Great Achievements- From Great Gifts

Family and Friends in Rocky Mountain National Park

It seems to me every day that the future is coming faster and faster- “time flies on wings of lightening.”  I never would have guessed I would end up where I am now- it is far better than anything I could have imagined! :)  The future seems to be clicking into place.  I have decided on classes and a major I love, the Lord continues to give me great gifts to help me continue with excitement and faith to the future.  I am so glad I am able to come home for this summer!  The idea was to save some money and get some surgeries done, but I have found I have not realized fully what other great gifts have come with this.

1.       I have the gift of a great family!  


I love my family; my Mom has been spoiling me now that I am home.  I no longer have to cook the majority of my meals- and other people actually help with the dishes on a regular basis (WOW!!- that is amazing).  My Mom is patient with me in shopping (I hate clothes shopping- it is hard enough trying to decide what clothes to wear every morning).  My Dad has gone biking with me in the morning- it is much more fun to have someone to go with (over 50, and still waiting on me).  My sister Beth represents an epitome of fun!  I love spending time with her- we have a lot of fun together!  I have an amazing brother still living in Provo.  Chad has been a great example to me of hard work and planning for the future!  My sister Tara is a superstar!  She is a wonderful example of concern and dedication to the work she is in.  I know we are all on to great things!

2.       I have the gift of great opportunities! 

It's a Sure Bet!

Wow! It has been a fantastic weekend!  It has been a little like Christmas, but without all the stress!  Did you watch general conference?  I hope you will take the chance to enjoy it if not.  Once again it has been a testimony for me that those men are called of God.  Although, recently I have been thinking about how it must be for someone on the outside looking in.  Is it obvious for them as it is for me that this church is true?  What is it that makes me so sure- and am I really so sure?  Some things I know absolutely are true from experience I have had.  Other things I just know, however it is the things coupled with the experiences I find I am able to glean the largest support.  I want to share my thoughts with you today about the sure way I know these things- and how you can know them as well.

I believe I have shared this story before, but that is ok as I am sure I will share it a little differently now.  I remember when I was little thinking about those some questions I mentioned above.  One evening pondering these things I had the question come to me about how much I would be willing to bet if the church was true.  I thought 1000$ would do . . . a little more thinking and I was up to 2000$ . . . soon up to 3000$ . . . and so forth continuing to climb.  After a time I realized there was a problem in trying to settle on any number to bet.