Continually Humbled

It wasn't until I started looking through all the blogs I follow that I realized how long it has been since I last posted. 

Life as a newlywed, college student, and worker is all so busy.

All I keep hearing is how much busier our life is going to get.

We take our days one step at a time and at least make sure that we have time for each other every night. 

I have learned many of things in these blissful six months of marriage,

but one thing I want to share is that we must enjoy every moment of our lives because they pass by all to quickly.

Have I seriously been married for six months? 

Where did the time go? 

I've just begun to realize that the most important aspect of life is to SOAK in every moment. 

Whether good or bad. 

Do I have great respect?

Do I live a higher standard?

When something is most sacred do I honor it at all cost?

The ANSWER...No, not  always but I'm striving everyday.
Some days I seem to strive harder then others, but that's the way it goes.

I just want to share a personal moment with you.

I am person who sometimes speaks my mind when I shouldn't.
When something is on my mind I have a hard time keeping it in, and I just can't help but share it.
Well, I seem to be continually taught by my Husband and I am forever grateful for that.

Not to long ago, we made these wonderful friends, but sometimes they aren't who I want them to be. So of course, being me I start to talk about them to many people.
My husband addressed to me that I should stop gossiping about the things they do that upset me.
Being the imperfect human that I am, I became frustrated and annoyed for silly little reasons,
so I jumped in the shower (which is my favorite place to think).
I thought a lot about what he said and began to feel heartbroken.
Not at him, not at my friends, but at myself.
I was heartbroken that I wasn't being the person my husband wanted me or expected me to be.

This is where my heart became full.

The thoughts in my mind said to me
"He is just trying to be Christ-like, and Christ would never gossip or for that matter engage in gossip or be around gossip."

Everyday I am humbled by my sweet Husband because he is better then I and that is why I married him.

You should always marry up because if you don't there won't ever be room for progression and that is what this life is all about.

We need to continually progress to become who we are meant to be...
Heirs in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Continually Prepare. Never Wait. 

3 Simple Words

For the past little while I've really thought a lot about these 3 Simple but profound words, 

I LOVE YOU.

What do the words "I love you" even mean?

Love can be defined in many different ways. 

The world likes to tell us that "I love you" is thrown around way to carelessly BUT that is an utter lie. 

Those three Simple words truthfully aren't used FREQUENTLY ENOUGH. 

I don't care who you are, everyone needs a little love.
Love is better expressed in ways other then words.

Love is a choice as much as it is a feeling or a decision.

When you promise to love, you promise your life.

There are important and frankly necessary ways to tell someone you love them, but there are also personal ways people like to be told they are loved.

The 5 most important ways to let someone know you love them is by the following:

1. Tell them everyday or as often as possible

2. Express gratitude to them. Tell them you are thankful for their presence in your life. Let them know you are grateful for all the things they do for you in your life.

3.Set aside time for them everyday. Good personal quality time is one of the greatest ways to express Love. Put away all distractions so you can truly listen to each other.

4. Always offer an act of kindness, or give service to that person without their knowledge (ex. make the bed, do the dishes, clean up)

5. Immediately be forgiving.

The 5th way is more important then all the other reasons.
We are all human beings, we all make mistakes; none of us are perfect.
Sometimes being forgiving can be so difficult, especially when you feel someone has wronged you or hurt you.

I can think of no greater example of this forgiving kind of love then the
Only Begotten, our Lord and Savior, and our  brother Jesus Christ.

When I think of the Saviors Love I think about the Crucifixion. He suffered for each one of us because he loves us so deeply.
The part of the Crucifixion that amazes me most is even after being whipped, spit upon, nailed, crowned with thorns and hung on the cross, Jesus asked the  father to forgive those who persecuted and crucified him.
That is the moment you know Jesus forgave those people.
That is also the moment that you know Jesus Christ loves all men.

The ultimate form of love for God and men is forgiveness. 

There are times in our lives when we wish we would have said "I love you" just one more time, don't let that time be today.

I love you is important in our everyday.

"Love isn't what makes the world go 'round, Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."
-Franklin P. Jones   

Holy Crap I'm Getting Married

It has been way to long since I have written on here. 

I have been so busy since I got engaged.

Anyone who has been here, knows how it goes. 

A week after we got engaged we took our engagement pictures, then a week after that, we ordered our announcements, sent them out a week later, finished our college semester a week after that, and have been working like mad dogs, and finishing up all the details for our special day. I can hardly believe there are only 13 days left. 

This is so surreal. 

Last Friday, I was able to enter into the house of the Lord and receive my endowments. After my interview with the Stake President and Bishop, I cried when my recommend was handed to me because I had just been given the greatest accomplishment and the thing I have been preparing for my whole life. 

The temple was absolutely beautiful and everything I have ever dreamed of it being. 

If there is one thing that you do in your life, ALWAYS be worthy of having a temple recommend. I promise you will not regret it. 

Being worthy to enter into the Holy House of the Lord means the world to me and I can't wait to continue attending the temple frequently, individually and with my soon to be husband as we continue to prepare on a daily basis to be blessed with a Happily Ever After and an Eternity with one another. 

Here are some long over due posted engagement pictures: 

Shall I Falter or Shall I Finish?

Our challenges and trials are given to us to help us succeed. 

Sometimes the weight of the world can become a lot to handle and we begin to feel like we should give up. 

Giving up should never be the answer. 

"When life gets to hard to stand; kneel." 

Heavenly Father truly answers prayers

The adventure of the race starts once something goes wrong, and we must give all that we have to offer. 

We can draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as we study our scriptures daily, and kneel in prayer frequently. 

We weren't sent here to start the race, we were sent here to finish the race and ENDURE TO THE END. 

Discipleship and Dating

"Do you want capability, safety, and security in dating and romance, in married life and eternity? Be a true disciple of Jesus. Be a genuine, committed, word-and-deed Later-day Saint. Believe that your faith has everything to do with your romance, because it does. You separate dating from discipleship at your peril. Jesus Christ, the light of the world, is the only lamp by which you can successfully see the path of love and happiness. How should I love thee? As he does, for that way 'never failtheth' (1 Corinthians 13:8, Moroni 7:46)" -Jeffery R. Holland 

Dating isn't always as fun as it is cracked up to be, but it's through these experiences that we come to know what our heart truly desires. 

Recent Discovery: Someone can have all the qualities you could possibly want in an Eternal Companion and still not be right for you. Sometimes you just don't feel it. AND THAT IS OKAY. Last night I went on a date with a guy who seems to have everything going for him and has all these qualities that are great, but I just wasn't feeling it and all is well. 

Dating is so important for the reason of experiencing all the different kinds of people that are out there so that you can discover the perfect person FOR you.  

In the February 2014 Ensign is an article titled Discipleship and Dating. 

The article gives four ways to ensure a positive dating experience. If you haven't already read it, I suggest that you do. 

The four suggestions they give are:

*Honesty

*Humility

*Forgiveness

*Uplifting Speech 

To read the article just click the link above. 

HAPPY FEBRUARY!

"If we are ever tempted to be less than our best selves with those we date, let us remember that righteous behavior in dating forms the foundation for successful relationships and marriage, both in this work and in the eternities."  -Jared Whitley

If You Just Believe

When I was 5 I believed I could be anything I wanted to be. 

I also believed I was good at everything. 

When asked if I was cute the respond "yes" would follow. 

"Are you good at dancing?" "Yes" 

"Are you good as swimming?" "Yes" 

We all know or have a 5 year old just like that in our lives, in this very moment.

We all used to be that way until... we grew older, and reality set in. 

"I can't..."

"I don't..."

"I'm not good at..." 

We lost belief in ourselves. 

How can we gain that same faith we once had in ourselves again? 

Our greatest dreams in life can become a reality if only we are willing to work and have faith in our abilities and talents. 

We shouldn't let people tell us we can't do something.

We can learn and be taught anything we set our minds to.

Am I a disciple who is capable of accomplishing great things?

Of course I am!! As long as I believe in myself and the abilities that I have. 

If You Just Believe...you CAN accomplish wonderful things. 

"It's never too late to become who you might have been"

How do we become who we were meant to be?

How do we create a Christ-Centered life?

The answer is truly simple: Make the right choice, at the right time, in the right place.

We aren't perfect people but we can strive to be. 

How else might we strive to have a Christ-Centered life?

Regular temple attendance perhaps? Although that might be simple, there are even simpler things we can do. 

Daily Prayer and Daily Scripture Study.

What if you slip up and miss a night?

 What caused you to skip your study and go straight to bed?

Maybe it's time to re-prioritize and make commitments. 

We can show Christ that our lives are centered around him by committing to ALWAYS read our scriptures and say our prayers no matter how late you get home from a date, no matter how late we stay out with friends, no matter how much homework we have. NO MATTER WHAT make scriptures study and personal prayer a priority and commit to never missing a day. 

It's the little things that help us become who we are meant to be. 

Through Jesus Christ we can become who we want to be. The lord has time to help each and every person. If the Lord has time for all of God's children shouldn't we have time for him?

We can't be perfect, but as long as we are trying, that is enough! 

The Lord see's past our imperfections and see's the GREATEST good  with in us. 

How can we learn to see the good in ourselves?

How can we forgive our shortcomings?

How do we see ourselves as the Lord see's us?

Believe that Christ see's nothing but the good in us. 

Believe that he loves you more then imaginable.

Believe you can be who he wants you to be and eventually you will be just that. 

The first step in becoming who we are meant to be is to change and in changing we will begin to recognize the lord and understand our worth in his eyes and we will turn our lives over to him. 

It's easy to feel the changes when we first make them but as life goes on and we become caught up in the moment,  and sometimes we forget what prompted us to change.

"The answer from making the change and then for keeping it, is to testify of the Lord's hand concerning the change all the rest of our days.(Freeman)"

"If ye have experienced a change of heart, and felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so NOW? (Alma 5:26)" 

When our Journey includes the lord and we recognize our worth within his eyes, we begin to realize it is never too late to become the person the lord wants us to be. 

It's never too late to make Christ the center of our lives!!! 

Preparing for Eternity, not waiting for it.