Slow Down & Enjoy the Moment

Slow Down & Enjoy the Moment

 Lately I've been caught up with the rush of college admissions and teachers trying to shove projects down my throat as a last attempt to get through the senioritis. I recently saw this quote during my late night pinning sessions. 

I love this. This was exactly what I needed to remember to slow down and enjoy these last few months of high school. It won't last forever. No matter what stage we're in in life, it'll come to an end. 

My mom celebrated her 66th birthday today. She made a comment about how at her 50th birthday, she didn't think she would live this long. It really hit me like a ton of bricks. Why wouldn't she? She's so young. But is she? 

Along with enjoying the moment, we must not forget the consequences that can come from enjoyment. Use your common sense always. If it doesn't seem right, please don't do it. I've seen so many of my loved ones completely destroy their lives from one bad decision. 

So be smart, be safe, but have fun. I love you all so very much! See ya Sunday!

Love, Janae 

Valentines & Missionary Work

Happy Valentine's Day!

So I may or may not have caught the missionary bug. It doesn’t help that all of my best friends are turning in their papers or already have their call. Being the youngest can suck sometimes. However I’ve decided that I have one plus to not being able to turn in my papers for a year. I have an extra year to study and become a better disciple of Christ.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Even if we weren’t lucky enough to be given or give chocolates and flowers, we can give something else today. We can give of ourselves to Christ as our Valentine gift to Him.

How does this tie in with missionary work? Well Elder Bednar said it perfectly,

           

            “Devoted disciples of Jesus Christ always have been and always will be valiant missionaries. A missionary is a follower of Christ who testifies of Him as the Redeemer and proclaims the truths of His gospel.” (“Come and See” General Conference October 2014)

The best way to give to Christ is to give to others. Sharing the gospel with those we love is a gift we can keep on giving, both to our loving Savoir and to our family and friends. 

Yes sharing the gospel can be challenging. We may be teased, brushed aside, and even loose friends over it. Throughout these hardships, we can look to Christ’s life as an example for how we should live.

Christ has given the ultimate gift, the Atonement. If only everyone knew and understood it fully! We as members may not understand the Atonement, but we have the advantage of knowing its purposes.

As missionaries, even member missionaries, we can show Christ’s love through our actions and words. One of my friends exclaimed loudly to me, “Thanks to you my Pinterest feed is full of Mormon stuff!” I laughed and told her if she didn’t like it, she could unfollow and I wouldn’t be hurt.

Our first reaction to rejection is hurt or to be mean. But sometimes we have to do as Taylor Swift has said, “shake it off.”

We don’t have to be limited to giving this gift only on Valentine’s Day. We can share it with everyone everywhere!

The Parable of Flossing

The Parable of Flossing

I’m sure all of you have been to the dentist at least once in your life (hopefully you go more often than that). Most of the time, they always say, “You need to keep (or start) flossing! It helps prevent decay.”

I think we can relate the dentist to our leaders in the Church. “Read your scriptures and say you’re prayers!” In this case our daily “flossing” can help prevent spiritual decay.

But flossing isn’t a one-time thing. You don’t do it once and say, “that’s it! I have prevent tooth decay forever!” Wouldn’t life be much simpler if that was the case? Just like with scripture study and daily prayers, it’s not just a one-time prevention tactic.

COMMUNICATION

Our Heavenly Father wants us to talk to Him and learn of Him and His teachings. Our spiritual growth isn’t a big event and then we’re done. We have to keep working at it, day by day! In no time, we’ll realize the spiritual giants we’ve become when the next trial hits us!

Humans tend to be creatures of habit. I know I am! I like my routine and I tend to get cranky when things don’t follow in order of how they’re supposed to. So naturally getting into a routine of praying and studying the scriptures was hard at first.

I had my set way of getting ready for bed and I didn’t want to change it. However, my desire to keep the commandments (not to mention eternity in the Celestial kingdom sounds bomb), over ruled my natural woman and her desire to control everything.

That was my freshman year of high school. Now as a senior, I physically can’t miss a night of reading and praying. I can’t go to sleep without having read and prayed. I see this as a major blessing that has come through faithfully following God’s commandment.

 

Scripture study may be intimidating, but I think this may help. Start with a prayer, then read and study it. Write out whatever you think the verse means and what you think you can learn from it. If doing it verse by verse seems too much, you can do it by chapter. I prefer the chapter method. 

I know that if you sincerely try and ask for help to be able to, you too will be blessed from reading and praying everyday! Your testimony will grow and your faith in your Heavenly Father will be strengthened. Until next week, au revior!

Tender Mercies & White Dresses

This past Friday night, I had the opportunity to go to the Distribution Center with my sweet momma. We were going to get me a temple dress. No I am not getting married. And no I am not going on a mission (that's in a year). I am going to be sealed to my parents. My family were raised members and my awesome parents were married in the Salt Lake temple over 40 years ago. I ,however, am going to get adopted and then I can get sealed to them.

So my mom and I drove on down to the combined Deseret/Distribution out by the Gilbert Temple. We walked in and I suddenly felt this overwhelming feeling of warmth. With the help of a kind older sister and my patient mom, I finally found a style of dress that I didn't think was frumpy or 70's.

After two or three goes (the sizing is really weird), I finally put one on that felt right. I stepped out and my mom started tearing up. I looked out to the right and saw the Gilbert Temple across the freeway. I immediately felt my Heavenly Father's love for me and His approval at the choices I'm making in my life.

I'm going to be honest, I normally don't pray for a spiritual experience to happen to me. I've been trying hard this year to keep myself in a position where I can feel the Spirit almost all the time (going to a public high school does not help at all). However, I know that the Lord knew I needed to feel His love and that I needed a confirmation. In my heart I had been hoping for one, but I was too timid to ask in my prayers. I can truly say with confidence that Heavenly Father knows what we desire in our hearts. And He will definitely answer them. All you have to do, is desire deeply and strive to be worthy, and you can see tender mercies in your life, as I have in mine. He'll bless you as He did for me when we most need it.