Trek 2014: A Gospel Worth Sacrificing For

Hello my dearest readers! It's been a few weeks since I last posted, but it's not because I've been neglectful, I've just been out of town like the whole time! But I'm back now! Yay! 

So a few weeks ago, I went on trek. I mentioned in a post that I was going, but I never blogged about it, so first thing's first. Let me tell you a little about trek! 

This was the youth in our ward right before we left. Trek ended up being postponed a day due to several inches of snow. I was super bummed at the time, but we still had a great experience.

But here's the thing about having a shorter trek: we were worked to the bone! We had to make up the miles, and it was incredibly taxing physically.

I was so so sore every night and I got so tired after walking for so many hours. It was brutal! Seriously though, so brutal!

But I'm so glad it was hard, and here's why:

It was hard for the pioneers. It was so much harder for the pioneers than it was for me. They walked for months at a time, and often in bad weather. They got sick. They got hungry. These were all things I didn't have to deal with.
And even despite the luxuries I had, like good hiking shoes and a good coat and as much water as I needed, it was still really hard for me. I was so spent that at times I doubted whether or not I could continue.
BUT I did. I continued. I made it the whole way. The women's pull was also really long and difficult, and at moments I wondered how we could ever do it. But guess what? We did.

Here's what I learned on trek: I can do hard things. We all can do hard things.

Even though I doubted myself sometimes, I somehow always made it from Point A to Point B.

This is such an important lesson to learn! Do you know why?
Sometimes we will be called upon to carry burdens that feel too heavy. Life is hard, and sometimes it feels like we can't carry on, like we can't endure. But we can. With the Lord's help, we always can.

If you aren't familiar with trek or with the women's pull, here's briefly what it is. All of the men and boys in all of the families get called away on missions, and the women have to stay behind and pull the handcarts alone, usually up a big hill. At the end, the men are able to walk beside us, watching for a few minutes, before stepping in to help with the handcarts.
This was such a neat experience and taught me so much. Again, about burdens. The men were called upon to leave and serve the Lord, and had to carry the burden of leaving their family behind. The women, then, were left with no choice but to continue to press forward, pulling the handcart.

In life, sometimes we are called upon to spend extensive time serving the Lord by fulfilling our callings. Sometimes other things come up in life, and we find that we have to change our plans. No one can get through life without carrying some burdens, is what I'm trying to say.

But what do we do? We press on. We move forward with the knowledge that God is over all and can make weak things become strong.

So that was the first lesson I learned on trek. I can do hard things. Whenever the Lord calls upon me to carry a burden, I can do it in His name and with His help.


Here's another lesson I learned on trek: the gospel is ALWAYS worth sacrificing for. I mean, why do you think the pioneers were able to keep moving every day? Why were they able to keep putting one foot in front of the other, even when they were freezing or filled with sorrow because loved ones were dying? How did they do it?

It's because they had something worth walking for. They were going to Zion. They were following the prophet, and in doing so were following God's commandments and gracefully working through this burden. They knew it would be worth it. They knew it would be worth it for their posterity who could live in peace, away from persecution. They knew it would be worth it to leave a heritage of hope and sacrifice, one that their descendants could be proud of. One that GOD could be proud of.

Friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It was worth walking for. It's always worth sacrificing for. That's the only way the pioneers could have pressed forward every day. They knew they were sacrificing for a worthy cause.

How was I able to press forward every day? I remembered them. I remembered the pioneers and I thought of how much I love the gospel and how I am willing to do anything to keep it in my life and in the lives of my children and posterity. I leaned on their strength. I followed their examples. And I continued to have faith that the Lord would help me carry my burdens.


I know the gospel is true. I love it with all my heart, and I want everyone to know it. I want to be all in, willing to sacrifice and carry burdens to help the gospel to move forward. I know that following the commandments is always, always worth it.
Hard things come our way. They always will. I know that God is over all and that if He felt it was right, He would take my burdens. But sometimes He sees, in all His wisdom, that I need to endure certain trials.
Ours is not to wonder why. Ours is simply to trust and have faith and remember that things always work out.


I'm so grateful that I was able to go on trek and learn these truths, even if it was hard while I was enduring it. I truly never could possibly appreciate the pioneers as much as I do now if I hadn't carried that burden.
If you ever get the chance to go on trek, go go go!!


"We came through that experience with the absolute knowledge that God lives, for we became acquainted with Him in our extremities! 
"The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay."-Francis Webster of the Martin Company

Haley

ask for help

Finally. FINALLY. I am home! For good this time. This summer has flown. My family had a great time in California, but I am so glad to be home. I can’t say that I’m dying to go back to school, but I’ll at least be glad to have a set schedule back. And I am so excited to be back in my home ward!

Here are a couple pics from our trip…

Golden Gate Bridge. It was fun to have my best friend Sydney in California with us.

Isaac’s birthday. I wonder if he likes his iron man toy?! (sorry for blurry pic)

I think I need to get into a better schedule with studying my scriptures and conference talks. I’m pretty sure I’ve done okay this summer for the most part, but especially the past couple weeks I’ve let my good habits slip a bit.

I was thinking the other day about the blessings I might be able to have in my life if I simply put in the tiniest bit of extra effort. Maybe all I’d even have to do is ask for them.

I wonder how hard it is for Heavenly Father to watch us struggle. It’s probably harder than I can imagine. As much as it is surely possible for Him to take away our sorrows, to bless us with strength, perhaps sometimes He waits for us to ask. Somehow, sometime, we have to learn to trust and rely on Him.

Maybe sometimes I put off things like scripture reading because I’m too busy trying to deal with things, solve all my problems. Surely just putting in the time to read my scriptures and following the commandments would solve my problems more efficiently, wouldn’t it?

I’m grateful for a Father in Heaven who blesses me so much. One who is patient and understanding always. I want to spend the necessary time so that I can draw closer to God and make sure that asking Him for help is always the first solution to come to mind in times of trouble.

We can make life so much easier for ourselves if we simply remember to ask. Ask for help, ask for more love, a softer heart, more angels to bear you up.

“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you.” – Shakti Gawain

Have a great day and week. God is good. Always remember this!

Haley

give your all.

“A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life”
-Joseph Smith

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Mark 12

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

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A mite was the smallest coin in use among the Jews... kinda like our penny, although today a mite would be worth much, much less than a penny...

So two mites is practically nothing.


But the widow's mites were worth everything and more.


Yes, others put in more, but they could easily afford it, and they obviously did it for show... in the above video they are putting in sacks of money coin by coin... ha.


Well unlike them, the widow probably didn't know if she was going to eat the next day.

But she put her money in anyways. All that she had to give.

And because of her sacrifice, I would be willing to bet you just about anything she didn't go hungry the next day...

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So how does this story apply to you and me?


Sometimes giving your all is what it takes to gain a testimony, to keep your testimony strong, to receive personal revelation, etc, etc.

It is one of those things where you can't just halfheartedly put a little effort into it - or pray to get better at some really hard piano songs and then not practice enough... (I have experience with that one... ha.)

And I want to return to my Maker knowing that I gave Him everything I had to give.

He deserves no less, and I know that I will be returned everything I give.


So much more, actually, which is something I probably won't deserve, but I'll be given it anyways because my God spoils me. :)




And remember that in your own life, there will always be someone that seems to be doing better than you. Giving more.

It may seem that others are so much better at their callings - whatever they are - than you are at yours.

But God only demands of you what you have to give. 

And trying your hardest... giving your all... is enough for him.

So that's something to keep in mind.


And whom God calls God qualifies. Remember that too.

Between YOU and your GOD...

    So I counted just now... and I have 78 posters/pictures on my wall... I honestly can't cram anything else onto my wall. :) (At least it hides the paint color... I've been wanting to repaint my room for a while now... :))
     Anyways... if you care to play I-Spy, you can find the following poem hanging in my room amidst all of the other stuff. It is perhaps one of the first things that I hung up because it is one of my very favorites:

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People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway. 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway. 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway. 

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway. 

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway. 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway. 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway. 

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway. 

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

[Credited to Mother Teresa, although nobody is positive... there are many speculations as to who first came up with it.]  

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I think that the following quote kinda goes along those same lines:

"My young friends, be strong. You know what is right, and what is wrong, and no disguise - however appealing - can change that truth. If your so called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone."
- President Thomas S. Monson

I love the last two lines of that poem... because in the end, it really will be between you and God. Nobody else. And 'final analysis' will come sooner than you might think.

     Imagine a never-ending strand of little tiny seed beads. Our earth life is one of those tiny beads. Do not throw away the rest of the beads - the rest of time itself - because you decided to give in and take foolish advice from people. If you had a wider window - a greater perspective - you would always try to make the best choices you could, because you would better know what you would be sacrificing otherwise.

     The thing is... we do know. It's just tricky to visualize sometimes. BUT... I know that if we try to live life the best we can... and make the choices that would please our Heavenly Father... we will find peace and happiness during and after this life.

Scripture Marking Saturday... Sorta.

     My last post says that it was published on Saturday, which is true, but it was like 12:30 am when I posted it, so in my head, that was yesterday.

     Okay. Normally on Saturdays I would just share a scripture and thought or whatever, but I decided to share a scripture and video, because they are both brilliant reminders for just about anyone...

     I think that procrastination is a problem for most people... There are always some things that it is easier to put off, so that is what we do. I definitely don't blame you, as there are always times when we don't use our time wisely...

     I wouldn't normally share a Scripture Mastery scripture on Saturdays, because my goal is to introduce you to really good scriptures that aren't as well-known... but I guess this week is the exception. :)




Joshua 24:15 - And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

(This doesn't seem like an anti-procastination scripture, but watch the following video... it will make more sense after.)



    So, I suppose the above scripture isn't one that you would read and afterward think, "Okay. I will not procrastinate now."
     Like I said, that isn't the first connection that you would make in your head, but I think that this scripture gives counsel on many subjects... You just have to read it enough that those counsels will stand out to you.

     I'm sure that when I first read that scripture, I thought about how I would serve the Lord. After watching this video, the words this day also stand out to me. There are certain decisions that you need to make now, and one of them is that you will choose to serve the Lord.
     The now part is important, because you may come to a point in your life where you will be tested on this, and if you make a decision now to keep the commandments, you will not even have to hesitate when making the right choice, because your whole life, you have known exactly where you stand on that.


And like he said in the video, we do not know how many days we will have. Choose to do service this day, because you may not have a chance tomorrow.

     Hopefully after reading this, you will not only take the lessons that this scripture teaches to heart, but you will also hopefully learn that the scriptures can teach us many different things.
     That is why scripture study should be done when you have time to focus and learn from what you are reading. Study every verse thoroughly, and you will get more out of it.

Did one of my posts leave a lasting impression on you? I'd love to hear about it! Comment below! 

 Want to read about the layout of my blog? Click here.

Just Give Him a Little More...

This post was inspired by the following song:
(You're supposed to click play and then scroll through the lyrics as you're listening) :)

More - Kenneth Cope

More steady, more sure,

more trusted, more pure.

Some say it doesn't matter.

More trained, and more aware,

more aim to get me there.

I climbed this far.

You raised the bar.

You want my heart.

More fierce desire

to stand against the wind,

More blazing fire

when dark is closing in,

a more love-inspired change within,

So there's more and more 

of me to give.

More words to learn and know,

more etched upon my soul.

Some say it doesn't matter.

More tried, more true.

Less me, and much more you.

I stretched this tall.

You sound the call.

You want my all.

More fierce desire

to stand against the wind

More blazing fire

when dark is closing in,

a more love-inspired change within,

You keep reaching out, you're calling out to me

for more strength in shoulders to face the war with sin.

More wise and bolder,

to save the souls of men.

A more faithful soldier,

to the end.

You want more and more of me to give.

More and more of me to give.

More,

More and more of me to give.

More love, more light.

more purpose

more serve with all my might.

I need more hope, more faith,

more patience, each day I pray for more.

More and more of me to give.
More fire, more zeal,

more spirit to know what's real.

More courage, more joy.

More, more, and more of me to give.

More grateful, more true,

more humble to trust and do.

You call, I hear.

I'll walk the path that's set in stone

my heart is fixed on getting home,

and what on Earth could ever matter more?

More and more of me to give.

More...

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     Just a thought as I was listening to this song... 

     You don't have to be perfect. In fact, you won't be.

     Maybe you struggle getting out of bad habits, and into good ones.

     Maybe don't try for perfection... just try to do better. Just try to offer a little bit more.

    

     If you are reading your scriptures only once a week, maybe try reading twice, or three times weekly. Gradually try to do better and better, to offer more and more... until you are at seven.

     

     The same concept applies to many other things. It doesn't have to happen all at once. 

     Don't compare yourself to the people who are doing amazing at whatever it is. Maybe they are struggling with something else. 

     God will know that you are trying. He recognizes the milestones that you reach. 

"In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

(That's from a brilliant poem hanging on my wall... should I do a post about it? Hmmm...)

Don't strive for perfection. Strive to give Him a little more...

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For a free mp3 download of the song "More" by Kenneth Cope (plus like... forty other songs...), click here.

P.S. You know how you sometimes stare at a word so much that it seems as though you spelled it wrong? Even if it's a really simple word? Yeah. That's me right now. I might end up checking with you that I spelled more right... haha.

P.P.S. Should I resurrect "What's Up Wednesdays"? I don't want my posts to get too boring... but I also don't want to stray too much from the purpose of this blog. What do you think? To see my last (and only) "What's Up Wednesday" post... click here.

Expressions of Love

   
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought that this was a very appropriate video to share...



     (My favorite is the guy who says "It just has to be forever!)


"Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope. As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit."
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

     President Howard W. Hunter said that love is the only way the world will know peace. (source) If everyone in the world showed love all of the time - to everybody, the world would be a very happy place, no matter how different we all are from each other. 

For the Spirit to dwell in our homes, we have to show love and kindness for our family. 
When everyone in your home is kind to one another, it will be more enjoyable to spend time with them. You will want to be around them more! 


I found the following quote given by David A. Bednar in this article...

“Each of us already knows we should tell the people we love that we love them. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do. We may feel unsure, awkward, or even perhaps a bit embarrassed.

“As disciples of the Savior, we are not merely striving to know more; rather, we need to consistently do more of what we know is right and become better.

“We should remember that saying ‘I love you’ is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to show it. We need to both express and demonstrate love.”

     Show others how much they mean to you! Tell them often that you love them, and do things to show it. When you do this, they will always know that they are important and cared for. 


John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.


Never forget that one of God's commandments is to love your neighbor...


And never forget that He loves YOU unconditionally.

Living Up to Your Potential

     I found this beautiful song, and just had to share... so I decided to do a post reminding everyone of the potential that they have...



     Wasn't that beautiful? I could feel the Spirit very strongly while I listened to that song. I thought that it went along with this topic, because it reminds me that God is proud of the good choices that me make. Unlike us, He sees the whole picture. He sees us for what we can become.


     Let's recall the stories of Gideon and Samson. (You can read about them in Judges in the Bible.)


Gideon first... In Judges 6, it tells you that the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel, and had for several years. God tells Gideon that he will be the one to defeat the Midianites.

  12- And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

 14- And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

      Let me point out that Gideon was a poor man. When he was young, I'm sure that he and his family never imagined that he would be the one to defeat the Midianites. God had great things planned for him though, and was also waiting to bless him if he would be obedient. 
     So how did Gideon react?

  

15- And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

16- And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.


    Gideon chooses to do what God has commanded him to do. It seems impossible to him at the time, but he has faith and it ends up working out... just the way he was promised it would.

Now Samson.

     This story is probably better known... It starts with an angel of the Lord appearing to Manoah's wife, who was barren, and telling her that she will have a child. 

Judges 13:5- For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

     As a Nazarite, there are certain things that you are not supposed to do. You aren't supposed to cut your hair, for one. One of the other things is that you can't marry out of the covenant.  

     Unfortunately, the first decision that we see him make is to marry out of the covenant. 


14:1- And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.

  

2-And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.

  

3- Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

 
     Anyways, it would take a lot of explaining for you to know the whole story, but the main events are as follows...
- Samson starts hanging out with Delilah (bad), and she cuts his hair during the night.
- Because Samson has broken many commandments, he can no longer live up to his potential. 
- Samson does end up killing many people, including some Philistines, but he also kills himself, which kinda stinks.




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     So what is my point in telling you these stories? I want you to look at the difference between these two men. Both are born with incredible potential, and both get the chance to reach that potential. One, however, doesn't recognize the fact that he was born for great things. Thinking that he is smarter than God, he breaks the commandments. Because of this, he was not able to reach his full potential. 


     I want you to know that God sees great things in store for you. Like I said before, He sees you for what you can become. Like Gideon and Samson though, you must keep the commandments and trust in the Lord before you can reach your full potential. He will then reward you with all of the amazing blessings that you have earned. 


     Never forget that God sees you different than the world sees you. He wants so much for you to follow His commandments so that you can live with Him again. He wants to give you blessings. I know that it pleases Him so much when we are worthy enough that he can reward us with these wonderful blessings.

All Blessings Come by Obedience

 
D&C 130:21- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

Okay, so nobody told me what subject they would rather read about... But did you really think I would write about chastity?? No way.

One of my very favorite quotes is about obedience, so I am using that as the subject of this post. Here it is:
"Obedience to God can be the very highest expression of independence. Just think of giving to Him the one thing, the one gift, that He would never take... Obedience- that which God will never take by force- He will accept when freely given. And He will then return to you freedom that you can hardly dream of- the freedom to feel and to know, the freedom to do, and the freedom to BE, at least a thousand fold more than we offer Him. Strangely enough, the key to freedom is Obedience."
                                                                                     -Boyd K. Packer

God gave us EVERYTHING! Without Him, we wouldn't even exist. He has already given us so much freedom, including the freedom to choose. The least we can do is obey His commandments. They are ALWAYS for our own good.

I found this awesome story that President Monson told in the Priesthood session of General Conference in October 2006. It is an awesome example of how obeying will bless us, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time.

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"[Young] Rupert stood by the side of the road watching an unusual number of people hurry past. At length he recognized a friend.
'Where are all of you going in such a hurry?' he asked.
"The friend paused. 'Haven't you heard?' he said.
" 'I've heard nothing,' Rupert answered.
" 'Well' continued [the] friend, 'the king has lost his royal emerald! Yesterday he attended a wedding of the nobility and wore the emerald on the slender golden chain around his neck. In some way the emerald became loosened from the chain. Everyone is searching, for the king has offered a reward to the one who finds it. Come, we must hurry.'
" 'But I cannot go without asking Grandmother.' faltered Rupert.
" 'Then I cannot wait. I want to find the emerald,' replied his friend.

"Rupert hurried back to the cabin at the end of the woods to seek his grandmother's permission.
'If I could find it we could leave this hut with its dampness and buy a piece of land up on the hillside,' he pleaded with his grandmother.
"But his grandmother shook her head. 'What would the sheep do?' she asked. 'Already they are restless in the pen, waiting to be taken to the pasture, and please do not forget to take them to water when the sun shines high in the heavens.'

"Sorrowfully, Rupert took the sheep to the pasture, and at noon he led them to the brook in the woods. There he sat on a large stone by the stream.
'If I could only have had a chance to look for the king's emerald!' he thought.
Turning his head to gaze down at the sandy bottom of the brook, suddenly he stared into the water. What was it? It could not be! He leaped into the water, and his gripping fingers held something that was green with a slender bit of gold chain [that had been broken].
'The king's emerald!' he shouted. 'It must've been flung from the chain when the king [astride his horse galloped across the bridge and the current carried] it here.'

With shining eyes Rupert ran to his grandmother's hut to tell her of his great find.
'Bless you, my boy,' she said, 'but you never would have found it if you had not been doing your duty, herding the sheep.'
And Rupert knew that this was the truth."

The lesson to be learned from this story is found in the familiar couplet: "Do [your] duty; that is best; leave unto [the] Lord the rest!"
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

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I promise that if you obey the Lord, and obey His commandments, and TRUST HIM, then you will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams.