Oh How I Love Modern Day Revelation

General Conference.

I always enjoy it.

But this week I had been looking forward to it more than usual.

I assumed that meant I would be receiving answers.

But what answers?

I wasn't exactly sure I had questions...

So I started to think some up.

But the only one I got was, "Should I get my Patriarchal Blessing?"

Now, this has been a question for years with me...

But I've never really felt like I had received the answer yet.

So it's been my default question for forever.

...But the answer I received at General Conference was completely unexpected.

And it came in the first ten minutes of conference!

How nifty!

Well... the question that was answered for me was "Should I go on a mission?"

And the answer is, "DUH!"

I'll start at the beginning.

~~~

A year ago when both of my older siblings were on missions people would always ask me, "Are you going to serve a mission?"  And until the first time I got that question, I hadn't thought much of it!  So I just said "Well, if the time comes, and I'm 21, unmarried, and it feels right, then yes!"  But honestly I did want to go on one... but I moreso just wanted to get married.  The whole wedding, husband, children thing just appeals to me I guess!  So my honest thought was, "No.  I'm not going on one."  But I did leave the option just in case I wasn't married (although I would feel like a loser).

My options broadened when family visited Nauvoo... and there were missionaries there.  But they were 4-month performing missionaries.  You had to audition as well as apply to be one of those missionaries over the summer, and girls could go at 19.  So I told myself that if I was picked, then that would be just the mission for me.  And then if I still wasn't married at 21, I would serve a full-time mission as well (and still feel like an unmarried loser).

Just a couple weeks ago at my semi-annual Bishop's interview the Bishop asked me if I was going to serve a mission.  So I told him about my Nauvoo and then marriage/notmarriageandanothermission plan.  And he seemed to think that was nice, but also seemed to encourage me to more consider a full-time mission at age 21... so I have been.  But 21 has always just seemed so far away, so I figured I'd cross that bridge when I got there.

But since this was 4 years away, I didn't really consider it as a question as I went in to conference weekend. Little did I know it would be the question answered!

President Monson stands up at conference and announces that young women can now serve missions at age 19.  SAY WHAT?!??!?  Well, my question is answered.  I'm serving a mission.  The likelihood of me being married by then is very slim.  Plus, when I come back I"ll be 20.  So there is still the option of me being married before 21!  But 19 is also less than a year and a half away... which gives me not a whole lot of preparation time!  So I'm starting now to become as mission-prepared as I possibly can.  Starting with more blogging and journal writing.  Hopefully.

But along with this announcement was the announcement that young men can leave at age 18!  EVEN CRAZIER!  I have so many friends who could potentially be on their missions right now.  And now I have quite a few who are putting in their papers as soon as possible.  And even before this announcement I have recently been thinking about how in two years most of my guy friends will be out on missions... but now I need to consider that in one year almost all of them will be out on missions, and in two years I will probably be out on a mission.  It's all coming at me so fast now.  It feels almost as if the entire universe has shifted and I'm living in an alternate world or something.

~~~

Why is the Lord so good?

And why is serving him so great?

EFY (Again)

I went to EFY for a second time this summer.  And (believe it or not) out came another great, spiritual experience.

It started with me not even being sure whether I wanted to go again or not, but then I felt like I should go... so I did.

And then I really wanted to either get a solo in the musical program or make the variety show.  So I prayed that I would get one or the other.  And I had a feeling that I would.  So it just so happened that I was quite disappointed when I didn't. :(

But then my counselor came to me and said that they were looking for someone to sing the musical number at the last fireside of EFY.  It would be a duet of the song "Never Be the Same."  And I agreed to it.

An answer to my prayer?  I think yes.  It may not have been a variety show number, or a musical program solo, but it was even better.  In fact, I had always thought, "Man, I wish participants were able to sing the EFY musical numbers."  And I was able to.  It was fantastic.

And (not to be unhumble) we did an amazing job on the song.

So, in case I didn't feel like this incredible answer to my prayers was enough, after I sang, the girl I was sitting next to turned to me with tears in her eyes and said, "You will never know how much that changed my life."  I began to cry after that.  I have changed someone's life.  Through music.  And in so doing, I changed MY life.


It really is a gorgeous song.  And I am going to share it with you now.  (The original, not the one I sang.)

Waiting For Me -Julie Yardley

Here I am again

Seems like I’m standing still

Knowing that it’s finally time to start

There have been some things

Keeping me from moving forward

I can feel them holding back my heart

So I will face my fears.

I’ll give up my pride

The choice is mine,

That’s how it needs to be

Trusting in your love

I feel a change inside

And I can see,

You were just waiting for me

You've helped me believe

That I can move this mountain

That I can reach the other side

This is what I want,

And the road it won’t be easy

But with you there I know it’s worth the price

So I’ll face my fears

I’ll give up my pride

The choice is mine,

That’s how it needs to be

Trusting in your love

I feel a change inside

And I can see,

You were just waiting for me

You never gave up

You've always been there

Patiently waiting for me

So I’ll face my fears

I’ll give up my pride

The choice is mine,

That’s how it needs to be

Trusting in your love

I feel a change inside

And I can see,

You were just waiting for me

Come Thou Fount

I apologize for the not so great song I posted earlier.  Maybe this beautiful song by Allred will heal your ears.

Courageously- Jenny Phillips

I apologize about the horrible sound quality of the recording.
And the strange sound quality of my out-of-tune guitar.
And the annoying sound quality of my voice.

I only have a laptop to record with.
And I was too lazy to tune my guitar.
And I have been sick.

But I was really in the mood to sing.
And I wanted a purpose.
So you are stuck with this bad version of an incredible song.
Please enjoy!

I Need to be More Consistent.

In prayer, journaling, blogging, and scripture study.

I've been doing okay with prayer... but I can definitely do better.
At EFY a speaker mentioned that kneeling at your bedside for prayer helps you focus more on the spiritual nature of your prayer.  I never really thought of it that way.  I've always just been too tired/lazy and have always just prayed in bed.  But I'm going to try my hardest to actually get out of bed and kneel for my prayers.

Ever since I started blogging, my journal has suffered.  I've thought "Why journal when blogging is so much easier?"  Well... it is best to keep more than one record.  That's why.  Plus, I can't guarantee that blogger/the internet/my blog won't randomly someday crash and everything won't be lost.  Chances aren't likely, but keeping a journal as well is always good just to be safe.

Blogging... lately I've just not been blogging as much.  It's not that I don't have time.  It's just that I haven't been motivated!  But that needs to change.  I was thinking just yesterday about how I need to try harder to blog, and then today in sacrament meeting the speaker was talking about being a missionary through the internet and technology.  And I thought "That's for me.  To blog more.  I just know it."

I really try to read my scriptures, but I just don't like to.  I think it's boring.  But I want to want to read.  Does that make sense?  I have the desire to want to read and study my scriptures.  And that is enough.  But I need to try harder, even when I don't want to.  Yesterday I made a scripture reading log.  My goal is to read at least 15 minutes a week.  That may seem extremely easy for some (even most) people... but for me it is a challenge to pick up my scriptures even once a week for personal scripture study.  So I'm hoping that this small goal will be enough to make scripture study a habit and cause me to begin to enjoy it more.

~~~

I know that as long as I have

the desire to do these things

and try my hardest to do them,

the Lord will help with the rest.

EFY

I have always loved EFY... this was my fourth year and fifth time.  I have always loved both the spiritual and social aspects of it, but mostly the spiritual.  Each time I have felt somewhat socially ignored.  I never really made many friends, met any boys, or felt wanted.  I would always feel like an outcast.  You would think one of four times would be different, but no.  But finally this year was different.  Fifth times a charm, right?  :D  Haha.  But seriously!  I felt loved!  Our company was a family.  And it helped strengthen my testimony. So much!

You see... when my mom first signed me up for EFY I was planning on going with my cousin Lizzie.  But then she ended up not being able to go, so my mom started thinking of someone else who I could go with.  But I just had a feeling that I should go alone.  So that's what I did.  But I was scared.  Because I went alone my first year, and it was the worst experience of all of the years.  I was scared that my room mate would be some stuck-up chick who stays up late every night talking to her 21 year old boyfriend on the phone.  It would be someone who only went to EFY because her mom made her.  It would be someone who has to completely alter their wardrobe for EFY, someone who can't even remember my name.  Someone like the girl who was my roomate the first year.

I didn't want that again.

So I prayed.

I've always sorta been one of those people who only prays when they need something, but I've been trying to change.  Especially since I wanted this so bad.  I wanted a good room mate who I could laugh with, and with whom I would keep in touch.

And I wanted a great company.  Full of spiritual people who love the gospel.  Friendly people who love each other and the Lord. Is that too much to want?  Just for what my end up being my last time at EFY?  Could I have it please?  I prayed and pleaded... I wanted this so bad.

And it was given.

The Lord does answer your prayers.

I was given an amazing room mate.  RayLyn Bryant.  But she almost didn't even come to EFY.  Her dad had been put in the hospital the day before she left, so she really wanted to stay with him.  But she felt like she should go to EFY.  And then when her dad was released from the hospital the first day of EFY he was in a car accident and put back in the hospital, so RayLyn considered going home.  But she still stayed.  I know that it was the spirit telling her to stay at EFY.  Because her being my room mate was an answer to my prayers.