23 days until you can call me "Sister Reid"

Isn't little Ave just the cutest? Congrats on getting baptized on Saturday little one!
Thanks for letting me take your pictures and for letting me be your tumbling coach.

I thought I'd do a quick blog post to give you guys an update and let you guys know about my mission farewell which is in two weeks. It will be on Sunday September 13th at 9am and anyone is invited to come join me in worshiping in this church service. While I will be speaking, I want you all to remember that this church service isn't about me, it's about our Savior Jesus Christ and I just hope that all of you that come will be able to feel of His love for you. So come hear me speak at my church and after church we are having breakfast at my house afterwords and I would love to see all of your bright smiling faces there so I can hug you all before I leave on my adventures in Florida. The address to my church is 1480 Phillips Street Kaysville Utah 84037-9672. See y'all there!

So... here's the update! As you've probably noticed this blog is slowly being converted to a mission blog. Which means as soon as I'm a missionary I won't be updating it anymore, but will hand it off to my mom who will post my emails on it for 18 months. I'm very excited about it and I hope you all keep checking back here every week to hear about my missionary adventures in Florida! You can also stay updated by typing your email in the 'bloglovin' box on the right hand column. You'll get emails letting you know about new posts every week! Since I won't be able to see comments on here you will only be able to contact me by sending me letters or through email, the addresses of which can be found under the "contact me" page at the top of this blog.

I have 23 days until my MTC report date. Many of my friends are already out serving missions and the rest of them are back in high school or in college now which means I have a slight obsession with emails, hand written letters, and FaceTime calls. I miss my friends a tenfold.

I had my wisdom teeth out on Thursday and I survived! After a few painful sick days I can now say that I just have super sore lower jaw and slightly fat chipmunk cheeks, but according to my little sister my "cheeks don't look as fat as they did yesterday" so that's good! I really just want a hamburger now.

The other day I was having a really rough day (having all the wisdom taken away from you can do that to a person.) and I was just feeling really down. When out of no where I received this message in my inbox from Dawn Armstrong (for those of you who don't remember who she is she's the mom from the movie Meet the Mormons.)

It was a simple gesture but it went a long way and I just wanted to give her a shout out and say thanks for being the person to reach out when I was having a hard day even though you didn't even know it! This was such a good reminder to me that a small act of kindness can change someone's day. And for all of you reading this you ought to go watch Meet the Mormons right this second. It's now on Netflix!

This week I'm going into mission crazy mode. Buying clothes, a bike, a bag, shoes, and all the other things one needs to be an effective sister missionary. Anything you RMs wish you would have brought on your mission that I don't want to forget?

So since I don't have a super uplifting post for you today I thought I'd share with you some of the music on my current playlist. Enjoy!

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is indeed the true church and that it does indeed contain the fully restored gospel. I know we all have a purpose on this earth and I find my greatest joy in trying to find and fulfill that purpose. Right now that purpose is taking me to Florida to share the gospel and to serve God's children and I can't wait! I love you all!

-Whit

 

Someone else's trial

I walked into a room full of people from every walk of life. I was unknowing as to what kind of a meeting this would be I was surprised to notice that the chairs were laid out in a large circle all facing the center. My aunt with her young children running around in circles was seated a few seats to my right. My neighbor who had reticently set out on his mission on the other side of the globe was sitting across the room. As I sat there I noticed a lady who's husband had died of cancer only a week before sitting next to her daughter who was now left fatherless. Seated next to me was the girl from my math class that did't have anyone to eat lunch with and on the other side of her was the girl with bright curly hair who reticently stared in a movie. As I sat and observed the dynamics of the situation I watched as all the people I had met through my life as they began to file into the room. Each with their own unique trials and concerns.

But I didn't notice those concerns on the outside. I began to think about how cool it would be if I could have that curly hair and star in a movie, I looked at the girl who ate lunch by herself and thought "well if she wanted friends to eat with she would come over and ask if she can sit with us." I looked around each person in the circle and looked at how magnificent their lives were. I was jealous of the girl was sitting by her mom because she had the nicest car and the widow because she had a nice house. 

As I sat their noticing everything that these people had I began to want what each of them had. I wanted their cool houses and their nice shoes. I wanted to travel like they did and I wanted a job that paid better. I wanted to have their money and their home lives.

While sitting in my covetous state as each person settled into their seats a man stood up and welcomed us and thanked us all for coming. I, still not knowing what this meeting was for, assumed it would be like any other church meeting where we would sing a song, say a prayer, and then listen to a teacher for a few minutes before going home.

The man in charge said that we would be singing hymn number 241 Count Your Blessing and then we would have an opening prayer by sister Parkin. I opened up my hymn book and muttered through the versus and then closed my eyes for the prayer. Sister Parkin stood up and prayed that during this meeting we would all be able to pick new trials that would be easier for us. She also prayed that we might be able to have a good rest of our Sabbath day and that we might be able to drive home in safety when the time came. 

After she said amen the man that was conducting stood up again. He said that today we were all going to pick new trials. He asked us to take out ours and place them in the center of the circle. I was more excited than I had ever been. I thought for sure I had the hardest trials in the group and felt relieved that I would be able to get somebody elses. I quickly opened up my purse and pulled out my trials and tossed them in the center. After everybody had put theirs in the middle he said that one by one we would take turns picking new trials. As I waited for my turn I sat in anticipation about what new trials I would get. I watched as each person would get off their chairs and begin to dig through the large pile of trials and pick out the ones they wanted.

When it came to my turn I got off my cold metal chair and knelt on the hard blue carpet. I began to sort through the pile. While on my knees I read about a trial of having your husband die of cancer and how hard it would be. Because this is a more public trial I knew exactly who had thrown it in the circle. I decided I didn't really want that one so I threw it back in the pile. I pulled one out that said that their family was in pieces and that they couldn't remember the last time they did something as a family without someone getting into a fight. I for sure didn't want that one so I threw it back. I read about the teenager who struggles with a pornography addiction but doesn't want to tell anybody. I read about a trial of a first grader who got picked on at school for his lisp and a fourth grader that was reticently diagnosed with epilepsy. I read about the lady with lots of kids and not enough money to buy them Christmas presents and the sixth grader who had recently found out she was adopted. I read about the lady who desperately wanted another child but wasn't able to have one. 

As I dug through this pile I began to think about how none of these trials fit me. I quickly found my original trials and stuffed them back in my pocket and sat down.

After all of the trials had been taken from the center the man conducting stood up and read a quote by Regina Brett that said;

“If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.”

We all sat in shock as we realized that that was exactly what each of us had done. I stuck my hand in my purse and felt my trials between my fingers.

He went on saying that while on the outside we all think we want what everybody else has and that we must surely have the hardest trials when we begin to look at the bigger picture we realize that these trials we've been given were designed specifically for us so that we might be able to become stronger and have joy.

I raised my hand and asked "how in the world do trials bring us joy?"

He smiled as he opened up his scriptures to 2 Nephi 2:25 which reads "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." 

He then pointed out that under the footnote for the word "joy" it said that joy is the potential to become like our Heavenly Father.

It was then I realized that joy is not found in a big house or in becoming a famous YouTuber. It was then that I realized joy meant becoming like our Father in Heaven. 

Then another man walked into the room. He was wearing red and had a beard and He looked at each of us with kind eyes. The man conducting the meeting introduced him to us as our brother. Our brother went around the room and collected each of our trials from us and told us that he would go through each of them before we had to. 

He did this so that we might be able to have somebody to ask when we have questions about our trials, so that we might be able to have a shoulder to cry on when it feels like it's too hard to move on, or a hand to squeeze when the pain gets too bad. He told us that he would carry us every step of the way and that he would always be with us silently waiting for us to ask him for help. He then promised that if we endured our trials well that we would be exalted on high. 

I realized that to be exalted on high meant that we would become like our Heavenly Father and we would return to meet with Him in heaven. I realized that this was the ultimate joy that everybody was speaking of. I discovered that we needed these trials to become perfected and that while this man they said was my brother couldn't take them away, he would help me.

He then told us that his name was Jesus Christ. I remembered learning about Him in my primary class. He showed us his scars from where they nailed him to the cross so that we might all be able to live again. He also told us about how he suffered for each of our sins so that we could be made clean and how we can be cleaned by that atonement through repenting and being baptized.

At the close of the meeting after Brother Wall said the closing prayer the Savior hugged each of us and told us that He loved us.

When I left that room I knew that even though on the outside we all feel like others have better circumstances, that each of us were given trials that would make us strong. I also knew that the Savior was indeed our brother and that he loves us each so much that he was willing to suffer for all of our trials and afflictions so that we might be made whole. I also know that He died for us so that each of us would be able to live again.

Our Savior loves us. He is our brother and He wants us to return with Him to live with our Father in Heaven and that He will do anything to help us get back. While the story of throwing our trials in a circle was just a story, I know that the fact that we have a brother that did these things for us is with out a doubt true. I know this because I felt it. I learned this through reading the Book of Mormon and praying for my own testimony of these things. I know He is there and that He loves us more than we will ever comprehend. My testimony of Jesus Christ has brought me more joy and happiness than I have ever felt from anything else in my life. This is why I write this blog, It's why I have chosen to serve a mission in Orlando Florida in 38 days, because I want everybody to hear about how great their brother is and how much they are loved. I hope that I can follow in His footsteps and be his disciple. I hope that you come unto Him.

feel my sunlight

p.s. I went through the temple on August 1st! It was amazing and I loved every second of it! It is defiantly the Lord's house and his spirit dwells there.

p.s.s. Shout out to all my friends starting college next week! I love you all to pieces and will miss you bunches. Goodbyes are hard, but it will all be worth it in the end. The best is yet to come.

Dear Sister Reid...

Dear Sister Reid:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
You are assigned to labor in the Florida Orlando Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president.

You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister of the restored gospel. You will be an official representative of the Church. As such, you will be expected to maintain the highest Standards of conduct and appearance by keeping the commandments, living mission rules, and following the counsel of your mission president. As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leave behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Your purpose will be to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As you serve with all your heart, might, and strength, the Lord will lead you to those who are prepared to be baptized.

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in his labor of love among His children. We place our confidence in you as you pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.

You will be set apart as a missionary by your stake president. Please go the missionary.lds.org promptly to acknowledge your acceptance of this call.

Sincerely,
Thomas S. Monson
President

This was my last time seeing Teri until 2017. She will be serving in the Maryland Baltimore Mission and she leaves next Wednesday. Good Luck Teri! I love you to pieces!

Adam will be serving in Orlando too!!! (note the hat) He leaves July 15th.

Sister Hartvigsen served her mission in Florida!

Thanks so much to everyone that came! I am definitely blessed with the best. Thanks for all of your love and support over the last 18.5 years. I wouldn't be where I am today without you guys. So thanks for your good examples and your loving smiles. I love you guys!

I feel so honored to be blessed with the opportunity to serve The Lord and his Children in Orlando. I pray that I will be able to be His hands in doing good in peoples lives. It's been a crazy week with graduation and a mission call within two days of each other. But I'm so happy about it. And as for September 23rd... I can't wait.




feel my sunlight



p.s. As soon as I got my call I posted on Instagram and Facebook the words "I GOT MY HOGWARTS LETTER!! (Aka my mission call!)" Little did I know Harry Potter World would actually be in my mission. The Lord has a sense of humor. I'm sure of it.
p.s.s. Can you tell I'm a little excited?!
p.s.s.s. Here are a few pictures from graduation last Wednesday. And you'd better know we nailed a high school musical jump. Because can you really graduate if you didn't take a HSM picture?

Because I have been given much

Oh boy...

These upcoming months are going to bring the biggest changes in my life that I have ever seen. I had my final interview for my mission with my Stake President today and have officially completed the process of mission papers. They will be submitted to the quorum of the twelve apostles this Thursday. (what what!?)

I watched my best friend since birth give her farewell talk today. The same girl that I played mermaid in hotel swimming pools will be teaching on the islands of Tahiti... although she can't go in the water I know she'll do great. I can't tell you how proud I am of this girl. She's going to be incredible and I can't wait to follow in her footsteps and serve a mission... even if it does mean we won't see each other until 2017. I love you Lauren!

We have 15 days left of this bliss and then our worlds are going to turn upside down. This post goes out to all the graduating seniors of the class of 2015. This is it guys.

I don't know if I can accurately portray the feeling in my heart through words right now.

Tonight was the senior testimony meeting and oh how my heart strings have been pulled. All I have to say is that our seniors are strong. We are an army that has been in training for the last 12 years together and we are about to go forth all over the world and combat the Satan's army. But guess what Satan? The class of 2015 is going to give you a run for your money because these kids are strong... Nephi strong... Stripling Warrior strong... Lancer Strong.

I want to share with you some of the quotes from tonight's testimony meeting spoken by the mouths of Seniors...

"This complex world can be overcome by the simplicity of this gospel." -Davis
"[the gospel] is a foundation that if men build upon, they shall not fall." -Keara
"Reading the scriptures will make life so much easier." -Brady
"This gospel is perfect." -Jazzy
"Life is about to get harder...embrace the suck...it can suck less if we apply the gospel." -Caleb
"It all boils down to two words: Jesus Christ. The tomb is empty." -Adam
"Read a little more, and pray a little more." -Allie
"All is well, all is well. Our God will never us abandon." -Anna
"I've never been so sure of a decision [to serve a mission] in my life." -Tayli
"Trials are blessings." -Aubri
"Your prayers will be answered." -Kylie
"I smile because I know I am a daughter of God." -SaBree
"Learn how to love." -Landon
"We won't screw up." -Spencer
"You get to be the one person that gets to change someones life." -Caden
"I stand all amazed... because of him, I could do them." -Megan
"I made a promise that I wouldn't give up." -Yolanda
"After the tribulation come the blessing." -Ambie
"Walk as the Savior walked." -Hannah
"Christ will allow us to suffer, but he will never allow us to suffer alone." -Celeste
"Our Heavenly Father has a plan for us and it's probably not what we have in mind." -Brianna
"I know that families can be together forever." -Kenna
"We have created a little army." -Shaylee

As individual seniors we are small... when we are on our own at least, but when you read these quotes you don't read the words of weak people. These are the words of mighty warriors. So how did the weak things of the earth speak these powerful truths?

Alma 37:6 says that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

And how are they brought to pass? How does a little teenager that's barely old enough to legally call themselves an adult manage to be strong?

Ether 12:27 says that "If men high school seniors come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men high school seniors weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men high school seniors that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then I will make weak things become strong unto them."

High schoolers are weak. School and life humbles us. Seminary and the gospel teaches us faith. And eventually what was once a freshman becomes a graduate with a mission call who is prepared to teach the Lord's Gospel. And Layton High has an army of these strong warriors







I just want to add my testimony to the words of my peers...

"because I have been given much I too must give."

I've been thinking about what I've been given. I've been given a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know with every fiber of my being that he suffered for all my sins and pain and affliction, I know that he died for me. I know that he rose from the tomb and that the tomb is empty. I know he lives. And I know that because He lives death has no sting. I have been given the knowledge that families can be together forever and knowledge of the Plan of Salvation." I have been given a testimony of the scriptures. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that he really did translate the Book of Mormon. Oh how I love the Book of Mormon. I have been given a lot of knowledge that has gone unheard to much of the world.

I have also been pondering about what I must give because I have been given much. For me right now in this moment it is to serve an 18 month mission. Later it will be something else. For Nephi it was to build a boat, For Moses it was to guide his people out of Egypt, And for young Joseph Smith it was to restore the true church. What is remarkable about Nephi, Moses, and Joseph is that none of them would have been able to accomplish what they did on their own. They needed help. Likewise, we aren't able to give what we need to give without the help of our Savior, who is ever-willing to help us if we just accept His help.

I don't know what your gift will be, but I know we all have one. So I challenge you to ponder what you have been given, and also figure out what you too must give.






feel my sunlight




p.s. Next time I blog my mission papers will have been submitted and I may have a call...so that's a thought.
p.s.s. Look how cute our MORP pictures are! I had a blast and a half at my last high school dance. I'm pretty sure I had the best date... so just saying. Thanks Adam!

#knowHElives

ahhh I can taste spring in the air. It's wonderful.

I mean... It's spring break and both Easter and Conference are next week. I don't think life could get any sweeter.

I started working on mission papers and it feels fabulous! I had an interview with my bishop last Sunday and I am so excited about this new gospel adventure that I am about to embark on. (see what I did there?!) I also need to say thanks to my incredible young womens leaders who dropped off a cute "congrats on starting your papers" present earlier this week. It made my day. I have the very best leaders. I love you guys! 

One countdown finished and onto the next one! 55 days until I can submit my papers!

This month my school's seminary council extended a challenge that everyone spread their testimonies about Christ by posting pictures, quotes, and testimonies on social media with the hashtag

#knowHElives

You should all go look up that hashtag on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. It is all kinds of awesome!

And to wrap up this fantastic challenge we asked students (and teachers) to finish the sentence

"Because I know HE lives...."

This was what they said...

As you might have noticed I have a picture in there that said that I would "share my testimony on my blog" so here it is.

I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know He once walked the earth with the saints and he taught the truest doctrine of love. I know that He Atoned for all of my sins, and that He also Atoned for all of my pains and afflictions. I know that He died so that we might all be able to return to live with Him and our Father in Heaven again. I also believe that if I had been the only person that needed this pure act of love that He would still have done it because He loves me that much. I also know that He would have done the same for each of you. I know he was resurrected and that because of Him death has no sting. I know that He loves me so much more than I can even comprehend and that He wants what's very best for me. I know that He will direct my path as long as I'm willing to follow Him. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is in fact, HIS church and that He is the head of it which is why it is the only church with His complete gospel on the earth today. I know that He lives. Because I know that He lives I will prepare to dedicate 18 months of my life to His service by serving a mission. I will also dedicate every second after that to loving Him and building his kingdom. I will do this by not being afraid to share my testimony, by loving everyone around me, and by letting His light shine through me (hence the blog name...."feel my sunlight.") I promise to do my very best, and because I know that alone I will never be enough, I also promise to rely on Him everyday. Because He is almighty, and all-knowing. He is ever loving and everlasting. He is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father. He is my Savior, And He is my Redeemer.

And I love Him.

What parts of your are changed...
#BecauseHeLives?

What are you going to do...
#BecauseOfHim?

How are you going to help others...
#KnowHelives?

---

In addition to my testimony I also thought I'd add a "what I'm listening to right now" section because I know that you guys like them. I've been on a Christian music kick lately. {I've had my radio set to play K love for over a month.} So here is the music that have been playing through my headphones lately...

feel my sunlight

p.s. Who's excited for #LDSconf tomorrow and next week?!? I AM!

p.s.s. Shout out to all my seniors out there... ONLY ONE MORE TERM OF HIGH SCHOOL!

p.s.s.s. Sorry this is such a long post, but I just have to share this picture I found on Pinterest... It's the single cutest thing I have ever seen.

I #KnowHeLives

My school's seminary has started a social media challenge to help spread our testimony about Jesus Christ and we're inviting you to participate!

This year our seminary theme scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 68:6 which says;

We decided this month to focus on the part of the scripture that says "That I am."

During Christ's life on this earth He taught of love. He showed the single greatest act of love that anybody has every shown. Christ brought to pass the Atonement. An act in which enabled all of mankind to be able to return to live with our Father. Without this Atonement we would be left to our own carnal state and be condemned to destruction by justice. 

However, since Christ was perfect He was able to pay the debt He did not owe, because we had a debt we could not pay.

This is mercy.

It is prophesied by prophets through the Bible, and Book of Mormon, as well as by modern day prophets, that Christ will come again to redeem his people.

But what about right now?

I haven't seen the nail prints in his hands or feet, nor have I talked with him face to face during this life, but I do know that he plays a part in my everyday life.

I know He lives. I know He lives today.

I can see the evidence in my life. In the way the sun comes up in the morning. I can hear it in a baby's cry. I can see it in the kindness shown by strangers, and the love shown by families. I can see it in the way the flowers grow, how the snow falls, and in the way He lights up the sky with diamonds. 

I first gained this knowledge when I prayed to ask if He was aware of me. I got an answer more powerful than I can explain. No, I wasn't visited by angels, I didn't hear a voice, or have a vision, yet the answer I got to that prayer was nevertheless powerful. It was just a simple peaceful feeling. A warmth in my heart that let me know that He was indeed there and that He was aware of me.

This is one of my very favorite songs about the Savior. For more about the artists in this song please visit www.notesofglory.com.

I know that He lives. I know that he loves me more than I can even comprehend. I know that he is all-knowing and almighty. Because I have this knowledge I trust Him to direct me in my life and I know that if I follow Him I will always remain on the right path. I also know that if I ever slip up and make a mistake that His hand will always be stretched out towards me ready to pull me back up. 

I believe in Christ. I believe in all that He has done. I believe that there are many great things that he is yet to do. I also believe that He remains a part of my everyday life and that He lives today.

As part of our social media challenge we ask you to share your testimony about Jesus Christ with the world through social media. 

To do this we challenge you to post quotes, scriptures, pictures, and personal testimonies to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and any other of your favorite social media sites and don't forget to use the hashtag #KnowHeLives.

Help us spread the good news of Christ with the world.


I love you all and want you to never forget that Christ loves you and is aware of you.




feel my sunlight

---

Also, shout out to Noelle Bybee for crushing it in the blind auditions on The Voice the other night. Noelle and I used to tumble together back in the days of velvet leotards. We're rooting for you Noelle!

Look how cute we are in our velvet leotards.

Buy her audition song HERE!