Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

Wow. New Year's Eve is TUESDAY. I can't believe it's almost 2014!! This year has gone by so fast!! I have had so, so, so many experiences that have helped me grow, and I am so thankful for each and every one. I have met and befriended so many wonderful people who have shown me and taught me things I don't think I could've learned from anyone else. But, most importantly, I KNOW I have grown closer to my Savior. Some experiences I've had could not have brought about the spiritual consequences they did without the Atonement of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of all the many wonderful people I have met this year, I have been changed. For good. I will NEVER go back to the person that I was at the start of the year, and for that I am grateful. I am a better child of God, a better daughter, a better cousin, a better sister, a better friend, and a better confidant now than I was before. I have been changed forever, and for that I am grateful. I love each and every one of the new friends I have formed this year, and I still love all my old friends. I have loved getting to know everyone in all of my classes better, and I have loved being able to spend time with my friends. I have loved being able to be me this year, and not caring what others think of me. I hope they think of me fondly when we've said goodbye (haha, good ol' Phantom of the Opera). My siblings have put up with lots of me this year, and I hope that, in time, they'll come to recognize that this is who I am, and they just need to accept me. Again, I am so thankful for all of the people I've had the chance to meet and all the experiences I've had the opportunity to go through. Now, some of them were not easy. In fact, some of them were downright scary and intimidating, like my solo. But once I got through it, it was like the heavens had opened and I had the biggest support group of angels I have ever had the pleasure to have. Despite the fact that some of the experiences were not easy, I did them anyway and I learned a lot. I am so thankful for that. I am so thankful for the changes that I made in others. I am looking forward to making many, many more in the upcoming year. Hopefully I will be less "rollercoaster-y" and more "heartbeat-y". Anyway, I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father, and I know they love me. I love my family, and my old friends, and my new friends. I love my teachers, who sacrifice so much for me, and listen to me, and (try to) understand me. I love being a child of God, and I love that He knows me. He knows me: He know my needs, my dreams, my desires, my fears, my worries, my loves, and He knows the way I tick. He knows who I connect well with, and who I don't. He knows everything about me, including things that I don't. He knows the why and the how about how I work. I trust Him forever with all of my heart, and I love Him forever with all of my heart. 

One meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is on WEDNESDAY. I can't believe it. This year has gone by so fast, and yet, so slow. A lot has happened in short amounts of time. I have seen many miracles, but I have also seen some tragedies. I am constantly reminded of the sacrifices that have been made for me, especially at Christmastime--like the sacrifice made by my Savior, Jesus Christ. He came to earth to save us all. He came to be the perfect example to those He met, but especially to those He did not, including you and I. Whether or not you believe in Him, He died for you. He atoned for you. He loved us beyond anything you or I could ever imagine. And Heavenly Father loved us all so, so much that He sent His Son to die for us, and be resurrected so that, someday, we can all live with our families forever. I am so, so, so thankful for the example of my Savior, and for the love He and my Heavenly Father show me all day, every day, especially when I don't deserve it. 

Life happens, and sometimes you have to pause it.

Life is hard sometimes, and sometimes we need to put it on pause or on hold for a little while, but with the help of our Savior, family, and friends, we can get through anything. Our Savior died and atoned for us so that we can live together as families in the eternities. I love that families are sealed together forever because when people die, it doesn't end. It doesn't have to end, because it doesn't. There is more to life than living. When we die, we return to being a spirit. When I was baptized, I promised to "mourn with those that mourn" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort" and I promised to be "willing to bear one another's burdens that they may be light." Well, tonight I did all three of those, and I hope that I helped my friend and her family. Life is a happy thing, and death is a sad thing, but, in the end, it will all be worth it. The Lord loves you, He will always love you, and He NEVER forgets you. He blesses you, and things happen for a reason. We may not always know that reason, but there is a reason. 

Remember the reason for the season.

It is December 10, 2013. I honestly cannot believe that 2013 is almost over!! This year has passed by so, so, fast, and I can't believe the school year is almost halfway through, either! It seems like just yesterday I was a sophomore, learning my new school in and out and making new friends. Granted, every year I make new friends, but! the point is still the same. Time is passing me by like no other. In two days Bridger will be 7!! I still remember when we were naming him. Christmas is also soon to be upon us, and this year I am so blessed. I've got lots of friends (old and new) who all love me; I've learned a lot from almost everywhere I've been, everything I've done, and everyone I've interacted with; I have a family who (mostly/usually) loves me; I live in a nice area with nice neighbors; and I have technology to stay in touch with friends and family. This year, I don't want much for Christmas. Maybe a new pair of headphones, or a belt, or some CDs. But all I really want is for my siblings (and my friends and family) to learn/remember/understand (whichever applies to them) the true meaning of Christmas and the true spirit of Christmas. We need to remember the reason for Christmas. Christmas is all about Christ, and I want them to know that. He was born so that He could be our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord. He was born so that He could be the perfect example of how to live. He was born to suffer for and bear our sins, pains, and afflictions so that He could know EXACTLY how we feel, all the time, 24/7. He was born to be crucified; He was born to die for us. He was born to save us. He was born to save me. He was born to save you. He loves us all very much, and Christmas is a time to remember this. We should always remember it, but Christmas is a time to remember that He was born to die for us so that we can be resurrected and live again someday. We need to remember the reason for the season, and we need to remember it always. 

Thanksgiving Day Gratitude.

The Number Twenty-Eight: I am so, so, so, so, so, sooo thankful for everything. I am so thankful for my family. My cousins are so cute! I am so thankful for my friends. I love learning from them and hanging out with them. I am so thankful for food. I love mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pie. I am so thankful for music; I love to express myself using good music. I am so thankful for my talents. I love to share them with others. I am so thankful for good tv shows. I love to watch them; they help me get away from reality a bit. I am so thankful for good movies. I love to watch cute sweet ones. I am so thankful for good books. I love to read fantasy and romance. I am so thankful for teachers and leaders who listen and teach very well. I learn a lot from them. But most of all, I am so, so thankful for this gospel. I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for me and for all of us. I am so thankful for His example in His reign on this earth. I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and you, and sent His Only Begotten Son to die for us. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost who helps me every day. I am so thankful for all the prophets, apostles, and missionaries. I am so thankful for this beautiful world that has been designed for us. So, I am so grateful for all that has been given to me (and to everyone on this earth). 

Lights. Family. TV show directors. People. Music.

Number 23: I am grateful for lights. They make things less scary and they make the home brighter. So I'm grateful for the light everywhere. 

24th: I am grateful for family. They are funny and cute and they usually have great advice. So I'm grateful for relatives to help guide and protect me. 

Twenty-fifth: I am grateful for TV show directors. They are able to plan things out years ahead and make it all connect with the past and have it make sense. So I'm grateful for genius writers and directors. 

Sixth and Twenty: I am grateful for people. Friends and family, teachers and leaders, who are all great listeners and advice-givers and teachers. So I'm grateful for people who help me in any way they can. 

Twenty and seven: I am grateful for music. Anytime I feel sad or mad or even just lazy, MUSIC is the answer and MUSIC is always there. So I'm grateful for music to be my constant companion. 

Grateful for food and brothers.

19th: I'm grateful for hot chocolate. When it's cold and I'm cold, it's nice to have hot chocolate to drink. So I'm thankful for hot chocolate. 

Twentieth: I'm grateful for little brothers. They can be so cute and loving and I love watching their cuteness. So I'm grateful for the sweet little angels that they can be. 

21st: I'm grateful for food. It's so good and I love mashed potatoes and gravy. So I'm grateful for food.

Twenty second: I'm grateful for sleep. It's so awesome and it makes me feel well rested. So I'm grateful when I get to sleep. 

People.

16th: I'm grateful for my parents. They're good examples to me and they love me no matter what. So I'm grateful that I have good parents. 

10th and 7: I'm grateful for friends. Yes, I know I've said this before, but my friends are awesome. They listen to me when I need them to and they're there for me when I need a shoulder to cry/lean on. So I'm thankful for understanding and loving friends. 

Eighteenth: I'm grateful for my teachers. Yes, I know I've said this one before, too, but I really am. I'm grateful that I have understanding teachers and I'm grateful for their help and influence. So I'm grateful for some FABULOUS teachers. :)

Friends.

Fifteenth: I'm grateful for friends. It's easy to get lost or even to feel alone sometimes, but when you have good friends who lift you up and make you feel good about yourself, you don't feel alone or lost. So I'm grateful for good friends who love me for who I am. 

Heating.

Tenth and four: I'm grateful for heating. I hate being cold in the mornings and at night and I get so distracted when I'm cold. Even when I wear long sleeves and socks, I am still cold. So I'm grateful for heating that keeps me warm and in the game, so to speak. 

Tender mercies. Technology. Angels.

Twelfth: I'm grateful for tender mercies. I had a library book due that I forgot to turn in (well, renew, actually...I still need it) and when I went in to the library yesterday it was closed, so I couldn't renew it. So I went in today and was worried I'd have to pay a fine (which I've never ever had one before) but I didn't. So I'm grateful that I didn't have a fine and that I was able to renew. 

Numero trece: I'm grateful for technology. I love being connected with my friends and family that live far away. So I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to communicate with my family and friends. 

#6: (I accidentally forgot this one. Oops!) I'm grateful for angels. The ones in heaven and the ones on earth. They help me and they listen and it's just so nice to have them around me. So I'm grateful for helping hands and influences. 

Sacrifices.

Número 11: I'm grateful for all the men and women who have served to protect our country, and who have died protecting us. I'm grateful for their families: their children, their wives/husbands, their parents, their siblings, etc., for letting them go and serve. So I'm thankful for all the sacrifices that have been made in order to protect our country. 

Leaders and teachers.

Letter J: I'm grateful for my leaders and teachers. They are such good examples to me, and I want to be like them. They have wonderful stories that teach me lessons and I'm so grateful for their examples and advice. They are just so amazing and I love them. So I'm grateful for people that are strong in the gospel in my life and influence my life for good. 

Babysitting.

Number 9: I'm grateful for the opportunities I have to babysit my neighbours' children. They're the sweetest things and they're so adorable and I always learn something from them. They are so easy to watch because I have been babysitting 8 children for a long time and anything less than that is a piece of cake. So I'm grateful for the opportunities I'm given to serve the parents and babysit children I come to love. 

Learning and opportunities.

Letter H: I'm grateful for school. I am. I don't like the homework part, or the grading part, but I like the learning and participating and socializing parts. I like learning new things. Like Thursday in orchestra, I learned that you only break bow hairs when you apply lots of pressure and your bow isn't straight. Anywho. I like participating and making new friends or strengthening already there relationships. So I'm grateful for the opportunity I've been given to attend school, to learn and grow, and to make friendships. 

Talents.

Número siete: I am grateful for my musical talents. I am grateful that I have the courage to share my vocal and instrumental talents with others, especially when it lifts their spirits, and makes their testimonies grow. I love being their inspiration! I love being able to sing, and play the violin, and make up songs (using either/both) on the spot. I love singing and playing hymns and Primary songs and using them to share my testimony and praise my Lord and Saviour. So I am thankful for the musical talents I was given. 

Gratitude.

Okay, so I'm six days late for starting the gratitude thing. But I figured better late than never, right? So I'll just start with six things/people I'm grateful for and why. Here we go:

Number one: I'm grateful for the gospel. Without it, I don't know where I'd be, or where I'd be going, and why I am here. So I am grateful for the knowledge and light that it brings to my life.

Little b: I'm grateful for music. It keeps me strong, and with it I can express myself in any way that I choose. So I am grateful for the talents in music that I have and the opportunities I have to share my talents/testimony with others.

Third: I'm grateful for my family. I really am. I learn a lot from them, like what not to do. So I am grateful that they aren't all crazy psychopaths. ;)

iv: I'm grateful for my friends. They are all such wonderful examples to me and they inspire me. I learn a lot from them, too, but usually for good. So I am grateful that I have friends who share the same beliefs as me. 

Big E: I'm grateful for my teachers. They are all amazing examples and I look up to them. So I am grateful for teachers who care. 

There you go. Six things I am thankful for. I'll be back tomorrow (hopefully) with anther one. But in the meantime, remember this: God made you special, and He loves you very much. Goodbye!

(Yes, that line was from VeggieTales. No, I am not ashamed.) 

Lessons learned from the cultural event.

Yesterday, before our cultural event, the narrators and soloists were given a challenge to imagine Christ beside us throughout the event. When I was singing my solo, even though I was completely alone for that first little bit, I didn't feel alone, and I know that He sent His Spirit to be with me, and I'm so thankful for that. At one point, while we were waiting for our turn to go on again, I was sitting alone, and no one was beside me, so I imagined Christ sitting next to me, and I immediately burst into tears, because I could see Him, and I know that he was proud of us, of me, for sharing our talents and testimonies. And both of these little miracles helped me know that we are never alone. The cultural event was such an uplifting experience and I am so glad that I got to share the message of Holy Father and my talents with all that went to see it. I got many people telling me that they cried when they heard it, and I'm so glad that it touched them. It's a beautiful song with a beautiful message.

Thankful for miracles.

Opening night was tonight!! We did awesome. It ran WAAAAAY smoother than Wednesday and I know it was the hand of The Lord. My solo was amazing, and made several people cry/almost cry. It made Sister Riggs forget her job! Oops...Anyway, I'm so glad I could share the message of Holy Father and I can't wait to do so again. Also, I witnessed another miracle tonight: I was changing my shirt for the next scene and one of my earrings flew out of my ear (literally) but left the back behind. So I took my other one out and handed everything to Keely, who, after she left, gave it to a leader who kept it for me until after the show. Then I went back to look for my earring, stating so, and the leader up there said "Little flower?" And I said "Yup" and he said "Here ya go...I could only find the one part" and I said that's okay I had everything else. Nothing was broken and I found all the pieces. What a miracle!! I'm so thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His example to me. I know He died for us all and I love Him for that. 

Hakuna Matata.

Oh my gosh!!! Our cultural event is THIS FRIDAY and SATURDAY!!! Our last official practice is Wednesday. I am so super excited!! It's coming together. I remember last time I was so worried it wasn't going to work or go well at ALL, and I'm seeing the same kinds of stuff, but because of last time, I know that we'll be ready. Hakuna matata: no worries! With The Lord's help, we can do it, as long as everyone puts forth the effort. It'll be great, I'm sure. This event has been such a testimony builder to me because I've been seeing so many miracles in my life; I still can't believe that our cultural event is this weekend. I know that we can do it, because it was given to us with the intention to help us build testimonies: ours and others'. I can't wait to help build other people's testimonies. I have no worries. It will be fantastic. :)

With Him, we can do it all.

I am so excited for this upcoming next couple of weeks/months!!! Next couple of weeks: our cultural event. I am SOOOOOO excited!!! Next couple of months: I have a couple of Christmas concerts that I'm super excited for. I know that with The Lord's help we'll be ready and prepared. Like the words of our opener for the cultural event: "We will have faith in each tomorrow and trust Him to show the way!" Definitely. I trust The Lord with all of my heart and I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that we can do this. With Him, anything is possible. 

With His help, you can be prepared.

Trying to post everyday is hard. Sometimes I forget. So it might be every other day. Anyway. The Lord works miracles, and He blesses, and He loves. It's easy to love The Lord if you are always trying to be like Him; if you are always trying to be His hands; if you are always loving those you serve. However, there are the days when you just have a hard time having patience. Sometimes (okay, usually) my brothers like to whine. And they say they hate me. And it hurts my feelings and sometime makes me cry, when all I was trying to do was keep them safe or out of trouble. But then I realize that I'm just like my Heavenly Father: I know what's best for them (only with me it's sometimes, not always) and it makes me sad when they don't listen to my instructions. Heavenly Father feels sad when we don't follow Him. But I know that with His help, I can be patient, and loving, and someday (hopefully) it won't make me cry when my siblings say they hate me or something else negative about me. No matter what, though, I still try to serve them all the time, even when they don't try and serve me. It's hard being the big sister, and sometimes I wish I were an only child, but I think I would miss some of the cuteness that my little brothers are, and it's worth it. It's worth all eight of them talking negative to me all at the same time (which has happened occasionally). But I know that it's preparation for me to be a mother; I need the patience, and the long suffering. I need the practice of charity in my life, and this is the only way I can get it without having it sprung on me like a creepy spiderweb in the middle of the forest that no one can see. Or maybe I won't be a mother; maybe I'll just work with children and I'll need the patience. Whatever the case may be, I know The Lord is prepping me (but I really hope it's that I'm going to be a mother).  

I wonder as I work.

There are many questions I wonder all the time. I wonder if I will get married. I wonder if I will have children. I wonder if I might possibly go on a mission. I wonder if I'll move out of Utah. I wonder what college I'll go to. I wonder what I'll major in. All that kinda stuff. But there are also things deep inside me that make me feel as if I'm meant for something a bit bigger than I've anticipated. I'm not sure, though. However it works out, though, I know that, if I've prayed and talked to The Lord about it, and listened to Him and His Spirit, I know that it will be what I needed, or what someone else needed. And that's the way The Lord works: He works through you. He works through me. He works through a Marie Jacobson in Des Moines, Iowa (I totally made up that name, btw. Complete accident if there is one). He works through all of us, whether we know it or not. Your influence is more powerful than you know. 

Little things make me happy.

The littlest of things make me happy. And I just love little things. Literally. My favorite things are little baby clothes, little baby objects. Little baby stuff. Little things. They make me so happy. Ask anyone. Anyone that knows me, anyway. Anywho! But the thing that makes me the happiest is the gospel of Jesus Christ. With it, I know that I can be with my family forever, and I can be resurrected, and my sins can be forgiven. With this knowledge, my heart is full of love for the Savior, who died for us, and for my Heavenly Father, who sent Jesus to die for us. They both love all of us very much, and I am so grateful for that. I need daily reminders that someone somewhere always loves me. 

Miracles.

*singsong* Miracles in my life!! I love them. They're everywhere!! So excited for the cultural event!! I sang my solo today in front of everyone (in my building) for the first time. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. Which I do. Plus, I got lots of compliments. So...it's all good. Anyway, I got off track. Miracles. I don't have any homework 'cos I did it all, so as soon as I'm done getting ready for bed I can go and get a much needed sleep. The Lord blesses me in many ways every day and I love Him for it. 

Some days. All days. Those days.

Some days go fantastically. Some days go magnificently. And some days don't. Some days you check all your due dates and things. Some days you don't. Some days you get homework done. You hope some days you won't not get it done. Some days you get so tired of everything. Some days you don't. But all days have good things to them. All days have lessons. All days have experiences. All days are full of love for you, whether you know it or not. Some days may be filled with pain, but He can help you bear it. So long as you turn to Him, He will help you bear it. So long as you keep Him in your life He will always help you. Those days are the best kinds of days. Those days can be all days, if you'll have just the right kind of attitude. 

He knows.

I realized today during sacrament meeting that The Lord knows who I'm going to be, and where I'm going to go. I realized that He puts people, and experiences, and knowledge in our lives that we will need to know when we become who we were supposed to become. I'm going to be a mother, and He gave me siblings that are very rowdy, so that I can learn patience. He gave me siblings that get hurt often so that I can learn medicine-y, heal-y type things. He gave me musical talents that I love to share so that I am able to share the gospel through them. He gave me a big heart, so that I have enough room to love all my friends, leaders, teachers, and families. He gave me amazing examples in my life so that I know what I can have. He gave me a craving for a better life, so that I can want what I can have. He gave me a desire to be the best me that I can be. And I love Him every day, all the time, and I'm grateful for that every day, all the time. 

The winning point.

Sometimes it is oh-so-very-hard to think and do and say the right things. And sometimes I fail. Epically. But I get right back up on that pony and I try again. And again. And again. It usually depends on where my brain train goes. Anyway. But I try so very hard to keep my brain empty of bad thoughts. And I try so very hard to say nice things and be nice to people. And I try extra hard to do the right things, even if it doesn't benefit me. And sometimes I fail. Epically. But more often than not, I win, fabulously. And those battles are the best kind. Not because I won (the battle), but because I won (in my heart). Does that make sense? So, say you've got a battle about saying kind words versus not saying kind words. And say, on Sunday you were so, so good about saying kind words, and on Monday, and Tuesday. But on Wednesday you failed. You called your best friend or someone close to you an idiot, because of something they did. And then you apologized, said you didn't mean it, 'twas a slip of the tongue, they forgave you, and then you guys went on your way. But then on Thursday, you were saying kind words again. You won this battle, not because it was four out of five, but because you had a change of heart; you understood the principle, you had experienced both sides, and you understood which one was the better one. That's the winning point. You win, and you understand the principle, and why the choice is the better one. 

Good, better, best.

Sometimes I think my siblings are stupid on purpose. Then Tyler does something like squeeze Lander because he often squeezes the cat and Tyler hurts Lander and I think, "Oh yes...they are stupid on purpose." And they never listen to me. I try to be a good example and a good big sister, but they just don't listen and they do stupid things. It takes a lot of my patience to be patient and remember that they are less experienced than I am and that they don't have the same conscience as I do, and that they like to be independent. But I have to remember that they, too, are children of God, and He loves them, too. But sometimes it's so hard because they just get on my nerves so much. And that's why I'm always telling people to breathe, and to not forget to breathe. Because breathing helps calm people down. And so that's my stress-relief technique: breathe deeply. And just remember that it's always better to be the better person, even if the outcome doesn't favor you. You'll know in your heart that what you did is the best choice of action. Sometimes my brother picks the good choice, sometimes he picks the better choice, and rarely, if ever, does he ever pick the best choice. But I always try to pick the best choice, knowing that I might not always get the best outcome, but it will be worth it in the end. And that's what keeps me going. 

Happiness.

Happy. Love. Service. Attitude. Optimism. These are all words that can be used to describe how one feels or how one's personality usually is. Someone can just always have a positive attitude or outlook to life. Someone can do everything they do with love. Someone can do all things service. Someone can do all things with a bit of attitude. And finally someone can always be optimistic in everything. Now, I'm sure you've noticed that they all have something in common except one. If you guessed "attitude", then you were correct. If not, well...better luck next time. Most of these four nouns and one adjective are all happy, bright words use to describe things in positive and uplifting ways. The best way to become like Christ is to act like Him. And the way He acts is some of the words I said: service, love, happy, optimism. Christ never did anything in any selfish attitude, nor for any glory. The glory is His Father's, and He knows that. I think that's how we can live. Live and act knowing that the glory is all God's, and live with a purpose; of happiness, service, or love. But where there's one of these, there is usually the other. You can't serve someone without loving them. You can't serve without being happy. Just remember that's it's all in the attitude. Your attitude depends upon all of these things. As does your happiness. So, try to be the best you can be, and pray for your friends and family. And, don't worry; be happy. :)

A glimpse to a piece of my heart.

I don't know what to say. I'm tired and really hating homework. School would be perfect if there was no (or a very, very small amount of homework) homework at all. The cultural event is coming along nicely. I think it's going a lot smoother than the other one. The other one was great, too, but this one is going smoother. I'm super excited!! Some purple things that I love: my new portable charger that's being kind of whacko, my new purple shoes, my purple shirts, my new purple iPod case, and my purple glasses!! :) I love purple with all...well...most of my heart. The rest of it belongs to The Lord. I am trying my very best to be what the Savior wants me to be, and what He knows I can be, along with along leaders and friends, and teachers. Especially the ones that have changed my life forever. I never would have made it to this point in my life without them. And that's why I talk about people often. Because they are forever engraved in my heart. And I never, never want to forget them, or what they've done for me. 

Happiness comes in small miracles.

Two (well, one, really) amazing things happened to me today. One!! Is that I had no math homework. Which means that I spent most of the afternoon (with large breaks) working on my English expository essay due tomorrow. That's not really amazing, except for the fact that I was pretty much able to do it, with help from my daddy. Anyway. Two!! Is that I got the solo in the cultural event!!!!!!!!! Dude!! I have been so excited and happy all day that I have had tears in my eyes, I was so happy. It really calmed me down; I'd been so anxious about it, worrying that I wouldn't get it, when everyone was telling me I would. I had hoped I would, because, not to toot my own horn or anything, I am a really good singer. I really am, and I had really hoped I would get it. I've tried out for several solos before that I have not gotten, so I really, really wanted this one. Plus, it's so high and so pretty and I just love it. So, that's just a small part of what The Lord blessed me with today. What has He blessed you with today?

October Conference 2013 (Continued).

Today's sessions were great, too!! Here are some more fabulous quotes: 

Also, I think I may have dozed during a couple of talks during the Sunday afternoon session, so I'm going to have to go back and listen to them again. I'm not complaining, though. They sounded like they're fantastic!! I love conference weekend. :)

October Conference 2013.

Oh my goodness gracious!! That was an AMAZING General Conference!!!! I loved it!!! Here are some quotes (in picture format):

These are all so, so fabulous! I cannot wait until tomorrow!!!

Conference.

Today we had a seminary Morningside. Sister Elaine S. Dalton spoke to us. She spoke of how special we are, and how she calls us the stripling warriors of this day and age. She talked a lot about your worth, and I'm so glad I was able to go. It was a great testimony builder to me, and a great self-esteem booster, too. I love Sister Dalton and I'm going to miss her as the young women's president, but I'm glad for all the technology we have so that I can watch/listen/reread  all her talks. I'm so excited for conference this weekend!! I can't wait to hear what our leaders have prepared for us. I love all the big "bags" (events) of spiritual-ness that we get every so often. General Conference every six months, girls' camp and youth conference every summer, and the occasional "Oh my goodness gracious, this event was such a big testimony builder to me!" Because, honestly, sometimes my spiritual bag drains. But these events help lift it and strengthen it, and when I look back on them, I remember how I felt and how it helped me, and I'm so thankful for them. 

The scriptures.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). He will tell you in your mind and in your heart (D & C 8:2-3). Have I ever told you how much I love the scriptures?? Well, I just love them so, so much!! They have many wonderful doctrines and truths in them that apply to me personally and I love it. I feel so, so, so sad for those who either: don't have the gospel, used to have it but don't, or those that want nothing to do with it. It just makes my heart break sometimes, because they need it. We all need it, and I just wish that some people who really need it could see that. D & C 19:23 will help you with how to find peace. Read the scriptures; they are true. :)

October.

It's October. I love October. The colours, and it's fall. I love fall. It's so pretty and cool (literally; the temperature drops from high eighties to whatever it drops to...let's say forties) and it's just fall. There are no words to describe it other than "It's fall." Sometimes I just love thinking about the world, and what God has created for us. And I can't help but think, "How in the world can people think there isn't a God? It's all around us...how can they think that?" And it's true. It is all around us. It didn't just decide one day that it wanted to be and BOOM! it was. No. God created the heavens and the earth, and He created us. And the changing of seasons reminds me of that. All of nature, really. And it's just so pretty and I love it. :)

Always there.

Sometimes, when all your homework is done, and your friend won't talk to you, and you're sad, or bored, or both, you just need to take a minute or five and read your scriptures and pray. The Lord won't let you be alone if you actually work/study. He'll give you answers, or He'll just talk to you, let you know that you're not alone. Or if you didn't get a part you really wanted. He can let you know why (I really hope I get a solo, though. Then I can tell Him thanks). He is ALWAYS there. Even when your friend is not. He is your friend, and He will always listen. Even when you're blubbering because your friend isn't answering or something. He will always listen and He always understands. Always. Forever and always He will love you, listen to you, help you, and be a shoulder to cry on. Or He'll send people to love you, to listen to you, to help you, and be your shoulder to cry on. But His influence will always be there. 

Temples.

I love temples. They're so pretty and it's a whole different experience in there. There's church reverent, with little children crying every now and then or the whole time; and then there's temple reverent, where it's so quiet, even whispers sound loud. Doing baptisms for the dead is so great, and a great testimony builder for me. Even just sitting outside the temple, looking at it is a testimony builder. Because my parents, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, one of my cousins, and several other family members, as well as other people who hold special places in my heart, have all been married in the temple. I want a love like that. Forever. And I can only get that in the temple. And so I am trying to live my life in such a way that I can enter the temple worthily with the right person. And I have some of the best examples in my life to look up to.

Isn't it gorgeous? I can't wait. This is one of my favorite Children's Primary Songs:

"I love to see the temple I'm going there someday To feel the Holy Spirit to listen and to pray. For the temple is a House of God a place of love and beauty I'll prepare myself while I am young This is my sacred duty." 

Happy life recipe.

I love The Lord will all of my heart. He sends me people and experiences that I need to become the best me I can be. He knows who I need and what I need to become the best me. I love His gospel with all of my heart. I love the way it makes me feel. I may be biased because I've been learning about it my whole life, but it just makes sense. I know it's true, and I know that my Savior lives, and I know that He loves me. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet today, and I know that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. I love it all, and I am so, so grateful for my parents, family, leaders, friends, and teachers that all help me live my life the way I've chosen to, which is by following The Lord and my Savior.

I found this "recipe" somewhere and I love it. How good are you at following the recipe for a happy life?

Just look.

Some days it is just so much easier to see the hand of The Lord than other days. Sometimes it's some weeks, sometimes it's some months. But I love it. I love recognizing His hand in my life. I love realizing that the world is so much bigger, so much better than I've thought. One of my favorite hymns is "How Great Thou Art" because it's so pretty and I love the message it gives. There are miracles in our lives everyday. We just have to look for them.

It will be worth it.

I cannot wait for this cultural event to all come together!!!!! It is going to be sooooo amazing!!!!! I'm super excited!!!! It's going to come together and it will be worth it all! For all the business that is my life, I know it'll be worth it in the end, and I know I wouldn't have/couldn't have/won't be able to have done it without the help of The Lord. He has been touching my life so much these past couple of weeks and I know He will continue to do so for the next couple of weeks more (at least six). I have been so, so, so busy, but I have been able to get everything done on time. I know that He will continue to bless me as long as I follow His commandments and try to live His teachings. I am trying so hard to be a good example and a happy person and a kind person and I am trying everyday to become more and more like Christ. Each day is different, and some days are harder than others, but I am getting better every day. And I know that, in the end, it will be worth it. So, so worth it, and I can't wait. :)

Stand Ye in Holy Places.

Satan or The Lord? Who do you want to stand with or for? I want to stand with The Lord, and I want to stand for The Lord. The theme this year for mutual is "Stand Ye in Holy Places." The reference is Doctrine and Covenants 87:8. In order for me to stand with The Lord (I don't know who you picked, but considering you're probably still reading this, hopefully you picked The Lord. If you didn't, you're reading the wrong blog), I need to know His teachings. Everything is always coming back to knowing His teachings. Maybe it's because that's what's most important. We need to know what The Lord stands for before we can stand with Him or for Him. The basis for everything surrounding this gospel is to know the word, and live the word. You can't teach it if you don't know it, and you can't teach it or know it if you don't live it. "I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it." ~~Ann M. Dibb. I love that quote. You never know who is watching you and following your example, so you need to be the best you can be so that they don't get confused or something. But by being the best you you can be, you are setting an example to those around you that you have high standards and that you will not settle for less.

It must be done from the heart.

"To make a house into a home it must be done from the heart." This works for just about anything. If you want something to be or feel home-y or anything else, you have to do it from the heart. Service must be done from the heart. Repentance must be done with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Prayer must be done with faith, and it can be done from the heart. To become Christlike, it has to be done from the heart.

Music can uplift you.

There are so many uplifting and spiritual songs that I love to listen to on Sunday, or even when I'm feeling a little sad or when I need a pick-me-up. I usually listen to FM 100.3, and they always play Soft Sunday Sounds. They play many spiritual songs that I have never heard before even though I listen every week, and they play many songs that they play every week or every other week. Some spiritual/gospel artists that are popular that I love are Jenny Philips, Hilary Weeks, Cherie Call, Tyler Castleton, Amy Grant, Mindy Gledhill, David Archuleta, Fernando Ortega, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and many, many others that escape my mind at the moment. Some songs that play that I love are I Will Rise, Be Still My Soul, Better Than a Hallelujah, When I Sing, I Know Jesus Loves Me, and many, many more. But they all make me feel so, so good, and they really bring a spirit to my room that I just LOVE. It comes every Sunday when I listen to it, and I need it every week, I really do. I love to feel this spirit that it brings. It's a spirit of peace, and reverence, and knowledge. These songs bring more knowledge to my mind; they bring things to my mind that I sometimes have never thought before. I love the messages the songs bring, and I love that this station also plays/shares little clips from some General Conference talks. This station is my absolute favorite, and I love the peace it brings to me on Sundays.

The right team.

Today is the BYU vs Utah game. Those are not the kinds of teams I'm talking about. I'm talking about The Lord's team and Satan's team. Now, we don't know whether BYU will win or not, but we do know that The Lord is going to win His game. So. Which team will you pick? The team of The Lord, or the team of Satan? I hope you pick The Lord's team, because He's going to win. This game is not a game of win or lose, because The Lord is going to win. Instead, it is a game of team members. Who has the most by the end. Now, I don't know about you, but following Satan just makes me cringe and feel dark, and creepy, and bad. Following The Lord makes me smile and feel light, and sweet, and good. Given the choice between feeling dark and creepy versus light and sweet, I'd rather feel light and sweet. Choose your team wisely, for in heaven you will have to deal with the consequences. I know I've got some I will have to deal with, unfortunately. But now I've chosen The Lord. Satan just makes me feel bad about myself and I don't like that feeling. The Lord lets me know that I am a choice daughter of His, and He loves me, and I know from personal experience that The Lord is far better than Satan. 

Service in your heart.

Today I want to talk about service. I think that service is work you do for others without expecting to receive anything in return. It's any sort of volunteer work, or anything you do for others in secret, or without being asked. Service is the best kind of work. It's forgetting yourself and working for others. If you're having trouble in your life, stop what you're doing and serve others. You'll feel better and you'll be able to get through your trouble. Visiting someone who's sick or doesn't often receive visitors is also service. Writing letters to people who are sick, or on missions is also service. Sending a cute little package with a card and some little figurines inside is also a service. Anything you do out of love for others is service. Anything you do in place of Christ is service. Service can also be listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and following them. It can also be something as simple as saying hi to someone in the hall. Or offering babysitting services for a couple of hours so that someone can go out on a date. Anything you do with love in your heart for others and with no intention of receiving any sort of reward. You just need pure intentions. Service is charity, and charity is the pure love of Christ.

Miracles will never not be important.

Miracles happen every day. Tender mercies happen every day. Sometimes they're the same thing, and sometimes they're not. I know the last couple of days I've been focusing on miracles, but that's because they have been occurring so often in my life recently. When you start to notice them, they become more and more prominent in your life, and more and more important. And they will never, ever, ever become any less important. They will always be important. They build your testimony. 

Miracles and testimonies.

I KNOW without a DOUBT that I have seen the hand of The Lord in my life the past two weeks, and especially today. I had 35 chapters of the Book of Mormon to read today, and I finished them all within five or ten minutes of my interview with the bishop. It was a miracle and a testimony strengthener to me that with The Lord you can do miracles. I'm so thankful for this gospel. There is no way it isn't true, not after the miracles I've witnessed these last two weeks and today. I'm so grateful for Personal Progress and the strengthening that it did to my testimony, especially the past two weeks. 

I love The Lord with all of my heart and I love this gospel to the ends of the universe and back. Read the Book of Mormon. There's NO way it isn't true. I know, because I've read it. :)

Gratefulness, excitedness, and randomness.

Yay!!!! I'm super excited!! I'm pretty much done with all the requirements for my medallion. I just need to finish up a couple of stuff and then I get it tomorrow!! I know that I've seen The Lord's hand in my life, because there is NO way on earth that I could've finished five 10-hour projects in two weeks without His help. It's been crazy trying to keep up with my schoolwork and my Personal Progress projects. After tomorrow, though, it will be less crazy and I can focus on my schoolwork ;). But there is no way that I could've done everything in the past two weeks that I've done without the helping hand of The Lord. I'm so grateful to Him, because I know that He's given me many little miracles along the way. It's been super easy the past two weeks to recognize The Lord in my life, and I've been so, so grateful. It's easy to recognize His hand in your life if your life is super busy, but you get everything done, and done well. I love to just think and ponder sometimes on random life questions, like what happens after we die? Do we float around or what? Are we guardian angels on earth? Do we get to choose who we "guard"? Anyway, I just love thinking and pondering on different things that are totally unrelated to anyone else but are completely related to me. If someone could see inside my head, they'd be lost. After I've earned my medallion, I'm going to take a well-deserved rest....during the next holiday break. :)

Miracles and attitudes.

I know that The Lord works many miracles. I have been busting out the seams with stuff: I've had homework that's extremely hard and/or time consuming, I've been working on my medallion (almost finished!!!): five projects all at the same time. Did I mention homework?? For the last two weeks, homework and Personal Progress has been my focus. And music, but I'm always in a music mood, so that doesn't count. But seriously. I don't know how I would have gotten though the past two weeks without Him. I am positive that I would NEVER have been able to get anything done without The Lord's help. I've been really busy trying to keep up with my homework and trying to work on my Personal Progress and trying to stay happy and positive. All the while, The Lord has been my rock, and my quiet place when I have needed a break. He has been my go-to guy for when I've had questions or problems. He has just listened and watched when I've needed to state my problems. He has helped me realize my potential, and my worth, and everything that I am through this blog that I wanted to do. He has been my northern star. I am surprised that I have gotten as much done as I have. He has been the best listener because, as I've said before, Christ is the best listener. It's been extremely crazy and I'm grateful for The Lord's hand in my life recently. But I am sure that when Wednesday comes around, my load will be considerably lightened, and I will be so grateful. It's just been so hectic, but, looking back, it doesn't look as hectic as I remember, and I know that this is because of The Lord. He is so amazing and merciful and loving and I am so grateful to Him. And, to be honest, I don't have it as hard as some. I'm really lucky to live in a happy home, with food, and I'm lucky to be able to go to school. I'm lucky my dad has a job, and I'm lucky that none of my siblings or either of my parents is terminally ill. I'm extremely lucky to live in this day and age, and I'm thankful for that. And, no matter what your situation, it's always your attitude that makes your life happy or sad or bad. Remember that. It's your attitude. 

Little children.

I've been thinking a lot about little kids lately, for whatever reason. Maybe it's all the little babies being born lately, or maybe it's the fact that my siblings have been fighting tons the past couple of weeks, or the fact that I've been babysitting quite a bit lately, I don't know. Whatever the reason, I have been thinking of them recently. Just lots of different little things, such as what do they dream about, what do they see, do they remember the Pre-Mortal existence, etc. I've also just been thinking about how children process things [Like, if you ask a three-year old and an eleven-year old the same question (i.e., Why do you hate me?), the three-year old would say something like "Because you took my toy away," or "You ate my food," or something else like that. An eleven-year old would give you stories, examples, and (mostly) good reasons. Why is that?]. I have also been thinking about how children think. Just what kinds of stuff they think about. And how much of kids' 'wild imaginations' is actually wild? Because I bet that sometimes, if not every time, their 'wild imagination' is based on a little bit of truth. And how do they come up with the ideas that they come up with? And why do they always want the same toys? And, most important of all, how do they learn from the examples of their parents, friends, and families? Looking back on my own little siblings, I cannot answer practically any of my questions/thoughts. But I can kind of answer the last one. How do they learn from the examples of the big kids, their parents, friends, and families? Well, I do believe we all know that children repeat what they see/hear, yes? Yes. The answer to my question is this: because for some reason, little kids want to be like their bigger siblings and their parents. It's as simple as that. They don't want to be left out, so they try and act like those who aren't being left out, thinking that maybe they'll be brought in. I think it's also because they want to end up like them, too. They see that their siblings, parents, etc. have a happy life, a nice life, a good life, and they want one like it, so they try and act like the person who has the good life that they want. But mostly, I think that the reason is because, deep, deep, deep in their little child brains, they see Christlike attributes in these people. I think that, very deep in their memories, they remember certain things about Christ, and they see those in the big people in their lives. Note that this is just my personal opinion, but when I think about it, it kind of makes sense. Because their family and friends are all trying to be like Jesus, and the children see this. They see the Christlike attributes in their families and they want to have them, too. Also, children who grow up in a not-so-happy home want and, I think, cleave to those Christlike qualities that they see in the parents/older siblings of their friends that have nice and happy homes. Luke 18:16 says, "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." And Matthew 18:3 says, "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Jesus has said to be as a little child. However, He doesn't mean act like them, although it is fun. He means to be teachable and innocent like a little child. 

It doesn't always have to be.

Sometimes it's hard to be the big sister. Sometimes it's hard to be a good example. Sometimes it's hard to keep my temper. Sometimes it's hard to be patient. Sometimes it's hard to be calm. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything that's on my plate. Sometimes it's hard to let go. Sometimes it's hard to remember why. Sometimes it's hard to take a breather. Sometimes it's hard to remember the important stuff. I bet you have a list of "Sometimes it's hard to..."'s, too. But it doesn't always have to be. In times of "Sometimes it's hard to..."'s, you can rely on Christ. You can ask Him to help take some of the burden or to help you get through. But all you have to do is ask. He'll never say no, and He's been waiting for you to ask. It doesn't always have to be hard. Christ is there to lift the burden and help you get through it all. I know that life is hard sometimes. But, Christ is there to help you up. In the words of a certain genius songwriter I know: "Sometimes life is hard and you don't want to go on. But you need to remember you are a child of God, of royal birth, sent to this Earth to spread His word. And you need to remember to arise, shine, and stand for what's right and true. You need to recognize your faith and you have to tell yourself: 'My faith is sure. His love is pure. I believe in Him and know that He is true.'" Isn't that just genius? Everyone give a round of applause to...drum roll, please....Mattie Radke! Yes, me. I wrote that song for another Personal Progress project. Life doesn't always have to be hard. You just have to remind yourself who you are, and whose you are. Knowing exactly who you are helps you find out why you belong here, where you're going, and how to take care of all those "Sometimes it's hard to..."'s. To be honest, sometimes I get so caught up in the now, that I forget some of the most important things, like my friends and family, and scripture study. I've been better about remembering, but sometimes I forget. I think that the most important thing to getting over your "Sometimes it's hard to..." blues is this: Trials are like a roller coaster ride, with its ups and downs, but there are some calm moments at the beginning and the end of every trial, because The Lord doesn't always want you to be getting 'sick'. He wants you to feel good about yourself for a while. Remember that He sometimes sends people or something else that you may need when you need them. Just remember that life gets better, and it's only bad when your attitude is bad. Stay positive. It helps!! I should know. :) 

Tender mercies.

Sometimes you get so tempted, or so lost, and you don't know what to do. You know you're lost but you can't find the way back. You've tried and tried and tried on your own but it just hasn't worked out. You may have been back for a little bit but then, unfortunately, you strayed again. So, in your heart, and out loud, you ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness, and you ask Him to help you. And then He sends you someone. He'll send you someone that you'll look up to, and whom you'll love and adore an awful lot, who believes the same things you do (note that they may not always), and you'll start to change, to try and be a better person, so that you can be like them and, slowly but surely, that temptation will just fade. It will not be so tempting, and you won't want to do it anymore. And you'll look back and you'll think, "What was I thinking? Life is soo much better without it." And you'll be forever thankful for that person, even though they might not ever know it. They were just living their life, and didn't even know that you needed something from them. But The Lord did, and so He put them in your life. The Lord works miracles, and He sends tender mercies, and I can't help but love Him. He can't help but love and help me. I was seriously in a deep, deep pickle and I didn't think I could get out of it. I had been trying and trying to get out of it for at least one school year. And then there was high school. Someone was put in my life that made me want to be a better person. I saw what life could bring me and I wanted it, but I knew that my temptation wouldn't bring me the lifelong happiness I so desperately wanted. So, slowly and surely, I was able to stop being tempted by my temptation, and I replaced it with good things, like scripture study and working on my Personal Progress. And now, I can happily say that I don't remember the last time I was tempted by that particular temptation because it's been a while. And I know that Heavenly Father blessed me by sending her to me, because she (unknowingly) helped me get over my temptation. And I will forever be thankful to my Heavenly Father, and I will forever be thankful for her. I have seen the hand of The Lord in my life so many times and, each time, I never realize it until afterwards. But His influence is always there. His tender mercies may not always be so bold. Sometimes it may be something as simple as a butterfly, or a smile from a stranger, a beautiful day after rain, or even a bright sunny day. It might even be a simple phrase from someone or the scriptures. Whatever the tender mercy, they're always there. They're in our life all the time, whether or not we recognize or realize them.

Nature.

I love rain. It's so pretty and it feels good, and it smells nice before, during, and after the rain. Interesting factoid of the week: Did you know that the smell of earth after rain is called petrichor? Well, now you do. Anyway, I love nature. It's an amazing reminder to me that God loves us. 

I mean, do you see these pictures????? Isn't it just beautiful? How can you not love it??? How can you not think of Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ when you see any or all of it? Waterfalls, butterflies, flowers, rain scenes, forest scenes, and any combination of the five are my favorite types of nature/scenery, because they remind me how beautiful Heavenly Father made this world. He never forgets you, and sometimes He will send you different things that He knows you need, like a butterfly or something someone says or does. Sometimes He'll even send you a person. These, children, are called 'tender mercies'. Nature just reminds me of our Heavenly Father's and our Savior's love for us all. Springtime and fall are my seasons because it's changing and it's so beautiful, I can't help but be reminded of my Heavenly Father and His love for me. He created this beautiful world for all of us, and He wants us to remember that He is always there and that He will never forget us. 

9/11/01

When 9/11 happened, I was four. I don't remember any of it. I don't remember where I was or anything. But I will never forget. I hear the stories and I picture them in my mind, and they make me sad, and sometimes I cry. But I will never forget. Many people lost wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors, etc., and it makes me sad to think that some kids lost both of their parents. It makes me sad to think that some little babies will never know their parent(s). But it's a time to remember. Remember what we've lost, and remember how we grew because of it. Even though many people died, and it's sad, we will get to see them again. That gives me hope: all those people will get to see their family and friends again.

God does things for a reason, and we may not know the reason, but He does things for our benefit. We need to always remember that we are here to help spread the gospel to others and to love them; and we need to love others even if they don't want the gospel. "I want to be kind to everyone for that is right you see. So I say to myself remember this: kindness begins with me." Never forget, always be kind, and always love others. Spread the kindness and love. 

So you think you're not that great. Well, I know you're wrong.

This picture speaks such truths. Too many people are down on themselves, focusing on the negative, instead of focusing on the positive. I, too, have been a victim of this, and this picture reminded me that I need to value myself more. There are so many people that do so many good things, but they're too focused on all of the negative things about them that they don't realize that they are a great person. I do this often. I get so focused on how annoying I think I am and sometimes I forget how wonderful I am. No, that's not being vain. Recognizing that you are wonderful and beautiful is not being vain. Flaunting that and caring only about that is. Dressing nice and caring about your image is not being vain. Only caring about your image, however, is. “You’d worry less about what people thought of you if you realized how little they did.” Some person said this; I don't know who. I got it off of another blog. Anyway. But it is true. People don't really care about you in the way that you think they do. They don't care about your clothes or your hair in the way that you think they do. Yes, they want you to look and smell nice, but they don't only care about that. They care about how you act and hold yourself. Anyway, I got off topic. You are a wonderful being. Don't ever forget that. God made you just the way you are, and just the way He wants you to be. Don't ever doubt your capabilities. Don't ever doubt how amazing you are. There are people's lives out there that you need to touch because only you can, but you can't do that if you're constantly doubting yourself or underestimating your wonderfulness. There are some things only you can do. God has prepared you for many things, and you need to believe in yourself. Be confident. Don't worry what others think of you so much. Be the amazing, wonderful, fantastic, brilliant, and fantabulous person you are. 

Like I said, do what you do best and love it. Don't only care about others' opinions of you. The only person's opinion you should care about (besides your own) is Heavenly Father's. He made you just the way He wants you. So, that's that. You're perfect in His eyes. "Be yourself; everyone else is taken." So, once you've boosted your own self-esteem, you can do God's work and help others boost their own self-esteem, thus creating a chain reaction of self-esteem boosting-ness. Don't forget: you are amazing and you can do and be whatever you want to be, whether it be a lawyer or a mathematician, or a scientist, or a musician. You can do it. Be yourself, and don't forget that you're not just great: you're amazing and wonderful and brilliant. 

He will always listen.

Christ is waiting with arms wide open for you.

Do you ever just feel neglected? Like people don't want to talk to you? Like you bug them so much they don't want to even bother to answer? Well, don't. And, if you do, listen to these wise words that are, unfortunately, not mine: "God loves you; keep moving forward." Genius, right? Anyway, you are never neglected by Heavenly Father. He always wants to talk to you. You will never bug Him enough so that He won't want to talk to you. He always wants to talk to you, and He always wants you to talk to Him. How do you do this, you ask? Easy. I will tell you. It's very simple. And! It's two steps:

Step number one: To talk to Him: Pray. Or, if you can't pray, talk to Him. Literally, talk to Him. He'll listen, I promise. I should know. I do it all the time. Anyway. You could also sing hymns and primary songs. I do that all the time, too.

Step number two: To listen to Him/Have Him talk to you: Read the scriptures. Listen to the Holy Ghost. Read the Ensign. Read the Liahona. Read The New Era. Read The Friend. Stand outside in nature. Did I mention listen to the Holy Ghost? And just be in a quiet place, or be quiet. He'll speak. So you just have to listen. He's actually probably tried to talk to you already, you just haven't been listening and/or paying attention.

So. That's what my advice to you is. Don't feel neglected. The Lord loves you and wants you to feel loved and happy. He is always listening and ready to give His advice. You just have to listen and be ready. 

 See these pictures here? They speak truths. God is the best listener. You can talk all you want to other people, and half of them most likely won't care, but God cares about you, and He hears you, and He listens, and He loves.

He will never forsake you. You are His child and He loves you. He will speak to you through the service of others and through your experiences. He is always there to lend a listening ear. 

My brothers just saw that picture of Christ up there, and Porter said "Jesus!" and Lander said "Jesus is not my friend." So I told him, "Jesus is too your friend." Lander kept saying "No," and Porter was hitting Lander and saying "Jesus my friend." It was adorable. Porter (who is two) knows that Jesus is your friend. Out of the mouths of babes. Lander does know it. He just needs a reminder. But I want you to know: Jesus is your friend, and God will always listen. 

Lessons Learned.

Yesterday I was searching through some of my issues of The New Era for music that I could try to play to try and put on here. I couldn't find any. Instead, I got sucked into reading all the articles and stories in the magazines. This was a blessing to me. My testimony grew a lot. I found several scriptures I am going to look up. Actually, I'll share them with you, and we can read them together. The first one is 1 Samuel 15: 22. It reads, "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." It is better to obey The Lord's teachings than to sacrifice something while you are not following The Lord entirely. 

The second one is Helaman 12: 1, which reads, "And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him." If we listen to the Holy Ghost and trust Heavenly Father, He will bless us. 

The next ones have to do with how to best use your freedom to choose. 

The first one is Jacob 4:10. "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." This one is saying that you shouldn't counsel (or question) The Lord but instead take His counsel to you, because he wisely, justly, and mercifully counsels us. 

The last one is D&C 58:26-28: "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." This one is saying that if we do good, we'll be rewarded, and that The Lord doesn't command all things because when we're told to do things, we tend to do things just because, or we don't do them at all, and we don't learn from the experience. 

There's a song by two of my favorite artists, Kristin Chenoweth and Carrie Underwood. It's called "Lessons Learned." My favorite part is the chorus. It goes, "Every tear that had to fall from my eyes, Every day I wondered how I'd get through the night, Every change, life has thrown me, I'm grateful, for every scar, Some pages turned, Some bridges burned, But there were lessons learned." And I love this. Throughout your whole life, you get to make the choices. "Not me, not Hermione, you." You get to make your own decisions, whether good or bad. And, yes, there will be consequences, good or bad, and often they won't always match the decision: a good decision may not have good consequences and vice versa: bad decisions may not have bad consequences. But there will be lessons that you learned. You may have learned that some decisions are better than others, or that you can't always do everything by yourself. But if you ask for, and listen, and follow God's teachings and inspirations, and make the best decision out of good, better, and best, you will receive blessings and more experience. And, in the end, you will be able to always tell the difference between the good, better, and best decisions. 

Tithing.

Now, I know you're probably thinking, "There's not much to do with tithing. You pay ten percent, easy. What's she going to talk about?" And yes, you're partly right. Tithing is ten percent, but there's more to it. Well, not really, but you'll see what I mean in a second. I've been paying tithing for about four years. That's a long time. I've been babysitting for a long time, and I usually get around $10-20 each time I babysit. Sometimes I'll forget to pay tithing for a while, so when I do pay tithing, instead of it being one or two dollars, it ends up being four or five dollars. But this doesn't bother me. Paying tithing, for me, is just so natural, I don't even think about. It's just natural instinct. That money is rightfully The Lord's and it doesn't bother me that I have to pay ten percent of my earnings. Right now, I have about $400 or so in total. If I didn't pay my tithing, I'd have a lot more money, and adding to that what I've already spent, it's probably quite a lot. I'll never know. But I don't care. Tithing is a simple concept, but you have to have the right attitude and heart about it. You have to realize that nothing is ever truly yours. Everything you get comes from The Lord. So, really, ten percent is nothing. Heavenly Father has given us such a beautiful world with brilliant minds and many great inventions. Without Him, you wouldn't be reading this, I wouldn't have typed it, the technology would be impossible (improbable at the very least). But He wants us to have a good life, a nice life, not just a church-going life. So He's given us entertainment: books, movies, technology. But He still wants us to recognize Him; He wants to make sure that we know that everything has come from Him. He doesn't want the recognition, nor the money. He wants us to know what He's done for us. It's not a gift to Him. It's a gift for us. He has given us so much, it's only fair that we give back to Him. 

Looking back on my life, I've seen the hand of The Lord so many times, and just because I've paid my tithing. I have a strong testimony of tithing. I have often felt like I have had less money than I actually do sometimes, and I know that The Lord has blessed me. Tithing is not just a ritual to me, and it's not just natural. I think tithing is an attitude, a lifestyle, and it's giving a heartfelt thanks to our Heavenly Father.