5 Ways To Live Right Now

1. Ponder your patriarchal blessing. Notice where Heavely Father may give specific direaction and where He gives only general guidance and expects you to learn how to make righteous choices.

2. Ask yourself, Are there things in my life I should start, stop, or continue doing? Seemingly small actions or attitudes carried on over time can set important long-term trajectories. "Out of small things proceedeth that which is great"

3. Study the lives of the great prophets, including Abraham. As how you increase your understanding, trust, and experience with the Lord so as to be prepared for challenges and opportunites in your life.

4. Review circumstances in which you recieved guiding promptings and how you responded to those promptings.

5. Count your many blessings. Look for ways to add "thank you", "I love you", "Please forgive me", and "I forgive you" to your daily life.

Live Right Now

"Choice ias as eternal as we are. Our opportunity to exercise moral agency in mortality is one of God's great gifts. Yet we make many of life's most important choices before we are constitutionally qualified to run for Congress! Faith, marriage, career - these and other important decisions loom as large as an 18-wheeler barrelling toward you at breakneck speed, and you have the uneasy feeling objects in the rearview mirror are even larger than they appear."

"Choices-we may put them off but we can't escape them. choices reveal, define, and refine us. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we make mistakes - and we all do -there is always a way back. And the way back is the way forward."

"We understand neither waiting to be told all things nor doing everythong on our own leads to happiness. Thos who wait for absolute inspiration find themselves paralyzed, sometimes susceptible to deception from uninspired sources. Those who never seek Heavenly Father's inspiration sometimes get what they thought they wanted. You know the expression: "Be careful what you ask for."

"One you really determine to follow that guide, your testimony will grow and you will find provisions set out along the way in unexpected places, as evidence that someone knew that you wold be traveling that way."

"Why was Abraham commanded to go to Mount Moriah and offer his only hope of posterity...Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham."

"Happily, most choices are not Abrahamic tests. But mortal choices let us learn and choose something about ourselves. In a sense, mortality is the ultimate "choose your own adventure." Each choice opens new opportunities to choose and closes others."

"May I share something I've observed about what makes happy couples happy? Happy couples CTR the DTR. They choose the right in defining the relationship. They let the spiritual lead the physical. In ways small and large, whether just starting to date, courting, or during their engagement, happy couples set distinct, appropriate bounds before marriage that bless all aspects of their lives - now and later. Living right now makes possible living happily later."

"Never underestimate seemingly small decisions. This includes how we choose to dress, speak, or otherwise portray ourselves."

"Life doesn't stop while we wait for answers. As a member of our studnet stake put it, "The pioneers received inspiration as the wagon whells turned." Remember the Lord's counsel: 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."

"Get on your knees and ask for help, and then get up and got work, and you'll be able to find your way through almost any situation." - Gordon B. Hinckley

"If you go to bed at 10:00 and get up by 6:00 am, things will work out for you."

"Humbly seeking inspiration while fully obeying all the commandments will hep us determine if we are attracted to that cute girl or guy by spiritual promting or as a response to a Madison Avenue perfume or aftershave. It can help us know when we are giving or receiving a priesthood blessing that what we are saying or hearing is not only what our own heart may earnestly want (or not want) but is in fact the will, mind, word, and voice of the Lord."

PROMPTINGS

First, promptings sometimes open unanticipated opportunites to help others.

Second, promptings sometimes come when our hearts go out to someone else.

Third, promptings sometimes comfort or prepare us for things Heavenly Father knows are coming.

Fourth, promptings sometimes come at the very instnat we need them to help us address questions important to someone else.

"Human choices are inevitably incomplete and incorrect, and they often have unintended, or even sometimes destructive consequences."

"In each of our lives things happen that make us stop and consider what is most important. A heart attack, a near drowning, a suicide - the sudden jolt of death, injury, or major changes make us seek at-one-ment. At these tender moments, the four things that matter most find expression as "thank you", "I loveyou", "please forgive me", and "I forgive you""

-Elder Gong

Memorial Day Weekend!

"If you like it than you shoulda put a ring on it!" that's what this picture says to me! For Memorial Day Weekend a few friends and I decided to hike up Bell Canyon! It's beautiful and I highly recommend it!

The boys were trying so hard to be hardcore!

Brook, Bronwyn and I at the lake!

We wanted to try and be hard core just like the boys!

Instead we decided to be cute!

Our crew consisted of Me, Matt, Brook, Clark, Bronwyn, and Ian! Can't wait to spend the rest of summer with this awesome group!

A Love Story

Let me share with you one of my favorite and true love stories. I learned about the story very late in its development. One night I went with my husband to a company dinner party. I sat next to an older man who was there with his wife. She had suffered a stroke, so he would lean over to cut her meat and help her with her food. His manner was very tender and caring. As he finished the meal, I said to him, “You are so good to your wife.”

His reply: “Why shouldn’t I be? I love her.” Then he told me about their courtship and their life together. “The first time I saw her,” he said, “was at a party in Canada. She was giving a reading. She had long golden curls and wore a beautiful white eyelet dress with a pretty blue satin sash. I was so impressed by her that I told my mother that that was the woman I was going to marry. Mother laughingly indulged me. I went on my mission, and when I came home she was engaged to another. I was asked to take a special assignment by the bishop, and when I protested he told me that if I would always put the work of the Lord first I would find that the Lord would always take care of me. I made the long trek to Salt Lake City. When I came home, she had broken her engagement. We started to date, and then we married.”

His wife rarely accompanied him in public after that dinner. It wasn’t long until her condition worsened, and she was completely bedridden and virtually unable to speak. He was a General Authority and went out on his regular conference assignments to visit and counsel the Saints. He would always come home and tell her all about the conference. One day as he finished, he teased, “If you are not going to speak back to me, then I am not going to tell about my experiences. You must not love me anymore.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and with great effort she found enough strength to form the words, “I do love you.” It was difficult and extremely slow, but with great effort she got the words out. He decided he would never again treat their love lightly, for their love went beyond even her crippling physical impairment.

At the funeral of this special woman, Zina Card Brown, every speaker commented on her love both for her sweetheart, President Hugh B. Brown. President Marion G. Romney said, “Wherever she was she was a loving lady.” President N. Eldon Tanner declared that President Brown was so successful because of her love. President Kimball said that the love of President and Sister Brown was such that they would soon be together again everlastingly. Her love pulled them toward immortality—a beginning of eternity.

- Barbara B. Smith

Get Inspired

In Control

Control your thoughts because they become the words you use.

Control your words because they become the actions you perform.

Control your actions because they become the habits you acquire.

Control your habits because they become the character you reflect.

Control your character because your character becomes your destiny.

Control your destiny by becoming what your Heavenly Father and SaviorJesus Christ want you to be.

- Elder Robert E. Wells

Building a good self image

May I talk to you about self-image for a moment? There should not be anyone here tonight who has a low self-image. How dare you or I to have a low self-image! We are the sons and daughters of God! We belong to Him. We are His children. He gave us birth. He gave us life. That knowledge alone causes every man and every woman, when they understand it, to rise and walk with their head held high. Yes, that is a great blessing.

Let me tell you a true story that happened to me this past August. In a very impressive way, it caused me to realize that I am a son of God. By assignment, Elder Derek A. Cuthbert and I went to Ghana and Nigeria. There we traveled for approximately ten days visiting the branches of the Church in these countries. We have a small number of members of the Church there. In the little community of Aboh, Nigeria, on an early morning, Elder Cuthbert and I joined about one hundred members to break ground for the first chapel to be built in Nigeria. We sang the only song most of the Saints knew, which was “I Am a Child of God.” I fought away the tears as I heard one hundred recently baptized black members of the church, with their eyes glistening, their heads held high, singing from the bottom of their hearts, “I Am a Child of God.” The thought surged through my mind: Oh, Heavenly Father, bless them to know that they really are.

We all are the sons and daughters of God. Therefore, none of us, no not one, should ever have a low self-image. We belong to him. We must struggle always to keep in our minds that our ultimate goal is to inherit eternal life. We work, we struggle, we set goals, we practice self-discipline. We do all of these things to become our very best selves. We exercise our faith in God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in his gospel which has been restored, and we build a strong faith in ourselves. If for any reason your faith in yourself is wavering tonight, gird up your loins and fresh courage take. Do what is necessary to kindle the bright, glowing blessings of faith in your life. Always remember, you are a child of God.

- Elder M. Russel Ballarad

Quotes

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. People who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”- John Bartlett

‎"A lot of people worry about things they shouldn’t worry about. Our usual worries can be classified into these categories: (1) 40 percent never happen, (2) 30 percent are over and past and can’t be changed, (3) 12 percent are needless health worries, (4) 10 percent are miscellaneous problems, (5) 8 percent are real problems, of which 95 percent can be solved." - M. Russel Ballarad

"Past problems are like a stream when you are standing on a bridge—the stream is rolling underneath you and your problems have gone downstream. Regardless of how hard you try, you can’t change the past. You cannot call it back. What I want you to learn to do is look upstream. Watch for the things that are coming down the river of life that you can change and control. Do not wear yourself out, young people, on those things that you cannot change." - M. Russel Ballarad

"Get and keep your feet planted on the straight and narrow way." - M. Russel Ballarad

"You are at peace and your life moves forward in a positive direction." - M. Russel Ballarad

"The right question is: What can I do to build the kingdom of God? You ought to lose yourself in the service of others. You ought to be anxiously engaged in teaching within your own wards. You ought to be anxiously engaged in doing whatever the bishop asks you to do. You ought to have the calm, peaceful assurance in your own heart that your life is right and you are at peace with the Lord. You ought to be assured that all the blessings of eternity are going to be yours." - M. Russel Ballarad

"I heard President Kimball say at a very key moment to that young man, “My boy, I have not enjoyed all of the physical sufferings that I have gone through. I would like to have been spared those.” Then he riveted his eyes on this young man and said, “But in all my suffering I have come to know God.” Chills went down my backbone and tears welled up in my eyes. Oh, brothers and sisters, the quest is to come to know God." - M. Russel Ballarad

"Now, listen; some of you, before you were ever born, were ordained to do great things. You were set apart to do some marvelous things in the kingdom of God." - M. Russel Ballarad

Do things that make a difference

http://lds.org/ensign/1983/06/do-things-that-make-a-difference?lang=eng&query=mastering+thoughts

Positive Penny!

We all love to be around those people who are always so upbeat, happy, and never have a bad thing to say about anyone! I often refer to them as Positive Penny's! I am taking on the challenge to become that person! So starting June 1st I will be embarking on becoming Positive Penny! This means that I will not be saying anything negative and will be only focusing on the positive! Wish me luck on this thirty day challenge!

Punctual?

I have this aweful habit of never being on time! To anything it seems! It's very frustrating to me! So my next thirty day challenge is to always be on time! This is going to be a hard one! I'm also going to pair being on time with being dependable! Following through with things I say I am going to do! So starting June 1st I will be Miss Punctual and Miss Dependable 100% of the time! Wish me luck!

Tribute to the most amazing woman in my life...my mom.

Yes I realize MOTHERS DAY was a little while ago...I have been.....well busy/lazy!
This post has actually been saved for a while and I have taken my sweet time getting back to it!

I had wanted to write a really moving and touching poem about my mom, but then this post might have to wait til next mothers day...I am NOT a poem writer I have discovered.

So instead of a poem I am going to write 22 (my age) things that I love most about my mom, and mean alot to me!

#1 I have never heard my mom swear in her entire life! I hope one day my children will be able to say this about me.

#2 My mom has a very strong testimony and is steadfast in the gospel.

#3 My mom has always supported me through all of my decisions in life.

#4 She takes the time out of her busy days, where I know she has a million things to get done, and really talks and listens to me when I call her.

#5 She knows how I am doing just by the sound of my voice on the phone. How do moms do that?

#6 I get my Hot Chocolate addiction from her!

#7 One thing about my mom that makes me laugh is her addiction to chocolate (hence hot chococate addiction) She buys semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate so that it will detere her from eating them (does not work) so she has my dad hide chocolate from her and then gets upset when she can't find it!

#8 My mom has always been a very grounded, down to earth, non-dramatic mother. And I love her for that!

#9 We both love Wal-Mart...we must because we always seem to make a million trips to Wal-Mart when we are together! And when we call each other, half of the time we are in Wal-Mart!

#10 My mom has a contagious laugh! Just try not to laugh when she does, I dare ya!

#11 My mom is one of the most hard working women I know...she is not afraid to get a little dirt under her nails.

#12 My mom handles crisis' and sticky situations with alot of poise and grace.

#13 My mom has been my rock and my support through the hardest times of my life and has been my saving grace through these times.

#14 My mom is upbeat and funny and I love being around her all the time (wish she lived closer)!

#15 My mom is very dependable and you can always count on her.

#16 My mom is very active (even with her post knee injury) and I love this about her!

#17 My mom is the cutest grandma and absolutely loves her grandkids.

#18 She loves her family and devotes all of her time to them.

#19 She is completely selfless.

#20 She is a great example of service.

#21 My mom is extremely patient, especially with me!

#22 I love me my mom more than anything in the world and she is my very best friend that I can confide anything and everything in!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!

OF THINGS THAT MATTER MOST - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• It is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.


• It's surprising how easy it is to ignore this lesson when it comes to applying these principles in our own daily lives. When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be.


• Because they unnecessarily complicate thier lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.


• "There is more to live than increaseing its speed"


• "We have to forego some good things in order to choose oterhs that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families" - Elder Dallin H. Oaks.


• There is beauty and clarity that comes form cimplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.


• "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" - Leonardo da Vinci


• Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets - all helpful if used properly - can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation.


• My dear brother and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most.


• As we open our hearts to the influence of the Holy Spririt, our lives become more stable and secure. We experience greater peace and joy, and fulfillment as we give our best to live according to God's eternal plan and keep His commandments.


• To strengthen our time with God, we need some meaningul time along with Him. Quietly focusing on daily personal prayer and scripture study, always aiming to be worthy of a current temple recommend-these will be some wise investments of our time and efforts to draw closer to our Heavenly Father. Let us heed the invitation in Psalms: "Be still, and know that I am God."


• Family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time. We talk with, rather than about, each other.


• We build relationships with fellowmen one person at a time - by being sensitive to the needs of others, serving them, and giving of our time and talents.


• STRENGTH COMES NOT FROM FRANTIC ACTIVITY BUT FROM BEING SETTLES ON A FIRM FOUNDATIONS OF TRUTH AND LIGHT.

The Power of Self-Mastery JAMES E. FAUST

• Self-mastery … is the ultimate test of our character
• Self-mastery requires self-determination and strength of character. It enhances our own gifts and talents in a remarkable way.
• Every human soul...has the challenge of controlling his or her thoughts, appetites, speech, temper, and desires.
• Willpower is necessary so that irritations do not take over our emotions.
• Self-mastery is a challenge for every individual. Only we can control our appetites and passions. Self-mastery cannot be bought by money or fame. It is the ultimate test of our character. It requires climbing out of the deep valleys of our lives and scaling our own Mount Everests.
• Often that which is seen...is more powerful and persuasive than what is said.
• Men and women often attempt to gain notice and approval of the group from whom they seek acceptance. Such peer pressure may cause them to do things they would not otherwise do. This is acting out of weakness, not strength.
• self-mastery is doing those things we should do and not doing those things we should not do. It requires strength, willpower, and honesty.
• I now turn to mastery of our own private thoughts. In this realm, conscience is the only referee that can blow the whistle when we get out of control. If not bridled, our thoughts can run wild. Our minds are a part of us that really require discipline and control. I believe reading the scriptures is the best washing machine for unclean or uncontrolled thoughts. For those who are eligible and worthy, the sanctity of the holy temple can lift our thoughts above the earthy.
• “language is the dress of thought”
• ^{“My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure.”}
• ^{“That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.” -} Ralph Waldo Emerson
• President David O. McKay once said: “Spirituality is the consciousness of victory over self, and of communion with the Infinite. Spirituality impels one to conquer difficulties and acquire more and more strength. To feel one’s faculties unfolding and truth expanding the soul is one of life’s sublimest experiences.”

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance,

I have not winced nor cried aloud:

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed. …

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

-

William Ernest Henley

Luke 6:35-36

"But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."

Christlike Love

"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