All we can do.

Happy November! Life is flying by. School is keeping me busy, that's for sure!

Today in Relief Society, we talked about President Oaks' talk from this last General Conference entitled Following Christ.

When I was reading the talk prior to the Relief Society discussion, I really liked President Oaks' opening paragraph, where he says, "Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice. It is a continuous commitment and way of life that should guide us at all times and in all places."

This talk was really beautiful--not only the message but the way it was written and given. 

President Oaks continues his talk by discussing the two great commandments given to us by the Lord: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

President Oaks goes on to talk about how God's commandments "provide the guiding and steadying force in our lives." He talks about a boy and his dad who go fly a kite, and as the kite rises, it tugs on the string in the boy's hand, and he asks his dad if they could cut the string to let the kite fly higher. His father--gently, I'm sure--said no and explained that the string was necessary for the kite to be able to fly. Without it, the kite would be carried away and eventually crash to the ground.

The kite string represents our covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. President Oaks says, "As we honor those covenants by keeping Their commandments and following Their plan of redemption, Their promised blessings enable us to soar to celestial heights."

I loved this analogy! Our covenants with God, our promise to follow His commandments--they are necessary to help keep us flying and progressing forward. 

President Oaks also talks about toxic communication, which is very prevalent today, especially because of social media. He quotes 3 Nephi 11:29-30, which says, "He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away."

As we were discussing President Oaks' talk, I couldn't help but think of the times that I was not a follower of Christ in my language, in the way I perceived others, or in the way that I conducted myself or even thought of myself. At first, I felt ashamed, but then I felt grateful that it was Sunday and that I had just partaken of the sacrament and renewed my covenants with my Father. I am not perfect, and I fall short every day, but I am grateful for the blessing and gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which gives me the opportunity to repent not only every week but every day of my life.

All we can ever do is strive to be better today than we were yesterday. And Nephi taught, "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23).

I hope everyone has a beautiful week. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and for the blessings He has given me. 

Xoxo

Mattie

Happy New Year! Hope you have a bright new year! :)

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a fun and safe night! And I hope you left 2016 behind you–2016 was so yesterday. ;)

On a more serious note, I'm grateful for what was spoken on in sacrament meeting today. I learned some new things about setting goals, such as:
-Setting goals brings out the best in us
-We shouldn't wait for the perfect time to set goals because there is no perfect time.
-Goals give us purpose

I also learned some new tips for setting goals:
-Start now
-Keep an eternal perspective
-Find what works for you
-Accept that you will fail (maybe not all the time, but you will fail)
-No matter how many times you fail, remember that Heavenly Father is proud of you for trying.

I'm so excited for this new year–we're learning from the life of President Gordon B. Hinckley in Relief Society this year and I can't wait! I love(d) President Hinckley and am so excited to learn from and about him in this upcoming year.

As this new year is beginning, I have some New Year's Resolutions, as I'm sure we all have, on my mind that I'm hoping will help me become a better and different person. One of the main ones I have this year is to try and consciously focus on my Savior every week. I'm hoping that this will help guide my attitude towards life to be more positive. I know that there are some personal things I have to work on and trying to consciously focus on my Savior should help. The first couple weeks will probably be the hardest, but as I continue to focus and make it a habit, it will become easier. I'm grateful for my Savior and for each and every opportunity I have to change and become a better person. I'm hoping that 2017 will be a great refreshing year. And who knows–maybe I'll jump out of my comfort zone a bit. :)

I hope you all take some time today and this week to ponder what you want to work on in this new year. Don't forget to pray and ask Heavenly Father for help if you need it–I promise that He wants to help you become who you were meant to become this year. I love you and wish you a wonderful and amazing new year! :)

Xoxo
Mattie

Make it a lifestyle, not a checklist.

I had the opportunity to sit in church by myself this morning and I was thinking about this during the sacrament: This weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with my mom's side of the family at our family reunion. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that families can be together forever though the sealing power in the temple. I love my crazy, wonderful family and can't imagine life without them. I look forward to the day when I can be sealed to my future husband for time and all eternity. I am so thankful for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which makes correction, perfection, resurrection, and eternal families possible. <3

Here's some messages I heard throughout today (and some I came up with because of something I heard) that I loved and wanted to share:
-The Lord is there to save us when we walk towards Him. Even when we doubt, He still saves us. He will always save us.
-In striving to be better, we need to rise above challenges and trials. They are tailored uniquely to us. Even if someone has gone through something similar, they do not and cannot understand how you felt during that trial. Only Jesus Christ has, can, and does understand how you feel.
-Ask for opportunities to be better! God will hear you and help you grow.
-Mistaks are a part uv the jurney. ;)
-"We get credit for trying." (Elder Holland, "Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You"). Get back up and try again.
-One of the speakers shared some of the last words his father spoke, and one of the things he said that I loved was that, "Good things come to those who work hard for them."
-Alma 37:6. Take time for the small things that matter.
-Finding how the Lord communicates with you is so essential.
-An overall message of the Book of Mormon is to be spiritually born again and again and again (We are human, and the natural man is sometimes overpowering, and we have to strive to do right and be spiritually born again).
-Believing is so important. We need to have faith and believe.
-Just believing is okay. There is nothing wrong with believing and not having a knowledge of something.
-Strive to be worthy always so you may attend the temple.
-In following the commandments and trying to be worthy to attend the temple: Strive. Try. Make it a lifestyle, not a checklist. (I loved that last line. It applies to many aspects of the Gospel)
-The work we do in the temple is not just for us. It's for those who have gone before us.
-Don't take for granted the things you see every day.

In Relief Society, I shared a story of when I went to the temple this past year. One of my friends asked if I wanted to go with her and some others, and I said yes because I did. It was a great evening–I felt seen, loved, and wanted, and I received answers to my prayers. It was a very spiritual experience and I will never forget it. <3

I'm so thankful for inspired messages and comments. I heard many things today that I loved and that helped me in many ways. I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father, who knows what I need to hear and how. I'm so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for His atoning sacrifice, because without Him I would not be who I am today. He has helped me heal and grow in a way that I would not have been able to do by myself. I am still growing and healing, but I know that I can do it with the help of my Savior. <3 I know that you can do it, too. He is there for you through everything, and if you ever want to talk, I am willing to listen, and I want you to know that your Heavenly Father will always listen to you. He hears you–every word.

Xoxo
Mattie