"To find one's own personal relationship with Heavenly Father, to never doubt that he guides the details of our lives, to be able in life's conflict to say, 'Thy will be done,' is the attaining of the ability to walk by faith. This ability is something that each soul must find in his own way through the creative living - out of any and all trying experiences that may come along."
- Sister Stella Oaks (Mother of Dallin H. Oaks)
This quote is very comforting to me today as I cope with a very recent trial in my life. I was 12 weeks pregnant with our first child. Last night I began feeling some severe pain and, well I won't share the details, but after meeting with the Doctor this morning we learned that we are no longer going to have a baby this summer...
I had a good meltdown, lots of tears last night and this morning. Brock was able to give me a blessing last night that filled us both with an overwhelming feeling of peace. I know without a doubt that my Father in Heaven is looking out for us and he knows what is best. For whatever reason, this is an experience that needed to happen in our lives in order to strengthen our faith. I am positive that it will serve as a strength to me later in my life. It is definitely painful, but we have felt much strength from our loving and supportive family. I know that there are thousands of families in the world who have gone through this painful experience, and my heart goes out to all of them.
We would greatly appreciate any prayers in our behalf, and we want to thank everyone who has shown so much kindness and love to us both during pregnancy and now as we struggle through this new turn in our lives. I have confidence that we will eventually be blessed with children, and that this is just a trial along the way to help us "attain the ability to walk by faith."
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Truth.
This weekend was LDS General Conference. We had two days chucked full of amazing servants of the Lord telling us what we can do to improve our lives. My highlights:
- Social Media?! A theme throughout all of the talks! We have these amazing tools for connecting and reaching out to people; it's easier than it's ever been. Twitter, Facebook, Texting, Email, Video Chat, Mormon.org, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Blogs... We should use them to spread the amazing joy of the Gospel to others. Service and missionary work has never been so convenient! Yay for the church being up with the times in technology!
- Stand constant and fearless. I noticed a huge theme about the growing chasm between the standards of the world and the standards of the Lord. We cannot stay in luke-warm water, in between the good and the bad. We must make a decision to stand for what is right and resist the temptations that surround us. Then we must have the courage and charity to share our knowledge and happiness with others.
- Families are Forever. I have always loved the emphasis our church places on the family, and it was definitely reiterated in conference this weekend. We must make our family a top priority, and cut out other things in our lives that get in the way of that priority.
- Busy does not equal productive. This talk was very special to me because this is what I have been striving to embrace for the past year. It has been my goal to change my life so that I prioritize what is most important, and cut out the unnecessary extra responsibilities that always creep up. We should allow ourselves enough time to be well rested, enjoy family bonding time, grow closer to the Savior, and listen to spiritual promptings. Sometimes we may have to cut out other responsibilities to make room for that, but I know from personal recent experience that it is so very worth it.
Those are the main things I took from conference. Wasn't it wonderful? Feel free to leave comments of your highlights of General Conference, I'd love to hear! I am so very grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God and receives modern revelation to guide us and help us in our every day lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that he personally knows and loves each one of us. I am grateful to have the scriptures as such a wonderful tool to invite the spirit and peace into my life at any given moment. I love the power of music and the wonderful spirit that hymns bring as we praise the Lord through song. I am so grateful that I get to be with my husband, Brock, for eternity and for this wonderful church that supports us on our journey. My name is Aubrey, and I'm blessed to be a Mormon!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
September 11th
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Love Yourself.
Here's a perspective to consider, and some quick words of wisdom to ponder on.
We all work so hard to love others; to have compassion on them; to forgive them. Why? Because they are all children of God and have their own challenges and deserve to be respected and loved. That compassion and charity is a great thing to strive for. Now, have you ever turned that around to yourself? You are a child of God. You have trials and challenges every day, and you are not perfect. Do you respect and love yourself? Do you forgive yourself when you make mistakes? Do you look past your flaws, your extra few pounds, your occasional mood swings, your dirty dishes in the sink, your less-than-perfect grades, your split ends in your hair that you just keep putting in a bun, your freezer/box dinners that you didn't have time to make fancy, your impossibly high-set expectations of yourself that you just don't fulfill.... Do you look past all that and see the beautiful person inside that is just trying to do the best he/she can? You deserve to be happy. You deserve to slow down and enjoy the blessings of life. You are NOT expected to be perfect. Sit down and relax, and remember what's most important to you. Just as you constantly strive to love your neighbor, love yourself. Exactly the way you are!
Happy Sunday!
We all work so hard to love others; to have compassion on them; to forgive them. Why? Because they are all children of God and have their own challenges and deserve to be respected and loved. That compassion and charity is a great thing to strive for. Now, have you ever turned that around to yourself? You are a child of God. You have trials and challenges every day, and you are not perfect. Do you respect and love yourself? Do you forgive yourself when you make mistakes? Do you look past your flaws, your extra few pounds, your occasional mood swings, your dirty dishes in the sink, your less-than-perfect grades, your split ends in your hair that you just keep putting in a bun, your freezer/box dinners that you didn't have time to make fancy, your impossibly high-set expectations of yourself that you just don't fulfill.... Do you look past all that and see the beautiful person inside that is just trying to do the best he/she can? You deserve to be happy. You deserve to slow down and enjoy the blessings of life. You are NOT expected to be perfect. Sit down and relax, and remember what's most important to you. Just as you constantly strive to love your neighbor, love yourself. Exactly the way you are!
Happy Sunday!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Missionaries
So, Brock and I have a lot of close family and friends that are out serving LDS missions right now. I just spent all morning writing to them, and I got to thinking. I was telling my little brother that I am so happy for him that he's out serving, and that my whole life I always wanted to be a missionary, but that the Lord had a different plan for me that was just as wonderful.... his name is Brock :-)
And I kind of feel like I got to serve my own mission, here in Logan. Right when I turned 21, the standard age for a Sister Missionary, I got called as the Relief Society President in my ward. I served in that calling for 9 months, until Brock and I felt that it was the right time to move into a new place. I learned so much from that calling, and I am so grateful that I had that opportunity! And now I have a calling in the Primary, with the music, and with Activity Days! And I feel like this is the second part of my mission. I am a firm believer in the organization of Activity Days. One of my best friends in the world joined the church because of that organization, back when we were really young. I had her over to play, and Activity Days started so I invited her to join. It turns out that we learned to sing a song in Sacrament at that activity. So I invited my friend to come to that as well, since she had learned the song. It was that moment that led her to continue coming to church, and eventually getting baptized. Now she is married in the temple and has a beautiful family. She inspires me every day!
And I feel so blessed to now have that opportunity again, to influence the lives of these young girls in Activity Days! I know that it is where I am supposed to be right now, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given to serve. And I am so grateful for all of the people out there who are serving full time missions, who inspire me every day and remind me what's most important.
We don't have to be out in a foreign land, set apart as full time missionaries, wearing the badge, to be missionaries and do the wonderful work of the Lord. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we covenant every week to take that name upon us. We are wearing the badge, and it's important to remember that and to be an example of the believers. Every day we can find ways to serve others and bring people closer to Christ. And maybe one day, Brock and I can serve a full time mission together... but until then, here's to member missionary work! :-)
And I kind of feel like I got to serve my own mission, here in Logan. Right when I turned 21, the standard age for a Sister Missionary, I got called as the Relief Society President in my ward. I served in that calling for 9 months, until Brock and I felt that it was the right time to move into a new place. I learned so much from that calling, and I am so grateful that I had that opportunity! And now I have a calling in the Primary, with the music, and with Activity Days! And I feel like this is the second part of my mission. I am a firm believer in the organization of Activity Days. One of my best friends in the world joined the church because of that organization, back when we were really young. I had her over to play, and Activity Days started so I invited her to join. It turns out that we learned to sing a song in Sacrament at that activity. So I invited my friend to come to that as well, since she had learned the song. It was that moment that led her to continue coming to church, and eventually getting baptized. Now she is married in the temple and has a beautiful family. She inspires me every day!
And I feel so blessed to now have that opportunity again, to influence the lives of these young girls in Activity Days! I know that it is where I am supposed to be right now, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given to serve. And I am so grateful for all of the people out there who are serving full time missions, who inspire me every day and remind me what's most important.
We don't have to be out in a foreign land, set apart as full time missionaries, wearing the badge, to be missionaries and do the wonderful work of the Lord. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we covenant every week to take that name upon us. We are wearing the badge, and it's important to remember that and to be an example of the believers. Every day we can find ways to serve others and bring people closer to Christ. And maybe one day, Brock and I can serve a full time mission together... but until then, here's to member missionary work! :-)
Friday, August 5, 2011
Of Things That Matter Most
So, Day 29 is put a picture of yourself as a child. Haha, Day 18 was put a picture of you 10 years ago, which for me and Brock = Childhood. So, on to, Day 30! Oh my goodness this 30 days of randomness has come to an end!
And the topic is.... Something you learned about yourself in the last 30 days.
Well, counting back to Day One, this "30 Days" actually took me 114 days. So I have learned that there are other things to do in life besides blogging? hahaha. Just kidding. We have had a great last 114 days. This summer has rocked! And I will tell you something I have learned this summer.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a wonderful talk last year entitled, "Of Things That Matter Most". It really hit home to me. My whole life I have always been "go-go-go" nonstop. Always finding ways to keep myself as busy as possible. Always ALWAYS stressed. I was falling into the category Uchtdorf said of people who "think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives." I heard the talk, thought it was great, but I didn't change anything right away. I was scared of changing and I didn't know how. Hence, I still kept busy.
And this summer, I decided to change that. I decided that life is too short to rush through it. I decided to follow President Uchtdorf's advice that "there is more to life than increasing its speed...focus on the things that matter most." And I taught myself how to relax. I quit my unnecessary second job. I put a cap on how many piano and voice students I would accept. I organized my schedule so that free time for myself was always part of it. I made a list of what was most important to me and scheduled out my time to prioritize them. My priorities became:
Be a good wife
Be a good member of the church
Be happy, stress-free, and relaxed (AKA Aubrey time)
Be a good daughter/sister/family member
Be a good home-maker
Be a good friend
Be a good teacher
I devoted a little bit of time every day to each of those roles in my life, because I decided that in my life, that was what mattered most. And I will tell you, and Brock will tell you, I am a changed woman! I feel so good! And I want to share this advice with the world! We are never required to run faster than we are able. This life is about learning and being happy. I am so grateful for this opportunity I took this summer to self-reflect and really decide what is most important to me in this world. I am fully, genuinely, happy. And virtually stress-free. Whoever is reading this, I invite you to join me in the club! Take a leap of faith and de-stress your life. I promise it's worth it. It's scary, but it's worth it. You can do it!
And the topic is.... Something you learned about yourself in the last 30 days.
Well, counting back to Day One, this "30 Days" actually took me 114 days. So I have learned that there are other things to do in life besides blogging? hahaha. Just kidding. We have had a great last 114 days. This summer has rocked! And I will tell you something I have learned this summer.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a wonderful talk last year entitled, "Of Things That Matter Most". It really hit home to me. My whole life I have always been "go-go-go" nonstop. Always finding ways to keep myself as busy as possible. Always ALWAYS stressed. I was falling into the category Uchtdorf said of people who "think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives." I heard the talk, thought it was great, but I didn't change anything right away. I was scared of changing and I didn't know how. Hence, I still kept busy.
And this summer, I decided to change that. I decided that life is too short to rush through it. I decided to follow President Uchtdorf's advice that "there is more to life than increasing its speed...focus on the things that matter most." And I taught myself how to relax. I quit my unnecessary second job. I put a cap on how many piano and voice students I would accept. I organized my schedule so that free time for myself was always part of it. I made a list of what was most important to me and scheduled out my time to prioritize them. My priorities became:
Be a good wife
Be a good member of the church
Be happy, stress-free, and relaxed (AKA Aubrey time)
Be a good daughter/sister/family member
Be a good home-maker
Be a good friend
Be a good teacher
I devoted a little bit of time every day to each of those roles in my life, because I decided that in my life, that was what mattered most. And I will tell you, and Brock will tell you, I am a changed woman! I feel so good! And I want to share this advice with the world! We are never required to run faster than we are able. This life is about learning and being happy. I am so grateful for this opportunity I took this summer to self-reflect and really decide what is most important to me in this world. I am fully, genuinely, happy. And virtually stress-free. Whoever is reading this, I invite you to join me in the club! Take a leap of faith and de-stress your life. I promise it's worth it. It's scary, but it's worth it. You can do it!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The Fray
Day 27 is put a picture of your family. I already did that a couple months ago, with an entire post about the members of our family and how amazing they are. If you want to read that, here it is: Family. Isn't It About, Time?
In the mean time, let's move on to Day 28! Which is, your favorite musician. I would have to say that by far the band that Brock and I both like the best is The Fray. We have our own other favorites, like Carrie Underwood, and Led Zeppelin, but for both of us, The Fray is always in our top 3! So we'll say it's them. They're awesome. And I have never heard a song by them that I don't love! We went to their live concert our first summer married. We also danced to one of their songs at our wedding. Here's the music video for it... gives me chills every time. Enjoy!
In the mean time, let's move on to Day 28! Which is, your favorite musician. I would have to say that by far the band that Brock and I both like the best is The Fray. We have our own other favorites, like Carrie Underwood, and Led Zeppelin, but for both of us, The Fray is always in our top 3! So we'll say it's them. They're awesome. And I have never heard a song by them that I don't love! We went to their live concert our first summer married. We also danced to one of their songs at our wedding. Here's the music video for it... gives me chills every time. Enjoy!
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