Scripture of the Day and Other Thoughts

A good friend of mine asked me if he could read my blog a couple of weeks ago, and I totally freaked out because everything on here is straight brain-to-mouth talking; I have no filter and no editor. As I've thought more about it, I'm getting more comfortable with the idea. I want this blog to be updated with my mission news, and then eeeverryyboody will see it. It'll be good. Yeah.

I had a friend tell me once that they had never felt that God loved them, individually. I was taken aback because this person has always been a spiritual giant to me, and I couldn't believe that they hadn't felt the richness of the love of God. Fast forward. This scripture has just been running through my head since reading it in family scripture study last night. I've never really thought about it before. It's found in the Book of Mormon, in the third chapter of Jacob, verse two:

"O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love, for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."

That phrase, "feast upon his love," just hit me so hard. Don't just taste. Feast. Feast upon the love of God.

My missionary counseled me yesterday in an email to "just try to look for the really little things" and be grateful for every blessing. He said that being grateful for the small stuff somehow strengthens your connection with God. He "could see just how much [God] really does say" to him when he was recognizing God's hand in His life. Struggling with feeling disconnected from God, I tried it this morning. I made extra sure to be grateful. And I've seen the fruits of that prayer all day today. Tender mercies are getting dropped left and right! I received direction with a job, I talked with a friend, and I found a note from Ben that I forgot I even had. It sounds small but it has really meant the world. I feel like I feasted upon his love just by being grateful!

President Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers this advice:

"In the Book of Mormon we are told to “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.” ⁷

Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings."

The Road Goes Ever On, Down From the Door Where it Began

Wow. Life comes at yah faster than the Energizer Bunny on Redbull. I feel like I'm running a treadmill at that setting, you know, the one right between walking and running and you can't decide whether it's easier to do a slow jog or a speed walk? Am I the only one who gets that? And either way you feel awkward! But you're too dedicated to slow down and you're too tired to speed up so you just end up weirdly bouncing at this neither-here-nor-there pace and you feel like a total idiot.... Yeah. That basically sums up my life right now. Yup. I'm rather pleased with that analogy.

Oh, in other news, I decided on my mission scripture. Or rather,  my mission scripture was revealed to me today in Sacrament meeting. I'm surprised by the simplicity.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." -Doctrine and Covenants 6:36

OR

"Elevad hacia mí todo pensamiento; no dudéis; no temáis."- Doctrina y Convenios 6:36

 as I'm probably going to remember it.

I don't know why this is my mission scripture. It was just said in one of the classes and then I was thinking about it in the later meeting. It kind of echoed through my head and I got a feeling of Holy Spirit certainty (that's a thing) that this scripture is what needs to guide my life for the next 20ish months. How interesting, right? I think it's interesting.

This scripture is about faith. Pure faith. And personal conversion. And an understanding of the nature of the Savior, or a personal connection with Him. It's so deceptively simple, like a child's rhyme. We will see what comes out of it, eh?

God is awesome! Honest moment: Lately I have had the hardest time! I was fighting an internal battle everyday, over stupid things. I lost sight of myself, my true self, the self God sees. I didn't realize how bad it'd gotten until today, and I decided to hop right back on that horse. It's not comfortable, sometimes, to be a member of this Church. It takes dedication and work and perseverance and sometimes we just get lazy! But this much I do know: God loves His children.

He knows you. He knows where you are, and what you feel. He wants you to be happy, and He knows that happiness comes in it's fulness when you are living the Gospel of Jesus Christ! When you are straying down paths that you aren't sure of, God is there. He will take your hand, He will lead you home, and He will give you a hug. The Savior stands with arms outstretched, "Come unto me!" He isn't going to turn anyone away, no matter what. He won't tell you you're not good enough, or your personality has too many flaws, or your past is too ugly. He loves you today. YOU. YOUUUU. He is not waiting for you to be perfect before He accepts you! He loves you today! So take that, Monday! I'm a child of a Heavenly Father who adores me, and I'm gonna do His work! Bam!! With God on my side, what is there to fear?!

The reference to the title can be found here. Make your own inferences.