But the greatest of these is love.

Before you read this post, please watch this video.

Let me just tell you, from a girl who's family is dealing with some of this and more, that this video hits this topic spot on. 

In the video, Seth talks about his family a little and how they impacted his life. 

"My family they're not doctors. They're not counselors. They're accountants. I'm sure that they felt overwhelmed. 'We aren't qualified to talk about this, we don't know what to say or what to do' but the mere fact that they reached out to me and loved, that is what did it." 

This quote, coming from a man who attempted to take his own life, just gave me hope. 

Yes. We, my family and I, are overwhelmed. Not because we don't want to "deal with this" but overwhelmed because we don't know what to do. We aren't qualified to talk about this or really know what is best for my sister, but we can love her. WE CAN LOVE HER. That is what helped Seth. And I pray to God that it will help my sister as well. 

We are taught to love each other as He loves us. Do we really do this though?

I know that life gets tough and each of us has our own trials but do we reach out to each other and love each other? God loves us so much. He loves us unconditionally. He expects us to love others in that way also. 

Whether it is your mom, your sister, your friend, an acquaintance, or someone you don't like, you should love them. 

We don't know what others are going through. They may or may not tell us something going on in their lives, but we cannot truly know what they are feeling. This makes it sometimes tough for us to reach out and love them because we don't know what they need from us but in reality, all that they really need is love. 

Love is powerful. It has the capability to help change our minds and our hearts to love too. 

Whether someone is going through an immensely difficult time in their life or is struggling with feeling lonely or anything else, love them. That love you encompass them with is powerful. 

While my family and I are struggling to know what we can do to help my sister, the most important thing we can do for her and each other is to love. Not just to say "I love you" but really to love through all of our actions and words. It reassures us that someone is there for you when you need to or want to talk. It reassures us that everything will be okay because we love each other.

Elder M. Russell Ballard says "There is nothing more powerful than the arm of love that can be put around those that are struggling. That doesn't mean that you are going to be able to heal people but saying 'you know, you need a little help'...I say we keep our antennas up, we watch out for each other, we love one another and we leave the judgements to our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who know all things." 

Keep your antenna up this week and watch out for and love the people around you. Sometimes all they need is someone to show them love and support. 

When life gives you more than you can stand, kneel.

I am currently on Fall Break so I've been able to spend some time at home with my family. Well, most of my family. I'm not going to lie, it's a little weird being home with my sister in treatment right now. Although she is not home, I'm seeing the effect that she has on my family. 
I was home for less than 24 hours when my sister called. My mom answered her phone and without her announcing who called, I immediately knew who it was by my moms reaction. My mom is strong. She's overcome a lot in her life and I know that it's helped to make her the person she is today. The mom she is today. However, when I was watching my mom talk to my sister, I could see how much she is hurting. One of her daughters is dealing with a LOT of stuff right now and she doesn't know what she can do to help her. The best that she can do is be supportive and understanding. The rest is really up to my sister and that's hard for all of us. 
Then there's my dad, the protector. From my point of view, he's doing whatever he can to help my sister. She asked for us to come visit her this weekend so, he dropped whatever his plans were for Sunday. He and I are driving to Chicago tomorrow to see her and support her in whatever way we can. Dad doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve so it's difficult sometimes to see what he is really feeling. With my sister, I just know that he's hurting for her. I think if he could, he would do anything to help take away the pain for her. He doesn't like seeing her like this any more than the rest of us.
Last night, I had the opportunity to talk with my youngest sister about all of this on our drive home from a movie and late night Steak & Shake run. I asked her how she is handling everything going on with our sister. I realized earlier in the evening that mom and dad are doing the best that they can. They're trying to stay strong for our sister but it's taking a lot out of them and I'm not sure that they realize how this is affecting my youngest sister and I. 
Anyways, when I was talking to my youngest sister she told me that sometimes it is frustrating to not know everything going on. For a while she and I didn't know the full story of what was happening until our sister told us the last time the three of us were home together. I know that my youngest sister is strong. But I also know that she is scared. We share this fear. Every morning we wake up scared that our sister ended her life the night before. We talked a little about this. We talked about how we can help her and how we can be supportive to our parents and each other. My heart is breaking for every single person in my family right now. I want to be able to support each and every one but I don't know how. I want to be strong for them but I don't know how to do that. The reality is that none of us really know what more we can do other than love and support her. 
After we got home and went to bed, I began to realize a few things. First, I know that this is a tough situation to be in. I realized just how tough it is when I noticed the effect all of this has on my family. 
Second, I realized that our family is so full of love. In such a difficult situation, we still make sure we express our love for each other. It may be because we're realizing that life can be short and we cannot waste any time sharing our love but regardless, I know that my family loves me and I love them. Knowing that your family loves you is sometimes all you need. 
Finally, I realized that this trial is not only going to make me a stronger and more faithful daughter to my Heavenly Father but, this trial is going to make my whole family stronger and more faithful. I'm not sure they realize it yet but prayer is incredibly powerful. It's a conversation with our Heavenly Father. 
He listens. He knows our hearts. He knows what we need. We simply need to ask for help and courage to get through our trial.
When we humble ourselves and get on our knees and pray to our Heavenly Father, it is a powerful experience. 
I find that when I do this, my prayer is more sincere and comes straight from my heart. There's a good saying that goes "When life gives you more than you can stand, kneel." 
I can promise you that if you are going through a tough time or you are just wanting to thank Him, prayer is the best thing you can do. 
He won't let you fall. He is looking out for you and will help you. Have faith.

You have INFINITE worth.

There is a lot of pressure from society these days to do so many things. For example to get married at a certain age, to finish college in a certain amount of time, to look and act certain ways. 

Societies standards aren't necessarily the best for us yet, we feel like we aren't good enough when we don't fit into one of these silly standards. 

People around us may fit these standards but you don't HAVE to. Yet, we feel as though we do. So, when we dont fit a standard we compare ourselves to those around us. But why?

I honestly don't know but, I do know that I don't fit societies standards in so many ways. Because I know that I don't, sometimes I get insecure and unsure of my decisions or looks. 

For example I am not a size 2, I'm not dating anyone right now, and I won't be finishing school in the typical four years but rather 7 instead. When I compare myself and my life to other people around me, I don't feel good enough. Who am I supposed to be proving myself to? Definitely not society. Definitely not every one around me. And definitely not my Heavenly Father. 

He already loves me so much. 

I don't need to be a size 2 or graduate this year for Him to love me so why should it matter to me?

I should love myself the way I am and always strive to be better but first I need to truly know what I am worth to Him. 

To understand this I think we must first understand the significance of the Atonement and how much Heavenly Father loves us.  

Heavenly Father sent his son to come to earth and die for us. 

Romans 5:8 says "But God commandeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

1 John 4:10 says "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Each of these scriptures are from the New Testament and each tells us of the extraordinary love that Heavenly Father has for us. If He didn't love us so much, He wouldn't have sent his Son to die for us. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf tells us to "Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God's love for you."

That is an incomprehensible love He has for each of us. 

He loved us before we were even born (Jeremiah 1:5).

He loves us unconditionally and wants us to do the same. 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

You are a child of God.
He loves you so much more than you can imagine. 

President Thomas S. Monson teaches that "Your Heavenly Father loves you-each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. ...God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there. (We Never Walk Alone, Ensign)"

Our Heavenly Father loves us and that is all the matters. Don't worry about if you fit into societies standards, worry about your love for loving Heavenly Father. 

He has infinite love for each of us!

You already have infinite worth. 

To My Sister

To my sister,

You are so incredibly loved. Not only by me but by our amazing parents, our sweetheart of a baby sister, all of our extended family, people you do not even know, and most definitely by our eternal, perfect Heavenly Father. 

Mom and Dad love you so much my dear sister. They would and are doing all that they can to help you. They want what is best for YOU.

Mom is a super hero. She does so much for each of us, her daughters, that we don't even recognize or think to acknowledge and thank her for everything. Mom loves you more than you could possibly ever realize. She carried you for nine months and loved you more and more each second, minute, hour, and day you grew inside her. She loved you before you were born. 

Dad did too. He and Mom show their love differently but, they love you equally. Dad cares so much about you. He wants to protect you. He wants to help you. He wants to watch you reach your goals. He is proud of you and you should know that. Mom and Dad love you more than you can comprehend. It is not because they "have" to but because you are a part of them and they know you better than just about anyone else.

I love you. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you because it brings me to tears. Even just writing that sentence has resulted in me crying. I remember so many times when we were younger where we fought but I want you to know that those arguments do NOT, in any way at all, mean that I do not love you or want you in my life. I've tried to protect you even when you didn't want to be protected. I've tried to make you hang out with me even when you didn't want to be around me. I've tried to talk to you even when you didn't want to look at me. I did all of this and more because I love you. I want you to be in my life. I want you to know that I am always here for you. I mean that. I am ALWAYS here for you. I'm not going anywhere. I will always be there for you. Even when I move to Idaho, I will only be a phone call, video call, or a text away. 

I'm so lucky to have you as a sister. You are funny. You have me laughing at the ridiculousness of the things you say.  You are honest. You surprise me with the honest truth. As blunt as you may be, I appreciate the honesty when I seek advice from you. You have a confidence that I wish I could duplicate. You are fun to spend time with. You are YOU. I love you so much and I want to make sure you know that. 

Heavenly Father loves you. You know Him as God. Regardless of what you want to call Him, He loves you. He loves you more than anyone can imagine. His love is pure. It is infinite. He does not care what you look like, where you live, what car you drive, or what you major in at school. We are imperfect beings. We make mistakes yet, God loves us perfectly. We are children of God. YOU are a child of God. 

As I am writing this to you, my sister, I am listening to a song called Glorious sung by David Archuleta. I believe that the lyrics of this song are meant for you. The following lyrics are the ones I specifically think are meant for you to hear, read, and know and I will explain why:

There are times when
You might feel aimless

You can't see the places
Where you belong

This means that you may not think that there is a purpose for your life. You may feel like you are clueless to what you are supposed to be doing. You may not know where you belong.

But you will find that
There is a purpose

THERE IS A PURPOSE.

It's been there
Within you all along
And when you're near it
You can almost hear it

You are a child of God. That alone is purpose. He sent you here for a reason. You just have to figure it out. It might not come to you immediately, but it will come. Hold on and try. 

It's like a symphony

A symphony is a LONG piece of music that all comes together with the help of many different sounds. This life is a long journey. It's confusing at times but it'll come together.

Just keep listening
And pretty soon you'll start
To figure out your part

Hold on and try and eventually you'll discover your purpose, your calling, your reason for being here on Earth. 

Everyone plays a piece

This one is simple. Everyone has a purpose. Including YOU.

And there are melodies
In each one of us

We are all different but when we come together, we are better. Every single one of us isdifferent but we are all children of God and He loves us all.

Oh! It's glorious

This life is wonderful. It is glorious.

My dear sister,

I know that you don't think we always care about you or love you. But, I just wanted to tell you how wrong you are. You are one of the most loved people that I know. That love does not go away. We will ALWAYS love you. FOREVER.

I love you. Mom and Dad love you. Our little sister loves you. Our whole family loves you. People you don't even know love you. Heavenly Father loves you.

You are so loved. 

We Are Family..

Today is Saturday!! That makes me so very happy. I’m having a fantastic day already! I got to sleep in, read my scriptures, edit a friends essays, watch Gilmore Girls, and even study for a midterm coming up on Monday. Tonight I get to scare people at a Haunted Forest! It’s Fall and the leaves are starting to change. Fall break is coming up in less than a week and I am MORE than ready to go home and spend some time with my family. I live about four hours away from school so going home is a rare occasion for me. I haven’t seen them since August and before that it was May!

I like to think that my parents and I have a good relationship and that we are close. Growing up we fought often, mostly my fault, I was a teenager after all. After I moved to Indiana and started college, I missed my parents. I called my mom often and texted my dad. My mom is more talkative and my dad is more of the kind of guy to talk when there is a reason. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want to talk, he just usually likes to have a reason, more of the get down to business type. Anyways, after moving to college our relationships grew closer. We still argue once in a while, but it’s more of a rare occasion. I’ve had time to mature and realize how much they love me. This being said, I am beyond excited to go home and have some time with them. After Fall Break I’ll be home in November again for Thanksgiving, then a couple weeks later for Winter Break. I’ll have the privilege to spend almost 3 weeks with my family before moving to Idaho for school. I’ll be gone for 4 months before seeing them for a month in April.

I’m not home often. It’s not because I don’t WANT to be home, but rather because I have so many things I want to do in my life and staying home doesn’t always mean they will get done. This doesn’t mean I love my family any less than someone who goes home every weekend. I love my family so much. I would do anything for them and they would do the same for me. That’s why I know that even though I’ll be moving across the country that home will always be there. My family will always be there. They will always love and I will always love them.

You're An Overcomer!!

I’ve been feeling a lot of different emotions these past few weeks.

Some days I’ll feel happy and joyful.

Some days I’ll feel nervous.

Some days I’ll feel sad and hurt.

Some days I’ll feel all of these and more.

There are days where I am able to put on a mask and act like I’m totally fine but there are some days where I can’t hide behind my mask. If I am happy, I am overwhelmingly happy. If I’m nervous, I stress out. And if I’m sad or hurt, it shows in my face. When I feel something, I feel it whole-heartedly and my emotions and feelings are an open book to the whole world.

There’s a song that I really like by Mandisa called Overcomer.

The song is about overcoming our battles in life, such as our negative feelings. It has such a positive message and it’s so upbeat that it is impossible for me to be in a bad mood after listening to this song. No matter what mood I was in before, afterwards, I always feel ready to take on whatever comes my way. If I start to get frustrated or stressed out or annoyed or any other negative feeling, I hear the words "You're an overcomer!!" in my mind and I remember to choose to be happy instead.

Check out my favorite verse and the chorus of Overcomer:

The same Man, the Great I am

The one who overcame death

He's living inside of You

So just hold tight, fix your eyes

On the one who holds your life

There's nothing He can't do

He's telling you

You're an overcomer

Stay in the fight ‘til the final round

You're not going under

‘Cause God is holding you right now

You might be down for a moment

Feeling like it's hopeless

That's when He reminds You

That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

This reminds me that whatever I am feeling Heavenly Father won’t let me fall and that Jesus Christ truly understands what we are going through.

Today I was feeling a little hurt. Instead of holding a grudge and feeling sorry for myself, I can let it go. I can move on and be happy and supportive instead of feeling hurt and feeling sorry for myself. Sometimes it’s really hard to do this on our own but we always will have the help of our Savior. If we just pray for Him to help us to overcome these feelings, He won’t let us down.

We are overcomers.

Here's the link to Overcomer on YouTube!

Everything Will Be Okay

In my room I have a heart made up of motivational quotes. These quotes are scriptures and quotes from many of the general authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I read these everyday. No matter what mood I am in, I always read something that really sticks out to me. I remember it throughout my day and often when I come back to my room at the end of the day, I re-read that particular quote and I look back on my day. 

This morning I read a quote by Elder Holland. It reads, "Don't give up, don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come."

Today, I didn't have a great day. 

I was frustrated with a professor, came home from my infant and toddler lab smelling like baby poop, and was and still am stressed out with a few things going on at home involving my sister.

I wouldn't say I had a bad day but, I just wasn't having a good day.

Today my heart and mind were with my sister. She got readmitted to a residential treatment center. This was good news! However, if she gets released before her treatment is finished, in my opinion she won't be fully ready to be out and will eventually end up back in treatment, starting at square one, again.

In my last post I believe I mentioned she's struggling with a few things and doesn't believe in her own self worth. As I read this quote at the end of my day, my sister came to my mind. When I read it again, I felt as though Elder Holland was speaking to her in the majority of the quote and to me and my family in the last part.

I imagine it like this:

To my sister,
Don't give up, don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.

To me and my family,
You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.

I know that Elder Holland was not intentionally speaking to me and my family but I love how this quote seems so appropriate for us right now, especially broken up like that.

My sister needs to know that there is hope. She can receive help and become happy again. She can't give up or quit. She needs to keep walking through life and trying. She simply cannot give up. 

My family and I need to remember to keep our chins up. We need to remember that it will be okay in the end. It may not be in the near future but, it will be aright. We need to trust in God and believe that good things will come our way.

It was a wonderful feeling as I realized how applicable this quote is to my life. It's comforting and a great reminder that I will be okay. I need to remember to choose to be happy and to trust in God. 

As applicable as this quote is to my life today, I know that it is likely applicable to many, many other people today as well. I encourage you to read this quote, write it down, and put it in you scriptures or up on your wall. It's a constant reminder to never give up or quit and to trust in God. 

Everything will be okay.

Did you think to pray?

I'm sitting here, unsure of what to write about, and all I can think about is prayer. 

If you Google the definition of prayer, you get "a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God."

I love that. 

If prayer is a solemn or sincere request for help from God, why don't we pray more often? 

This life is incredibly tough and we simply cannot make it through alone. We need the help from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

I cannot stress that enough. 

We NEED the help. 

I've realized in the last few years that I, much like both of my parents, am stubborn and often times I do not like to admit that I need help, but without the help of God, I quickly become overwhelmed by the world and things of the world. 

Something I've realized this past week or so is how much I have come to rely on the power of prayer in this last year. 

If I am stressed out about something, I pray.

If I need comfort, I pray.

If I need to calm my mind and body, I pray.

I will literally pray about anything going on in my mind and I find myself always telling others to pray too.

Lately, I've been hit with incredibly hard trials. My current one being that my sister is struggling with her self worth. When I talked to her last, she told me how she doesn't feel like anyone cares about her and she doesn't see the point in living anymore. She's been in and out of different hospitals and therapy programs to help her with this and some other mental health problems she's currently battling. As her sister, my heart is breaking for her. I love her dearly and I wish she could understand that and know what she is worth not only to me, but to her Heavenly Father. But, for now, all I can do is pray for her and my family.  

Thomas S. Monson tells us that prayer has become an integral part of him. It is "an anchor, a constant source of strength." 

I could not agree more with this statement. Prayer is my anchor. It is my constant source of strength. Without it, I do not believe I would be functioning as I am today. Even still, I cannot always be strong. When I finally realize that I can't bear the things happening, I fall apart and I break down.  I get down on my knees and I pray for help. I pray for strength to overcome these trials. 

I know that I can't simply pray that the trial will be over because I haven't learned what I am meant to learn yet. If I had, I wouldn't be asking for Him to take this trial away from me. Instead, I need to ask for the strength to overcome or defeat my trial. It may not happen overnight but He will give you the strength you need and help you through whatever your trial is. 

The second part of the definition of prayer is that it is an expression of thanks.

When we are taught to pray, we are told to thank our Heavenly Father for whatever we are grateful for. Typically, I thank Him for the weather and the people in my life and whatever else comes to my mind at that moment but, I forget to thank Him for the trials in my life.  

I know that it seems weird but, we should be thanking Him for the trials sent our way. They aren't meant to tear us down and make us sad. They are meant to build us up and help us to become strong in our faith. 

Think about that for a second. Though our trials are hard, some harder than others, there is always something to be learned from them.

They are meant to help us grow.

That is absolutely something that I want to thank my Heavenly Father for. 

Without the trials in my life I know that I would not be who I am today. I would not be grateful and I would not be happy. Because of these trials placed in my life, I have been able to grow in my faith. I'm grateful for the things I've been through and am going through because they help to strengthen my testimony of the Atonement, of prayer, and of our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. Prayer is so real. It is so powerful. It can strengthen you and comfort you with the help of the Holy Ghost. It's an incredible opportunity to humble ourselves before our God and ask for help and to thank Him for all that he does for us. He is truly an eternally loving Heavenly Father.

If you saw the face of God and love, would you change?-Tracy Chapman

       My life is constantly changing and quickly at that. In the last 12 months alone I've made major changes in my life and since my blog is about me and my changing life, it only seems fitting to tell you of my conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it is a huge part of who I am today and the basis of the changes happening in my life now.
      I've spent the last few summers working at camps. During the summer of 2013, I worked at a Christian camp. With my coworkers we often talked about our faith and our beliefs. One evening we were talking about our beliefs and it just hit me: I didn't understand why I believed what I did. I grew up being taught these things but there were several beliefs I was confused by and couldn't find anyone who could tell me the answers. I began my junior year of college unsure of my own religious beliefs and felt a little lost and confused. 
      After the first day of classes, my neighbor invited me with her to a church event. I walked in with my neighbor and my roommate as everyone was finishing a lesson with a prayer and then everyone got in a large circle and began playing games. I had so much fun and was so happy to have made new friends. At this event I also met the missionaries. They were fun guys but I wasn't open to being taught at that time. However, less than a week later, this changed. I was curious about the religion and I had many questions. We set up a time to meet that weekend where I could ask them questions and they would answer. 
      At this lesson I asked a LOT of questions. When I say a lot, I truly mean a lot. I wrote about 100 questions down and had my neighbor answer several and let the missionaries answer the rest. The missionaries were so willing to answer my questions and eventually we agreed that teaching me a lesson would be the best way to answer my questions accurately. So they proceeded to teach me a lesson on the restoration of the church. This truly did answer so many of my questions such as why the church was named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and where the Book of Mormon came from? Throughout that lesson I felt so happy and I knew that the things they were telling me were true. There was no doubt in my mind. 
      After this lesson I was pleased with the answers I had received and I agreed to read the Book of Mormon and if I were to come to know it was true, I would get baptized. I began reading that night. We had 2 more lessons within a few days and I had continued to read and even went to church already. At this point, I knew the Book of Mormon was true which meant that what the missionaries were teaching me was true and that this was truly the church of Jesus Christ restored on earth today. 
      At my third lesson with the missionaries we decided to set a date for my baptism. I hadn't told my family of my decision yet and I wanted to do this in person so I planned for October 26, 2013 to get baptized. One of my wise missionaries told me he didn't feel that was the right date and suggested September 28, 2013. I didn't care what he thought at that moment so we planned for October. The next couple of weeks were full of tears and trials. My family was disappointed in me. My sister refused to speak to me. My parents didn't like my decision at all. My friends no longer wanted to be my friend. The camp I worked at told me I wasn't allowed to work there anymore because I was "no longer a Christian" and that there would be consequences for my actions. My pastor at the church I attended told me that she was concerned about me. People thought I was joining a cult and that I wasn't thinking clearly. 
      This was incredibly difficult. I had lost so many of the people who were important to me within such a short time frame because of one life changing decision. I was so upset and didn't know how to handle the situation I was now in. I met with my missionaries again and just cried and told them what was happening. They explained more to me that after I got baptized I would receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and that this gift would be a blanket of comfort to me throughout this time in my life. I listened and received a blessing. Then, I made the decision to move my baptism to September 28, 2013. The next weekend. I informed my parents that I was moving the date of my baptism and tried to explain why to them. I invited them and several of my friends to my baptism. 
      The day of my baptism was hard. Not a single nonmember who I invited showed up. I felt completely unsupported and I freaked out. I wasn't sure if I should get baptized without any of my family or friends there to support me. I cried a lot (again) but my missionaries talked to me and reassured me that everything would be alright. So, I got baptized. It was the most amazing feeling I've ever felt. I felt so clean. I felt so strong. I felt so loved. I knew that I had made a wonderful decision and I knew that my journey was just beginning. 
      After my baptism I had this misconstrued thought that because I had been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost that I would never have another problem. OH MAN, was I wrong. If I'm going to be honest, the hardest things I have ever gone through in my life have happened and are continuing to happen now, after my baptism. The difference? I've changed. I've learned of the Gospel and the atonement and how amazing both of these things are. I've learned how relevant and truly infinite the atonement is in my everyday life. This helps me to know without a doubt that our Heavenly Father loves me so very much and that even when I am absolutely positive that there is not a single person in the world who understands my feelings, Jesus Christ does. It is one of the most comforting things to know in this world where there are so many people yet we tend to feel alone.
Fast forward 12 months and here I am. I have a changed my religion, my attitude, and my lifestyle. In just a few short months I will be moving across the country from Michigan to Idaho to attend school. I've become a strong woman and more confident in myself and my abilities. It's truly amazing to see the ripple effect that one decision I made to change my life has affected all other parts of my life. 
       I'm so happy with the direction that my life is going and I know that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are pleased with my decisions and in the end, it's up to them, not me or anyone else. 
I know that this is truly the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the same church that Jesus established when He was on earth. I know that it was restored by Joseph Smith. I know that he was a prophet and translated the Book of Mormon for us to read and study today. I know that Jesus Christ performed the atonement  for every single one of us to help us and to comfort us. I know that Heavenly Father is our kind and loving father who is anxiously waiting for us to come back to Him. I know that the Holy Ghost is constantly with me and it helping to guide my decisions I make each and every single day. I know that these things are true. They are so comforting to me now and are a light for me when life seems dim. This Gospel has helped me to change my life and continue to make changes in my life.

If you have any questions feel free to comment or check out Mormon.org !