californ-i-a

[Orange County, CA] This last weekend Adam & I had the chance to visit my family in California and let's just say it was physically & emotionally exhausting trying to spend every waking moment with all my siblings & their kids (but obviously worth it).  From oldest to youngest of my nieces & nephews there is Gibson, Siena, Avenlea, Wyatt, Emery & three week old Sawyer. Let me tell you I couldn't keep up! They are busy little bodies & I tried to soak it all in by hugging & kissing them a couple seconds longer. We also soaked in the sun down in San Clemente, Irvine Spectrum, Rainbow Sandals Outlet, hiking around Ladera Ranch, Danish Hotcakes, golf, sushi & of course an intense game of Settlers of Catan (it's an addiction of ours). In a few months, I won't remember much of what we did or what we ate or what we talked about over the weekend. But I will never forget seeing someone so close to me get re-baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Friday night. Before my eyes, I got to witness the Atonement process cleanse one of God's children. Over the past year & a half, my family has been through a trial that has changed our outlooks on life. Inevitably, we have all grown closer together because we had to lean on another & hold each others heads up high. Due to our difference in personalities, each sibling has handled the situation in completely different ways. I believe that these trials (& all other trials in life) are actually blessings in disguise. There are so many things that I have learned while going through this. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes that then open the door to change & create a way for someone to grow into that person they are meant to become. Isn't that the reason we are here on earth? To make mistakes in order to learn from them? Then why is it hard to forgive someone who made mistakes? Because we are human. We have pride, hurt feelings, tempers, & hard hearts because we are alive. But we also have the gift of free agency. We have choices to make about how we react to the trials that come our way. Choose to forgive. Choose to love. Choose to open your heart & your mind to the sins happening all around you. Choose to let things go. Just let it go. Don't let other people's actions determine your attitude & affect the way you live your life. Don't be closed minded & think that the world revolves around you. Because I can tell you this: there are people to serve, there are hearts to touch, there are families that need to be strengthened. Look to helping other's needs rather than focusing on your own. The world needs you. 

A negative mind will

n  e  v  e  r 

give you a positive life.