When God gives you a carrot...make lemonade?

There is that saying that when life gives you lemons make lemonade. Well, what does one do when life gives you oranges, or plums, or apples, or a combination of many different things, then what do you do? First and foremost before you are given anything turn to God, when you end up with multiple fruits, turn to God and recognize that God gave you something, whether it be a lemon, an orange, a plum, an apple, or even a carrot. God gave it to you for a reason, so we need to learn to roll with whatever God has in store for us. Maybe He gives us something we have no idea what to do with. That's when we do some research, we turn to the scriptures, to words of the prophets new and old and to words of Christ. Along with research we must be humble, we must have an open heart and mind in order for God to tell us what to do next. Going into this conference I couldn't think of any certain question I needed answered, but felt prompted to just go with an open heart and mind and be willing to work with whatever God gives me, well during the General Women's Session of conference tonight He gave me a carrot. President Russell M. Nelson our beloved prophet gave us four invitations the first one was to fast from media for ten days. Holy cow! I've done a social media fast before, but over the past four months being sick I have been on my phone using social media way too much because I am tired of everything else I have been doing over and over again as I lie in pain on my couch. I also realized that when I get anxious or depressed I get on my phone, which by the way is not a good coping skill. I have come to what would be called an addiction to social media and I am not okay with it. When President Nelson issued this challenge I immediately decided to try it because it is something that I need to do. What am I going to fill my time with now when I can't move because of the pain? That is a good question. But, I am going to take my carrot and I am going to find out what God intends me do with it because God gave it to me for a reason and I am determined to make the best of it. What have you been given that made you scratch your head and wonder, what in the world am I to do with this?
Love,
Kenzie

The Reality of Revelation

As many of you know I have been down for eight weeks with a couple different things that are causing an enormous amount of extreme pain, so much so that I can barely move when in the most intense pain. We always hear that trials are blessings in disguise, we can only grow from trials, and so forth. Well a few weeks in it still didn't seem like I was getting better and I even thought I might have been getting worse. I wondered to myself how on earth I was being blessed by this and when was it going to end? I kept up the faith and vigilantly wrote in my journal each night five things I was grateful for (a habit I've been at for years-thanks to my Mom). And each day I was surprised by the things God did for me that day and the good experiences I did have even while in pain. For one thing, I was grateful that the problems were not from my appendix. I was grateful for the kind thoughts and visits from friends. I was grateful often times for being able to get through the pain that day. In so many ways was God blessing me to recognize that even when we are at our lowest He and the Savior are there for me. That doesn't really strike home until I'm praying and I either receive peace to know I can keep going or revelation that things will be taken care of soon. One night while praying for patience to keep plugging along (because let's be honest my patience is completely gone after 8 weeks of excruciating pain) a thought came to mind that if I can just make it to this week when I was getting another test done and had a doctor's appointment (which we ended up canceling because they wouldn't have been able to help me like the other doctor's I have appointments with) that if I could make it till this week I would receive answers to what's been going on. I don't know how fast I will heal (if what I have is curable), I don't know when I will be able to get back to work, or even if I will be able to start school at the end of the month and go full time like I've scheduled. God didn't give me the answers to all my questions, but He gave me enough to keep me going for a time longer. To say not having all the answers scares me is an understatement, but I am praying with all my heart that God will help me keep having faith in His plan and in His timing, because I don't have anything else to go off of here, I am choosing to put all my faith in every single prayer I utter that God will guide me and I'm putting every ounce of faith in my Savior, because He is the only one who understands the exact pain I'm going through and is the only one who can get me through this. I came across a quote today that said "You can worry or you can trust God, you can't do both." So I am choosing to trust God today, tomorrow, and every day.

Love,
Kenzie

When the Veil is Parted or Thin

"I remind you that it is a veil, not a wall, that separates us from the spirit world." (Boyd K. Packer, April 1987). During institute this week we discussed the Brother of Jared and how the veil was taken from his eyes and He saw first the finger of the Savior and then the body of the Savior. We talked about how even now the veil is parted or becomes thin at certain times in our lives. One way that it may be thin is when we seem to see others differently. I had an experience just the other day that allowed me to feel of some of God's love for a neighbor. I had just gotten back from taking a neighbor some treats as I entered my room I felt overwhelming love for this lady and realized I had felt the same as we visited with her. I also came to realize the next day at institute that at that time the veil had been thin, and I had felt some of God's love for this lady and cared for her even more than I did previously to this visit. I also knew that even though the love I felt for her was overwhelming, that it was only a part of what God feels for her and for each of us.

Another experience I had this week wherein the veil was thin was when I was at the temple being confirmed for some of my ancestors. As the priesthood brethren laid their hands on my head and began confirming me for the deceased I felt as if the only people in the room were myself and those I was being confirmed for. What an amazing experience to know that I can be a part of the amazing work of allowing my ancestors the blessings that I have today. I am so glad that I have enough faith in miracles to allow me these sacred experiences on a daily basis.

I love going to the temple each week and doing work that allows my ancestors to become more Christ-like. I love being able to know that many of my ancestors I have done work for have accepted those ordinances and are now part of Christ's fold.


Love,
Kenzie

When We Cry

I got wondering last night, if when we are hurting and the only thing God can do is reassure us of His love because He knows we have to go through this to become who we are supposed to become, if maybe as we cry, He cries too, because He knows what we are dealing with is hard, but He also knows it will all be worth it. Maybe He cries with us because our moments of pain, fear, and anguish seem to last an eternity and He knows that. And maybe as Christ steps forward to take the burden from us, God has to put His arm up and stop Him for a little while longer, because we need to learn and grow in faith that our Savior and Heavenly Father allow us to go through trials so we can get to know Them better. And maybe, just maybe, even when we are done crying and the trial has passed, He continues to cry because He is proud of the way we faced our challenges and turned to Him and Christ for succor.

 I know that we go through trials and challenges for a specific purpose, that might not always be apparent as we face it. I know that God does not leave us comfortless, I know that the Savior runs to us when we need help, but sometimes God has to hold Him back until we have become humble enough to turn to Him in good times and in bad times. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and He loves you. I know that the Savior also loves me and you. I love that I can turn to my Father in Heaven no matter what and that I know that He is always listening to me and giving me enough peace and help from the Holy Ghost and the Savior to get me through each trial. I am grateful for the challenges that face me and the ways I have grown spiritually and mentally and also closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.


Love,
Kenzie