In Mark

"With men that trust in riches, it is impossible; but not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake, for with such all things are possible."

helping hands

Today I had the privilege to go with McKay's ward to help clean up damage from the hurricane.  It was cold.  It was beyond putrid.  But it was great.  We cleaned out the basements of three homes--we tore up walls, cleaned out mold, pulled up carpet, handled some gross unmentionables, and filled a lot of garbage bags with soggy debris.  But there was work to do, and so it went by quickly.

The first family we helped had four darling little kids, and they were so happy despite all that they had gone through.  (Their cute little 3 year-old was decked-out in pink, head to toe, and had silver nail polish.  She was adorable.)  Another woman that we helped lost her husband to a heart attack the week before the storm hit.  I honestly cannot fathom what life must be like for them having to deal with post-hurricane life.  Even though we helped, we knew that we would say goodbye to the mess and to the awful stench at the end of the day....but these people have to continue on with everything post-disaster as a part of their lives.  They have to clean, rebuild, and pray that it doesn't happen again.

This experience reinforced something that I have been learning during my time at BYU, and especially this last semester: We have been placed in our personal circumstances to serve.  We live in families and in communities because we are meant to help each other.  That is why we each have different talents, abilities, interests, and skills, so that we might build up our own lives through serving one another's needs.  God never meant for us to try to make it through life alone.  He fulfills His purposes and blesses our lives through others, and we in turn answer others' prayers by serving as a tool in His hands.  That's what I got a glimpse of today.  That lesson is why I was privileged to have this humbling experience.  I am so blessed.  And the only way I can thank the Lord and be worthy of these blessings is by serving Him.  

.....And I am really grateful for sanitary masks.  And warm showers.

  

timely scrip.

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

{hebrews 13:15}

the purpose of life.

I have been asked by multiple people if I am going on a mission.  A lot of this came after the big news on Saturday, which I think is kinda funny seeing as I have now reached the ripe age of 21 (which now would make me even older in the mission field).  So I am going to just write a bit about that and about my experience with this amazing session of General Conference.

Over the years, people {family, friends, and strangers} have asked me if I was going to serve a mission.  (And had this age change been declared two years ago, then I definitely would have gone on a mission.)  As people asked me about it, I decided that I would not try to make a decision until May 2012, but I also did not see why I wouldn't serve.  However, May came along and I went through a long decision process, and came to find that I needed to stay home.  I needed to (and still need to) focus my efforts on something else.  I didn't understand exactly why, but I knew that it felt right.

When the announcement was made at conference, I did feel a little pull at my heart.  But the talks all reaffirmed the same feelings that I had in May: I could serve the Lord in other ways.  He knows that I would drop everything to serve a mission, but instead I have been guided to see how I can fulfill His will outside of the mission field.  I have come to see the purpose of life.

The purpose of life is to become like Christ.  The purpose of life is to serve others.  The purpose of life is to be so immersed in this service that you forget yourself.  The purpose of life is to recognize all that God has blessed you with, and show your gratitude by giving all that you can in return.  The purpose of life is to become the very person that Heavenly Father knows you can be.  The purpose of life is to live for each day. The purpose of life is to have a family--to see into a window of how God feels about us by having our own children.  The purpose of life is to remember that great things come out of small, seemingly inconsequential actions.  The purpose of life is to have faith.  The purpose of life is to offer my whole life, soul, and heart to God.  The purpose of life is to bring this purpose to others through example and teachings.

I may not be fulfilling this purpose in a concentrated 18 months, but I can do it every day for the rest of my life.

Now for a quick run-down of the week:
On Wednesday we watched the debate.

Thursday, as you know, was spent writing a paper and getting distracted.

On Friday we went to Shake Shack for dinner and then shopping at Georgetown for a while.

Saturday morning, Carly and I went to Eastern Market for these pancakes and some perusing:

This morning I made my big breakfast--whole-wheat pumpkin cinnamon rolls, quiche, fruit salad, and OJ.  I was really nervous about the cinnamon rolls (mainly because it was first time making cinnamon rolls ever), but they turned out just fine.  (Except for maybe the frosting.  Definitely an area for improvement.)  We had a ton of leftovers, so luckily the fine people of the Barlow Center were willing to help me out with that.

We also did some exciting things today for the holiday (apparently Columbus Day is celebrated in places outside of Utah), but I will write about that later.  I need to start some homework.  Love you! 

stumbled upon.

"I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

- phil. 3:13-14

a favorite.

Sorry--I told you that I would write about the weekend but it's late and I'm waiting on a few more pictures.  So I'm just going to share a lovely scripture instead.

"You know, bretheren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

"Therefore, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

- d&c 123:16-17

Also, I have not thanked you nearly enough for these shoes . . .

I love them.  I wear them all the time.  Thank you.

a good one

D&C 78:17-18

"Ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you:

"And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along."