monday musing #30

What a fabulous Sabbath Day! It's always good to be home, especially on the Sunday before Christmas. I had the opportunity to attend two Sacrament meetings today and I was so grateful! I absolutely love all the Christmas hymns. 

I thought a lot about our Savior. Obviously He is the reason for the season. 

I thought about how I gained my testimony of the Savior. Here are two experiences that stuck out today:

I was in 9th grade. It was my first on-stage production. Savior of the World. His Birth and Resurrection. What an amazing experience that was. By the end of all the rehearsals, we basically had everyone's lines memorized from listening to them so many times. We had seen the scenes acted out over and over again. Sometimes the spirit was stronger than others. Sometimes instead of paying attention we tried to do our homework or laughed a little too loudly with our friends. But through the whole process; day one of rehearsal to the curtain at the end of the final show, I came to know my Savior. I really learned the scriptures that were quoted, I understood the role of each character in that first Christmas story, I came to know more about His life and His teachings, and how He is the center of everything. I came to know He lives and I came to know that He will come again. I will never forget one special moment where the whole cast was kneeling down, hands up, eyes gazing into heaven, and the special words that we sung. The spirit overpowered everyone in the room and emotions started pouring out as we sat there in wonder and awe. 

Come Lord Jesus, to the manger;

may we see thy tender face?

Great Creator, here a stranger, 

infant in this humble place.

Come Lord Jesus great Redeemer, 

light of morning from the east.

We will be thy children ever,

dry our tears, all weeping cease.

Come in glory, to the earth

Come to us to rule and reign.

Ready us to kneel and greet thee

Come Lord Jesus Come.

Jesus, once of humble birth,

now in glory comes to earth.

Once he suffered grief and pain;

Now he comes on earth to reign.

Now he comes on earth to reign.

One year ago, I was in Decatur, Alabama and I had the opportunity to testify of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The experience in the musical was still with me. It was the first time I can actually remember knowing that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I never valued the true meaning of Christmas more than I did as a full-time missionary. It was a really special time in my life to share that sweet message with others. A message of hope, joy, peace, and light. As a missionary I came to know my Savior even deeper. The trials were many as I endured a lot of pain, sadness, and confusion. I often wondered, "Why me??" The desire that I had my whole life to serve was being thwarted by something I couldn't control. And that's when I really came to learn about my Savior's love. He has been there. He has felt it all (and more). He still believed in me and LOVES me. And most importantly, He was there to help me every step of the way as long as I came unto Him. I like to think that I went through my own little Gethsemane. I got to tap into a small portion of the pain and suffering the Savior experienced for all mankind. And through it all, I became a better person. A stronger one. Someone who has more compassion and understanding, an unwavering testimony, and a desire to continue on despite difficulties put in our path. And that, my friends, is what the Savior can do for each one of us. 

He lived. He died, And He rose again.

Carve this message on your heart. Make it a part of you. Share it with others. Testify with the spirit and they will know it's true. 

Have a wonderful week and continue to embrace the gift.

with all my love,

Mary

monday musing #29

We'll Bring the World His Truth

Ok, I love missionaries. Like a lot.

Today I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is such a blessing. I was just loving church today. Fo real. It felt so good to be there. To partake of the Sacrament, to think about my Savior, and to reflect on how I can improve. 

The gospel brings so much joy into our lives. It provides a simple path to return to our Father in Heaven. It teaches us about loving those around us. It lifts us when we're down. It's the answer to pretty much everything. 

Your scripture for the day:

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." --2 Timothy 1:6-7

Preach on. 

The work is working.

Fight the good fight.

[insert any other good tagline that you've shared with me]

I love YOU.

♥mary 

the cute people I work with :)

my cute friend that came home :)

monday musing #28

D E A R   S I S T E R S

It's that time of year. The most wonderful time of year! And this year, there are many reasons that make it so. 

 number one. 

the birth of our Savior (and all other things Christmas)

number two. 

so many of my favorite missionaries come home!!!

I know so much can happen in 18 months, but at the same time, it seems like not much has changed at all. And pretty soon this mission life of yours will feel like a dream. Of course, the people you taught and loved will still be real, the companions that you learned so much from become some of your best girl friends, and any time you hear anything about that place where you've spent this year and a half living, your heart just about stops and a big grin immediately appears on your face. But other than that, life is pretty much normal Ü

Now. For all of you who have a little bit longer to go. Fear not. You're just as important (maybe even more so) cuz y'all are the ones that will still be out there preachin' the good word. And I will still be your #1 fan until the day you come home too! 

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to Salt Lake. Not once, but twice. It was magical. But seriously. The city is one of my most favorite places in the whole wide world. Throw in a tree and jolly tune and I'm done for. 

If you had been there you would've seen me pointing at the temple and yelling "I'm getting married there!", hablaring with the Hermanas, staring in awe at the scenery, running up the escalator to get there just a bit quicker, and of course, taking pictures. After the excitement had worn off and I was at home, laying in my bed, I had a few thoughts. 

{Stand in holy places}

The minute you walk onto Temple Square you can feel the Spirit. The feeling never gets old. Also, the lights. They are so bright and beautiful! Kinda like the Savior. He is a light unto the world. 

I'm sure y'all have seen the new Christmas video. I showed it to my girls today and then asked them two questions.

--How can you discover, embrace, and #sharethegift?--

--What can you do to make Christ the center of your Christmas this year?--

Have a very fabulous week! I'll be praying for you as always!

love, mary

He's in Peru! 

Sometimes when there's a disaster you have to label yourself so everyone knows you're not dead #RAlife

Love these cute kids! 

monday musing #27

Happy December!

I hope y'all had a fabulous week like I did!

My week was filled with all things missionary! We had the assistants over for thanksgiving and I couldn't help but think of one year ago when it was my first day in Decatur, Alabama and the houses that we went to and all the people I got to meet. Oh, and the freezing cold weather haha! It's crazy how much can happen in a year!

I also had a friend receive his mission call. It's so amazing to me to see the gospel really change someone's life and then see them have that desire to share it with others.

And we went to play dodgeball at the church with the fam bam and the new missionaries and their trainers were there for a meeting. It's always fun to see missionary gatherings!

And then yesterday, my cute brother gave his farewell talk. How he got old enough to be a missionary is beyond me! Here's a short thought from his talk.
He told the story of a boy named Benjamin who was an accomplished violinist. He played it so much that his mom had to lock it up sometimes until he finished his chores. When he got older he went down to salt lake to audition for a spot in the regional orchestra. They said he was the best hey had ever seen. By this time, he was around 19. When he returned back home his bishop talked to him about serving a mission and he knew that's what he needed to do. So he put off playing in the orchestra and fulfilling his dream. Well his family didn't have enough money to pay for his mission and he didn't want his mom to sell any land from their farm. She told him that the only other thing of value that they had was his violin. So the next day he played it all day and then it was sold. He left on his mission and years later said it was the best decision he ever made.

This story really impacted my brother when he was about 12 years old because of the sacrifice this young man made. He gave up the one thing he loved for the God he loved even more. From this point on, Jacob knew that he wanted to serve mission.

I am so grateful for the example of my little brother and for his desire to serve. He has such a strong testimony and love for the gospel. He always looking for opportunities to help those around him and be kind to those in need. I'm going to miss him like crazy but Peru is one lucky country!

Thank you all for your service as well and for sharing your experience with me!

grateful thirty

Today I am grateful for missionary work and for my cute brother. He did an amazing job on his farewell talk today and I couldn't be more proud of him. Still hard to believe he's actually leaving, but Peru is so lucky to be getting one amazing missionary! He has such a strong testimony and is seriously one of the nicest, most helpful young men I've ever met. It has been so fun this week to watch him interact with those around him. I'm super excited to hear about all his adventures and glad that we were able to be home to share this special weekend with him. I'll miss you Jakey!

grateful twenty nine

I am grateful for my cute family! They are pretty much the best! Today we ventured out into the freezing cold and took some family pictures. #soworthit But freezing nonetheless. Everyone was such good sports about it though and we got some really cute ones! We laughed a lot, the wind was blowing in our faces, and we definitely stood in the middle of the road. It's so crazy to me to see how everyone is getting so big. When did that happen? Also, just trying not to think about saying 'see ya later' to Jacob in two short days...

I wouldn't trade these people for anything! Love them!

grateful twenty eight

Today I am grateful for family games! We went to the church today and played dodgeball and basketball. It was a blast! It is always so fun when the family gets together and we can just have some good, wholesome fun! They were games that everyone could get involved in and we loved our time together!

grateful twenty seven

It's Thanksgiving day! I am grateful for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! It is my tradition to sit on the couch and watch it each Thanksgiving morning. I love it! Hopefully I'll be able to see it in real life someday. There is such an energy in the city and it's always fun to see what's been popular in entertainment that year and to enjoy music, dancing, acting, bands, floats, giant balloons, and lots of commentary! My day wouldn't be the same without it!

grateful twenty-six

Today I am grateful for art. I went to the Tacoma Art Museum with some good friends today and the thing that I noticed the most is that you can really do anything and call it a piece of art. There were so many different materials used! I wondered what the artists were thinking as they did their piece or what the motivation was behind it. Most of the most exciting things was that there was a group of teachers there getting a tour and they were talking about ways to incorporate it into their classrooms. Basically everything I've been learning this semester! Arts integration is so important! So it was good to get a little educated :)

LOVE downtown Tacoma and this cute girl!

teaching moment haha :)

grateful twenty-five

Today I am grateful for warm fires. There is seriously nothing like coming home to warmth in the fireplace. The flames ablaze and the sparks as it crackles and pops. Whether you're reading a book, playing a game, watching a movie, or just relaxing, it is quite divine. We had a fire when I came home today and then when we were at grandma's, I fell asleep to by the fire. mmm, it was wonderful ;)

grateful twenty-four

Today I am grateful for relaxation. I didn't have much to do today (besides homework). It was so nice to just chill and enjoy the cuddling up on the couch and not having any pressing demands. I wish I could've just read a good book, but with the end of the semester fast approaching, I had to get some work done. boo. Occasionally, it's really quite nice to have nothing on the agenda.

monday musing #26

Today will be brief but I just wanted to share a little something that I learned at church today. I went to two relief societies and both has the same lesson based on Elder Oaks' talk from conference, loving others and living with differences.

All I could think about during the lesson was serving missions and how applicable this is. Really what it comes down to is

charity, loving those that are hard to love

being humble, recognizing that maybe you don't know everything and doing a little more to see their point of view

focus on your similarities, you can't build on anything if you don't have a solid foundation 

be an example, share your light in everything you do and say.

Remember the YW's theme?? 

"We will stand as witnesses of God at all times, 

and in all things, and in all places." 

Hopefully this little reminder helps as you're working with the people in your areas this week. 

grateful twenty-three

I am grateful for the sacrament. I'm grateful for a world-wide church that is unified. it doesn't matter where you go, it will always be the same. However this week was a little more special because I got to be home. There's nothing like the safety and comfort that comes from returning to your home ward and seeing familiar faces. Even though people may come and go, there are the ones that have been there forever. The ones that you grew up with. The people who have become like second family to you and the ones that you have so many memories with. I'm grateful for the opportunity we have each week to renew our covenants and to try to do better the following week. I'm also grateful for the opportunity we have to learn and to uplift each other and to focus on our Savior. What a huge blessing!

grateful twenty-two

I am grateful for the temple. Today I had the opportunity to go to the Portland temple with mi familia. We were basically the only ones in the session! It's been a couple weeks since I've gone, so it was so nice to be back in that sacred place. I'm grateful for the truths we learn there, for the knowledge of eternal families, and for the opportunity to serve those who have already passed from this life.

We were able to do sealings as well which was super special! I had never done that before so it was a great experience to be able to do it with so much of my family and made me look forward to my own sealing someday!

grateful twenty-one

Today I am grateful for transportation. Without it, I couldn't have made it home today! Even though it was quite the journey, we were safe and comfortable the whole way there. I think we often take for granted how easy it is to just hop in the car and go wherever we please. We have heat, music, seatbelts, lights, and so many other features that allow us to have a successful trip. It's really quite amazing.

grateful twenty

I am grateful for nature. It never ceases to amaze me. Especially how this whole world is so unique and you can find so much beauty wherever you go. At home, there are beautiful Evergreen trees, the Puget Sound, and lots of green. In Utah, the mountains are the highlight of course. I love taking walks, enjoying the beauty around me and taking it all in. I love all the different seasons and the diversity they bring. I just love the simple things of life and embracing all the creations of our Heavenly Father!

grateful nineteen

I am grateful for the internet. I spend an awful lot of time on here for school and I'm pretty sure nothing would be possible these days without it. It's so easy to just jump on to ask a question on google or to check your facebook or to submit an assignment on learning suite. The internet makes it possible for me to keep up my blog, watch an occasional TV show, find research, dream on pinterest, and of course so much more! What a blessing to also connect with people around the world and even share your testimony.

grateful eighteen

I am grateful for good books! I would give anything to just have all the time in the world to just curl up with a good book. There is some amazing literature out there and I'm grateful for the opportunity that I've had to explore it and enjoy it my whole life! My reading list will never get any shorter and there will never be enough time, but I'm grateful for my experience with books thus far.

monday musing #25

sooo I have this great friend named Philip. He's the most fun-loving person I know, a talented artist, and an amazing dancer. But he also has this incredible testimony and can totally lay down the law spiritually.

I visited his ward to hear his talk yesterday and I am so glad I was there! He spoke about charity. Before giving this talk, we spent the weekend discussing the topic and this is what we concluded to.

Charity is not convenient. How easy is it to love someone who loves you right back?? Pretty darn easy! When you love someone who uses you, who always wants something from you, or who criticizes you, that's when you enter the realms of charity. 

The Savior performed the ultimate act of charity by performing the atonement. It was not convenient, it was not something He necessarily wanted to do, but He loved us and He did it because it had to be done.

When we acquire the attribute of charity, we start to learn and grow. We get to tap into the atonement and become more like our Savior. It stretches us and pushes us to do more. We don't learn as much when things are easy.

Sometimes we have to give the charity that we feel we need ourselves. As the friendly snowman Olaf said (don't worry for those who haven't seen Frozen, the time will soon come ha!) "Love is putting someone else's needs before your own. Some people are worth melting for"

As the weather gets colder and as you are sacrificing your time to serve the Lord, think about the people that you can go out of your way to show the pure love of Christ to, and think of Olaf who gave everything for his friends.

You ladies are amazing and I'm so proud of the work you're doing. Have a fabulous week!

love love love
Mary

grateful seventeen

I am grateful for my job! It was a busy night in RA world, which was a good thing because it made the night go by pretty fast. Even though I feel like I've been on campus forever and am one of the oldest ones, I really do love the opportunity that I've had for the second time to have this job. It has so many amazing benefits. The most important being able to be a mentor and support and resource for the incoming freshman to BYU. I absolutely love each one of my girls with all my heart and I wouldn't be the same without them. It's so fun to watch them start this new chapter of their lives and get so excited about all the freshman things there are to do! Sometimes I wonder if I was that crazy or how I managed to get so little sleep, but I'm glad that they're embracing this time in their lives. They are so talented and involved and are great at making new friendships. It has been a blessing to me to be able to have this role and to learn how to be more of a leader, to prepare for any situation that may arise, and to put the needs of others above my own. I could go on and on about my experience here in Heritage Halls, but right now I'm grateful that tonight was the last night I have to work for two and a half weeks! Yay! Sometimes we all need a break.

grateful sixteen

I am grateful for good friends! It was such a chill Sunday and I got to spend it with some of the people that I love the most! Really, I hit the jackpot when it comes to the friend department. They are so important to me and we have made so many good memories together. We have a lot of fun, we laugh a lot, we're really silly sometimes, we have deep talks and get to know each other better, and we try to uplift each other and do our best in every aspect of our lives. I'm grateful for new friends and old friends. I'm grateful for the ones that are here at BYU with me right now, the ones that are on missions, and the ones that are at home. I'm grateful for their love and support. I'm grateful for their patience and sound advice. I could just go on and on about how amazing they all are, but just know that I love them! Today most of them just did a huge favor and listened to me tell stories. Just one of the many perks of having an El Ed major as one of your friends :) They make fun of me for it, but I'm sure they all love being treated like little kids sometimes and me recruiting them to help me with my assignments. They are all rockstars!

grateful fifteen

I am grateful for warmth. You realize just how much you love each and every toe when you feel like they're going to fall off from hypothermia after you've stood outside for hours cheering on your football team. Winter has come! Which obviously means that blankets, scarves, onesies, wool socks, and sweaters automatically become your best friends. Along with chill music, hot cocoa, and movies. And let's not forget about twinkling lights and candles. Yay! I love it all! There's just nothing quite like the feeling of being warm, as long as it's not toooo warm. If ya know what I mean.

grateful fourteen

I am grateful for different cultures! I went on a date to a cute little restaurant on Center St called Se Llama Peru. I was mostly just excited because I got to learn more about the country where my little brother will be headed in 2 WEEKS. The decor made you feel like you were right there. The waiters were awesome and didn't speak English very well so we got to practice our Espanol. Yay! I want to be immersed in another language someday! We had some very famous dishes in Peru, cerviche y pollo cuarto a la brasa. We washed it all down with some Inca Kola. Todo fue muy bien!

I'm grateful for the many opportunities that I've had to learn about the many wonderful places in the world and be able to visit a few and also learn some other languages. I love to read books, and become more educated about the history of the world and all it has to offer. It is so fascinating to learn how others live and to really understand the diversity that is here.

grateful thirteen

I am grateful for the opportunity to be happy! I went to a "celebration" tonight that ended the happiness challenge I've been doing the last 10 days. The speaker was one of my favorite people in the whole world, Brother Hank Smith. Here are the 10 habits that he talked about:

Ten things that supremely happy people do:

1.       Happy people surround themselves with other happy people. Joy is contagious. People are four times more likely to be happy in the future with happy people around them.

2.       Happy people try to be happy. When happy people don’t feel happy, they cultivate a happy thought and smile about it.

3.       Happy people spend money more on others than they spend on themselves. Givers experience what scientists call the “helper’s high.”

4.       Happy people have deep in-person conversations. Sitting down to talk about what makes a person tick is a good practice for feeling good about life.

5.       Happy people use laughter as a medicine. A good old-fashioned chuckle releases lots of good neurotransmitters. A study showed that children on average laugh 300 times a day versus adults who laugh 15 times a day.

6.       Happy people use the power of music. Researchers found that music can match the anxiety-reducing effects of massage therapy.

7.       Happy people exercise and eat a healthful diet. Eating a poor diet can contribute to depression.

8.       Happy people take the time to unplug and go outside. Uninterrupted screen time brings on depression and anxiety.

9.       Happy people get enough sleep. When people run low on sleep, they are prone to feel a lack of clarity, bad moods, and poor judgment.

10.   Happy people are spiritual.

He had us choose one to work on this week and you should too! I am grateful for the ability to create new habits and make our life what we want it to be. I am grateful for amazing teachers who help us to learn and grow. I am grateful for smiles and happy people! Life is so much better when you're smiling Ü

The Happiness Challenge: Spirituality

day 10

Spirituality Challenge: "prayer is a good medicine" --Dr. Harold Koenig

• read and study the scriptures and other sacred texts
• tend to the physical body with yoga, swimming, walking, or whatever enjoyable way possible
• volunteer and serve
• go to bed early and get up early

Today I really focused on reading the scriptures. I told my little brother that I would read the book of mormon with him this month before he leaves on his mission. Today I did a lot of listening and it was fascinating how you get the story so easily when you're just reading straight through. I absolutely the book of mormon and am so grateful that we have such easy access to it and the freedom to read it however and wherever we please. 

grateful twelve

Today I am grateful for my amazing mission president and his wife. They have changed my life for the better. They are so loving and kind and righteous and talented. They make you feel like a million bucks. They are so fun to be around. They go about doing good each and every day. I am so grateful for our relationship and for the time I've been able to spend with them. I am grateful for their examples of being Christlike and they dedication to the gospel. There is no one better qualified to serve in the south. I love them!

The Happiness Challenge: Gratitude

day nine

Gratitude Challenge: feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it!

• write a thank-you note.  you can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you letter expressing your enjoyment and appreciation of that person's impact on your life. send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. make a habit of sending at least one gratitude letter a month. once in a while, write one to yourself.
• set aside time to meditate. mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as "peace"), it is also possible to focus on what you're grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).
• count your blessings! at the end of the day, write down three to five things from the day for which you feel grateful. even a negative situation can have a positive effect somewhere.

Today I wrote a thank-you note! I loved what they said about how lifting someone else up can make you happy! I definitely agree with that! It really does strengthen relationships and it's so fun to brighten someone's day :)

grateful eleven

Today I am grateful for cleanliness. I spent my evening doing cleaning checks for my floor. It always reminds me how important it is to be clean and how it really does impact how we feel in an environment. Keeping your home clean is one of the most important things because it allows the spirit to be present. Because I have the opportunity to check 10 other apartments, it makes me have higher standards for my own apartment and the level of cleanliness that I like to keep there. It's definitely not easy, but it's always so refreshing to walk into a well-kept place. Thinking about cleanliness, it can be extended to our bodies, and even to our thoughts and our actions. Be clean!

The Happiness Challenge: Creativity

day eight

Creativity Challenge: Practice Your Passion!

• write a poem
• if you're in a bad mood, use it to inspire music or art, writing, decorating, dancing, and even creative cooking
• take time for solitude. it's hard to find that inner creative voice if you're not getting in touch with yourself and reflecting on yourself
• go for a walk
• seek out new experiences

I woke up this morning and was able to go practice the piano for a while. It went so well! It really is a way for me to just escape the world and do something I'm good at. Except the best part is that I'm still learning and improving! I have learned a lot this semester about performing and making creative choices with music. It's definitely a skill I still need to practice, but it has taken my playing to a new level. I had never really thought about my music as being a creative part of my life, but it is true that you do have to make creative choices and be thoughtful about how you're playing. It can also be very unique to the individual.

grateful ten

Today I am grateful for summer. Sometimes the sun can be so deceiving! I have thoroughly enjoyed the extremely nice weather we have been having all fall. It's almost the middle of November and I'm not yet ready to admit that it's time for colder weather. We've been pretty spoiled this year! So today when it decided to drop 20 degrees, it was a bit of a shock. The sun was shining, blue skies, and yet, SO cold. Bring back those carefree days with shorts and sun tans!

The Happiness Challenge: Humility

day seven

and real is what makes us beautiful

Humility Challenge

• appreciate the talents and qualities of others
• make someone feel important today
• show respect to those you don't agree with
• invite and pursue correction

I think it is so important to be teachable. Each week I have the opportunity to have a one-on-one with my hall advisor. We discuss the needs of the residents, talk about how we can help them, what's going on in the community, and how we are doing as an RA. As much as it's nice to hear positive feedback, it's also good to get correction because then you can make goals to do better and improve how well you do your job! It definitely is an act of humility to invite someone to give you correction, but it is so helpful!

monday musing #24

hello dear sisters

This week was another good one here in Provo, UT and I hope it was for all y'all too!

On Tuesday, as is customary at BYU, there was a devotional. I was doing some multi-tasking because I had some homework to finish up. So as I was sitting on my bed, all of a sudden I hear the word tenacity. Those of you who were on the CHS basketball team or are serving in the ABM know that this word is a big deal. 

Basically this talk by Elder Evans of the Seventy was ahhh-mazing. Like fo real.

here's some highlights:

• President Uchtdorf was contemplating the meaning of the word “tenacity” and defined it as “the ability to stick to a task, even when obstacles arise” with an “absolute determination to accomplish the work or task.” It's a quality worth developing.

• “Tenacity is required to become true disciples of the Savior and to achieve those truly good goals — to become a great missionary, to complete your education, to find an eternal companion, and to start a family — that our Father knows we need to achieve in this life to prepare for eternity. Our ability to be tenacious in all good things will determine whether we become the sons and daughters of God He knows we can and must become.”

-He recommended that members strengthen their tenacity by establishing reachable goals that are compatible with the goal of eternal life. When God’s direction for them is clear, there is great motivation to follow Him. 

What a cool thought! 

- “The best measure we have of righteous living is the worthy holding and use of a temple recommend.” Avoid anything that is a hindrance to your eternal progression!

And to finish, he quoted Elder Holland, “Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Keep walking and keep trying. There is happiness and help ahead. Trust God and believe in good things to come. Be tenacious in every righteous thing. You will see your faith strengthened, and you will see your strengths and talents which God has given you deepened and magnified as your faith increases.”

this week: 

be tenacious GRRRHHHH!!!

♥mb

The Happiness Challenge: Integrity

day six

"As you develop integrity you can be more beautiful. Integrity will bring a twinkle to your eye and a look of confidence that will magnetically draw people to you." --Carol B. Thomas

Integrity Challenge; To Thine Own Self Be True!

• Don't over-commit. Only commit to what you truly believe you can deliver. Keep your promises.
• Be honest in your schoolwork. Never cheat.
• Be truthful. Avoid even little white lies and half-truths. Speak up when your silence might allow someone to believe something that is not true. 

I really liked the first one because I had never thought of integrity in that way. I have found myself "over-committing" a lot. And it doesn't benefit anyone! So with such a busy weekend, I really made sure that I only made time for what I would really be able to do and didn't try to over-do it. It really helped my communication with those around me and made me more reliable in the things that I did do. What a great reminder!

grateful nine

Today I am grateful for Hermana Wong. Today was her homecoming and it was an absolutely fabulous day. It feels so good to be reunited! It was so fun to reminisce on all of the great times we had together. The funny things, the hard times, how much we worked, the people we loved, and the other companions we got to meet. We talked about our amazing mission president and his love. One of Hermana Wong's strengths is that when she bears her testimony, the spirit is SO strong. It was no different when I heard it in church today. I am grateful for that opportunity I had to be there and feel of that amazing spirit. It reaffirmed my testimony and knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel and of missionary work. Alabama will always hold a special place in our hearts, for it is the place where we really came to know our Savior.

The Happiness Challenge: Confidence

day five

"There is no model, no actress, no beauty pageant contestant that 

can outshine a happy, confident, secure woman." --Mandy Hale

Confidence Challenge: Confidence is like a muscle - the more you use it, the more it grows!

• sit down today and write a list of all the victories, no matter how small, that you have had in recent memory. next, list the traits that you are proud to possess.
• face a fear! the quickest way to acquire confidence is to do exactly what you're afraid to do. this is not easy, but the reward is big. if you face a fear then your confidence takes about ten steps up.
• smile at a person you don't know. it feels positively uplifting to confidently lock eyes with another person, and, rather than look away, smile at them. when someone returns the smile, it is a beautiful connection that naturally makes you feel better about yourself.

I was just talking with a friend about what a huge difference it makes to smile at people! It's not that difficult here at BYU where everyone is pretty friendly but it always makes me so sad when people purposefully look down to avoid eye contact with you or immediately pull out their phone. To me, it just seems more awkward haha! It's even better to go a step further and just say hello! Our interactions with those we pass throughout the day really do have a huge impact on us!