Never forget.

Today is 9/11, and I've been thinking about it all day.

So I had some thoughts about it during the sacrament this morning, as well as some other thoughts and I wanted to share:

Today is 9/11. I don't really remember it but I remember all the times in school when we would remember it and talk about it. It was a sad day in our nation's history–we lost so many good and precious people–but we grew closer as a nation and came to be one. I hope it doesn't take another event like that to bring us all closer once again. We will never forget the events of 9/11, but I hope that we never forget how it brought us closer as a nation. 

Our Savior died for us. He died so that we could be saved. He died to help us return to our Heavenly Father. He died so that we can repent. He died so that we can forgive and feel peace. He died for us in so many ways. But the biggest reason of all, I feel, is that He died because He loves us. 

The topic in sacrament meeting was missionary work, and there were so many great things said. One thing that stood out to me today was that Christ is the one who makes us whole. I've known and felt that my whole life but I don't think I've ever worded it like that, so I'm grateful for the speaker who said it. Christ is the one who makes us whole. He brings the broken pieces of us together and heals us. And we represent Him! We are His hands. He has entrusted us with His name, so we must never forget who we are or who we represent.

In Gospel Doctrine we talked about the stripling warriors. Someone said that it's better to look for different solutions than to break your covenants. Something else that was said that I liked was that strength comes from being perfect in trying. We don't have to be perfect–in fact, we can't be perfect on this earth by ourselves. But we can be perfect in trying, and we can be perfect with Him.

In Relief Society we talked about visiting teaching and a couple of the last things that were said hit me. We had read 3 Nephi 11:13-17, and were talking about how we can learn from Christ's teachings to the people. He preached from within the multitude of the people, and He let them feel His wounds one by one. I've talked about "one" before, but I feel the need to emphasize that you are a significant individual to Him. He loves you and wants you to know Him.


Reading stories, watching collections of pictures from 9/11, it makes me cry every time. I can't imagine how hard it must have been and must still be for the families who lost loved ones too soon that day. Losing someone you love is hard. Losing someone you love like that must have been almost impossible to deal with. It's something you will never be able to forget. I know that I will never forget those who gave their lives trying to save others, and I will never forget those who lost their lives in all of the turmoil. We lost a lot that day, but we also gained a lot: our nation became closer together as one, and in love and repsect for the losses that were suffered that day.

I know that life is hard. I know that we suffer losses in our lives in many different ways–physically, mentally, emotionally–but I also know that our pain can be lifted through Jesus Christ. It most likely will not go away altogether, but I do know that He will lift your burdens. I know that He will help carry your pains. I know that He will be there for you. I know that He loves you. I know that He never forgets you. I know that you are never alone. Please never forget that He is there for you whenever you need Him. He will be there, I promise. You might not always be able to feel Him or His love for you, but I promise that He is there.

Xoxo
Mattie

I feel with my whole soul.

So, late last night I had some random thoughts that I wanted to develop on my blog today, but...well, sleep happened and I forgot them. BUT I did have a thought today before church that I wanted to share:

Sometimes I think that I put too much effort or emotion into things. But I've recently come to the conclusion that I'm just passionate about them–and the passion spreads deep into my soul. I'm passionate about music–it makes me happy and fills my soul with love and peace. I'm passionate about the Gospel–it makes me so happy and fills my soul with love and peace. I'm passionate about my family and friends–they are a big part of my life and it makes me happy when all is right with them. I can't help but be passionate about these things. They are the most important things in my life, and I love to share them–or stories about them–because they make me happy, and I want to share my happiness with others because I love making people happy. I hope to someday be able to make a difference in someone's life. I'm not perfect, and I've made a few (dozen) mistakes in my life, but the one thing that has never failed to be right is to make others happy. And by making others happy, I make God happy. And that brings me peace. 

I've realized that I feel things with my whole soul, and I can't help it. But I do want to make others happy, however I am able to do that, and sometimes the way to do that is by being my regular, passionate self and sharing those things that I love with those that I love. :)

Today during the sacrament, I had a thought about one of the lines in the hymn, "There Is A Green Hill Far Away". This is a great hymn, and one line always stands out to me, and today I finally put words to why it always does. The line is, "He only could unlock the gate of heav'n and let us in." No one else could save us all. Only He was perfect enough. But He can only unlock the gate for us if we come unto Him. He's willing to do so, but we must make the effort and come unto Him.

Okay, I absolutely LOVED the lesson in Relief Society today! We talked about the parable of the lost sheep, which obviously reminded me of my blog post entitled "One" where I talked about that parable. Sadly I do not know the girl's name who was teaching today but I loved some things she said: "No one will ever be one of the 99 for 100% of their time on earth." I loved that. We will all be the lost sheep at one time or another. It may be a long time that you are lost, or a short time, but you will be lost at one point (this is nothing against you, it's just that we are all imperfect people who fail sometimes, and sometimes we get lost for a ways, but it's okay. You can find your way back. I know I did). She also said that "Even if you turn away from Christ, He will never turn away from you." One of the last things that we talked about was the fact that we need to be His hands. He cannot be here, so we need to find, serve, and love His sheep.

So, this song, to me, encompasses all three of the most important things to me: music (obviously), the Gospel, and family/friends (and this one explains my love of music/the Gospel). I'm so grateful that I've found important things to be passionate about, and that I've never stopped. They've always been important to me, and they will never stop being important to me. When I'm around them, or when I'm interacting with them, I feel at home, I feel at peace, and I feel loved. I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father, who has given me everything I've ever needed, and has a plan in store for me that will probably blow all of my dreams out of the water. I'm so excited to be able to find His plan for me as I go throughout my life, and I'm so grateful that I will have my family and friends alongside me to help me figure it out. :)

One.

Today I was able to go to my friend's farewell talk, and I'm so excited for her–I know that she will do great things and I know that she is well-prepared–and I am grateful for her example, and I am so blessed to have gotten to know her. :)

Today was also my first Sunday back home, and it was great! A little hard, because I miss my friends, but also really great, because I was welcomed back with loving words and open arms. :)

There were a lot of great things that I learned today, but I want to focus on just one thing today: one. 

Now, that may seem confusing but bear with me. 

Everything is about the one–one soul. You. 

Heavenly Father loves you. Jesus Christ atoned specifically for you. Everything He does, He does for you. He wants you to return to live with Him. He wants you to become more like Him. He wants you to show others that He loves them, and wants them to return to Him. He wants you. If you had been the only person on earth, Jesus Christ still would have suffered the Atonement for you.

In Luke 15:4-7, it says, "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repententh, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

In this parable, Jesus teaches to go after the one. Why? Because they're important. A lot of lives can be changed by one person. But, most importantly, that person's life can be changed if they're saved. 

You are important. You are loved. You are enough. God's love for you is infinitely more than anyone on earth's love for you (even though I love you a lot, God loves you waaaay more). He loves you as you. He loves your personality. He loves the way that you smile when you're happy. He loves the way that your eyes sparkle when you're sharing something that you love with a friend. He loves the way that you love. He loves the way that you know when you've done something wrong and you try to fix it. He loves everything about you, and He loves you perfectly. 

He knows your struggles, and He knows your pain, and He knows how to help you through them. No one else knows exactly how you feel. But He does. And He wants to save you. You just have to let Him in. This is the 2014 Mutual theme, and I love it, and I had to share it because that line (you just have to let Him in) is sung in the song. And also, it's a good song. Let Him in–He's calling your name, and He is waiting for YOU! :)