will turn out for me and the trials I face in my life, I can say that I have faith in God's timing. I know that His plan is to make our lives beautiful. Sometimes God's creative process includes a little heartbreak here and there. But I know it's those strokes of heartbreak on the canvas of our lives that creates the contrast that allows us to see the beautiful and bright parts of our lives. Our lives just wouldn't look quite as beautiful without them.

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

-Mosiah 4:9

So now I'll trust in that. I'll trust that He knows what He's doing with my life even if I can't see the outcome yet. Because just as it says in Romans...

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." 

-Romans 8:28

So to all my friends out there in similar situations... have faith. Trust that things will work together for your good as you trust Him. Because I know without a doubt that His plan is always and forever will be the best plan.

-Whit

Of One Fold and One Shepherd

Whoa! Blogging two days in a row? I'm on a roll guys.

I want to share with you a video. This video is put on a playlist in seven parts. This video speaks of the coming of Christ to the Americas as written about in the Book of Mormon. This is something unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints in the sense that we other religions do not have this record or do not teach that it is true. I testify to you that it is true.

In John 10:16 in the New Testament, Christ spoke saying;

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

In saying this he was speaking about those in the Americas. After he was resurrected he visited these people. These people were the ancestors of the Native Americans. The Book of Mormon is a record of these people and Christ's ministry to them. The Book of Mormon is not meant to replace the Bible, but to serve as "another testament of Jesus Christ."

This video is a depiction of Christ's coming to the Americas. I encourage you to take the time to watch it and to read The Book of Mormon and gain a testimony for yourself that it is true.






I have a testimony of The Book of Mormon. I have read it and I know for myself that it is true and that Christ really did minister to his children in the Americas. He has come before and he will come again.



feel my sunlight



p.s. Another HUGE shout out to Dallin for being elected into office! Way to be awesome!

for lack of a better title: I crashed my car

Today I am writing just to be thankful to write.

There are days were things like the color of your shoes, or how many boys talk to you, or the amount of time you spent doing on your hair matters. And then there are days where only the fact that you are still here matters.

Today is Tuesday. Temple Tuesday.

Temple Tuesday is the day were I wake up early (like EARLY) and go do baptisms at the temple. I often bring along a friend or two and we have a grand old time while the rest of you lay fast asleep in your warm beds. (And by "grand old time" I mean Mormon grand old time. It's the best kind.)

So today was Temple Tuesday.

I woke up at 4:20 am. By 4:35 am I was picking up one of my best friends named Lauren. By 4:45 am my car looked like this...




Right now it is 7:42 p.m. I am sitting at my computer with my only marks of the crash on the surface of my skin and Lauren is at her house with only sore muscles and a scraped knee.

While this isn't one of those stories where everyone walks away with out a scratch, it is one of those stories where everyone walks away.

Me, being the less than average height person that I am, took an airbag to the face where it should hit the chest, and now look like I got in a fight with a ninja and lost.

But I'm alive.

I'm alive.

I know there was divine help this morning on the icy freeway. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that there was nobody at all around us in any surrounding lanes of traffic when we spun out of control and hit the median.  As we were spinning and crashing there was this odd sense of awareness that I felt. I panicked, but for some reason Lauren didn't. For some reason she talked to me through the whole crash giving me play by play on what I should do. It was as if I had my tumbling coach on the side of the mat yelling things like "point your toes" "stretch" "faster" as I tumble down the mat to hit a perfect pass. I don't doubt that there was some divine power helping her do that.I know it wasn't a coincidence that when our car finally came to a stop it did so on the side of the road out of the line of traffic. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that the three men with construction vests in the truck were there as soon as our car came to a stop. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that we both walked away.

Now, for me it's easy to see the hand of the Lord in situations like this, but it is sometimes harder to see his hand in our everyday lives.

We live in a day where Satan does his very best to confuse people. We live in a day were confusion and chaos is a day to day thing. He wants us in distress. He wants us to fear. He wants us to forget our faith.

 In these tumultuous times many don't know where to go for peace. Its as if peace is hidden, when really, it is right in front of them. We live in a world where big calamities are seen as trials, but we often forget that there are more destructive. Jeffery R. Holland speaks of a type of destruction that is more destructive than tornadoes, earth quakes, and might I say, car crashes. This destruction is spiritual destruction.

I add my testimony to Elder Hollands that weather I am to die today or I am to die in a far future I want to be able to stand before God and say that I believe the Book of Mormon to be true. I believe in Christ. I believe in the words of Christ. I believe in his church. I believe that He will provide and I will treasure up his word.

AND NOW PICTURES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!

Lauren and I with my car on the tow truck. My face was swollen so this was the best smile I could manage.

tow truck at 5am!

Car crash face!

Me right after the crash

My at 7:00 pm

Me at 7:00 pm again

me attempting to smile. #fatface

feel my sunlight

p.s. Quote of the day: 

"my biggest regret is that we didn't take a selfie."

"WE ALMOST DIED"

"we need to sort out our priorities"

p.s.s. My second biggest regret is that I left my deodorant in the van. Have no fear! I got some more.

love life my friends.

Evil never wins

It's a battle between good and evil but the twist is: evil doesn't win. Evil never wins. If you know the outcome of the battle what side will you choose to stand on?

"The only way     

  good can be 

       in us     

    is if we         

  freely choose it 

   above all else."   

Give like Emilie.







feel my sunlight


p.s.  Here is a virtual tissue to dry your real tears. Let's do something good with the world

Pray for Kalon

Any of you remember the time I posted about that international competition in SLC that I competed at while I had a sprained ankle? AKA The Kalon Ludvigson Invitational. Or any of the other times I posted about Kalon and how awesome he is? Well this post about Kalon is a different post. It is a post to tell Kalon how much we love and appreciate him and it is a call for prayers from each of you.

For those of you who don't know who Kalon is, Kalon Ludvigson is the USA's most decorated tumbling athlete since being included in the FIG programme. He holds 20 World Cup and World Championships Medals as well as setting the World Record for Difficulty in 2008 and 2011.

Kalon was born in Sterling, Utah where he found gymnastics at the age of 8. He was a recreational athlete practicing 2 times a week until he decided to focus on his training at age 15 and seriously pursue elite level competition. Kalon became the youngest senior elite tumbling national team member at the age of 16, and won his first U.S. Senior National Tumbling Title in 2006 and hasn't lost a U.S. Competition since. (Kalon's biography on facebook)

I have known Kalon for the majority of my tumbling life. He and his coach, Justen, have done many camps and clinics that I have been to and they have been a huge help to me with my tumbling. They have both taught me so much and I always love seeing them, talking to them, and learning from them when they are around. I have been privileged to get to see Kalon tumble every month when I am at meets and I love being able to say "I know him". 

This last week something shocking happened. Here are the posts and statements in order by both Justen, and USA Gymnastics.

It has been an eye opening week. Many prayers have been said in behalf of Kalon and Justen and I just wanted to say thank you to them for being so good to me and my team over the years. I will never forget the February meet when I hit a pretty good pass and got a Justen hug right after, or the time Kalon signed our credentials at nationals. I love and support you both and am so thankful to have been able to have you in my tumbling life.

I just want you to know that Flipside is praying for you. And to all of you out there reading this Flipside is starting a Kalon Fund to help you them medical costs. If any of you would like to donate to this either contact me, or donate directly to Kalon HERE!! Anything helps.

Kalon we are praying for you. Stay strong my friend and get better fast! You are always going to be an inspiration to many. We love you!

 

Feel my Sunlight



p.s. Um Sundays rock my socks.

"I can't find..." prayers

You know those prayers you say when you can't find your cell phone or your wallet where you call to God and tell him to reveal its location to you. You know how those almost always work and how sometimes it seems like they are just coincidences?

Ya, well they are not.

I have this very important flash drive you see. It contains all the assignments I have done all year, as well as the baptism pictures I took for my baby sister.

I had yet to save the contents on my computer at home so when my mom asked me to pull up Miki’s baptism pictures I immediately went to my keys looking for this flash drive. Only, the flash drive wasn’t there!

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

I kinda freaked out a tiny bit. I said a prayer kinda like the one I talked about earlier. I told my mom and my dad immediately walked in the room. We told him our dilemma and he just stood there looking confused for a second, then he announced he knew where it was! He said “it’s in the parking lot at Bowman’s!” {Bowman’s is a local grocery store that my dad just so happens to work at.} I had been there earlier that day to get ice cream for my brother’s birthday party.

So we got in the car and headed over to Bowman’s and sure enough, it was in the parking lot! It had been run over and several of my charms were broken or missing {including the coke one that I just bought!} But the flash drive was fine! We went home and I said another prayer thanking God for another “I can’t find…” prayers answered.

 

 

Feel my Sunlight



p.s. I am in Photography and we are watching Charlie the Unicorn... It is awesome. #not

p.s.s. Jonas LA, Sonny with a Chance, Hannah Montanah, HSM, Camp Rock. Your argument is invalid.