This is ME Monday (Hahahahaha! I am doing it on MONDAY!)

Week 12: When have you helped brighten someone's day, and how did it make you feel?

In all honesty I can't pinpoint when I have truly brightened someone's day, but latey I am trying to serve more and be mindful of others.  I know that when I do find a way ti serve someone and I follow through, I feel better about myself.  I often will forget the problems I was having or realize that it could be a whole lot worse, or I recognize the blessings I have.  I also feel as if I am helping to move the work of the Lord further, especially in the right direction.  I once gave a talk on the topic "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?"  I really enjoyed this topic and I spent a whole lot of time pondering this whole idea.  A lot of times we feel that we need to do something big to serve, but I honestly feel that it is in the everyday things that we do the most good in the world.  There is a song that I love by Steven Curtis Chapman that has a line that says:

Little stuff

Big stuff

In between stuff

God sees it all the same

While I may not know you

I bet I know you

Wonder sometimes, does it matter at all?

Well let me remind you, it all matters just as long

As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you, 

Cause he made you

To do

Every little thing that you do 

To bring a smile to His face

Tell the story of grace

With every move that you make

And everything you do

The song is "Do Everything" You can listen to it here

This reminds me that it is in the things that I do that matter.  I need to make sure that the world knows who I am and that I am a daughter of God through the things that I do and say.  I want everything I do to be in His name.  I made a covenant to stand as a witness to Him at all times and in all things and in all places.  I know that the days that I remember this principle, the better my day goes and the more empowered I feel as a woman and as a daughter of God.   

This is ME-Week 11

Week 11: What are Your Many Blessings?

Okay seriously!?!  How broad of a topic can we get here!?!  I am not going to sit and llist all of my blessing because I would be here all night, and as you can tell, I barely have enough time to write once a week for a few minutes.  I will tell you though that I have been working on turning my focus outward and trying to be a blessing to others.  I will admit that I get pretty negative about myself sometimes.  I will whine and complain about how things just aren't going the way that I think they should and it snowballs into this giant pity party!  It really is pathetic.  Well, I started thinking about how destructive this behavior really is.  I don't want to drag myself down, the world does a good enough job of that already and I don't want to add to it.  Anyway, I have been trying to look at how I can be a blessing to others.  I have been praying sincerely to know each day how I can bless someone that I come in contact with.  I have to admit that I have really been impressed by the answers to my prayers.  I have had more opportunities to serve, listen, honor, respect, cherish and value people than I have had in a while.  I also find increased capacity to be able to bless others.  I want to be the kind of person that emulates the love of the Savior.  I want to be His hands.  I want to build up the kingdom of God and not just worry about my own part, but help others along the path too.  This is my goal.  I know i am not perfect and I know that sometimes I serve because I am supposed to, and not because I really want to.  However, my reasoning is that I will serve until I feel like serving.  Like the saying 'If you don't feel like praying, pray until you do" well, this is my idea with serving others right now.  I may not always have the purest thoughts or intentions, but darn it, I will do it until I get it right.  I lead a very blessed life.  I have three wonderful children (I can say that because they are sleeping an no longer making me crazy) and the most amazing husband ever.  I don't know what I did to deserve them, but I want to make my Heavenly Father proud of me and I want Him to know that I am grateful for them and I will strive to keep my blessings.

This is ME-Week 10

Week 10: What is your favorite Book of Mormon scripture? Why?

I honestly can't think of ONE Book of Mormon scripture that I love above the rest.  I must admit that this reminds me of when I was a freshman in high school and attending seminary in Sparks, Nevada.  My boyfriend at the time always joked that his favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon was:

 1 Nephi 2:15: And my father dwelt in a tent.  

This was always funny to us and we would always giggle when he told our teacher this.  One day she asked him why he thought it was importatnt that Nephi told us that he dwelt in a tent.  Then, without missing a beat he gave and elaborate explanation of the insight he had received from this scripture.  pI can still remember this experience vividly...I wonder if he does.  Anyway, back on topic.  I can't really think of a specific scripture that is my favorite in the Book of Mormon, but I really love the book of Enos.  It is very short, but to me very powerful.  I have most of the book highlighted.  My favorite verse, I think, out of the book of Enos is:

 Enos 1:4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

I think that Enos is a perfect example of prayer.  In my patriarchal blessing I was told over 5 times to become a "Woman of Prayer".  I have strived to do so and I find myself leaning on the power of prayer more often than not.  I have a firm testimony of prayer.  I know my prayers are heard and I know they are answered.  I am definitely not pateint and I struggle at times waiting, but I have a firm faith that the answer will come.  I need communication with my Father in heaven.  I crave it, and without it, I am lost.  I pray endlessly at times and I feel that my burdens are lighter once I hand them to the Lord.

There is a scripture that echos through my mind lately.  It is in Doctrine and Covenants.  It reads:

D&C 84:88  And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

There is a song on the radio that I LOVE right now, and in all honesty, I sing it REALLY loud when it comes on.  You can listen to it here.  It is called "Whom Shall I Fear" by Chris Tomlin.  According to him, he got inspiration from a scripture in 2 Kings chapter 6.  Here is the interview with him on the writing of this song. 

I have told my husband lately that I am trying to put the Lord in control of my situation.  I am struggling with a whole lot of feelings of inadequacy.  I am desperate for our home to sell so that I can move forward in life with a new home and restore some normalcy back into my children's lives.  I have grown up with the teaching that if you aren't moving forward, then you are sliding backwards.  I have had to continually remember to give this to Him.  He knows what is before me, He knows where I have been, and He knows where I am now.  He loves me and He knows that I can do hard things as long as I hold on tight to Him and to my faith.