mountains and cake

Today I faced a fear.

Honestly, it is a little silly but I learned some good things!

I'm taking a political science class right now and although I love the material, sometimes I really dread going to class. There are only two girls in my class and I am one of them. The boys in my class are very passionate to say the least and their comments usually end up in a heated discussion. It kind of scares me. So i have been content to just stay in my little quiet hole, listen to the teacher and then leave.

As I thought about this class and how I was slowly losing interest in it, I realized something needed to change. I have a very wise, handsome man in my life who suggested that I comment to help me stay engaged....haha like I was going to do that! Eventually, as I gave it a lot more thought I realized A.that he was right. B.If I wanted to get the most out of that class I needed to give a little! So I came to the conclusion that I was going to try my very best to comment and make the class enjoyable for myself as I became more engaged.

Walking to my class today I said a little prayer that Heavenly Father would give me courage. I felt very hopeful and determined. As class went on I could feel the time coming when I needed to say something. I got nervous, my hands were getting sweaty...lame I know but it happens. Then all of a sudden my hand shot up in the air and I said a silent prayer for deliverance. Words started coming out of my mouth and although it was nothing profound, I felt like I was sitting on the top of a mountain staring at the most wonderful view with a big piece of chocolate cake in my hands! 

Heavenly Father helped me overcome my fear! As minuscule as my fear was, He heard my prayers and gave me the strength to overcome. All of us have fears...it is totally normal. There are going to be times in life where we feel down and just want to hide from the world and be miserable by ourselves. But what I learned from this experience is that we choose the outcome! We might not be able to choose all the little bumps in the road but we do choose what we do about it. Happiness, faith, courage and all those other good things are choices! You don't just wake up one day and say "I'm finally happy!" We have the blessing of waking up every day and saying, "Today, I choose to be happy!" That was something I really admired about my mission President. Anytime anyone would talk to him and ask how he was he would say, "I'm happy!" And he always meant it. 

So let us choose to be happy! Choose to find joy in every moment! Choose to be engaged in life and make the most of it! There are going to be ups and there are going to be downs but we can always choose happiness! And when we choose happiness, we choose Christ. That is the path that leads to more joy than any cake could bring. :)

Lessons from the Grove

Well...I'm HOME!!!

The New York Rochester Mission 

and the people there...

 will FOREVER have my heart.

^^^This is my favorite tree in the sacred grove. ^^^

You are probably wondering why because it obviously isn't standing anymore..but that is why I love it so much! This tree is filled with wonderful life lessons that taught me more than I imagined I could ever learn from a fallen tree.

Over the past two years as I have gone through the process of deciding to serve a mission, getting my call, leaving to New York and coming home, I've thought a lot about the little things that the Lord placed in my life to get me where I am today. Right before the missionary age change was made, the Mormon Tabernacle choir sang "How Firm a Foundation." When they sang that song, I was just slapped by the Spirit. I remember thinking about my parents and church leaders and what incredible examples they were to me of having a firm foundation in Christ and helping others build their foundation. I just wanted to be awesome like them! Then the epic announcement was made, I knew Heavenly Father's plan for me was a mission and I was pumped to go!

My first day in the mission field, my mission President brought us to this tree. This particular tree was one of the largest in the grove but it fell because it hadn't dug its roots deep. He went on to tell us that not only had this tree fallen, but so many other trees were taken down by it as well. My Mission President then reminded us how important it was that our roots were deep in the gospel so that we could stand strong and also so we could help those around us stand strong. 

Heavenly Father has given us such a powerful promise in Helaman 5:12 that Christ is the foundation if whom we build upon we "cannot fall." For me, this fallen tree is a reminder of how badly Satan doesn't want us to build a strong foundation in Christ or to dig our roots deep in the gospel. He wants us to fall! What a punk. But Satan can't get us to tumble down or fall when we are building our foundation on Christ. It is a constant effort every single day! I'm definitely not perfect at it, but Heavenly Father is so merciful and helps me everyday. 

I love this gospel so much! Jesus Christ is my best friend and I'm so grateful that He let me have such an epic mission experience! Life is crazy, busy, awkward, great, hard and fun but no matter what comes in life I know that I don't need to fear because with Christ I CANNOT fall.