So... My mission call has been assigned which means I should get it in the near future! So that means it's time for you guys to make your guesses! You get a stateside and a foreign guess.... READY GO!
feel my sunlight
p.s. It's going to be a CRAZY week.
p.s.s. Gosh I can't wait to be a missionary!!!
I just wanted to share with you a project I've been working on for the past few weeks!
We've been studying American Sign Language over the last two years and it has been an awesome journey learning about this amazing language and the culture about the Deaf Community. I've truly learned to appreciate the language and it something I hope to be able to continue to be a part of.
Since we are graduating in a hand full of days we wanted our final ASL project to be something that will inspire others to become interested in this awesome language. So we decided to make a music video to the song Whole Wide World by Mindy Gledhill!
We hope as you watch this video you are inspired to learn a few signs in sign language, as well as remember to live life to it's fullest and don't be afraid to live your dreams.
feel my sunlight
p.s. My Stake President is submitting my mission papers to the Quorum of the 12 Apostles TODAY... now isn't that a crazy dream?!?
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!
You're sitting on a church pew that has been covered in a deep burgundy colored fabric as you eye the small child in front of you during the month's fast and testimony meeting.
You are touched by the speakers testimony. You can feel the Holy Ghost testifying to your heart that the words you are hearing are true, but as you sit there it feels like you and the baby might be the only two in the room who aren't crying during this testimony meeting because of the spirit in the room.
As fast as this thought enters into your mind the child starts to scream and their dad carries them out.
You begin to wonder why you don't cry when you feel the spirit.
A picture flashes in your mind of girls camp testimony meeting last summer where all the girls sat on logs around a campfire. One by one each girl would stand up and mutter what they knew to be true through tear-filled eyes and a chocked up throat. As it came to be your turn you stood up and rattled off that you know Joseph Smith was a true prophet, because you do. You also tell how you know that he really did translate the Book of Mormon and that you know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. You know this because you've read it and you've prayed about it. You share your testimony of the Savior and his Atonement. You've seen it work in your life. You share this testimony and as fast as you stood up, you sit down without a single tear falling from your face.
As the testimony meeting comes to a close you watch awkwardly as your young women leaders hug the girls that are still crying. They thank them for their beautiful testimonies and tell them how amazing they are as you sit and think "did my testimony not mean anything?"
This question, in addition to many others have run through my mind on several occasions during various testimony meetings, and church events through my life. These thoughts include, but are not limited to;
"Why don't I cry when bearing my testimony?"
"Am I really even feeling the spirit?"
"Should I pretend to cry so that I can fit in?"
"Why do my leaders seem to like the girls that cry more than those that don't?"
"I wonder if my leaders even believe that I do have a testimony because they've never seen me cry."
"I just want to be able to cry."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Now my leaders are crying..."
"I don't know what to do when people leak."
These examples are my personal experiences, and they may or may not be your personal experiences too.
Now I must insert a disclaimer in here: I'm in no-way stating that it's bad to cry when you bear your testimony. It's great and I honestly wish I was like those of you that do, but what I am saying is that it's okay if you don't.
There. I said it. It's okay if you don't cry when you bear your testimony.
President Howard W. Hunter said: "I get concerned when it appears that strong emotion or free-flowing tears are equated with the presence of the Spirit. Certainly the Spirit of the Lord can bring strong emotional feelings, including tears, but that outward manifestation ought not to be confused with the presence of the Spirit itself."
Say what?!
I have never been a cryer. Sure, I have had experiences when tears have been present, but for the most part I don't cry when bearing my testimony, and neither does my mom or my sister.
For a long time I was self-conscious about it. I sometimes wouldn't bear my testimony because I didn't want to be looked down upon for not crying. Oh how I was so wrong.
In the Book of Mormon we read about King Benjamin's sermon that he gave to his people where he bore testimony of his personal witness of the Savior.
When he had just borne witness to the people, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy ... because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come."
"filled with joy."
To me the phrase "filled with joy" doesn't put a picture in my mind of a bunch of people crying around a campfire. To me that is a group of people who have just had their lives changed. They have new-found knowledge and strengthened testimonies and they are excited about it. They are motivated for change. This is how I want my testimony to affect people.
I was having a discussion about this topic with my mom and sister some time ago. My mom brought up a good point. Watch just one session of General Conference and you witness testimony after testimony of some of the Lord's most righteous servants. These are men that commune with God on a daily, and dare I say, minutely basis. These are men that have constant spiritual experiences and that have firm testimonies. Yet, for the majority of the time they don't spend their time at the pulpit crying.
If I could pick a favorite conference talk this would be it. Here is a powerful testimony of a man called of God. In fact, this is one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard, yet he didn't cry.
So my conclusion is this: If you are in a situation where you have the chance to bear your testimony then do it. If you get chocked up and feel tears swelling in your eyes then let them out. It is an amazing thing to be so passionate about something that it moves you to show emotion, but I also conclude this; that if by chance you stand up and begin to proclaim your testimony and tears don't begin to swell in your eyes; stand firm. You're testimony is no less than anybody else's. Your testimony can bring so many to know of the truth and you just might be the one that says something that somebody else needs to hear. Never again will I hold back my testimony because I don't feel that it is good enough. Never again will I hide the joy that the gospel brings to me. Because it is just that; joy. And I want to share it.
My heart is just so full right now. I just got back from an amazing lemon-filled trip to Arizona last week, and with both Easter and General Conference last weekend as well as mission papers that I'm working on I just cant help but think of my Savior and smile at how good He has been to me.
Look how cute we are at the Grand Canyon!
Speaking of General Conference... didn't you just LOVE IT?! I did!
I don't think that I could write a blog post long enough or good enough to describe how I feel about General Conference and all of the thoughts, impressions, and answers to prayers that went through my mind while I was listening to these men that were called of God to guide us.
But I want to share just a piece of it.
I feel like I am hanging all the time, and I know the rest of the world is too. I often feel the gritty texture of the rocks in my life. There is a line in the song "Beyond Me" by TobyMac that says;
"That You gave me the stars, put them out of my reachCalled me to waters a little too deep Oh, I've never been so aware of my need You keep on making me see It's way beyond me."
This is exactly what God has done with my life. He's offered me everything, things even greater than I could imagine, and then he's set them just out of my reach in a place that I couldn't possibly get to on my own. He's set up a ledge for me to hang on, but that I can't climb over by myself.
But the good part of this situation is that He is the other half of the equation needed for us to reach what we need.
Have you ever lifted up a small child so that they can reach something they want? You could easily just hand it to them, but instead you decide that it would be good for them to let them grab it. So you wait for them to ask for your help, and then you lift them.
This is what God is doing with us. He has "offered us the stars and put them just out of reach" But he has promised that he will lift us up if we follow him.
He has also promised us that He would not let us fall.
And how can we when we have hands so strong bearing us up?
So if we have the hands that run the universe holding us up, what is there for us to do?
Helaman 5:12 says;
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty stormshall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Whenever I am tempted with something. Be it a temptation of sin, or the desire to sleep through mission prep, or some other thing that I know I shouldn't or should be doing, the words run through my mind;
I LOVE GOD MORE THAN THAT.
This is a phrase that has changed my life. Because I know that God has given me everything. He sent His only Son to die for me. Christ already paid the entire price needed. But who am I to turn down that offer of exaltation? Who am I to turn down the hand that will not let me fall? Who am I to show God that I love sin more than him by giving in?
"I love God more than that" has kept me out of so many situations.
Every week when we take the sacrament we promise to "Always have his spirit to be with us."
To me that means to always love Him more than anything else.
It means to make decisions that will be in harmony with his will for us. And I know that if we do
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 can start working on mission papers in two weeks...
...and on that note congrats to the following mega incredible people that I am privileged to be friends with that have received their mission calls...
Lauren- Papeete, Tahiti
Teri- Baltimore, Maryland
Dallin- Huancayo, Peru
Adam- Orlando, Florida
Okay seriously... all four of those goons would make it onto my list of "top favorite humans" if I were to make one, but I'm not going to because then everybody else would feel bad. You guys are seriously so incredible and I am so excited for you. Thanks for being such great examples for me to follow. I don't know if I can express how much you four have impacted my life and lets just say that I can't wait to join you! Y'all are going to do great things.
I'm just going to dance around the topic of missionary work for a minute because that's the kind of mood I'm in.
I'm in a current stage of crazy. And by "crazy" I mean I just want to go on a mission so bad that it occupies a lot of my thought process. Everyone that is close to me could tell you the exact number of days I have on my countdowns to how soon I can start papers, and how soon I can submit them because I'm always telling people.
I asked one of my seminary teachers a few weeks ago what the best mission prep advice he had ever heard was. I already knew what he was going to say before he said it.
He quoted Elder Bednar when he said to;
"become a missionary long before you go on a mission."
I rolled my eyes a little at that response. "Ya Brother Peterson... I've heard that already."
I obviously hadn't tried it yet.
For some reason I had it in my head that to "be a missionary before I go on a mission" I was supposed to dress up in a skirt and walk around the high school handing out pass along cards to the non-Mormon kids in the hallway and call it good.
But what I've come to realize is that "becoming a missionary" is much more than that.
Becoming a missionary means living like a missionary as much as I possibly can. No, it doesn't mean I will stop doing the things I'm doing, It just means I'm going to act and live a little differently.
It means I'll try my best to follow the missionary schedule. Wake up early and go to bed early. This is something I have a hard time with, but that I've found that the more I do it the easier it gets and the better I feel.
It means I'll dress modestly. I won't spend all my time in a dress, but I will make sure my clothes are appropriate and that they are sending the right message to people.
It means I'll change the kind of media that I surround myself with.
I love this clip from John Bytheway about marinating in today's media. Full time missionaries surround themselves with a different type of media. The music they listen to invites the spirit and they avoid anything that is mediocre. Imagine if we all did this in our every day lives. Imagine the kind of curve ball that would throw at Satan's plan.
It means I'll study. I'll study my scriptures. I won't just read because my seminary teacher told me to. I'll study because I really want to know and become like Christ. I'll study Preach my Gospel because I want to know the material I'll be teaching in six months. It means I'll study how to play piano. I haven't played since I was 9, but you'd better know that if by chance I get called to an area where nobody else knows how to play, we will be able to sing Sweat Hour of Prayer loud and proud every week. It means that I'll study my family history. I'll learn about my ancestors conversion stories, because in a sense their conversion stories are my conversion stories and if I can come to know them, I will be able to help lead others towards the gospel as well.
It means I'll put myself in situations where I will learn. I'll go to seminary, I'll go to church, and I'll go to mission prep, and I'll be doing my best wherever I am.
It means I'll be confidant. It means I'll swallow my natural inhibition to become shy and I'll talk to people. It means I'll bring up church topics with my friends of different faiths. It means I'll raise my had in seminary and that I'll be the first to share my testimony when prompted. It means I won't be afraid to be the Lord's mouthpiece.
It means I'll look for miracles in every day life. After Adam opened his mission call yesterday, I was at his house talking to his family. We got on the topic of car accidents and that led to the topic of the miracles we have seen in our lives. This just made me realize that if we are open to looking for them, the Lord will show us miracles. The Savior's life was full of performing miracles, but only those who had their eyes open could see them. As a missionary you need to have your eyes open and your heart softened for these kinds of experiences.
It means I'll be an example. I'll live in a way that isn't self-righteous, but in a way that lets others know that the Gospel is my happiness and that I want everyone to have this same happiness.
I love this video of sisters talking about preparing for a mission.
I'm not quite there yet, but I guess that's why the Lord has given me a little while to prepare.
What is some of the best mission advise you have ever heard?
feel my sunlight
p.s. Golly I'm not excited about the time change tomorrow.
p.s.s. I'm teaching Sunday school tomorrow all by myself.
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