"The List" #17

"One thing you're proud of"

Well, this is kind of random, but it's the only thing that came to mind. One thing I'm proud of is getting all my roommates to start wearing men's deodorant. Specifically, Old Spice.

Fiji and Matterhorn are my personal favorites.

How did I come to begin wearing men's deodorant? Well, my sister started buying all different kinds of deodorant to see which ones made her skin less irritated, sweat less, smell better, etc. She literally had at least 10 different sticks of deodorant at one point, including Old Spice men's deodorant. One day I was giving her a hard time about her deodorant collection when I started smelling them. And this guy isn't lying when he says Old Spice smells good:

One whiff of that stick of Matterhorn deodorant shut me right up. I was sold. And now, so are my roommates. Old Spice deodorant doesn't necessarily smell overly manly and it works great! I'm a fan.

Thoughts on hope...

I gave a talk in church yesterday. I wasn't assigned a topic so I decided to talk about hope.

I thought I'd share the notes from my talk.

Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all.

EMILY DICKINSON

My recent study of the scriptures has revolved around hope, what it is, how to develop it, and what it means to possess it.

In Preach My Gospel, hope is described as “an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you…It is believing and expecting that something will occur…[It] is trust in God’s promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future…”

Neal A. Maxwell said that, “real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine. [It] is serene, not giddy, eager without being naïve, and pleasantly steady without being smug. [It] is the realistic anticipation which takes the form of a determination—not only to survive adversity but, moreover, to ‘endure…well’ to the end.”

This means that hope is what helps ease the pain of disappointment and loss. It puts an eternal perspective on life that makes immediate concerns and worries less overwhelming and easier to deal with. Hope is the knowledge of who we are as Children of God and heirs in His kingdom as well as the knowledge of the Atonement, its infinite reach, and the reality of its application in our lives. It is what helps us evaluate our lives and ask ourselves, “Am I doing what I need to be doing in order to receive the blessings promised by the Lord?”

As we become better at recognizing what hope is and what role it plays in our lives, it is important to realize why we need it and how we should obtain it.

Hebrews 6:19 describes hope as being the “anchor of the soul.” We need this anchor in our lives to steady us during tumultuous times. We need to develop this attribute so that we can endure to the end and return with honor.

Neal A. Maxwell also said that, “Genuine hope is urgently needed in order to be more loving even as the love of many waxes cold; more merciful, even when misunderstood or misrepresented…and more full of heartfelt hope, even when other men’s hearts fail them. We are to ‘plow in hope,’ without looking back or letting yesterday hold tomorrow hostage.”

Hope is necessary in being kind and understanding in our dealings with our fellow men. This means forgiving easily, even yourself. This is what allows us to start every day with a renewed belief that today will be better and that we can be better too by being more loving, thoughtful, and merciful to those around us.

How do we obtain hope? Through the gift of the Holy Ghost and faith in Jesus Christ. Moroni 7:41 tells us that we “shall have hope through the atonement of Christ.”

We can ask for help from the Holy Ghost. Whether it means asking for a changed perspective or seeking help in overcoming temptation, the Holy Ghost will aid us in anything that will keep us on the straight and narrow. Hope can also be gained by applying the atonement, by letting Christ’s healing power flow through all facets of our lives.

I would like to share a story that is very near to my heart of how hope has played a major role in my life during a time of great need.

Almost 4 and half years ago, in November of 2007, my brother-in-law Robert was diagnosed with leukemia.  He battled cancer, and put up a pretty good fight. I watched as he and my sister seemed to be closer than ever and almost constantly shielded by the “perfect brightness of hope” referred to in 2 Nephi 31:20. I personally felt hope keep despair at bay when things got discouraging.

A little over 2 years ago, Robert passed away at the age of 24. His death has been, to date, the most difficult thing I’ve gone through. I honestly don’t know how I would’ve dealt with it if I hadn’t had a hope in Christ and His atonement.

Neal A. Maxwell said that while hope is “otherwise a lively attribute, [it] stands quietly with us at funerals. Our tears are just as wet, but not because of despair. Rather, they are tears of heightened appreciation evoked by poignant separation. Those tears of separation change, ere long, becoming tears of glorious anticipation… Those with true hope still see their personal circumstances shaken at times—like a kaleidoscope. Yet with the ‘eye of faith,’ even in their changed, proximate circumstances, they still see divine design.”

I would like to add my testimony to that of Elder Maxwell’s. I know that hope was with me at Robert’s funeral as well as during the following months. It gave me an eternal perspective and taught me to trust in the Lord’s plans. I know that with that “eye of faith,” I was able to glimpse Heavenly Father’s divine design and be comforted to know that he had everything under control.

Hope gives us the courage to confront our circumstances and the capacity to surmount them.

JEROME GROOPMAN

I know that hope can and will help us through our darkest times. It is through hope that I know I will get to see Robert again, whole and healthy and perfect. I pray and encourage you to begin developing hope by strengthening your testimony of Christ and His atonement. Pray for the Holy Ghost’s aid and you will receive it. Let hope perch in your soul and I know it will sing tunes of comfort without ever stopping.

I love Sundays...

Our lesson in Relief Society today was on faith.  

This video was shown as part of the lesson and it made a big impact. 

I thought I would share:

I love Sundays because they are a day of rest when you can reflect on the past week and look forward to the next. I'm grateful for the chance to dedicate one day a week to thinking about my Savior and everything He did for each and every one of us. To me, keeping the Sabbath Day holy isn't a chore, it's an opportunity to recharge my spiritual batteries. I just try not to take it for granted.

"The List" Item #30

"One thing you're excited for"

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy... I am excited beyond description that this kid gets home in 4 weeks 26 days. :)

Less than 4 weeks!

It's crazy to think that he's already been gone for almost 2 years. It seems like a really long time, but I can't believe it's almost over.

Leap Day 2012 can't come fast enough. :]

Quick Quotes #24

“Trials and tribulations tend to squeeze the artificiality out of us, leaving the essence of what we really are and clarify what we really yearn for.”
~Neal A. Maxwell

"The List" Item #27

"A quote you try to live by."

Well, I posts Quick Quotes on my blog a lot because I love quotes. Picking just one was pretty difficult, but I did it. I've posted it before as a Quick Quote and I chose it for this because it's just that good.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

~ Marianne Williamson

There isn't anything to really add to that quote... It sums it up pretty nicely. 

But I couldn't very well post about quotes I try to live by and not talk about my favorite verses of scripture. Here are just a few:

The full scripture being Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Moroni 7:45-47 "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

 Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

And there are so many other good ones. I think these are my top choices though.

-Britt

"The List" Item #15

Yeah, I've been slacking lately with posting... I won't make any promises to be better about posting more frequently because then I'll just feel bad when I don't.

Okay, on to Item #15...

"Your zodiac/horoscope and if you think it fits your personality."

Well, my birthday is New Year's Eve making me a Capricorn. 

What exactly does that mean? I had no idea, so I googled it. Here's what I found:

"People born under the zodiac sign Capricorn set a goal in life and follow it with immense passion and dedication. Traits like discipline, hard work and perseverance come easily to these individuals. They are methodical in their approach and put discipline above everything else in their lives. They are of a selfless nature and put their family and work before their own needs. They know their responsibilities and would never recoil from fulfilling them in any given situation. Though they have a dry sense of humor, they are extremely witty. They are extremely ambitious and this a very strong trait observed in them. Capricorn people are trustworthy and can be counted upon. They display traits like being steady, determined and being confident about themselves and what they do. These individuals are mighty planners who plan each of their actions very practically and cautiously. They are very demanding of themselves and would put themselves under a lot of adversities to achieve what they target in their lives. Highly intellectual, these are deep thinkers."

And here's what I found about Capricorn women:

"One trait that defines her really well is her go-getter attitude. She is passionate about her work and will be able to reach the top in her career quite easily as she is aggressive towards what she wants. She is quite reserved in nature when it comes to making friends. She has few close friends, but will be wary of confiding in someone else early on. She prefers to talk on interesting subjects, but otherwise doesn't talk much. At times, her mood can swiftly change from being quiet to witty. She is also very trustworthy. When in a relationship, she is as loyal as the Capricorn man is and will sacrifice her career to be a caring and responsible homemaker. This makes her the family-oriented woman that she is."

Fascinating stuff. I've never been a natural goal-setter. I would say that I'm methodical and witty. I would also like to think of myself as trustworthy and a deep-thinker. The friend part is true. I have a small circle of friends that I'm really close to and I'm always cautious when widening that circle. I pretty much agree with everything in the second part actually. Homemaker and family-oriented for sure.

Well, that was interesting. Until next time!

-Britt