Give the Human a Break

These last few weeks I have spend a considerable amount of time inside, well, actually take that back, since November of last year I have spent a considerable amount of time inside due to huge life changes and the cold weather. We welcomed our little Emma into our family last November and love her to death!! She is so much fun and has been a huge roller coaster of emotion and learning! But what do you expect! Naturally since I have spend so much time inside it has felt like I have lost my ability to talk to adult people. I caught myself almost telling my dad how good his burp was at dinner, um, thats a little embarrassing. This new baby has also made me think so much about the environment I want to raise Emma in. This has resulted in a some huge self reflecting on how I am doing as a human being, specifically how I treat people, especially those that I may not totally agree with. And lets be honest, the direction the world is going now days, it is SO easy to find someone that you don't agree with. I have found myself lately evaluating my own values and figuring out what I really believe. Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I was raised with some pretty strict guidelines. For the majority of my life I believed because I am naturally a people pleaser. During my teenage years I had several experiences that helped to confirm what I felt I believed. I served a mission and taught people about Jesus Christ and his Gospel. I had a companion on my mission who told me that because I was raised in Utah, with a family that were all active in the church, and it had seemed to her that I had never had any major trials that I was "sheltered." At the time I didn't let it bother me because I didn't want to cause any connection in our companionship, but lately her words have been ringing in my ears. What this companion didn't know was the trials that I had gone through. While I would prefer not to talk about some of the deep experiences of my life I would like to add a plea to those that look at those that seem to have a "perfect" life. You don't know what they have been through or what has caused them to do what they are doing now. There are scars and experiences that seem to dark to share with everyone that change the course of someones life, we aren't the judge of that. We shouldn't need to know that deepest secrets of someones life to give them a break or assume they aren't worth getting to know. There is too much heartache and hurt in the world to let petty excuses get in the way of kindness.

Although I do still believe that we can have our own beliefs and values. Some might hate me for saying it but I don't believe in gay marriage and the idea of abortion makes me sick but I do believe that if someone else has that belief we can still get along. We don't have to even be friends but we can be civil with each other. My belief doesn't make me better than you and yours doesn't make you better than me.  In this world that is becoming increasingly mean and vicious, its time to give the human a break, and realize that we all have our own mistakes, our own stories that can be pretty messy, we each deserve to be treated kindly on both sides of the spectrum. We have lost the ability to talk about what we believe without getting angry or offended. Maybe we can find what is truly right and find that ground again as humanity. If we took the time to truly listen to what others say, we might find that we have a lot that we can learn. I am so far from being good at this, which is probably why I felt I needed to write it down so I can be reminded,  but I hope that if you decide to take the time to read this that you realize your worth and your value. You have a story worth telling and I hope that as you realize that you will allow others to tell their own.

What I Know

So I thought for those of you that are following this at all I'll give you a little update. Jon and I are working this summer in Lubbock Texas doing summer sales. I am very excited to spend some time with him and work on our relationship this summer. We attended sacrament meeting today and met some of the ward members. I am really excited to meet more them. During Relief Society today the teacher asked us to think of something that we know to be absolutely true. A few of the sisters shared some of the thoughts about Gods love and the Book of Mormon being the word of God. As I thought about what I knew to be absolutely true I reflected on the role of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life and a quote from multiple General Conference talks came to my mind, "through the atonement of Jesus Christ all that is unfair in life will be made right." I thought of so many experiences in my life where I didn't know how things would turn out; times when I made choices that were quick and casual and lead me to feel like I didn't how it anything would work out. I can testify that during each of these experiences as I asked for assistance from above everything fell into place the way it needed too. I am grateful that there are things that we can know for ourselves from our personal experience.

Work on Both Sides

Its been so long since I have written! I am not going to promise more consistent posts because I don't know if I could be true to that😄 I hope you enjoy this one! It's a little long but it has been on my mind for while so here it is!!

During this last summer I had the opportunity to sale pest control door to door. It was a great experience! During the summer I had the opportunity to fly home from Texas to listen to my younger brother give a talk before he heads out on his mission to Georgia. He did a great job! I spent a lot of time reflecting on my own mission and the experiences he will have that will shape his life forever. He is doing an incredible job! About two weekend following Jake leaving I flew home again but this time it was for the funeral of a dear cousin of mine, Chris. She is 5 years older than me but I have always looked up too her. She is one of those people who can make friends with anyone and was always doing good. While it was an unfortunate circumstance to come home too I have been so grateful for the spirit and the peace it has brought to not only me but to my whole extended family.

After Chris' passing I have spend a lot of time pondering the afterlife and the work that goes on there. There is no doubt that Chris is in the front lines teaching anyone who will listen about the gospel of Jesus Christ. She exemplified that in her life! I know she is continuing to do that in the Spirit World!

These last few weeks Jonathon and I have spend quite a few weekends with his family for the funerals of his Uncle Preston back in December and his Grandpa and Grandma Sharp who passed away 18 days apart. They were both such incredible people and set a huge example for everyone who knew them. I was especially grateful for the sweet way they welcomed me into their family when I married Jonathon. It seems when we loose someone so close to us we want to better ourselves and live our lives similar to the way they did, a little more kind, a little more Christ like. Having attending these funerals and spent a lot of time thinking about the Plan of Salvation I can't help but feel so grateful for the opportunity we have to work right along side those who have passed on before us to bring salvation to the dead.

When they say that the Spirit of Elijah is contagious, I think I finally know what that means. About a month back Jonathon and I have been working on finding names to take to the temple. One of our Institute teachers had introduced us to Hope Chest that will search ancestors on Family Search that don't have their work done, all we need to do is request their names. During the last little while we have worked on family history we have found over 400 names that need their work completed. It has been incredible to see how much we love doing family history.

Each time we attend the temple I can't help but imagine Chris or Grandma or Grandpa or Preston, teaching the people we are standing in proxy for, preparing them to understand what is taking place if they choose to accept it. Soon after Chris died I was overcome by gratitude to work along side our family who are teaching family on the other side of the veil. I thought of Jacob in the mission field working more literally with those in the spirit world, baptizing and teaching people who will then be able to connect their families together. I don't think we even being to understand the joy that comes to those who have passed on, who are waiting for their work to be done here and are so anxious to be able to move on in their spiritual journey. I am thankful for temples! I am thankful for the power that going to the temple provides for us when we decide to make it a bigger part of our lives. I am grateful for how it softens our hearts to more important things and invites a richer deeper spirit into our lives. If you haven't experience that I would recommend you make a goal to attend more often than you are now. I know it will bring a great peace into your life! And bring your own names if you can! That is an incredible experience to stand in place of your family! I love the Lord! I know He loves you and wants the very best for you! He provides the greatest joy there is too offer! Eternal Joy!!

Whats your Vision?

Happy Valentines Day!! What a great day to celebrate love and ever type of relationship we can have with those around us! For a second I would like you to consider where you are at in the moment of your life and where you see yourself going in the upcoming weeks, months and years. I hope that as you read the rest of this post it will motivate you to dig a little deeper to make it too where you would like to be.

Over these last couple weeks I have had a lot of opportunities to makes some changes in my life that have caused me to really reflect on where my life is right now and where it is going. The question that continues to come to mind, in ten years from now, if my life continues down the path that it is going will I be satisfied with where I am and what I did? Will I have any regrets or things that I left undone? Did I learn all that I needed too from each point in my life? While ultimately the Lord knows exactly what each of us need to learn I have gained a deeper understanding of the scripture phrase of being an agent. During our time of earth we are faced with decisions every day, big and small, some that require the best of us and some that are seemingly unimportant. A lot of these decisions are choices between good and good. Those ones are honestly some of the hardest one to make, because each would bring us joy but the uncertainty can cause a lot of stress.

A few weeks ago I was faced with one of these questions that both options were so good but would bring two different results into my life, very separate learning opportunities. One provided an opportunity for personal growth in my life that had been found in my mission. The stretching, pulling, discomfort kind of growth, while the other provided for options of developing talents that were already there. It would have still been a learning experience for me but maybe not in the same way that the other was going to be. I will be honest it caused a lot of stress and blood and tears in deciding. I spent a lot of time of my knees and the only answer that seemed to come was one of "its up too you."  During that time the words of my mission president, President Taylor, came to mind. He spent a portion of our mission focusing on vision, and developing a vision for those that we were teaching. The whole idea was when we started teaching someone new we needed to envision them in white, at the temple receiving the fullness of joy the temple can bring. He would say, "begin with the end in mind." At this point I realized that I didn't have a vision for my life, where I saw my self in the end, or tens years down the road. I thought of the specific attributes that I wanted to develop and what I needed to do in order to get there. Suddenly my decision became clear which job I should take.

Whats your vision for your life? Can you look down the road and honestly say that you are on a path that leads to that vision or desired goal? I know that when we take the time to determine our goals and develop a vision that our lives will become more pointed. We will begin to live in a way that is meaningful and we will become agents unto ourselves like the Lord invites us to do. To choose for ourselves what path we would like to take. I also know that He loves us enough to never let us go down path that will not ultimately lead us to ultimate joy. By no means am I say that we shouldn't ask him for direction, thats what he is there for, he can see the whole picture so it is so important that we do council with him, but we can also know that there is power in decisions. Choosing and sticking with it through thick and thin. Take the time to develop a vision for your life, and identify the steps it is going to take to get there, then don't look back. Joy is found in the journey!!

Started In a Barn

Merry Christmas 2015! I love this time of Christmas! Hearts seem to be softened and brought closer to each other, friends and family. This year was a special one for me because it was my first one back home with my family after my mission. I was gone for two Christmas'. Today has been a day of reflection on the past Christmas' and while I have loved being home with my family for this great holiday, there is still a part of my heart in Washington, especially with all the families that become my family while I was there. I love that place!

I have had these ideas going through my head over the past week but each time I have tried to write them it never came out quit right so bear with me! Of course, with Christmas times comes so many traditions. I know for my family we have a lot of traditions through out the month of December and on Christmas Day. It was different this year with all of my older siblings being married it was just my parents and my two younger brothers. We didn't stay up as late as we usually do and the boys weren't quit as excited to get up to see what Santa had brought. It was a good day though to spend with my wonderful family!  As the sun started going down tonight the boys and I bundled up and headed out to do chores. Since coming home from my mission I have found new love for doing chores. There is something good with being outside in the air and especially during the winter,  the snow, feeding the animals and getting feed ready for the next morning. I haven't been home to help with chores for a long time so it was fun to be back to where I had grown up feeding. I love my families farm!

A few weeks ago I had come across an article in a magazine about Christmas. The author talked about taking time to think about the Saviors beginning. Not to focus on what would come in his life but on his beginning. He then invited the readers to turn their thoughts to their own beginnings and compare them to His. Tonight as I did chores I thought about his beginning in a manger. It was not extravagant in any way and wouldn't have been the place anyone would have picked for anyone to be born, but what that stable scene would come to mean to everyone who would ever live on the earth, is the real question. His beginning would lead to a life of example, mercy, and grace. And it all started in a stable! Now, I know what the barn on my families farm means to me. It is a place of learning, hard work, and family bonding. Some of my fondest memories are found working out in our barn, working with animals or hauling hay, or a number of other chores. It was the sight of numerous beginnings, for baby calves, working new show steers, or training a colt. I know that for me it was a place where I found God's love for me and his awareness of my life. It has become a sacred place. I believe each of us have places where we can connect to so many beginnings in our lives, teaching and sacred moments. As we take the time to ponder on the lessons we have learned in those places, we will find that the Lord is willing and waiting to give us many more new beginnings. It is interesting that Christmas is so close to the New Year when we make new goals for the upcoming year. I would suggest that Christmas be that time that we set new goals for ourselves and have a new beginning. There is no better day than Christmas to set a new goal and have a new beginning! I know that it is because of Jesus Christ that we can have new beginnings! I also know that as we communicate with our Heavenly Father about our desired new beginnings we will find strength beyond our own to accomplish those that are for our improvement! That is the beauty of the enabling power of the Atonement! It is become Christ was born that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, because of the life he lived! He was born so we can be born again and be made new!

"Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear"

This last week, I have been thinking a lot about decisions which was naturally prompted because there have been a lot of decisions that I have been contemplating, specifically about school, work, future events. Naturally during this time in anyones life there are a lot of decisions to be made and when it comes to big decisions, no one wants to go wrong. Of course Heavenly Father is your best support in any decisions because he has the birds eye view and knows what will be best. So I have thought a lot about his pattern of revelation.  I was reading in the last chapters of the Book of Mormon, Moroni 8-10 which is full of instruction about receiving revelation through the Holy Ghost but one part of these chapters that really stood out to me is how often it refers to love, our love for God and his love for us. In Moroni chapter 8 verse 16 it reads, "I fear not what man may do for perfect love casteth out all fear." I always felt that this verse met that our love for God would cast out all fear but as I read it again I am beginning to think that it could possibly be the opposite of that, Gods love for us will cast out all fear. There is another important aspect that goes along with love and that is faith. Joseph Smith stated that faith unto salvation needs three things, a true belief in Jesus Christ, a true knowledge of his attributes and character, and a firm belief that the pathway we are pursuing is pleasing to God. That last one, a belief that the path we are pursing is pleasing to God, is so important when it comes to making decisions. Having faith that when the Lord prompts or gives  instruction that His love is enough for his children to never lead down a path that will not ultimately lead to good. I am beginning to see just how much He loves his children more and more everyday and how important it is that we live worthy of the Spirit to receive his guidance on the daily basis. I cant even begin to say just how much I have felt that over these past few days as questions and decisions have come. The quiet assurance from the Holy Ghost to trust in the Lord and in my ability to follow and receive revelation. There is a great power that is given when we trust ourselves and our ability to act when prompted.  I know He does guide if we will be humble enough to ask and have the courage to act on his instruction. I know that He will never lead us wrong even when we might think otherwise. May love and faith in and from Heavenly Father always be a guiding force in your live.

I Love Airports!!

I had the opportunity this weekend of attending America Future of America leadership conference in Kansas City, Missouri. I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with some of the brightest college students all studying agriculture from all across the country. It was pretty incredible!  I ended up flying by myself via Delta airline so I got to spend a little bit of time in the airport. I am an avid fan of people watching and airports are some of the best places to do that! It is pretty incredible the number of people that would go through a airport terminal in the matter of a few hours, everyone from every walk of life and from all situations. I love it! I was impressed today with of the love of God and just how amazing it is to think that he is so aware of each of us. What a difference it makes to know of his love and how that changes every thought and action.

At the end of the conference one the peer mentors showed a video by Kid President called the Pep Rally. In the video Kid President makes a statement that really stuck with me. He talks about team work and how we are all on the same team, then after a pause he states, then start acting like it. I thought of all the people an airport, a city, a community, any group of people, are all on the same team but how do we act like it? I know this weekend we talked a lot about being competitive and extraordinary and being above average as individuals. These terms don't bring people together but in reality cause people to do everything on their own for themselves. I know I have fallen into that mind set so many times. I also realize that in the world we live in that is required and it isn't going to go away any time soon. What needs to happen to create a unifying, team culture among those around us? I think that true unity comes as everyone is being built together. That each is working for the common good of others and as a result everyone is edified. It is so individual and requires every individual to do their part. At the conference one of the speakers told us to find a mentor that we can talk to about life situations and run ideas by, a peer that we can be real with and get feed back from, and then someone that you can invest in. That is my challenge this week, find someone that you can invest in and help to build up. Be interested in what they are doing and help them to achieve the desires that they have. I can promise that if you will do this you will find a great amount of happiness in your life and you will create a culture of unity in your community and in your own life. In building others we will be built ourselves.