Blue days

Sometimes, for whatever inexplicable reason, I feel kind of blue. Maybe it's because of the blue wrist brace I have on. Or maybe it's my blue bed sheets, or my blue mechanical pencil. (I know it's not the blue smurf I have on my desk. He makes me happy.) Whenever I do feel blue I know there is one sure way to conquer it. I sing a hymn in my head that makes me think about my Savior. One that just popped into my head was I Feel My Savior's Love. 

1. I feel my Savior’s love

In all the world around me.

His Spirit warms my soul

Through ev’rything I see.

2. I feel my Savior’s love;

Its gentleness enfolds me,

And when I kneel to pray,

My heart is filled with peace.

3. I feel my Savior’s love

And know that he will bless me.

I offer him my heart;

My shepherd he will be.

4. I’ll share my Savior’s love

By serving others freely.

In serving I am blessed.

In giving I receive.

Chorus

He knows I will follow him,

Give all my life to him.

I feel my Savior’s love,

The love he freely gives me.

I know that whenever I'm not feeling great, I can change that by focusing on feeling His love for me. He is always waiting for us to come to Him so he can heal our troubled hearts. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said, 

“Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through valleys of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life.”

I know that the Savior wants us to be able to feel His love always, and all we have to do is pay attention.

Mountains

I spent the first 21 1/2 years of my life living in the Salt Lake Valley, surrounded by mountains. I love mountains, I love looking at the horizon and seeing snow capped peaks. I love being able to tell which way is East by looking for the "big mountains."
When I got my call letter telling me that I was going to serve in the Tennessee Nashville Mission, I was very excited. I was thrilled at the prospect of spending 18 months of my life talking about my Savior Jesus Christ with so many other people who love Him like I do. One thing that I was sad about was that I would be away from my beloved mountains.

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I was happy to discover that the area that I live in isn't completely flat, there is variety in the landscape, which is fun to see. I particularly love this view... even if Sister Koford and I had to experience some bug bites to enjoy it. 

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The other day I got to watch a movie with one of the members of our church. It is called The Mountain of the Lord. It is about the pioneers that spent 40 years building the Salt Lake Temple in Utah from 1853-1893. It gets it's title from the scripture in Isaiah that says, 

The Salt Lake Temple

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." Isaiah 2:2 

The movie talks about how prophets in the Old Testament would go up to the mountains to talk to God. It explains that Temples are "the Lord's house" and that they are like the mountains of old that the prophets went to to talk to God. It really made me think that even though I really miss the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountains, there is a "Mountain of the Lord's house" here in Tennessee that I can go to and experience the peace and happiness that comes from being in my Heavenly Father's home.

Learn more about Temples

What I've learned...

Ever since I became a missionary I've looked at people differently. Our goal is to be like the Savior and talk to everyone, and to be friendly to everyone. Of course, like Arabelle, I'm not perfect, sometimes I see someone and my initial reaction is to walk the other way, or to avert my eyes. But then I remember my calling as the Savior said in Mark 16:15 "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." If I don't talk to everyone that I see, I'm not preaching the gospel to every creature. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary, and to have the chance to look beyond the stereotype to the real person. I have met so many wonderful people because I left my comfort zone and said hi.

One thing I know is that you don't have to be a missionary to talk to everyone. I plan on continuing this pattern of being friendly and talking to everyone when my time of missionary service is up, because I never want to miss another opportunity to meet one of God's children and share what I know with them.

Cheese is the Answer

In high school we used to play the question game. The idea of the game is that each person who is playing comes up with a word or phrase that is their answer for that round of the game. Then everyone goes around asking each other questions and each individual has to repeat the answer that they chose at the beginning of the round. The object of the game is to be the last person in the group to laugh. I am really bad at this game because I can't keep a straight face when something funny or ridiculous is being said. One round I chose the answer "cheese is the answer." I've loved cheese ever since I can remember, and I often think about it. That phrase became so popular in our group of friends that we would say it randomly whenever we got the chance.

Since then, I started getting migraines. In order to lessen the frequency and intensity of my migraines I've had to quit eating some foods. Cheese is one of the foods I had to give up. I haven't eaten any cheese since November 2010, and some days I miss it a lot. Mostly I just get sad when someone asks me what I want to eat and my knee-jerk response is "cheese is the answer." Logically I'd rather not eat cheese than get a head-splitting migraine, but sometimes, emotionally, I want cheese.

Of course cheese isn't really the answer to very many questions at all. It definitely isn't the answer to any of life's important questions like "Who am I?" "Why am I here?," and "Where will I go after I die?" Those questions are so much more important and knowing the answers to those questions brings me so much more peace and happiness than eating any cheese.

I know that I am a daughter of God, I know that I am here to learn and to grow and to prepare to live with God again someday, I know that when I die I will go to a degree of heaven based on the things that I have done and the desires of my heart. I know that it is only through our Savior Jesus Christ that this is made possible. I know all of this because I know that God has called prophets on the earth today just as He did anciently, and He revealed these truths about ourselves to them so they could share them with us. I invite all of you to go to God and pray to know if what I have said is true. I know if you do so sincerely you will receive an answer from your Heavenly Father and you will enjoy that same peace and happiness that carries me through every day.

Water Damage...

One week ago today it was raining. It was raining really hard from the perspective of someone who lived the first 21 years and 9 months of her life in a desert.
So, it was raining, but we needed to go out. We had important things to do and important people to see. We also didn't have our car. So we bundled up and walked out into the downpour.

When deciding how to bundle up effectively we decided that our backpacks and their entire contents would get soaked if we took them with us. So we put the things that we needed in our pockets, and put our copies of The Book of Mormon in plastic zip-top bags.

Needless to say, we got soaked. Even my planner, which I thought would be safe in my coat pocket- got wet. The only thing that didn't get wet was my copy of the Book of Mormon sealed safely in the plastic bag.

So, as I stared at my planner today, lamenting it's pathetic state, I thought about why I didn't do more to protect it from the rain. I wondered why I thought that putting it in my coat pocket that was only closed by a simple (not watertight) zipper would have kept it safe and dry.

Pondering this experience reminded me of the scripture in Ephesians which talks about putting on the whole armour of God.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Ephesians 6:11-17

Just like walking out in the rain improperly bundled, if we live in this world without having the whole armour of God on, our spirit's will be injured by the fiery darts of the wicked and we will have more than water damage to be sad about.

But if we do put on the armour of God at all times, we will be like my book, safe from any water damage in a torrential downpour.

Rainbows

It has been raining a lot lately. All of the rain reminds me of a song we would sing in primary. It goes...

I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain,

And ponder on the beauty of an Earth made clean again.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.

I want to be the best I can and live with God again. 

I love the metaphor used in that song. I sang this song a lot before I was baptized, as a way of looking forward to being made clean just like "earth right after rain".

Today, it has been 13 years, 8 months, and 25 days since I was baptized. I get peace from the knowledge that even though I have made many, many, many mistakes since October 11, 1997, I can be washed clean again every time I repent.


Find out more about Repentance

Acts of Faith

There is a tradition in Japan that anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes will be granted one wish. After Sendai, Japan was hit by the devastating earthquake in March, my brother and I decided to fold paper cranes to show love and support for those suffering in Japan.  Whenever we saw them sitting on our counter we were reminded of the people.

Folding 1000 paper cranes in order to get your wish granted is an act of faith. You have to show that you believe that your wish will be granted and that you want it to be granted badly enough that you are willing to work for it. Faith in Jesus Christ follows the same principle. You must show that you believe that He is your Savior. You must show that you believe through following His teachings. The 12 apostles of Jesus Christ that were called during His earthly ministry were "...made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him." (1 Nephi 12:11). 

I know that we can be "made white" through faith in Jesus Christ. When we change our lives in order to live according to His teachings, we will be blessed with peace in this life and joy in eternity.

Learn More about His Teachings.

Friends Forever

I have enjoyed many friendships over my almost 22 years here on Earth. I love each and every one of them for the unique joy and happiness they bring to my life. Some friendships I've enjoyed for many years, and some have only lasted for a few weeks. Despite the length of time we've known each other I'm grateful for the things I've learned from these people.

MerriLyn and I have lived around the corner from each other since we were 3. (18 years)

Amanda is 5, she is my "cousin-friend" as she calls it. We love to play with Barbies and run around when our families go camping together. (5 years)

This is Sarah (a.k.a Squirticus), she is my "favorite sister" We have been friends ever since April of 1994, when she was born. (17 years)

This is Sister Bishop, she and I were companions at the MTC for 3 weeks and we became best friends in that short time. (10 weeks)

This is my Savior, Jesus Christ. He has know me since I was created. He loves me and wants me to follow Him. He was the perfect example for me, and I'm striving to live worthy to be His friend by following His teachings. I know that as I do what He asks of me throughout my life I will be able to call Him my friend, and eventually live with Him and Our Father in Heaven for Eternity.

Comfort from Home

We have an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner every day. Usually, we eat and clean up in the first 30-45 minutes and then we have a little extra time to do whatever we want. Today, I decided to take a power nap during my extra 20 minutes.

This is my bed, as much as I love it, there has always been something missing about it. I bought the blanket, and sheets for my mission so I never used them at home. As I was lying there I thought, I wish I had my blankie. Barely a moment passed when there was a knock on our door. A package I had been hoping for arrived and inside it was.... My blankie!

I could hardly contain my excitement, I hugged it and couldn't stop smiling. I got that piece of home that I'd been wishing for and I felt my parents love for me in the process.


When we came to Earth to live our lives, we left our Heavenly home. Just like my new blanket and sheets, most things here are unfamiliar, but, just like my parents, Heavenly Father wanted to send us something that would remind us of our home in heaven and help us to feel His love. He sent the Holy Ghost to be our comforter.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:26-27

I know that we can all have the Holy Ghost as our comforter when have faith and repent and we follow the example of Jesus Christ and are baptized by someone who holds authority from God, and then receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, Acts 8:14-18. 

Having the Holy Ghost as a comforter in my life has brought me so much peace and comfort. It helps me to remember the love of my Heavenly Father and it keeps me smiling, just like my blankie from home. 

My blankie! (and some other items I got in my package.)