Graduation--LDS Business College

We all know life doesn't go as planned.  If you think that--then you haven't lived very long.  You can have a plan and that is fantastic...but your Plan A isn't always Heavenly Father's Plan A.

This past Wednesday, April 15, I graduated from LDS Business College.  This is not where I thought I would be at this point in my life.  Like, nowhere even close to this.

When I was little I had a plan.  The plan was:

1. Graduate from high school.
2. Go to BYU.
3. Get Married.
4. Live Happily Ever After.

THAT was the plan.  There was no LDS Business College, no Salt Lake City, no Hardship, and definitely no "Just Going With It."  But that was my plan, not the Lord's.

The Lord's plan was:

1. Graduate from high school.
2. Go to LDSBC for 2 years.
3. Go to BYU
4. ......and whatever comes after that.

Unfortunately, this happens a lot.  Our plan doesn't match up with Heavenly Father's plan.  But you just have to take it for what it is and go with it.  And that is OKAY.  Believe me, it is super scary but it's worth it--because whatever comes is probably going to be a lot better that what you had planned for.

As I was walking across the stage on Wednesday, shaking everyone's hand (after I received my diploma) I was like, "Wow!  This is it!  I made it!"  But then I got a little sad inside because I wasn't anywhere where I thought I would be.  

Later, while talking to my boss, Kim, I realized that even though I wasn't where I thought I would be, I was exactly where the Lord wanted me.  And that is all that matters.  Because I am where the Lord wants me to be, I can bless others lives and can also become who He wants me to be.

LDSBC, Salt Lake, and trials are definitely not what I had planned for myself.  However, looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way.

General Conference

When I was younger, the General Conference weekends were the best two weekends of the year.  Since my family didn't have cable, we used to go to the stake center and watch all four sessions of conference (with the boys going back for Priesthood).  Eventually we started watching it online and then finally on TV when we got cable.

I remember getting all dressed up on Saturday and wondering why we were going to church.  Back then, it was long and boring and seemed pretty pointless.  As the years went on, things started coming up during those Saturday sessions.  Work, swim meets, training sessions, and school events would keep me from hearing the counsel of our prophets.  Before I moved away to college, it didn't seem like a big deal.  However, now that I am on my own, I am making more of an effort to watch all sessions and soak up all the counsel I can.

Since moving to Utah, I have lived literally down the street from the conference center (like two blocks people).  My first conference by myself (October 2013) I didn't really pay much attention.  I watched but didn't focus as much as I could have.  Then the next conference (April 2014) I ended up working all day that Saturday.  I was quite sad that I had missed conference and I tried to watch throughout the week.  Catching up just didn't quite click and I ended up missing out on a lot of the messages.  The next conference (October 2014), I told myself I would do better.  I only worked for half of Saturday so I missed one session.  It was a lot easier to catch up on one session rather than two.

This conference was so great!  I was able to get work off and really make it a priority.  I was able to watch all four sessions from the comfort of my living room.  I had all the conference snacks that one could ever need (and then some).  I was able to really feast off the words which were spoken and feel the spirit and allow it to influence me for the better.  It was incredible.

This past conference has me reminiscing on past conference weekends.  I didn't feast and allow the spirit to change me.  This weekend I did.  I'm already enacting plans to better my life according to the guidance we were given this weekend.  Have you?  Are you allowing the words spoken from this past conference weekend to change and better your life?  I promise you that if you even begin to implement the counsel you will be blessed and your life will change for the better.

If you missed any sessions please visit lds.org to feast off the messages you missed.

Peace and Joy

Lately, I have had a lot on my plate...and my mind.  We all know that life can be hectic and crazy.  As a typical college student, I am constantly making decisions that will affect me for the rest of my life.

What classes am I going to take next semester?   What job am I going to apply for?  What should I major in?  Is this the right guy for me?

These are just some of the daily questions that come across my mind.  We all have different ways to deal with our thoughts and questions.  

For my Mom, she pounds it out and ponders while playing the piano.  

My roommate Felicia deals with things by writing or drawing.  

My best friend Hannah bakes..

When I was in high school, I would hit the pool and pound it all out while doing some laps.  A lot of my best ponderings would happen while I was swimming.  But now, I go to the Temple.  

As a junior in high school, my friends and I came up with a brilliant plan to graduate early.  So in the state of California, you have to have a plan of what you are going to do after you graduate.  They can't let you out of prison early without a plan right?  My plan was that I would graduate in December and then go off to BYU in January.  Perfect plan right?  Well it was perfect, right up until I was rejected from the school of my dreams.  I moped for weeks...up until my Dad kicked my butt and told me to snap out of it and take a look at LDS Business College.  So I did.  I went online and checked it all out.  It seemed to be perfect except I wasn't so sure.  It wasn't some prestigious university that was my dream school.  It was a back-up plan that wasn't supposed to turn into the choice.  But what other option did I have?  So I went to the Temple with my Dad.  He had some work he had to do and I just wanted to get out of town and have a change of scenery for a few hours.  Well, as I was sitting in the Temple, waiting for my Dad, I just sat and prayed.  I wanted to know what to do for college and I needed an answer.  Well, I got my answer and it was that I needed to go to LDSBC.  And what a ride it has been.  I moved up to Salt Lake for LDS Business College in June of 2013.  I was the epitome of a typical college kid.  Young, broke, and full of herself.  

But enough about that.  The point is...I have learned a lot from being at the BC.  I wasn't supposed to go straight to BYU...I needed to take a side road and spend some time finding myself before I was ready for that next step.  The peace I felt from the Temple that night was life changing.  I have gone to the Temple for peace ever since that one experience-- I have received it.

You can receive great peace and joy in the Temple of our Heavenly Father.  Try it.  It works.