"...not my will, but thine, be done." -Luke 22:42

It's time for change. And believe me, it is happening fast. 

Today, my ward boundaries were split up. It's been a roller coaster of emotions already. I have never experienced a change like this and it's a little scary. I was immediately overcome with sadness, but as the day has progressed a little I have found much comfort. Although I won't be in the same ward as my best girlfriends anymore, we will still get to have mutual together. It is going to take a lot of faith, a lot of prayer and some adjustment. I typically don't handle big changes well but I feel as though this will help me become a better person.

For five years I was working up to my goal to be baptized and it felt amazing to finally reach it! It has only been a little over three months since that incredible day, but I have already learned so much. I feel as though this big change is a blessing in that it is going to push me out of my comfort zone. I reached my baptism, and now it is time to move further ahead. I will soon be going into Relief Society, going to college and on a mission. The ward shift will prepare me for even more change in the near future. Sometimes life gets pretty comfortable and we either like or dislike where we are. Either way, life is going to change on us. It is something that we all have to deal with at one time or another. 

I am feeling all kinds of emotion right now. Sadness, heartache, worry, confidence, excitement, struggle.... it has hit me all at once. And I don't quite know what to do with all of it yet. My ward has been there for me since I first started coming to church and they pulled me through some of the hardest times in my life so far. I love them all dearly and I hope they know how much I appreciate them and their example.

I especially wanted to say thank you to the Derricotts. They have been such a strength to me and I have LOVED having them as my Sunday School teachers. So, thank you Brother and Sister Derricott! I love you guys.

I may not know where this journey is going to take me, but I know that my Heavenly Father will always be there for me. He will always love me. And He knows what is best for me; I need to follow Him.

"I will go where You want me to go... Lord, I would follow Thee."

Savior, Redeemer of My Soul

Savior, Redeemer of my soul,

Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,Whose wondrous pow’r hath raised me up

And filled with sweet my bitter cup!What tongue my gratitude can tell,

O gracious God of Israel.

Never can I repay thee, Lord,

But I can love thee. Thy pure word,Hath it not been my one delight,

My joy by day, my dream by night?Then let my lips proclaim it still,

And all my life reflect thy will.

O’errule mine acts to serve thine ends.

Change frowning foes to smiling friends.Chasten my soul till I shall be

In perfect harmony with thee.Make me more worthy of thy love,

And fit me for the life above.

His Crowning Glory: Women

"In this same vein may I address an even more sensitive subject. I plead with you young women to please be more accepting of yourselves, including your body shape and style, with a little less longing to look like someone else. We are all different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some are round, and some are thin. And almost everyone at some time or other wants to be something they are not! But as one adviser to teenage girls said: “You can’t live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people’s opinions make you self-conscious you give away your power. … The key to feeling [confident] is to always listen to your inner self—[the real you.]”  And in the kingdom of God, the real you is “more precious than rubies.”  Every young woman is a child of destiny and every adult woman a powerful force for good. I mention adult women because, sisters, you are our greatest examples and resource for these young women. And if you are obsessing over being a size 2, you won’t be very surprised when your daughter or the Mia Maid in your class does the same and makes herself physically ill trying to accomplish it. We should all be as fit as we can be—that’s good Word of Wisdom doctrine. That means eating right and exercising and helping our bodies function at their optimum strength. We could probably all do better in that regard. But I speak here of optimum health; there is no universal optimum size." 

- To Young Women by Elder Jeffery R. Holland

The Women in Our Lives (Gordon B. Hinckley) Mormon Message

"I'm a Mormon. Are you?"

"These four words—“Receive the Holy Ghost”—are not a passive pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood injunction—an authoritative admonition to act and not simply to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26). The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed “receive the Holy Ghost” and its attendant spiritual gifts. “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift” (D&C 88:33)." -Receive the Holy Ghost, David A. Bednar

My entire life changed the day I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I couldn't have asked for a better change! I have never been this happy and content with life. My baptism just solidified the idea that "there are [better] things ahead...". No matter what I do with the rest of my mortal life one thing will never change; I will ALWAYS be a member of Christ's church. And I'm happy to say it! :) Sometimes I still cannot believe that 5 years has passed since I was introduced to the Church. I made it. And I will forever be grateful for those who helped me reach my goal. Happy Sabbath!