Let me just say that I absolutely L.O.V.E. testimony meetings (esp. in a student ward). Every week people literally RUN to the from of the room to get in line to bear their testimonies. The only silence that exists in those meetings is the time it takes the next person in line to walk to the microphone (approx 2 seconds). I think it is a beautiful thing to see so many people so willing to share what they know to be true. Today was especially wonderful, last week at Stake Conference the President told all the bishops that next fast Sunday (today) they were to challenge their wards to have half the ward bear their testimonies... in order for that to be even remotely possible everyone needed to keep their testimonies to about 30 seconds. We did that today. SO MANY people had the opportunity to bear their testimony. I wish we could do it like this every week, that people would skip the stories and the lesson-like testimonies and just say, concisely, what they feels to be true. I did not bear my testimony today but I still really enjoyed it. I, and everyone else i'm sure, run through everything I would say if I were to bear my testimony. It allows me the time to think about what things are especially powerful to me or what has affected me in the last week or month. I feel my testimony grow after a fast and testimony meeting, not only from hearing what everyone else says but by bearing my own testimony in my heart, and to my Father in Heaven.
My testimony (as felt in my heart and mind during the meeting today):
1. My family is AMAZING. Seriously. I have the most wonderful parents imaginable. They love me so much and I know they do. They give everything to me and my brother and sisters and I am so absolutely grateful to have them. I felt especially grateful for my little brother, Beau, today. He just turned 14 about two months ago. He is so smart, funny, strong, athletic, kind, patient and he is a great little brother. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments.
2. I have a tendency to think in terms of "after this semester is over things will be better" "after i get married i will be happy" "if i can make it through the next few (days, weeks, years, months) then things will be okay." This is a definite issue. I have been trying to make an effort lately to be grateful for the present, for right now, for today and for tomorrow and for yesterday. This time in my life sometimes seems repetitive and difficult and I have a hard time embracing it. I am happy to say that I have been doing quite well in this goal. I am so happy. I love my life. I have amazing friends that make me feel loved and appreciated and I love and appreciate them. I am at a wonderful university which offers me so many opportunities that I will never have after I leave this place.
3. Heavenly Father WANTS to bless us. He gives us commandments not so that he doesn't have to give us blessings if we fail but so that he can bless us in obedience. It makes him sad when we don't obey and He can't give us the blessings He intends for us. It makes him happy when we do what is right.
4. There are very many aspects of the gospel that I will never understand. There are a lot of concepts that are pretty much impossible for me to wrap my little brain around. If you don't know what I'm talking about just think for a second about the three Nephites who are still around, or thing about beginnings and endings, or think about our opportunity to become as God is. See? So many mysteries. BUT, that's okay. I don't need to know the answers to those questions in order to have faith and hope and to believe with my whole heart that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ.
I could write a lot more but that would be a little excessive. So, how about some pictures! I don't have very many because, well, I am not very good at remembering to bring and use my camera... but I do have some of me and I like quite a bit. When I'm bored and have nothing else to do (hah! more like: when I have a lot of stuff do do but don't want to do any of it) I like to edit and manipulate some pictures. I usually just play with pictures of myself, not because I'm vain but because when I'm alone and bored there really isn't anyone else to take pictures of, and I have A TON of pictures of myself taken at various times of boredom.
^^I would just like to add that I am indeed clothed in this picture. ^^
^^I was feeling emotionally creative... what can i say?! :)^^
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