Goodbye Elder Bills! (As well as my reading plan...)

So about the 100 day Book of Mormon reading challenge...

Yes, I'm still doing it. Yes, I'm still on track. But no, I haven't been writing on here regularly like I should have. That almost makes me not want to do it when I have a lot of things to write, links to find, etc. I know that maybe I would be better off if I wrote it for you all to follow, but who knows if anyone is actually doing this with me. If you are, that's great and I congratulate you for being awesome. :) If you're not, I don't blame you--reading the Book of Mormon in 100 days takes a lot of time and effort, and it's hard to find a regular set amount of time each day to read.

So here is my change of plans. I will no longer be posting each day about the reading challenge, but I might once in a while let you know how things are going, if I am still on track, etc. If you are interested in any Book of Mormon reading charts, or the 100 day challenge I am doing, I will provide links at the very end if you want to print it out, follow along, etc.

I guess today would be a good day to kind of do a regular blog then, right?

I went to Lagoon on Saturday with my friends, Robyn Kirkland, Junie Neal, Ryan Ahlberg, Eve Sisson, Connor Haynes, and Tannen Bills, along with my family. We had an absolutely amazing time, and I don't think I've laughed that hard on some rides in a long time. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy from our fun day! (Some of these are also from Junie's mission call opening, but I put them in there as well.)

This was Tannen's last weekend home before he goes on his mission to New York, New York South. It's definitely going to be different not having Tannen around. I'm going to miss that funny guy. Whenever I would walk across campus and it was dark and I was by myself, I'd always call Tannen, and he would always answer. All I'd have to do was tell him I was crossing campus in the dark by myself, and he would stay on the phone as long as necessary for me to make it home, and I always felt much safer. He would also call me when he was in the dark walking. We were kind of our go-to for each other that way.

Tannen and I went to a few dances together, we were in orchestra and theater orchestra pits together, we hung out a lot, and we worked at Dairy Keen together for the past 3 or so years. He's been a great friend, and I'm going to miss him a lot.

But hey, he's doing what he needs to, and I know he's where he's supposed to be. He's going to be a fantastic missionary, and I know that he'll be great!

Tannen leaves for the MTC on Wednesday, and I don't really know if or when I'll see him before then. That's a little bit of a weird thought, but I know everything will turn out how it is supposed to. :)

Have fun jumping in the lake today Tannen. :)

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

P.S. Here are the reading links I promised from above. There are TONS online! Just look up "book of mormon reading chart" on Google, and click on the Images tab. You'll have a lot you can choose from!

http://www.sugardoodle.net/Stories_Thoughts_Poems/Book%20of%20Mormon/Book_of_Mormon_reading_chart.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZiHIPdEnjpRTou118BV2KWM_L1SNvlaG7XtPH48vlPY0xvQPQFuzDmJyQ7QJZEvP5-BvRfUAYm919oZfRDhJ8qbwpIxJf_5YTdXA8zYzLWHZU5ySheNB37mG_QOT0kM2H1YVRDc-87I/s640/bom+color+chart.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1FuoObEJa0vU6gZiCTZL-oUrns0lrEngL-PbI2EZFIRg7RhKqp1eHJ3DO1QhEqzMZcqQiNI4-MEMz3y7KVHe5nkt7avnu60e-_hi2bAQ7e5awg6HTNLfsOaXqtskpsv6_x4lXdXJj8xV/s1600/Book+of+Mormon+reading+chart+Scan10-03-02+1623.jpg
http://foodstorageandbeyond.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/BOM-Reading-Chart.jpg

This is the 100 Day challenge I am doing that you can do if you'd like.
http://www.ldssinglessg.com/content/BOM_100_Days.pdf

Day 3....One Day Late

Hey everyone,

I know, I know. I didn't get the third day out on the third day. I was at work all morning, and then I was in Orem all night. I really wasn't able to sit down and type out everything like I anticipated. But I'm doing it right now before I go to work. Hopefully I get everything for Day 4 ready for the next post today as well.

This is the selection we are reading today (or for Day 3): 1 Nephi 3-5

Here are the links to today's reading!
1 Nephi 3: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/3?lang=eng
1 Nephi 4: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/4?lang=eng
1 Nephi 5: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/5?lang=eng

What to mark: 1 Nephi 3:7
{And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.}

"I have learned not to put question marks but to use exclamation points when calls are issued through inspired channels of priesthood government."
{Elder Russell M. Nelson}

Question to think about: Why did Laman and Lemuel murmur? Why did Nephi support his father? What determines whether you are a murmurer or a supporter of the Lord's work and His prophets?

This section of the Book of Mormon was always a section I liked reading when I was younger. It was a cool story about how Nephi was told to cut off some guys head, from all I knew. :) But it's interesting to watch and see how the scriptures change and mean completely different things, or you get very different inspirational thoughts from verses you never even really saw before. I have already really enjoyed this reading challenge. It's different every time I read it! I guess this was just the first time I really noticed that.

So to answer the question in the prompt, why did Laman and Lemuel murmur? I really think that if we were in that situation, if we had been taken away from an extremely comfortable home life and situation, taken away from friends and family, and went to go live in a tent in the wilderness for however long your dad decided, I think I probably would have murmured as well. Especially when they didn't really know why they were leaving, Laman and Lemuel probably had a hard time going without knowing what was coming, or why they left. That would be extremely hard!

Why did Nephi support his father? I think that Nephi was a very wise, strong man, and he knew that things of the Lord were more important than things of the world. In this view, I think that Nephi looked up to and really respected his father, because Nephi was also especially close to the Lord. He knew that whatever the Lord required of them, they needed to do it, no matter how hard or impossible the situation might seem.

What determines whether I'm a supporter or a murmurer? Well, I think that if we are given trials and we take them in stride, looking to the Lord in all things, and we are able to pass through and learn from our trials gracefully, always keeping the Spirit with us, we could be called a supporter of the Lord. I think if we are given trials or are told to do something, and we have a hard time with accepting reality, or maybe even complaining that our situation isn't perfect, and turning against the Lord, we could be called murmurers. This is a difficult thing to do, especially since we are given things to battle every day. Each day we are given chances to be known as supporters or murmurers. Let's try today to be known as supporters.

Day 3 of "Walking with the Savior":

"The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple", Ensign, May 2009, 75-78). There are numerous ways we can fill our hearts with feelings of love for our Savior such as: heartfelt prayer, pondering the words of our scriptures, studying the Savior's life, going to the temple with a seeking heart, reading the Ensign, spiritually uplifting music, reading books written by our prophets and general authorities, etc. When we do any of these things we cannot help but feel His presence in our lives. 

Just for today: Which of the ways listed above will I use today to feel the love of Christ?

Keep reading! :)

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.

Day 2! :)

I've kept up with this so far! I'm proud of myself! Usually the second through about the fifth day of starting something new is the hardest for me, so I'm glad I actually found time this morning to put this together. :)

Today's reading actually will be something you've probably all read if you've even picked up the Book of Mormon, it's probably the section of the Book of Mormon that most people probably have memorized and just kind of glance over because they've read it already.

This section is 1 Nephi, chapters 1 and 2. We will also be reading the Brief Introduction that comes right before the Table of Contents page. :)

Here are the links to the reading selections for today: 
Brief Introduction: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/explanation?lang=eng
1 Nephi 1: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1?lang=eng
1 Nephi 2: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/2?lang=eng

What to mark: 1 Nephi 1:20
{And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him: yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.}

"The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ...The Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."
{Elder David A. Bednar}

Question to think about... "How have you experienced the tender mercies of the Lord?"

I really liked this section, simply because it states that if we follow the commandments, we will be led to where we need to be, our children will be blessed because of our obedience and diligence, and the Lord will show us little tender mercies, basically every day, to show us that He is really there for us and that He really loves us.

Lately (in response to the question), I guess I've experienced some tender mercies of the Lord. The cool thing about tender mercies is that it might not seem important or incredible to other people, but to the individual that receives them, it is just what they needed at the moment. That's what I love about them! They are so personalized and individual, how could you not know that Heavenly Father doesn't know you and love you?

Three tender mercies that come to my mind are these:
1) My friends. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. They are the most incredible people that I know, and I look up to them, and I absolutely love being with them. They're almost my family! Lately, I've had a lot of friends leave for missions, but with the new rule about emailing your missionary friends which allows for faster responses from them is something that I really appreciate and makes me miss them a little less. :)
2) Working at Dairy Keen. Usually I don't mind going to work, but I get really stressed out if I'm in the back making the burgers or the sandwiches. Or the fries. That always stresses me out. I've actually prayed a few times to make sure I won't be in the back or on the fryer when I worked that day. It's always worked out exactly how I would have needed it to at work. Either I'm in the front putting orders together, taking orders, making shakes, or being on the window/drive-thru. It's been greatly stress-relieving, as weird as that sounds. :)
3) Going to the singles ward and actually making friends, even though I'm incredibly shy around new people. :) It's been great going and automatically having friends and being able to meet new people!

Alright, so now here's the thought from the "Walking with the Savior" book!

Day 2: 
Sometimes we view life as a series of "trade-offs". Many times these "trades" leave us feeling like we're holding the short end of the stick! However when we give up or trade our worldly thoughts, behaviors, and distractions for the things which bring us closer to Christ, we never receive a bad trade. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his whole soul?" (Matthew 16: 24-26). When we trade our natural man tendencies we receive in their place a relationship with Jesus that is rich, rewarding, and life transforming.

Just for today: I will ponder what I would like to gain from this 52 week experience. On a piece of paper I will write three specific "trades" or changes I would like to see over the next year. I will write them as if they have already happened, such as: I feel more patient with my family or I have eliminated a worldly distraction which has kept me from feeling connected with my Savior, etc. I will put the paper in a sealed envelope to be opened at the completion of this program.

See you tomorrow! :) Keep reading!

It's Been a While...

Hello again!

I know it's been a while, but I can now say I am officially done with my first year at BYU-Idaho! :D It was a fun-filled year with lots of new experiences for me that definitely stretched and shaped me into who I am today. I can tell that I will still be growing, and I can't wait until September when school starts again and I can meet new people, have new experiences, and enjoy the college life once more. :)

However, I feel like I have a ton of things I want to do this summer. Both activities, and journal writing. It feels like my mind is going crazy with everything I want to do. So, I decided that instead of writing all these different journal things in different journals that I have always been so scatterbrained in, I would write on my blog. Hopefully it will help me feel like I have a responsibility to always write in here. If it's not every day, hopefully it can be weekly, or on a somewhat regular basis.

There are several things I wish to do with my blog this summer.
1) Record fun things I do, experiences I have, etc.
2) Record my 100 Day Reading the Book of Mormon challenge.
3) Share the thoughts and inspiration from a book I have, a daily inspiration/question/challenge.

To start off with fun things I've done recently:
1) I moved back home from school! I love it! (Free laundry, food, I get a job again, a few familiar friends, etc)
2) Attended a friend's farewell who is going to New York, New York South. We did some sort of Jewish dance while he was being bounced around in a chair in his yard during his open house after the farewell. TONS of fun. I haven't had that much fun in a LONG time!
3) Played hide and seek with my family throughout the entire house...in the dark. One of the greatest nights of my life. It was terrifying, but extremely fun!
4) Watched one of my friends open his mission call to London, England!
5) Finished the last season with David Tennant in Doctor Who. I only cried a little bit. :) Pretty sure my soul is still in mourning though...haha! ;)
6) Started working at Dairy Keen again to earn money for college in the fall.
7) I am now a member of the Heber Singles Ward!

Okay, so now I guess I can start the Book of Mormon Challenge today. :) I should be finished on.....let's see.....let me count.....Thursday, August 15. Let's see if I can stay on top of this! This will be difficult, but it should be really good! I can't wait! Either before or after the scripture thought and section that I will include a link for in the blog, I will post a thought from a book I got at school called, "Walking with the Savior". There are daily inspirational things you can do, think about, read, etc, and they're called the "365 days of miracles." I started it while at school, and they don't take long, but in the chaos of moving, finals, starting a job, getting used to a new routine at home, etc, it was just recently that I was able to pull it out of the box and get started on it again. I'm only on week 2, but maybe I'll start it again, just to get a new fresh feeling of starting the Book of Mormon and the journal at the same time. :) I'm crazy like that, haha.

Well, here's to what should hopefully be the greatest journey over the next 100 and 365 days! :) Wish me luck! I'd love to have any readers along with me for the journey! We'll keep each other growing!

Book of Mormon: Introduction to Reading for 100 days

"I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase, mutual respect, and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will council their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope and charity--the pure love of Christ--will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness." 
{President Marion G. Romney}

Day 1: Preface (Title Page), Introduction, Testimony of Three Witnesses, Testimony of Eight Witnesses, Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith

What to mark: The quote from Joseph Smith in the Introduction, "I told the brethren...any other book."

"I would like to urge [everyone] to again read the Book of Mormon...There is nothing we could do of greater importance than to have fortified in our individual lives an unshakable conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Living Son of the Living God. And, my brothers and sisters, that is the purpose of the coming forth of this remarkable and wonderful book."
{President Gordon B. Hinckley}

Links to Reading Selections: 
Title Page: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/bofm-title?lang=eng
Introduction: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/introduction?lang=eng
Three Witnesses: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/three?lang=eng
Eight Witnesses: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/eight?lang=eng
Testimony of Joseph Smith: http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/js?lang=eng

I really liked the paragraph in the Introduction that says, "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost." That's what this journey will take us to!

The testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith is extremely powerful, and I love the descriptions and stories he tells us in how this wonderful book came to be. If there is something that chokes me up almost more than anything is the power, the spirit and the strength of that wonderful prophet. Even writing this right now is making me tear up a little bit.  Joseph Smith and the atoning sacrifice of our Savior are the two things that I feel the strongest about in this gospel, because I know they needed to happen, and they happened for me. I'm thankful for the scriptures as well, because they are how I get answers and revelation perhaps more than anything else.

Here is the first daily thing from the book, "Walking with the Savior".

Week One: Can I Become a Disciple of Christ?

Day 1: 

So, you've decided to embark on a special journey to discipleship and may be wondering what you've gotten yourself into! Or, you might be worried that you don't have what it takes to be a disciple of Christ. Elder Joseph B Wirthlin taught, "Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us--even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will. We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities" (Joseph B Wirthlin, "The Great Commandment," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 29-30). Becoming a disciple of Christ is a process and a journey of refinement--it does not happen overnight--but it will happen when we can begin to see our worth in the eyes of the Savior. When we plan a vacation or a business trip we prepare long lists of items we need to take along with us. The only thing you need to take with you on this journey is a willing heart. 

This week: I will remember: I don't have to be perfect to be the Savior's disciple.

See you tomorrow. Keep reading! :)

Live. Love. Laugh. Grow.