He Answered Me Directly

I have only one week left until I leave for my mission, and I have been constantly worrying about what might happen here at home.  My mission call specifically asks for me to leave all of my personal affairs at home and lean on my Savior to help me through my mission.  I have been trying to figure out a way to allow myself to let go all of my personal affairs... my home, my family, my friends, my sweetheart.... But tonight as I prayed for strength and I prayed for help I received a direct answer from my beloved Heavenly Father.  I randomly turned to  Doctrine & Covenants 84:119, and it says, "For I, The Lord, have put forth my hand to exert the powers of heaven; ye cannot see it now, yet a little while and ye shall see it, and know that I am, and that I will come and reign with my people."

This immediate response from my Father in Heaven penetrated my soul.  He gave me peace.  He gave me hope.  He taught me how to trust in Him.  He gave me all that I needed in one little verse of scripture.  He told me to be patient by telling me that I can't see it now, but I will.  Heavenly Father told me that I will see it... and then I will be there to testify of Him.  I testify of his goodness and his perfect timing.  I testify of His love and His devotion.  I testify of His power.  I testify that He knows each and every one of us.  I know that our beloved Father in Heaven knows how to take care of us.  We are His children.  He knows us.  He knows how we recognize Him.  And tonight, I believe He wrapped His arms around me and told me that He is going to take care of everything that I cannot.  I love Him.  He has prepared me for my tasks and my duties.

He has prepared me..... And I am ready now.  I am ready to stand as one of His daughters.  I am ready to serve.

Details in simple things

So nothing really happened that was completely exciting to me today.... except that I got to see my sweetheart after work... and that was awesome.  But honestly, today was just another average day in the life of Hannah.  No, my real reason for writing tonight was to express what true happiness is.

As I've been sitting here, surfing the web (wow is that a 90's expression or what??), I have been all over the place.  Since midnight I've browsed Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, my email, Facebook, even more Pinterest, and a Disney blogs page... as I'm sitting here I have to ask myself, "Why on earth is this entertaining??"  I've decided it's because I'm bored.  But that's beside the point.  As I've looked back on my internet browsing history, I've noticed that I am ALWAYS on "Oh My Disney" blogs.  One thing that definitely makes me happy is the Disney movie, "Tangled."  Anything and everything that has to do with Tangled is my happy place.  I am a little more than just addicted to that movie and I think it's because of the insurmountable detail in the movie.  I mean, they have a plot line and characters.  They have a story and a true romance, but honestly, none of that matters to me anymore.  It's the facial expressions throughout the movie.  It's the words each character says.  It just sucks me in! It's more than just a fairy-tale; it's a beautiful, romantic, fantastic love story!!!

Now that is only one thing that makes me incredibly happy.  I also love reading my scriptures and reading murder/suspense/crime/romance novels (if that doesn't make sense to you, just look up Clair M. Poulsen).  I love roses and lilies and weddings.  I love spending time with the love of my life.  I love taking pictures and talking to my mom.  I love decorating and I love eating pizza.  Honestly, when you think about all the things and little details in your life that make it beautiful you really come to appreciate all you've been given.  You start to appreciate the quirks and little details about yourself and you start to do things more often that make you happy.  I mean, c'mon, life is beautiful! We've been given this life to find the happy things and the happy moments and treasure them. 

One thing my mom always tells me is that its the small things that really count, and that so many small things that everyone else takes for granted are the most beautiful.  She gives me the example of her personal sunset.  My mom loooooooves sunsets.  She'll be outside taking pictures all the time in the summer.  But she doesn't just love sunsets for being sunsets; she loves the colors and the fluffy clouds and the gradual fading of the colors... she knows how to pick out that true beauty.  She's definitely taught me how to love things collectively and very specifically.  She has taught me how to look into the details and love it even more because we can start to see the whole picture.  It's really a beautiful concept.

We all do stupid things in this life, but there's always a way back from it.  That's what Christ's Atonement is for! That subject and concept in of itself is absolutely beautiful; but add the beauty you find in your life and you have a perfect life.  You have everything you've ever wanted because you can love things so deeply and you can find happiness in those simple things. 

I encourage anyone who reads this blog to find something that truly makes you happy and to recognize that feeling of true love for yourself.  You'll find that you aren't so hard on yourself.

~Hannah