Scatter a little sunshine

I have a friend who really dislikes a few hymns. Actually I have a few friends who dislike this particular hymn. They think it's a little ridiculous. Personally, while it maybe not a be my favorite, I like it. Yesterday we sang it for the closing hymn. The talks had been on service and lifting where you stand. I thought this verse went along with that topic beautifully. 

Slightest actions often

Meet the sorest needs,

For the world wants daily

Little kindly deeds.

Oh, what care and sorrow

You may help remove,

With your songs and courage,

Sympathy and love.

 

The smallest things can sometimes make the greatest impact. That one small act of kindness can turn someone's day around completely. 

 

 

1D to the rescue

This week has been a bit rough. Although most of my sisters quilt is finished and I should be feeling some relief from that department, I'm not. I'm about a week and a half behind in school. I have a new calling that I'm going to have to work to love and one of my coworkers has called in sick 4 days this week. For most people that last one would elicit compassionate thoughts for a speedy recovery. Not in this case. This coworker misses at least 3 days a month. EVERY. MONTH. And there are no consequences except not getting paid. That's fine for her, don't come to work, don't get paid. BUT what about the rest of the people at work who have to do their work AND hers while she's gone. I've looked for a job multiple times in the last 6 months just because of her. I didn't start disliking my job until she got hired. I understand that some people have medical conditions, but if that's the case, they either need to be going to a doctor to get them taken care of, or get a different job that doesn't inconvenience EVERYONE else when they're gone. ALL. THE. TIME. I don't know why they keep her.
With that vent out of the way, yesterday I was in an especially low mood, so what did I do to fix that? Watched some carpool karaoke. Specifically my most favorite One Direction episode. It did the trick. It brought a smile to my face and lifted my spirits. I don't care if I'm ridiculous in my love for 1D. If it works, it works.

 

Happy Birthday to me

I have a love/hate relationship with birthdays. I'm not a huge fan of getting older, BUT at least I'm not dead. :/ I love the attention but at the same time don't want a lot of attention. This year I'm just so busy I have chosen not to plan anything for my birthday. I have lots of homework and still need to finish my sisters quilt.

I also think it's lame to have to work on your birthday. I was going to come in late and sleep in this morning, but I woke up at 6:45. Boo. So I got up and got ready and only came in about 20 minutes late. I've been sitting at my desk working on stuff, watching youtube videos of One Direction. If you're too busy to have a birthday party, at least you can party with One Direction.
I woke up to this gem of an Instagram notification on my phone this morning.

Camilla tagged me in this picture while she was looking at pictures of Liam. My adorable "Irish Princess". I love Camilla and that she shares this silly obsession with 1D and that we both discovered them through Carpool Karoake, which I love, and that it was a VERY recent discovery. We spent all of this last weekend talking about which songs were our favorites and who we loved the most. She's a big Liam fan and I'm a huge Niall fan. Am I a 14 year old girl? I guess when it comes to boy bands I will always be a 14 year old girl. Too bad they are a band no more, Camilla and I would have rocked that concert!

So happy 31st birthday to me!

Life and Salvation

Joseph Smith said “a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.”

I had a friend say something about all the "requirements" of the church and how they can seem, and let's be honest, actually BE, overwhelming. Sometimes you do feel like there is so much to do and you know you aren't doing it all and what you are doing probably isn't all that great, BUT to me it's worth it. It's worth the sacrifice. I believe it is God asking me to do these things and that's the difference. If I was just being asked by some random dude to have FHE and go to institute and have a calling and go visiting teaching and go to ward activities and pay tithing and dress modestly and live the word of wisdom and give a talk and go to the temple and be careful of the entertainment I consume and bear testimony and read my scriptures every day and pray multiple times a day and take meals to the neighbor and a million other things, I'm pretty certain I'd tell him to peace out and just do whatever took  my fancy. But that's not how it works. It's not some random dude, it's our Father in Heaven. And I know these things are in place for a reason and that they will help me and help others become the people God needs us to be. If it wasn't for my conviction that I belong to God's true church and that that will require some sacrifice I wouldn't be able to do it. If I didn't know I had His help in all of this and that even when I come short He is still inviting me to come to Him and be better, I'd give up. Of course there are days we feel overwhelmed and find ourselves not quite measuring up, but that is the beauty of it. That is what builds our faith, keeps us humble and pulls us to Christ. Hopefully my sacrifice, in some small degree, shows God that I love him and that I am trying and that I will keep trying. Day by day my faith will increase and that is what will save me.