You Don't Know Everything, but You Know Enough.

In such a time filled with doubt, questions, concerns and what seem to many, no answers, I think we are forgetting one of the most important counsels we've received. Simply, You Know Enough. I came across this video and it all clicked for me. Growing up and living through 'the signs of the times' it becomes easy to be curious of others opinions. It becomes easy to be surrounded by people who want to tell you different. It becomes too easy to fall away from what we know.

We start with our foundation of Faith in Christ. As we struggle through life, our trials and our hardships we have that faith to look back on and rely on. Maybe sometimes we forget what the meaning of faith really is. 

Faith; Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather then proof. 

Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true. To have confidence in something or someone.

If we have the faith as our foundation then we have a strong belief in the doctrines of our Church. We may not understand why things happen, we may not know when they will happen and we may not fully get how they happen but we have faith that whatever is to happen, there is a reason higher then our comprehension with the best interest of us in mind. With this knowledge 'our questions and doubts are resolved or become less concerning to us.' 

My favorite quote of the video stated 'Our spiritual journey is a process of a lifetime.' How great is it knowing that I continue to learn everyday? That I have a lifetime to learn all there is to know and will be blessed with even more knowledge through eternity. Knowing that I don't need to know everything by the time i'm a certain age. Knowing that Heavenly Father longs for me to come to him if I don't fully understand a question that was asked in Sunday School. Knowing that because I don't know it all now, I have opportunities given to me over and over to gain that knowledge. Because of that, I feel less stressed and more willing. I get to learn and grow on my own time and have the agency to choose, along with the gift of patience in his timing. 'We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way, but we know enough'.

I have a testimony that Heavenly Father loves us and puts us in the best situations possible both for our comfort and also for our growth. He wants to give us hard times to see how strong we are; not only physically but he will test our faith spiritually. As we continue to include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon, we will be given the gift of patience and the gift of understanding for our questions, concerns and doubts. While we stay close to him and his teachings our questions will be answered. We'll be blessed with the guidance we need as we go throughout our lives. And most importantly we'll come to know, what we already knew.

"You don't know everything, but you know enough." 

It Comes Down to Attitude

I feel like i'm a pretty positive person. I've never been one to dwell on the negative and it's always been easy for me to point out the good in any situation. To me, things are just a lot easier if you go at it with a good attitude. No matter how 'easy' it is to be happy, life will still try it's hardest to knock you down. And for the last couple of weeks, it's been trying harder then ever at me. 

Compared to someone else, I can't say my life is hard, because it's not. I've been blessed with a life full of great things that I don't have a lot of room to complain. But no matter how blessed one person is, we will all face our own battles and trials. For me, it's the little things. It's the loneliness of another Friday night spent at home, the feelings you get driving past Grandma's house remembering what it was like when she was here and only wishing you could spend just 10 more minutes with her. It's the frustration that comes from trying to make decisions that will affect you for the next couple of years ahead. By themselves they don't seem so significant but as they add up, so does the stress.

I came across this and it hit me. If i'm not happy but want to be happy I have to change something. That simple thing I have to change...my own attitude.

-It's not another lonely night at home, but it's a night I get the chance to spend with my family.
-When I miss my Grandma I can't help but think of the lady she was and the memories we made. As she taught me through example of who I should be becoming, I have those lessons to remember and work on to be the granddaughter she would be proud of.
-Even through the frustration of the decisions I have, I can see a future. I have opportunities and experiences that I get to be apart of.

What's the point in getting upset in a situation we can't control? It's inevitable that we will be sad, hurt, lost, and lonely in life. But it's also our choice on how much that affects us. The simple choice to change your attitude in any situation can make you feel happy, content, like you belong and even a sense of understanding. What I've learned most through this is that we need to worry only about the things we can control and with that, we have a lot of power in deciding how we feel. The situation doesn't change as I change my attitude but for me, it gets a little bit more bearable.

Grandma Larson.

Remembering Grandma Larson. 

Why wouldn't I want to spend Friday nights with him? ;)

Goodbyes Are Not the End

I was one of those high school students that loved high school and everything about it. I played sports, hung out with friends, was involved in different clubs, got good grades and being a senior kept me busy planning for what I was going to do in the year ahead. I was lucky to not only have one good group of friends but I hung out with multiple groups and whenever I had free time we always found something to occupy it. I loved my life.

In January I got a little glimpse of how things were going to be in the next year but still didn't realize it then. My older brother, best friend, 'go-to' and biggest example in my life started a new chapter in his life and headed to Budapest Hungary to serve a 2 year LDS mission. I was so proud of his decision to serve as he had courage and faith to take on what was going to come for him.

Little did I know that was just the beginning of 'goodbyes' waiting to take place. I finished out my senior year and as the softball season came to an end I had to leave such a great program full of amazing people. I was blessed to be able to play for one of the best softball programs in the state. I had to say goodbye to coaches who had turned me into a player better then when I started, families I had learned to love and count on as much as my own, and girls that I would never have the chance to play with again. They became like sisters I've never had.
After softball came graduation, a bittersweet day filled with a whole new set of goodbyes. As someone who loved high school, this was hard for me. I knew I wouldn't see a lot of these kids again after this day. From growing up with a lot of them or meeting them for the first time in high school, I was apart of one of the best classes to come out of Spanish Fork High School. (In my opinion, of course ;)

I had one of the funnest summers I can remember. I stayed out late, lived in the sun, met new people and spent all the time I could with a real cute boy....:) Just like any other summer it came and went way too fast. I got all packed up and ready to start something new, more school and softball at Snow College. It wasn't far from home at all but still meant I was moving out and had to say goodbye to my family. Even with the thought of being able to see them often, it was hard to leave my parents that have provided me with everything. I couldn't have asked for a better duo to teach me what life is all about. They were there for the ups and downs, the heartaches and the joys, the tears and the cheers. I love my mom and dad more than anything. Of course I can't forget my little brother either, we've become closer than ever over the last year and i'm grateful for such a fun kid to always hang out with.

I've learned more throughout my first year of college than I ever thought I would. I had some of the funnest times with a brand new team, making memories i'll always remember. While I was meeting a lot of new friends, I was saying goodbye to a lot more at home. Friend after friend left to serve the Lord.

Brooke, Canada.

Jessica, California.

Kadee, Texas.

Sara, South Dakota.

Sierra, Tennessee. 

Kaiden, Ecuador.

As hard as this year might have been, I wouldn't change it for anything. I've learned and I've grown through the 'goodbyes' I've had to make. Through the new life I had to take on and leaving what once was everything I was use to. Each and everyone of these friends have helped me to become a better me as they better themselves. I'm grateful for the gospel in my life that's a constant while everything around me changes. I'm blessed with a life full of opportunities to live my dreams and succeed in what makes me happy. But most of all, I'm grateful that goodbyes are not the end.