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[melodiazurawska]

Feeling God’s Love

I am grateful for stake conference (special Saturday & Sunday meetings with multiple LDS congregations in my area held twice a year) and the immense blessings of the gift of the Holy Ghost. For a visiting Seventy, Elder Weatherford T. Clayton, and each speaker from my stake -- their testimonies and spirits touched my soul this weekend. 

I came with questions and some answers came. I’m really excited about the revelations I received. Heavenly Father is wonderful because He knows me perfectly, so He knows the best ways to teach me by the Spirit. I may be listening to a speaker and get inspiration along one train of thought, but then I may see something that distracts me or a certain phrase or idea will resonate with me and my mind wanders. With so many thoughts branching in my brain so rapidly, it amazes me that the Holy Ghost keeps up and helps me learn profound truths at every turn. If I am seeking to draw closer to God, the Spirit instructs me or validates or guides my thoughts no matter where my mind takes me. It’s like puzzle pieces coming together to answer my prayers. Amid the busy highways of my brain, He spreads clarity and peace. I love learning and being reminded how I feel and receive communication from the Spirit.

What glorious truths: to know that I lived with my Heavenly Father in the pre-Earth life, that I chose to follow Jesus Christ, that I am a child of God and He loves me, that in mortality I have purpose, that there is holiness and power in the becoming, and that there is an eternal point to all of this and it is a promise of glory.

I know God lives, I know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true, and I know that no matter what...God’s love is greater.

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Utah: March 2017

I've gone back and forth with what to share and how to share it here. I've done a lot of journaling, getting my thoughts, experiences, conversations, and memories recorded while they were fresh. You can look at the pictures, but there's something else I want to share about this vacation. Something more significant. It was a 3 1/2 year and 2,000 mile journey. Surprise, surprise...I have a lot to say.

What's the difference between being at peace and being past feeling? How do I know what state I'm in? I can acknowledge happiness, but I'm not bursting at the seems. Am I not truly feeling my experiences? Or is this what freedom feels like? Am I aimless? Do I not care? Am I living with my head or my heart? I don't have the answer yet. So I press on.

Content. That's the best feeling I can describe. Not excitement, not joy, although I think those are probably wrapped in that contentment.

Am I being genuine or am I putting on?

Here's what I know:

I am 100% in the right place (in Nashville & at Major Family Chiropractic) doing what Heavenly Father wants me to right now. I'm doing what I want to do. I love it. It is changing my life.

I have some amazingly powerful and eternal friendships. Where time and space don't matter. Being together feels good and normal and right. So much so that it's easy to take it for granted. And I am capable of making friends and connections at this stage of my life. It's going to be more than okay to extend my circle. I want to make myself available.

We are all going through stuff. Life is extremely hard. Yes we are immensely blessed but it's more than okay to honor the struggles. When we are open with others, mourning with them and allowing them to mourn with us, that's what it's about.

Time in this life is warped. We are eternal beings having a brief mortal experience. No wonder then that things like relationships linked with love - that we can take with us forever -  aren't drastically altered by time.

I am as free as I choose to be. Forget the shoulds, forget the expectations, and forget the comparisons. I'm not the same Melody I was when I left Utah and surprisingly, I'm really grateful for that. I'm grateful the Melody of 2017 got to experience the Utah that the Melody of 2013 loved with all her being. It shaped me so much into the person I've become but there's been so much since that's continued to refine me in ways I never expected. Perspective is everything.

I will continue to step forward with faith.

Now here’s some more elaboration on all that:

My goals for this vacation were peace and closure. I was seeking to break through and get rid of some things I’ve been holding on to. That's what I wanted to get out of being back in Utah, of spending time with friends, having fun and relaxing. I do feel like I met those expectations. I know that because they were righteous desires and Heavenly Father understands my motives and loves me, He was happy to bless me with what I wanted this time. That being said, I also know that's not always the case. Righteous desires aren't always fulfilled, in our timing or ever. I'm just ever-so-grateful that God and I were one in purpose on this one.

I feel like this trip was necessary for me to fully move on with my life. It reminded me of who I was and still can be, what things contributed to being that person I was happy with.

I truly was heart-broken to leave Utah 3 1/2 years ago. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I was willing and happy to do it because I knew I was walking with the Lord. I was following the guidance given to me by the Spirit and I was stepping forward with faith. Coming back, I wasn't sure what I'd feel. The day(s) right before leaving I was still very present at work, so it wasn't until it was right on me that reality stirred up those raw emotions again I think. But then I got there. I walked out of the airport (which I had forgotten so much of) and breathed in the dry cool air. It was then memories started coming back. There's a different vibe and I was calm. As I drove out of the rental garage onto I-80 with the radio on, mountains in front of me, I was so happy to be back.

Throughout my trip, as I drove my old routes and saw old sights that were daily givens, it felt so right. It's hard to describe but it's like coming home. This was home for me. Even though at the same time, I KNEW and FELT that this isn't home anymore. As I talked with people, describing where I am and what I'm doing now, I had zero doubt in my mind that I'm where I'm supposed to be. I'm living my purpose right now. My life isn't dragging me along, I choose to do what I do every single day. Now, of course there are many things I need to work on, but the bigger picture is right. Of that I'm sure.

Another powerful realization I had talking to everyone was just how human we all are. Life is freaking hard for everybody, but the way it hits us is different. Joy, purpose, being in a funk, not knowing what's next, struggling to change what we know we want to, questioning ourselves, questioning God's plan, and even dealing with death. There's just so much happening all the time, all around us, to every single person.

What was so great during this trip:

I have to record the overwhelming peace and calm and joy I felt just being in Malorie’s apartment, being able to see her right there in front of me in the same room. Watching her work and focus. I’ve missed that simple companionship we have. It was similar to Jessica saying, “I can’t believe you’re really sitting in my room!”

Inconsequential conversations with Malorie as well as the ones that matter most. It was so easy saying goodnight to Malorie when it was a matter of "see you tomorrow" but not so when Tuesday night rolled around. I felt myself not wanting to leave, almost stubborn in my desire to disregard the inevitable. We sat for an hour on her bed leaning on each other, refusing to admit our time was up. Then it took another 15 minutes for me to get out the door. Even that felt impossible and I was the one that had to make the move and leave.

With Michelle and Xavier, sitting around playing games, it's as if time and space disappeared. We could be anywhere in the world. It was quality time at its finest. Also, I love baby Reya so much because I love Michelle so much.

I have to say that going to a PAW (Professional Actors Workshop) class was a majorly great choice. That was very impactful in reminding me about myself. Getting in that mindset again was awesome, but also words of affirmation from Lance were so special to hear. I have not been forgotten and I was treated as a master and a peer. I’ve forgotten to give myself credit for all that I’ve accomplished. “You grew a ton! Do you remember in Phase I you were just...(small, big eyes, looking around, I’m not really sure about this)...but by Masters you were practically running the class.” :) He was so happy and proud to have me visit and to share how PAW has helped me in my current endeavors too.

It was strange being back on campus and meeting for church in classrooms. It's a special thing I think. I treasure those experiences at least. I'm also okay that I didn't have a purpose for being on campus anymore. That part of my life has passed. I still love it but I'm also at peace with being just under 4 years removed from all that. It's a cool feeling actually.

Going for a "hike" in Rock Canyon with Malorie and the 6 year old girl she nannies. We essentially climbed the mountain with Lily fearlessly leading the way. Needless to say I was terrified for a bit as we kept going higher. It’s good to do things that scare you. And there were some really cool moments seeing her so proud of herself.

Shot a gun for the first time in my life! I was told to bring back at least one out of my norm story and going to a shooting range definitely fit the bill. It was great.

This trip I also did well talking to people. The TSA agent in Nashville who did my pat-down. Asking questions of waitresses/waiters at restaurants, for recommendations and such. The guy at the shooting range. The woman at the olive oil store. The workers at the temple. Friends of my friends. I even had a conversation with a guy at the airport while we both ate dinner.

Some memories during my trip:

Remembering what I felt like, it’s almost like I’m coming back to myself 

This is where I fell in love with the temple, where I fell in love with wide open spaces

Apartments where so many memories were made and so much love lived 

Baptistery where I did work for my ancestors

Provo Temple: organ music playing in chapel, sound of fountains outside, the stairs going down to the baptistery, new artwork

School where I tutored as part of stake community outreach program

Stake center where I met with my stake president about serving a mission

Neighborhood where I received my patriarchal blessing

Parking lot where we had so many ward prayers and conference breakfasts

Park where a dog forced a french kiss on me

Streets I walked an alpaca in a parade

Place where I sat with a group of friends to enjoy a 4th of July parade on Center St.

Stadium I sat outside of with friends for a Kelly Clarkson 4th of July event (Stadium of Fire)

Being on the phone with my aunt and seeing a deer as I was leaving campus one time

Naps in the science building

Naps in the JFSB

Buildings where I had incredible classroom experiences

Hill I walked up to campus on & the killer stairs

Graduated almost 4 years ago, so many more housing buildings on campus now

Experiencing the harsh bright sun, reflecting on the snow

Driving 80 mph on I-15 singing along to great music

I'm so grateful for my Utah vacation this year. It was filled with so much good. So much. I still can't get over how normal it felt. I was insanely present. And I really enjoyed not only spending time with people I care about, but also feeling so comfortable with the new people in their lives too.

I took action and God showed up in a big way. As I’m facing even bigger mountains (details about THAT to come), I know he’s still got me. Step by step.

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Impressions of a Work-in-Progress

This was SOME WEEK. It’s been a defining experience and I guarantee I will look back on it as part of a pivotal phase in my life’s journey. God is turning what was negative into positive because I am choosing to anchor to him. Things often seem coincidental, but I know better and I hope you do too.

Now be warned: I may be mixing A LOT of metaphors in this post. That’s just the way the Spirit has been teaching me. The moments I’ve experienced can have a greater impact that way, because I’m sure the feelings will fade. And usually, I’m all about including pictures in these posts, but it’s all I can do to just get the words out today. So bear with me please.

I hit perhaps my lowest low last week and it looked nothing like what I’d expect. *Meaning in a way, it wasn’t sin that brought me to such depths of spirit.* Then, for the first time ever (which is crazy to me), I ASKED FOR HELP because I had no idea what else to do. I was literally at the end of my rope.

I’m grateful to have people in my community to turn to. I’m not alone. Scary thing, asking for help. Especially when you’re all over the place and not really sure what you’re asking. All I knew was the pit in my stomach. Feeling physically ill. Hopelessness, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Just awful. Nothing less could have swayed me to push past the terror of being so vulnerable, with myself or those I reached out to.

I guess I’ve been wading through the mud for a little while and during the past month I unknowingly found myself sinking deeper. Actually, come to think of it, the mud pit has likely been forming discreetly for years. But last week, my head went under and it sucked.

So what happened? The inciting incident was a big deal, but in the scheme of things, it’s just a small piece of the puzzle. I failed and because it was such a dumb thing, it opened my eyes to a much larger problem. Lots of things had piled up, leaving me unhinged, off-kilter, and acting irresponsibly. Little voices had been speaking lies in my head, devaluing me and my efforts, AND I WAS LISTENING! I was vaguely aware it was happening, but didn’t address it head on. I didn’t take it serious and it became a monster.

I could go on and on and on and on with a tangent here and a tangent there, but the point is this: Satan is always chipping away at us in one way or another. If we aren’t doing those small and simple things that reinforce the Savior’s protection over us, we will falter, we will succumb to a weakened mind, and we will have to work all the more diligently to take back our freedom.

But there’s good news. Great news, actually! It’s God’s (and our) Eternal Plan of Happiness. It’s Jesus Christ.

I was breaking and I extended my arm, unsure of what happened next. The three people I was inspired to open up to offered comfort and counsel. Each served a different purpose. We talked through it. Some solutions were decided upon. I was given more things to think about as I work through this struggle. It’s certainly not over, but the tides have definitely changed and I’ve adjusted my sail with greater purpose. I am ready to bust through to the next level!

I want to share an insight I gained in the temple, based on a conversation I had with my bishop--pertaining to balance of things temporal vs. things spiritual.

Picture a scale, one with the two arms on either side of the middle stand. Spiritual matters in one basket, temporal matters in the other. It’s obvious you don’t want temporal to weigh more than spiritual. But do you really want temporal and spiritual to balance out evenly? What you want is for spiritual to weight more than temporal, but why? Spiritual grounds you to a secure foundation and actually lifts those temporal things up (making your burden light). Spiritual fortitude lifts YOU up to the challenge of your temporal tasks; it raises YOU up in capability to accomplish everything else. 

Praying, reading scripture, paying tithing, attending the temple, being a true disciple of Jesus Christ...these things can’t get mixed in with the rest of life or their value goes down and motivation to do them becomes directly correlated to your motivation for everything else. With matters of the spirit, you have to be driven by why you do them (their eternal value). Don’t just throw them on a checklist. Make them Priority 1, as necessary and second-nature as breathing.

I am grateful for self-awareness. God has increased my vision SO MUCH this week. As I was thinking about that, I kept seeing myself in a series of nesting domes. I can see inside the dome I’m in and as I grow and progress, eventually the space gets tight, I can’t see as much, and there’s some sort of struggle. Finally, I’m big enough and strong enough that I break through my little dome into the next size up and am able to see a far greater horizon. My perspective multiplies and I can see what I didn’t realize before. This is a process that goes on and on as I work with God to become like Him and honor my regal identity.

Quick example: I thought I was pretty open, but after everything this week and experiencing what it’s like to let my guard down completely, I started noticing how so open and vulnerable a ton of people around me are. It shocks me to realize I’ve been kidding myself in a lot of ways. But I’m eager to start living life with this new knowledge.

I’ve had glimpses of some pretty big goals in my life and I’ve expressed to Heavenly Father certain attributes I want or people I want to be like. As much as it can suck, I love recognizing that a lot of what I’m experiencing is absolutely necessary to reach those dreams. God is working hard to polish me into what I desire to be and I have to work hard too. I don’t want to be small and Heavenly Father doesn’t want that either.

I hope you know you matter too.

In those dark moments entrenched in negativity, it can be easier to just wallow in it. The demons fighting you want that. Satan takes pleasure when you not only believe his lies, but feed into them.

Don’t give him that power.

Fake it until you make it.

Speak affirmations until you believe them.

Never never never give up.

God loves you. You’re enough for Him, which means you’re good enough PERIOD.

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God doesn't create junk!

He gave me a perfect body. Perfect how? Its innate intelligence travels from my brain through my nervous system to every tissue, organ, and cell in my body; it runs countless processes every second without any help from me.

I am a soul, which I know to be the combination of my spirit with the body given to me by Heavenly Parents. My body is a temple for my spirit to reside in and I am entrusted to be a wise steward during mortality - I am responsible for it.

So why do I (or any of us) have physical or mental ailments if we have been given a perfect creation? It's my fault! The choices I make either promote or interfere with my body's amazing power. I create or destroy health, which I define as my body functioning at 100% of its potential. Sure, that's fine for things like cancer, which research has proven to be caused by environment as opposed to genetics 95% of the time. But what about things like scoliosis or mental health issues...no way would we choose those! True, but they don't just occur for no reason.

SOMETHING CAUSES EVERYTHING. Maybe it was an accident or something we did unknowingly. Regardless, every disease or limitation is caused by some mental, physical, or chemical interference with the information highway that is my nervous system. Thinking we are incapable of great things is one of those mental causes, sugar is one of those chemical causes, and subluxation is the biggest physical cause.

But God sent us here; we chose to come to earth. Was the deal that we would just have to put up with all this suffering? No, and I think we have lost sight of that. I believe we knew we would face some terrible stuff, but our faith in a body like our Father's was far greater than any risk of unnecessary suffering. The scriptures say that part of the beauty of the resurrection will be things restored to their perfect and proper frame. I, for one, am grateful that I can work towards that IN THIS LIFE. The better and longer that innate power flows through my body, the better and longer I can spend my mortal journey accomplishing God's work and preparing this earth for Christ's return.

God doesn't create junk--and He created me.

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Once upon the Lord’s timing...

Once upon a time, I lived in Utah and was probably the happiest I had ever been in my life. I was going to stay in Utah after graduating before moving to California. Then I wasn’t. Because God told me he would rather have me serve a mission and that I should move back to Nashville at the end of the summer. Remember this? (http://missionarymelody.blogspot.com/)

I wrestled with the Lord big time on this major change of plans. Boy did I ever! But I had enough sense to let the Spirit work its magic in my heart. I knew God is smarter than me and loves me too much to tell me to do something I don’t want to unless it’s really important. So I listened. I pressed forward with faith.

Great things happened as I CHOSE TO SAY YES TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER. I experienced countless tender mercies and blessings and feelings of joy confirming my decision to obey. I also had to experience a lot of pain though. Moving sucked. I was probably the saddest I had ever been in my life. I had to quit my job, leave my friends, move back in with my parents, and I still had no idea exactly what was coming next because I had just submitted my mission papers. So I came home and waited for my call. And I went to Disney World. Tender mercy alert! Halfway through a magical vacation, my plan (that I knew I had made with Heavenly Father) was shattered.

Severe scoliosis = honorably excused from full-time missionary service.

At least, that’s what the situation was on the surface. I fully believed there was a reason for all of this. God had made sure I knew I was supposed to serve a mission, but then seemingly changed his mind and told me no. I tried to analyze every tiny detail of my whole experience to reconcile -in my darkest moments- feeling like God had lied to me. Ultimately, I decided on a number of things, including but not limited to:

at least I’ll have no regrets later in life for not having served a mission

Melody needed to learn something about Melody (that I will heed my Master’s call)

Heavenly Father needed me in Nashville and something as important as planning to teach others about Jesus Christ in a formal capacity may have been the only way to get me here

Let’s remember, God doesn’t make us do anything. But He does have a magnificent plan for each of us. We always have options before us and God may tell us what to do, but the gift of agency He gave us still trumps His desires. You get to decide whether or not to follow Him. Rest assured though, the path He wants us to travel will always be one that allows us the richest blessings and opportunities to become more like Him. And if you seek Him, Jesus Christ will be right there with you. Through the Holy Ghost, I have felt my Savior’s embrace and the firm grasp of His hand in mine. We are not alone, in joy or in sadness.

So I waited on the Lord for a year and a half. Yep, the 18 months I thought I’d be on a mission were spent preparing me for what God really had in store. I was exercising faith and prioritizing my scoliosis care. There was quite a bit of aimlessness, but I was babysitting and “trying to figure out what to do next” and not completely wasting time. I could have done better, but I definitely could have done worse.

So here were are in 2015. I take a major leap of faith to do another 2 week intensive scoliosis treatment program. A month later, I’m sitting in a movie theater before a screening and on my phone I see a job posting. I have the crazy idea to apply because it sounds like I’m qualified and the chiropractor I just saw had me thinking about this very job---Front Desk Chiropractic Assistant. And even better? It’s at a Maximized Living Health Center.

The little details and timing of everything that led up to my decision to apply continue to astound me. Isn’t God amazing?! Not only did I finally care enough to apply for a job, I felt like the Holy Ghost confirmed this was right. And the extremely abnormal sick-to-my-stomach nervous feeling I had before each trip to the office? I determined Satan was trying to throw me off, make me think I wouldn’t like this job or I shouldn’t leave my chiropractors or this was the wrong thing for me. The Holy Ghost helped me see through his lies and I dared to consider how big of a deal this could be. After interviewing, I finally couldn’t help but admit how much I wanted this job. My hopes were up and there was nothing I could do about it. So much for trying to spare myself another major let-down.

Long story short, I didn’t get the job. Seriously, Heavenly Father? Another “just kidding” situation, really? What is going on? I actually kind of love that I was put through a similar back-and-forth with God though. The only difference was this time, I didn’t really feel that huge disappointment, just the peace. I’m okay. It’s okay. But geez, now I have to figure out why I went through this experience!

Then I did get the job. Holy cow, this roller coaster I was on! Again, isn’t God amazing?! He has a great sense of humor too. But moving right along...

The once happy, then sad, then in-limbo Melody found the place she belonged. Yay! As of this past week, I’ve been on the team for 3 months.

One of the best parts? I believe this is the mission God told me to come to Nashville for! He never lied to me. He just couldn’t explain all the details to me until the time came. What’s the mission at Major Family Chiropractic? Saving lives! We are on a mission to teach everyone about the incredible power God put in our bodies. If you remove subluxation and toxins and anything that interferes with that healing power, your body functions at 100% and you can live a maximized life. We can help.

I love my job! The transition from feeling like a patient to taking ownership and feeling at home in my position as a leader has been really cool. The job itself and the exercise challenges I’ve taken part in have gotten me so much healthier, mentally and physically. I’m much more disciplined now than I was. I’ve learned so much, grown immensely, and regained a lot of confidence. I love getting the opportunity to serve people every day.

The most amazing and important part, though, is the knowledge I’ve gained and the changes I’ve started making in my life. I finally had real health explained to me in a very clear and complete way. I finally got the why and the how. I’d been a patient in a Maximized Living office for a year and a half and I understood bits and pieces of the overall idea, but somehow I never managed to really get it. My view of chiropractic was so limited before, it’s mind-boggling. I didn’t know that I didn’t know! Chiropractic is for everyone.

Side note (from my LDS perspective): Maximized Living and the 5 Essentials are kind of like the fullness of the gospel in terms of health. “You don’t have to be sick!” is like “The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored!” People just don’t have all the truth and they don’t know it! Maybe you think you understand how your body works and how to be healthy, but there is more. Once you do have all the facts, it’s that missionary desire to tell everyone so they can have that precious knowledge too.

I also love my bosses! They are great examples to me both personally and professionally. I remember feeling so comfortable with them right away, like I had known them for a really long time. But I still love getting to know them. We’re family and I love it.

I’ve seen ups and downs and countless blessings over the last 2 ½ years, with so many wonderful people impacting my experience in small and big ways. It’s all in the Lord’s timing.

Life is great, huh? Aren’t you so glad you made the choice to come to earth and gain a body and have the chance to become like Father in Heaven?! Yeah. Me too.

On my way to living happily ever after... Not the end. :)

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I am suggesting that as we go through life, we 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort.

Gordon B. Hinckley

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The biggest business of any life is making decisions. While one of the greatest gifts of God to man is … the right of choice, he has also given man responsibility for these choices… We put our own lives in the direction of success or failure. We may not only choose our ultimate goals, but we may also determine and decide for ourselves, in many cases, the means by which we will arrive at those goals, and by our industry or lack of it determine the speed by which they may be reached. This takes individual effort and energy and will not be without opposition or conflict.

Ezra Taft Benson

https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-ezra-taft-benson/chapter-3-freedom-of-choice-an-eternal-principle

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My geography senses are tingling. :)

I love maps.

42 Amazing Maps (by vlogbrothers)

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Came across this video and think it's worth sharing. This is awesome.

I Know Who I Am LDS | Short Version (by IKnowWhoIAmLDS)

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This is sweet. Yay science in space!

New on my bucket list: drink a water bubble in zero gravity.

Wringing out Water on the ISS - for Science! (by canadianspaceagency)

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You are more beautiful than you think.

Dove Real Beauty Sketches (by doveunitedstates)

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Turn That Frown Upside Down

I was feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally stuck in a big gloomy pit.

I recognized the cool, crisp, refreshing air and sunshine outside.

We opened our windows. Not enough.

I checked the mail. Not enough.

I decided I needed to engage my whole body in some type of therapeutic activity.

I did a hand stand against a wall in my living room. I did a hand stand near the wall in my living room. Better, but still not enough.

I went outside to do a cartwheel, and another cartwheel, and another cartwheel, and a round-off, and another few cartwheels, and I attempted a hand spring flip thingy. During the first few cartwheels, I lost momentum half-way through as my less-than-flexible leg tried to stretch its way back to the ground. When I attempted the hand stand flip thing, motion stopped as soon as my feet were over my head and panic hit as I curled to crash safely to the ground.

It's healthy to not let myself be controlled by fear. I'm always trying to teach myself to be brave. Courage is power.

While I was stretching and tumbling and breathing in fresh air to try and cleanse my system, my roommate was picking flowers and proceeded to tie them together.

As we were sitting there on the ground, chatting and doing "childish" things, I found it cosmically beautiful that as we went through some of these basic actions, we did so with minds well educated.

Math: I'm losing energy. That cartwheel wasn't so much 180°, but I landed at something more like 140°.

Biology: (To the flowers) I'm taking all your reproductive organs.

I feel slightly better now, and my roommate is wearing her flower chain.

Life is good...or rather, it's a happy song.

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Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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That is so great.

SoulPancake: Chatterbox - Super Soul Sunday - Oprah Winfrey Network (by OWN)

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This...is also great.

Hugh Jackman's opening number at the 2009 Oscars® (by Oscars).

The singing starts at 1:00 and Anne Hathaway joins from 3:56 to 5:44. Almost 4 years ago, but I'm sure this was definitely considered when Les Misérables was being cast.

Oh and if you'd like to see Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris doing a duet at the 2011 Tony Awards, check this video out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqJxyuTMMog

:)

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Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway explain the movie "Les Miserables" in modern terminology at the SAG Awards.

This is great.

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Spiritually Superb Sunday

Church was absolutely amazing today. I was taught by the Spirit in all 3 meetings. Two-way communication with the Holy Ghost fills me with joy.

It began in sacrament meeting with me recognizing the need for an increased portion of reverence on my part. I prayed for help in focusing on the speakers and learning what God would have me learn. As I prayed, I found myself genuinely eager to hear the speakers and teachers in the coming 3 hours.

When Bishop invited us to reflect on our baptismal covenant during the administration of the sacrament, it was a nice reminder that I shouldn't take those few minutes a week for granted. So I took the time to re-read my patriarchal blessing and gain new insight and boy was that nice. It was during the sacrament that I found myself tuned in to the Spirit's radio station pretty clearly. During the talks in the remainder of the meeting, I learned about service and my soul was shouting "amen" as I listened and took notes and actively thought about what was being said.

During Sunday School, we talked about some of the purposes of the Book of Mormon and how merciful Heavenly Father is. The Spirit and I continued to talk.

In Relief Society, Bishop gave some great counsel on depression and temptation. The discussion was filled with useful tips and reminders. I learned a lot from everyone and I continued to receive inspiration and revelation as the Holy Ghost expounded upon what others were saying.

Earnest interaction with the Spirit is incredible. I haven't experienced church like this in quite a while actually. I think I've identified some of the factors at play in my good mood today--things ranging from a good dream to enough sleep and food to finding my way out of a grumpy week--but most important is the fact that I turned to God with sincere desire and He gave me a bigger hug than I was expecting. 

I had a spiritually superb Sunday.