"The Pursuit of Happyness"

Life is the time to live for our dreams. If you have something you want to achieve, then become it. Never let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. You are the only one that determines that. Remember that our goal is to pursue happiness and there is only one place that is found and that is up to you to decide. Remember that  with our Father's help, anything is possible so go out and achieve. Life isn't about how many times you get knocked down, but is about picking yourself back up again. Heavenly Father gave us imaginations for a reason-so that we can become our best and achieve our dreams.

Who Are You?

As members of our church it's our responsibility and should be our want to share who we are. Our purpose is to invite all people to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We all have a light and need to let it shine throughout the world. You never know who you can affect. I know that ours is the true church and I'm so grateful I can be out sharing the amazing message of the restored gospel. We all need to set an example of who we are, and who we want to become-like our Heavenly Father. We are never alone. God always answers prayers, but it is usually through another person that the answer come and I know this is true. So always look for opportunities to serve and never deprive yourself or others of the blessing of who you are.

Life's Journey

Through life we will have the opportunity to take many different paths to steer any direction we choose. Some of us may want to be a teacher, or a engineer, or many other things, but we all have one goal in common; to live with our Father in Heaven again. The adversary knows this and this is why he attacks us at every opportunity. Life can become so overwhelming it may seem as if we are trying to make it back to the to our Heavenly Father, but are collapsed trying to get there. One story I'd like to share was given in a talk by Elder Bruce C. Hafen and says:

"My friend Donna grew up desiring to marry and raise a large family. But that blessing never came. Instead, she spent her adult years serving the people in her ward with unmeasured compassion and counseling disturbed children in a large school district. She had crippling arthritis and many long, blue days. Yet she always lifted and was always lifted by her friends and family. Once when teaching about Lehi’s dream, she said with gentle humor, “I’d put myself in that picture on the strait and narrow path, still holding to the iron rod but collapsed from fatigue right on the path.” In an inspired blessing given just before her death, Donna’s home teacher said the Lord “accepted” her. Donna cried. She had never felt her single life was acceptable. But the Lord said those who “observe their covenants by sacrifice … are accepted of me.” ²⁴ I can envision Him walking the path from the tree of life to lift Donna up with gladness and carry her home."

This lets me know just how great and merciful our Savior really is. How many times and we felt overcome by life and then felt the arms of our Brother wrap around us? I can promise that if we strive to do our best and always look toward Him for guidance, we will be brought home.

Cherish Life's Moments

Through life I've always wanted to grow up, get out of the house, and was always focusing on the future. It is so important to focus on the now. Capture the moments you have growing up together.  Time flies and it won't be to long until you wish you could have had it all back. There are so many things that I would like to have remembered and lived in the moment. A quote from the Kung Fu Panda is, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that's why it is called the present." This really is true. God gave us our moments with each other in life not only to remember and learn from, but to be in them.

F.U.N.

Life really can get tough sometimes and we feel as if everything is happening without us. Yes work is important, but it's also important to have fun as you go. God created fun for a reason and if we just go through life too seriously we could easily miss out on some of the greatest opportunities to bring us closer together. Remember that there is a time to be serious, a time to be fun, and a time for both. Don't let any opportunity pass by to just let out a good laugh. Even some of the most embarrassing moments can me the most fun to look back on. Find something positive in every situation you meet.

F is for friends who do stuff together
U is for you and me
N is for anywhere and anytime at all
Down here in the deep blue sea

Plankton:
F is for fire burning the whole town!
U is for uranium...... bombs
N is for no survivors!

Spongebob:
Plankton! Those things aren't what fun is all about! Do it like this!

Spongebob:
F is for friends who do stuff together

Plankton, interrupting:
No! That's completely idiotic!

Spongebob:
Here, let me help you.

Chorus, Spongebob:
F is for friends who do stuff together
U is for you and me, try it!

Plankton finishes:
N is for anywhere and anytime at all
Down here in the deep blue sea!

Plakton:
Wait. I don't understand this. I feel all tingley inside. Should we stop?

Spongebob:
No! That's how you're supposed to feel!

Plankton:
Well, I like it. Let's do it again!

Spongebob and Plankton:
F is for frolic through all the flowers
U is for ukelele
N is for nose-picking, cherry gum and sand licking
Here with my best buddy!

"Remember Who You Are"



Going throughout life it's easy to lose focus of who we really are and the struggles of life seem to get in the way. Many times we feel like it's too late to go back but our Father in Heaven is always waiting for us. He will always accept us no matter what we do. His hand is always reaching out to us and all we have to do is clasp on. Always remember that you are a child of God forever. With all the distractions of life we can easily lose sight of our goal-which is to live with God and Jesus Christ again. Sooner or later we need to remember who we are and why we are here so we can get back on track. Everyone eventually will come back to Him and I hope when we return we can look him in the face and say, "I remember who I am."



Answers to Prayers

So while I've been on the mission I have learned many things. The most important to me is how God answers prayers. The most quoted scripture in all the scriptures goes along the line of "Ask and ye shall recieve" in many variations. God promises us that he will answer if we ask with a sincere heart. President Uchtdorf in the last conference session said, "Answers to prayers don't often come when we are on our knees, but while we are on our feet." I have a testimony of this. I've noticed that all the answers that I've recieved have been after I've prayed and then started looking for the answer. God wants to see how much we really want to know. Before the mission I saw the movie Evan Almighty and there's a part in there that really hits home. It makes sense that if we pray for something, God doesn't just give the answer, but gives us the opportunity to get our answer and from that we can grow even more.