Progress

I don't really want to write anything about my weekend even though it was great.
It was really great.
I'll just sum it up and tell you that I made progress and made some friends over the weekend. Yay me!

What I really want to write about is the most important thing that happened to me this weekend. Also, it is probably the best thing that has happened to me since arriving in Utah.

On Halloween, we had a special stake conference and Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was there to speak to us. I had the opportunity to sing in the stake choir, and I think that was probably the best choir I have ever taken part in. I have never been that close to an apostle of the Lord before, and I couldn't believe the amazing spirit that was there that day. Elder Hales addressed us as young single adults and expressed the love that President Monson and the remainder of the Quorum have for us. Elder Hales spoke to us about knowing that we are children of God, that we each have a divine potential, that we have each been given special gifts, talents, and unique purposes here in this life, and that only when we truly love ourselves, can we show love for others around us.

In my life, I have experienced many instances where I knew a particular talk or lesson was meant just for me, but I have never felt that entire conference was all just for me. Every word of each talk and every song is what I needed to hear. My Heavenly Father knows my situation. He knows that I get scared sometimes and He knows that sometimes I don't have much confidence in myself and He knows most of all how much I need Him in my life.

Sometimes when I think about how others view The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I try to put myself in their shoes, I think I can understand how weird we seem to them. We are a peculiar people. An instructor once told me that as Mormons, we are either the largest group of nuts in this world, or we actually have the truth.

Well, we have the truth. When I think about not having the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, my heart physically aches. I don't know how I would live my life without it. Needless to say, I would be lost. Thankfully, I know who I am. I am a daughter of God who loves me and wants me to find happiness in this life and in the life to come. Because of my Savior Jesus Christ, I can go home to Him. My family can go home to Him. I have a special purpose in this life. I am still trying to find out what that is exactly because I am no cookie-cutter cut out. I am Kelly Marie and because God loves me, I can love myself. I find pure joy through that knowledge and the knowledge that despite my imperfections, my Heavenly Father wants me to come home. I find joy in my family because my Heavenly Father loves them too and He gave me a heart to love them in return. I want to be with them forever. And I can. And I will.

"Thee lift me, and I'll lift thee, and we'll ascend together."