Whitney, Whitney Blog Swap!

Just as I promised, here's a guest post by the lovely author, Whitney Reid! Be sure to check out her blog, because it's pretty awesome, but also because I wrote a post for it! Check it out!

Hi! I assume most of you don’t know me because I live states away from Whitney. Whitney and I have become friends through blogging and through the fact that we are both named Whitney! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Whitney Reid from feelmysunlight.blogspot.com. I am a little Utah girl and I spend most of my time in the gym either tumbling or coaching. While I love love love the time I spend with my team, I love the time I spend with the Lord even more. I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and am a little obsessed with this lovely church. When I grow up I want to be a graphic designer, but my true dream is work for EFY as a counselor and a speaker. I have a dream to be a motivational speaker one day. Until then I hope to reach people from the words of my blog. I want to do this because I have a piece of something so great that I want everyone to hold for themselves. This is my testimony.

In my sport of tumbling, as well as most other sports, there is an element of risk. Every time I step onto that mat there is a chance that I will not walk off of it. This is a chance we all take because the reward is so great. There is a risk with everything we do with our lives. Getting out of bed and going to school poses so many threats that if we focused on them we would never leave our bedrooms, nevertheless, we still climb out of bed day in and day out. 

I have learned something with tumbling. I have learned that too often people put there all into the sport, and then before they know it, it is all taken from them with a single fall. It is amazing how quickly dreams can be ruined when your biggest dreams are things pertaining to the ways of the world.

Now I’m not saying we should all quit trying to make it far in whatever we do, but I do believe there is something greater that we could aim for.

Enos 27 says,

“And I soon go to the place of my rest,                

              which is with my redeemer;

     for I know that in him I shall rest.                

           And I rejoice in the day when my                   

                  mortal shall put on immortality,

and shall stand before him;                             

                    then shall I see his face with pleasure,          

and he will say unto me: Come unto me,                

         ye blessed,

            there is a place prepared for you

 in the mansions of my father. Amen.”          

This is my goal. And I believe that this should be everyone’s dream.  Because glory and fame of the world is short lasting and insignificant compared to what we could gain if we are faithful to our father in heaven.

President Spencer W. Kimball said,

“If a man owns a million dollars worth of gold, he possesses approximately one 20-billionth of all the gold that is presented in the earth’s thin crust alone. This is an amount so small in proportion as to be inconceivable to the mind of man. But there is more to this: The Lord who created and has power over all the earth created many other earths as well, even “worlds without number” (Moses 1:33); and when [we keep the commandments, we] received a promise from the Lord of ‘All that my Father hath’ (D&C 84:38)”

 I love this quote because to me it shows that no matter what happens to us in this life, if we endure it well, we will receive far greater than anything we could have imagined. That is my goal.

Whitney Reid,

Feel my Sunlight

How the Holy Ghost Witnessed Truth

Today in seminary there was a little confusion about some of the doctrine about spirit prison and paradise, judgement, and the degrees of glory. I immediately felt the Spirit leave me when some of the information was incorrect. I raised the question and the class discussed it for a while. Finally, someone went upstairs and asked the bishop to come down and help (seminary is held in his basement).  He came to our class and cleanly cleared up the confusion. Then, he bore a powerful testimony to us of how we are such a chosen generation. He told us that prophets have stated that we, as in today's teenagers, are the most righteous and valiant of all to be chosen to come to earth at this time. It's truly a big deal!
As my wonderful bishop was teaching us, I felt the Spirit very strongly bearing witness to me of the truthfulness of his words. I even shed a few tears.
He also said something that really made me think- Our choices impact future generations. For good, or for bad. The image came to my mind of my posterity sitting in heaven, watching me and cheering me on, hoping I make as many good decisions as possible. They support me, even though I don't remember them and can't see them. As are my ancestors who have come before. It is so wonderful to know that on the other side of the veil, there are countless people rooting for me and supporting me.
Just some interesting things to think about. But I was just so appreciative that I have the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and that I could recognize his bearing witness of truth and untruth. That is such a blessing we have and shouldn't take advantage of!

I felt the Spirit very strongly bearing witness to me of the truthfulness of his words.

Beauty All Around Us

Today I'm posting from...FLORIDA! I'm on vacation for fall break. Everyone in my family is taking a nap right now, so I thought I'd write a little post. :D
Today, as I was frolicking in the ocean, I noticed that every time a wave would come to shore it would bring tons of tiny little minnows with it. Then, the minnows would struggle back to the ocean so that they wouldn't wind up on shore. When the wave receded into the sea, it took the minnows back to their wet homes.

So, I sat close to the shore in shallow water and watched all of the minnows swim and swarm around me. It was really incredible. I'm just in awe of all of Heavenly Father's beautiful creations which He made just for us. God loves us so much. He created the magnificent, beautiful earth, and everything on it, for our happiness. I'm so grateful for all of the wonderful things we have to enjoy on this earth.
As I was riding to and from the places I went last week, I was struck with how beautiful my town really is. I never realized how much beauty I saw in my every day life and didn't realize it. I know that I definitely never want to overlook any of the beauty God gave us ever again.. So often, people take for granted the marvels around them.


Enjoy your day! I'm definitely going to enjoy my time at the beach!!!

This is my Savior

Well. It's been an awfully long time since I have posted. And for that, I apologize.  It's been pretty crazy around here. I've been making up homework for almost a month now because I was so sick a few months ago. But, that's enough excuses right?

This is my Savior. He is your Savior too. I love Him with all my heart. He is the reason that life has meaning and value. He loves us with an infinite love. Infinite. Try to fathom that word. Infinite. His love for you and me has no beginning and has no end. His love is limitless and perfect. He proved that when He suffered for our sins in Gethsemane and died for us on Calvary. And then after three days' time He arose from His sepulchre, victorious over the bonds of death.
I know He lives. I have felt His power in my life. I have tasted of His redeeming love when I have partaken of the divine power of repentance. I have felt the peace which comes from knowing that I am loved enough for the Master of the world to sacrifice Himself for me. I know that I can live with Him again if I strive daily to live as He does.
Sometimes, when it feels like no one's there, when everything goes wrong, and when it seems as though every sadness, temptation, and pain in the world have conspired against me, He is the only one who can help me through my pain. My knowledge of His ultimate love for me helps me maintain the strength I need to see my trials to the door.
I know He is always there for me. It's such a powerful knowledge, the most invigorating knowledge in the universe. The beautiful universe. The universe that He created for our enjoyment, which universe contains worlds without number all created by the hands of our Holy Redeemer.
He loves us. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for us. And He lives. This is my Savior.

"I know He lives.

I will live my life to Him.

The Savior gave this life to me,

and He gave His own

that I might be free.

I know He lives.

This is my testimony."

-Whitney

These are the lyrics of the chorus of a song I am writing about my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. 

This song is my ten hour project for the Faith portion of Personal Progress.

To learn more about Jesus Christ, click here.

And All His Creations of Which I'm a Part

Today in my biology class we were talking about the diversity of the creatures and species on the earth. My teacher told us that only 20-30% of all the types organisms that have ever existed on this earth are currently alive. Just think about that! There are more species in existence currently than scientists could even begin to discover. Now think of the other 70-80% of creatures that we've never even heard of because they're extinct! That's a lot of animals! And then there are tons of plants too! There is so much life and beauty on this earth! As my teacher kept talking, my mind marveled over the vastness of it all! And then I remembered that Heavenly Father made all of these beautiful things for our joy and happiness. He did it for us because we are worth so much to Him! God created these wonderful creatures,organisms, plants, natural phenomenons, rainbows, scenic valleys, majestic mountains, breathtaking jungles, and so much more because He loves us!
As I sat in class, the implications of all of Heavenly Father's masterpieces hit me. He has made worlds without end. If there is so much on our earth, there's that much more on each other world He has created. And we can inherit all of His wonderful gifts for us if we keep His commandments and keep our covenants.
The Spirit was with me so strongly as I pondered over all the works of the Lord's hands in my class. I almost started crying. I truly felt of God's love for me.
Here are some images for your viewing. If you so desire, you can ponder of God's wonderful, perfect, glorious goodness while you see pictures of some of the things His holy hands have made. (pictures courtesy of lds.org.)