I didn't go to seminary as much as I should have, but I've been trying to keep the spirit with me, so that I could following any prompting he gave me.
In the last year, one of the things that has stuck out to me is the million times I heard people talk about understanding how the Holy Ghost speaks to you. I thought I knew how he spoke to me, but it turns out, I wasn't listening to him like I should have. He has spoken to me in more ways than I can count.
Just in case anyone is wondering, he can speak through something on facebook, something someone says, or through music. These are just some of the ways the spirit communicates with me. This doesn't include any through scripture study or right after a prayer, but those three are the ones that have stuck out to me.
I always thought I knew exactly how my life (for the next 10 years) would go when I was like twelve. And for a while it was going how I had planned it to go, but at the end of 8th grade I felt strongly impressed that I needed to do part of my high school career with an online program. Those two years were harder than I normally tell people. I mean I learned nothing from school. When I say nothing, I mean it. I didn't understand what I was reading and in some classes I barely passed. That in itself was a miracle.
Anyhow, I went back to public school as a junior and again I felt a strong desire to change something. I felt impressed to graduate a year early. That's been this year for me. It's been a transition for me and I stopped listening to the spirit after he told me to graduate a year early. That in its self seemed like a gigantic monster to me. I'll be an adult and I'll have to get a job. What else could Heavenly Father expect me to do???\
Heavenly Father was not done with me there. Because I wasn't listening, Heavenly Father sent one of my leaders after me. She talked to me about applying to BYU because I have always wanted to go and she really thought I should go.
So I applied because when I finally opened up my heart, I knew that was what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do. And then I knew BYU-Idaho was the school for me. I didn't even know if I was accepted to Idaho or Provo, but I knew Idaho was the place for me. Even though it's cold and I hate the cold. (Seriously, guys. When I went to Arizona a couple years ago to visit my grandparents, it was 110 degrees Fahrenheit and I was still wearing a jacket.)
Anywho, my point here is open up your heart to the savior. Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father know what is best for us. If you don't know what to do or you just have a question, then ask it. You don't have to be kneeling. Heck, I don't always kneel either, but ask. Just talk to Heavenly Father. He loves you and only wants the best for you.
I've learned this in abundance this year. I have always wanted to go on a mission. Being stubborn, I decided to ask yet again (because I didn't get a definite yes or no the time I prayed before) whether a mission was right for me. When I prayed the last time, my answer was to go to mission prep because it would prepare me for life whether or not I went on a mission. Either way, in my stubborn mind I thought that if Heavenly Father could tell me that I needed to go off to BYU, then surely he could share with me this little piece of information to put my mind at rest. I really thought my answer was going to be YES, but he responded back with no. When I asked my young women's leader why Heavenly Father would tell me no, she told me he probably just wants me to go a year later than normal or something. As she said those words to me, I felt the spirit confirm to me that I am not supposed to serve a mission as a youth.
Wow! Say what?!? Heavenly Father that's not cool, right? One of the members of the bishopric in my ward came to talk to me. He said that if the answer is no, then you aren't supposed to go. Don't push it with Heavenly father because he would only tell you no if there was something better for you waiting.
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Let me recap this for you real quickly. If you keep your heart open to the spirit, then Heavenly Father can let you know what the plan is for you, well at least the part you need to know and then if you follow it, you will find that it really was the best thing for you.
I like to think I'm always right, but in all honesty, I mess up all the time. I don't know what's best for myself half the time. But if we know to what source we can look, then we can receive an answer and Heavenly Father will point us in the best direction for each of us.
No comments:
Post a Comment