Masterpieces

I was asked sometime last year to speak to the Young Women in our ward. It was so fun to hang out with my girls again! I miss them so much. It was so nice to be able to talk to them about something near and dear to my heart.

My little speech is a miracle. I do not write and whenever I sit down to write a talk it takes me forever! I usually don't come up with any words until the night before. With this I sat down and it just came to me! 

I wanted to share it with you too, so here it is:

To start off I would like to quote a man I admire, though fictional his words came from a mind that is real. This same mind came put these words in his character’s mouth “nine hundred years of time and space and I’ve never met anybody who wasn’t important before.” 
I am here to tell you that young women are glorious. The divine potential in them is limitless. One of God’s greatest creations. Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

Words from a real man (whom also is a man that spoke for God) Gordon B. Hinckley said 
“Woman is God’s supreme creation. Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created, and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good…Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue  with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth.”     

As young women we (because we all have a young women inside of us) stand in different places and we walk different paths. This is how God intended it. We are individual’s with many gifts: Music, sports, organization, patience, love, being happy, things that come to us naturally, things that we have to work at and some things that ain’t happening in this life time. 
Let’s face it we would all get very bored if we were the same. I believe this is so we can teach and learn from each other. Every life is different and is in need of different things. The gifts that God gives us are personalized for us and are the tools that we are given to return to him. 
Jealousy can grow from these differences it is because sometime we cannot see that we are also great and glorious. With our eyes we cannot see ourselves. I can see you and I can picture what I look like, but I can’t see my face. If I try hard enough I see the tip of my nose and that just looks big and blurry. We can look in mirrors, but that image can be distorted by what the world has deemed beautiful. 

What good is a fork when faced with a bowl of soup? Maybe we think the fork will make us more popular, or prettier. Whatever the case is, when the time comes we will wish we still had that spoon. The spoon represents the talents we have that we do not work at because we don’t see their worth.

You might think right now that you will never forget and that you will always remember and hold dear to what I have told you, but you will be put into situations meant to break you, meant to make you feel small and worthless. It will be a trial of your faith and testimony. I urge you to make your testimony strong on this fact. You are a daughter of God who loves you. He has given you many gifts that were meant just for you to get you through life. Also, please remember that this rings true for all young women, not just those in our Church. Help them see who they are and what they can be. Be the hands of Christ and reach out. We are God’s masterpieces. 

Faith in Humanity- Let's be awesome together!

HAPPY 2013!

What was big in my internet life of 2012? Memes. They are everywhere!! You can't escape it! What does meme mean anyway? I will blow a kiss so whomever gives me an answer!

First, I would like to say that I love memes. I have been communicating with my best friend through the messaging of memes for months! Sometimes the meme just speaks to you!

Second, I think people plus the internet is a funny thing. We get hooked on the darndest things. 

There is a meme for everything under the sun. Food, games, people, animals, and whatever else your heart desires. I have found that some memes are clever and funny. Mostly, though, they are kind of degrading. Making fun of people's "fails", mess-ups, 80's year book photo, or just making up things that are completely wrong. I mean, there are memes of the Queen! I just don't get that.

As we are now twelve days into the new year it is time for me to show you what I want to become in the up-coming year! I have resolved to be awesome! 

So here I am, sitting on my computer and trying to spread a little sunshine! I want you to look at these and think "How can I be as awesome?!" 

Here are some memes and other things-

Additional things: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/moments-that-restored-our-faith-in-humanity-this-y

I might have the definition of meme wrong. Maybe it's only the pictures with words and stuff. Whatever! :D

Now to tie this into the main part of this blog. As I look at these pictures, I see Christ. I know that some people aren't honest about the stories that are attached to the pictures and were just trying to make a good fake story, but it makes me want to make it real. 

I think that people have put a shell around their lives. Not letting anyone in (unless invited) and not reaching out. I think that service is too scarce. I know that because of social rules I have not stopped to help someone that I have felt prompted to help. Here is my advice to me, myself, and I (and anyone else who wants to take it): stop thinking about yourself and what others will think of you. If you feel that the someone needs to be talked to, hugged, befriended, added, lifted up, or anything then DO IT! It doesn't matter if no one is watching or everyone in the world. Do what is right and be awesome!

P.S. So I found out that if you attach this picture to any picture it becomes a meme. My blog has been officially meme-a-fied

America: The Great Nation of Division

Ok, let's talk football. I am not a fan of football. Correction: I am not a fan of football fans.I have seen fights and arguments between people over who is the better team. Now, I am not a perfect person and I love a good row. The kind that you can go at it a couple hours and finish it up with a good "It doesn't really matter."  I am all for supporting teams, but when do you draw the line. Awhile back my sister, Mrs. Organized, was telling about how she needed to figure out what to wear to work the nest day. She lived in Oregon and the two football teams were playing against each other. She told me how she couldn't wear this color and that color. I think mostly it was so that no one thought she was supporting any team, let alone picking sides.

I am the kind of girl who will wear a Michigan sweatshirt in Columbus, the home to the Buckeye's, just to bug the people around me. Why? Because I think it's ridiculous that they are bugged. What does it matter what I think, even if it's just that I am cold and the only sweatshirt I have happens to have Michigan on it. Please stop offering me duct tap. I didn't ask them to change their minds. I am not saying that anyone is better than anyone.

It causes division. People who support different teams are enemies. Even if it's just for football season (let's face it football never ends). The separation is there. Here is the thing, people want people to be one their side, but at the same time they want others to never see it their way. They want the argument. They want to be right, to be better than someone else.

So what does this have to with the Gospel? I will get to that, just wait a bit longer.

Well, the football thing was just to warm you up for the real thing. Election day. Recap on how elections go. A bunch of men with some women thrown in the mix arguing about who is better. And to make it all the more exciting, the media has to step in twisting words and telling lies. It's like two parents fighting over a kid.

I never talk politics outside of my family. I will never be the one to hand out flyers, put signs out on my lawn, or give weekly updates on Facebook about my opinions. Here it is everyone: I voted for Romney. I bet not many people are surprised. Now before you start saying that I was just voting for a fellow Mormon, save your breath, because I made a choice and no matter what my reasons you have no right to dictate my actions. Further more you have no right to judge me on my actions. I return I have no right to judge you and yours, either. Not that we won't, because we will. Hopefully both of us will get over it. Do I hate Obama or anyone else who was running? No.

I understand why we have the party system and all that jazz, yet I still strongly dislike it. I just see it as a road block in progression. See how I used the word "progression"? What do I want to progress to? Well, here is where I get all spiritual.

Moses 7:18 (Scripture Mastery to all who know what I am talking about!)

 And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of bone heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

Here is my list of some divisions: politics, football (sports), money, intelligence, social class, skin color (yeah, there is still racism), religion/beliefs, fashion, sexuality, and so much more. This is a short list of the reasons we choose to divide ourselves. That scripture is my goal. This is at the root of why I don't like football and politics. I feel that some people think that during times like these they have the leave of absence to be be mean and judgmental of others. Well, they don't. Sadly I have seen lots of people of my own faith say some unwanted things. Now I am not saying that we should all be the same. There is a difference between division and difference.

Here is my advice. Take it or leave it. Put it under a car and run it over. Vote for who you believe will be a good leader and then pray for whoever is elected.

While we wage these wars with each other on who is right there are people out there who need our help. People who don't get help because they are on the other side of the divide. I don't believe that the Government is the answer, I believe it's the communities and the people who need to step it up and reach out, pick up, give, lend, help, or whatever needs to be done. No matter who or where.

I want to live in Zion and I know that is a ways off, but in the mean time I would like to live in the UNITED States of America.

NOTE: I wrote this at an early hour so please forgive any randomness and errors that might have popped up.