Talents

One of the best things about being graduated is how much time I now have to spend on my hobbies and developing my talents.  My reading time has increased, I've learned to crochet, I have opportunities to cook a little more often, I've spent a little more time playing guitar, and I get to sew sometimes.  I really love it!

I think it's really been good for my self-esteem.  My insecurities about certain things have, in the past, caused me to interact with people in a way that is less than perfect.  I won't go into detail, but let's just say that I've finally started to see just as much value in myself as I see in other people--that is, I am trying to see myself as Heavenly Father sees me--and I feel more confidence in myself and love for other people than I've probably ever felt before.

I'm not saying that you have to cook, sew, be musical, and be a genius to value yourself.  All I'm saying is that I've finally started to see how my talents can add meaning to my life, not because I'm "the best" at any certain thing, but because I have simply been striving to become better.  Geez, it has taken me a long time to figure that out.

Now, I'm not the best singer in the world, but I still sing.
I'm not the best guitar player in the world, but I still play guitar.
I'm not the best or fastest crocheter in the world, but I still crochet.
When I sew I get really excited and end up sometimes skipping small but important steps that would make the final product look so much better, so I am certainly not the best seamstress in the world, but I still sew.  (Side note: At first I actually typed that I'm "not the best sewer in the world."  Also true.)

Mostly I do these things because I enjoy them, but hopefully I can soon figure out how to better serve others with those abilities, because I think that is the true purpose of talents and gifts.  Each of us has been blessed with talents--both spiritual and temporal--that are characteristics we've inherited from our Father in Heaven.  These gifts have been given to us to enrich our lives and improve the lives of those around us.  So much of our world is based on competition to be the best at something, when really we should just strive to be the best versions of ourselves.  I know people who have the gifts of joy, love, hope, and perspective, among many others.  As we all share those unique and special gifts, our power and influence for good increases.  What gifts do you have to share?

Why I am beautiful

Let me preface this post by saying that this is not meant to come across as conceited in any way.  I just want the record to show that today I re-realized that I am beautiful.  I'm sure there are plenty of days to come when I won't feel this way, so I want to be sure and remember this.

This morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and instead of my usual, "You look pretty," I told myself, "You are beautiful."  It caught me off-guard, the difference between "you look" and "you are."  Beauty is not about how we look.  Beauty is about how we are.

So while I also look beautiful, I want to remember why I am beautiful.  It's not because I am a certain height, weight, body type, or facial structure.  It's not because of my hair color, eye color, skin color, or even teeth color.  It's not because of the clothes I am wearing or the makeup I apply.  It's not because of the number of dates I do or do not go on.

I am beautiful because my smile is genuine.
I am beautiful because my eyes are expressive and look for the good in life and in other people.
I am beautiful because my mind works hard.
I am beautiful because my ears listen to friends in need.
I am beautiful because my hands serve others, often through my many talents.
I am beautiful because my arms hug tight with real love.
I am beautiful because my legs take me to places where I can do good.
I am beautiful because my mouth speaks kind words.
I am beautiful because my heart can love people until it hurts.
I am beautiful because my Heavenly Father created me.

I believe in Christ.

This video has been spreading amongst my LDS friends like wildfire the past couple of days, and it has sparked quite the discussion.  There are plenty of things I could tackle on this subject, but I just wanted to say a couple of things.

1. If people want to define a "Christian" as one who agrees with principles set forth in the Nicene Creed, namely the belief in the nature of the Godhead as the Trinity, then I am just fine with not fitting their definition.  It is that difference in belief that separates us from other faiths; in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe in modern prophecies and revelations, that our Father in Heaven continues to speak to His children today.  It is through one such modern revelation--Joseph Smith's First Vision--that we gained our knowledge of one of the fundamental principles of our religion: that God, our Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate, distinct beings, although all are one in purpose.  Their purpose?  To "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).  A basic understanding of the Plan of Salvation, which is truly the crux of our existence on this earth, brings this issue into perspective, and that knowledge is something I would not be willing to give up to fit certain definitions of "Christian."  I find it unfortunate that some do not see us as such, but if our belief about the nature of the Godhead is a standard whereby people can better understand the differences between the beliefs of LDS and those of others, then let people call us what they may.

2. That said, I will never say myself that I am not a Christian.  I am a follower of Christ.  I believe in Him; I rejoice in His life, Atonement, and Resurrection, and I try every day to follow His example (See 2 Nephi 25:26.).  I am sure that I am not the only one in this world--and certainly Latter-Day Saints are not the only ones--to try and be kind to others, serve those in need, and "mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9).  Is that not what Christ did?  Did He not spend all His time caring for others--healing the sick, teaching with compassion, and performing countless miracles that were not just serving as a way for people to know who He was, but were also a living testimony of His devotion to God?  Again, I think it's unfortunate that some people do not see us as Christians, for Christ said himself, "By their fruits ye shall know them." (Read here for my brother's take on this subject.)  As for me, I know that Christ is my Savior and exemplar, and I will share that knowledge in the way I speak, the way I treat others, and the way I strive to live my life as a witness of God.  In the end, regardless of who gets called Christian and who gets called a cultist, it is not going to hurt the world at all if people of all faiths live their lives with love, compassion, and kindness. 

I Believe in Christ.  I know that He is the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He and our Father in Heaven restored, through the prophet Joseph Smith, the Church as it existed in His day.  Our Heavenly Father continues to speak to us today by the power of the Holy Ghost, both through our living prophets and through the individual, personal revelation.  I know that He loves us, His children, individually and perfectly.  I know that through Christ, through His infinite Atonement, we can be cleansed of all our imperfections, insecurities, and fears and someday return to live with Heavenly Father.

If you have questions about what I and other Latter-Day Saints believe, ask one of us!  You can also visit lds.org and mormon.org.

"For worthy friends . . ."

I'm sure you've heard people say things like, "He knows me better than I know myself" about a best friend, spouse, parent, or sibling.  I've never really liked that statement that much, because in my opinion there is only One who truly knows us better than we know ourselves.  However, recently I've realized that I have several friends to whom that cliche can be justly attributed.  I'm starting to understand now that it isn't so much that they actually know me better, but that they remember me--they remember who I am in God's eyes.  They see me for my goodness and for my potential, forgiving me of my weaknesses and faults.

To quote myself from an April 2009 blog post, "[. . .] Others, especially my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ, see me in a better light than I often see myself.  It's like I'm always looking at myself in fluorescent lighting, highlighting all my imperfections, while They see me in perfect, glorious sunlight."

Whenever I see myself through the lens of my own insecurities and doubts, I obscure my own view of my potential.  I'm not going to deny that my friends see those insecurities, but they won't see them as roadblocks to my worth.  I am grateful for friends who refuse to know anything other than the best version of me, even when I can't seem to acknowledge that my best self could ever exist.

On Teaching

I have some great news to share: This week, I get to start going into one of the local preschools to teach some of the SEEL lessons my coworkers and I have been writing.  I cannot wait!

Also, the tutoring program between my ward and the Spanish ward down the road is really starting to come together!  We're getting a great idea of how many people we can expect each week and what their needs are.  We've also had several people from my ward--even in addition to those who have received it as their calling--who have volunteered their time to come help us teach every Tuesday night, even though I'm sure they have other things they could be doing.  It makes me so happy to see my peers willing to spend their time in such a meaningful way.

I suppose lately I've just felt empowered to know that there are so many people dedicated to the improvement of lives by education.  It has certainly changed my life for the better, and I am glad I get to play a small part in extending that power to others.