I HAVE A DREAM

I'm a planner. And a tad crazy.

At the age of 17, I wrote out a 10 year plan for my life. For the past few years, I've been motivated by this dream plan of who I was going to be and the life I was going to lead.

As big, daunting, adult decisions have come my way, I've been prompted to walk a surprising path. And as that path has gotten better and better, a hidden part of me was sad that I kept drifting further from that plan.  But just like my plan, my perspective changed too.

While walking around DC this weekend, Heavenly Father showed me that as the planned direction of my life has changed, my dreams of who I want to be are changing with it.

So what if I'm not going to be the woman my 17-year-old self wanted me to be?

I'm going to be someone better, someone happier, someone that is more of who God intended me to be.

I just didn't know how to get there when I was 17.

You see, God's molding me to become what will make me happiest. My 17-year-old self could only grasp a bit of what would make me happy. Now, my 21-year-old self can grasp a bit more, but not enough. True happiness requires trusting promptings from the Spirit, no matter the changes that come with it.

Imagine if we were stuck with being who we wanted to be at 6 years old? Let me tell you...I'm no Pocahontas mommy-artist, but in first grade I sure thought it would make me happier than anything else in the whole world. Was my 6-year-old self wrong? No, not then. But if I stayed stubborn and stuck in my funny and naive little kid ways, I would have missed changing to find what actually makes me happiest. (Not to mention I'd probably feel a bit foolish telling people my job title.)

I love that a happy life always comes back to remembering the basics. Heavenly Father loves us. He has a divine plan of perfect happiness. We just need to exercise a little bit of faith in Him because He really does know what is best. He's teaching me to trust that plan and I've never been happier. Now that's a dream come true.

Oh How I Love the Spirit

This weekend I had the privilege to speak to an incredible group of young adult Relief Society sisters in Washington DC. I had been asked to speak on social media missionary work. As the trip came closer, I became more and more nervous. I felt a bit overwhelmed at the idea of coming to DC to tell a group of intelligent, educated, women how they should conduct themselves through social media. 

Luckily, that all changed. As the retreat began and the Relief Society sisters walked in, a sweet feeling came over me from the Spirit. The presentation that felt scattered and unfinished two minutes prior, felt just right. The stubborn projector that wouldn't play my power point actually became an answer to prayer because I could switch the order of my presentation according to the Spirit. The women in the room suddenly felt more like friends than intimidating strangers. I didn’t question if I should stand or sit. I didn’t worry about whether or not I should hold my lap top or set it on the table. Everything became simple and through that simplicity, my heart was open to learn a lovely lesson from these inspired women during the presentation.

I learned that each and every one of us contributes to social media missionary work in a different way. We all have a distinct and individual light. God isn’t asking us all to be a light on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram the same way. He works through the Spirit to inspire us to know just what role we are meant to play so we can fulfill the measure of our creation.

I am so grateful for the Spirit in my life. When the Spirit is with me I don’t feel overwhelmed, inadequate, or unsure. Instead, I feel confident, capable, and ready to do something beyond my comfort zone. When the Spirit is with us, life can be oh so simple. We can truly be taught from on high. Love you all.

Here are a few tid-bits about what I love most about DC:
1. I love walking the monuments at night. There really is no better way to see DC.

2. The darling Taylor Fidel lives there.

3. There is a magic about this city and its architecture. It is the closest thing to Europe in the US. I really can’t get enough of it.

4. HELLO—We have a national cathedral! Who even knew? Way to be America.

5. Food is just better in DC, especially ethnic food and burgers. Already craving the Thai food I ate last night.

6. I LOVE museums. From the botanical gardens to the Spy Museum, I could walk around all day learning about the crazy cool things in the world.
7. Everyone should eat bakery cinnamon sugar pop tarts at least once in their lives. Talk about Heaven.

The Hardest Options are the Best Decisions

I've been learning lately that more often than not, the harder option is the better decision. Two years ago last week, I made the hardest decision of my life. I had two options -- to serve a mission, or not to serve a mission. 

I chose to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And today, I can sincerely tell you that I am and forever will be so grateful that I chose to the harder option for me.

[Fast forward to today.]

Today was one of those miraculous days where I had the will power to make those harder decisions and I loved it. When my alarm went off at 5:30, I didn't press snooze. Instead, I rolled out of bed to work out. When I could have avoided talking with my professor, I embraced it and it is going to lead to some incredible new learning experiences. When I could have just zoned out and listened to music as I drove to work, I called those precious people I have been meaning to call for days. When I was walking the aisles of the grocery store, I could have grabbed chocolate and yummy chips, but I grabbed snap peas and cuties instead. When I could have stayed inside to do homework and skipped Family Home Evening (because honestly, I'm engaged haha) I went and felt such a beautiful spirit. 

Somehow it always works out. Simply and perfectly.

Me/You + Harder Option = Greatest Happiness

P.S. One exception to this "harder" rule...has been choosing Chad Morgan Taylor. Perhaps Heavenly Father knows life is full of hard decisions, so He gives us that ideal buddy to help us make it through. Let's just say, I'm more than excited for May 30th. 88 more days.