Creating

This one really speaks to me. I really love making music, I like writing books, and I enjoy seeing the creations of others. There are a lot of neat things taught here about how God has given us the ability to create!

God has given us all different levels of talents and skills. I'm a pretty good musician, if I do say so myself, but I'm nowhere near where the music majors in my school are. Yet I can play well enough to entertain myself and friends, which is what I care about. I also love to write, but I'm not really inclined to write something to get published, again it's something I like for myself and friends. I do have a talent for talking to people, and a desire to help them, as well as a love for health and nutrition. Unlike writing and music, this isn't a skill I've "always had", but I've come to develop it. So if you find that there's a skill or talent that you're drawn to, try it out. It might be something that God would have you develop. 

Happy creating!

-Shayla

Little Moments

I saw this clip for the first time over two years ago, and I still love it. There's something about simple truth that really resonates with me. I've had several experiences similar to these that makes it even more real.

One of my favorite childhood memories is from when I was very little. At the time my family lived up above a small creek that ran along the bottom of our property line. My brothers and I often played down by the banks of the creek, building forts, chasing snakes, and playing make-believe. At the time I wasn't very responsible with my things, and I frequently would leave things where they didn't belong. 

Once it rained really hard, and the creek banks flooded, washing away everything that we had left by the fort we had built. My mother had warned me that I needed to clean things up before the rain, but I had ignored her. 

When I saw that it had flooded I was distraught, I had left my boots down there, and after a lot of searching, only found one. I stood at the top and the hill just above where it was flooding and started to cry. My uncle came out to me and gave me hug. He picked me up and just stood there as I cried about my lost boot. 

I never did find it, but the memory was worth the price of one boot. Now I'm twelve years older, much too old to be held by my uncle anymore, but we still cherish this memory. Little clips like these help me remember precious moments that I've had with my family. 

What memories do you have? Who with?

-Shayla

Standing Alone

This is a great example of doing the right thing...even when it's hard, especially when you think that you're going to stand alone. Yet, perhaps we'll find that we're not as alone as we thought. 

I love watching this video. It's a good reminder to me that we're never exactly sure of our situations until we act. It is better to act and be proven wrong about our imagined ending, then to expect an ending and hide in fear. 

So like our last post, live up to our potential and do what we know to be right. That is a key way in how we define ourselves, how we act. We can know something's right, but it doesn't do any good if it doesn't help determine our decisions. 

So how can we live true to our beliefs? Any thoughts?

-Shayla

Reaching Our Great Potential

So when I watched this for the first time I was with friends, and they laughed; however, I didn't find it too terrible funny. I relate to this poor man on too many different levels... but the message here is an important one, and merits learning.  

But I love the point of the story and the scripture that President Uchtdorf quotes at the end from Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We have unlimited potential if we turn to Heavenly Father to help us grow. Often we choose to limit ourselves and do less than what we are capable of. But we have a full and great potential as children of God, but we have to be willing to ask for help. 

It can be difficult, but it's worth it. We will be able to do so much!

-Shayla

Abide With Me

Sometimes we have bad days, or we have people that seem to perpetually irritate us. I love this movie because it's a good reminder that no matter the situations we're in, we can always chose how we're going to act. We can always decide to be kind and considerate. 

So when things get rough and it's tempting to take it out on others, we can decide to be kind and good. 

-Shayla

Perspective

Why am I here? Who am I? Where am I going? These are some pretty deep questions, and they're questions that a lot of people have asked. That's one of the coolest things that I love about being a member of the LDS church, that I know the answers to these questions. Here I'll give some basic answers, but if you want more detailed responses, visit mormon.org and get on the chat session. We've got pros who can help you. :)

Who am I? Quite literally, you are a child of God. (How cool is that?!)

Why am I here? As children of God we have been sent here to learn and to grow, kind of like when we leave the house for the first time. We can call our parent's for help, but now's the time to apply the things we've learned.

Where am I going? The short answer, we get to return to live with God. We go back to where we started, only a little wiser, and little more grown up.

Our Heavenly Father loves us, and though going through hard times is one of the key parts of being here in this earth, God still wants us to be successful and enjoy being here. That is why we've been given the family, as a springboard for our eternal success.

"The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is an official document released by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that shares what the Lord thinks of families (there are a lot of good points in the proclamation so I'd advising reading the whole things here).

"THE FAMILY is ordained of God... Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."

Our families have been given to us from God. We have a responsibility to help provide good environments for families like these. God can't force us to be a certain way, so if we want to have good families, we have to work for it. But God will help us if we ask.

What are things you've found that helped you strengthen your families?

-Shayla

Who God Would Have Us Be

One of the things that I really, really love about studying to be an entrepreneur, is the emphasis that is put on the importance of failing, of going through hard times, and never giving up.

As I was thinking about this, a song I grew listening to came to mind. My favorite version is sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary. The chorus opens up with "All, my trials Lord, soon be over." That's the day to day prayer of every college student I think; yet, the Lord has His own timing.

Patience is a well earned gift, and He really, really wants us to have that gift. So sometimes these trials may seem to go on for ages, but remember, who's the Master? Not you. Who sees the beginning from the end? Not you either.

Sometimes we are put through the refiner's fire, and we don't know why, we don't understand, but in the end, we see our real potential. We see what God would have us be. And the whole time He has us in His hands.

So here's a suggestion, take some time each day and pray to the Father asking to know Him better, to know His Son better. Strive daily to develop a relationship with them, and you'll find two things:

Faith and Patience. And these will get you to the end of what the Lord would have you learn, and you'll see what He'd have you be.

-Shayla

Because of Him

I was reading an article today titled "Approaching the Throne of God" by Elder Jorg Klebingat, an ecclesiastical leader in the LDS church. It was 4 am when I read it, so I'm surprised that I remembered anything from it at all, but the following are some points that I really enjoyed.

 I love questions that make me think...It's how I learn best. So when he started out his article with these questions I was really grateful. He asks "What thoughts come to your mind if you had a personal interview with your Savior one minute from now? Would sins, regrets, and shortcomings dominate your self-image, or would you simply experience joyful anticipation? Would you meet or avoid His gaze? Would you linger by the door, or walk confidently up to Him?".

These questions really touched me. How would I respond? Initially I get really excited at the idea of seeing Him face to face, but then I see myself in the moment, and at times I'm not sure. I love Him, and am so grateful to Him, for because of Him I can do anything. But when you hold someone in awe like that, it's hard to see yourself in their presence. That's how I feel with Christ sometimes...but we need to realize that these feelings of unworthiness don't come from God. Satan wants us to forget that we're children of God, that He loves us and wants us to be with Him. It's one of Satan's most effective weapons, because we're already prone to doing that to ourselves anyway.

Here's an awesome clip that I've loved since I first saw it over a a year ago. I hope you enjoy!

-Shayla

Why Do I Love My Family?

Well a good thing to know about me is that I'm the oldest of 7 children, with a stay at home mom, who not only stayed at home, but she home-schooled us as well.

Talk about a lot of work! I don't want to imply that we were awful kids (only sometimes), but I think about all the work it takes me to just take care of myself now that I'm in college and I just stand in awe of my mother who does that for nine people, and I'm grateful. 

Of course, I had to move out first. 

I love my family. My mom is my example, by dad my confidant, my brothers my knights in shining armor, my sisters my little princesses. I could not imagine my life without any of them. I'm not going to lie, all wasn't a bed of roses. My relationship with my brother Adam was like having your arch-nemesis living down the hall..,but we're best friends. 

I prayed for sisters, and after two brothers I finally got one. But by then she was to little to play dolls with and I didn't have the "friend" I thought I needed. But now she's older, I'm older, and even though we're living separately, we're getting closer and becoming not just siblings, but friends. 

I believe that I get to have these wonderful people with me for eternity, and I'm so grateful for that. I could not get along without them, and eternity would not be worth having if I didn't have those relationships. 

When I talk to friends who have chosen to break away from their families, I just feel sad. A family is a beautiful thing to have. Try not to throw it away, and never pass up an opportunity to come closer to them!

So why do I love my family? Because they have given everything for me, and I would give anything for them. They're mine, and I am their's, and I would have it no other way.

-Shayla

Eternity's Beginning

Hello Everyone!

I feel like I'm doing a lot of blogging this semester...and I think it's for the best, because I love writing, and I love what I write about. And maybe that's the beauty of blogging: I can write about so any different things!

Here I want to record thoughts I have about families: having been in one, what I want for when I start my own, and eventually keep track of what's happening in it currently (if I can ever graduate from college).

Something that I believe in, and would have everyone believe in, is that families can be eternal. As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that when two righteous people (a man and a woman) are married in the holy temple, they are married for eternity. They will not be separated by death, but will be sealed together forever.

I had a friend of mine ask me "well, why would you want to be with one person for eternity?"

My answer "Why would you spend your life with sunshine you wouldn't want eternity with?"

I believe that if two people are committed to a relationship that beautiful things can happen. When both are fully committed to each other, to their marriage, to their children (and most importantly), to their God, they will not fail. It doesn't mean that it will be easy or worry-free, only that they won't be torn apart by the trails of the world.

Call me a romantic (and I am one, so it wouldn't me incorrect), but I want eternity with someone. I can't imagine giving my now to someone who isn't worthy of my later. Now do I believe in "the one"? Not really, but I believe that there are several possibilities. God values our agency, or power to choose, and our eternity shouldn't hinge on whether or not another person is willing to get married or to live a righteous life. Now I do believe that God is very active in helping us find our mate, that He wants us to be successful.

So that's my desire: find eternity! Heaven cannot be heaven if you're alone. Yes I'd be with God and Christ which is more than I should hope for; yet I could not help but be sad if I were to be without my family. I do not believe God has given us that relationship only to take it away.

So that's why I'm writing here, to keep track of the things that I learn about eternity, and the things that will help me have my desired version of eternity.

-Shayla