Change of Place!

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Step Back

Dear People,

Recently, a dear Friend taught me a valuable lesson. She said to take a step back and look at the whole picture instead of each individual puzzle piece. I only thought to try it today, and already it has brought SO many blessings. My cup runneth over.

I kept wondering how I am going to live through the boredom of bedrest while I heal, but honestly, I think I’ve found it! I am so grateful for friends who give me assignments to accomplish in order to remain sane, haha. They are the best.

Sincerely, Shelbi

Chocolate. Ice. Cream.

Dear Somebody,

A lot, and yet, almost nothing has happened in the past six months. I finished the Pathway program with BYU-Idaho and had plans to continue online afterwards. I got a seasonal job working with children and loved it. I FINALLY went to the Dr. about my heel pain and found unexpected problems that resulted in surgery.

I have found with every long-term decision, there has been some sort of change of plans that has changed things from long-lasting to temporary. The funny thing is, I have loved every second of it. When I realized the pattern Heavenly Father was creating, I was more welcoming to that change.

Sitting here, typing this blog post, I have come to a greater appreciation of the plans of God. He sees everything, though I see but a little. I can see the little bits and pieces of my past that have made my future brighter, JUST BECAUSE I decided to listen.

So what, I didn’t continue schooling online for very long and my job was just seasonal. I am sitting here on my bed with my foot up because of surgery, but hey. I. Am. Here. I have come to know my Savior better through serving others and really trying to be more like Him.

THAT is what matters.

Love, Shelbi

Questions + Answers

Dear Friends,

Happy Monday! I sound crazy when I say this, but I love them!

I wasn’t able to attend church yesterday, but my friend who taught the Relief Society lesson gave me the information and asked for my thoughts. So here they are:

In the talk “Yielding Ourselves to God,” by Sister Neill F. Marriott, she asks the question “How do we become yielded and still?” Take a second and ask yourself that.

One way I do this is to give myself extra time to get ready for bed. I turn on some soft Church music that I normally only listen to on Sundays and give myself lots of ponder time. Sometimes, I just sit there and think. My point is to slow down and be still. How do YOU do this?

The next question she asks is for during the Sacrament. After she repents of her wrongs from the previous week, she asks “Father, is there more?” This reminds me of “What lack I yet?” which is something we should ask Heavenly Father, often.

In 3 Nephi 9:20 it says “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit...” So ask yourself: What condition is my heart in today? “In order to have a healed and faithful heart, I must allow it to break before the Lord.” (Sister Marriott)

The second talk I read is called “The Joy of Living a Christ-Centered Life” by Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy. He tells us of a potter that is teaching a group of youth at a conference. The potter begins by showing them the basics and then lets them try. Many become frustrated and say they aren’t talented enough. The potter then shows them that the clay needs to be exactly on the center of the wheel for it to work properly.

We need to center our lives on Christ in order to live happily. In 2 Nephi 5:27, the family of Lehi had been in the wilderness for about 30 years and they followed the Lord. “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”

Another example from the scriptures is from Alma 20:23. This is when king Lamoni and Ammon are speaking to king Lamoni’s father, asking him to release Ammon’s brothers from prison. The older king learned of his son’s new beliefs and tried to kill him, but Ammon defended him and almost killed him in turn. (Alma 20:23) “Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of the kingdom.”

Then later, when Ammon has his brothers freed from prison, Aaron (a brother of Ammon), is talking to the father of king Lamoni about the gospel. Notice what the king says about his kingdom: (Alma 22:15) “And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.”

I know that if we take time to be still and obey His commands with exactness, we will be happy.

Sincerely, Shelbi

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