Hello Old Friend

Hey there! Long time no see. 

As you can see, I posted a couple of times at the beginning of the year. But I will be honest - it was for a class. we had to post every week (lol, I did not) to some social media platform, so I chose my long lost blog! But still, those don't really count.

But NOW, I am thinking of sort of reinventing my blogs purpose. As you know, I am horrid at keeping to a schedule and weekly blog posts are hard when school is just starting. Still, I have noticed that the note pad in my phone as began to over flow with the dreams I have had in the past two years. So, I need somewhere to write them down.

Like I have mentioned before, I have very livid and imaginative dreams. They aren't always crazy, and I don't always remember them, but it happens often enough that I have a rather long list I have been keeping. And it it time to put these dreams to use!

The Dream Plan

In order to better cultivate my creative side, and to get these stories out of my head, I am now going to turn this into a dream blog, and use it to flush out all my cool dreams. Like I mentioned, a lot of the filler details usually get lost in translation, so it may be more about stories heavily based off of my dreams. 

So, long story short, my posts will still be few and far between - but I have two years of catching up to do, so I better get started (yes now....no, I'm not just doing this to put off homework, what gave you that idea?) 

Anyway, you will be hearing from me soon - but in the mean time - here is an Avatar gif for old times sake!

Aang, too, has very crazy dreams

Fair-faring, friends!

Never Just Enough

"O all ye that are spared because were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I  may heal you?" (3 Nephi 9:13)

This verse comes as a real eye opener to me. Imagine one day, seeing all the wickedness and unrighteousness being wiped from the earth, and you are left standing. You are probably feeling pretty good about yourself. But, than Christ comes to you, and says, "Will you not repent and be converted?" What? You are saying being spared wasn't good enough? I'm still wicked? Just slightly less wicked than everyone else??

But, something we don't have to imagine is being a disciple of Christ today. We don't swear. We dress modestly. We keep the word of wisdom and the honor code. Clearly, I am more worthy for heaven! Just the fact that I got into BYU means I'm more worthy than any other college student out there!

No. That is not enough.

Christ is not waiting for us to be "better than the next guy". He won't come to earth and pick the top 10% of nice people to make it into heaven. Our mortal life is not about learning to be just good enough to be spared. We are here to learn to be like Heavenly Father, and God does not run on an honor code check list to govern His creations. We as latter day saints need to be active in our faith, going the extra miles, continually renewing our covenants and acting as Christ's hands here on earth. Part of this progression is learning that we can't become more than "good enough" without the help of our Savior.

"Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive;" (3 Nephi 9:13)

We may only be "good enough" but we all have the chance to come unto Christ, and receive the fullness of His mercy. Nothing is stopping us, but our own sin.  I hope that I can remember these verses when ever I feel myself settling for "good enough", and I hope we can all answer Christ's invitation to repent, and come unto Him.

Even so will I Boast

"I do not boast in own strength, not in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full. . .and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing. . .therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many nightly miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." (Alma 26:11-12)

This chapter has been may favorite for many years, these verses most of all. It such a powerful ending to the missions of sons of Mosiah. They are together again after so long, recounting the stories of their journey, and Ammon is so caught up in his joy, that he begins to run his mouth about how wonderful it was, and all the things they were able to do. And Aaron, his sensible brother, tells him to get a hold of himself, for "fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting."
But this is Ammon's response, ya - I'm boasting. But, not of his own power, but that of God. I don't know if I have ever been a very proud persons, but this chapter is a constant reminder to me about the nature of humility. Humility is not timid, it is not silent and brooding. Humility is action oriented, but not attention seeking.
It's hard for me to explain exactly what I mean, but humility is gratitude. Gratitude in your successes, knowing God is by you. When I succeed, I pray. When I fail, I try harder and I pray. Humility is remembering God when it might be easy to forget Him.
And most importantly, humility is joy. Joy in accomplishments, and knowing the Lord is on your side. Pride is a fleeting thing, lasting only as long as the lime light is shining. But joy in service begets more service, and more joy.
I feel like this was all very scattered, because I'm not quite sure how to convey all I love about Ammon's speak, but I thing he say's it all perfectly near the end;

"Now, if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation . . . blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land . . . this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen." (Alma 26; 36-37)

Every Corner of Every Nation

"For I command all men, both in the east, and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them" (2 Nephi 29:11)

It is not sufficient to God, that we should think He has no more to say to us. If the Bible contained everything He knew or wanted us to know, than He would not be the All Powerful God so many Christians believe Him to be. Even still, many faiths say God has finished helping men on earth, as it says in 2 Nephi 28.
To understand the full nature and spirit of Heavenly Father, it is important to realize that He did not just speak with one nation in one point in the whole history of the world - God is ruler over all. All nations, tongues, times, and places. God has not finished His work among men. He still has infinitely more to teach us, more than we could ever hope to gain in one life time. He has brought His word to all corners of the world, and we should not be so quick to exclude all others besides our own.
God does speak to prophets old and new, in this nations and in that - but He also speaks to us as individuals. We need to make sure we are open to the teachings of Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost, so we do not miss out on important prompting. God does not want to be silent in our lives. He does not want us toughing it out here on earth with no help or guidance. His guidance is always there, we just need to accept it.

Count your Second Chances

 "How merciful is our God unto us...and he stretches forth his hands unto (us) all the day long... as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God." (Jacob 6:4)

Our God is a merciful one. In Jacob 5, we see the vineyard continually bring forth bad fruit, regardless of the effort that has been put into preserving it. But, many times, when the Lord of the vineyard is ready to destroy all that that is bad, his servant says - a little longer - and the Lord grants it. God has sent us prophets to teach us and nourish us with His word, and although we as man continue to reject and persecute His prophets, God continues to try. We have endless second chances everyday, we need them to make up for even the smallest sins. Imagine if God only gave us one second chance to not make a mistake - none of us would have made it past he age of eight without being banded from Heaven. 

"After ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire?" (Jacob 6:7)

If we choose to be nourished by the word of God everyday, how is it possible we could bring forth evil? It is only by filling yourself with evil, that evil is brought about. We can put off the natural man by filling ourselves with good - and by acting on that good, we will fill others with good, as well. 

Repentance is our only hope of entering into the kingdom of God, without Christ's Atonement, none of us would be worthy. God's hand is stretched out to each of us, not only the tame olive trees, but the wild ones as well. He knows our potential to do good and because like Him.

Tipping the Scales

Every time I read 2 Nephi chapter 2, I'm surprised by how much is jammed into one chapter! But what stood out to me the most this time around, was the importance of Man.

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion . . over all the earth . . ." (Genesis 1:26)

In the Genesis creation accounts, God is able to speak things into creation, and land and time and animals are formed as He will. But, when it comes to mankind, God is particular about how He goes about it. Instead of commanding them into existence, He goes down and creates them after His own image. Man kind is no beast or accident of evolution, as some creation stories my say - we are the center piece to all that was formed for this earth.

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so . . . righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness. . .Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation." (2 Nephi 2:11-12)

Lehi understood the purpose of the fall of man better than most people do today. Life is a giant scale - on one side sits our trials, and the other sits our blessings. We can only receive the blessings after the trial of our faith, but when we chose to face our trial the Lord's way, there will be an equal and opposite reward. That being said - image if Adam and Eve had stayed in Eden. Never knowing right from wrong, trial nor blessing. Their scale would forever remain balanced - but it would forever be empty.
God did not create us to sit around with empty scales for all of eternity. We are here on this earth for the purpose of trying to better ourselves, and that can only be done through trial, error, and continual faith. If we continually chose to turn to Christ in our times of fear and pain and heartache, He will be there to help us time and time again. His atonement has already tipped the scales in our favor.

New Year, New Wave

During the crazy start of the semester, it is very easy to get caught up in what is right in front of you, and you forget to look at the world around you. More importantly, it is easy to forget the blessings that are all around you. I feel like I have been floating around for the past year, not really accomplishing anything besides what was required - school, work, church attendance. Taking things as they come can be a good way to not get stressed, but it is a good way to stop progressing, too.

Faith is not a stagnant idea. Faith is built upon action, and not just letting things happen to you. Make things happen. I felt really impressed the past week with Nephi's actions to retrieve the plates, as well as his actions in receiving Lehi's dream.

"And I was lead by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth. . . " (1 Nephi 4:6-7)

 Nephi was active while seeking the plates. His eldest brothers felt it only necessary to give their bare minimum effort. They were told to get the plates, so the asked once, and when it went . . . badly, they gave up and headed home. And when the angel told them to go back to Jerusalem, they begrudgingly went to the wall of the city and stopped there.

Nephi, on the other hand, would not take no for an answer. He knew his father and the Lord required much more from him than a "we tried." He tried until his ideas were spent, and then he willing to let the Lord take over. Likewise, when confronted with questions and concerns about Lehi's vision, Nephi took action.

"For it come to pass after I had desire to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught way in the Spirit of the Lord. . . " (1 Nephi 11:1)

 His brother chose to act as victims, complaining that is was too hard for them to understand and left it at that. But, Nephi chose to act instead of being acted upon. He turned to the Lord for the answers and was blessed greatly for it.

As this crazy new semester begins, I need to work hard to remind myself not to be acted upon. I could easily get swept under the tide and fight to keep my head up as wave after wave of challenges come in each week. But I don't have to do that. I can't let that happen. Because when we chose to let stress guild our lives, we have no room for the Spirit to guild us. When I am so focused on secular work, my spiritual growth is the first thing to be thrown out. God is all around us all the time. We just need to take a moment to let Him in.