A Women Praying in General Conference

General Conference was amazing as usual. I loved all of the talks given. I have taken General Conference for granted most of my life. It wasn't serious until I met Kyle when I started to take it seriously and listen to the counsel given by the Lords appointed. When I introduced him to the church, I told him about the famous semiannual event, and he thought it was the coolest thing.  I then began to change my viewpoint about it, and listened to the wise words of our General Authorities.

I had the privilege to attend the Saturday morning session of the 183rd General Conference. I was so excited and felt the spirit the whole drive there! The talks were all amazing, but the one that spoke to me the most was Sister Dalton's talk on women and their virtue. She quoted "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him." from the Young Women's theme. From the time I was 12, this has been stuck in my head and I have NEVER felt oppressed by men or unequal in the eyes of God. As soon as conference was finished, a women behind me said, "Well there it is! The first woman to pray in a General Conference. My life is complete!" Yes, that is verbatim. I immediately became discouraged. Why would you focus on just that, out of all the wonderful talks and words of wisdom that were just given to you? My favorite quote that morning was this. "Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching and care-giving and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult and demeaning at times. And yet, as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme, 'We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us...' it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses." -Sister Dalton

Some people in the church are making a huge deal out of the fact that a woman prayed in conference. To be honest, as a woman, I don't understand it. Why does the gender of a benediction or invocation matter?  Isn't it the words within the prayer that count? I think Sister Dalton put a woman's value very well in the following quote. "We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. It is mothers who most directly effect the lives of their children. It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. They are the creators of life. They are the nurturers of children. They are the teachers of young women. They are our indispensable companions. They are our co-workers in building the kingdom of God. How great is their role, how marvelous their contribution." I feel empowered by this statement. 

Why must we focus on the gender of a benediction rather than the wisdom from witnesses of Christ? Because some of us are seeking equality from the wrong source. Some woman are seeking acceptance or equality from man rather than God. I think Elder Cook summed this up in one simple statement. "For those who reject God, there is no peace." Instead of wanting to be equal to man in the eyes of God, they throw God out of the equation. The majority of the uproar are coming from women within the church. So let us break this down. 

                          

If women seek equality from men, they will never be satisfied. That is a promise. Why? Because they do not give it. How can they? What can they honestly do? They do not have the power to comfort you in the ways God can. Equality comes from God. God see's us all, men and women, equally. I have a testimony of this. I firmly believe that something as good as a prayer can be perverted by the contentious spirit of Satan. Satan's spirit has turned this (for some) into a power struggle. Something as holy as a prayer. I encourage those who struggle with this feeling of oppression to turn to the Lord and not to man. Turn to Him and He will comfort in the ways you need. 

I have felt nothing but loved and blessed being a woman in this church. Being a wife in His holy bond of marriage. Preparing to be a mother. These are blessings that I am privileged to obtain. Let us not focus on something as simple as the gender of a benediction/invocation. Let us focus on the message within the prayer and more importantly on the message  of the talks given through divine inspiration!

Al Fox: Tattooed Mormon : My Response to gossip and judgement

Wow. That is the word that kept going through  my mind when I read this article. Her words were so true it was empowering. Al Fox's article is about her being a new convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (aka Mormon Church) and her new move to Utah. She didn't know why the Lord wanted her there. She took the long journey to the beehive state in search of a new life and following the Lord

It goes on to say how people judged her for her appearances, her tatoos to be exact, that were done before her conversion. She felt hurt, judged, misplaced and overall confused of why the Lord sent her here. She now knows her reason for being here. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765626083/Al-Fox-Tattooed-Mormon.html?pg=1  

I was just overwhelmed at how personal and real this post was. I feel her pain in a different way. Kyle and I made this journey to Utah because we wanted new and better things. We wanted the spiritual aspect of Utah. I wanted BYU. I wanted the culture. I am not from Utah, and I wasn't raised in a normal Mormon family home, so I understand where she is coming from not being raised here. Utah Mormon's are different than what I am used to in Texas. We made a risk by jumping here, but it's worked out because we trusted the Lord and that is a fact! 

My favorite part is the way she spoke to those particularly who struggle. To those who were judged, gossiped about, mistreated just because of their decisions in life. I know this all too well. I know in my heart and soul that all the major decisions in my life have been made with the Lord in mind. Getting married civilly,  moving to Utah, being sealed for time and all eternity, being a homemaker with little money, and so on. I have seen the fruition of all these decisions that have been judged by others, and those people know exactly who they are. These decisions come with trials and hardship, but the blessings always overcome them. If this were a year ago, I might have been crying or worrying every second what these people think about me and my decisions.  Now I have grown so much. The reason is because I turn to the Lord for judgement and NO ONE ELSE. I am much happier because of it. I am sealed to my soul mate because of it. I am taken care of by the Lord and my husband. I am going to school, receiving a great education. My husband is going to school, working very hard, supporting me financially  physically, emotionally and spiritually. I have (for the first time in my life) a residing Priesthood holder in my home. Life is good! 

All these emotions came to me while reading that article. I hope other's read it and feel inspired to share their stories and help others that are going through what you have already conquered  Go and help someone. Talk to a stranger at church, or in class. My new years resolution this year was to not gossip. I have been on the other end, and it was a horrible feeling. I do not want to be like the ones that talked about me when I needed some to talk to. I want to be a light for anyone that needs it. Gossiping and being judgmental drives the spirit away and I highly encourage people to think twice before they engage in such an act. 

I had to take a hard look into what I was doing and how I felt when it was done to me. I repented and am trying to make a difference. Again, think twice before you gossip, especially about family or close friends. 

Be proud of yourself for who you are and what you're doing with the blessings you are given! Use  them to help others! That is truly the work of Christ! 

Why do bad things happen?

This is a universal question asked every day. Why do bad things happen? Or Why me?

I read an article on Familyshare.com and felt inspired to share it. http://familyshare.com/how-to-talk-to-your-spouse-about-god-after-a-loss-of-faith?Itemid=631#.UVSluKPpXTo

The article is about a very faithful man being involved in a softball accident, ending up with 3 months of surgery on his eye. He lost his faith because he became angry with God. He didn't understand why this happened to him with all his devotion towards the Lord. Why did God allow this to happen?

We all know that trials and struggles are a huge part of life. Life is a test to prove our worthiness and devotion to our Savior Jesus Christ. I firmly believe that the worst things happen to the best people. I have seen it been done.

My Nana, she was an amazing person and shaped the person I am today. The last months of her life were spent in a hospital due to someone else's ignorance and lack of patience. When she awoke she spent her time watching church videos, or telling me to pray to the Lord so her leg could heal. She was a selfless women, but went through so many trials, in her childhood and time as an adult. I remember her telling me before she was about to pass on, to pray to my Heavenly Father always and never lose faith. That really stuck with me considering everything she was going through. I will always remember that.

My Grandmother Humble is also a great example. She is a strong women because of the trials she faced in life and teaches me to be the same way. I want both their strength, but the hardest part is remembering how when the time comes.

Again, I believe the worst circumstances happen to the best of people in this world. Why? Because God needs them to be leaders. He needs us to lead those who can't find their way. We need to know what's right and wrong and carry on. Even if it's hard, even if you are the one only standing. Wear your trials like medals, treat them like achievements. If we pity ourselves what good does that do? It not only hurts ourselves, but the loved ones around us. It changes who we are for the worse.

I can attest that the trials that I have been through have made me who I am. I am proud of who I am today. I am proud of my life, my decisions and my faith. I took the hard road willingly by getting married at the age of 18 but I wouldn't take it back for anything. Be proud of your trials. Be proud of your accomplishments. Be proud of yourself.

What is God's Plan for Me?

I've been in deep thought this week. I haven't been able to really focus on my school work because of these things weighing on my mind. What is God's plan for me?


I began to reminiscence on my past and all the things that I have done wrong, the people that I have wronged. I thought about people that were close at one time and why they are now out of my life. I thought about the new friends in my life, how I met my husband, how far we've come. Some of these things I haven't thought about in  years, and it was like an overwhelming flashback. Sometimes I feel like I am just a stepping stone for others to excel and achieve great things God has in store for them.

I went through my "memory box" last night while I was supposed to be studying for my math test. My Mother gave me this box when I was 12 years old. She told me to put special things for only me to look at in this box and to cherish them. At the top of the box was a few notes Kyle has written me here and there, my patriarchal blessing, a birthday card etc. I dug in a little deeper, (more so than I have in a few years) and came across wedding letters from my Father, friends, and family. I pulled out letters from Kyle when we were dating, and of course those made me smile. I then found letters from old friends that I haven't read in at least 4 years, an old make-shift yearbook I made my freshman year of high school, essays I've written, church notes from leaders, friends. I found marching band drill from my first show, a flower my first crush gave me, just so many memories.

I still haven't figured out God's plan for me. I don't know where He wants me to go, and what he wants me to do, but I want to be ready. I know every day is a mission. It's hard to see it that way sometimes, but every day counts for something. Each step forward is a piece of the big puzzle that will eventually come together. I don't how significant I am to peoples lives, or what purpose I serve, but I will continue on with faith and diligence.


~Katie B.

My First Article

Hello loyal followers! Today I am going to re-post my first article in the upcoming magazine LDSgirls.org. I hope you enjoy!

Every girl has a story; a story of triumph, defeat, struggles, and blessings. Each story aims for the happily ever after. The gospel of Jesus Christ provides that storybook ending with the sealing of families here on earth. Love truly is a fairy tale, especially within the temple. The temple marriage would be nothing without love as a foundation. God made a plan for all of us to fall in love. He had a plan when he created the woman. He had this idea for two strangers to fall deeply in love, and care for each other so much they would take part of themselves and create another human being. How amazing is that? On top of all those blessings, He has paved a way for them to be together forever.

 In today’s society, the world portrays marriage as a burden and a weak decision to make in life, especially for women. Society makes marriage appear like a death sentence towards our independence. Little do they know, it is the opposite. It strengthens women and gives us power to overcome all obstacles. I was married at the age of 18. I had no idea that was how things were going to play out in my life. I trusted God's plan. I am now 20 years old, and a sophomore in college, sealed to the man of my dreams; my eternal soul mate. God’s path for us is not always easy. 

I grew up in what the church calls a “part member family”. As a child, my father was not a member of the church but taught me in ways of high moral standards and how a woman should be treated. At the age of 5, my father’s interest in the church grew and he soon developed a testimony of the restored Gospel. It took many years for him to fully convert, body and soul, to the church. Because he believed in the power of the Priesthood, he had the strong desire to be an eternal family and set that goal for all of us to work towards. Through his experience and his example, I feel I am blessed with the ability to see the light of Christ in others. This amazing blessing paved the path to my own love story. 

Although my husband, Kyle, was not a member of the church at the time of our courtship, I saw the light of Christ in his eyes and knew he was the one. I was seventeen years old when I introduced the Gospel to Kyle. I was scared that it would have a negative impact on our relationship, but I continued to hold onto the light I saw in him and trusted God’s plan. To my surprise, Kyle accepted the Gospel and all its fullness and was baptized four months later. The Gospel is the foundation of our relationship. I knew if we held on to the Gospel and the blessings promised by our faithfulness, our goal of being sealed for time and all eternity would be obtained. He proposed, shortly after his acceptance of the Gospel, at the Dallas, TX Temple. We were both excited for our new journey. 

We desired to be married in the temple, but I felt prompted by the Holy Ghost to be married as quickly as possible. Due to the one –year rule for converts, we could not get married in the temple immediately. I was scared about the consequences of this decision, but I trusted God’s plan for me. We made the temple our number one priority after getting married, and here we are now, sealed for time and all eternity. In our journey towards our sealing, we matured spiritually in the Gospel. The promises the Gospel teaches us, the blessings I held when I gave Kyle his first Book of Mormon, the blessings of marriage, and the blessings my father shared, have blossomed and continue to bless our lives. I have been blessed with my own love story. It is different from others but the result is still the same. We will all have a fairy tale if we remain faithful to our covenants and trust God’s plan. God has a happily ever after story for each of His daughters. His only requirement is to endure to the end with faithfulness. 

Katie's 5 Ways of Improving Happiness!

I have just been in the worst moods the last few days! It caused me to have a migraine from you know where! It has also effected my school work and energy to fulfill my obligations as a student! I really sat down last night and discussed it with my husband and we both reached the same conclusion. It is all in my head.

I read an article from KSL, a news station based in Salt Lake City, UT about 5 things we can do to be a happy person. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=23962051&nid=1010&title=5-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-be-happier

I want to ask my readers what they think about this. Are there little things we can do to make our lives easier and more enjoyable? I came up with 5 little things of my own that I can personally work on and I think we all could do as well!

1. Time Management.
This is a HUGE problem for me. People say that they don't have enough time in the day, and that is true for some, but for me it is not! I put things off till last minute or do them at night when I am tired and my attention span lasts as long as a blink of an eye! What can I do to fix that? Well, instead of a weekly planner, maybe an hour by hour planner. Plan what assignments to do in a specific time frame. Plan what time to start dinner, and how long it'll take. And while the dinner is cooking, plan what part of the house you'll clean. I love doing things like this to music, especially to Katy Perry, something spunky, upbeat and fun to listen to while your getting things done! Plan when you'll work out and how long. It's all about time frame! I think this alone will help reduce my stress tenfold!

2. Write In a Journal

This has helped me tremendously. It gives you time to really reflect on your day and the decisions you've made. I like to do it before I go to bed. It relaxes me. It's also a great therapeutic tool. Your journal never judges what you have to say, your inner thoughts, ideas, opinions, struggles and so on. It can come to be your best friend if you let it. I highly encourage my readers to take the time to do this. It doesn't have to be a novel. This goes back to time management, make the time in your day to reflect and how the next day can be better.

3. Take A Walk

Provo Canyon

Sometimes we need a break from everything, especially technology. We all don't realize how much it really dictates our lives on a daily basis. My husband and I used to do this all the time, and I want to start back up again. Especially with us living in the mountain west, the scenery is beautiful and the air is so refreshing. Like the journal, it is a way to reflect on the day, enjoy God's creations, and relieve stress. Go with your friends, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, or by yourself. Take your phone only for emergency reasons and keep it in your pocket/purse. I love seeing the mountains with snow on them with a purple/pink dusk sky behind them.

4. Be Attentive to Others

There are many people out there struggling with various problems. Illness, depression, family problems, finances, and much more. I don't know about you but a smile for me goes a long way. Go out of your way to help others. If someone drops their backpack, their papers, items of any kind, even if you are in a hurry, go help them. Talk to strangers when you are waiting in the elevator. Talk to someone in class or at work that you have never bothered to talk to because you don't know them. Stand up for those that need it, even if it isn't popular to do so. Little things like this really make me happy. I enjoy helping others. When you do help someone, do not expect it in return. When you go through life  wanting to give and not recieve life just falls into place. It doesn't mean we won't have problems of our own, but those problems that we do have just work themselves out naturally.

5. Language 
 Last but not least, language. This has more than one meaning. I was told the reason why people use swear words is because the way they sound activate a feeling in our brain that sends a thrill. It's thrilling to use language like that! But in reality a thrill does not last. Swear words are commonly used in describing a frustration and can bring us down, or provoke irritation. I struggle with this. When we use clean language it automatically sets us apart from society and provides a better atmosphere for us to be around. I need to be more attentive of my choice of words and provide myself a better environment on a daily basis. The second definition I am referring to is how we speak. Instead of pointing out the negatives in our lives, speak of happy things that uplift us. I'm not saying be happy 24/7. That can be overkill! But focus on HOW we say things. Focus on the positives in our lives.

http://www.number27.org/wb-language.html

These are the things that I can work on in my life, and I hope it has helped anyone else who struggles with promoting happiness in their lives. Thank you for taking the time to read and have a great weekend!

~Katie B.



 

My Story: Chapter 1: The Beginnings of Eternity

I was thinking, have I told my story to my readers? I am currently working on an article for a brand new magazine called ldsgirls.org about temple marriage and all the prep it takes and how life fits into all that. As I was brainstorming I asked myself have I told my story on my blog? I don't think I have! So here is chapter 1!

 

 

Our first picture as a couple

Let us start on the night of December 30th, 2009. I had just got off of work at Subway and my cousin Tara was in town from Houston. We were planning on going out to IHOP for pancakes and to just chill with Kyle.  But for some reason my Dad wouldn't let me go out. So being the trouble makers that Tara and I were, we still saw Kyle anyway. He came by the house when every one was asleep and we walked around the neighborhood. I had butterflies in my stomach, I knew he wanted to ask me to be his girlfriend, but I was just terrified! We had gone on a formal dates, and several casual hangouts and I really liked him. I had never truly felt this way before. Tara was committed to witness this event no matter what. She came up with a scheme as he was about to leave. "Hey Kyle, we're starving! If I gave you some cash will you go run to Jack in the Box?" Being the sweet man that he was he went.

 

Us at the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth, TX

While he was gone Tara demanded that I "cut the crap" and kiss him already! "Katie, this is it! You better get out there and lay one on him or I'll force you!" I was horrified by what would happen if I wouldn't, so I agreed. I saw his car down the street. I panicked and went back inside. Tara yelled "KATELYN LEANNE, GET YOUR BUTT (editing this) OUT THERE RIGHT NOW!" She shoved me outside and locked the door to where I couldn't go back in. I slowly walked to the car and he handed me the bag of food. "Thanks, that was really sweet of you." He then replied with a smile, "Anything for you" It was silent. Here I was, hanging over his car window! I knew Tara was watching, and would kill me if nothing happened! He leans in....

 

"Well thanks again" I said nervously. As soon as I stepped away, I instantly regretted it. I wanted to kiss him but I was just to shy! I knew Tara would rip into me. As I watched him drive away, I noticed there was only one burger in the bag. Was this my second chance? Will I blow this one too? I told Tara about this convenient mishap, and all she said was, "OK, I'll be waiting."

 

Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth, TX

He came back and turns out the burger had slipped out of the bag. There we were again. Just me and him, my stomach drops out of nervousness, my breath short. Am I going to blow this? For the second time?  I started to panic again, was I ready for this? I wanted to scream at myself for being so stupid! Just kiss him, I thought. This is it! He just smiled at me. "Goodnight Katie, I'll be a phone call away." As he drove away I couldn't help but smile. I came back inside with my cousin berating me. "Why are you inside?? Well?? ARE YOU HIS GIRLFRIEND OR NOT??". "Not yet" I said. I couldn't help but smile. "Tara, are you even going to eat that burger?" She just laughed. "No, I'm really not that hungry."

 

Later that night, we were texting and talking on the phone. I told him that I really liked him and the fact that he just smiled at me, not expecting anything and understanding how nervous I was meant a lot. I felt like it was in my hands, and in my time. I told him after that moment, I knew I wanted to be with him. He asked me to be his girlfriend later that night. I (obviously) accepted. As funny, or ridiculous as this sounds, that night was the beginning of our journey to eternity.