Let Go and Let God

I saw this phrase on Pinterest a while back. It has been my mantra lately. It needs to be a permanent part of my life. It's a hard thing to "Let Go and Let God," but I know it's necessary. We are not in complete control of our lives. There's a lot that's out of our control. 

I've also really liked the song below. I need to "let go" of the life I've planned for me. Nothing ever goes the way we want to, but whatever direction the Lord allows our lives to go in is for the best. 

"I'm Letting Go" by Francesca Battistelli

My heart beats, standing on the edge
But my feet have finally left the ledge

Like an acrobat
There's no turning back

[Chorus]
I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go

This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace

The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone

[Chorus]
I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go

Giving in to your gravity
Knowing You are holding me
I'm not afraid

Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
Feels like I'm falling and this is the life for me

"I Can Do All Things Through Christ"

Let me tell you a story. I have struggled with my weight my whole life. Back in June I decided this was it- I decided I'm going to lose the weight once and for all! So, I signed up for a gym membership. And I started going. And I've seen some results. (side note- I've also started using the MyFitnessPal app) I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting there. And I'm learning and growing spiritually in the process as well, which has been an unexpected blessing.

I've come to realize I need The Lord's help so much. There are days when I am simply tired and worn out from working all day and I just don't want to go to the gym. But, I pray for help and somehow I find myself in the car on my way.

I have experienced several spiritual moments when I've been running on the treadmill, as odd as that may be. I honestly have felt like at times there have been angels around me - cheering me on and giving me the strength to just go a little longer. I know The Lord knows this is something I want so much, so He's helping me.

Guess what? I'm not perfect. I sometimes fall (not literally, thankfully!). Like last week when I didn't make it to the gym at all and I actually gained two pounds. But, I'm learning that that's ok. This week is a new week and a new chance to do better. 

I felt impressed to share this. I know I am not alone in these struggles. But, I wanted to let everyone know if I can do this, anyone can do this. But, only with The Lord's help.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said, "We don't have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. We have to do the best we can, one step after another. The only thing you need to worry about is striving to be the best you can be. And how do you do that? You keep your eye on the goals that matter most in life, and you move towards them step by step. That is easy enough. We don't have to be better than someone else. All we have to do is to be the very best we can." ("One Step After Another, Ensign, Nov. 2001, 26.)

I know that's true.

Happy

I love it when I am lying in bed, contemplating life and I realize I am happy. I am really happy.

I'm not happy because my life is perfect- because it's definitely not. I'm happy because I have the Gospel in my life.

It's amazing how the world can be in such turmoil, yet I can be ok. Lately I've thought a lot about the scripture that says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) I love that.

The Gospel brings peace and happiness. And I am SO grateful for it in my life! 

Trust the Lord

I have been asked to speak in church this coming Sunday and came across this quote while I was preparing. This quote is so powerful! 

"To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love." -Richard G. Scott

Lord, I Need You

Some of my most spiritual moments lately have come when I've been running my little heart out on the treadmill at the gym. True story.

Tonight I was running and listening to this beautiful song. Sometimes I run to spiritual songs to help motivate me. This one really touched me tonight. I know I need the Lord. I can't do it on my own. I need His help SO much. How grateful I am that He is there for me and will help carry my burdens.

Lessons and Blessings

My mission was an amazing experience. It was life-changing. That is why I am so passionate about it (border line obsessive, really).

It's be impossible to completely describe how it changed me, but I really want to say a couple of things.

My mission taught me how to love with a deeper love than ever before. It was amazing to me how easy it was to love the people I came in contact with and served. I learned even more than before that I need to look past appearances and life situations and look on the heart.

The very core of missionary work is love. I didn't go on a mission because I felt obligated or because I didn't have anything better to do. I went because I love The Lord and I love His Gospel. I wanted (and still want) others to feel the joy and happiness I feel and to know what I know because of my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wanted to share that. 

My mission also taught me a lot about endurance and pulling through hard times. Let me tell you, there were many days when my companion and I would be knocking on doors in the negative some odd degree weather (while wearing skirts, mind you.) and I really had to ask myself, "can I really keep doing this? This is so hard." We were constantly rejected. Not to mention, people thought we were absolutely insane being out in the nasty weather. But, it all came back to why I was there. I was there because I loved the Gospel and The Lord and I knew (and still do) that the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are true.

Another huge lesson of my mission was that God places us exactly where we need to be when we need to be there. He is very aware of us individually. We are His children. I experienced so many miracles relating to this. I just know without a doubt that I was called to serve in the Illinois Chicago North Mission and in the specific areas I served because I needed to be there.

My mission also taught me a lot about patience. Being with someone else 24/7 is hard.

I also learned a lot about companionship. I learned how important it is to counsel together, to work together and to be forgiving. I also learned more about conflict management. Definitely not fun. But, those were lessons I needed to learn.

My mission taught me so much about agency. It can be heart breaking to see people you love make wrong choices.

I could go on and on, but can you see why I love my mission so much? I love who it helped me become. It's so ironic- when you lose yourself in the work you truly find yourself.

I loved the experiences I had. I love the people I met there. I love the places I served (although, I have to admit I'd never want to live there. But that's a different story. :) ) I loved preaching the Gospel. I loved being an instrument in God's hands and seeing miracles every single day. I loved representing The Lord and The Church for 18 months. And I will never be the same. I have been changed. So grateful I had the opportunity to serve.

I was filled with so much joy and happiness this past week as I got to visit some of the people and places I came to know and love. Really, there are no words to adequately describe how I felt this week. So many emotions. So many memories came flooding back. So much gratitude. I feel so blessed that I had the opportunity to serve a mission.

We Shall Reap

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." -Galatians 6:9

I love this scripture. There are so many instances in the scriptures where we see the phrase "in due time (or season)." There's much we can gain from these scriptures. Heavenly Father doesn't promises that our blessings will always immediately come, but they will come eventually if we are faithful. It reminds me of a quote by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. He says, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come." (Full talk can be found here.) Part of the test of mortality is to endure to the end. Not just endure, but endure faithfully. And eventually we will receive the blessings we seek and desire.