Blessing #9: Opportunities to Reflect

I'm grateful that the Lord is so aware of how much I need reminding, and I'm grateful for the opportunities He is constantly giving me to reflect and remember what I know. Seeing as it is Easter Sunday, today is one such opportunity. I love Easter, and this day has come to mean so much to me over the years. It is an annual reminder to me and the world of the atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ. And if I may, I'd like to share with you what I have been reminded of as I've taken the time to reflect throughout this week:

Christ is the Creator of my world, of all that I know. He is my older brother and selfless friend. He is my perfect example to follow, and my guide in difficult times as well as in times of joy. He understands me perfectly,and wants me to be happy. I want to live my life in a way that makes Him smile, and I take comfort in knowing that He mourns and rejoices with me.
I know that He is real, that He did truly walk on this Earth as the Son of God. I know that it is only by the atonement, when He condescended from the presence of Heavenly Father as a mortal being, that we can live after this life. He is the only being that, though perfect, will have scars on His resurrected body, scars that He received for us, while we, as imperfect beings, will have perfected bodies after the resurrection.
I know that He has faith in me to do what He has asked me to do for Him and for my own progression, as well as for the benefit of my brothers and sisters. Unlike Satan, who has doubted my abilities from the very beginning, Jesus Christ knows that I am capable of returning, in exaltation, to Him and my Heavenly Father. I know that I am very blessed because of this understanding, and there is a lot that is expected of me because of it. 
I know that I cannot fulfill my mortal mission without Him, and I know that I have no hope of redemption, of eternal life, true joy, success, or an eternal family without Him and His infinite sacrifice. I hope to emulate Him in the way I live, and in the person I am. He is everything I need Him to be for me, and though I am often frustrated by how weak my efforts are, I will try forever to be what He needs me to be for Him.

I hereby testify, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that the things I have learned of Christ are true. I bear witness of Him, and I know that through Him, I will someday return to the place where I am no longer a stranger or a guest, but a child at home.

Happy Easter!

Blessing #8: Understanding

As a Mormon, I find that, even though our beliefs and values are truly very simple and they bring indescribable joy to those that live by them, my faith is frequently misunderstood and misinterpreted. What a blessing it is when those not of my faith are willing to make the effort to understand what we are all about! 
I am sincerely grateful to Mike Jensen, one such non-Mormon that did just that in writing his article, "The Mormon Effect." 

Please take the time to check it out! You won't regret it.
(When you click on the link, you may need to scroll up to see the article)

PS - While I think that his explanation of the Plan of Salvation is beautiful, I have to say I think he is missing one thing: Life on Earth is more than just a test to see if we could return to live with God (why leave in the first place?). It is a choice opportunity for us to learn and progress in ways we could not without mortal bodies. Living a righteous life gives us the chance to inherit all that God has, including all of His wisdom. We are here on Earth to have the chance to be like Him.

Blessing #7: A Call from Lord

I have finally received my mission call! It came in the mail last week, and I was so blessed to be able to be in the company of friends and family to open it and read aloud where I was assigned to serve. I had just completed reading the Book of Mormon in its entirety for the 4th time in my life, and the spirit was so present in the lobby of my dorm building as I eagerly opened my call.

Here is the beginning of the letter:

"Dear Sister Grover,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Spain Madrid Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. 

You should report to the Spain Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 24, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language."

I'm going to Madrid!! I absolutely cannot wait to immerse myself in the Spanish culture and in the Gospel for the next 18 months of my life. And I know that it is all according the Lord's plan that this is what I do in this next stage of my life. As soon as I read where I was called to serve, I immediately knew that it was God's will. I had a sense of peace, excitement, and almost a feeling of familiarity (as though I had always known that I was going to Spain). I am so grateful for how Heavenly Father has prepared me to receive this call, as I have gone through stages of fear, excitement, feelings of inadequacy, fear again, (etc.), until I finally just felt truly worthy and absolutely ready to serve!

This will not be an easy time, however, but I look forward with faith to this year and a half of whole-hearted service. I am so blessed to have the support of all of my friends and family in this journey, and I know that the Lord will be by my side every step of the way!

(One of the General Authorities of the Church, Elder Rasband, talked about how a mission call is made in his talk, The Divine Call of a Missionary, I highly recommend checking it out!)

Here's a picture of the LDS temple in Madrid!

Blessing #6: Eternal Progression

It is an enormous blessing to be here on Earth. To have the chance to live a life here, and to experience everything from the suffering and failures that makes us appreciate the joys and tender mercies, to the love and successes that give us the strength and motivation to do amazing things.
But what for? For what purpose? 

It can all be wrapped up in one word:
Progression.

God loves us so much that He has given us the beautiful opportunity to have all that He has, and to become all that He is. We are here on Earth to love, to work, to prove, and most of all, to grow. And the best part is, we are not expected to achieve in leaps and bounds. All He asks of us is that we work everyday, just to take that next step forward. 

One of the greatest men of all time (seriously, though. I love this guy), President Gordon B. Hinckley offered this guidance, to simply:
"Try a little harder, to be a little better."

It's what God asks of us. If we want to show our love for Him, then we should be working daily to head in the direction that will lead us back to Him, as the son or daughter He wants us to be.