Have I Done Any Good?

 Generally, it is widely accepted by religious people that religion is supposed to make you a better person. God loves everyone, God does not want people to be hurt...

Yet throughout history we have seen some of the most atrocious crimes against humanity committed ”in God’s name.” The people who commit these crimes claim to have been called upon by God. It’s easy to “other” them and say they were deceived, *my* God would never do that, *my* religion would never ask that of me, *I* am a righteous servant, *I* make the world a better place. 

Isn’t that exactly what went through the minds of those evil people? Were they not saying exactly what you’re saying now? 

It is always important to check your religion. Not in the “check your religion at the door” sense where you stop being who your religion wants you to be in certain settings, but check in with what YOU believe (not what your religion tells you to believe), check in with God, make sure you’re making decisions that actually make the world a better place.  Consider if *this* belief or action is hurting someone, and yes, that includes specifically people who look and/or live differently than you. 

“Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad? If not, I have failed indeed. Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share? Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way? When they needed my help was I there?” (LDS Hymn # 223 “Have I Done Any Good?” By Will L. Thompson)

Chastity!

This is just a great lesson on chastity that I found that I would want to use if I'm ever a teacher in YW or for my own kids someday. :P

 https://alainachatterley.com/2016/08/22/understanding-why-the-chastity-talk-you-wish-you-were-having/

Priesthood Power.

I am about 24 weeks pregnant, and I'm just recovering from a short bout of food poisoning. I should preface by saying there is almost nothing on this earth that I hate more than throwing up. Even in the beginning of the pregnancy when I was constantly nauseated, I never threw up and my husband says it was because of my sheer will (I'm also very stubborn, so...). Anyway, I can remember exactly one time in my entire life that I threw up without crying a lot. Haha. I just don't know how to convey that I REALLY HATE throwing up. And I know you're thinking, "who doesn't?" But my husband would rather throw up and feel better, get it over with, etc. I'd rather feel sick all day. 

SO. ANYWHO. I hate to throw up, okay? And every time I get sick, I cry and I sleep on the floor of the bathroom and I feel sorry for myself. 

Last year I got food poisoning while flying from Oregon to Hawaii after a weekend home, and it was the absolute worst 5 hours of my life. This was also on my birthday. And I couldn't lie on the floor of the airplane and I don't cry in public, so not only was I miserable but I couldn't even just sit and be miserable. I had to pretend to be okay. 

This year on my birthday, we flew home from Oregon again, and the flight was

ay-okay. It was uncomfortable because I'm pregnant but I wasn't throwing up so it was a dream. 

Then we got home and I started puking. Food poisoning on my birthday again, but this time it waited for me to be in the privacy of my own home, thank goodness! 

But what about Baby? Heavenly Father had entrusted me with a precious little soul and I had fed her over-processed, uncooked, hazardous meat that even my 23 year old body rejected. The guilt that squeezed my heart was indescribable, and the fear that I was going to lose this gift was unbearable. I was so emotional. I couldn't even tell my husband everything running through my mind because I couldn't speak through the sobs. 

I threw up a couple more times. I cried a lot more. Then my loving, adoring husband asked if I wanted a blessing. And I know that's technically something he's supposed to wait for me to ask for, but I was on the verge of hysterical and I needed it. 

So he gave me a beautiful blessing of comfort, and I didn't throw up again. 

I know this all sounds a little petty, but this baby means the world to me and I was sure I was going to lose her. I guess we're still not in the clear - she's still not here. But I am so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost and the authority of the Priesthood that Heavenly Father has given to my Ho'oulu. I'm also grateful for the sacred sealing ordinance, so that in the case that something does happen to our baby, we will still get to meet her one day when our family is reconnected. I love the Gospel and I know it to be the truest reason for happiness. I am continually blessed every day, and I could not be more grateful. I wish this happiness for everyone, especially my own babies, these precious little gems for whom I'm going to be responsible. I just hope I can be half the mother I had. 

Mosiah 24:14

Count your blessings and stand as a witness. :)

Patience.

One of my favorites by Pres. Uchtdorf. :) I'll find the whole talk lataaa. It's a good one!

Families Can Be Together Forever...

This entry will not make a ton of sense to people who aren't LDS or "Mormon" (just a heads up in advance)...

Today in my Book of Mormon class, my teacher, Elder Draper, talked about marrying a righteous man, and the sacrifices women have to make. He mentioned that a Telestial husband will be there to hold your hand, cuddle up on the couch, raise your children, grow old, (and Terestial Husbands are the ones who beat you, so don't go for those ones either way) while a Celestial husband will have church callings that take him away from your family all the time, like during church, during weekdays, weekends, some callings like Scout Master will require him to go on outings, etc... He said that it would be really hard to be married to a righteous man, and that you will get lonely... This made me think of two women in my town (which has a population of about 1500 people) who are young and have young children who were recently widowed. One of my biggest fears has always been my future husband dying young and leaving me to finish my long life alone. For as long as I can remember, that thought has scared me to pieces, and it breaks my heart to see these amazing women going through it in my hometown. Death is always hard on someone, but the death of your spouse is one I cannot imagine, especially when you're so young! That is so unfair... When you get married, you have all the intentions to grow old together, to raise your children together; one of the things I'm looking forward to more than anything is when my children are grown and my future husband and I become empty-nesters and he retires, and we just have each other... Granted, I expect to have grandkids who visit and all of that fun stuff, but that's when things are just fun and you really only have each other. To have that experience taken away is just unfair to the highest degree... I have no idea what I would do...
As Elder Draper continued the lesson and practically talked all us ladies out of marrying a righteous man, I realized a Celestial husband will be there for you in the afterlife. Even if he does die young, even if I have to grow old by myself, I will have all of eternity to hold hands, cuddle up on the couch, and all those other fun things that a Celestial husband may not have time to do in this life. The rest of this life vs. the rest of eternity...
I realize this blog is pretty much pointless to everyone but myself, but I haven't really been keeping a journal these days, and I wanted to remember this, so I figured this blog would be a good place for it.

-In loving memory of Mr. Arbogast and Mr. Dowdy, as well as in loving support for their friends, families, and more than anyone, their spouses. ♥

I'll Walk with You, I'll Talk with You...

As I have loved you,

Love one another.

This new commandment,

Love one another.

By this shall men know,

Ye are my disciples.

If ye have love

One to another.

Two Choices.

"What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'
Then he told the following story:
Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..'
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over.
The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.
By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay!'
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team
'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.'
So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:
Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them."

One of my all-time favorite Primary songs:

I'll Walk with You

If you don’t walk as most people do,
Some people walk away from you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
If you don’t talk as most people do,
Some people talk and laugh at you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
Jesus walked away from none.
He gave his love to ev’ryone.
So I will! I will!
Jesus blessed all he could see,
Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”
And I will! I will!
I will! I will!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.