Sunshine and Shadow

When of the questions I get most often when I talk of God love is "if God really loved us, why would He allow bad things to happen?" Followed by a slew of examples of pain and suffering in the world. I even find myself asking this same question, when times are hard or huge calamities strike my heart seems to scream "how could a loving God allow this?"
This question can be answered in so many ways to show that god really does exist and love us. The one that I find the most beautiful is that Gods "work and geology is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man!" (Moses 1:39) God does not want to hurt us but to help us.
Just as a teacher doesn't give you a hard assignment to make your life terrible and make it so you can't do anything, but a teachers wants you to grow and learn and understand. God is the same, He is the prefect teacher who allows all things so that we may continue to learn and grow.
I am not suggesting that God creates all the heart ache I'm the world or that He enjoys it, but rather that in His infinite love and understanding He allows all things to happen. He lets us have days that seem impossible to get throughout, and days that seem to good to be true, all because He love us!
I pray that as you face life with all the rainy days and the sunshine that you will feel God near guiding you and showing you His love :)

Here comes valentines day!

A present was set on the table in front of each of us, I was so excited! The gift bag was as big as I was! We were then given permission to open the gift, we all pulled out cards, stuffed animals and candy! We spent the rest of the evening together as a family, eating a great dinner, watching a movie, playing games, and simply talking :)

This is how my valentines day has always been, something simple and a day to remember those who I love, especially my family!

With a new year begun the next holiday to come is Valentines day. Most people go out with their significant other and enjoy a lovely evening, or sit at hope wishing such a holiday never existed..... I have always loved valentines day!
I remember going out with the family and opening up valentines gifts from my parents. As valentines day start to roll around think about those people who surround you and your love for them. Then do something to show that love :)

With In The Crowd

Our families favorite run away was California! We would spend every free few days down at the beach, in the New Port Temple and of course at 'The Happiest Place On Earth!' Disneyland!!
I love pretending like am 5 again and simply enjoying life. I get to wear Minnie Mouse ears and be with my family and eat as many Churros as I can fit in my stomach! And of course see my favorite princesses, ride through fictional lands AND spend all day surrounded by thousands of strangers! The park is always packed with people from 2 weeks old to 100. They come in all sizes and colors, from all nationalities and back rounds. For most people this is the only down side to Disneyland, and for me it was as well for a long time, until one day my dad said something.
We were standing in line for a ride, I don't remember which one, but the wait was long. The family laughed and chatted about one thing to the next, we probably touched the statues along the way, tossed pennies in fountains and were rather loud and wild! Then my dad in amazement looked at us and said "isn't it amazing to think about all of these people, and know that God knows and loves each of them?" And the long conversation began of how God knows all that we go through and takes care of each of us.
Now when I'm in a crowd of people I think of that simple conversation. I always begin to wonder how it all works, and each time I do I feel Gods love and am reminded that He can do anything! Remember that God knows and loves you! Even with the millions of others who surround us, He knows each of us individually and personally!
Next time you stand in a crowd of people take a moment to think about Gods love and feel that He truly cares for His children :)

The Year Begins!

Yeah y'all! New we've all began out the year right... Haha hopefully you haven't giving into the sugar eating and sleeping in yet ;)

As I've been thinking of past years and setting goals I've been reminded of the miracles I've witnessed in my life. Just this morning I struggled to read a sentence as was reminded of the blessing I've received to be able to read. I thought of the long days standing in strange positions and holding books upside down in an attempt to read through an entire page. I often became overwhelmed and thought that I would never read. Many times I even thought of giving up... But the world requires reading to do everything! So I spent many hours studying, trying and PRAYING!!!
Finally I could read a page of text in about 20 minutes :) this was a huge victory for me, but homework still took all night and I wanted to be better. Knowing that I could do it I went to the internet and read more of ways others had overcome the same struggle, we found me a tutor and it started to become easier.
I got to the point where I could read! ... Or to me I could read, I was still half as fast as the slowest kid in class and I had to read everything more than once. But I made it and I was perfect with where I had gotten :)
I thought that would be the end for the rest of my life. Then.... One day the miracle happened. I was asked to read allowed to test my reading as I was studying to serve my mission. Confident in knowing that I'd be slow and half to stop I read the few paragraphs of scripture nearly perfectly! And sense that day just a few months ago I can read the same as anyone else. Every once and a while I wonder if this will continue after my mission but I remember that it doesn't really matter.

Because what does matter is what I've learned!
We all have things that we struggle with physically, spiritually and mentally. We try and try and try again, and all too often we feel as though it's impossible and that we should give up. But we keep trying because we need to. Then comes the miracle ... As we try as hard as we can, do all we can and involve The Lord what "seems difficult becomes possible, and that which seems only possible becomes habit!"
Whatever you are struggling with, whatever goal you want to reach this year involve God and keep trying and you will witness a miracle!

Happy New Year! :)

I love how we are given the opportunity to begin a new. It is through our Savior that this is possible. There are so many things that I wish to never look back on, mistakes I've made, when I didn't do my best and every time I've fallen short. At the start of each new year we make new goals and leave old habits behind us, we move on to a better future :) this year as you make new goals don't look back, the excitement of the new year will fade out fast but continue to move forward!  Let us each day kneel and ask God to help us be better. Each week as we partake of the sacrament let us move forward with understanding of our Saviors love and the promise that we can move forward. And with that promise ever real and present don't look back! This year we will move to a magnificent future :) with our Savior as our guide!

My 2014 Bucket List!

I LOVE MY FAMILY! :)

Anyone who knows me knows that I absolutely love family history! To me there is no better way to spend a free hour then to read a story of those who have gone on before me! Today in church our Bishop talked about that He had made a bucket list.... a spiritual bucket list for the upcoming year! one thing on his list was family history! I am going to begin my spiritual bucket list tonight, the first thing on it will be family history :) I want to find one of my ancestors who has been 'lost' and join them into the family line!
Start you spiritual bucket list for the year 2014! What is the first thing on yours?

The Christ Child

Just a few short weeks ago I received my first Christmas gift from a sweet member of the ward where I am serving. I opened it excitedly, inside was a cute little nativity set which I placed on my study desk. I look at the nativity set several times a day and think of what it means! It's amazing to me how amidst all the hidden symbols of Christ's birth at this holiday season that nearly every home has this reminder of why we celebrate Christmas, it takes no explaining to know why it tells of Christ, you don't need to think to deep to feel the saviors love as you admire this decoration. You simply look at it and see the humble little family, and our Savior newly assented down to earth for each of us :)
I pray that each of us will look to that simple scene of that holy night which we celebrate this day and remember all that it meant for this baby to come into the world on this Holy Night ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS :) (a little late ;) )