"Ah-ha!" Moments...

So, I tend to have these days

where I get in a real bad mood.

It's like I completely shut down.

I'm not the crazy, fun, bubbly Vanessa

that I normally am.

I hate these days.

But, they happen.

Lately, they've been happening all too often.

But, I've come to realize, it's really a choice.

I choose my attitude.

I choose to be happy.

I choose to be ticked off.

I choose to be really annoyed with

the student I just got off the phone with. 

(Haha, for real. Some people's children)

But, in all honesty,

I choose my attitude.

I choose to let certain things bother me.

I read this quote by Elder David A. Bednar

in a General Conference talk he gave

about not taking offense,

One of the greatest indicators of our own

spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond

to the weaknesses, the inexperience,

and the potentially offensive actions of others.

A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive

but you and I can choose not to be offended

and to say with Pahoran, "it mattereth not."

Don't you love "Ah-ha" moments.

In the full spectrum of things,

does it really matter that the kid

that just called, called on Friday asking

the same question and asked the same

question today, along with asking me

why a professor didn't email him back?

It doesn't really matter.

Sure, the kid was kind of annoying,

bugging me about how he needs to hear

back from this certain professor,

but is this something I should really choose

to be super annoyed over?

"It mattereth not."

 It seems like church on Sunday was

plump full of 'Ah-ha' moments.

It was fast and testimony meeting.

I sure miss back home when the little kids

would get up and bear their sweet testimonies

of the gospel, but I also love hearing the "big kids"

testimonies and stories of faith and hope.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only one

going through a particular situation.

Even though I know that is not the case

at all, I still feel like no one knows.

Then, testimony meeting comes,

and young women and men get up

and share their struggles and trials,

much similar to the ones I am going through,

and share how their faith in the Lord

helps them see the light.

"Ah-ha!"

All throughout testimony meeting,

I would nod my head or sit there with

100% attention to the person bearing

their testimony of the love our of Lord and Savior.

Ah-ha.

Then, I went to my mission prep. class.

I'm planning on finishing my undergrad first,

and then deciding on whether or not a mission

is in my plan, but I figure the class would be helpful

irregardless of my decision.

And, of course, it is.

The class is taught by a good friend of mine,

and I learn something new every time I go.

The friend and I were talking Saturday,

and he told me the lesson would be on

effective scripture study. Then, he told me that

he thought he would skip the lesson because

he didn't really think how he could bring

this into a lesson without it sounding like

a repeat of everything we've been taught already.

Well, he didn't skip the lesson.

I am so grateful he didn't.

I learned so much.

I thought I knew about scripture study.

Apparently not.

Ah-ha.

See? It happened again.

Relief Society came.

Same thing happened.

The lesson was on changes in our lives

and how to approach them with hope.

Ah-ha.

Even though I knew the information

our teacher was giving,

it was such an ah-ha moment.

Heavenly Father knows me.

He knows what I need to hear.

He knows I've been a bum lately,

and that I needed every testimony,

every comment made in mission prep

and relief society, and he knew I needed

to hear the message the teachers were giving.

Ah-ha.

....

..

.

It's days like yesterday where I just

have no doubt in my mind whatsoever

that Heavenly Father lives and loves me.

He knows me.

He knows me way better than I know myself.

And He knows exactly what I need.

He knows where I need to go with my life,

and He knows that if I just trust Him,

He'll get me there.

In His time.

Not mine.

Ah-ha.

Happens all the time.

Sheesh,

you'd think I'd catch on by now.

Oh well.

These frequent ah-ha moments

help keep me on track.

You know what else I've realized?

These ah-ha moments,

are really tender mercies of the Lord.

He really knows me.

...

Well, this post probably got a little

bit more 'churchy' then you were expecting,

but I like it. :)

The church and my religion are so important to me.

:)