This week I was reading in 2 Nephi chapter 2 which talks a lot about the Fall and the consequences thereof. I've been pondering a lot about the decisions we make in this life and how they affect us in the life to come. I believe that there are many decisions that affect our time here on earth, but there are also many that affect us after this life. There are also a handful that are key to both this life and the next. 

After a long week of projects, midterms, quizzes, and papers, my brain is fried. I made the mistake of thinking that an accounting project was due at midnight tonight - when in reality it was due at 5 pm. I had allotted time later in the evening to work on and finish the project as I had previous engagements. In fact, my brother was scheduled to go to the temple for the first time to receive his endowment at 4 pm. When I realized that the project was due at 5 and not later in the evening, I had a minor "freak out". Not knowing what to do, yet knowing exactly where I was needed, I called my mom and explained the situation. She encouraged me to try my best to finish the assignment ahead of time. No condemnation for my mistake was shown, but instead, understanding. I called my strict professor and nearly begged for some way to have an extension on the project as a voice mail message. I chose to forgo the project and take a 0 because I knew that my mistake was no excuse to miss a pivotal moment in my only brother's spiritual growth as he prepares for his mission. I made it to the temple and said a little prayer just outside the car, asking for help to focus, learn, and serve while there in the temple. My thoughts and concerns vanished and I was able to get a lot out of the session.
After exiting the temple and heading to dinner, I checked my email only to find an email from my merciful professor. Though he had been very clear and had reminded us many times about the assignment, he recognized my tricky situation. The email read:

"...I received your phone message. Not to worry. Sometimes things conspire against us. So it is now for you. Get the project done when you can and then take the quiz. Don't worry about this now. You have more important things to think about - like your brother. 
Take care."

What a tender mercy. The decision to forgo the project to focus on eternal matters had led to one of the sweetest tender mercies I have ever seen. Though it seems little, it meant the world to me. We make our own choices in this life - some good, some bad. I make mistakes daily, but I am grateful to have a testimony that it is from these mistakes that we learn. As we learn to understand and grasp the Grand Creator and His purposes, we come to the knowledge of a merciful God. I know that if we have an eternal perspective in our daily lives, then we can make decisions that will affect us positively in both this life and the next.

This week I was struggling with some major decisions in my life. I thought that I had my life in order and everything was going according to my plan. Within a week, everything changed and I was suddenly questioning my purpose behind each decision I had already made. I started thinking about my future and my outlook on life and my perspective had changed based on recent happenings. I realized that I had been living my life (since being home from my mission) according to my desires and wants. I had to take a step back and realize that I needed to realign my will with the will of the Lord.

When Jesus is suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, he begs the father to remove the bitter cup but then takes a step back adding, "Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).

As we all go through life it is very important to align our will with the will of the Lord. Though sometimes hard to grasp and understand, God has a plan for each and every one of us in this life. In fact, His plan extends past this life and into eternity. I know that had I not trusted in the Lord and His plan throughout my life, I would not be where I am today. Sometimes we just need a small reminder of the love that God has for each and every one of us and how he only wants the best for us.

Lately, one of my favorite things to do is to separate the various doctrines and principles of the gospel and sort them by subject. From there, I'll pick one particular principle or doctrine and ponder back to the time when I first gained my testimony of that thing. 

On my mission I did this several times and kept noticing that the experiences I had with each subject kept increasing and I was creating a repertoire within parts of my testimony. Not only did it help me to continue and grow this week, but it is something that will continually help me. 

The more I study the scriptures, serve, and continually try to progress, I know that the Lord will bless me with chances to grow spiritually. Though we are far away from our Heavenly Father's presence, we can never be that far away. 

After this self-reflection, I knelt down on my knees and asked God to confirm the points of my testimony that I considered well-developed. I also asked Him to help me to realize any points that I could improve in my testimony. It was such a great opportunity to openly communicate with my Heavenly Father and speak to him like He was sitting right next to me.

This week in particular I have been pondering the Atonement and what it means to me. I thought back to how I was growing up, not really knowing for sure if the Atonement was real, but still bearing testimony of it. For me to truly gain a testimony of the Atonement I had to hit closer to rock bottom. I had to be able to truly experience the pain, just a small fraction, of what Christ felt in Gethsemane. 

The Atonement has changed my life. I know that as we continue to repent daily and fear God more than man, we can lead happy lives full of progression, development, and joy.

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to attend a mission farewell of my friend's little sister who will soon be departing to the Thailand Bangkok mission next week. At her farewell, a beautiful combination of "If You Could Hie to Kolob" and "Come Thou Fount" was sung in a special musical number. The words stood out specifically to me especially from "If You Could Hie to Kolob" as that song was sung at our good family friend's funeral last month. I began to ponder the lyrics found in the last verse.
"There is no end to glory;
There is no end to glory;
There is no end to love;
There is no end to being;
There is no death above.
There is no end to glory;
There is no end to love;
There is no end to being;
There is no death above."

These lyrics touched me as I thought back to the great and divine Creator and the many blessings in our lives. Though it is so easy to get hung up on one thing that seems so big, it is better to see life through the eyes of our grand Creator. Life is just a small moment in the scheme of eternity.
I love how the lyrics in the song emphasize the fact that there really is no end. There is no end to glory, no end to being, and no death above. We all have the potential to return to live in our Heavenly Father's presence. We are all granted resurrection but we have to work a little harder for eternal life. With great opportunity comes great responsibility.
As we strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can grow and gain a better understanding of the plan that God has for each and every one of us. As I attend the temple each week, I am made more and more aware of how intricate and divine God's plan is and how it has been worked out from the very beginning. Heavenly Father created these wonderful blueprints for the creation. Christ performed the actual labor to make the Earth. We are the lucky ones that dwell on this beautiful planet and we have great responsibility to fulfill our purposes here and continue onward.

This week I was reading in the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 19 and stumbled upon a scripture that I loved and connected with my freshman year of high school. The scripture reads, "And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning" (1 Nephi 19:23). 

In various points of my life I have received Priesthood blessings that have emphasized the importance of reading the scriptures and applying the principles into my life. Recently, I have tried to put added emphasis on the application of my scripture studies. It is one thing to read the scriptures, it's another thing to truly study them, and it's another thing to apply the principles learned into our lives. 

Life gets busy and we all get caught up in the day to day bustle of school, friends, activities etc that can distract us from other important things in our life. It is so key to have a balance in all things - including spiritual matters and habits. When we apply gospel principles and doctrines into our life, we can make our life more rich and meaningful. In doing so, we will find greater ability to balance life's challenges and face them with the courage the gospel brings.

This past week I had the opportunity to attend our weekly campus devotional. This week, Elder Cook came and talked about choices we make. Though the whole devotional was very uplifting, there was one line that caught be completely by surprise. He said something along the lines of (the text isn't out yet) how marriage is more important than education right now in our lives. 

I was taken back completely. While marriage is in my plans that I have for myself, I always put education first. It was almost as if Elder Cook was slapping me with a cold fish as a wake-up call. 

I pondered this thought throughout the rest of the day and I really struggled to agree completely with his point. I thought it was a tough thing to ask of us at such a young age and so inexperienced. Perhaps it's because my parents both graduated before they got married. Marriage was NOT a priority in my life. 

I inquired of the Lord and read the scripture 1 Nephi 14:3 which encouraged me further to continue asking God for understanding.

I read my scriptures that night and learned about how Laman and Lemuel complained and claimed that God asked hard things of them. I was started to feel guilty and then was finally called out entirely for my faults in a verse I read. It says, "If we were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us"(1 Nephi 16:3)

What a true and everlasting principle that is. Being righteous enough to give heed unto direction once you hear it. Though it is important to ask God for clarification or further confirmation, it is important that we do not murmur against the Lord's servants. 

After this experience, I have come to know that if I have any questions or doubts, I need to take it to the Lord. Sooner than later, the Lord will reveal unto me the things that I need to know at that certain point in my life. This is something that we can all apply into our lives as we continue to seek to align our will with God's.

In my scripture study this week, I read in 1 Nephi and was able to relate to many of the chapters and verses. A passage that I really enjoyed is found in 1 Nephi 10:18-19.

"For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is perpared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round" (1 Nephi 10:18-19)

Now that the semester is starting to speed up and classes are starting to get more and more stressful, it is so important to keep an eternal perspective on things. For me I have be able to realize that everything happens for a reason and that the sooner I align my will with the will of God the better. I especially like how this verse refers to how the course of the Lord is one eternal round. It shows that God is the same forever, and that he is never-changing. His doctrine is going to be the same today, tomorrow, and forever. 

The 9th Article of Faith states, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God". 

God is forever the same. He understands and comprehends all the things that we can't understand in this point of our eternal progression. This is something that I can apply to my life everyday. As I remember the importance of the daily things, and execute them, I can draw closer to the Lord and understand His higher purposes. I can more easily recognize His hand in my life and I can grow in my testimony of the Plan of Salvation and the work in these latter-days.