The Reflection in the Water

Please read this post. It is written by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and is positively phenomenal for all. Yes. This one is specific to the CES young adults, but I bet, if you try, you can find some precious and eternal truths even if it does not directly apply to you.

 It is rather long, so plan accordingly. I promise it will help bring peace and healing to your soul.

Read it here

Some quotes I love:

But Shakespeare was wrong — "To be, or not to be" is not the question at all. There are other options beyond that simple contradiction. For my taste, I'd have Hamlet turn to the audience and say: "Knowing that I am a child of God, what need I do and be to live up to this potential? That is the question." Now, I understand that such an edit would hopelessly ruin one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time. Nevertheless, if I were writing a script for you, that is how I would word it.

Discovering who we really are is part of this great adventure called life. Mankind's greatest minds have wrestled endlessly with these questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What happens after we die? And how does all this fit together — how does it make sense?

Once we begin to understand the answers to these questions — not with the mind only, but with the heart and the soul — we will begin to understand who we are, and we will feel like the wanderer who is finally finding home. We will feel like the young swan who has discovered at last who he really is. Everything finally makes sense.

The challenge is that the answers to these questions are simply beyond man's earthly capacity to logically determine. Questions that reach into spiritual things require spiritual answers. Those who reject revelation and insist on tangible evidence can only speculate or deny that there is life before or after this mortal sphere. Consequently, they may never understand who they really are or what true purpose life has.

Another error you might easily make in dating is expecting to find perfection in the person you are with. The truth is, the only perfect people you might know are those you don't know very well. Everyone has imperfections. Now, I'm not suggesting you lower your standards and marry someone with whom you can't be happy. But one of the things I've realized as I've matured in life is that if someone is willing to accept me — imperfect as I am — then I should be willing to be patient with others' imperfections as well. Since you won't find perfection in your partner, and your partner won't find it in you, your only chance at perfection is in creating perfection together.

There are those who do not marry because they feel a lack of "magic" in the relationship. By "magic" I assume they mean sparks of attraction. Falling in love is a wonderful feeling, and I would never counsel you to marry someone you do not love. Nevertheless — and here is another thing that is sometimes hard to accept — that magic sparkle needs continuous polishing. When the magic endures in a relationship, it's because the couple made it happen, not because it mystically appeared due to some cosmic force.

Remember that there is "a time to weep" but also "a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." If your heart has been heavy for a while, perhaps it is time to allow the light of the Son of God into your heart. I plead with you — just look into the water and see your true reflection! Realize the purpose for which you were created! Lift your face toward the far horizon!

It is well for you to laugh! It is well for you to be happy! Lift up your voices and "praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving."

You don't need to wait for permission to fill your hearts with thanksgiving and happiness. You can do this nicely on your own. 

There will always be voices telling you that you are foolish to believe that you are swans, insisting you are but ugly ducklings and that you can't expect to become anything else.

But you know better. Because of the revealed word of a merciful God, you have seen your true reflection in the water and you have felt the eternal glory of that divine spirit within you. You are no ordinary beings, my beloved young friends all around the world. You are glorious and eternal.

No matter your circumstances or trials in life, I urge you to remember who you are, where you came from, and where you are going — for the answers to those questions will truly provide confidence and direction for your life.

Ok. That is all I am going to post on here. Choose to go read the rest of it. It's amazing.

Upcoming Posts

In the next few days, I expect to be posting a lot. I really truly want as many people to read what I post as can possibly happen. Here is why: I am not the author of what I will write, though, I reserve the right to add my commentary.

I just finished Spring Cleaning :) And during this, I found a wonderful stash of notes, past conference talks, letters, etc.

I saved them for a reason. They are amazing. So. I want to share them with you, now that I have a way to do so. Please read and share as you wish.

At Church Today

I just started a new blog, which is going to be my journal for promptings and other thoughts that I had while in my church. This is to avoid just sitting in church, and not just going through the motions. I once heard a quote that says: 

"Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car."

Learning and growth is an active process. I desperately need to heed my own advice from this blog, to truly act and remember and look at myself, see how I'm doing. I don't want to just ask the questions to others. I struggle so often, and I need to critically look and see how I'm doing, and choose something each day to work on.

So, I have posted some of my older notes from church, and will continue to do so each week, so that I am actively listening and accountable to pay attention and learn continually.

Hold Your Peace

In the first video I posted below, one line stuck out to me more than the others. It relates to how the Savior held His peace. This Easter, and always, may we hold our peace close to our hearts, and remember to try a little harder to be a little better.

The Savior held His peace. He treasured and recognized its worth and did not let it out of His heart, nor give way to the trials and persecution around Him.  One day at a time, we can become more like Him. 

Remember His divine Atonement and its infinite power to heal even your broken heart. He lived for us. He died for us, and He lives again, to bring to pass His work and glory, the immortality and eternal life of man. Remember to follow Him a little more steadfastly today. 


"Our Savior lived again. The most glorious, comforting, and reassuring of all events of human history had taken place-the victory over death. The pain and agony of Gethsemane and Calvary had been wiped away. The salvation of mankind had been secured. The Fall of Adam had been reclaimed. The empty tomb that first Easter morning was the answer to Job's question, 'If a man die, shall he live again?' To all within the sound of my voice, I declare, If a man die, he shall live again. We know for we have the light of revealed truth." --President Thomas S. Monson

(a Prophet's testimony)

I know that my Redeemer Lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives. 

He lives, He lives who once was dead;

He lives, my ever living head.

He lives to bless me with His love

e lives to plead for me above.

He lives, my hungry soul to feed

He lives to bless in time of need

He lives to wipe away my tears

He lives to calm my troubled heart

He lives and loves me to the end

He lives, and while He lives I'll sing

He lives, all glory to His name

He lives, my Savior still the same

Oh sweet, the joy this sentence gives

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives

I Know that My Redeemer Lives

  (MOTAB singing this Hymn)

Struggle: Choose to Be Happy

This is something I struggle with, and I think it is a common struggle. But, I also think it is possible to improve.


Choosing to be happy is as easy as you let it be. I have tried to fake it till I make it, but I want to suggest something better. When I fake being happy, I constantly remember why I am not actually happy, I dwell on it internally, and consequently can never make it to true happiness.

Choose to be happy instead. We are in charge of our mood. I find that I often don't believe it is this easy- but it is. You may have to keep making that choice, over and over, and over again, but keep choosing it. Choose to be happy despite whatever it is that is trying to convince you to stay unhappy.

What if I don't want to be happy? Hmm.. That's a legitimate feeling, that I've also felt... There are two reasons I can think of. Obviously, in life circumstances come up that you can't just brush them off, it would deny the amazing learning experience, and the true feelings that are just as important as being happy. You will have trials, you will have pain, and it would be foolish and naive to suggest that these are not important and necessary. 


Here's the thing though. The other, more common reason people feel this way, is because they are usually selfish. I have been experiencing this today. And, it's not worth it, even when I stubbornly want to stay mad or annoyed at circumstances in my life. It's not worth it for you either. Let's both remember, and choose to be happy. Why would I keep choosing to be upset? I don't enjoy it. So, when I remember this, it's easier for me to set it aside.

I just think, there comes a point where eventually you just have to choose to be happy. Choose to see past the trouble, and be at peace in the storm. You may not be able to control the outer storm raging upon you, but with the help of Christ and His healing, infinite Atonement, you can find a way to be happy, by simply choosing to try.

Maybe we need to remember what happiness truly is. I don't have the space to both keep your attention and explain what I think, but maybe there is more to being happy than smiling all the time. Just think about it, and what it means to you to be happy.

Look at the good things, recognize what the Lord has done for you. Today, I witnessed a glorious sunset, my favorite kinds, and I allowed part of my bad mood drift away. Just take it a step at a time. We'll both get better at this.

And on a lighter note, check this out, my friend posted it on their wall. It will help keep your mind off whatever you are currently letting hold you down. (**PS one of the picture's caption swears, and I don't approve that, just ignore it if you can and choose to be happy in spite of it :)  )
 http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/13-simple-steps-to-get-you-through-a-rough-day

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Are your moods correlated with the weather? Sometimes I think the weather is a better descriptor of my mood than a mood ring <--song on YouTube, unrelated to post. And For the record, I am not currently in a storm, but I have in the past noticed a strong correlation ;)

Why is the rain symbolic of sadness? Is it the similarity of rain drops and tear drops? Probably. Why are we depressed when we learn it is going to rain? Ok. Maybe you are not, but I hear it a lot, from different people, and feel the same way often. 

I think it is really interesting, because not only do we need the change to rain to appreciate the sun light, we also desperately need the rain to be just what it is, rain. It cleanses and helps the world grow and recover. 

We need rain and we need trials and sadness. Not just so we can appreciate the good times, but to help us become aware of ourselves, to help us remember what matters most and to realign ourselves with it.

So, yes. Maybe it is metaphorically and literally storming inside and outside of your heart. Let it. Let yourself feel the power of the storm and remember there is a God who not only is in complete control, but who loves you so much that He promises that the storm will end and you will be so much stronger because of it.

For the record, there is a ton of gorgeous pictures of rain. I have been reading up on copyright law, so I took them down. Sorry.

Influence

Choose your surroundings wisely, for they truly help develop your character.

Now, try to just think about what I am saying. I don’t want to offend you, I don’t want to tear down the things you hold dear, I just want to help you remember an important truth. Little things matter. And, just because we can’t see in black and white their influence, does not mean that they don’t affect us. Ok? Are we still on the same page?

I want to share an example of how people don’t seem to agree, and maybe you won’t either. Or, maybe you will agree that it affects others, but you won’t believe it changes you. The scientific and religious debate is united in this matter. Media influences who we are.  

For example, last fall, I started writing a paper on aggression and the media. Every time I mentioned to someone that I was writing a paper on violence and the media, they got extremely defensive. They assured me that it didn’t affect them because they “were not mass murderers” or that they were not violent people.

I have done a lot of research in this matter, reading tons of studies, working with professors who study this trend, and my own observations. There seem to be 5 main reasons that people don’t believe media affects them. They rationalize it away because of different reasons, mainly because they like it and don’t want to give it up; they are not bad people so it cannot be in anyway negative. Second, as already described, they agree that it affects others, but they don’t see it in themselves. Third, over time, the affects and meaning are lost on them because of desensitization. Another one is the media itself. The media is a great source for keeping people accountable for their actions by making them known to the general public. However, when the media might be the negative source, they are understandably defensive and do not publish the information truly objectively. Instead, they ignore the problem or repeat over and over that their message that the decades of research and documentation have no merit, and people don’t get to hear the other side. Finally, people misunderstand psychological processes; mainly that violent media does not change them in ways they expect. I am not in any way saying that by watching violent media, you will become a serial killer, or anything like that. I cannot adequately and yet briefly explain here how exposure to violent media affects the thoughts, feelings, biology, and regard of others.    This blog is not about that.

Instead, this blog is about helping us remember. I chose this example because I am personally acquainted with it. It has become apparent to me that we often don’t take time to listen and notice things about ourselves. We don’t see a before/after view of ourselves, and the little things just keep coming. They shape us for good and for ill. The idea I want to leave with you is to stop drifting along in the river of life. Actively choose where you want to go and how you will get there. Pay careful attention to things in your life, for they truly are influencing you, and shaping your character. Remember to notice. Remember that little things matter and affect you similarly to how they affect others.  

Little things matter. Little choices on a day-to-day basis shape who we are. Remember to make the little things count and help you stay on the path leading you where you want to go.