On Friday there was a YSA (young single adult) devotional where a member from the seventy came and spoke with his wife. It was a very lovely evening, complete with a free cookie. Naturally I was happy. I also ran into an old friend who I met last year at the same devotional. He is from West Point Military School which is upstate. AND I ran into a girl from Jr. High who is now living on Long Island. Small world.
A few things I got out of the devotional.-just a side note, PLEASE take my advice and take a journal to every church meeting you go to and write, write, write. It is SO much easier to pay attention and get inspiration because you are constantly writing, listening, and remembering what the speaker said. Really there is nothing I love better than taking notes at church because it goes faster and you actually take so much out of the meeting. Every talk/lesson can be enlightening and enjoyable if you take notes and let the Spirit talk to you. It is SO easy to get off track when you are just listening but when your pen is moving too it really helps. It is just like school, when you take notes you pay attention, you are alert, you remember better, and you can go back and study.
-In a bad day there can still be a good moment. Bring happiness to EVERY day, to all things. Be of good cheer.
-Anything that drains your energy of doing things that God would have you do is opposite of what you should be doing. Even if the things are GOOD things, it may be something you don't need in your life at this time.
-The Lord will help you. If you lay your daily life on Him and ask for His guidance He WILL always be there.
-You are NECESSARY to His plan. He wants you to have success/happiness/love.
-Council with the Lord. He is the only one who can help. He is the only one who can make impossible things possible. Go to Him, He is the miracle worker. He is known for doing amazing things. He can do miracles in Faith. He loves us and wants to bless us. He is our Father. He is infinite and eternal, He is not limited.
-He wants us to be happy in this life. Hard isn't bad. We were sent here to HAVE trials, to be tested. Thats is what we are HERE for. Realize that and accept that and be happy through it.
-Say this everyday "I am a Child of God. I am capable of ALL things through Christ. In His help I can do anything!"
In my personal study I read an AMAZING General Conference talk called "You Are My Hands" (with a title like that you know it will be awesome) by Elder Uchtdorf. I loved SO much of it, I really recommend reading it.
-“You are my hands.”-When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love...offering hope and salvation. That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
-As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart.
-Let us lift those around us.
-We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father.
-One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, “I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But I am still a 20-dollar bill. I am worth something. Even though I may not look like much and even though I have been battered and used, I am still worth the full 20 dollars.”
-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.
-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.
-Contemplate with reverence and awe how our Savior embraces us, comforts us, and heals us, let us commit to become His hands, that others through us may feel His loving embrace.
Here are some pictures from Serendipity last weekend..
I have PERFECTED the perfect smoothie. Seriously though, I LOVE it, it is my favorite thing. I have it EVERY day.
-half green apple
-2-3 inch piece of cucumber
-frozen peaches (I used to use berries which probably have more nutrients and all that but I also bought frozen peaches and pineapple (which by the way, it is good to have pineapple everyday, it is good for your digestive system and therefore good for your waist line... I haven't tried the pineapple yet but the peaches are AMAZING in this smoothie)
-a couple handfuls of spinach
-a 1/2 cup-ish of Orange Juice (I don't measure) - I use Simply Orange with High Pulp
-a 1/4 cup-ish of plain non-fat yogurt
-1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
-a handful of walnuts
don't let the color scare you it literally is so so so DELICIOUS! Just trust me!
Oh and I also found something that was an amazing fact for me.
I've decided I am getting good at being alone... haha on Saturday night I left my apartment around 5 and made my way to Chelsea Market (one of my favorite places) I shopped a little at my second favorite store, Anthropologie, GOOD SALES, and then walked through all the shops. For the first time I ate....out... alone. Yes, it was depressing, no conversation, just me and the counter waiting for my food. BUT my food was DELICIOUS. My favorite chocolate milk has a store in Chelsea market, Ronnybrook Milk Bar. I ordered an avocado/mozzarella/tomato/and some other stuff on the softest pumpernickel bread EVER and it was SO SO good. I used ALL the self control in the world to say no to a homemade ice cream sandwich (because I already bought myself a brownie) and a milk shake (because it was $6 and I am cheap) BUT the lovely waiter probably felt bad for me cause I was alone so he gave me a lovely sample of one of their famous milkshakes. I might go to Chelsea Market and get a new treat every weekend. They have ALL kinds of milkshakes (even apple pie and pumpkin and the list goes on and one) and the place is filled with so many sweet little shops with great treats. It may be my lonely tradition! At least it will be tasty. Gosh I need to come to this city with my significant other/husband one day. Things are so much better when LOVE is involved. I went to the high-line after and read for a couple hours before it got to cold and I returned home. This is the view from where I read.
Sunday-I had a lovely breakfast (apple and blueberry wheat pancakes and an attempt at poached eggs... I think something is wrong with me or my stove... it wasn't working out. It turned more into a soft boiled egg (which is actually my favorite egg dish) and it was delicious), lunch was provided by the church (it was a huge young single adult conference sacrament meeting) PB&J on wheat, and dinner (wheat penne pasta with baby tomato's/garlic/white beans/olive oil/Parmesan cheese.) Naturally there were snacks in-between (smoothie/cereal) Oh and 1/2 my brownie from yesterday for dessert. (wow I had a lot of grains today) It sounded like a good day until my mom told me she made ribs and potatoes for dinner.... Jealous. I can't remember the last good hearty meal I've had.
The meeting was very good but first a little quote from MWW (Marvelous Work and A Wonder) in remembrance of the greatest ELDER Wilkins and all of my other dear friends and family and loved ones who have/who will/who are serving a mission for the LDS church and really to any others who have not gone on a real 'mission' but who have served in the church in other ways..
"The LDS are not paid for their services, and thousands of them have left their families for a time to do missionary work in the nations of the earth, paying their own expenses and without remuneration from the Church, yet they are the best paid of any priests in the world because of the joy and satisfaction the Lord plants in their hearts, which could not possibly be purchased with money."
Moroni 8:16 'For perfect love casteth out all fear"... maybe that is why I LOVE love so dang much!
Strive to have Christ-like attributes and He will protect you and provide deliverance. Be available to the Lord and be believing in His purposes for you. If you become available the Lord can and will use you. The Lord will take you by the hands and provide opportunities and expereinces for you.
We each have a divine purpose, have faith to come to Christ and pursue it.
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