Sweet Escape

What a weird day.

What a weird weekend.

 Today, I decided to get outside for a little bit and read in a couple books.

I read a little bit of Whom the Lord Loveth by Neal A. Maxwell.

There were a few points that stuck out to me in what I read.

I'll share a couple.

He talks about frustrations and how we sometimes complain during those times.

He then says, "These hyperventilating moments use up some of the oxygen provided by God's lending us breath from moment to moment."

What an interesting thought.

I never looked at it that way.

It's true that God gives us breath from moment to moment and I certainly don't want to waste that breath on complaints or negative words.

*sorry for the blurriness, but what I write in my journal is none of yo bidness ;)*

He also says, "It is usually a particular preoccupation, not a specific occupation that we need to leave straightway and without looking back."

I know there are a few PREoccupations going on in my life that cause me to not be living to my full potential right now.

Whether that potential be spiritual, physical or emotional.

The second book I read a little out of was Standing for Something by Gordon B. Hinckley. 

I only read into the first chapter, because by the time I had gotten to this book I was starting to sweat.

The first chapter is about love.

He said so many good things.

The first thing that stood out to me was, "Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is not found only at the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arches across the sky on a stormy day."

The second thing he quoted from a newspaper column:

"One of the grand errors we tend to make when we are young is supposing that a person is a bundle of qualities, and we add up the individual's good and bad qualities, like a bookkeeper working on debits and credits. If the balance is favorable, we may decide to take the jump [into marriage]...The world is full of unhappy men and women who married because...it seemed to be a good investment. Love, however, is not an investment; it is an adventure. And when marriage turns out to be as dull and comfortable as a sound investment, the disgruntled party soon turns elsewhere...Ignorant people are always saying, "I wonder what he sees in her," not realizing that what he sees in her (and what no one else can see) is the secret essence of love."

I love this. I am going to keep this forever.

I had the opportunity to teach with the Sisters again Saturday morning.

I went over the lesson we would be teaching while I ate my breakfast.

I absolutely cannot wait until that is my life 24/7 for eighteen months.

I cannot describe the calm and the peace that comes over me whenever I study the lessons in Preach My Gospel and the assigned scriptures along with them. 

As I was reading my scriptures the other night it occurred to me why I love the scriptures so much. It's kind of hard to explain and the only way I know how to put it is they are so familiar. I feel like I know the people I am reading about. I remember a time last year when I was first thinking about serving a mission and I was doing all I could to prepare for it spiritually and I was getting ready for church one Sunday and as I looked in the mirror I knew I was where I was supposed to be. It felt like home and it felt familiar. That's what I love about this Gospel. It feels like home. 

I know that when times get uncomfortable, I always have the Gospel to turn to for comfort and stability.

I really hope that I can be as good of a missionary as the sisters I've been able to get to know over the past months.

I know I shouldn't compare myself to others, but they carry such a strong spirit with them and they're just rock stars in my book.

I am going to prepare the best I can to be that way too.

-----------------------------------------------

Song of the Day

Sweet Escape by Paul Cardall

B-E-A-utiful song.