observe and learn from others!

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't blog last week!
Hopefully all your summers are going great… I'm leaving for pioneer trek TOMORROW and I am really excited! Anxious too, but mostly excited! :) I will be sure to post about that when I get back home.

I saw this quote on Pinterest the other day and thought it was interesting. You could definitely interpret it multiple ways, but in the moment it made me wonder how many people around me have things to teach me - to teach everyone - and yet they never open their mouths.

I know so many quiet people; people that I didn't really expect much from but have really surprised me once I've gotten to know them.

The people around you have more to teach you than you might ever believe. You can learn so much about love and compassion and hard work and true joy and sacrifice just by watching others. Can you think of someone in your life whom you have learned something from, even if they never used words to teach you?

Pay attention to others. Be perceptive. You have no idea what lessons you might learn if you watch others and ask people about their lives, especially people you don't usually talk to.

What else could be accomplished by reaching out and paying attention to people, do you think? In a regional stake conference we had a couple months ago, I heard the following quote:
"Some ask in silence because their arms are too tired to be lifted up."
Could there be people around you who need - even desperately need - help but don't ask for it?
Certainly!

I feel like I'm jumping around a bit, but I think the message I'm trying to get across is pay attention to people. Don't just go through life with your blinders on, only thinking about yourself.

There are people to help. There are people to learn from. There are people who have needs and don't make them known. There are people who could bless your life greatly if you just reached out to them and got to know them.

One thing I know about people is that they can surprise you. So be aware of the people around you. We need others to help us be our best selves. And others need YOU!

People hold their tongues. They don't always tell others what they are really thinking. In fact, they rarely do. Learn to be perceptive and understanding of others. Their life will be blessed and surely yours will be as well!



Have a great week! I'll just be trekking away!

Haley

leave a mark

Whew!! Is it July 28th already? I have been gone sooo much and have been so busy!

Sorry for the blog negligence! :)

So first of all, I left for FIJI on July 2nd and it was the Most. Amazing. Trip. Ever. It was so fun and I was so sad to have to leave! The people there have so little and yet are the most content, happy people ever! And the ward there was awesome! So many fun people!

I am away from home (yet again) in California at the moment, so I won't share too many pictures. It is just a pain to upload the pictures because my internet is reeeeally slow right now! :)

Chilling on the beautiful beaches



 

Baptisms at the Suva temple

 Me with Harrilea and Junior

 

Me with village kids

 

Some of us with a bunch of the ward's youth

 

At a school in the village

 

Working on the bathroom

 

Finished toilet and septic tank!

 

Me with David

 

We had so much fun serving the people, playing with the kids, learning about the culture, swimming in the ocean, making new friends, participating in church activities, and doing other fun things like seeing a movie and going to McDonalds! Tell your kids to save/fundraise for a HEFY (link) trip!! It is the most incredible organization ever!

 

It was so neat to see such a different part of the world. It helped me to be a more rounded person and gave me new perspectives. You guys, be grateful for what you have!!!

I was also reminded how much God loves everyone.

People! YOU. MATTER!!! And if you are ever feeling down on yourself, try serving others. Be a light to other people and make their lives better. I promise you, it will make you feel important when you spend your time being an instrument in the Lord's hands.

I heard something interesting when we were at the temple doing baptisms for the dead. The temple president came to give us a little thought before we got started, and I love what he said. He read off a few of the names of people we would be getting baptized for and shared their birth dates and where they were born. He reminded us that they were real people who lived and breathed and until now probably thought they had been forgotten. He got a little emotional and pointed out that these people are probably never thought of anymore, never mentioned. Who knows - their names being spoken in the font may be the first time they've been mentioned in years and years.

I don't want to leave people forgotten. I want to feed Christ's lambs. I want to serve Him forever and ever. I want my friends to feel like I love them. I want to make sure that I leave this life having given everything I could possibly give.

I want to rescue people. I want to strengthen Christ's army. I want to leave a mark on the world - leave a mark in heaven.

This is my purpose, and this I will do.

I truly could never share enough about my experience in Fiji. But it didn't end in Fiji.

There are people here who need me. And most definitely people here who need you.

“Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart.”  - Gordon B. Hinckley

You guys are awesome. I'm really stoked to start blogging a lot again. I'm just spending time with family here in California, but when I get home the summer should start winding down and I can get myself back into a good blogging routine!

Have a lovely day!

Haley