Lesson I'm teaching Sunday about the good shepherd

Psalm 23
The lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Favorite talk by Gordon B. Hinckley

BY PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY

Adapted from a March 2001 general Young Women meeting address.
Never forget that a divine Father did not send you here to fail. You can have positive, wonderful experiences in this life.
Someone gave me a copy of my high school yearbook the other day. I spent an hour thumbing through it, looking at the pictures of my friends of 73 years ago, my high school class of 1928. Most of those in that yearbook have now lived their lives and gone beyond. Some seem to have lived almost without purpose, while others lived with great achievements.

I looked at the faces of the boys who were my friends and associates. Once they were youthful and bright and energetic. Now those who are left are wrinkled and slow in their walk. Their lives still have meaning, but they are not as vital as they once were. I looked in that old yearbook at the faces of the girls I knew. Many of them have passed on, and the remainder live in the shadows of life. But they are still beautiful and fascinating.

My thoughts go back to those young men and women of my youth, back to where you are today. By and large, we were a happy lot. We enjoyed life. I think we were ambitious. The dark and terrible Depression which swept over the earth would not come for another year. Nineteen-twenty-eight was a season of high hopes and splendid dreams.

In our quieter moments we were all dreamers. The boys dreamed of mountains yet to climb and careers yet to be lived. The girls dreamed of becoming the kind of woman that most of them saw in their mothers.

Choose wisely
When I spoke to the youth of the Church, I suggested six B’s that you ought to pursue. Be Grateful. Be Smart. Be Clean. Be True. Be Humble. Be Prayerful.

I have not the slightest doubt that these patterns of behavior will yield success and happiness and peace. I believe you will be successful in your endeavors. As you grow old, I am satisfied that you will look back with appreciation for the manner in which you chose to live.

In the yearbook of which I have spoken is the picture of a young woman. She was bright and effervescent and beautiful. She was a charmer. Life for her could be summed up in one short word—fun. She dated the boys and danced away the days and nights, studying a little but not too much, just enough to get grades that would take her through graduation. She married a boy of her own kind. Alcohol took possession of her life. She was a slave to it. Her body succumbed to its treacherous grip. Sadly, her life faded without achievement.

There is a picture of another girl in that yearbook. She was not particularly beautiful. But she had a wholesome look about her, a sparkle in her eyes, and a smile on her face. She knew why she was in school. She was there to learn. She dreamed of the kind of woman she wanted to be and patterned her life accordingly. She also knew how to have fun but knew when to stop and put her mind on other things.

There was a boy in school at the time. He had come from a small rural town. He had very little money. There was nothing especially handsome or dashing about him. He was a good student. He had set a goal for himself. It was lofty and, at times, appeared almost impossible of attainment.

These two fell in love. People said, “What does he see in her?” Or, “What does she see in him?” They each saw something wonderful which no one else saw.

Upon graduating from the university, they married. Money was hard to come by. He went on to graduate school. She continued to work for a time, and then their children came. She gave her attention to them.

A few years ago, I was riding a plane home from the East. It was late at night. I walked down the aisle in the semidarkness. I saw a woman asleep with her head on the shoulder of her husband. She awakened as I approached. I immediately recognized the girl I had known in high school so long before. I recognized the boy I had also known. They were now approaching old age. As we talked, she explained that their children were grown, that they were grandparents. She proudly told me that they were returning from the East, where he had gone to deliver a paper. There at a great convention he had been honored by his peers from across the nation.

I learned that they had been active in the Church, serving in whatever capacity they were asked to serve. By every measure, they were successful. They had accomplished the goals which they had set for themselves. They had been honored and respected and had made a tremendous contribution to the society of which they were a part. She had become the woman of whom she had dreamed.

As I returned to my seat on the plane, I thought of those two girls of whom I have spoken. The life of the one had been lived aimlessly, without stability, without contribution to society, without ambition. It had ended in misery and pain and early death.

The life of the other had been difficult. It had meant working and struggling. It had meant simple food and plain clothing and a very modest apartment in the years of her husband’s initial effort to get started in his profession. But out of that seemingly sterile soil there had grown two plants, side by side, that blossomed and bloomed in a beautiful and wonderful way. Those beautiful blossoms spoke of service to fellowmen, of unselfishness one to another, of love and respect and faith in one’s companion, of happiness as they met the needs of others in the various activities which they pursued.

I feel so earnest, so sincere, so anxious to say something which will help you become the woman of whom you dream.

Take life seriously
As a starter, there must be cleanliness, for immorality will blight your life and leave a scar that will never entirely leave you. There must be purpose. We are here to accomplish something, to bless society with our talents and our learning. There can be fun, yes. But there must be recognition of the fact that life is serious, that the risks are great, but that you can overcome them if you will discipline yourselves and seek the unfailing strength of the Lord.

Let me first assure you that if you have made a mistake, if you have become involved in any immoral behavior, all is not lost. Memory of that mistake will likely linger, but the deed can be forgiven, and you can rise above the past to live a life fully acceptable unto the Lord where there has been repentance. He has promised that He will forgive your sins and remember them no more against you (see D&C 58:42).

He has set up the machinery with helpful parents and Church leaders to assist you in your difficulty. You can put behind you any evil with which you have been involved. You can go forward with a renewal of hope and acceptability to a far better way of life.

The best way, the only way for you, is to avoid any entrapment with evil. You have within you instincts, powerful and terribly persuasive, urging you at times to let go and experience a little fling. You must not do it. You cannot do it. You are daughters of God with tremendous potential. He has great expectations concerning you, as do others. You cannot let down for a minute. You cannot give in to an impulse. There must be discipline, strong and unbending. Flee from temptation, as Joseph fled from the wiles of Potiphar’s wife.

There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue. It glows without tarnish. It is precious and beautiful. It is above price. It cannot be bought or sold. It is the fruit of self-mastery.

As young women, you spend a lot of time thinking of the boys. You can have a good time with them, but never overstep the line of virtue. Any young man who invites or encourages you or demands that you indulge in any kind of sexual behavior is unworthy of your company. Get him out of your life before both yours and his are blighted. If you can thus discipline yourselves, you will be grateful for as long as you live. Most of you will marry, and your marriage will be much the happier for your earlier restraint. You will be worthy to go to the house of the Lord. There is no adequate substitute for this marvelous blessing. The Lord has given a wonderful mandate. He has said, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly” (D&C 121:45). This becomes a commandment to be observed with diligence and discipline. And there is attached to it the promise of marvelous and wonderful blessings. “Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God. … The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever” (D&C 121:45–46).

Could there be a greater or more beautiful promise than this?

Become educated
Find purpose in your life. Choose the things you would like to do, and educate yourselves to be effective in their pursuit. For most it is very difficult to settle on a vocation. In this day and time, a girl needs an education. She needs the means and skills by which to earn a living should she find herself in a situation where it becomes necessary to do so.

Study your options. Pray to the Lord earnestly for direction. Then pursue your course with resolution.

There is not anything that you cannot do if you will set your mind to it. You can include in the dream of the woman you would like to be a picture of one qualified to serve society and make a significant contribution to the world of which she will be a part. For you, the sky is the limit. You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Particularly, pay no attention to what some boy might say to demean you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities, and forever and always be loyal to the Church.

Never forget that you came to earth as a child of the divine Father, with something of divinity in your very makeup. The Lord did not send you here to fail. He did not give you life to waste it. He bestowed upon you the gift of mortality that you might gain experience—positive, wonderful, purposeful experience—that will lead to life eternal. He has given you this glorious Church, His Church, to guide you and direct you, to give you opportunity for growth and experience, to teach you and lead you and encourage you, to bless you with eternal marriage, to seal upon you a covenant between you and Him that will make of you His chosen daughter, one upon whom He may look with love and with a desire to help. May God bless you richly and abundantly, His wonderful daughters.

Gordon B. Hinckley Quotes

“Life is to be enjoyed, not endured”

“Try a little harder to be a little better.”

“If Life Gets Too Hard To Stand, Kneel.”

“You have not failed until you quit trying.”

“Good books are as friends, willing to give to us if we are willing to make a little effort.”

“True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of one’s companion.”

“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.”

“Something happens inside of us when we are courteous and deferential toward others. It is all part of a refining process, which if persisted in, will change our very natures.”

“Spare yourselves from the indulgence of self-pity. It is always self-defeating. Subdue the negative and emphasize the positive.”

“Please don’t nag yourself with thoughts of failure. Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. Simply do what you can do, in the best way you know, and the Lord will accept of your effort.”

“There is nothing in all the world so satisfying as a task well done. There is no reward so pleasing as that which comes with the mastery of a difficult problem.”

“Please don’t nag yourself with thoughts of failure. Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. Simply do what you can do, in the best way you know, and the Lord will accept of your effort.”

“Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.”

“In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.”

"Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.”

“Aim high, but do not aim so high that you totally miss the target. What really matters is that he will love you, that he will respect you, that he will honor you, that he will be absolutely true to you, that he will give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents. He is not going to be perfect, but if he is kind and thoughtful, if he knows how to work and earn a living, if he is honest and full of faith, the chances are you will not go wrong, that you will be immensely happy.”

“Let us never forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is not only aware of us but cares for us. He is our Father. He is accessible to all who will seek Him.”

“Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, be prayerful.”

“Mediocricy will never do. You are capable of something better.” ”The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”

“Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in heart.”

“It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.”

“You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it’s your choice”

“The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

“You can’t plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind.”

"Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work.”

“Work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it.”

“If we could follow the slogan that says,”Turn off the TV and open a good book” we would do something of substance for a future generation.”

“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either — or both — when needed?”

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.”

“God has brought us together as families to bring to pass His eternal purposes. We are part of this plan in this marriage relationship. let us love and respect and honor one another. We can do it, and we will be the better for it.”

“Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold 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 arched across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family, friends, and neighbors! Love, like faith, is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue.”

It is both relaxing and invigorating to occasionally set aside the worries of life, seek the company of a friendly book…from the reading of ‘good books’ there comes a richness of life that can be obtained in no other way.”

“Be believing, be happy, don’t get discouraged. Things will work out.”

“When I say do your best, I mean your very best. You are capable of so much more.”

“The remedy for most marital stress is not in divorce. It is in repentance and forgiveness, in sincere expressions of charity and service. It is not in separation. It is in simple integrity that leads a man and a woman to square up their shoulders and meet their obligations. It is found in the Golden Rule, a time-honored principle that should first and foremost find expression in marriage.”

“Through all of living have much joy and laughter, life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.”

“My plea…is a plea to save the children. Too many of them walk with pain and fear, in loneliness and despair. Children need sunlight…They need kindness and refreshment and affection. Every home, regardless of the cost of the house, can provide an environment of love which will be an environment of salvation.”

“There are four pillars to a happy marriage: respect one another as individuals; (give) soft answers; (practice) financial honesty; (conduct) family prayer.”

“Forget yourself and get to work.

"Stop looking for the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.”

"How sweet is the assurance, how comforting is the peace that comes from the knowledge that if we marry right and live right, our relationship will continue, notwithstanding the certainty of death and the passage of time. Men may write love songs and sing them. They may yearn and hope and dream. But all of this will be only a romantic longing unless there is an exercise of authority that transcends the powers of time and death.”

“Imagine how our own families, let alone the world, would change if we vowed to keep faith with one another, strengthen one another, look for and accentuate the virtues in one another, and speak graciously concerning one another. Imagine the cumulative effect if we treated each other with respect and acceptance, if we willingly provided support. Such interactions practiced on a small scale would surely have a rippling effect throughout our homes and communities and, eventually, society at large.”

"I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.”

“Gratitude is a sign of maturity…Where there is appreciation: there is also courtesy and concern for the rights and property of others.”

“It is not so much the major events as the small day-to-day decisions that map the course of our living. . . Our lives are, in reality, the sum total of our seemingly unimportant decisions and of our capacity to live by those decisions.”

"Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others”

"Do your best, and be a little better than you are.”

"Marriage in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither exercising dominion over the other, but, rather, with each encouraging and assisting the other in whatever responsibilities and aspirations he or she might have.”

“You are doing the best you can, and that best results in good to yourself and to others. Do not nag yourself with a sense of failure. Get on your knees and ask for the blessings of the Lord; then stand on your feet and do what you are asked to do.”

"Things work out; it isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in him, if we will pray to him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, he will hear our prayers.”

“There is something almost sacred about a great library because it represents the preservation of the wisdom, the learning, and the pondering of men and women of all the ages, accumulated under one roof.”

"There is something wonderful about a book. We can pick it up. We can heft it. We can read it. We can set it down. We can think of what we have read. It does something for us. We can share great minds, great actions, and great undertakings in the pages of a book.”

“If we are worried about the future, then we must look today at the upbringing of children.”

(I found this on http://mommytins.wordpress.com/2010/11/14/gordon-b-hinckley-quotes/)

Life

As weird as it might seem the things in life that hurt us the most make us stronger. The friends we have, the things that happen to us, we all have all kinds of variables in our lives for a reason. Living life without hardships is like not living at all, there would be nothing to learn, no experiences to gain and nothing to learn to grow on. The classic phrase of "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is actually not a bad slogan. Lemonade is great but it takes those lemons to make it. Realizing how life works is a charm in itself, it's not just a concept learned in Sunday school but instead it's something that has to be experienced. Understanding the "why" about "why things happen" is a crucial part of being able to find happiness. "Why" do things happen to us? Knowing that in the end everything that happens to us in life is all for our own benefit helps the "why" become more understandable. This is pretty random to be writing about but really something to think about throughout life. Understanding the reason for all things good and bad really can help change even the smallest minute of your day. I'm so thankful for the gospel and the impact it's had on my life, it has helped guide each step of the way. Life is much easier with the understanding of the gospel and the blessings it brings to our lives. I'm grateful for everything Heavenly Father has blessed me with, my family, my husband, my friends, my apartment, a car, the food on our table each night, a good job, and even the small things in life that get overlooked or taken for granted.

Just today, I passed a man today that looked like he was hauling every belonging he had with him on the side of street. I stopped at a light and passed a young adult begging for money. I drove past boarded windows of foreclosed homes. I watched a sheriff handcuff a male adult. I noticed the trash in the streets and graffiti that surrounded them. I saw on the news the devastation in Japan. I read about our countries mixed politics. And after all of this, it brought me to think, how grateful I am for every little detail of my life.

One of my favorite people, who is now deceased had several quotes I love and I want to share them. She was the prophet's wife and was a great woman, her name is Majorie Pay Hinckley.

"The grand and the simple. They are equally wonderful."

"Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

"The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead."

"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

"...Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and engery. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling." (this is one of my favorites)

"The trouble with the world and the trouble with you and me is that we don't love each other enough. And if we do, we don't bother to show it, or we don't bother to say it. If the world is to know love, it has to be in your heart and in mine."

"As you create a home, don't get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for your or your family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think of your successes. Have joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband. Be grateful for the journey."

One of my favorite books by Majorie Pay Hinckley is called "Small and Simple Things", if you haven't read this you should definitely pick up a copy! It's a short read, literally like a quote book but it has been one of the most influential books I've read. This book keeps me down to earth and always helps me remember who I am and why I'm here.

<3

Surprise!

Lion vs. Tuna - "The Other Guys" (click on the link to watch this youtube, it's hilarious! hahaha)

Today was great so far, chores are done, and now it's real estate time!

On my way back from walking Penny I saw the UPS man pulling out of our complex and I knew he had something for me waiting in my mailbox. Sure enough, my real estate book! I am so excited to get going on this just to have the license. I want to get my license this summer and then finish up school this fall. If I could show houses on the side that would be really helpful along with photography. I'm so stoked to get all this going! Believe it or not, even though the economy is bad here in Vegas, there are a lot of people buying homes because they are so cheap and selling their homes.

When we got back from the walk Penny ran inside and sat down next to her water dish like begging for me to fill it up haha she loves her water!

Tonight we are going to spin class and then watching a movie here in the apartment - Last night we watched "the other guys", BEST MOVIE EVER!!

Anyway, that's all for now!
<3

today today today

Today I worked on my website, made a few calls and am really excited for everything to come with photography. I really love it, it definitely is something I want to do on the side of whatever job I apply for with my major but I really want to keep photography as part of my life. I don't know what it is haha I just really really love it! This weekend is going to be great, there is a golf tournament that I'm going to and I was asked to take pictures of all the golfers that come through the green! I am so totally stoked! I am also auctioning off a free family photo session as part of this company's auction they are holding. Things are going great and I want to keep things moving along like they are.

After the golf photography session we are going to go on another hike to Kingman Wash with my uncle Michael and his family to go swimming! I am really excited for that and I'm hoping I don't get eaten by the monster everyone knows lives in Lake Mead!!!!!! JK. The water is gorgeous and so clear, I really just get excited sitting here thinking about it haha

I really want to get a backpack that will hold my camera while we are walking really far because I have a shoulder bag right now and it gets so heavy. I looked into the backpacks and they are pretty expensive, I am going to have to wait a bit! I'll just have to make our puppy Penny our workhorse and somehow strap it all to her so she can get strong! haha

Anthony is doing really good at work and he likes doing sales. He is getting in the gist of this now and is really starting to pick things up around here for Geneva, go Anthony! I'm excited for SRS to start influencing the west with it's rehab because that would not only give us jobs here in Nevada but would also save the states around here a ton of money.

Penny learned how to roll over today, she was so cute while she was learning it. She tried so hard to get attention until she finally figured it out and she kept doing it and doing it and doing it! She loves treats but I have to watch it because she will eat them all day long and gain tons of weight. I love fat puppies but I don't want a fat dog! haha

Today I was looking for a wal-mart and couldn't find one, I looked across the street and sure enough WAL-MART right in front of me! It was so weird, the letters of the wal-mart were green and not the normal blue! That must have really thrown me for a loop lol This Wal-mart is only the grocery side of wal-mart and it's probably the nicest grocery story I have been in. It's pretty close to where we live, I might just start coming there when I need to get groceries at the beginning of the week.

We are working on eating better around here and packing lunches is something we have adopted. I pack them at the beginning of the week and it makes it easier for him because he's not having to search for something healthy while working. Dinner time is always awesome haha NOT. I really need to pick up on how to cook faster than I am! I love baking pretty much anything though, veggies, chicken etc., I don't normally mess that up. It's on top the stove where it gets tricky and the small fires start. Not really but I do have my extinguisher on hand at all times while I'm at the stove haha I always make a good dinner on Sundays though, those always seem to turn out really well. We go over to Michael's house on Sundays, he normally makes the meat and we make the side dishes. One Sunday we made a killer pot roast though, I have to give most of the credit to Anthony but yes I did help and yes I did learn how to do it again. lol I'm excited to keep learning new kitchen recipes and cooking skills

Today I cleaned the whole apartment, took out the last of the moving boxes and did all the laundry to get ready to be free this weekend. I'm excited for tomorrow, miss Sophia is coming to visit us and meet Penny! I am going to get her bed and bathroom all ready for her tomorrow afternoon and she can stay with us as long as she would like!

Sarah is getting married so soon, I am so stoked for her, she has been waiting for this for so long! I am going to order my dress soon and hopefully there won't have to any alterations but we will see. She is going to look gorgeous I'm sure on her big day! Whoo hoo!

My whole family is coming out to her wedding and that is really exciting because I will get to see them. They are probably going to come out early and see Vegas, possibly drive out to the wedding with us from here to Utah! I'm so excited for Bob to meet Miss Penny, she is so cute! He needs an english lab, they really are man's best friend!

Anyway, I love you all, good-night! <3