If you think you can…

“If you think you can’t, you won’t…If you think you can there’s a good chance you will.”

That was part of a poem we learned in 6th grade. Mr Emerson, our teacher, always corrected us when we would say that we couldn’t do something. He made sure we added the word “yet” onto the end of it. He said “I don’t want to hear you say that you can’t do something, if you are going to say that then you have to say that you just can’t do it yet.”

Well, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I’ve begun to notice that when I think that I can’t do something, it’s not usually that I really don’t have the capability to do it, but it’s just that I’m not willing to try that hard. I had never realized that my feeling sorry for myself because I don’t talk loud enough, or because I can’t seem to say what I want to say, how and when I want to say it was really like a way of making things easier for myself and getting out of improving. Feeling sorry for myself took all the energy that I could have used to actually solve the problem. So when I’m saying “I can’t…” it’s like I’m really saying “I won’t…”

It reminds me of something that Elder Maxwell once said, “Life in the Church soon teaches us, too, that the Lord does not ask us about our ability, but only about our availability. And then, if we demonstrate our dependability, the Lord will increase our capability.”

This came to mind more yesterday as I listened to Elder Christofferson, the newest member of the 12. I just got the feeling from listening to him that he knows that he cannot possibly do what he has been called to do on his own. But that does not take away his willingness to put himself into the Lord’s hands and do what he is asked to do. It’s all about willingness, not ability!

 

Estoy misionando! :)

In the early days of the church when new converts would go to meet the prophet he would often tell them, I want to call you on a mission!

I love having a mission. It gives purpose and direction to life. It is easier to feel that sense of being on a mission when you get a mission call and go somewhere for that specific purpose. But, hold on! That’s not the only way to “go on a mission!”

This morning I was realizing that I want a mission. In church on Sunday we were talking about ways to overcome the feelings of inadequacy and lack of self-worth. I’ve struggled a lot with that. As we talked the thought occured to me that one of the best ways I’ve found to overcome those problems is to have a goal, a mission.
I thought about President Hinckley’s advice to forget yourself and go to work. It really does work.

So anyway, this thought of finding a mission made me very happy this morning. Happy enough to blog again I have some ideas for what I am going to do, and it feels great!

Hope you all have a bright sunshiney day, too!

 

Still here :)

Once you mess up on a goal just once, it is so much easier to do it again. I guess you might say that it’s a little dangerous to be so concerned about achieving perfection in a certain goal. Because if your main objective is to do it perfectly, then once you have messed up, which will inevitably happen, your motivation is gone. It is so much better to endure, even if it means missing a day or two along the way, than to have a perfect record for a while and then crash and burn.

My latin teacher in high school said that he wished he could give all those students who had a perfect GPA, an A- so they could relax.

While we’re talking about perfectionism, something one of my friends reminded me of recently is that we don’t have to be everything. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? I mean, I guess it is a little prideful to think that somehow we could be good in every way, but I still catch myself feeling guilty and or somehow of less worth when I realize how inept I am at certain things.

Yesterday I had a comforting thought that we all have missions in this life. Something that we are suited for, something that will make a difference. So we don’t have to even try to do or be everything. We just need to do our best with our individual missions and trust that the Lord loves us as we are, and that through his help we can be enough.

 

Words, words, words

Yesterday in my writing family histories class we talked about good and bad writing techniques. (Oh no, all of the sudden I started feeling self-conscious about the way I’m writing this post. If I write about writing well, then you readers will probably notice my poor writing even more Oh well…)

So our professor was talking about using big, fancy words in place of short, simple, direct words. The big words may make you sound a little smarter, but they don’t usually make the reading any easier or more clear for the reader. Another one of my professors said that you go through the PhD program to learn how to write in an unclear way. Basically she said that you learn how to not communicate clearly. Of course, I’ve never been in a PhD program, so I don’t know…

I have noticed that when I am trying to make the 10 page minimum on a report (or however many pages it may be), I word things in a more complicated, less clear way because it takes up more space. Sometimes I’ve even done it knowingly. For example, I will start writing something in a really natural way, but then I’ll stop myself and make it more wordy to take up room. Isn’t that terrible?

So yesterday as we were talking about this I felt disappointed that I have lessened the quality of my work many times in order to “meet requirements” or whatever. So anyway, the next time I try to write something in a more wordy than necessary way, I’ll think twice about it. And then depending on the length of my paper I may or may not do it. J/k from now on I want to do my best!

 

“In sunshine and in shadow”

With the struggles and disappointments and uncertanties of life, it is so good to know that the Savior is constant. He is always there for us, no matter what happens. I just really like what President Hinckley said,

We know not all that lies ahead of us. We live in a world of uncertainty. For some, there will be great accomplishment. For others, disappointment. For some, much of rejoicing and gladness, good health, and gracious living. For others, perhaps sickness and a measure of sorrow. We do not know. But one thing we do know. Like the Polar Star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives. He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith.

In sunshine and in shadow we look to Him, and He is there to assure and smile upon us.

 

Your work…

I have just been listening to the CES fireside that Sister Julie Beck gave last night. She said something that I thought was really special. She said,

Temple and family history work is your work. Much depends on you. The church needs your energy in this important work.

As you participate in temple and family history work, you are certain to have the spirit to comfort you in your challenges and to guide you in all the important decisions you are making.

Wow! I think that is a wonderful promise. I do love the temple and family history work. I want to do better at really appreciating the opportunities I have.

 

Reach for the stars!

Lately I’ve been realizing how much I need order in my life. I am so disorganized and inefficient sometimes. In church today I got some new ideas that I am excited about. I just want to get things in order. Have all my school stuff organized, plan out my study times, and projects…etc.,

This scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants is motivating to me:

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.

That sounds great to me! And despite the challenges that it could entail to establish this kind of a house or life, it is not too much to hope for. I want to reach for the stars, and believe that it is possible, with the Lord’s help.

 

Comparing, competing, and never feeling we are “enough”

A couple of conferences ago, Elder Holland mentioned how our society has an “obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are ‘enough.’”

I was thinking about this tonight because I went to a Relief Society activity and unfortunately, I ended up feeling a little bit down on myself. I thought about this quote and how I do compare and compete, and often not feel “good enough.”
So tonight I was wondering how to overcome this. I think that it isn’t really a one time event – that suddenly I will never feel down on myself again.

In church one time a sister said that we often look to how other people see us for our image of ourselves, but when we do that she said it was like looking into a cracked mirror, because none of us are perfect. So instead, she suggested that we try to look to Heavenly Father for our self image, because He is perfect. Doesn’t that make sense? We don’t have to, nor should we take what other people might say or think about us as fact. But on the other hand, we can trust the Lord because He will never lie and He loves us.

So I’m thinking that I need to really just rely on the Lord, and trust Him. And trust His view of me. Hope you all can benefit from my self-talk here

 

Knowing that you know!

When I was getting ready for my mission, my bishop asked if I knew that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the Lord’s church restored to the earth. I told him that I thought so, but I wasn’t completely sure. So he wisely said, “Well, it would be pretty hard to be a missionary if you don’t know that.” I agreed with him.

You see, I had just gotten out of a really hard situation which involved a lot of brain-washing and manipulation, and I had become very unsure of what I knew and didn’t know.

But deep down inside I did know that this was the Lord’s church, and that was why I wanted to serve a mission to share that with people. I just didn’t know that knew.

I’ve gone through several things like this in my life. It is such a good experience when you finally do know that you know. It is such a wonderful feeling when you realize that you do.

 

The church is great!

Hi everybody!
Tonight we had a group “home evening” just like we always do here in the singles wards and it was really good. You know I just think that these programs like family home evening are so inspired. Getting out with the other people and being able to talk about spiritual things was just what I needed today. I’m grateful for the Lord and the direction He gives to our prophets.