To say I've had a full year would be an understatement.
To say I've had a blessed year would also be an understatement.
I got married, moved to Texas, graduated from college, and have had multiple jobs.
My body decided to act funny and I've been sick more times this year than probably I've been my entire life.
I am now finally beginning to adjust to all of life's newnesses. (probably not a word.)
Don't get me wrong, this year has been fantastic in so many ways, but it has been a different year. More different than I've ever experienced.
After Josh and I got married and things settled down he asked me more about my hobbies and what things I wanted to do with my spare time.
Hobbies? Spare time? What? I've been in school the past 5 years, 2 of those years were year round college and I honestly couldn't think of anything. I lived and breathed school for so long that I lost a little bit of myself.
Who am I ? (said in soft sobs)
I have realized that it is time to start over. I'm changing all sorts of things about myself. Change can be different but also extremely exciting. I'm looking for things that give me passion and excite me about life.
In a way it's fun, because I'm reinventing myself and viewing life in a different way. I want to try new things but also take bits of my past self with me.
Different stages of life bring different changes and I've been in need of a personal change for so long. When you've been so focused on one thing for so long you can lose yourself, and I think I did. Change is necessary and now it's time to find myself again.
I'm so excited to get back into music and back into working out/meditation. Those are two passions I know I'll take with me. I'm finding inspiration all around me and I'm happy to do some self discovery.
I've also thought about writing down stories from my school life. My Mom always loved to tell everyone that I was a "late bloomer" (thanks Mom?) which is probably pretty accurate even though I'd like to think it's not. (it's definitely true) ...because of that I have some really funny and severely awkward stories that might be fun (read: embarrassing) to share.
College brought a lot of "firsts" for me and I could write a book on all my experiences which I just might do.
Just to give you insight, the first time I held hands was my 2nd semester of school. Yes that's true...and I'm sorry did I say hands? I meant held forearms. I should definitely write this book...
Exploring life with a new guy by my side has been so fun. I've realized so many different things about myself and about him. I've seen how Heavenly Father prepared him especially for me, in ways I could have never seen before I married him. He knows how to comfort me in ways I didn't even know I needed. He's pretty great like that.
So here's to self-discovery and finding out who I am in my new roles in life. Here's to living life again post-college and discovering life's passions all over again. xoXoo (kiss, hug, big kiss, hug, hug)
Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax
Friday, November 7, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Keep Yourselves from False and Evil Things
Choice 5:2 “John Abide “in the Doctrine of Christ”
1. The false doctrine John warned against was to not believe
those who proclaim that Christ taught in appearance only, and that He didn’t
really suffer for the sins of man in the garden of Gethsemane but it only
appeared that way and that He was never here in the flesh. The evil comes from the
very source of Evil. If we were to believe that information as truth, then our
whole understanding of eternal life would be shattered, because the
resurrection of our bodies would be nonexistent. Our sins would not have been
atoned for, therefore no way back to our Father in Heaven. John warned the
people of “the many deceivers.”
2. John told us essentially to stay far away from those who
preach falsely, and who wish to spread untruth. Don’t associate with them, and
don’t allow them into your life.
Choice 1: Jude. “Keep Yourselves in the Love of God.”
1. We can have mercy, love, and peace multiplied in our
lives when we become sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus
Christ. (Jude 1:1) I believe we can earnestly contend for the faith, by living
what we know to be true and always living the same way no matter who we are
around. We have to proclaim what we believe wherever we are, and never allow
ourselves to falter depending upon our situation.
2. -The doctrine referred to the “first estate” refers to
our pre-mortal life before we came to earth. Those who kept their first estate
by righteousness will receive eternal life, and those who followed satan left
their first estate.
-I would explain this disputation as satan trying to gain
power over anything he could. Moses has truths in it, even if it was not entered
into the Bible.
-At the second coming the Savior will come with ten
thousands of his Saints.
3. We can avoid the
evils that come with false teachers by staying on the right side. Glory will be
Gods forever whether we choose to be on His side or not. We know who wins the
battle in the end, and that is not up for negotiation. If we do what’s right,
and live righteously; doing as our Savior would then we will be blessed with
strength to avoid evils and stay away from false doctrines.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Trials
Choice Three—New Testament Hebrews 13
*We should take care of strangers, as we never know who we
could be helping. We are to remember those who are in bonds, those who suffer,
and those who face adversity.
*Marriage is looked upon as being honourable as long as we
are worthy in it.
*We are to be content with what we have, for “he hath said, will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We should not fear what man can do, but
know that God stands at our side.
*Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
*We are sanctified through our Savior.
*We obey those who are over us, and are obedient. They watch
over us and will report of us.
*Paul asked them to pray for the Apostles.
I chose this topic, because these are topics that we all
needs remembrance and reminding of. I placed this on my blog:
alexiesunset.blogspot.com
Choice Four—The Trial of our Faith is more Precious Than
Gold
It is
by the trial of our faith that we can gain our salvation. We go through trials
and struggles in our life that are for a purpose and for a reason. I saw an
image the other day of several pictures. The first one was several people
pulling a large cross, and one of the people pulling the cross said, “Lord this
is too hard, I’m going to cut this cross to make it smaller.” The man continued
to do this until his cross was small and easy to carry. The man walked among
others who had large crosses that were hard to carry.
Now as
they all continued to carry their crosses they all came across a huge dip in
the road. The rest of people took their large crosses and used them as bridges
to get across the large dip in their road. The man who had cut his cross down
could not pass. The purpose of this was to show that the cross we bear is for a
reason, and only God knows why we bear the cross or bear the trials we do, but
they are for a reason. Life is hard and we face trials, but by our faith we
will gain salvation in that which we didn’t always understand, but had faith in
the purpose and intent of our Father in Heaven.
I chose this talk, because I always love to hear about how
we can overcome our different trials. I posted this on my blog:
alexiesunset.blogspot.com
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Our Savior
Choice 1
*I feel as if we are being told to
get over the small petty things, and humble ourselves. We are supposed to be of
one mind and one heart. We are not to dis-ban and turn against one another. The
Gospel is about unity and love. We are to lift one another up higher than we
could do on our own. I love that thought.
* It’s true that in order to gain
your own testimony you have to gradually take yourself off of your parents’
testimony and strength. It takes a lot of action to find your testimony, and I
really do believe you have to do it, knowing that it will take work on your
part.
*I think that in Philippians 4:13,
it describes the solution to this difficult decision. Through Christ we can do
all things, even things more difficult then we alone can bear. Christ knows our
situations and he knows our hearts. We must do the right thing, and continue to
have faith that those we love will have softened hearts.
*This writing is an example of 2
Nephi 32:3, because we will always face difficult decisions and difficult
circumstances in our lives. The scriptures will literally answer all questions
we face about decisions we need to make, or will bring us the peace we are
seeking. “The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” If
we read our scriptures, then I know we will be blessed with answers.
Choice 5: Hebrews 1-2. Jesus
Christ is greater than Angels.
*Christ is superior to the Angels.
It says in the Bible Dictionary under “Analysis of Hebrews” that, “…He has a
more excellent name, inheritance, and higher calling. They are servants; He is
the Son. If the word of Angels is important, how much more earnest heed we
ought to give to the things spoken by the Lord.”
*Hebrews 1; 3 great truths Paul
wrote about the Savior:
1. He is better than the angels,
because “He has obtained a more excellent name than they” (Hebrews 1:4)
2. Christ is a sceptre of
righteousness. (Hebrews 1:8)
3. Christ loved righteousness more
than iniquity; therefore was blessed by God above all others.
*Christ tasted death, so that He
would know what man would one day suffer. “For in that he himself suffered being
tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Christ
came to earth to experience immortality so that He would know what the children
of God would face. He did it for us, so that He could more perfectly understand
us and comfort us. We can find grace in time of need, through our Savior who so
died for us.
“Yea, I say unto you come and fear
not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you
down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are
willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his
commandments, and witness t unto him this day by going into the water of
baptism. Book of Mormon, (Alma 7:15)
"Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. (Alma 7:14)
Our Savior tells us not to be afraid to repent, because if we don't, His death will have been in vain.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Grace is what saves us through our Savior
Good Works
“But glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good…”
“But the doers of the law shall be justified…”
Faith and Grace
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith…”
“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace…”
“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own now
dead…”
*Paul chose Abraham as a model of faith because he had so
much of it! He believed in what he knew, and he did not doubt even considering the
circumstances. He could not see how he would be the father of many nations, but
he knew it would happen regardless of the situation in which he was in.
*Adam’s fall affected each of us, because Adam died that we
would become. He suffered death by sin and that made him know good from evil
and that is how we now live our lives with that knowledge.
* We understand Grace, faith, and good works to be the
things that will bring us Salvation through Christ. After we do all we can it
is Grace that saves us. Grace means a divine means of help, and we receive that
help through our Savior by His Infinite Atonement. Without faith and good works
we are not trying to be doers of the word, and without it are unbelieving.
Look up bible dictionary reference of "Grace" and let it sink it.
www.lds.org www.mormon.org
Baptism and who do we serve?
*Before baptism can occur we must sin no
more. We must proclaim that sin is dead and we should take upon us Christ’s
name.
*Events from Christ’s life are symbolized
in baptism by His death. He was buried in the grave in death, but arose again
in resurrection. He faced death, but came up and was new again and would never
again face death but a newness of everlasting life.
*Baptism could not be done by sprinkling,
because you must engulf yourself in the death of sins and come up again whole
and renewed having your whole body cleansed.
*We can maintain a newness of life by
allowing sin to be dead in our lives. Allowing ourselves to yield righteousness
in Christ and commit ourselves and our actions to Him.
·
After studying Romans 6:14-23, I have learned
that you serve which master you follow. If you sin you serve the master of sin,
if you live righteously you serve the Master of righteousness. With sin you are
rewarded death, and with righteousness you are rewarded eternal life. You reap
what you sow, and your actions tell which master you serve. The true source of
freedom is through the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is
through His sacrifice that we can repent of our sins and become clean again. It
is by His example that we know whom to follow. His way is the right way, and it
is ONLY through Him that we can return again to face our God and Heavenly
Father as clean children.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Be An Example of Good
Choice 4
In the Gospel Paul was a missionary, there to spread the
word of the Lord. He adapted himself to empathize with all people. He lived by
example; therefore brought others to Him. By bringing himself to understand
others and be what they were he helped meet them at their level, without ever
letting his standards below what they should be. I believe an influential tool
that Paul used was seeing others and meeting with them in likeness. He would
have had to be a very nonjudgmental person to get to know and meet with so many
others.
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