God’s love shines through the darkness

Grateful for the chances I have to share my love of music and the Savior! Next week I’m playing in sacrament meeting (my violin!) and I am so excited! We practiced today and it sounded so beautiful! I can’t wait for my ward to hear it.

I’m also grateful for the chances that I have to serve and bless those around me! Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch my friend’s kids while she and her husband went to the Salt Lake Temple. It was so much fun! Her kids are just so, so darling and I love them to pieces and I was so glad I got to watch them while she went out with her husband. I know how important it is for parents to have date night, and I am always down to play with the kids. We had such a wonderful time, it was so sweet. 💜

Today, my family watched the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, which was so good!! Afterwards, we watched the new Christmas movie, Christmas Jars, which was so cute! Right now, I’m watching the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert from a few years ago, featuring  Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville, with my parents. It’s such an amazing concert! I highly recommend it! It’s full of Christmas love and feelings. “God’s love does shine in the darkness.” 💜💜💜

I’m so grateful and excited for Christmas. I’m grateful for my Savior, whose life led the way for us to be able to learn, grow, and be able to become like (and someday live with again) my Heavenly Parents. I’m grateful for His mother, Mary, and for her love for God, and her sacrifices.

For those who do not celebrate Christmas, I wish you the happiest of holidays! May you have peace, love, and happiness this holiday season.

May you have a wonderful week! This week, my family and I are going to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater in Orem and I’m very excited! I love the story and am grateful for the messages it shares.

I’m grateful for the blessings in my life, and for the people in my life. I’m grateful for a loving Savior, a loving Father in Heaven, and a loving Mother in Heaven. I’m grateful for the power of love, and for the chances I have to love and serve those around me—whether or not I know them personally. It’s such an amazing experience to serve people who I’ve just barely met, and it’s even better to serve my loved ones. 💜💜💜

Again, have a blessed and wonderful week!! Love you!

Xoxo
Mattie

Keep walking towards the Light–even when you can't see it.

I can't believe that it's November already! October just flew by! I am excited for the holidays! Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays and they are next! And Frozen II comes out this month!!

This week, I've really been focusing on reading the Book of Mormon every day, and on working on my patience and my temper. Even though I wasn't perfect at it every day, I did make some progress, and I am grateful for the blessings that I saw in my life this week through my study of the Book of Mormon. I hope that I can be a bit better about my study this week, and that I can see some more improvement and blessings this week because of it.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to the temple, and I stayed longer than I normally do, but it was a blessing. I didn't really get a prompting or anything. Sitting there in the temple I just felt such peace. That wasn't the answer that I was looking for, really, but my friend said, "Maybe that is your answer", and I think she's right. I'll keep studying, pondering, and praying, but I will also move forward with faith. And if I need a little correction here and there, I know that God will direct me.

Today was Stake Conference for my stake. I really, really loved it!!

President Wilson talked about The Book of Mormon!! Which I thought was so cool since I've started rereading The Book of Mormon lately. He talked about how our testimony and relationship with Heavenly Father are tender. They are personal, and sweet, and between our Father in Heaven and us. He also talked about how we need to turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart and serve Him.

Sister Christofferson talked about how the Lord loves us so much! And she talked about how those who are called to minister (us) are part of the most important work. She talked about a meeting with some of the leaders of the Church, and she said that Sister Bonnie H. Cordon said that, "When you minister, don't try to impress them. Bless them." I loved that! Sometimes it's hard to just be there for someone, and to bless their lives. Sometimes you just want to give a big gesture to show how much you care for them. But you don't need to do it. You just need to bless them. Sister Christofferson said that sometimes it takes courage and love to minister others.

Bishop Shepherd talked about how we need to keep walking towards the Light–walking towards our Savior. Even when we can't see the Light. And even when we can't see our Savior.

Sister Freestone (the new matron of the Provo Temple) talked about how we need to make and keep sacred covenants. She asked a question: Do you know how much the Lord loves you? She just talked about His love for us, and how He loves us in such a personal and unique way.

President Freestone (the new president of the Provo Temple) talked about how we have divine origins, and how our Father in Heaven loves us. He talked about ways that we can come to know that our Father in Heaven really loves us:

1. Focus on the Savior, and make Him the central part of your life.
2. Take the Holy Spirit as your guide. Seek for things that invite the Spirit and avoid things that drive the Spirit away. We need to desire the Holy Ghost so much that we are acting in such a way that He can reside in and with us. 
3. Come to the temple often. The ordinances of the temple provide the greatest blessings in life.

Sister Wright talked about how we all have something in our lives that is broken, and needs to be mended and healed. She also talked about how we can fix whatever it is with Him.

Sister Christensen talked about the question, "How can I have the Atonement in my life daily?" There are a few things that she said we can do to have the Atonement in our lives daily:

1. We need to understand who the Savior is, and who we are.
2. We need to seek the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
3. We need to understand that we need a Savior–for help in all things.

Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy said that he goes through the temple questions each week. I think that this is a great idea and I am going to try it this week. That was just a small part of what he talked about. He talked about the difference between testimony and conversion. A testimony is knowing what is true. Conversion is living true to what you know to be true. Conversion is a process. 

Christ's life was never about Him. He was always focused on others. His outward service is a great example to us of how we can live our lives.

I am grateful for the messages of Stake Conference and for the chance that I had to attend the temple yesterday. I am grateful for the full-time senior missionaries in my stake who contacted me this last week and met with me today. They were so sweet and had such a great message for me.

I hope everyone has a fantastic week! It's the month of gratitude! Find something you're grateful for every day! God loves you and I love you too!

Xoxo
Mattie

Grateful for gratitude.

Today was the perfect ending to Thanksgiving break! My newest cousin was blessed this morning and then I got to go to church with my family. So that was great. :)

My thoughts during the sacrament today were really just thankful thoughts but that's okay. :)

Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I am so grateful for Him. Thankful that He loves me, hears me, knows me, prays for me, and atoned for me. I'm grateful that I can repent, and start over each week. I'm grateful that I can be changed, and experience change, through my Savior and my Heavenly Father. 

Something someone said in sacrament meeting stood out to me. She said, "Gratitude isn't a nicety, it's a necessity." Gratitude also does more for us than it does for our Heavenly Father. Gratitude is really for us–I know that I am always humbled when I think of my blessings and the things that I have been given. Gratitude is an expression of our love for our Heavenly Father and our Savior. In the song "Count Your Many Blessings", there are many repeated lines, and for good reason. Repetition becomes a habit. So if you're repeatedly grateful, every day, it will eventually become a habit. Gratitude is essential to our wellbeing. I'm grateful for gratitude–it helps keep me grounded and humble.

One thing that I am grateful for, especially this weekend, is that I was able to come home, and that I didn't have so much homework. Because I needed to work on my prescreening stuff for my application into the school of music. And I was very stressed about it. But I decided to just let go and just do it. I need to put my songs on a CD, and I need to finish some write-ups I have to do, and I am going to try to meet with my career counselor for finishing touches on my resumé for it, and then I will send it in (I may mail it or just drop by the HFAC, I'm still undecided). Anyway, I had a ton of things to do this weekend and I was able to mostly get it done. :) I'm also thankful that this semester is almost over. I'm not entirely prepared for next semester lol but I'm ready for this semester to be over. I'm hoping to be able to get through this semester with nothing below a B grade. If I work really hard, I can do it. This weekend was a great break. Now it's time to get back to work. I'm in the final minutes of the fourth quarter–I'm so close!!

As this holiday season is starting, I just want to remind everyone to be kind (especially to yourself–you are an amazing person. I love you and your Heavenly Father loves you. Don't forget that. <3). Be grateful. Do service. Go out of your way to make someone's day easier or just a little brighter. You'll be rewarded in their gratitude and smile, and you will feel great, knowing that you helped someone. I know I always do. Don't forget to be safe when traveling! Especially when the snow starts to stick and it becomes icy on the roads. Be careful.

Xoxo
Mattie