Gems Are Still Worth Something Even When They've Been Barried Away

Oh how I miss the Saygobedo blog! It was such a big part of me and something I looked forward to reading and posting on. Now it seems more like an old scrapbook. But none the less, there it always room to post more! I kind of disappeared from my journal, both my blogs, and to alot of my friends as well in the last 6 months. Which is sad because I have changed alot and learn things that will forever change my life. But I guess I haven't been very proud of myself and just abandoned saygobedos and chose not to show my flaws. However, I'm here again. My heart has continued to changed and my desire to be an instrument in God's hands is being reborn. I am far from being able to feel the spirit like I used to and I guess I have to start with the simple saygobedos again. It was a saygobedo in and of itself to read my old blog posts that reminded me of the young woman I used to be. It was a saygobedo to post on here instead of letting this life altering goal and gem just fade in the dust. So here we go. Saygobedo 101. Tomorrow I am asking God to put someone in my path who I can make a difference to. And asking God to let me use the spirit to find that person. I pray that I can do what he asks.

I feel prompted to just talk about following the spirit again. Saygobedo's have become so regular and part of my life that I hardly recognize them as Saygobedo's anymore. I have gained such a strong relationship with the spirit and my Father in Heaven that it is almost constant effecting my every thought and action. Saygobedo's have changed for me over the last year. They aren't as noticeable and as noteworthy as they used to seem because it is just part of my character now. Saygobedo's used to come one way with each experience but now I notice myself feeling the spirit in multiple ways at once.

Moving out is definitely a leap and I've already had more moments to use the spirit than I could imagine. Big changes are happening and it's amazing. I just want to share with you some examples and ways I feel and use the spirit lately. My conscience has become my best friend. Yep I hear that voice in my head and I listen to it. ;) It's usually with small things that I get prompted of ideas that are beneficial to me. A couple nights ago I was supposed to go out to a bonfire but started feeling really sick. The voice in my head told me to go lay down. I recognized that it was the spirit and went to lay in my bed. That was my first way of feeling the spirit. Once I recognize that I'm being prompted I usually don't understand why so I take the time to understand it better. As I laid in bed I started asking myself questions about why I was feeling this way. I then try to give Heavenly Father the opportunity to answer my prayer as I ask questions. I think of the possibilities it could be and then pause to notice how I feel. I can sometimes recognize when the answer is a yes or a no by the way it makes me feel. It really is hard to explain but I think it's important to share what it feels like so more people can recognize how it feels to them. For me, a yes is a calm feeling that seems like the right answer. I just feel good about it. And a no usually leaves me feeling confused and unsettled with the answer to the question. I definitely  have to say that learning to turn your feelings is a big part of the spirit become part of your character.

As important as getting an answer, asking the right question is probably as equally important. If you do not make your questions simple, your answer will usually be unclear. So as I laid in bed I had to ask myself questions like am I sick because I'm afraid of going? And the answer was no. Am I supposed to go? And the answer was again no. I continued asking simple questions playing close attention to how they made me feel. I felt prompted to tell Brittani that she should go without me. And it turns out she had the same thought pop into her head.

Another example would be an small experience I had with my friend who is trying to buy a car. He was confused and asked for my help. I didn't really understand how I was supposed to help, but he showed me multiple options and asked how they made me feel. I read the description on each car and looked at each one carefully. I decided which one I was drawn to the most and give him my answer. It happened to be the same one he felt good about. It's really cool using the spirit. And for reconfirmation I often ask others how they feel about things. Sometimes we wont get answers right away though. Sometimes we need to be patient and continue to ponder the question and answers will come in various ways.

I have a testimony of the spirit and of divine guidance. I'm grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the direction I receive in this life.  I know God loves us and wants to speak to us and it's our job to listen. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Everything happens for a reason

The other day I was driving to Utah with my family, we were
driving in two seperate cars. I was in front, my parents drving about 15
minutes behind me. As I was driving I saw someone on the side of the road, and
I knew they needed help, and I wished I could help, I felt like I needed to,
but I figured I couldn't really help them since I know virtually nothing about
cars. As I passed I saw their sign, and it said "oil?". That's when I
realized that I could have stopped to help because I did have motor oil in the
back of my car! It was a moment of guilt on my part, and I still wanted to help
them, but I had already passed them and had no way to turn around. So, I had
the thought to just pray that someone would stop and help them. A little bit
later my parents called me, wondering how far along on the road I was. Then
they told me where they were, and I realized that they were a lot further
behind me than they were before. I pointed this out to them, and they explained
to me that they stopped to help some people on the side of the road who needed
oil. I had the biggest grin on my face when they told me this, because it made
me SO happy! In that moment I learned that we DO need to follow the promptings
we get, even if the logic of them doesn't make sense to us, but I also learned
that God understands we mess up, and there's still a net there to catch us if
we fall. I fortunately got to see one of these "nets" he placed in my
life that day when I missed an opportunity to follow a SayGoBeDo. Rather than
making me think that I can mess up more often, this experince has motivated me
to always follow those promptings, because I don't want to miss it when I might
be the only answer to something. This is my challenge to you to ALWAYS follow
your SayGoBeDo's no matter how CRAZY it may sound in your head - it will make
all the difference when you do :)

Starting...NOW!

As many know, I am off to college tomorrow. This leaves me thinking a LOT about the life I have led, and the life I am about to embark on. I think of the critical desicions that got me here, and I think of the little desicions too. The more I think about it the more I realize, it truly is the small, insignificant (or so we think) desicions that truly affect us. This is true because the little ones influence the medium ones, the medium influence the big, and the big desicions are what ultimately change things. Since this is true, our small, everyday desicions are SO important. This is why we have SayGoBeDo's because even though they are little, they make such a huge impact on us as individuals. Honestly, in the past few month's I've been trying to shoo away the little SayGoBeDo's, and do things my own way. Take it from me guys, this doesn't work! There is just something about recognizing a higher power and trusting God that He knows what's best. So, starting today (with this post in-fact, I had a SayGoBeDo to write it!) it is back to following those promptings, because they are so important, and I know they will make myself, as well as others happier in the end. I challenge anyone reading this to join me. Stop, listen, let go of your fear and act on each and every SayGoBeDo you recieve. Are you with me?

"So We Could Learn How To Climb"

Have you ever climbed a mountain?

I had the opportunity after 16 years of living in Colorado, to climb a 14er (a mountain over 14,000 feet). To most this is a pretty cool and challenging thing, but for me, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Both physically and mentally. And trust me, I have done some very hard things since I've been sick. The 16 mile trek pulling handcarts two years ago, backpacking in the mountains and hiking 26 miles last year, and walking 18 miles from Castle Rock to the Denver temple this year. But I wasn't done yet. I had a mountain to climb. It wasn't very many miles, but it was very rocky and a 3,000ft rise to the top. I didn't think it would be so hard. In fact, I thought I could do both in one day, Grays Peak and Torreys Peak. Although this wasn't the case, I feel so accomplished by what I did complete. For how much pain I was in, there is no way I could have done it on my own; and I'm so grateful I didn't. Aside from my caring friends who were there to support eachother, the help I got from God changed my life.

About half way up the actual peak I literally could not go any further. I had tried every method of endurance I have ever known. I took it slow, at a steady pace and drank tons of water and a couple snacks. I stopped quite frequently and tried to just keep going. There even got to a point that I had to take baby steps just to keep going. If I stopped it hurt too bad and it was too hard to get back up and I just kept going, one tinnie tiny step in front of the other. I tried not to hold anyone back and I tried not to complain. This was me verse the mountain, and I didn't want to bother anyone else. Finally I got to the point I just couldn't do it anymore. I was so far up I wasn't going to turn back, and I had prayed for help. I just didn't know how to keep going. I have to admit that I shed a few tears, cussed at the mountain a few times, and yelled at myself. My legs hurt so bad and every muscle in my body was shaking. I had nothing left to give. No passion, no drive, just the basic idea I planted in my head that "I will make it to the top". Although my mind said I could do it, my body had no idea how. The "just keep going" idea was failing me. I needed help. I ran up ahead with my body screaming in anger but I had enough anger and hatred of the mountain that I got myself far enough away from the others to then forgive the mountain and ask God for help. I stopped and I prayed. I looked up at the clouds and I remembered that in my patriarchal blessing God said he would send angels to bare me up if it ever be necessary. I felt this would be a good time to have someone hold my hand, so I prayed for those angels. And I can actually say that as I walked I began to feel alive again and I started to walk a normal pace. I don't even remember it hurting. I literally began to feel rushed up the mountain with people all around me even though I was alone. And not to exaggerate, but I felt someone holding my hand. I kept praying, "please let me finish." And it the middle of my excitement I realized a few feet ahead was the summit. I couldn't believe it. I got there and walked all over the top of that summit with the most joy and relief that I have ever felt. I got to yell down to the others that I had summitted! The sick one made it there first. It wasn't about being first, it was about being there with angels. It was such an amazing feeling to look over the other side of that mountain and know that God cares about that mountain as much as he cares about me. I'm glad I couldn't make it on my own. I'm glad I needed God, and I'm glad he sent angels to bear me up. Sometimes they are the ones walking with us, friends or family. And sometimes he sends a few that you can't see to give you strength. All that matters is that you ask for help and you will receive help. God will always be there on whatever mountain you climb.

Although I didn't summit both, I knew that I did all that I could. Every last bit of me was drawn out. On the way down I had nothing left. No strength, no excitement, not even words or compassion. I just lifted my feet and the gravity brought me down the rest. I have never been so exhausted before. And I'm grateful for that. After 16 hours of sleep after that and a few days of recovery from pain, I can look back with a huge smile on my face and know that I did the hardest thing in my life. And it's not to say "I climbed a 14er," cus that happens for alot of people, its to know in my heart that I only finished because of God.

This is my all time favorite song and I have an entirely new love of it. I challenge you to climb all your mountains. And if you get a chance, climb a 14er in Colorado. You can really see God everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aup9M5HZawI&feature=channel_video_title

"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

-John 12:46



I know that my Redeemer lives and loves me too. There are times when I have questioned my faith in the Father and the Savior and if I really still believed it. Times where I have relied more on the world and myself than on God. Let me tell you now, that it is not worth it. It is NEVER worth it. I can testify without a doubt in my mind that Heavenly Father hears you, and knows your name. He never forgets you; even when you forget him. Jesus Christ knows every sorrow and every pain. Never feel that you have been left alone. I know that sounds easy for me to say, but it's never easy to accept when you are the one hurting. Trust me I know, when you are in your darkest hours, hearing comforting words and reminders of your faith never seem to work. But I know that if you truly seek happiness and goodness, you can do it. I have done it. It is not easy. You must come to "a mighty change of heart" and must be patient as you seek out the Lord. You must seek him in every way. You must show him that you want to be his disciple. And it will happen. You CAN find what you are looking for. And I am here to testify that the things you are looking for are never right unless Jesus Christ is the core and center of your endeavors. I love my Savior and my Father in Heaven. I know that it is up to me to come closer to them and be worthy to dwell in their presence again. Dear friends, they love you, and want you near them. Come back to the light and help others who want to come back to the light. I know these things to be true without a doubt in my mind. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thought for the day:

"You must first have revelation that you can receive revelation."

I guess sometimes it takes a bit of confidence and faith in ourselves and God in order to receive Saygobedos again. Especially after you've stopped for awhile and feel like you should know exactly how to do it and be able to start again in a heartbeat. It kinda seems like there's this obligation that you should be better at them than before, and sometimes you are, but often times we must restart our Saygobedo engines. Only through the pure basics can we begin our journey to saygobedos again. It's more like an awakening every time you get lost in the world and get caught up in yourself, that you must wake up to saygobedos again. But the door to saygobedo opportunities is always before us and we must open it over and over again.