In the best and worst of times

As 2016 comes to a close I have been thinking a lot about the year that I've had. I'm sure my year has been similar to most of yours. A year full of trials, sorrow, sadness and heartbreak, but also a year full of immeasurable joy, prosperity, love and gratitude. And so it goes for most of our lives. I love new years. Something about closing an old chapter of my life and beginning a new one feels so refreshing. I love making new goals, starting a new journal and looking forward to the many adventures I will have in the upcoming year. I recently read through a bunch of my journal entries from 2016 and there was a common trend. I could see the Lord's hand in every single entry, every event in my life, I could see God's hand directing and correcting me. Shaping me into the person he wants me to become.

I had an important realization in this moment. It is absolutely crucial that we look for that hand and remember Heavenly Father every day of our lives. I heard a lot that people pray more when they're struggling. and that makes sense. Often when I have been at my lowest I have prayed to God, begging for him to take my suffering away, to see the light at the end of the dark tunnel. My realest and most sincere prayers have usually been when I was hurting.

My number one goal in 2017 is to continue to pray and turn to God when I'm at my weakest but also to not forget him when I am at my strongest. We find a great example of this in Alma 62;48-51.

"48 And the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land, and began to multiply and to wax exceedingly strong again in the land. And they began to grow exceedingly rich.
49 But notwithstanding their riches, or their strength, or their prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes; neither were they slow to remember the Lord their God; but they did humble themselves exceedingly before him.
50 Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions, and he had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies.
51 And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually, insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land."

The Nephites were prospering. They were at a time of great peace, joy and wealth. And they humbled themselves before God!! What a great example. They could've easily looked at this experience as a reason to be prideful, but they didn't. They remembered how the Lord had blessed, protected and directed them. They knew that every good thing that had happened to them, happened because of God. We always need our Heavenly Father, we desperately need his love and patience and guiding hand to help us through the storm that is mortal life. I know that I need him. I am weak, but with him I can be strong. So when I am full of joy and I feel like my life is going just perfectly how I need it to I am going to do better at remembering him. Let us all remember to have gratitude and to sincerely pray and continue to build our relationship with him even if we do not feel we need to lean on anyone for strength. 

Life is always going to be full of ups and downs. Through all of this inconsistency one thing can remain constant, our desire and effort to perfect ourselves and grow closer to our Heavenly Father and his Son. I love my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful that he loves me. He is the reason I am here, and he is the reason I am happy. Let us make it our goal in the new year to center our lives on his gospel just a little bit more. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! also I love my best friends so here's a nice pic of us.

He is the light of the world

Day 6 in the #LIGHTtheWORLD challenge is titled "Jesus read the scriptures and so can you." One of the suggested acts of service is to share a favourite scripture on social media. This one was actually really hard for me! I have so many favourite scriptures and wasn't sure which one I should share. As I read and skimmed through some of my options I kept coming back to John 8:12. "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Throughout the scriptures this statement is echoed many times.
The fact that Jesus Christ is the light of our world is a very emphasized truth in our church.

John 8:12 teaches us that because Christ is the light of the world, when we follow him we will not have to walk in darkness. I believe that this is true. Sometimes sin, or the tragedies of mortal life can cloud our lives with darkness. Because of Christ's atonement this darkness can be erased and replaced with everlasting light. In John 16:31 it reads "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We live in a world today full of darkness, trials and tribulation. But Elder Holland assures us that "because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so." This is comforting. Because of his love and sacrifice, his light is unchanging and inextinguishable. It will always be there. In times or struggle and in times of joy, his love and assurance will be there. I will never have to walk alone in darkness. That is such a blessing! Jesus Christ is the light of our world because his example illuminates a clear path for us to follow during our mortal journey. By following him we can avoid the chaos and make it happily back to our Father in Heaven.

I love this truth. Nothing makes me happier than to know that Jesus Christ loves me and will never desert me. His atonement is powerful, and eternal but it is also personal. He knows all of my pain and my suffering. He knows how I think, what I fear, and he knows the person I have the potential to become. He knows all of my weaknesses and loves me still. He knows me better than I know myself, and that is why you and I both have to trust him. We have to believe in him and believe that following him will get us to better places than we could ever get on our own. I have never done anything to deserve his perfect love, but yet it is still offered to me. Because of his mercy and willingness to sacrifice for me, my best efforts are enough. He does for me what I cannot do for myself. He reaches out and saves me every single day.

I am so grateful for the scriptures. Every time I study them I can feel my testimony strengthening and my knowledge growing. My prayers and questions are answered and my life is filled with a sense of purpose and belonging. The more I read my scriptures, the more I learn about my Father in Heaven and his Son, the more personal our relationship becomes and the more I strive to become like them. I have not only learned to live the gospel, but I have learned to love living it.

#LIGHTtheWORLD

About a week ago the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints released the #LIGHTtheWORLD Christmas initiative. 25 days of service, each with an attribute of the Saviour we can develop through service, and detailed examples of service we can offer. 

David A. Bednar said, "The whole purpose of this initiative is to celebrate and share the light of Christ. What we hope people will do is not simply think about the Savior during this Christmas season, or even just learn more about him. What we hope is that they will come to know him by doing what he did.”

I can think of no better way at no better time to come to know and love our Saviour, Jesus Christ, than by serving our fellow men and spreading the joy of the gospel at Christmas. and that is what inspired me to start this blog! I hope that by posting my thoughts and love for the gospel I will be able to share the joy that fills every aspect of my life with you. and that's truly what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do. It turns our darkest trials into triumphs. Things that we see as impossible to overcome become possible when we turn to him. Our lives are filled with joy. Every good thing that has ever happened to me has happened because of my membership in this church and I truly believe that.

As we humble ourselves and come unto Christ we will be changed and perfected in him, and serving the people around us is the perfect way to come unto Christ. Turning outwards to lift others will make happiness so much easier and more available to us. Offering Christlike service motivated by charity will change who we are, and it will make the world a brighter place.

Matthew 5:14-16 says "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." We all have the light of Christ within us. Accept this challenge and share some of that light this Christmas season. Whether it's by a huge planned out service project, or offering a simple smile, you have the power to reach out and change lives.

Follow Christ's example and serve how he served this Christmas season. and also I encourage you to watch the #lighttheworld video because it's incredible! (link below)

https://www.mormon.org/christmas/light-the-world?play=hero

I am humbled when I think of Christ's ministry on earth. He was the perfect example of being Heavenly Father's hand on earth. He was selfless, kind, loving, tender, and merciful, even in the hardest and most brutal of circumstances. I love the gospel and I love my Saviour and I want to try every single day to learn more about him, grow closer to him and to become more like him.  I am so excited for the next 25 days and I hope I am able to create habits that stick with me through all the days after that. I hope and pray that I can throw away the mirror and look through the window. And I hope you all can too.

-Hanna