I've recently found great humor in reading old journals. My oh my, it has been eye opening. Besides the misspelled words and dramatic rants, I have found an interesting reoccurring topic–the gospel of Jesus Christ. It amazes me that I can look back to journal entrees from my childhood and sure enough I share about a spiritual experience I had. It has been humbling to reflect on the blessed life I have lived. I thought it would be humorous and also uplifting to share some of these with you. I have changed some of the names but other than that you are getting an exact quotation. (Try not to cringe too much at the grammar and spelling mistakes) Enjoy!
(This was probably the first time I recognized a prompting from the Holy Ghost. I would have been 10 years old)
June 16th 2004:
"At school one of my friends Beatrice asked me if I could come to her house so I asked my mom. She works at the school. She said okay. But later I had a BAD feeling I sould not go. I just didn't pay a tenchon. After school I went to her house. First we went inside and we played with her kittens. Then we went to the trees. Beatrice has tons of trees on one side of her house and theres lots of piles of bark. Well Beatrice was up in a tree I was walking past and steped on a peice of wood. I did not know there was a nail in it. I screamed! We both saw the nail it was a big rusty one. Beatrice helped me inside and we went to the bathroom I cleaned it off in the tub. I wasnt sure what to do so I called my mom. She toke me to the hospital. I got a tetnis shot. Later we found out I did not need one cause I got when I was 5. When we got home we looked at my sandle. They are one inch high and it still got my foot. If I was wereing my runners it would have gone deeper. I was aloud to go swimming the next day but I had to clean my foot after. It was one crazy advencher."
(The boy struggle was real even at 12 years old, and I really liked the word really)
June 5th, 2006:
"Yesterday at church we had a stake Sunday school leader come and listen to our Sunday school class. Well I wish he'd come every week because I've never seen those boys behave so well! Of course I'm the only girl. So I answer half the questions and the four boys take the other half. But last week everyone listened really well and we got to have better more serious discustions. It felt really good because I really did feel the spirit strong."
(Nothing beats spiritual experiences at young women's camp)
August 24th, 2007:
"I just got back from camp and what an amazing experience that was. The second night we were there the girls that were in the other tent called us over to hear Karen talk to us in her sleep. That was funny she is the most bazare sleeper I have ever seen. But the amazing thing happend after the giggles of Karen's confersations. Suddenly we heard coyotes. They were loud and were running close near us. Valorie was sitting beside me and she started to cry. She said to us this "sorry guys I have just had some bad experiences with coyotes" so I had Valorie sobbing in my arms and I looked over at Amanda and said we need to say a prayer for comfort. So she did and after that prayer was finished the Holy Ghost came spilling into the tent and comfort was left were the worry and scared feelings had been. We went back to our own tent and got to sleep after saying our own prayers."
(I have had so many great examples in my life! Especially those siblings and cousins who showed me the blessings of serving a mission and keeping the commandments)
Feb. 22nd, 2009:
"We received word from Mark in an email that he will be transferred to a new area in Utah. Mark is a righteous man. I wrote him and told him that where ever he goes people are going to love him. You know it is amazing to me how perfectly the church works. Young men in suits teaching people about the truths of the gospel and how they can attain eternal life and have an eternal family in Heaven after they die. It is wonderful that Mark is part of that. Today Amy Toth spoke in church. She just came home from a mission in Florida. She is glowing with the light of Christ. Wow she is ready to live the rest of her life as righteously as she can."
(Funny how I thought life was scary after graduation.. I had no idea what things were to come)
August 1st 2012:
"I really want to keep whats important at the top of my priority list. I may not have a social life but I think being with my sister and family is so much more important. I've been working really hard the last month while my family has been in Calgary at the hospital with Nat. I think I'm just in denial that I am getting to this stage in my life. I am officially a visiting teacher, Amanda (one of my bestfriends) and I are teaching companions and we visit teach Patty (our relief society president). As different as I feel I am feeling good. I want to keep my priorities in order. I want to feel I am accomplishing things and I feel like I can't do that unless I am close to my Savior and doing what Heavenly Father wants me to do."
(This was in the last month of my mission, I just barely read it today and I needed to read this to remind me that the things I was experiencing one year ago apply just the same to my life now)
August 8th, 2014:
"One feeling that I can't forget, and which I think I will continue to feel while on my mission and throughout my life is the overwhelming feeling of the spirit. It keeps me aware of God's love for me, it keeps me humble, and I always feel so grateful for it. Often I just feel like my heart is going to burst. It could be in a spirit filled lesson, or an exciting event like a baptism, or even a small moment no one else is aware of when a hymn I love comes on in the car."
I just want to bear my testimony first and foremost of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know God loves me. Since he loves me, he has given me commandments to follow so that I can come closer to Him. He has blessed my life so much. I am so grateful for every spiritual experience I've had in my life (whether big or small) that has helped strengthen my testimony.
I suppose now I am going to have start keeping a journal again. The benefits seem pretty grand.
Much love,
Em
