Scripture Power

There are roughly 12 days left until I’m sealed to the man of my eternity, and I wanted to post something up here encompassing a lot of thoughts I’ve been having lately pertaining to things of an eternal nature… I guess it’s pretty natural to be on my mind. So here is a picture of what I want to talk about!

So, ignoring all of the fun windswept hair from driving with the windows down, I would just like to point out the wonderful set of scriptures in my hand right there!

What sticks out to you?

Well, I’m going to share a little story about these sticks (aka the scriptures) here and explain why they are really symbolic to me as my marriage is approaching.

First off, this beautiful book here was a Christmas present from my parents when I was about 6 months into my mission! I was serving in New Mexico at the time, and it was not a surprise that I got them (because I had asked for them ;) but, it was wonderful that they came from my goodly parents (borrowing adjectives from Nephi’s writing :D).

When I was set apart to be a missionary I was promised that I would be able to share a strong testimony with those I taught of the blessings of temple covenants and the sealing power which has been restored to the earth today. I know that families are eternal, and the covenants we make with our Father in Heaven are the first steps we take to making our families eternal.

The best part of all of the covenants we make and blessings we receive, is that our Father in Heaven has laid out all of the doctrine and requirements he has in the words He has given to us through His prophets. The perfect order of His church, and the proper use of His power is all contained in the sacred records that were kept for us to read at this time in our day! Isn’t it wonderful?

So, on my mission, I kept my nametag on my scriptures to remind myself of who I was, and why I was out there. To remind myself of the sacred calling which I had, and for Whom I was working. To just add one more reminder that I was a set apart representative of Jesus Christ, and it was His name I wore on my chest every day.

The standards I lived then cannot fully be duplicated in non-missionary life, but I continue to keep my nametags in places where I can remember what I taught, and why the basics are so fundamental in our daily conversion.

The last, and newest addition to my beautiful scriptures came a couple of weeks ago when I decided to get my new name engraved on my mission scriptures! It was a gift-for-Joshua-but-kind-of-for-me-type-thing, but I realized when I got it done how everything has kind of come full circle in the 18 months I’ve been the proud owner of these beautiful sticks.

They came from my parents, they’ve reminded me daily of the doctrine I need to know to return to live with my Heavenly Father again, and now they bear the new last name that I will have symbolizing my eternal commitment to Joshua. It is wonderful the spirit that is attached to tangible items we have in our world. I know that we can’t take anything with us after we depart from this world. But I do know the power that I personally receive from the scriptures will help carry me through eternity.

I know my Savior loves me, and everything in this world testifies of Him, and His goodness. I know it is because of Him, and my personal journey to know Him better that I’ve come to this point in my life to be blessed with an eternal companion who is walking the same path as I am. I know families are meant to be forever, and that starts with a relationship with Heavenly Father.

I’m grateful for the little reminders we receive each day that allow us to remember Him, and remember why we are journeying here on earth.

With all of my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

p.s. Don't worry! Part 2 of the story is coming this week!! :D 

It is Wonderful: Rebirth

So today was the 7^th anniversary of my confirmation as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Yesterday I celebrated the renewal of my baptismal covenant as I do each week when I get to take the sacrament, and I celebrated my re-birthday too! My lovely roommate gave me a necklace to remind me of the tree of life, enduring to the end, and continuing to find peace and balance in life. Today, overall was pretty spectacular, but not super eventful, which made me reflect upon the talk Bishop Causse gave in conference two weeks ago…

As I’ve been contemplating where I am right now in my young life, I’ve been reflective about where I’ve come from. I remember how wonderful and sweet the gospel was when it first came into my life in the form of a couple exceptionally good friends in high school. One of which, had the courage to invite me to come to church… even though she knew I didn’t share her standards or believe in her deity, she gave the invitation, and I was able to attend!

That was wonderful. It was so wonderful to me to experience a love that I had never before felt, like the average teenager, I struggled with some pretty catastrophic ups and downs, but some of them were a little more rocky than average, and this first experience I had of love in that cute little church building was just the beginning of my understanding of a power that would literally save my life. So I kept attending, and then, after a couple months I met the missionaries.

That was wonderful. I remember the two boys with the same first name, their faces changed on occasion, but they were always really tall (I’m pretty short, so that’s not unexpected ;), always wearing suits, and always named Elder! They taught me some things about the church, about my relationship with my Father in Heaven, things I’d talked with those exceptionally good friends about, but didn’t put a whole lot of thought into… but the most important thing I learned was how to pray.

Now that, at first, wasn’t so wonderful. My heart was being opened by the spirit, and something inside of me was being stirred by the things I was learning in church and the tall guys with name tags, but every time I tried to talk to the “man upstairs” I just felt like my words were bouncing off the ceiling… until one night in frustration I put away my usual relief of stress, and got on my knees instead.

That was wonderful! The simple knowledge that God loves me personally, and that He was listening to my words, that changed my life. God loves me! The Spirit that testified of that truth to me was the same Spirit that was there when the missionaries were teaching me, the same Spirit that was in the building I’d spent 3 hours in every single Sunday, and the same Spirit that I felt when I’d heard truth and felt love in my life… that simple knowledge had such a profound effect on me that I could not even comprehend the things that had been set in motion.

That was wonderful, and over the next year I slowly made some changes in my life, almost losing it at one point… but those changes were made, and seven years and one day ago I was reborn, baptized by water just like my Savior. And the next day, the day I celebrate today, I was baptized by fire when I received the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that wonderful Spirit that I felt when I entered into that church building the first time, when I met with those missionaries, and when I received a witness for myself that there is a True and Living God; that wonderful Spirit could be my constant companion as I continue throughout my life.

Now that, that was truly wonderful.

I continued to have my ups and downs, and I still have them, but there is that anchor of peace in my life that I know is there, and that I seek out every day… yesterday was one of those days when the seas were a little rougher than usual, and the desire to get out of bed was minimal, one of those days when the darkness that is in the world seemed greater than the light for a little more than a minute… but you know what?

It is still wonderful.

I was blessed enough to be able to truly understand what life is at a young age, and circumstances permitted me enter into covenants to anchor my faith. I’ve been so blessed throughout the entirety of my life, through trials and strengths I’ve grown. But in these last 7 beautiful years of rebirth, I’ve understood better the meaning of “everybody dies, but not everybody lives.” I’ve understood what it is to be bold and valiant in my faith, and the strength that comes from keeping my covenants. I’ve understood what it is like to see light fade in my life as I become casual in my relationship with God and His simple steps He’s given me to stay on the right path. I’ve learned what it is to be not just active, but proactive in the gospel, and in my life.

God has made more of me than I could ever have made of myself, and it is my humble declaration that I will allow Him to continue to mold me in my life! Just as 

I know that it won't be easy, but it will be wonderful!

(And this will be my theme song for the trip :)

With all of my heart,

Heather Ann Lagrosa

Light and Balance

This is my song of the day: Light by the Rocket Summer:

All I needed was a light in the darkest place

 I've ever been in all my life, as I try to find my way 

And the changing season of my life and my eyes don't see

The things I love have run their course, are they done?

Are they just beginning?

And I'm old enough to know that time doesn't move slow enough,

And young enough to know that I can't ever be too old enough to trust You!

Higher and higher I wanna go there with you,

Some say your fire, your fire is through...

And I don't wanna think that way.

     So it's been about 2 and a half months since I've been home from the mission, and there's been a LOT of adjustment happening up in here! On the mission the weeks felt like days, and the days felt like weeks; now the weeks still feel like days, but the days feel like minutes! I feel blessed with work, direction, and most importantly a considerable amount of love in my life... it has been incredible to experience the changes that I underwent out in the mission field! I knew I was changing, heck, anyone who read my e-mails home knew it, and boy oh boy how I grew! ...and how I continue to grow! It's been interesting to face similar life situations that I had in the past, and see them differently because of who I have become!

     It's made me ponder a lot on how to keep this going:

     Finding balance on this road I travel is a task for sure... it's like I have a book on my head and I'm trying to walk on a balance beam with it: the book is all my tasks I need to complete coupled with the everyday routine I need to be involved in; and the balance beam is spinning over a river that turns into that waterfall on Emperor's New Groove! haha, but for real, there's a new balance to be found every day, and there's an elegant peace that comes with that new accomplishment.

     Of the many activities of daily life that I've become acquainted with since I've been able to expand the ways in which I can consecrate my life unto the Lord has been working at the temple!

     It has by FAR been the best calling I have ever received! I really love the perspective it gives me on how short this time is here on earth, while reminding me of the importance of this blink of an eye that is my mortal life. The work I do, the work I could not do without my Savior's help... it's urgent, and it has eternal consequence; however, it's not the focus of my life... neither should it be. He is the ultimate and exclusive focus of my life, and I need to continue to allow him to light my steps. Christ is the word made flesh, and the word of God is truly a lamp unto my feet (Psalm 119:105).



     Another place that has helped me to gain perspective has been at institute class, where I'm learning more about God's word in a class on the book of Revelation and the book of Isaiah! :D It's basically foolproof, when you open the scriptures to have the Spirit speak to you and relate it to your life in some way, but in a classroom setting (and taking away the grading part of it), there's conversation and revelation that comes in very few other fashions... we spoke about balance in my Isaiah class, and my teacher explained this to us:

     This little picture shows a person's heart being weighed with a feather... now I'm no scriptorian or Egyptian historian, but in common man's term's I'll explain my understanding of this, and how that understanding has helped me obtain a little more light and truth in my life.
     So they had a belief that your heart would be balanced with a feather... in the scriptures it often talks about "hardened hearts" and how as we go through this life we have an opportunity to receive literal spiritual heart transplants, where we trade in our "stony" heart, to receive a lighter heart of sorts (Ezekiel 11 and 36). When we are baptized, we are reborn in Christ, our hearts change, the scriptures have many references of changing hearts paralleling lives coming in line with God's will. And the Egyptians had some partial truths in their faith (I mean, the children of Israel were in bondage there for a couple generations right?), and so, at that last day when you were judged (the balance representing justice), a light heart would balance out with a feather.
     I remember our teacher drawing another parallel my mind loves with the word light, it's very flexible in its meaning! It's not only a weight, but it's also a source of sight right? When we say the room is light, we generally aren't talking about its weight right? :D Anyway, as our hearts change, and those stony hearts are removed from our spiritual chests, and we receive the word of God, which is literally Christ (because everything testifies of Him), and He is truth and light personified; our hearts are filled with His light, and balancing out with a feather is perfect imagery for that do you not agree?

     Anyway, it makes me happy to think about... our time here is short! My time is short, but each moment is a blessing, each soul I am able to become acquainted with, each child of God I am able to assist on the path back to our Father, each one that is able to help me... it can seem a little stressful and chaotic, but at that one perfectly balanced perspective... from that angle there is an angelic beauty that can only be understood through the Spirit's impression.

With all my heart,
Heather Ann Lagrosa

Why I Want to Serve A Mission

     So as most of you know I am going to serve as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I've been called to serve for 18 months in the Texas, Lubbock mission! AND I"M SUPER EXCITED!! I got my call about 1 month ago, on February 1st 2013... but it's taken me awhile to get a blog post up, because I haven't really been able to fully express the reasoning behind why I want to serve. 

     I started a countdown to the day I could start my papers during the summer of 2011, I was just excited to get them going, but, clearly, my papers didn't get in a year later. They went in January 6th 2013, after a whirlwind fall semester I spent wondering why the Lord wanted me to wait to go serve. As always though, things really fell into place for me, I have received so much comfort in my call, and I know I am so much better prepared to serve the Lord after the few months that I delayed in turning in my papers. 

     But none of that explained why I want to serve. It's easy for people to be excited for someone to serve, and I know there are a bunch of reasons why I want to go, but I haven't been able to pin-point it down well. Aaand, believe it or not, I don't like to talk about things of importance, unless I really know what I'm talking about (which might be why I'm a little long-winded sometimes... but yeah) sooo here goes nothing:

Some people say that this definition is why they decide to serve a mission (young men get to serve for two years). I learned that families can be eternal when I first started talking with some of the wonderful LDS students at my high school, and learned more about this doctrine when I met with the missionaries and took the discussions. I've learned so much more since those lessons 5 years ago, and I feel that I can appreciate the reality of an eternal family so much more. I know that some of the greatest lessons we can learn, the greatest sorrows we can experience, and the most profound blessings we can experience come from the family. 

     As the only member of the LDS church in my family, it may seem like this definition isn't exactly the best fit for my outlook of missionary service... and if that was your thought, yeah I'd say you'd be right. I think that a lot of people think it's crazy for someone to be totally off the grid, facebook, e-mail, smartphone - free for 18 months!?! Only being able to e-mail family members once a week, and talk to them only on Christmas and Mother's day? Yeah, it sounds pretty crazy, but it's not my work I'm going to be doing it's the Lord's work. I find my reasons to serve rooted in the next three scriptures, the first two explain my faith, and the last one my strength and confidence:

     Moses 1:39- "For behold this is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." 

     John 3:17- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

     2Tim 1:6-10 - "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

     I know that Heavenly Father knows and cares about each and every single one of His children. He wants us to know the goodness and potential that we have, and obtain a desire to work to become the best we can be. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, and that it is through His grace and mercy that I, personally, have been able to slowly become a little bit better every day. The gospel is simple, and it is true. Heavenly Father loves His children, His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ came to the earth to atone for our sins, and it is through our acceptance of Him that we can use His power to make the changes we need to in our lives so that we can one day return to live with our Heavenly Father again. My God is loving, merciful, kind, and just; He knows what we need, and His timing is perfect (especially if we aren't feeling it... kinda like that saying "If you wanna make God laugh just tell Him your plan." yeah, there's definitely some truth in that). Heavenly Father knows how to succor His children, even if it doesn't seem like love to us when He lets us go through those difficult times to make us stronger.

     2Tim 1:6-10 is probably my favorite passage of scripture in the entire standard works. The apostle Paul is writing to his son Timothy, and is reminding him that he has been given gifts from God, that even though fear is natural, that Heavenly Father has given us power, love and soundness of mind. With these gifts, we should not be ashamed of our testimony of Him, and part of that requires us to partake in uncomfortable afflictions. But the best part is that we are never left alone, because God is always with us. We can do no work on our own, only through Him. It's through Christ, through His gospel, that we can truly, truly, progress, and obtain eternal life.
     I think everyone should question themselves on a daily basis, and give serious thought as to how they are living their lives. When I've felt fear, or temptation to stray from the gospel, I've taken the time to ask myself "Do you seriously believe in this?" As I prepare to partake of the sacrament, and review the promises I've covenanted with the Lord I think to myself "So you're in this for life huh?" And when I sit down to read my scriptures every day when I could be studying for a test, or sleeping in, I ask myself "Is this really how you want to spend your time?" I don't always get a positive answer when I'm being honest (especially with the morning scripture study, it's hard for me to get to sleep as it is...), but in the end I know that even though it's hard, and even though I'm weird, (let's be honest Mormons are pretty weird, and I was way weird before I was a member...) I know I'm living my life in a way that I'm being the best me I can be. Even with all my imperfections, unhappiness, and clear shortcomings, Heavenly Father provides a way!

      So over the past couple of months, as I was waiting in agony to get my call, feeling absolutely alone and forgotten at some times, to the day I got my call, the evening I was able to go through the temple, and the past few weeks I've been so terrified to go to a new place where I don't know anyone, and I'm going to be the most stationary I've ever been in my entire life (meaning no traveling), I've asked myself again and again "Why did you sign up for this?" I want to bring people closer to Christ and share the gospel in the way that Heavenly Father has provided me (I've always done stuff my own way, and I'll have the rest of my life to make up my own schedule). I want people to learn about their greatness from His perspective. The world teaches us that we need recognition from others to be great, which I think keeps us from fully being able to accept ourselves. I know that the greatness we can achieve doesn't need to immortalize our names in any history book, but greatness comes as we take upon ourselves an eternal perspective. Then, we can share this love, and confidence with others. Christ is my rock, my Redeemer, the reason that I am alive today, and I want to sacrifice a bit of my time and my desires to understand His life a little bit more, and to share that understanding with others. I know there is a living prophet on the earth today, Thomas Spencer Monson who is the President of our church. A church that was restored by Joseph Smith, who saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in a grove of trees when he was only 14 years old.
     I want to go share the gospel because it is simple, and it is true. I don't have all the answers, and I know that I don't need all of them, because the truth is simple. Heavenly Father loves me, He knows me, and He wants me to return to Him. This is true for everyone, and I want to teach those who are willing to learn, testify to those who can hear, and just generally try to be a good influence to the people I have the privileged of interacting with in this life. My whole life-career goals are centered around helping people become their best them by forsaking things that are holding them back (helping teenagers with substance use/abuse/addiction issues). My deepest desire in life is to help people see their own personal goodness and the goodness in those around them through all of the negative crap that weighs upon us in this life. I want people to make positive changes in the world, and understand that there is more to life than "greatness" or money or the next awesome fruit phone. You are your most important investment, and your purpose has no earthly value.

     So Lubbock, watch out! Sister Lagrosa is on her way! June 5th is when the adventure begins. :)

Love, Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Play With a Purpose :)

Okay, so this post has been a long time coming... Over spring semester my SFL 100 professor said something that struck me:
"You are young, you have to play! But you need to help others too, play with a purpose!"

He was speaking of our choices of study abroad programs, summer plans, etc. so that we may be able to help those around us, and just generally be productive members of society. And lately this (below) has been my life.

I'm in a philosophy class, and in preparation for a quiz that I very well might completely fail I've been creating a study guide, going over notes... like ACTUAL studying stuff! Kray. I know. :P

But, a two things have stuck out to me. One was The Cambridge Platonists' idea of innate ideas. They rejected Cartesian beliefs of Tabula Rasa and substituted it for the idea that your mind is a closed book, which your senses merely open, there are many innate things just part of you innately. The second thing that has stuck out to me is the big debate over whether or not God exists... which, I'm sure, will continue until the End actually comes. :P

And the third thing that has spawned this musing of thoughts is from a recent-ish General Conference talk. Elder D. Todd Christofferson said this (actually quoting Elder Evans): "'Life offers you two precious gifts --one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will. You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. you may invest it in greed.... Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction. Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for. And it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement. And your eternal reward will be according to your choosing.'"

Time is so interesting to me. I feel like everything I'm doing is helping me to grow towards what I want to become, and that I'm playing with a purpose, learning leadership skills, and picking up awesome random nuggets of AWESOME (like organizational skills... I'm organizing a team of researchers as part of my job in the Counseling Center right now, and the reason I can have the confidence to perform well with this responsibility is because I've DONE it!)... so yeah anyways, idk...

I still sometimes wonder if I've squandered some of my youth by doing to much...

or if I've just done well preparing for the future...

In either case, I do know that I'm walking by faith.

2 Cor 5:7


<3 p="p">God is Great, Life is Good, People are Crazy

Elder Christofferson's Talk:  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/reflections-on-a-consecrated-life?lang=eng&query=reflections+consecrated+life

Humble Pie: Fall 2012

So I thought my semester would be looking a little more like this:

21-ish credits

3 jobs

2 intramurals

and my 2-ish year plan would look a little bit like this:

Sept-Dec 2012: School

January 2013: Mission Papers

March-ish 2013 to September-ish 2014: Serve a mission

September-ish 2014-April 2015: Apply to graduate school and finish up college

 and my graduation diploma would look a little more like this:

Heather Ann Lagrosa:

Psychology BS

Family Life Minor

English Minor

But at some point during this crazy kray-kray summer I've learned a little bit more about how I can listen to the Lord, and I've had more opportunities to act upon the promptings of the Spirit. I got to experience a different kind of goodness and happiness, because I desired to align my will with the Lord's. However, when school plans were coming back around, I kindof forgot a little bit about what I learned this summer... luckily though, for me, I have some great influences in my life who have reminded me of Who my blessings come from in the moments that I seem to forget, so I got my head on track a little bit, and put my heart and mind into prayer. I wish I could say that I recieved an answer immediately and am 100% happy and pleased with my new plan, but it took some time. Granted it is only the 2nd day of school, but I've been pondering for awhile (for those of you who don't know my OCD tendencies for planning/numbers/colorcoding/scheduling by some of my posts... well, I spend a great deal of time making plans and considering options... thats why I find time to make myself more busy! :P)... and anyway, I've been feeling peaceful about cutting back even if it is a little bit.

So now my plans look like this:

Fall 2012:

18 credits (2 audited, 3 online)

3 jobs

2 intramurals

2ish year plan:

September 2012 -April 2013: get my undergraduate

January 2012: turn in my mission papers

April-ish 2013- October-ish 2014: Serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

October-ish 2013- January 2014: Apply to graduate school and find some work :)

and my diploma:

Heather Ann Lagrosa

Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Minor in Family Life

      I want more than anything in the world right now to just go an serve a mission, but I know that I won't be able to do my best without listening to what Heavenly Father wants me to do. As I prepare to give 100% of my time to Him for a short 18 months, I need to give 100% of my life to Him. I know I can be a missionary for my Father in Heaven without a black nametag. I know that when Sister Beck said this in her April 2010 General Conference address: "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life", she was truly inspired. It's one thing to hear something and know it is ture, it is entirely another to let that truth change you, and transform you into a better person. 

     I am grateful that I know Who my strength comes from, and that I can talk with my Heavenly Father whenever I want... He always listens. I love the Lord, and I know with all of my heart that I am loved by Him. In Shakespear's Twelfth Night that says: "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them". There is another quote that states: 

     "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. it is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. your playing a small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."  -- Marianne Williamson in Return to Love

We all have greatness inside of us... now just because eveyone has greatness, doesn't mean that everyone is great. The choice to become is an individual one that has to be made with true intent.

<3 p="p">

"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better"

Look Up! :D

      In a recent conference talk Elder Carl B. Cook of the Seventy said this after describing an encounter he had with President Monson in an elevator: "I was burdened and my head was down. As the prophet spoke, I looked to him. He redirected my focus to look up to God, where I could be healed and strengthened through Christ's Atonement. That is what prophets do for us. They lead us to God."
    Revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the 6th section of the Doctrine and Covenants states:
"33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
35 Behold I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.
36 Look unto me in every though; doubt not, fear not.
37 Behold the wounds which pierced by side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen."

     I am so grateful to be able to say that I have faith in God, my Heavenly Father, who strengthens me in everything I do. I'm grateful that I can look up for guidance, that I have a perfect example to emulate my motivations after, and that I have no reason to fear because of the rock upon which I am built. I love my Savior, I love my Father in Heaven, and I'm grateful for the confidence that I have been blessed with. I know that I am not perfect, but I also know how to strive for perfection. I know I'm better off at the bottom of the mountain, bruised form a fall, looking up toward the peak, than 3 meters from the summit contemplating turning around. I know the hope that comes with a will to do good. I know the healing power of Jesus Christ's Atonement, I have experienced it first hand. And, I know that change is a process to be taken one step, one moment, one breath at a time.

God is great, life is good, and people are crazy! :)