Words of Yesterday, Guide us Through Today

I read a talk a couple months ago that mentioned pancake people.  Pancake people are people who know a little bit about a lot of things.  They have so many things they are doing that they struggle to have depth to them.  They are like a thin pancake that runs all over the griddle instead of keeping it's structure.  The good thing about a pancake that is runny is that it can be thickened.  It just needs a little bit more thickening to get depth and structure.

As I have been thinking about this, I keep thinking where do I go from here.  I feel like I have been making progress but now it's the point where there is more than one area that really needs working on.  Where do I begin?  What thing about myself and my thought patterns do I work on changing first?  What is going to propel me forward in the direction I'm suppose to go?  As I debated over these questions in my mind I knew the source where I could find answers.  I knew that if I prayed I would receive help.  God wants me to move forward and will help me go the direction He needs my life to go.  As I prayed I was reminded of an experience I had before.  It was an experience I had written down so I remembered it very well.  I knew what I needed to do.  The thing I wanted to share isn't about what I needed to do to change personally, but about how I remembered what I needed to do to.

As I have struggled with self-worth, purpose and trying to figure out who I needed to become I have kept a very good journal.  I write my thoughts, feelings, and impressions that come.  I have done this for years because my journal was my outlet.  I could write and it was for me.  I could write what I was struggling with and not feel judged.  I could write about the great days and the bad days.  I wrote what I was learning and  understanding on this journey I'm on to become the best version of myself.  I was able to see my progress because I had kept track of it.

So, as we are trying to move forward journals allow us to look back at where we have been and to see the things we have learned.  It helps us see how far we have come and how we incorporated the inspiration we received into our new belief system about ourselves.  We are each capable of receiving insights into ways we can improve and we are also able to see and feel the good things we are doing.  I know God wants to guide us.  A quote by Elder James E. Faust that stands out to me every time I receive inspiration is, "Revelations recorded is revelation received."  If we are writing down the things we are receiving we will continue to be guided.  As we write down the inspiration and thoughts that come we will be able to look back on those words for guidance in the future.

Just like today I remembered what I needed to do because I wrote it down in my journal.  Try it out.  If you already keep a journal, read back through it.  You'll be surprised by how much you have grown and all the amazing insights you have received.  If you don't keep a journal go get one.  I use the composition books all the time and I love them!   If it sounds too hard just give it a try because it will change your life.  I know it has mine and I love going back and reading through what I have learned.  It lets me see that I am moving forward even if at times it has been slower than I wanted, it's still forward.  I'm excited for the experiences you have with your journals and the things it will teach you about yourself. Good Luck!

Heal the Past, to Move Forward

Every time I try to progress forward in my journey to becoming better it seems that I get snagged by a false belief, experience or it becomes painful to change.  I've realized that if I want to move forward I need to work on healing from the things that have happened in my life.  Maybe I haven't allowed myself to really grieve the loss of something or someone important in my life.  Maybe I haven't forgiven myself or others for choices that have been made or things that have been said.  I just know that if I want to move forward I need to work through those things so the hurt is in the past and I can move forward having remembered what I learned instead of dwelling on the past.  

Thinking about healing has made me think of my post from last week about the Savior and the lasting relief He offers us.  Going back to the stick analogy I would want it removed immediately so I could begin the healing process even though I know it will probably hurt worse getting it removed than the actual event that caused it.  On a smaller scale, it seems that every time I get a sliver the sliver doesn't hurt as bad once I have it, but it really starts hurting once I get it removed.  The skin around the wound has been agitated and now my body knows it needs to work on healing a certain part of my body.  Those first couple days are rough.  The area is sore and tender.  

It is the same way with the things we are trying to change in our own lives.  We each have our own slivers that may have caused pain initially but then maybe we didn't want to deal with it, so it has now become a part of us.  It doesn't cause us constant pain like it use to, but every once in a while something touches it and it hurts.  These feelings, experiences, or challenges are tough to deal with and maybe we don't want to or know how to get rid of these 'slivers' in our lives.  I understand this because I have been through it.  It's scary to know that changing may hurt and we don't know how long the hurt lasts for.  It is possible to change and heal completely though.  

Yes, it takes time and it is often challenging as we learn how to heal.  We all have watched or seen a scratch or cut heal.  It takes a little bit of time, but eventually you forget you had ever had a scratch or cut.  When you take care of it to start with by applying healing ointment it heals quicker.  Just like the healing ointment, Christ is the healing balm in our lives  When we allow ourselves the time to heal and go to Jesus Christ for His help we find lasting relief and healing .  We must turn to Him for His help in healing so that we can become the best we can be.   I hope I can remember, that to move forward I need to heal my past through Christ's help and by healing it will propel me forward.  What are you going to do to allow yourself to heal, so you can truly progress on your journey? 

The Source of Our Relief

Heavenly Father is really good about teaching me important lessons attached to experiences that I will remember.  Like, the other day I had an awful migraine and I had tried tylenol and lots of water, but nothing was working.  I remembered that I had this pouch with a bunch of vitamins and caffeine in it that I figured would help.  I took that pouch with some water and within minutes my head was feeling better.  I started doing all the things I needed to do with making dinner and cleaning up the house.  For the next hour or two I felt really good, then it started in my stomach.  I started feeling really sick and nauseous.  All night my stomach hurt and then my headache started coming back.  It lasted through the next day.  

I was way over feeling sick when I decided I better write a letter to Heavenly Father and in my journal before going to bed.  It was in that quite moment he taught me how much He is aware of us.  I learned that me taking caffeine was a temporary fix for my headache because it came back.  Also, that there are many things like that all around us that are only temporary fixes.  Satan is the one that leads people to believe in temporary fixes because of the lure of feeling a more immediate relief.  When I'm feeling depressed or lonely, sometimes I sit on my bed and watch a show.  While I'm watching the show I feel relief from my own emotions, but when it is over the emotions come back with a greater intensity.  I know I haven't dealt with what is really going on and have just put a bandage on the problem.  

A visual comes to mind, that instead of pulling the piece of wood out that is sticking out of my leg I put a bandage on it hoping that will make it feel better.  I'm looking for a bandage instead of someone to pull the piece of wood out.  If I just keep putting a bandage on then the cut is going to get infected and it's going to start affecting other parts of my life.  I'll be more prone to other injuries and sickness.  Pretty soon I'll lose that leg, but if I get someone who is qualified to pull it out I will heal.  My leg will heal up and the only mark after some time will be a scar from where it was in my leg. 

How often do we look at the trials and struggles in our lives and search for a quick fix?  There are people that turn to all sorts of 'fixes' such as alcohol, food, exercise, eating disorders, pornography, mentally stepping out, Facebook, games on our phones, and other things to find relief.  We know those things don't fix the trial or whatever is going on, but it does allow for temporary relief.  So, why settle for temporary relief when there is true lasting relief that can be permanent?  Our Savior, Jesus Christ offers the permeant relief we all want.  I wouldn't want to keep a big piece of wood in my leg forever with a bandage, even though I know I often do.  I'm just thankful for the reminder from my Heavenly Father that taught me those 'pieces of wood' can be healed and removed permanently by our Savior, Jesus Christ.

So, the next time when you are feeling terrible, life is out of control, or whatever the struggle may be think about the source you are turning to for relief.  I know that understanding this and being able to see this visual has changed how I look at it.  I hope to be better in the future and learn how to turn to my Savior for relief all the time.