The Meaning of Christmas

Dear Reader,

This weekend I went to the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert, featuring the Muppets and Santino Fontana (well-known for his voice talent in Disney's Frozen).  It was a fantastic performance and I was with fantastic people.  During this concert, Elmo kept looking for the true meaning of Christmas.  His first assumption was that Christmas was for celebrating lights because -- as he noticed -- there were lights everywhere!  And indeed, if I was an anthropologist studying Christmas in America I would note that the people seem to have a strange fascination for lights during the month of December.  All joking aside, Elmo's quest made me wonder whether my actions are a true representation of what Christmas means to me.

Christmas provides an opportunity for us to reflect on Jesus Christ.  It allows us to examine our lives in the light of His humble birth and great sacrifice.  His gift inspires us to give gifts of our own.  I am grateful for my Savior.  I am grateful for this Christmas season.

I challenge you to consider what Christmas means to you.

What traditions or rituals do you have which have helped point you to the Savior during Christmas time?  Please comment below!

Why I am grateful for Winter

Hello Reader!

Today I am choosing to write about gratitude.  This is not only because Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but also because it is during the cold, dark, and wet when it becomes the most difficult to feel happy.  Many -- including myself -- sometimes struggle from seasonal depression.  I wake in the morning to nothing but the light from my alarm clock, and I walk home from studying by the light of streetlamps and headlights.  I think, "do I ever see the sun anymore?"  And like a child learning the game of peek-a-boo I wonder, "does the sun exist once it disappears behind the clouds?"  Regardless of the fact that I know the answer is resoundingly YES...it doesn't feel like that.  It feels like the sun will never shine again.

My father is a brilliant man.  Distinct to my memory is the night he made us learn the song, "I am Happy Today for the Sunshine".  Now I'll see if I can prove how distinct that memory is by typing out the words to the song:

I am happy today for the sunshine,

For the skies of grey or blue,

For within my heart there's a song of love,

I'll live, I'll work, I'll do

No cloud can cast a shadow,

Over courage such as mine.

So I'll sing my song as I go along,

I'll live, I'll work, I'll do

Each of my siblings and I took turns singing the chorus as a solo, "No cloud can cast a shadow, over courage such as mine!"  And we would shout it out as loud as we could.  It was the best part of the song, every time.  Now as an adult, I sometimes have these words come to my mind as I walk home at night in the freezing wind and snow.

So... this blog post is turning into a rant about singing.  I'll make my point as quickly as I can by sharing something that I've realized over the past few years.  Before I share this, note that it is my opinion -- it helps me to be grateful for the seasons.

Seasons are symbols.  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.  Each of them symbolize to me a part of something extremely important:

The Atonement

Think about it for just a moment.  

Spring is the birth and renewal.  It is the time for plants to begin to blossom, the air to sweeten, and for the sun to shine longer.  The Spring is a time for planting and for growing.  We seem to waken, as if from a deep sleep.  We "no longer droop in sin" (2 Nephi 4:28), we "awake! and rise from the dust" (2 Nephi 1:14).  It is a time of enlarging, and enlightening.  If we can compare the word of God like unto a seed, we can also say that the word of God grows best in fertile ground and weather.  Spring is a time for planting and growing.  To me, Spring is a symbol of a fertile heart -- one which is humbly ready for the word of God to be planted.  It is also a symbol of the resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Summer is a brilliant time of light and heat.  We experience the sun in its fullness!  I like to take a book outside and read in the sun -- soak in as much as I possibly can.  "I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible" (Alma 32: 35). 

The Fall comes, and this is my particularly favorite season.  This is when the leaves change colors.  Reds, yellows, oranges, and browns replace the bright spring and summer hues.  It reminds me of fire.  "But thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost." (D&C 19:31, see also Matt 3:11).  

And finally Winter -- the gloomy and cold season.  Winter is often symbolic of sorry, suffering, deep sleep or death.  The sun does not shine, and the night is long.  We become so preoccupied with keeping ourselves warm against the chill that hangs or sweeps its way through the air.  It is often accompanied by sickness (flu season!).  And it is during this time when I sometimes wonder (while struggling to catch my breath against the icy wind), if God made winter to remind us of the Savior's suffering and death.  What was truly the most cold, dark, and lonely experience ever had by any being who lived upon the earth?  It was that had by our Savior when he took upon himself the sins, sicknesses, and pains of the world.  For this reason, I am grateful for Winter.

One last symbol before I close my post.  Because of the Atonement; because of the cold, dark, and lonely night experienced by the Lord -- we can be made clean if we turn to him.  He has said, "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).  The most beautiful scene is that of a snow-blanketed earth, with soft sunlight breaking through the clouds.  It reminds me that I too can be made clean, "as white as snow".  

I hope that this Winter you can find joy in remembering the sacrifice made by our Savior, and the opportunity we have to overcome and repent of our sins.  

Love,

Samantha

Hope: Not Just an Optimistic Attitude

Dearest Reader,

Every one of us has had a day where things just seem to go wrong.  For example, on my seventh birthday I had an accident in front of my whole first grade.  AND I was wearing a skirt with tights.  Hmmm....definitely the worst birthday ever.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that everyone experiences very difficult, embarrassing, discouraging, lonely, or just plain miserable moments.

During those times it is common that our family members, or well-meaning friends will say to us, "I hope that you get well soon", or "I hope that things turn out better".  That kind of loving encouragement can lend us strength.  But I want to focus on the word "hope".

How, exactly, is hope supposed to get us through hard times?  What are we supposed to "hope" for?  On my seventh birthday I guess I could have hoped that everyone in my class would forget that I had wet my pants.  Or that perhaps it was only a nightmare, and I would wake up completely dry!  We can hope that our problems will go away or that they won't bother us anymore.  And it is completely OK to hope that everything will turn out all right...  but in the end, that kind of hope isn't the most sustaining or the most powerful.

There is a more meaningful, lasting and eternal hope that is available to us even and especially in the most distressing of times.

This is the hope that we can have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Why should we have hope in Him?  Because He will ALWAYS fulfill his promises to us.  And HIS promises are the only ones that are eternally important.

According to the LDS missionary manual "Preach My Gospel",

The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death”, and, "Hope is the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you."

Christ has guaranteed us that if we our faithful to our promises that we made at baptism, and in the temple, we shall have eternal life.

"For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost...

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men, Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."
-2 Nephi 31:17, 19-20

The hope that we can have in Christ's promises will sustain us through any difficulty we may face.  Nevertheless, even though we have already been promised eternity if we are faithful, our Savior has also promised to help us with our mortal struggles.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
-Matthew 11:28-30

I know that my Redeemer lives.  I know that He performed the Atonement so that I may have the opportunity to live with Him and my family again.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is true.  And I know that hope in our Savior and in His Atonement is the only true and sustaining hope in this life.

And I hope you can come to know this too!  : )


Love,
Samantha

Obedience

This week I listened to the talk given by Elder Robert D. Hales entitled, "If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments".  I highly recommend reading this talk.

Some days I feel completely overwhelmed when I think about everything that I should be doing in my life...  It can be discouraging when I focus on the little "ticky-tack" things which are good but not necessarily super important. I was reminded while listening to Elder Hales' talk that keeping God's commandments is possible.  It doesn't have to feel discouraging.  Our Savior is there to help us along the way.

One of my favorite Articles of Faith is, "We believe that all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel."

The reason why I love it so much is because it tells us that we have agency.  The Savior isn't going to force us to Heaven, nor is our future determined for us.  ALL mankind MAY be saved.  It is by our obedience that we choose whether or not we will accept our Savior's Atonement.  Our decisions determine our destiny.  We have been given the ability to conquer sin IF we allow Christ to heal us, help us, guide us, and teach us.  And only IF we learn and become obedient to him.

Heavenly Father knew we would make mistakes and that is why He came up with a plan in which we would have a Savior.  We could not do it on our own.  The way to our Savior is by living his laws -- revealed to us through God's chosen Apostles and Prophets.  Today that Prophet is Thomas S. Monson.

I know that by keeping the commandments, listening to and obeying God's Prophets, and by striving daily to repent of our sins all mankind CAN be saved.  But it is OUR choice to turn to our Savior, to make those changes, and to become better every day.

My Wish For You...

Dear Reader and Friend,

Three days ago I was driving home from work.  While passing through one of the many parking lots on my route, I drove by a woman on crutches and her small daughter who carried her mother's purse.  The purse was almost as big as she was!  I felt a sudden urge to stop and ask if they wanted a ride.  The thought seemed silly because we were in a parking lot and they were undoubtedly walking to their car.  But I decided to turn around and ask anyway.  To my surprise, they did not have a car.  They had walked from the bus stop and were on their way to the grocery store for medicine.

We talked while I drove, and I was struck by the difficult circumstances the woman described from her life.  Her situation was discouraging and far more difficult than the small events I complained about on a daily basis.  When she and her daughter climbed out of my car she expressed her thanks and I drove away.  I looked back at them and was struck with an overwhelming feeling that Heavenly Father loved her.  More than I could understand.

Oh how I wish I could put into your heart an understanding of who you are.  I wish I could give you a knowledge of your divine nature.

Who are you?  Where do you come from?  Why does your life matter?

Oh my friend, whoever you may be, you are special.  You are not just a hunk of matter that exists simply because evolution is a principle of biology.  Your existence did not just begin at birth, nor will you cease to exist at death.  Your struggles and difficulties are not without meaning.  You are not a nobody.

Who are you?  You are a child of God -- our Heavenly Father who knows you perfectly, who loves you perfectly, who wants to bless you every moment of your life.

Where do you come from?  His family.  You lived with Him before you came here.  We all did.  We are brothers and sisters.

Why does your life matter?  Because you matter to Him.  This life is a time to grow; to learn; to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ; and to make and keep sacred promises with our Heavenly Father.

Nephi, the Book of Mormon prophet, testified "I know that [God] loveth His children; nevertheless I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17).

Heavenly Father does have a plan for you.  He wants you home.  He wants you to find happiness. Each of us are of great worth to Him, for we are His children.

This knowledge I wish to give you more than anything else.  I wish I could have given it to the woman and her daughter in the parking lot.

Oh He loves you.

-Samantha

God is in the Details

Dear Reader,

This week it has been made very clear to me that God is in the details of our lives.  By this I mean that He knows every thought, every action, every hope, every disappointment.  He knows the trials we face every day and the things we want to accomplish.  And He knows exactly what we need.

I learned this on Thursday morning when I woke up with extreme pain in my stomach; it was like fire in my tummy!  I was unable to move or even sit up.  This presented a problem not only because it was uncomfortable, but because it would prevent me from going to work.  Calling in sick was not a good option -- I knew that it would be a busy day and they would need my help.  Turning to my brother, I asked if he would give me a Priesthood blessing.  After he did so I felt the pain begin to subside and soon I was walking around and getting ready for work.

The miracle was in the healing.  But the miracle was also in the words and feelings I received during the blessing: Heavenly Father is acutely aware of me and my needs and the needs of those I can serve.  I have pondered on the feelings and it has deeply impacted the way I view my Heavenly Father.  He is an active and involved God.  He does not spin the clock and then sit back to watch it tick.  If He did, there would be no reason to pray for Grace, strength, or any other blessing.  But the truth is that God does listen, He does answer.  

Some may question, "well if God loves me and cares, then why do I suffer with such and such?"  I do not know the answer why some battle cancer, or why some are widowed, or why some lose their jobs.  But I do know that each person receives their own set of unique experiences which are very challenging.  And I also know that God loves His children.  We are His children.

Elder Neil A. Maxwell said: "Regarding trials, including of our faith and patience, there are no exemptions -- only variations.  These calisthenics are designed to increase our capacity for happiness and service.  Yet the faithful will not be totally immune from the events on this planet...  Therefore, we can be troubled on every side, but nothing can really separate us from the love of Christ; worldly anxieties are not part of being 'anxiously engaged'.  Even so, as Peter urged, we can and should cast our cares upon the Lord, because He surely cares for us!"

I've been thinking a lot about the LDS Pioneers this week, as Pioneer day was Thursday.  Of all the stories I've heard, the trials of the Pioneers are some of the most heartrending and heartwarming that I know.  They of all people knew that God loves us.

Said Francis Webster of his trials on the Pioneer trail (who traveled with the Martin Company): "Mistake to send the Hand Cart Company out so late in the season?  Yes.  But I was in that Company and my wife was in it...I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart but my eyes saw no one.  I knew then that the Angles of God were there.  Was I sorry that I chose to come by hand cart?  No.  Neither then nor any minute of my life since.  The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the martin Hand Cart Company."

So whether the trials we experience are taken away from us, or whether we face them for many years to come, know that God is there.  He will help.  He knows who you are and He is in the details.  From the smallest of tummy aches to the greatest of tragedies, He offers His help in all things.  This I know.

Love, 

Samantha

Prayer: A Letter to All

Dear Reader,

Many of you are my friends or family.  I am grateful for each of you and love you very much.

I would like to share with you how prayer has been a great blessing in my life.  I have turned to it countless times, during my happiest and most sorrowful moments.

That reminds me of a great book I once read: A Tale of Two Cities.  Charles Dickens began his beloved tale with the now famous paradox: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."  And somehow such conflicting syntax resonates with us.  In our lives we are capable of feeling both the greatest of joys and the deepest of sorrows. No one is immune, and sometimes it is a dark and hard place where we find ourselves.  But whether we are burdened by the heaviest of weights or we feel we are floating by on clouds, every person on this earth has the potential to receive great strength from their loving Heavenly Father.  God has given each of us the power to call upon Him and seek His help through prayer.  

When we call upon God, we are talking to the most powerful, the most important, the most loving, and the most compassionate person in the universe.  Not to mention, He is our Father.  Heavenly Father is very personally invested in the lives of each of His children.  He wants to hear from us.  He wants to hear from you.  Yes, you.  No matter how important you feel or don't feel, how intelligent, how beautiful, how imperfect, how confused, how lonely, how unworthy...He loves you and wants you to talk to Him.  

I have found a few ways that we can make our prayers more powerful:

First: find a quiet place where you can talk to Him aloud.

Second: "learn to ask the right questions.  Consider changing from asking for the things you want to honestly seeking what He wants for you." (Richard G. Scott - Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer)

Third: pray in gratitude.

Fourth: seek for answers from your prayers by actively pursuing and listening for the answer.
If the answer seems to be withheld, continue in faith -- thankful that God trusts you enough to make a righteous decision.

I know that as we seek to come closer to our Heavenly Father through prayer, we will be blessed with increased strength in our moments of weakness as well as in moments of ease.  God can grant us peace during anxiety, mourning, and confusion.  He can help us find answers to difficult questions, and calm a heart that has been broken.  He loves us.  He loves you.  "Ask and ye shall receive.  Knock and it shall be opened unto you" (D&C 4:7).

Love,

Samantha

Diligence: A Letter to Grandma

About three months ago my Grandma, Alice, passed away.  Her life was one of hard work, determination, and dedication.  Her diligence set an example for all who knew her; especially her diligence to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She loved her Savior and kept His commandments.  This post was written for her.

Dear Grandma,

     Last I spoke to you I was doing an internship, advocating for traditional family values at the state capitol!  It was such a wonderful experience.  It taught me so much about standing for what I believe.  I have so much more respect for you: having to stand alone after you joined the Church.  It requires a lot of diligence to continue on a path that isn't praised by the media or the latest social, political or academic trends.  I love this quote by President Thomas S. Monson: "Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well." 

     The past couple weeks I've decided to study the principle of diligence.  I guess I chose to study diligence because of something Hans told me last week -- oh ya!  He got home from his mission in Chicago a couple weeks ago.  He isn't much different except all of the good things about him are even better!  You should see the brightness in his eyes.  Anyways, we were discussing faith in overcoming sin and bad habits.  I was discouraged because I had failed many times at overcoming frustrating habits.  Hans explained to me that I didn't have faith because I didn't have the diligence to want to keep trying.  That scared me because I've always considered myself a woman of faith...think again Samantha! 

     So first I chose to figure out what the word "diligence" means.  The Oxford English Dictionary says it is "constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken".  Synonymous to diligence are the words dedicated, persistent, faithful, consistent, responsible, determined, devoted. However, those words must be coupled with a qualifier...dedicated to something, persistent towards something, faithful to something, etc.  President Henry B. Eyring has said that "it begins with [...] learning to know whose service [we] are in and for what purpose.  When that goes down into [our] hearts, it makes all the difference." 

     I also studied the first few chapters of Nephi because that's where I am in my scripture study.  I never saw before just how diligent that man was.  The biggest example to me was when he and his brothers went to get the scriptures from Laban and failed twice.  Instead of giving up, Nephi continued.  "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

     There was one night this week when I faced a mountain of discouragement.  I wish I could say that I applied the principle of diligence.  Instead I went up to my room, sat in my closet and sobbed.  Every negative and discouraging thought entered my head.  The next day during my scripture study I learned of two important tools that Heavenly Father has given us to remain diligent (whether we are alone in closets or surrounded by people): prayer and gratitude.
    
     The first tool given to us is prayer.  Hans shared this about his experience with prayer while serving a mission:

     "In my experience prayer is a time for me to align my will with God's will.  When I want something, but I know that God wants something else then I know I need to pray and I pray until my will becomes God's will.  When I've prayed, I've learned it's not trying to convince God.  Rather it is a time for serious self-introspection.  It's when God helps me repent.  I came to find out the Book of Mormon is true and that I really needed to invest in my mission.  I came away from a particularly hard moment and realized that I didn't know if the Book of Mormon was true and I didn't know if this was what God wanted me to do for the next two years [serving a mission].  So I read the Book of Mormon and I prayed.  And I asked God with a sincere heart if it was true and he told me.  Because He told me, I can't deny it.  There isn't a stronger witness that you can have.  Sight doesn't compensate, sound doesn't compensate.  God told me the Book of Mormon is true.  If I were to say otherwise than I know I would be lying.  It is part of who I am.  And that was communicated through prayer."

     It is when we pray that we come to know what the Lord expects of us.  It is when we receive peace, comfort and knowledge to continue working towards our goals. 

     The second tool is gratitude.  Mom shared with me how gratitude helped her on her mission in Japan:

     "For the first nine months of my mission I worried and stressed about everything.  And then I got a Japanese companion who spoke no English.  Just understanding her was exhausting all the time because I had to function completely in Japanese.  I remember writing a letter to the Mission President and realizing that there wasn't anything he could do and my stressful letters probably stressed him out.  Stressing about it isn't going to get anything done.  And so I just wrote happy letters and focused on the positives.  I remember what a difference it made in me.  I quit being stressed.  You don't think about stressful things if you just let them go.  And choose.  From that time on I chose what I saw in the world, I chose whether I was going to be stressed or happy."

     One of the things that really impressed me about you, Grandma, was how even during the last couple months of your life you focused on the most positive things: singing, visiting those in the care center, spending time with family.  I am very grateful for your example.  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said, "Our loving Heavenly Father knows that choosing to develop a spirit of gratitude will bring us true joy and great happiness."  He knows that remaining diligent requires gratitude -- otherwise the "miserable moments" really would keep us in our closets.

     Lastly, I realized the past two weeks how much Heavenly Father loves me.  I am his daughter.  And, "this is the Lord's Church.  He called us and trusted us even in the weaknesses He knew we had.  He knew the trials we would face.  By faithful service and through His Atonement, we can come to want what He wants and be what we must be to bless those we serve for Him.  As we serve Him long enough and with diligence, we will be changed.  We can become ever more like Him." 

     Diligence means never giving up on yourself, or others.  It means prayer and gratitude.  It means keeping the commandments of God and trying again when you fail.  It means continuing faithful to the end.

Your granddaughter loves you always,
Samantha

Love: A Letter to Myself

Sometimes the stress of life brings me down!  I decided to address this letter to myself, just in case a day comes when I forget what matters most... 

Dear Me,

   I was looking at some of my old journal entries yesterday... sometimes I cannot believe how much I have changed.  Heavenly Father has surely worked a miracle in my life - helping me to become an entirely different woman.  That should always give me hope!  If he can take me -- a crazy, undisciplined, love-struck, and grammatically impoverished teenager -- and turn me into a composed, goal-oriented, hopeful, and eloquent lady... I don't know how I could possibly doubt His ability to continue to change me for the better.  Don't ever give up.

 President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us to "plan [our] lives with purpose." Samantha, every day presents new challenges and new opportunities.  One of the greatest opportunities you have every day is to seek for ways to love and serve those around you.  Don't let discouragement or fear keep you from reaching out.

The gift of true love, the gift of charity, is not just a momentary accomplishment or achievement -- it is a life-long pursuit.  When you truly love other people your heartaches are mended and your voids are filled.  In fact, you forget about the heartaches and voids!  Love isn't a selfish thing.  You don't love others because of their perfections or imperfections.  You love them because they are your brothers and sisters.  You love them because they are God's children.  You love them because it is a commandment.  You love them because it feels so much better than hate.  And ultimately, you love them because you choose to. 

Recall a particularly lonely and painful day in Rexburg.  School was overwhelming, work was overwhelming, and your most important relationship was slipping like water through your fingers.  Taking a moment, you shut the door in your bedroom and sank to your knees in prayer.  The impression came to your mind that you should go and find someone to serve.  It took every ounce of emotional and physical energy you had, but you stood and followed through with the feeling which you knew had come from God.  It did not change the circumstances, but it did change your perspective.  Heavenly Father knows that the quickest way to feel good is to love.  

Serving others takes effort and sacrifice.  But Matthew 16:24-25 says "if any man will come after me, let him deny himself...for whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."  

Remember all of the people who have blessed your life.  And most importantly, remember the Savior Jesus Christ who gave His life for you.  Try to be like Him.  It is a joyful path!  "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

I love you,

Me ; )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_vCqSebVEw

Created for Better Things: A Letter to Ben

Ben is one of my very best friends.  About three years ago he passed away while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I decided to write this blog post to him because I felt most comfortable addressing it to someone I knew and loved.  

Hello Ben!  How are you doing?!  I can only imagine all of the people you are teaching.  Some day I may get to meet them!  I want to tell you about some interesting things that have happened this week which have led to this blog. It's been a real learning experience...

Where to begin...

So I began to recognize my need to set some personal goals earlier in the week.  Oh Ben, it has been very difficult for me to set goals.  I have been scared to set any new ones...scared of failure!  Silly, right?  But, "the Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom [or what] shall I be afraid?" (Psalms 27:1).  So my first goal this week was....... to set one goal  : ).  I thought that was a pretty easy goal to meet.  Therefore, my second goal (to meet my first goal) was to start a blog in which I would share my experiences to become better.  Just small and simple steps to become more like my Heavenly Father.  And now I've met my second goal!  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

Then this morning I received a prompting which came in the form of a gentle self-reprimand.  I sorta stopped and looked at myself in the mirror and said, "Samantha... you are living way below your potential and privilege.  You can be doing so much more and so much better."  

...In the past I have experienced very discouraging thoughts, Ben.  A lot of self-negativity.  You were always so good at helping me see all the best parts of me!  And making me laugh when my natural reaction was to cry ;-) Kindling my self-worth has been a struggle.  It's the kind of thinking that made me compare myself to others and giving up when I didn't quite measure up with the expectations.  But the thoughts I had this morning were exactly the opposite. I'll be honest, Ben, it took me by surprise!  I knew the thought didn't just originate with myself.  Heavenly Father knows that I can be doing better, and I am sure in my heart that it was His way of saying, "I love you, Samantha.  You are my child, and there is more that I can offer you.  There are more blessings to come.  I know you can work harder, and I created you for better things than this."

Yesterday I read the General Conference talk by Jean A Stevens titled, "Fear Not; I Am With Thee".  She talks about God's hand in each of our lives, especially in our efforts to become more like Him. Stevens says: 

"And so it is for all of God's children.  Our Father in Heaven reaches out for each of us with His infinite love.  He has power over all things and desires to help us learn, grow, and return to Him.  This defines our Father's purpose: 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.'" (Moses 1:39)

There is one more quote that I wanted to share with you before I say sign off!  

This one hit me hard:

"Our Heavenly Father sees our real potential.  He knows things about us that we do not know ourselves. He prompts us during our lifetime to fulfill the measure of our creation, to live a good life, and to return to His presence."  Where Your Treasure Is, by Elder Michael John U. Teh

Heavenly Father knew that He could help me see a better Samantha this morning.  It was so encouraging...a kind of taste of what He has in store for me!  When I see you again I hope you don't recognize me!  I hope that I will have become so good that I completely outshine the young lady you knew three years ago!  Haha

Hey Ben, I just want to end by sharing my testimony with you...

I know God lives.  I know that his Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, died for us so that we can return to live with Him again.  I know that because of His Atonement I can become better each day by small and simple steps.  I know that because of His Resurrection I will be able to see you and all of my loved ones again.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church, and I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that I am his daughter.

I love you, Ben!

Always,

Samie

P.S. POW