Don't forget...

A friend of mine wrote on her blog about things she would tell her younger self, if she could, and she gave a challenge to think of advice we would give ourselves 5-10 years ago. Like my friend, I think experience is a great teacher. I, too, served a mission for the church, and wish I'd had more experience at that time. I felt bad when asked for marriage advice since I was a single, never-been-married 20 something at the time. So, I took her challenge and this is what I came up with. 


1. When faced with trials, don't ask "Why?" Ask, "What?" What am I supposed to learn from this? I can't tell you how many times I've asked that question, and immediately the Spirit has answered very simply, but with exactly what I need. I have made some amazing changes in my life because I stopped asking "Why" and started asking "What."


2. Stand up for yourself. Just because you are so nice, you can't expect everyone to be that way, too. The world is full of abusive people just looking for a door mat. You know you aren't happy being the door mat, so learn what you need to learn, and move on. 


3. Don't hide behind food. Just admit the cold, hard facts of the past, learn what you need to learn, and move on. 


4. Heavenly Father knows you better than you know yourself. Remember when you got your patriarchal blessing and how surprised you were to find out there would be more than one man wanting to marry you and you would have a choice? Remember the other things it said about you that you couldn't believe? Remember how you were made a co-senior companion when you had been in Honduras 4.5 months...and your companion was also from Utah and had been in Honduras for 3 months? HE definitely knows you better than you know yourself. 


5. Lastly, Heavenly Father loves you just the way you are. Knowing that is more motivating than anything else. My uncle and aunt had something they said to the kids whenever they left home. I'm probably not getting it quite right, but I like to think that Heavenly Father said the same thing when we came to earth. 

"Don't forget...I love you."