Mormon Monday

These past couple of weeks, the Relief Society lessons have spoken directly to my heart. Yesterday, the lesson was on Tomorrow The Lord Will Do Wonders Among You, a talk by Elder Holland.

I know when I watch General Conference, I know I can do anything. I can become this person worthy of the celestial kingdom. I have hope for my future. But then General Conference is over and the adversary creeps back into my mind. Whispering how I won't ever be good enough. What is the point of even trying because you are just going to fail. Sadly these thoughts are regular in my mind. I am constantly comparing my progression to everyone else. And that is the most discouraging thing. 

Elder Holland included this picture in his talk.

  

He compared it to General Conference ending, but in reality, I think we feel like this everyday. With the responsibilities of school, work, church, family and friends, we are all stretching ourselves pretty thin. Every day we are trying to finish that "to do" list. I am guilty of just trying to get through the day. I am constantly wanting to get through today, this week, this month, this semester. I find it hard to see the progression in my life. While I am putting my entire heart on the web, I might as well say, that sometimes I don't see progression. I wonder if I am the same person I was a year ago or even five years ago. Or even worse, have I backtracked and now I am just trying to get back to where I was?

But then Elder Holland says this:

"With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed."

*Sigh of relief.* I get credit for trying.

I don't have to be perfect. Ever. I don't need to magically overnight become the person I was meant to be. It is going to take time. I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect. There are somethings I will just have to keep trying to fix. I will fail over and over again, but at least I am trying.

"Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever."

To end, I wanted to include this video. We watched this at the end of our Relief Society lesson. I love what Kim says "I began to think maybe I couldn’t do this. Maybe I wasn’t strong enough. Maybe I might fail. But the Lord wasn’t going to allow me to fail. I know that’s not unique to me. He does that for everybody... The greater our sorrow is, the greater our capacity to feel joy.”

 I know we are all going through trials. Some are outward and everyone can see them, but some are inward trials that you must carry, but please remember that Christ is carrying those burdens too. You don't have to carry anything alone.

Aunt Heidi

I want to introduce you to someone.

He is my favorite human.

He is perfect.

He is all I have dreamed about my entire life.

His name is Beckett Brandt Anderson.

He was born 5.18.2016.

He was 7 lbs. 9 oz.

And 20 inches long.

I can't express how much I already love him.

So everyone wish Brandt and Meme congratulations on making one cute baby.

Heidi & Beckett

And Then There Was One

I will forever be grateful for Deseret First Credit Union for bringing me Marnie and Shaelee. All three of us applied for a job not knowing what epic friendship was about to happen.

But, over a year ago Shaelee left the Murray Branch to work at another branch. This was a sad occasion, so we worn black to mourn her last day. Although she was just moving branches, it felt like she was leaving forever.

Marnie, Heidi, & Shaelee

 Now Marnie is leaving to work at another company. She is leaving DFCU and so that called for another all black day. It is sad that I won't be able to instant message Marnie every time our "favorite" members come in. We won't be able to have dance parties on Saturdays, or bonding time in the vault. Life is about to change for the both of us. She is starting a new chapter in her life and I am so excited for her, but sad for me.

With Shaelee gone, and Marnie gone, that leaves just me. 

Marnie & Heidi

Going With The Flow

I am a planner.

I think (overthink) about everything.

I like to eliminate the element of surprise in situations I can control.
I like to think I am spontaneous and fun, but really, that just isn't me. I plan. I think things through. That is just who I am.

The past couple of weeks have been a little difficult because almost everything isn't going according to plan. In other words, life is testing me. Trying to knock me off my game. But I am learning to go with the flow. It will probably take years of practice, but one day I won't think about every detail.

"What screws us up most in this life, is the picture in our head of how it's supposed to be."