Enjoying life NOW.

How many of you have heard the saying, busyness is a blessing? I'd like to contest that a little. I realize that having obligations, priorities, and responsibilities all are important, even vital, to our growth as human beings. However, do you ever pack yourself in too tight? Do you ever find yourself struggling to make time to even eat dinner or breathe? I know that last school year is history now but I can't help but to reflect on it because it taught me.
I piled on my plate church activities and leadership, club responsibilities and internship, honors classes, and athletics; lots of late nights and really early mornings but I'm not complaining! I was a happy person, but there were struggles. I can remember the stress of late night cramming because it was the week of the dance show and I had an essay due, the state track meet and committee meetings scheduled all within the same three to four days(definitely an exaggeration, it wasn't that bad). I think the entire point of that year was teaching me that you really can't do it all; you can try but it is hard. And is it worth it?
Think about this though, when you sign yourself up for 17 different assignments and responsibilities, how can you expect to give 100% to everything? You can't! I'm sorry but it isn't possible. You can do a dang good job and succeed but will you look back and say man I wish I did this or I wish I had done that?
I by no means am saying that busyness is a bad thing or that you're a horrible person if you're busy because you're NOT, heck I'm busy all the time! But is there a limit? All things in moderation.
Moreover, I've been really evaluating what I put my value on. "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured," President Hinckley once said, and how true! I get to live this Earth life once. One try. That's all we get. And that is enough time! I don't want my life to be a rut; I want to travel, I want to go on adventures, I want to spend more time with those I love than stressing over a textbook. Life doesn't hand you money, I know, and it requires work; however, I don't necessarily think overworking yourself is healthy. Find a balance.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE learning and I am very dedicated to my studies; knowledge is a gift of God, but I don't think He intended this life to be a burden. I know He didn't intend it to be wasted idely waiting for life to begin; live your life now before you miss it. So don't waste it with hard feelings, jealousy, bitterness, judgement, or negativity. Life is a GIFT of God, treasure it, do good things for others, SMILE, dance, go on an adventure, LOVE, pray, and never take it for granted because when you are 80 on your death bed you will remember all the chances you didn't take, the memories you didn't make, and the time you wish you had again.

“Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.” ― Gordon B. Hinckley

Baptizing Thalia.

This post is sort of sacred and special to me, but it fits the name of my blog to a T: Holy places. The temple is the number one most holy place on this earth and I was fortunate enough to go there today. There is an indescribable peace that is felt there that I doubt I could ever replicate to match perfectly, but that is what makes it so special; it's The Lord's house where His work is getting done. I got to participate in that work today.
This summer my stake(church group) was issued a challenge: 10 hours of geneology work. I began to search for my family members. I spent six hours in one day and found 22 names, 7 of which were ready to take to the temple. One of these names was my great-great-great grandmother Nathalie Pelleteir Dummond. I knew nothing about her and still don't, but I feel some sort of connection to her after I spent time searching her out. It took me sometime to find her because I wanted to make sure I had the correct info. I found two records that had the same birth date and place but one had her name Natalie Pelletier and the other was Thalia Pelletier. I was confused! I searched the census and found that these two names had the same husband and children, this had to be the same woman! I could feel it, I knew that this was her. Thalia was just a nickname. Then it came! A birth record of her daughter Agnes Dummond and on the document was signed Nathalie Pelletier. It was her!!
My mom and I brewed over this but I knew I had found her, but when I heard my Grandmother's confirmation that that was Nathalie I literally jumped for joy! Who knew one lady culd be such a mystery to find? But I did it, she was no longer lost.
I later read my Patriarchial blessing and it mentioned something about geneology work that was my special duty to fulfill, and with that I knew that Thalia had been waiting for me. As I sat on family search, SHE had directed me to the sources I needed to find her, SHE lead me to the census records and that birth record that straightened everything out. Thalia had waited over 100 years for this work to be done so what did I do? .....

WENT TO THE TEMPLE OF COURSE! As I stepped into that font and was baptized by proxy for Thalia, my spirit was over joyed and tears of excitement brimmed my eyes. Thalia has the opportunity to accept the covenants that I performed for her in her name, and I know she did. How amazing this work is, I was able to do the work for Thalia who could not do it herself. She now has the gate opened for her, and she can now more fully work her way to her salvation and to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
I have a renewed understanding of the importance of temple work. It is not something that we just go through the motions, we are affecting ACTUAL people. As I was baptized for Thalia, I felt a sort of connection to her. I cannot wait till the day I can embrace her and thank her for teaching me this lesson. I am thankful for my loving Father in Heaven and all His tender mercies. For Thalia.
~"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." John 5:25

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission.

Missionary service has been something I have been fortunate enough to witness a lot in my young life. I may not be great at sharing the gospel with my friends and family, but I have a testimony of it. I know that there is an indescribable joy felt when you see a family member or close friend be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The picture above describes full time missionary service perfectly; two years may seem like a whole lot of time, but in the eternal scheme of things, it is a short blip of time. But what great miracles and blessings you will witness in that short span of time, and those two years(or 1 & a half) can change someone's ETERNITY. How incredible!

Besides the great blessing of my mother's conversion that changed my life, I was able to witness better for myself the outcome of missionary work through the conversion of my uncle. My uncle, wasn't a member of the LDS Church but he was religious, and I recall him coming over and talking to my mom about the church he was attending frequently. One conversation that stuck with me was when he told my mom that he felt like something was missing. My mom and I knew exactly what that was! We as a family invited him to come to church with us and he did! As he started coming regularly, my parents offered him the opportunity to take the missionary lessons. The missionaries befriended him quickly and encouraged him, they truly cared about him; it was amazing to see the impact these young boys had in MY family's life. I was able to witness the joy of the gospel impact someone so close to me, you could see his happiness; even amid the struggles he had as his baptism day drew closer, you could tell he had peace. After a few weeks of having the Elders over in my home and participating in my uncle's process of learning the gospel, I was able to attend his baptism, confirmation and his receiving of the priesthood, and in a few short months he and his newly wedded wife will be able to be sealed together for time and all eternity in the temple. All of this happened because a few 19 year old boys gave two years of their life to be an instrument in The Lord's hands. His conversion truly strengthened my testimony and has helped me to see how important missionary work is.

I've never had a strong conviction to serve a full-time mission, I've never truly considered it nor have I prayed about it, and that is my fault. With the missionary age drastically changed for young women to serve at 19, I will admit I felt a soft nudge and a faint desire to serve and knew that there was an important reason behind it, but I whisked it away quickly saying 'oh no that's not for me'. I always thought I would go to school and get married and start a family, that was my "mission". But maybe The Lord needs me for something more? Maybe I'm supposed to find a lost friend? Maybe one of my spirit sisters or brothers are waiting for me to search them out? I don't have an answer to these yet, but I will tell you this: I'm considering serving a mission now.

I have seen the blessings of baptism in many of my friends and acquaintances' lives, but more importantly, I have seen it in my family: my mother and two of my uncles. I attended a confirmation recently and I felt the spirit so strongly through that blessing and his testimony. I was able to SEE his joy. I know that joy. I want more to know that joy. This small experience truly has impacted me.

I am not saying that I will serve a mission, that's for The Lord to decide when the time comes, but I realize that withholding myself from this possibility will affect more people than just me, but it will affect families I don't even know yet. We'll see whether The Lord will need me in the mission field, but I'm going to prepare myself as if He has called me to it already. 

~"I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, Over mountain or plain or sea; I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be." Hymn 270 (I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go)