Follow the Recipe For Eternal Life

 I really love using life stories to create gospel analogies. It makes me happy. So here's one from this past weekend.

Once upon a time (two days ago) I found a super great recipe for sugar cookies and wanted to try it out. But, I realized we didn't have enough butter to make the cookies and the frosting, so I determined to make do with shortening for the cookies and use the remaining butter to make the frosting.

The cookies promised to be spectacular. I was so excited to eat them, and my family was, too. We each sat down around the table with a warm cookie in hand and took the first bite... of disappointment. The frosting tasted great, but the cookies were super gross. It turned out that the shortening I used in the cookies was embarrassingly old. Because of this, all of the cookies were rendered inedible.

The analogy:

The perfect sugar cookie is eternal life- it's our greatest desire and our expectation for the future. In order to achieve that, we must follow Christ's true gospel. If we don't have His gospel, then we only have bits and pieces of truth. But these bits are sometimes downgraded substitutions for truth (aka the aged shortening). If we follow Christ and His commandments for us (follow the recipe exactly), then we are sure to gain all He has in store for us- eternal life with Him in the celestial kingdom (the perfect sugar cookies).

I know that we can have so much happiness when we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, and strive to be like Him.

Here's the recipe I used for the cookies. Don't they look amazing? They're pretty easy, too. I can't wait to taste them when I actually follow the instructions!

True Confidence

Lately I've been noticing strange fluctuations in confidence levels within myself. I think this something that all teenagers face- all people, really. Since the new school year started, I have been  beginning to really search for my niche. I think I've always kind of known where that is, but it's just a little bit different now. I think I used to define myself by my friends or the activities I enjoy. Now though, since I don't see my best friends very often in the day and I keep being plunged into seas of new people, my definition of myself sort of faded. In it's place a new self-image is currently forming. I'm learning to be confident in me. Not my hobbies, talents, or friends, but me. It's an interesting thing. And it has been difficult. But difficult in unexpected ways. For example, I have felt loneliness at times. In the past, I was always surrounded by friends and never was truly acquainted with that feeling. But as we are progressing through high school, my friends and I have fewer and fewer classes together. Though I have always been one to reach out and meet new people, my self-confidence has been tested as I have been surrounded by many new people. Though it has been difficult, and I've made some mistakes, I'm pleased to say that I have made new friends, and reestablished old friendships through it all.
Anyhow, I find all of this very interesting. In terms of our progression, Heavenly Father isn't only worried about the outcome, but also the process. I have found this to be very true. It is so fascinating for me to ponder this past month and see how I've struggled and grown from that. I'm humbled, and also very excited about the growth the future will bring, even if it is challenging. I'm very excited about the true self-confidence I am building. It's so cool!

Teenagers talk about how having the Holy Ghost with them helps them have true confidence.

Don't Pass It On

One of the downsides high school is that it's full of drama. Ewwww. Drama. Everyone has to deal with at least a little bit of it in high school, whether it's their fault, or not. Some are good at evading it, but others seem to gravitate towards it. What's the deal?

Even though the school year is young, there is already a lot of drama happening in my circles- things which don't directly have to deal with me, yet affect me. Much more than I ever noticed last year, or the year before. But the thing which bothers me the most, and what really makes high school drama dramatic, is the gossip which accompanies it. Even some of my church friends gossip. It's really not cool. Even if the things you say about someone are true, if it's someone's personal matters, or unkind, it's still gossip.

The For Strength of Youth says, "Speak kindly and positively about others. Choose not to insult others or put them down, even in joking. Avoid gossip of any kind, and avoid speaking in anger. When you are tempted to say harsh or hurtful things, leave them unsaid." 

Talking badly about others does not make you cooler. It just creates enemies for yourself in the end. Jesus commanded us to love all men. How is that possible if one isn't on speaking terms with another because of something which had been said?

I can truthfully say that there is no one in this world that I dislike. I hate no one. It is a wonderful blessing. This is because I make it a priority to only say kind things to and about others. I promise it's possible. :)

This is what inspired me to make a personal commitment to avoid gossip. What do you think of it?

Your Call To Action!

This weekend was really challenging for me. Actually, Friday was, mostly. I had a really hard day of school. I felt really lonely. The worldliness of my school was really affecting the Spirit I was so used to feeling. Though it wasn't true, I felt like none of my friends actually loved me. I thought that if I were to disappear that no one would care.
Ewww. What a day.
During the course of that day, I prayed a lot. I mean, tons. You know how the scriptures talk about pouring out your heart to Heavenly Father? Well, I really poured out my heart to Him on Friday, more than I had in a long time. Afterwards I did feel a bit better, but the comfort I yearned for came gradually. I was expecting a huge wave of relief to wash over me while I cried out to God whilst kneeling on my bed, but it didn't happen that way. The comfort for which I longed came a little at a time over the weekend, mostly in ways I didn't expect.
First, my dad came to talk to me on Friday night. We talked, and I was able to vent about my problems and emotions to him. Then, my family watched a movie together, and I was at peace spending time with them. On Saturday, our ward went to the temple, which was a tremendous boost. Absolutely substantial! But on Sunday, doubts began to creep back into my mind, veeeery slowly. However, after church, out of the blue, one of the young women in my ward handed me a page-long note she'd written to me. She told me that she had felt inspired to write it for me, and that she hoped the words she wrote were the ones I needed to hear. It was beautiful. This young woman had, indeed, written exactly what I needed to read.
Then, last night and this afternoon, a really great young man from my stake was texting me. He simply told me that he thinks I am beautiful and told me that other young men in the stake think so as well, but that they're too shy to tell me. I hadn't asked him for compliments, nor was he trying to flirt with me. He was just being honest, but his words made a huge impact on me!  
Young men and young women alike- take note! Your words and actions have a TREMENDOUS effect on those around you! It's hard to understand what a wonderful ripple effect one can have on one another until you have been on the receiving end of such kind actions. It's truly beautiful. And the best part is, anyone can be that one- the one who makes a difference in someone's day, week, or life. You can. You really can! I challenge you to make a goal each day to do something, even something simple, to brighten someone's life. If each of us does one more good deed each day, what could we accomplish? How many lives would be blessed?
This is your call to action! What will you do with it?

The Deal With Dating After Sixteen

I have news! I have finally come to a wonderful decision! For a while now I've been slightly wavering on a topic we all know lots about: dating. It is common knowledge that we shouldn't date until we're sixteen, and that once we're sixteen we should only go on group dates. But after that, the standards are a bit ambiguous. Many youth date steadily, and it's perfectly accepted by society. But there are always the few in church who advise us not to have serious relationships in high school at all. And that is where I wavered.
That point in time is still in my future, and I've been thinking about it a lot for a long time. But several things have happened in the past week to help me make up my mind.
I went to EFY. We had a class about preparing for our missions, and in it the teacher told us just how difficult it is to prepare for a mission if one has broken the law of chastity, or even very physically intimate without going all the way. I knew at that moment that I didn't even want to put myself in a situation where it would be remotely easy for such an occurrence to happen.
A return missionary spoke in our ward yesterday and talked about how the purpose of dating and being in relationships is to prepare for marriage. That's the only reason! So what's the point in high school? I'm not getting married in high school, nor do I want to get married immediately out of high school! I'm still a kid!
And, the occurrence which helped me make up my mind the most: I had a long phone conversation with my friend last night. He's not a member. But he was having some girl problems and called for advice and comfort. In our conversation, I ended up sort of bearing my testimony to him of our dating standards. I told him that the problems he was facing was one of the reasons why my church advises us not to date until age sixteen. I also told him about the purpose of serious relationships. I am very emotional, and feel things very deeply, including romantic feelings. He knows this. I told him that being in a relationship would easily put in me in situations where I would be overwhelmed with feelings, and they'd distract me from all else. I'd justify skipping my practicing viola for hanging out with my boyfriend, which will NOT propel me in the direction I want for my future and career. After telling him all of this he said, "If you can make it through high school without dating someone, I will respect you more than I respect any person in this whole world. I already respect you a lot, but this will put you through the roof. I wish I never dated these past years of high school, and I think I'm going to try that this year." Him saying that to me helped me realize how much of an influence I can be when I testify of my standards.
So after these three things happened, I made a decision. I will not date steadily in high school. It's just not worth it. I won't be as close to my Heavenly Father, and doing so will get in the way of everything. It's the principle of Good, Better, Best. Waiting til age sixteen to date is good. Going on group dates for a while before being in a relationship in high school is better. But waiting to have serious relationships until after high school is best. I want the best. I know it will bless me. I know that my life will be that much better because of this choice I am making. I know I will have more success in my pursuits. Dating in college as a young adult will be so much better.  And future generations will be blessed because of my righteous example.

"It's the principle of Good, Better, Best."

The Power of a Righteous Friend

Friends are awesome. I am blessed to have the best friends in the whole entire universe. (Though I'm sure all of you are pretty fantastic, yourselves.) My friends stick up for me, help me when I'm down, make me feel loved, and I always have a great time with them.
A few weeks ago I had an experience which really helped me realize the value of true, righteous friends. I was getting ready to go to a long rehearsal where there would be tons of people, it'd be really hot, and we were going to do a lot of standing around, waiting. I'd never truly been tempted to dress immodestly before, but all of a sudden I really wanted to wear a pair of immodest shorts. They were comfy, cool, and would just be so easy to wear. I began rationalizing all the reasons why I should wear them, but deep down I knew it was wrong.  Then, at thought came to me. Trevor* is going to be there tonight. I don't want to dress that way in front of Trevor. He would be so disappointed, and uncomfortable. Trevor, is one of my best friends in the world and one of the coolest young men I know. He is the standard of righteous living. Always going above what is asked of him, Trevor is one of everyone's favorite people- member and nonmember alike. With that in mind, I put on some modest shorts and went my way.
It was so amazing to me that Trevor was so righteous that he could influence me for good without even being with me at that moment. I am truly blessed to have him in my life. He is an amazing friend.
So my question is: Do you have friends like Trevor? Do your friends influence you for good? Of course not everyone you surround yourself with will be like him. You will have acquaintances and other friends who are in different places of their spiritual development.  Are you, like Trevor, influencing your friends for good? If not, what can you do to change?

"True friends influence those with whom they associate to “rise a little higher [and] be a little better.” You can help one another, particularly young men, prepare for and serve honorable missions. You can help one another remain morally clean. Your righteous influence and friendship can have an eternal effect not only on the lives of your associates but also on generations to come."
-Elaine S. Dalton, 2013

 

*Name has been changed

Singing for Elder Ballard

Hello wonderful people! So on Friday a very special opportunity presented itself to all the youth who live in my state. Yes, state, not stake. Elder Lansing, from the quorum of the seventy, Bishop Stevenson, the Presiding Bishop of the Church, and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the quorum of the twelve came and gave us a fireside. It was incredible! But, the fireside was even more special for the girls in my ward and me because we were the musical number. We sang for all of the youth in our state, all of the bishops and stake presidents, and our guests.
It was spectacular to look out into the sea of faces of kids my age. These were the faces of righteous, loving youth who loved and value the same ideals as I. When we sang, I felt the Spirit so strongly. Usually, when I feel the Holy Ghost, it's a very still, tender, sweet feeling that makes me cry. This time it was joyful, and exuberant. I looked at all of the beautiful people as I sang to them, and made eye contact with as many as I could. I wanted them to feel the power of the words I sang just as acutely as I was feeling them. I was smiling so much that my face hurt. :D Afterwards, my friends who were in the audience said, "I could tell that you were just feeling it! It was like something was emanating from you." and "You sang like an angel.". Singing for the youth in my state and for Elder Ballard was an incredible experience!
So, after we sang, the three visitors gave an awesome fireside where they were speaking directly to us, youth. Here are my favorite parts of what they said:

Elder Lansing:

• “Right now the eyes of the Lord are focused on the youth” –Elder Lansing
• President Monson is the most youth-oriented prophet there's ever been. He's 85. Most people at that age are looking back on their lives, but he is looking forward into the future of the church. President Monson has brought to pass:
• New For Strength of Youth
• New Youth Curriculum
• Missionary Age Change

Bishop Stevenson:

• Satan tries to make us look at things as they aren't. He tries to confuse us. But we have the proper tools to combat the confusion.
• We have the Plan of Happiness.
• We have these formulas:
• Obedience/Righteousness --> Blessings --> Happiness
• Disobedience --> Punishment --> Misery

Elder Ballard:

• "We have experiences in our future we can't even dream of."
• "Keep the beam of heaven guiding our thoughts and minds."
• He explained how we can be like Nephi by using this scripture: 1 Nephi 2:16:
• "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers."
• 1) Have a great desires to learn about God
• 2) Pray and sincerely study about Him, develop a relationship with Him
• 3) He will come unto you

• We need to kindle the desire
• "We all have challenges. That's why we're here."

I know that the Lord's servants speak His truth and His gospel and that when we follow their counsel we can't go wrong. I'm so grateful for this opportunity I had. 

 

Blessings From Promptings Part One

Wow! It's been a REALLY long time since I've posted! I'm sorry. Life has gotten in the way. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my blog, or all of you lovely readers. I have several posts I want to do really soon, but I can't write them all now, so one must suffice for the time being.

So, I've had some really cool experiences lately regarding the blessings I've received from following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. And, I want to tell you about two of these times.

If you rewind my life to the second day back from Christmas break, that is where my story begins. I was at lunch. Most of my closest friends and I were sitting at our usual table. We were blessed enough to be with mostly the same people and found the same table as we'd had the semester before. I was having a great time talking with my friends about the new semester. Looking up, I saw *Josh meandering around the cafeteria. He didn't seem to have a place to sit. Josh is an awkward kid. He's really smart, but he doesn't have many friends. He wandered around the room for a long time. It seemed to me as though we were in a classic New-Era-story-situation; he, wandering around, and I in a position to help. I knew I should offer him a seat at our table, but it astonished me how much I didn't want to offer him a seat. I felt promptings pecking at my heart, but I rationalized reasons why I didn't need to help Josh, and pushed the promptings away. I did that all lunch period, and I'm quite ashamed to say that I never invited him to sit with us that day.
Now you are wondering why this story is at all inspiring. Just be patient. You'll see.
Later that day I was reflecting on the occurrence. I knew what I had done was wrong. I prayed that my Father would help me feel sorry for what I did and help me feel the error I made. After more pondering, I remembered something one of my young women's leaders said:

"My brother was one of the kids that no one talked to. He was awkward and couldn't connect with people. One day I was driving past his elementary school and I saw all of the kids playing at recess. He was in the outermost corner of the playground by himself. I remember praying everyday after that day that someone would just talk to him. Never forget that every awkward kid you know is someone's brother and that they are probably praying that someone will talk to their brother that day."

I immediately felt the wrong I had done. I prayed to my merciful Father in Heaven and told Him that if He would give me another chance, I wouldn't mess it up. I told Him I was sorry, and that I truly knew that every kid is His son or daughter. I prayed and prayed that I would get another chance to help someone like that. And another chance I got.

In fact, the chance came the next day. At lunch. I was sitting at the same table, with the same friends. And who did I see wandering around the lunch room? Josh. I knew exactly what I had to do, that time. I knew I couldn't let the Lord down again. After all, I specifically asked Him for this opportunity. So, I told my friends that I was inviting Josh to sit with us. They agreed. I got up and ran over to him. When I extended the invitation to sit with us, such a smile of relief and happiness filled his face. It was beautiful. He came  and sat down with us. I introduced him to everyone at the table. In that instant, I knew for sure that I had done the right thing and that my Father was proud of me.

This is only half of the story, but if I write anymore in this post, it will get really lengthy. So, stay tuned for part two.

To Date... or Not To Date...

Hey everyone! As I was pondering as to what I should post about today, it occurred to me that I have a strong testimony about the Lord's standards on teenage dating, and that I wanted to share that with you so that if you haven't already made a firm decision about your future or present, you can now.

Recently, I was able to realize just how much I agree with and am blessed by the standards which the Lord sets about dating. I'm sure you've all heard the rules: Don't date before age 16, start with double dates and group dates, be very cautious about being in a relationship, etc. Many teenagers feel like these are restrictions. Others are dismayed by these guidelines, and as much as they want to be able to follow them willingly without any second thoughts, have a hard time doing so. Well, I'm going to share with you how you can follow these standards and actually enjoy doing so!

Here's why I am so glad and blessed to have the church's standards about dating:

• Teenage years are emotional.  Personally, I have so much to be emotional about already, what with everything that goes on, and all those hormones, I really don't need or want to add any extra heartbreak, jealousy, lust, or frustration to the mix, all of which are included with dating and having relationships.
• Teens have a lot on their plates! Teenagers these days, especially LDS teens, have tons of stuff to do everyday! We have school, which in itself includes tests, studying, punctuality, homework, social expectations, and more. Then, we have extra-curricular stuff to do. Whether it be music, sports, student government, yearbook staff, or any clubs, most teens do at least one of these things, and many do even more!  Then, lots of us have jobs. Younger teens may babysit or mow lawns, and older ones may work at a frozen yogurt shop, or something. All teenagers will eventually do driver's ed. And, most teenagers, whether they're LDS, or not, have lots of things to do for church. LDS teens have church on Sunday, Mutual, Seminary, Family Home Evening, Duty to God or Personal Progress, service activites, genealogy, temple trips, and more! Also, all teenagers should have a focus somewhere in their mind of trying to get into college eventually. Obviously, we have a lot of stuff to do! The more we have to do, the more sacrifices we have to make of things we can't do. So, if you add a relationship on top of everything, you may have to sacrifice something like getting good grades, Personal Progress, focusing on college, etc. Letting these things slip by will harm you.

• Babies are great, but not so great for teens!  If you're not careful when you're dating someone, you could end up being a parent long before you ever thought you would. And, while being a parent is a great thing, it's not what teenagers need to be doing at this point in our lives. Having a baby before you're married could: hinder or permanently stop you from getting a college degree, strain relationships with friends, family, and your boyfriend/girlfriend, rush marriage which could cause marital problems in the future, cause an unstable family or financial environment for your baby/ family. The best protection is abstinence, and it's easiest to stay pure when you are not in a serious relationship.

These are only some of the reasons why I feel blessed to have the guidelines and standards which the Lord gives us. I know that when I follow these guidelines, I will be blessed. I will be able to have a good time when I am dating, I will save myself from lots of heartbreak, I will be able to enjoy having children when I'm married, rather than worrying about it when I'm not married, I will be able to have a beautiful, successful marriage, I will be able to focus on the things which I need to do now which will make my future more successful, and so many more things. But, most of all, I know that when I follow the standards which my Father in Heaven gives me, He will be pleased with me and trust me with more things.

What Guys Want Girls to Know

This is a video I found by a group called Blimey Cow. They are not Mormons, but they are Christians. I really love this video. It's so great to know that some guys still care about decency, modesty, and chivalry.  He speaks the truth! And it's also good to know that LDS people aren't the only ones who care about this stuff!

What Guys Want Girls to Know

What do you think of this video?  Comment or share! (Oh, and BTW, I've added a facebook comment feature at the bottom of my blog if you would like to comment there.) :D

Knowledge of What's Right

Hey Everybody! I am pleased to inform you that you are about to read the FIRST EVER GUEST POST on The Life of a Mormon Teen. Yep, that's right. You officially are about to be a pioneer of guest post-dom on this blog. Don't you feel special? ;) I would like to thank Becca of My Soul Delighteth for this fabulous post! It's awesome and every one of you should read it because of it's sheer awesomeness! Becca did a marvelous job ob this post! So, here it is! Enjoy!

My dad, who taught me that I am the Daughter of a King, with my mom

When Whitney asked me to write a guest post for her blog, I was delighted, but at the same time, a little nervous. I have never associated well with teens (even when I was one!) and so I am not sure really how to approach them. So I am writing this post with a lot of humility and a prayer in my heart that I will be able to say the right things.
Whitney asked me to write about what I wish I had known when I was a teenager.
I wish I had known that I already knew what was right.
Teens get a lot of flack these days from the media, from their parents, from society in general – you are confused, trying to find yourself, stubborn, disrespectful, disorganized, lazy.

Sisters - and daughters of God

There is a whole list full of negative things to say about teenagers. Society’s expectations of teenagers are pretty low.
But you know what is right. I am sure that most of you teenagers already know, deep inside, what is right, what is true, and what is good. That’s because Heavenly Father planted a seed of divinity in you. You chose what is right in the pre-existence, and all of you have the light of Christ within you – and if you have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and you are worthy, then you have him as your constant companion.
As adults, I think we are afraid to trust your ability to follow the prompting of the Holy Ghost. And it’s probably because we made a lot of mistakes when we were learning how to follow the Holy Ghost and we’re afraid you will make the same mistakes.
So I am telling you now – I trust you. Heavenly Father trusts you. He knows that you know what is right, and that you are courageous enough to do it.

One of my many amazing YW leaders

Growing up, I was blessed to have great parents, leaders, and teachers who truly recognized my divine nature, and verbally acknowledged that divinity daily.

My amazing mother who showed me that God loves me

They trusted me to make my own decisions based on the promptings of the Spirit, and they told me that they knew that I could. Not every teen is blessed with those great parents and leaders, and so if you aren’t – if you are surrounded by adults who don’t recognize your divine nature or belittle you or doubt you, I want you to know that Heavenly Father is loves you and recognizes your divinity. He trusts you. He believes in you.
You will feel Heavenly Father’s love for you as you pray and as you read the Book of Mormon. Read it every day. Read it cover to cover multiple times in your life.

my senior year of high school

At October General Conference in 2011, Elder Richard G. Scott said,

“[T]hose who consistently read the Book of Mormon are blessed with an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a greater resolve to obey His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the divinity of the Son of God.”

Make the right choices. You know what is right. It might be hard to choose the right when expectations are so low. But remember that Heavenly Father has high expectations for you. He knows that you have the potential for exaltation embedded in your very nature.

He wants you to choose the right.

He knows you can do it. And that is what matters.

This post was brought to you by:

Becca
My Soul Delighteth

The Choice is Yours: A Guide to Decision Making

Making choices is one of the hardest things we have to do. It's so difficult, and often stressful. There are so many choices, and so many ways we can use our time. And it seems like there is so much pressure put on us to choose the right decisions. We face such a variety of choices everyday. There could be so many ways to categorize the choices we have to make, but I'm going to categorize our choices into three categories:

Unimportant Decisions

Life-Altering Decisions

Momentous Decisions

Unimportant decisions are the most common. What shoes you will wear, what font you choose to type your paper in, drinking juice or water with lunch..... you get the point. These choices either impact nothing at all, or have such a small ripple that nothing happens. In most cases, these decisions don't matter.

Life-Altering Decisions are just that: life-altering.  These include the college you go to, the career you pursue, choosing chastity, gaining a testimony, going to the temple regularly, etc. These are either one-time decisions like getting married, or many long term decisions like attending the temple. Life-Altering Decisions are planned for ahead of time and are focused on when decision making is discussed.

Momentous Decisions are the choices that people don't often think about. These include how you manage your time during a given day, your attitude for the day, or how you choose to dress that day. Notice how all of these choices are daily choices. Will you choose a modest outfit today? Will you read the scriptures? Momentous Decisions are vastly important, hence the name momentous. However, they are made in a second, and only seem to affect a moment. But, the ripple effect of momentous decisions reaches much farther than anyone could ever know. For example: If you choose not to exercise today, you know it will be harder to choose to workout tomorrow. Not only will it be harder, but you may feel more sluggish that day, be in a worse mood, etc. 

Lots of people overlook momentous decisions everyday. I know I do all the time. One of the hardest things we must learn to do in this life is to balance our time and choices. 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk in a 2007 General Conference about making decisions. He focused on "Good, Better, Best". This talk is very helpful when trying to learn how to determine what decisions to make. He says:

"We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives."

 "As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all."

-Good, Better, Best, October 2007

I know that we will be blessed in our lives when we learn how to choose wisely when making all kinds of decisions. While there is sometimes, a lot of pressure, we also have many resources to help us. But most of all, I know that Heavenly Father will guide us when we make choices. And I know that no matter what we choose, He loves us.

Your Spiritual iPod

Yesterday I was riding the bus home from school. On my bus, I sit by myself, because of all the stuff I have to carry around (my bookbag, viola, lunchbox, etc....). I listen to my ipod on the bus because the other people on my bus are really loud and crude. They talk about things that I don't want to think about, because they won't help me have clean thoughts.
You are similar to me.  You too need an ipod to drown out the things of the world. A "spiritual ipod".
So, what is a "Spiritual iPod"?  When I didn't want to hear the things that the people on my bus were saying, I turned the volume up on my ipod. So when the world is getting to you. you can "turn the volume up" by reading the scriptures, praying, and listening for the Holy Ghost. These are the things that will help you drown out the unpleasantness of the world.  And, unlike a regular iPod, your spiritual ipod has no maximum volume. It can never be too loud.
There's a saying my mom tells me that goes "We should be in the world, but not of the world." This means that even though we live in a world full of sin, we don't have to let that rule our lives. We can still live righteously in this world even though the people around us may sin. And how do we do that? By turning up the volume on our spiritual iPods.
Then there are the times that your spirtual iPod may break, and you sin. It happens to everyone. But you don't have to worry. You can fix your spiritual spiritual ipod! Your spiritual ipod can be fixed through repentance. After repenting, your spiritual ipod will be stronger!
I know that the Lord is pleased when we choose the right. We are His children, and He loves us infinitely.