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.