Currently Listening to {Valentines Edition!}

I'm a big fan of a cute love song. And I have a lot of them.

This Currently Listening to list is super long so you can jam out all February to adorable love songs (or all year really because that's what I do...) Because of this I decided to embed it on Spotify so all you have to do is press play at the bottom of this post and then it will automatically play all of them!

Some of my favorites include Out of my League, One Call Away, Darlin I'm a Mess, I was Made for Loving you, Everything, Risk it All, Gone Gone Gone, Still Fallin, and Best thing but let's be honest- I love them all:)

Comment your favorite song below!



Did you find any new favorites on the playlist? Have a great Valentines day!

Thoughts on the Atonement// Articles of Faith 3

*The following is from a talk I wrote and gave a while back. I know the Atonement is real and the Savior and our loving Heavenly Father know us and care about us more than we can even comprehend. Please keep this in mind throughout the week! Happy Monday!*

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all Mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

It was the ultimate expression of love.

The key to peace, joy, and happiness in this life and the life to come.

The Atonement plays such a vital role in each of our lives. “(Alma 34:9).... according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish;  Bruce C Hafen said, “Christ’s Atonement is at the very core of this plan. Without his dear dear sacrifice, there would be no way home, no way to be together, and no way to be like him”

Without the Atonement the gospel is pointless. We can never become like Christ and we can never return to live with our Father in Heaven, so why try? Living the gospel. without applying the Atonement is useless. We will never be perfect on our own, we will never overcome the Natural Man without the guidance of the Spirit we can get when we have repented, and we can never truly repent without Christ’s unimaginable sacrifice of taking our and other’s pain upon him.

The Atonement encompasses so much of our life. There are 3 principles of the Atonement:

1. Love.
1. The Atonement is the ultimate expression of love. The Savior was willing to suffer unimaginable pain and humiliation for our, yes mine and everyone else’s in this room and in the world, salvation. If you feel like no one cares, I want each and every one of you to know that you ARE loved. I know with all my heart that there is a loving Heavenly Father who loves each and everyone of us beyond comprehension. A Father who was willing to send his Beloved Son, who had done no wrong and made no mistake, to suffer.
2. All things unfair can be made right through the Atonement.
1. Many things in this life are unfair. From simply being let down, to terrible shootings the age old saying “life’s not fair” rings true as ever. But why does our Father in Heaven allow this to happen to good people? Dallin H Oaks explains it best, “Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquillity.”7 While we know that unfair things happen for a reason, it doesn’t always make it easier. The precious Sacrifice of The Savior allows us to press forward through trials and forgive those that have wronged us because our Savior has felt our pain and has payed the price for other’s mistakes. "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people…..(12) and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."(Alma 7:11) The Atonement allows the Savior to fully comfort us and stand beside us, carrying us when we are too weak to walk, and whispering peace into our hearts when we are worried and overcome; because he knows exactly what we are feeling. The night in Gethsemane allowed The Savior to overcome every unfair thing in this life.
3. You can overcome the natural man through the Atonement.
1. So what is the Natural Man? According to Mosiah 3:19, where King Benjamin is talking, “The natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam.” King Benjamin warned that in this natural, or fallen, state, each person will be an enemy to God forever “unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” The ultimate goal of our time on earth is to become more like Christ. But we can’t become like him on our own. It’s simply impossible. We are all human and imperfect beings learning and striving to be our best and we will all slip up and make mistakes at one time or another.One of my favorite scriptures, which happened to be the youth theme in 2014, states, “Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).  This scripture reiterates the fact that we are all imperfect beings that rely on Christ. We can’t do it without his help. We have to depend on the Atonement to overcome the Natural Man inside of us. While it is easy to become frustrated on our mortal journey to our lofty goal of perfection, a New Era article puts it best, "trying to become perfect all at once is like trying to climb up a mountain while riding a unicycle and juggling, Impossible.” But as we learn to apply the Atonement to our lives, day by day, minute by minute, we learn a fundamental truth taught by Quentin L Cook “The enabling power of the Atonement of Christ strengthens us to do things we could never do on our own.”

The Atonement can bring us the peace we so desperately seek in this world of turmoil and contention. Quentin L. Cook said, “The Savior is the source of true peace. Even with the trails of life,  because of The Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living can be rewarded through personal peace.”

The last part of this Article of Faith is key to our Salvation. “By Obedience to laws and Ordinances.”

The Atonement is not a magic wand. It doesn’t clean up and fix everything magically. We must do our part by living Christ’s word and desiring to become clean and pure. We must desire and try our very best to live according to the teachings of the Gospel.

Linda K Burton gave an amazing analogy to The Atonement in the 2012 Conference, “A woman walking along a road fell into a pit so deep she could not climb out. No matter what she did, she could not get out by herself. The woman called for help and rejoiced when a kind passerby heard her and lowered a ladder down into the pit. This allowed her to climb out of the pit and regain her freedom”

Luckily, we don’t have to wait and wait just hoping that someone will throw down a ladder. Christ has already paid the price of buying the ladder, which allows us to climb out of our pit of sin and come unto the vast beautiful world of righteousness and salvation once we truly desire to get out. Then we must do our part by actually climbing the ladder.

I have made too many mistakes to count, do I wish I could redo parts of my life? Certainly. But do I have regrets? No. because I know that once I have repented The Atonement has made it right. I think the key is to feel sorry, make it right, repent, learn from it and move on. Don't spend valuable time regretting your mistakes. They can be made right through The Atonement. I know without a doubt that The Atonement is real. I know that our Savior loved us enough to die on the cross for us, beaten, bruised, and spit upon so we could live again with him by becoming clean of our sins.. He loved us that much. He loves us beyond comprehension. I know that The Atonement makes it possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father someday. I know that Christ lives and loves us no matter what. He is your best friend, your biggest cheerleader, your Comforter, and your Redeemer. He knows we are imperfect, and walks beside us, helping us become who we are destined to be and fulfilling our Divine Inheritance as sons and daughters of a living Heavenly Father. Since he has faced such devastating pain we can find peace and comfort knowing that he always stands beside us. He will lift us up and carry us through times of strife, darkness, and hurt. He is there. He loves us. He added purpose to our mortal ministry no other could. I know will all my heart the he broke the chains of death, freeing us from it's bondage. We can have peace and hope and joy and salvation. If we will just believe and accept this glorious truth! It was the ultimate expression of love. The key to peace, joy, and happiness in this life and the life to come.I am so thankful for the Savior's amazing gift to us.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen,

Why waking up at 4:30 am and being a bit peculiar makes me incredibly happy

Everyone says they are weird. It's the norm. While it used to be the "cool thing" to be normal, now people find pride in saying they are weird. Crazy how the world is always tossing, flipping, and mixing things up, huh?

I'm not going all the way and saying that I'm weird, but trust me when I say I'm not your average teenager. Sure I like to text, I have an instagram, I try to look decent, and I'm a fan of food, but here's where it gets a little....different?

• I leave my house at 5:30 every morning so I can get to church on time for 6 am scripture study before school.  
• I try to learn about my ancestors so I can help them on their path to salvation because they've done so much for me. Yep, I do genealogy. It's not just for old people. 
• I love to babysit my younger siblings and spend time with my family. Some teens think their parents and siblings are lame. Not me. I think they're pretty much the bomb.com
• Ummm, I blog. What teenagers do this? I know of a few who are pretty awesome people. While it might be a little strange it makes me so happy. Even though a lot of people don't realize it blogging is actually pretty cool;)
• Aside from waking up early I try to read the scriptures on my own. I choose to read the King James version which can be pretty confusing. But I do my best to understand and keep reading because I love the peace and happiness it brings. 
• Once a month, on the first Sunday, I fast. I skip 2 meals without food and water for a special purpose. 
• I choose to use clean and uplifting language. I don't cuss and I do my very best to make all my words kind. 
• I've never tasted coffee in my life. I choose to keep my body the way Heavenly Father created. Really the best energy giver is sleep. 
• While I don't make a lot of money, I give 10% of what I earn to help build church buildings, temples, help those in need, and support missionaries.  
• I choose to listen to uplifting music. It really stinks when a song is ruined by a dirty word. 
• My biggest dream is to get married in the temple, have a family with a few kids, and be a mom.

Now don't get concerned. I promise I'm not sick:)

And I don't say all of this for praise or to sound like I'm awesome. Because while I do these things I don't do them perfectly. I try to but it's impossible. 

I do all this because I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

I don't get punished when I don't do these things. My mom doesn't make me. I'm not forced or required to do any of these things. It's definitely not a social norm I've decided to fall into. 

i promise you. i choose to do all of this 100% on my own. 

So why? Why oh why? Why why why? 

Because it makes me so incredibly happy. Giddy really. Overjoyed. Elated. Can't wash the smile off my face kind of happy. 

I might want to fall over because I feel like I'm drowning in school and seminary came quite early. It would be easy to pocket that extra 10% that could bring me closer to that fancy camera I'm yearning for. One bite of a cookie on the first Sunday of the month wouldn't kill me. And that cup of coffee that everyone claims to be gold could probably help me stay up just a bit longer. 

It would be easy as pie. But I honestly don't want to. 

This gospel gives me so much purpose. Reading my scriptures and writing this little old blog of mine has filled my time along with endless church activities. What purpose would I have without the gospel? I honestly don't want to think about where I would be without it. Would I still want to do good? Would I still try to be kind? Would I still work hard? Would I have friends who were good influences? Would my language be littered with curse words or scriptures I'm trying to memorize? Would I understand who I truly am? Because all of this plays such a vital role in who I am. 

The gospel brings me peace and joy and so so much goodness. I really can't describe the feelings I get. When I think about where I would be without it my heart starts to beat furiously and my face twists with worry. When I think about where I am with the help of my Savior my heart fills with so much joy and peace, I can't help but smile and I just want to hug and love everyone. 

While I've never become inactive or committed a humongous sin I have seen in my life where I have slacked a little. I started caring a little too much about what the world thought. I wanted to reach that goal but it was unattainable. I was not very happy. I just wanted to be enough. During that time I started and continued writing my blog. And so many wonderful things have happened since. Since I've poured my heart into the pages of the world wide web. Since I've read my scriptures and realized who I am. Since I realized it's about anything but me. Since I've realized how good kind feels. 

I don't think I can say it enough. I am happier than I've ever been. 

I'm still your typical teenager in the sense that I'm so helplessly imperfect. I mess up constantly. But I'm doing my best to come unto Christ so He can help me become as perfect as I can. 

So try it out for me.... live your best. Dedicate yourself to things that really matter and live happy. Because it's such a glorious thing when you make that leap of faith. 

Motivation on a Monday: #embark

So I know yesterday's post was about embarking and I could have combined these two, but I wanted to really focus on the message yesterday and who doesn't need a lift me up after returning to real life again? Also sorry if another post popped up in your feed (or however you read blogs), I was fixing some labels that were duplicates and it reposted (or I never posted it, not sure).

I love this video. The music is awesome (you can check out more awesome stuff like it at lds.org/youth/music) and I love how it shows simple acts of service. I also like how it relates it to social media and encourages youth to share how they have served. The teenage years are feared by parents, but lets show them how awesome we can be! Sure there are some our age who put a bad face on these years, but lets overpower the bad! How are you #emabarking?

-Shelby

#servingothers2015

I recently read about a project some of my favorite bloggers are doing and I thought it would be awesome to link up!

I love the idea of trying to be kinder and more giving. As I wrote about in this post, I really want to become better at serving and truly giving of myself, but I have struggled to find ways to serve because I really want to make an impact, as I teen who isn't old enough to drive and doesn't have much money, this can seem hard to do. I will admit, I spent awhile in the well-I-guess-I-can't-do-anything phase, but I am ready to jump up and do what I can right now! I wish I could travel to a third world country, buy a bunch of things for orphans, and serve them for at least a month, but that is just not an option. So for now I will stick to opening doors and doing random acts of kindness:)
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We all know that person.

The one who is seen as annoying or hard to work with. The one who is mean or constantly
 brags. The one who drives us slightly crazy.

We try so hard to get along with them, but sometimes it seems impossible!I feel like a am a pretty nice person, I try my very hardest to be kind and patient with everyone, but some people just get under my skin!

So in my journey to embark on "serving with all my might, mind, and strength," I am striving to learn to love these people. To see them as Christ would.

And if you really look at these people, really trying to understand; a lot of times they really just need to know some one cares. They need to know they are gorgeous, smart, and destined for great things.

So this month (or I guess how ever long..), I will be making some nice little notes to put in their stuff when they aren't looking. I will also be striving to be more patient, but I think it would make me so happy to find an anonymous note in my pencil pouch telling me how amazing I am:)

I was going to make some cute printable, but I think a message typed in word (so the handwriting is unrecognizable) will be more mysterious and more personal than a cute printable that anyone can find online.

To the people who feel like no one cares, I want each of you to know that you ARE loved. I know with all my heart that there is a loving Heavenly Father who loves each and everyone of us beyond comprehension. There is a Savior who suffered for us and made it possible to repent and live again. Each and everyone of you was made for a divine and glorious purpose, you were created by The All Mighty. Ignore the world, they don't know what true beauty is. Focus on shining, coming unto Christ, and being filled with love and you will glow. Who ever you are, you are amazing and you are loved.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines day!

I love the idea of having a holiday that focuses on love. Love is the essence of becoming Christlike. Christlike love is one of the most desired traits that makes us shine the brightest.

I really hate how Valentines day has become more about who is dating who and are you single or dating and let me spend a bazillion dollars on candy and other things that will probably make you gain some weight and put a small dent in my finances.

Don't get me wrong. I understand these people are trying to show their love. I am just more of a fan of homemade valentines cards with a small dollar store gift and a cheesy pun,

But I mainly want to focus on one of my biggest pet peeves.
Have you ever been walking down the hallways and you see what seems like 50 bazillion couples hugging and saying goodbye with teary eyes? And then you check instagram on a Monday or Wednesday and see 100 million #mcm or #wcw?

Yeah. That slightly annoys me. It bothers me how much worth the world puts on if you are dating or not. And this is only in middle/high school! Really there is no need to date so early! That does not determine your worth!

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we don't believe in steady dating while you are in High School. We believe in getting to know a lot of different individuals so you can find out what you like and don't like in a person.

But some people get caught up in the whole lie that you are worthless if you aren't dating.

To those people who are dreading Valentines day because you are single-

You do have someone who loves you. The Savior is always there for you. No matter what. He loves you and that never changes.

I love this print from He & I blog:

“Your Heavenly Father loves 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. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there."

So if you are alone tonight, watch a funny romantic movie, eat some chocolate, maybe a little ice cream? Snuggle up in a cozy blanket. And go to bed happy.

Because there is someone that always loves you.

New Years Resolutions Talk

How will you embark this year?

When Heavenly Father sent us to earth, he had a plan for us. For some of us that was many years ago, for others it was only a few. No matter how long ago our purpose is the same.

We live in a world of constant change. Many of you were alive when the first iPhone came out- even I was. It was thick and bulky and few apps could be purchased for it. In less than a decade the iPhone has dramatically changed, it is large, skinny, has a great camera, and even uses fingerprint scanners to log you in.

So what does this have to do with the gospel?

First off, God is not like technology. He never changes. So no matter if you came to earth 50 years ago or 5 months ago- your purpose is the same. So what is that purpose? Heavenly Father sent us to earth with free agency. He wanted to let us grow and learn. The purpose of our mortal mission is to become as Christlike as possible.

So that leads to my second point. We can be like the iPhone. Constantly improving. Fast, Efficient. Smart. Full of good stuff like the gospel (or gospel library). Wide spread like all the apps you can download. Money smart. Food conscious. Organized. A good communicator. Even skinny:)

It’s a new year! A fresh start. A clean slate. The perfect time to become the person you want to be. The perfect time to reach your full potential as a son/daughter of God.

I was asked to talk on new years resolutions. Don’t roll your eyes because they are overused or start taking notes because it’s January 11th and you have to remember these for next year because it wouldn’t be right for you set a resolution later than January 1st.

The Atonement is real so every day is a new start. You can become the person you want to be today, whether it’s January 1st, 21st, March 15th, or November 8th.

And for the eye rollers- I get what you’re saying. Everyone sets a resolution to be healthy, be organized, or save money. And I’m not saying those are bad- you go for it!

But I’m not here to tell you the perfect diet, one simple trick to organize your life, or the perfect plan to come up with 5,000 extra dollars a year.

The youth program plays a huge role in my life- I love it so much. Wednesdays and Sundays are pretty much my favorite days. Each Wednesday we recite the youth theme. And it recently it changed. So this year I decided to set a few of my resolutions around the new theme. It reads:

“O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day” (D&C 4:2).

Wow- thats alot. Serving with your mind, strength, heart, and might. Some of us find it hard to simply rub our stomachs and head at the same- much less serve with 4 parts of us at once.

So how can we do this?

Serve with our heart:

1. Serve because you want to. Serve because it is important to you. Dedicate your whole heart to it.
2. Serve spiritually. Serve The Lord by reading your scriptures, praying, reflecting on The Atonement, repentance, following the commandments, and giving him a few minutes of your time each day. If The Savior lived in your house wouldn’t you take a few minutes to at least acknowledge him, learn from him, and talk to him? Then do it in real life too.

Serve with might:

1. This is similar to the first. Be dedicated. When you are raking your neighbor's yard, don’t be dreaming of cuddling up in your bed with a good book or movie, a yummy snack, and falling asleep. I don’t care if it’s negative 3 degrees and you haven’t slept in 3 days. Be there because you want to. Give your heart to The Lord for a few hours.

Serve with mind:

1. Use your brain. Help tutor someone. Teach someone else. Use your talents to help others and bring The Spirit into their lives. Heavenly Father gave us talents for a reason don’t be like the foolish man who hid his talents. Use your talents to bless others.

Serve with strength:

This applies in 2 ways.

1. Don’t be scared to serve. Don’t be scared to sit with the unpopular girl at lunch. Don’t be scared to be the only one who stops to pick help the shy kid pick up their books. There are people who need our help. Sadly in today’s world helping others isn’t necessarily “cool” or popular. But it’s part of our role as children of God and it’s what Christ would want. Isn’t his approval more important?
2. Serve with your muscles! Don’t be afraid to get dirty. Sacrifice for others.It is so worth it for them and for you.D&C 73: 3,5 says “Behold, I say unto you that it is my will that you should go forth and not tarry, neither be idle but labor with your might. “And thus, if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves, and crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life.” Wow! That’s alot of awesome blessings.

All this seems pretty overwhelming. But you can do it. You can become the person you want to be. You can do it!

I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. I know we are sons/daughters of God. You are special and you are loved.  We were meant to shine. I know The Savior Atoned for our sins so we can come back to live with him someday. Because of him there is purpose to our mortal existence. We can be forgiven! Isn’t that an amazing blessing?! Heavenly Father knows each of your struggles. He knows you and as you strive to become more like him by serving with all your heart, might, mind, and strength and drawing close to him through the gospel; you will feel his arms around you. You will feel his love, his hope, and his peace that can be found no other way. I know my Savior lives and he is the perfect example.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Love

Today I was going to post about my New Years Resolutions, but I was just asked to talk about them in church next week so I will write more later on those. I know it will be kind of late, so I'm sorry.

One last note- this post is based off a wonderful testimony by an amazing woman in my ward so I take no credit- I just thought it was a great point and I know it is true beyond I doubt.

What is love?

In today's world it is thought of as "Sweetheart- I love you so I will give you everything you want and you will always be happy."


It is more of chance and romance.


But to God, love is deep and rooted in a care for the other person.


It means you are willing to sacrifice all for the other person. Just like the Savior was willing to die for our sins- the only man who was sinless loved so deeply that he was willing to suffer and die so us people on earth- who need his help so desperately- can live again and repent. That is true love.

Heavenly Father wants to make us the best person we can be. So his love goes more like this "I love you more than you know and I don't want you to suffer, but this is going to make you such a better person, I will help you through, but it's up to you."


Our loving Heavenly Father sees the big picture and even though it is hard to see the people you love most suffer, he knows that they need it. He knows that you can come out bigger than your trial. He has faith in you.


So if you're feeling like God isn't there- like he has abandoned you and he doesn't love you- Stop right now. He loves you more than you know. He loves you beyond comprehension. He thinks you are amazing.


You are a daughter/son of God and you are loved.

Because of Him

Because of Him we can have peace.
Because of Him we can be happy.
Because of Him we will live again.
Because of Him death has no power.
Because of Him we can be saved.
Because of Him we can live with our Heavenly Father again.
Because of Him we can see our love ones who have passed.
Because of Him Satan has no power unless we give it to him.
Because of Him we can regain perfect bodies after our death.
Because of Him we can live joyously.
Because of Him we can do great things.
Because of Him we have hope.
Because of Him we can change the world.
Because of Him we can leave behind regrets.
Because of Him there is no lasting pain.
Because of Him wrong is made right.
Because of Him all unfair things can become fair.
Because of Him we have Salvation.

It was the ultimate expression of love.

I have made to many mistakes to count, do I wish I could redo my life at times- certainly. But do I have regrets- no because I know that once I have repented The Atonement has made it right. I think the key is to feel sorry, make it right, repent, learn from it and move on. Don't spend valuble time regretting your mistakes. They can be made right through The Atonement. I know without a doubt that The Atonement is real. I know that our Savior loved us enough to die on the cross for us, beaten, bruised, and spit upon. He loved us that much. He loves us beyond comprehension. I know that The Atonement makes it possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father someday. I know that everything stated above is true. We can have peace and hope and joy and salvation. If we will just believe and accept this glorious truth! I am so thankful for the Saviors amazing gift to us.

This past year I have learned so much about The Atonement. My faith has been strengthened beyond measure. I love the come follow me curriculum and everything it teaches. I think one of the most powerful atonement lessons I have learned is the 3 principles of The Atonement.
                  1)All that is unfair can be made right through the atonement
                  2) Love
                  3) Through The Atonement the natural man can be overcome.
I know with out I doubt this is true.

-Shelby

#becauseofhim

      

"Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. Because of Him, death is not the end, and life takes on new meaning. We can change, we can start over—and we can live again with God. This Easter, celebrate His life and discover all that’s possible because of Him."

                                                                                         -Mormon.org 

Please, oh pretty please watch this video! It is so true! The atonement is amazing! Because of him so much is possible.

I add my testimony that everything in this inspiring video is true.

-Shelby
PS. While you are at it please check out this page on mormon.org!

Life is Beautiful

I just want to stop in today and say

 

God is great and he loves you.

 

Life really can be amazing and beautiful, its all in how we see it (I know-everyone says that- but its true!)

 

I so grateful for all the many blessings God has blessed me and every one else on this world with. I mean look at the beautiful sunset! Only a Divine Being could create something as beautiful as that!

I know that as we look for the good, we will see it. And as we pray- truly pray with all our souls- Heavenly Father's spirit will be near us always, guiding us and helping us see the beautiful.

I know this is true.

 

-Shelby