Some Days I Miss the Rain

I wanted to post earlier this week but sadly I was busy between being ill with a sinus and ear infection, work and school. The end of this week has been largely uneventful for me. Also if anyone has photos of things, people, or places that they want to take pictures of please let me know. I am in need of more ideas.

My title comes from a thought that I had on Friday. I stayed home and did my best to rest; I am my father's son and sitting still and doing nothing are difficult. I did some homework sitting in my room. I was sitting in my room when a rain storm erupted outside. It was lovely and it even reached the point of being a massive down pour. I very much wanted to go out and run around in it but I knew that it would be a poor decision especially because I was missing school because I was already sick.

So on Thursday I worked and after work I was in a good mood for some reason that I don't recall. On my way home a saw a couple of cute girls, and decided to say hi. I said hi in passing and gave them a smile. Then I saw a couple and decided not to say hi to them. The guy said "Hi Smilely Guy." I thought that it was funny because I had an ear and sinus infection and felt more tired than happy. This incident reminded me of a time in middle school; I need to say that for me, my middle school years were rather depressing. I had a friend of mine who was having a crisis in her life and felt that she needed more than what her religion was providing her. She asked a few of friends before asking me about my religion. She started asking by saying something to the effect of "Albert, you're always so happy and I want to know why". I will always remembering thinking about how odd it seemed to me that I could appear happy to someone else, even when, in my mind, I felt miserable. I have since decided that it is because I have the Gospel in my life. I think that because I do my best to live the Gospel that Heavenly Father helps me to see the bright side in even the darkest of situations.

I took the picture below because I did this without thinking while making a sandwich and it ties in so when to this post.

My spiritual thought for this week comes from something that I learned while reading a talk by President Eyring of the First Presidency that he gave at BYU-Idaho in 2001 called "A Steady, Upward Course". I haven't finished the talk yet but from I've read it's very good and it was given only a week after Sept. 11.

In the talk, he talks about the phrase "Remember who you are" which is repeated by some parents to their children as they walk out the door on their way to an activity. He says that this phrase assumes that "you had asked and answered a question correctly to know who you really are." He says that if we have answered this question "well and wisely" that it will allow us to progress in the changing world. In his talk, he refers to teenagers and the confusing period of life that they're going through. I remember being a rather confused teenager and like Joseph Smith wanting to know my standing before the Lord. So at the age of 14, I sought out my patriarchal blessing. In it Heavenly Father makes it clear what He wanted me to do and who He wants me to be. Ever since I figured out who I was to my Father in Heaven, it has a world of difference to me in my life. Remembering that I am a son of my Father and that He expects a lot of me, has helped me to make the right decision in numerous occasions. The Spirit made it clear to me that this was why, He had reminded me so many times of my eternal identity. This revelation humbled me and I thanked my Heavenly Father for those reminders of who I am.

I hope that this week, if you haven't asked who you are that you will ask. I hope you ask our Father in Heaven so that He may witness to you that you are really His son or daughter whom He loves. I feel impressed to remind you, mes chèrs lecteurs et lectrices, that you should never resist running out in the rain of the Atonement. I know from past experience that the Atonement of our Savior can wash off the all filth on you so that you can be the real you, a child of Heavenly Father. Please do not hesitate to use the power of the Atonement. It will cleanse you from sins from which you thought you never could be clean and it can heal all wounds no matter how deep. I testify of this in the Savior's name who's sacrifice can make us clean, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

I apologize for not having written on Sunday and Monday but I was extremely busy with Church, school, and work. I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to write about on Sunday when I remembered what day it was. As all or at least most of my readers will be aware, Sunday was the decade anniversary of September 11. I believe had my grandparents lived, that the day they will never forget was December 7; I believe for my generation, we will say the same of September 11.

Like many of my readers, I remember exactly where I was when I learned about the tragic events that changed our nation. I was initially shelled shocked for several days there after. If my memory is correct, I believe that my dad was on a business trip in Chicago on that faithful day. I remember at some point realizing the fact that just like I had seen on 9/11 that any of my family members or friends could taken from this life. This reality was underscored by the fact that I had already experienced the deaths of both of my grandmothers.

I remember in the days following September 11, hearing stories of family members and relatives about how they had lost a their love ones that day. I also remember that the most oft expressed regret was that that they wished they had told their loved ones and friends more frequently how much they loved and appreciated them. That memory still brings tears to my eyes. I then remember looking into the faces of the members of my family and promising myself that I make sure that my family members always knew that I loved them. From then on, I did my best to tell the members of my family how much I loved them and appreciated them. I more readily said "I love you" just before saying bye. I decided during that time that if my family and friends didn't know that I loved them by time that they left this world, that I would have failed part of my mission for this life. I started a tradition that my family knows about; I started giving each person of my family members a hug just before going to bed.

Since then, I have committed, to use the phrase from "Ever Ever After" from Enchanted, to "wear[ing] [my] heart on [my] sleeve". As some of my readers may know, this attitude from time to time causes me some pain but I will say that I have yet to regret it despite the heartbreaks it has brought me. I believe that too many times we fail to express love and gratitude to the extent that we should. I feel that for those of us who are trying to follow the Savior that this is a transgression. From what I know from my own life and what I have read in the scriptures, I believe that the Savior and our Heavenly Father both express their love to us readily and frequently. Therefore, if we wish to follow their example we must do the same.

So my invitation today is find more ways of expressing your love and gratitude to your loved ones and friends. If you can, learn to wear your heart on your sleeve; I promise that not that life will be easier, but I will promise you that you will learn to love the life the Lord has given you more and that you will come to view others more like our Savior views them.