Love is putting someone else's needs before yours.

Just a quick little blog post today! It's been a busy weekend and week so I didn't have a lot of time to do a post today!

I am so ready for the semester to be over! I still have a lot to do but I'm hopeful I can get it done! I'm so thankful for my Savior...it's been a rough couple of weeks and I've been blessed with the people in my life that I need to get through them. I am grateful for the scriptures, and for the peace and comfort that they bring to me. They've been a blessing this past couple of weeks, but especially this past week. I am grateful for the fact that I have gotten through this semester. It's been soo rough, guys....But I've had my Savior to rely on, and the most amazing and wonderful roommates and friends. I've really been blessed. I have honestly felt so loved this semester and this school year, which I am so grateful for. I know that God loves me, and I am so grateful that He lets me start over again.

Daniela said something in her lesson today that was a quote from her grandmother, and I really, really loved it. She said, "You're gonna do a really hard thing, but you're gonna do it really, really well." I absolutely loved that!! Life is a really difficult thing, and sometimes we go through really difficult trials, and oftentimes we don't know why. But we are able to get through it, and we are able to use it to make us someone better than who we currently are.

In Relief Society today, I wrote down something that I really loved and wanted to share. These are just some of my thoughts based on what we talked about today.

"Love is sacrifice. I can sacrifice my temptations, and I can show Him that I love Him more than the desire to give in to my temptations." "Love is putting someone else's needs before yours." ~Olaf (Frozen) And since I love the Lord....I am going to put Him above everything else.

Megan said something in her testimony that I loved. She said, "Not only is the gospel something we live, the gospel is something we can be." I love that!! She is such an amazing person!! I love her so much and am so grateful for her love, sacrifice, service, and friendship!!

I am so grateful for the lessons today!! I heard and learned what I needed to hear, and I made new commitments that I am optimistic I can keep!

I am so grateful for the progress that I've made in my final projects for school. I think that I will be able to finish them adequately well and in time.

I am grateful for the brief chance I had to chat with/FaceTime a few of my siblings tonight. Crazy though they are, I really do love them and am so grateful for them.

I am so grateful for all of the people in my life. I am grateful for blessings, and for miracles. I am grateful for honestly good, down-to-earth people who come into my life right when I need them, and who make my life so much happier.

I love the Lord. I love my Savior. I am grateful for His Atoning Sacrifice, and I am grateful for His love. I am grateful for the chances that I have been given to start again, and I am grateful for the love and support that I receive from my friends and family. I am looking forward to finishing out this school year and to starting my summer job (starting in June) at BEAR LAKE!! I am going to be working at a scout camp with my friend and I am so excited!! It's going to be amazing!! Going back to school in the fall will be super fun because I am so close to being done with my schooling! I only have two semesters left after this one!!

I have learned so much from going to school. Honestly, I've really kind of doubted me even needing to go to school, because I've been thinking, "I'm just going to go back to like, watching kids or whatever. I don't really think this education is necessary." But these past couple of weeks, I have been learning a lot that I didn't know before, and I have been looking into different internship possibilities, and I am actually interested in a couple of different things than I originally thought. And I have been thinking that, even if I don't end up using my education, it will be helpful for me in the long run because I will always have human interactions, and I will always need to know how people work. So I am grateful for my education, and for the time that I have spent here at BYU.

I am also grateful for the memories I have made. I have met so many people who have all blessed my life in one way or another. I don't know who I would be if I hadn't gone to college....and honestly, I don't think I want to find out. I love who I am. I am learning, and growing, and standing on my feet. I am making mistakes, and trying again, and finding people, and loving people, and accepting people, and showing people what they mean to me. I am taking other broken and mending people and I am helping mend them. And they, in turn, are helping mend me. That's what love is all about.

Xoxo
Mattie

Do you have room for Him in your life?

So today during the sacrament I was just thinking about my Savior and how grateful I am for Him.

I am ever so grateful for the sacrifice of my Savior. Too often I have made the same mistakes, but He is there to pick me up every time. I've found that change is hard by yourself, so I am grateful that I can count on Jesus Christ to be there for me. He helps me, supports me, and loves me, even when I feel like I don't deserve an of it. He brings peace to my life when I'm stressed, and He saves me when I'm drowning. There isn't any one that I trust like I trust Jesus. I'm grateful that I can depend on and turn to Him in times of stress in my life. 

Not that I didn't love any of the lessons I learned in church today–I did–but I had a few Facebook memories pop up today and I wanted to share and talk about them instead of the lessons in church today.

The memories are two articles about Joseph, and what we know about him and his role in Jesus' life. I highly recommend reading them–the second one is actually a video though. The first article can be found here and the video one found here. We don't know very much about Joseph, but from what we read of him in the few times he's mentioned in the New Testament, we know that he was obedient to God's commandments. We know that he was a just man, and compassionate, and very loyal.

I wanted to talk about Joseph because he helped raise Jesus–he taught Him how to be a carpenter, and how to work hard. I think that much of Jesus' work ethic comes from Joseph. I think that His tenderness and love comes from Mary, but His work ethic comes from watching and learning from Joseph. His obedience and compassion comes from both. I don't think that Jesus could have had a better set of parents to teach and help Him grow. His relationship with His mother was very sweet and beautiful, and it's possible that His relationship with Joseph was one of admiration. I believe that Joseph was very good to Mary, and Jesus saw that, and knew that Joseph was very loyal, and kind, and was a wonderful example.

In addition to these two articles about Joseph, I also wanted to share this music video. Very sweet and very humbling to think about. There was no room for Him in the inn. Our lives are crazy and busy all the time. Do you have room for Him in your life?

I'm so grateful for my Savior, and for His mother, Mary, and for Joseph, and for all that He learned from them. What wonderful examples they were to Him, and are to me.

I know that this week is going to be crazy for us all as we finish preparing for Christmas next Sunday, but I want us all to take a moment or two each day to remember the reason for the season, and the reason for every day. Remember why we have a Savior, and how we can change for the better this upcoming year. I hope everyone has a very safe and beautiful holiday season!

Xoxo
Mattie

Callings and Thanksgiving.

Today I was released from my calling as the Laurel class president and I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to serve with my two wonderful counselors and my awesome secretary. It was a wonderful experience and I am going to miss being the president but I'm grateful that I was released because I've had a lot of experience being a class president and I think other girls need the opportunity to serve.

This week is Thanksgiving!! I am so excited because I get to spend time with my (extended) family and eat food! I'm grateful for this country and for the freedoms we enjoy; I'm grateful for my family; I'm grateful for the home I live in; I'm grateful for my friends; I'm grateful for wonderful leaders, teachers, and mentors in my life; and most of all, I'm thankful for my Savior, and for His Atonement, and for His love for me. I know He lives and I know He loves me and I know He wants us all to return to live with our Heavenly Father. 

Jesus Christ, Savior.

First, happy anniversary to my blog! It was exactly one year ago today I started this blog for one of my personal progress projects. Over this year I have learned so much about this gospel and who I am. It has been a privilege, followers, to share my testimony with you. Second, I am going to try and do something different this month. I am going to try and write something different about Jesus Christ every time I post something on my blog this month. Sunday—even though it was technically August—was the start, with Son of Man.

Today, I want to talk about Jesus Christ as the Savior. He's our Savior! He was tormented, mocked, and crucified for us because He loves us. He is our Savior. If you had been the only person on the ENTIRE earth, He still would have suffered for your sins and afflictions. He loves you that much. Can you imagine that? Imagine the person you love the most on this earth—imagine that love for them, times it by 300,000...no wait...times it by infinity, and that's not even CLOSE to how much Jesus Christ loves us. And guess what else? He loves us all individually. That's right. I said individually. Just like when He atoned for your sins and afflictions individually, He loves you individually. As a person. He knows your name. We talk about Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world—which He definitely is—and sometimes we don't focus on the fact that He is our personal Savior. This is very, very important to remember. He suffered and died for everyone, even for those that don't believe. In 1 Timothy 4:10 it says, "For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially those that believe." He died for everyone—especially those who believe in Him. But it's important to remember that He died for you as an individual. He died for you, and He died for me. And I will never, ever be able to repay Him. But He still did it—He never did it for the glory, or for the reward. He did it because He loves us—you and me. No one is perfect—we all make mistakes—and He still loves us. He suffered and died for us—for you and for me. I don't know about you, but I have made many, many, many, many stupid mistakes that I wish I could take back but I can't. But He paid for them. He didn't have to—He could have chosen to not accept His role in Heavenly Father's plan, or He could've wiped out all of the Jews who were planning to kill Him. But He didn't. We are that important to Him. Don't ever, ever, EVER forget how important you are to Him: He died for you. He will not EVER leave you alone. EVER. He will make sure you are taken care of. I love Him because of His sacrifice for me. I love Him because He loves me. I love Him because He's my Elder Brother and He wants me to be saved—He wants me to be safe and sound, back in heaven, so He died for me. I love Him because I am able to love Him. I love Him because I feel His love, and that's why I love Him: because I can. 

(I also love you, treasured followers :). Please let me know if you have any questions and I will try and answer it or I will help guide you to references that can help you answer it. Or, if you're too shy, lds.org is a wonderful place to start :). )