Day 51-63.

It's been a long while since I've written my last blog. It's not always ideal for me to write my blog but when I decided to begin it became an every day challenge for me as I prepared for my mission. It has been a rough couple of weeks to say the least. I've learned different lessons from my obstacles.
1) Pray, A LOT.
Never let your praying knees get tired. Prayer is one of the closest ways we can be to God, other than going to the temple. When we take the time and to pray and LISTEN, we recieve the answers we search for. Helaman 5:30 says, "And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul—". The Lord does not speak in thunderous voices or through marvelous images, He speaks to us most through that still, small voice. We cannot hear His voice amidst crying, our own work, our busyness of our every day; we hear His voice when we quiet down and listen. Be faithful. We can recieve all things through prayer. I have a testimony of prayer. I know that our prayers are continually answered and I know that every prayer we raise to God WILL be answered.
2) Follow your "gut feeling".
That gut feeling you have is the Holy Ghost guiding you. I heard from a wise person once that our hearts and our minds may tell us different things but it's the feeling in your stomach that we need to pay attention to; this may just be the feeling of the Spirit. Personally, it is hard for me to describe what the Spirit feels like. President Boyd K. Packer explained: “The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear. … While we speak of ‘listening’ to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, ‘I had a feeling …’” He continued: “This voice of the Spirit speaks gently, prompting you what to do or what to say, or it may caution or warn you” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 77; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 60). Alma tells us that these feelings “will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28.)
3) Never stop forgiving.
It can be hard at times to keep forgiving those that do you wrong. James E. Frost said, "If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being." “Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.” As Jesus forgave, so must we. When we keep remembering our failures and mistakes, continue to harbor bad feelings against others, and refuse to forgive ourselves or others, we waste both time and energy. We accomplish nothing. We inhibit spiritual progress.
4) Don't give up on yourself.
These past couple of weeks, I've found myself in and out of discouragement. I was ready to give up and in some areas of my life I have. While speaking to some of my missionary friends, one reminded me that we learn from these experiences and that going through these feelings is normal. "You shouldn't be disappointed in yourself but I'm glad you hold yourself to such high standards." I heard one of them say. It's important to hold ourself to high standards but when we don't quite meet our standards, we shouldn't be disappointed in ourselves and give up, we need to see it as a time to press forward and correct ourselves. God never gave up on us, why should we?


I could go on forever with the things I've learned but the entire internet wouldn't be large enough for what I learn every day. It's important that we find something to learn every day. What is life but a learning experience? I am grateful for the time I have on earth. I am grateful for a loving God and the blessings He has bestowed upon me. I encourage all of you to seek to learn at least one thing every day.