Reflecting

So as it would happen, on Sunday, pretty much all of our meetings talked about the Plan of Salvation or our Savior and I just found it so fitting. For Christmas, my mom made each of us a book for sacrament. It just has sacrament hymns, scriptures and quotes that relate to our Savior and the Atonement. Anyways, I was reading in it on Sunday and kind of throughout the week and I came across some things that just kind of struck me. I shared it in my institute class today but it's just been on my mind.

I was reading in Helaman 14: 15-17 . It's talking about how it was necessary for Christ to die so that we could be saved and be with our Heavenly Father. Then I came across this quote and it just hit me.

In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even he could not endure it any longer, and like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child and has to be taken out of the room so as not to look upon the last struggles, so He bowed His head and hid in some part of His universe, His great heart almost breaking for the love that He had for His Son. Oh, in that moment when He mights have saved His Son, I thank Him and praise Him that He did not fail us, for He had not only the love of His Son in mind, but He also had love for us. I rejoice that He did not interfere, and that His love for us made it possible for Him to endure to look upon the sufferings of His Son and give Him finally to us, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Without Him, without His sacrifice, we would have [been buried in the earth and there our bodies would have] remained, and we would never have come glorified into His presence. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in heaven to give the gift of His Son unto men.

-Elder Marvin J. Ballard

I read that quote and love it. I am so very grateful for our Father in heaven's plan for us. There are times where I don't always know what exactly that plan entails but I know that there is a path for me to follow so that I can return to Him, so that we can all return to Him. I can't express how grateful I am to know that because He sent His Son to earth and let him be crucified, we all have the opportunity to return to our Father. And it seems that Heavenly Father knows when that time will be even when we sometimes we don't.

This is another quote I read today. This was on Jamie's wifes blog. She found this in one of his journals from a couple of years ago and I thought it was amazing. And it just goes along with things that I've been thinking of. I can't put it much better than this.

"Do not give up. Do not stop before the line, sprint past it. Do not consign yourself to apathy because a goal is in sight. It doesn't matter how tight you pulled a line if you allow slack in at the last moment. Moore yourself to the iron rod and receive all the promised blessings from Heavenly Father now, and the blessings of eternal life and exaltation in the time to come."

I think this is what we need to do to make sure we stay on that path so that when our time is here, we can return home.

Eye Opener

Yesterday on my way to work I got a call from my roommate who told me that one of our really close friends had passed away. At first I couldn't even believe it. Jamie, was best friends with a previous roommate so he was always at our apartment. The first time I met him, I was actually looking at the apartment to see if I wanted to live there, and I walk in and this guy is there dressed really nice with a huge mohawk! I wasn't quite sure what to do with that, so I went shopping for hair dye with him and Elspeth. I mean how could I not participate in the dying of a mohawk? Anyways, over the course of the next couple months, I got to know Jamie really well. He and Elspeth were always up when I got home from work so I got to listen to his Navy stories and mission stories. I have a lot of good memories of him and I'm so grateful that I got to know him. I just never thought it would happen to someone so young. He just got married like 8 months ago and was so happy.

It's definitely times like these that I'm so very grateful for the gospel and the knowledge that it gives me. It is such a comfort to know that he is married for time and all eternity and that we will see him again someday. I don't always understand the Lord's timing but thats not for me to understand right now. So, I'll be happy that for a little while he was a part of my life and he made it better with his laughter. He always could make me laugh, and frequently did!

Just so you know.....

.......I'm still alive!

I was told the other day that I needed to update my blog and at the time I didn't know what to write so I didn't. I still don't have a ton to write but I thought I'd do something! So....after doing some research and thinking...I changed my major. I'm in a paralegal program currently and I've got to say, I love it. I don't know if I'd say that I've always been interested in the law, but I have been for awhile. I don't really have the talent for arguing that my sister does so I didn't want to be a lawyer. This is something that really intrigues me though. I get to do research for attorneys and learn more about the law. I'm not very far into the program since I just started a month ago but I do enjoy what I'm learning. So I'll keep ya'll updated on that!

The other exciting thing is my adorable nephew! I can say that he's adorable because I don't have to put up with him crying at night and not getting much sleep! Sorry Mhari, I wish I was closer so that I could help out and let you get some more sleep! I just get to see pictures of this stinkin cute kid and he's just so easy to love! I can't wait for May when I actually get to meet him and see Mhari and James!

Ok, I mean look at this picture. How can you not just love this little guy? I don't think it's possible!

Last thing thats coming up is...my best friends wedding! In March, I get to go back to Idaho for my best friend Bethany's wedding and I get to spend 9 days away from work and school. I can't wait to see her and to be back in Idaho. I've actually been missing it the last little bit. And by missing it, I mean I miss the summer weather, definitely not the snow and cold that's going on right now! Anyways, I get to spend like 5 days with Bethany, and then I get to spend like 4 days with my sisters and bro-in-law. I'm way excited for that also! I've still got like a month before that happens, but I'm already counting down the days!

Well, I feel like thats a pretty good update for now. I'm off to bed!