Day #12

Still hurting from yesterday... :(

So everyone including myself woke up at 7 am. However, after still feeling some pain I decided to stay home and rest while everyone else went to church. Today I felt a desire to study my BOM. Best decision I made today. I was just loving every chapter. I think I read AND studied about 5 chapters. It was so awesome I had a Bible one side and my Book of Mormon on the other and I just kept going back and forth. I seriously love studying the scriptures it just quenches my spiritual thirst. 

Afterwards, inevitably I took a nap and woke up a few hours later and showered. By then everyone was coming back from church. 

Mallory and Jess decided to have lunch with me which was really nice because I didn't want to leave the room. But Mallory was not feeling well so she went to bed but Jess and I sat and talked while we ate our lunch.

It's been a while since I've had healthy food.

So after our lunch, Jess (by persuasion of yours truly) began organizing her stuff. This is her getting distracted....

So her organizing lasted like 5 minutes and then she left and I went back to reading. Man I was on a roll today. If only I could be consistent. 

After several hours I got on my blog and updated it. I'm loving this whole blog thing. I don't normally stick to something but it has really helped me to keep my writing juices flowing.

Then about an hour later Jess, Mallory and I spent some time with Angie in her room. Angie is so funny!!! We were all just talking and all of a sudden she just does this up side down cartwheel thing up against the wall. We were all laughing and I was like "I guess Angie was done with the conversation." It was pretty funny.

Around 7 pm we got word that dinner was ready!!! I forgot to mention that apparently we did not have enough food for everyone and being Sunday and all we didn't want to go out and purchase food. But because God is so loving and merciful, He provided a ward member who offered to bring us some food! She was so kind and we were so grateful!!!

Here she is holding Maddy. She is wearing a B&W checkered dress on the far right and a few of her friends from all around the world. Seriously we had England, Taiwan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia and the US! 

The food was so delicious! We had chilli the Aussie way. Pretty much you put rice in the bottom then cheese, sour cream, green onions and the chilli and then you grab some nachos and scoop it up. It was delicious!!!!! 

After I was done, I decided to go into the kitchen and help Angie with the dishes. There is really nothing better than serving. I just feel so happy knowing I'm doing something good for someone else. 

Which reminds me I need to get my group to do something special for our professor's wife Stacey. She has gone up and beyond to organize activities for this trip and she deserves something for it. Plus she is just way cool.

So after everything was done we all sat around and had a devotional. 

First, we heard from Stacey. She mainly spoke about living in the moment, counting our blessings and being grateful. At least that's what I got out of it. She did a great job even though she had so little time to prepare. But those last minute talks are often the best because there is no second guessing the message. You just follow your gut and go! So good job Stacey!

Then we had the chance to bear our testimonies. A few people said some things that really impacted me. 

1) The Holy Ghost is like the rays of the sun. We sometimes take it for granted and will often forget about it. The rays like the Holy Ghost is constant and is always keeping us warm. We just need to step out of the darkness to feel them. In other words, we need to always make sure to make good choices so that the Holy Ghost can be with us. I love that metaphor. 

2) Our courage to get out of our comfort zone will create in us the greatest change. This thought came to me as a sister shared her experience with the YSA in Australia. She said she didn't like going because she used to be awkward and quiet but after she made the decision to go, she began to see a change in herself. Now she is more confident and much more happier. (Her testimony was mostly about agency).

3)"If you could remember who you were in the pre mortal existence you would stand in reverence of yourself" Aubry (Temple President) 

That last one was deep! 

The whole experience was really spiritual. Like the spirit was so strong mostly because one of our visitors sang a hymn using her guitar. It was really pretty to hear her sing. 

To end our night we sang "I need thee every hour." Almost immediately, I started bawling. There have been so times in my life where there is nothing or no one that can bring me comfort. That's when I have had the most spiritual moments of my life. In a moment of darkness, fear and weakness I have prayed to my father saying those very words "I need thee every hour" and almost if not immediately do I feel his hands lifting me up and helping me succeed in my endeavors which I am forever grateful! 

After the devotional, I decided I needed to get a blessing for my knee. I have had many blessings in the past and I know they are powerful when one has the faith. So on my way I went and received a blessing from one of our visitors and my professor. I really felt like I should ask this particular visitor and come to find out he had something very similar to me and so he knew how I felt. Made me think of the last few lines in 1 Nephi 16:29

There is something so special about a priesthood blessing. It may be because a blessing allows you to get direct revelation and you get to hear words of comfort from Heavenly Father. I mean there is prayer, but getting a blessing allows you to hear the words Heavenly Father would tell you if he was standing right in front of you. So it's pretty special.

So of course, I cried and thanked them for the blessing and came back to my room. 

Today has been a very spiritual night. I'm glad I had this day. Even though I didn't go to church I feel like the spirit has been teaching me and shaping me all day long. 

I really do hope everything goes well with my knee because tomorrow we are hiking the Blue Mountains!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!!

So two things I learned today:

1) When I was talking to Jess today we discussed agency and how we all have a choice to act for ourselves. I mentioned that I have a fear of being a parent because I worry that I may not be the best parent for my kids and she assured me that I shouldn't worry because my kids will come to an age where they will seek things out for themselves and learn what is good and what is bad. My job will be to show them how much I love them and honestly that really brought peace to my heart. I may screw up as a parent, but I'm 100% sure I will love the heck out of all my kids. I am glad to know as well that I have the gospel to teach me the ways to instruct my children in the things that are of high importance: Faith, Obedience and Charity. I'm glad Jess reminded me of that. 

2) Tonight I got a priesthood blessing from two worthy men and it was very special. A) I have often thought about things that I want in a man and rarely do I mention, a worthy priesthood holder worthy of giving me, my family and even others a blessing. When I was ready to leave, Dr Petersen said "when ever you need a blessing let me know I am always ready!" That brought so much peace to me because I know that no matter what happens to me on this trip I can count on a worthy priesthood holder to give me a blessing of comfort and of healing. B) Because of my blessing l received many answers to my questions and concerns. Many of you may not know this but a lot will change in the next few months and I have had a lot of things going through my mind. I am glad I had a little reminder that in times of doubts I shall seek no one other than Heavenly Father who is ready to answer all my questions and provide for me the comfort and guidance I need in my life. 

Well I'm off to bed! I love you all and please be safe, happy and grateful. 

Your truly,

Your Traveling Soul