Don't Sell Yourself Short (3)

This morning as I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw that my older sister shared a video of President Gordon B. Hinkley's address at the BYU-Idaho Hinkley Building Dedication. I thought that it would be a good message to start the Sabbath Day with and I listened to the words that he shared and was immediately filled with the spirit. 

He begins by expressing his love for the young people of the Church through teary eyes and a full heart. He explains that he believes that we are part of the best generation that the Church has ever seen. He assures us that we are enough, and we need to work towards what Heavenly father wants and yearns for us to become. This talk resonated with me, and I know that it will do the same for other young members of the Church. So many of the words that President Hinkley spoke stood out to me. Below I am going to share a few of those:

"The world is on a slippery slide, it is going downhill and it is going fast. And you are as a beacon on a hill young people of rectitude and virtue and decency and goodness. Remain that way. Do not destroy your effectiveness. Do not become involved in any kind of behavior which would destroy you, injure you, hurt you, debilitate you in any way whatever. You don't have to do those things. You can stand above them. You must stand above them!"

"Now, be faithful, be true, go forward, be ambitious. Don't short-circuit yourself. Don't stop now. Keep growing. Keep going. Educate your minds and your spirits and never lose sight of the fact that you are a child of God with a divine destiny and capability of doing great and good and wonderful things. Don't sell yourselves short. Don't cheapen yourselves. You know who you are. Each of you knows that you are a child of God and that your Heavenly Father expects something great and noble and good of you."

"You don't have to be a genius. You don't have to be a straight-A student. You just have to do your very best with all the capability you have. You have to do your very best. And somehow, if you do that, God will open the way before you and the sun will shine, and your lives will be fruitful and you will accomplish great good in the world in which you take a part."

"You are the very fiber of this Church and this Church will grow as its young people the young people of this generation magnify their callings and go forward and serve the Lord and live in loyalty toward Him. God bless you."

"You are just simple kids. You are not geniuses. I know that. But the work of the world isn't done by geniuses. It is done by ordinary people who have learned to work in an extraordinary way people of your kind who can do these things."

Just take eight minutes to listen to President Hinkley's full address, and I promise you that your day will be brightened and you will be filled with the spirit.

A Father's Example (2)

Today it is the birthday of someone who I have looked up to as my hero throughout my entire life. His sense of humor can make anyone crack a smile. You can't help but feel the spirit radiating in the room when he bears his testimony. You can easily tell when he is touched by the spirit, due to the amount of tears that well up in his eyes. He has protected me throughout my life. He has been there for me through my trials and helped me face and conquer them.

My dad has always been the perfect example of someone who is constantly striving to be like Christ. He has taught me that above all, our relationship with our Heavenly Father and Christ is the most important. He has shown me through his love for my mom how a husband should act. I have seen through the peace and love that is found in my home, the importance of having a righteous priesthood holder in the home. 

He is always putting one hundred percent effort into whatever he is doing, whether it be at work, in his church calling, or his time at home. He shows patience even when it is tested. He has cried with me, laughed with me, and celebrated with me. 

Happy birthday dad! I am so lucky to have you in my life, and I love you so much. 

This is Me (1)

If there is a moment of silence, there's is a good chance that I will fill it with words. I love being with a big group of people and feeling their energy. When you first meet me I will be quiet and reserved, but once you get to know me I am outgoing. I love connecting with people and establishing friendships that will last. Being with my family is one of my favorite places to be. I like to think that I'm funny, even though in a large group of people I am lucky if I get two of them smile. I am one of the most uncoordinated people when it comes to anything on land, but I have a passion for swimming and being in the water. I can't dance to save my life, and only people who have known me for years have seen me try. I love the sunshine and summer, but I also love the occasional gloomy and rainy day. I love anything that has to do with fashion or makeup. I have actually always wanted to start a blog, but have never really had a reason too, so I guess Writing 150 is a good reason to start. I love looking back at pictures and thinking of all the memories they hold (but I'm talking iPhone quality pictures, I am in no way photography savvy). One of the things I am looking forward to most in life is being a mom. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that this gospel is true, I live it, and I love it. I hope that through this blog, I can share some small moments in my life that can make an impact on others in a positive way. I hope that I can share with others my testimony and that it can reach out to those who need to hear it.