November Weeks 1, 2, 3, ... and 4

November

1.) Consecrate our time to things that really matter

My only comment on this is that perhaps blogging wasn't what really mattered, at this point.

2.) Be intellectually curious and discuss it with others

... and obviously we were so busy conversing and exploring that we submitted just a single blogpost...

3.) Be a hard worker- put whole heart into whatever you’re doing

... need I mention that we were so fully invested in school, friendships, and work that we didn't blog?

4.) Develop good friendships- reassess our most important relationships

I am going to address this topic in FOUR ways (for it's the FOURTH week!)

Relationships with Peers (aka Friendships)

Being at BYU is amazing, let me tell you.

You walk around with the recognition that every body has the potential to be your best friend. I mean, you can find people who appreciate the Gospel, Disney, and family.

BAM. Best friends. You can just party in the Harold B. Lee Library study rooms, watch musicals, and eat cheap foods.

But friendships are supposed to be more.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being."
-Goethe

We have the opportunity in our lives to learn from those around us as well as help others grow.  Furthermore, as friends we can provide service.

God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.

- Spencer W. Kimball

Romantic Relationships

Let's remember, I'm a twenty-one-year old girl. 

I have re-played the heart-melting scene from "Becoming Jane" when Tom Lefroy shows up at the ball so many times that my DVD is permanently scratched.

This is why:

He is so romantic.

Relationships further than just friendships are for growth, experience, and ultimately, marriage. It's easy to get caught up in relationships, in Happily-Ever-After's, because as M. Gawain Wells (a clinical psychologist) stated, "It feels good to invest in a relationship. To care. To want to share. To want to give."

And also because marriage is simply that important.

Twenty-nine years ago, the same M. Gawain Wells wrote an article for the LDS church. The article really altered my perspective, as it explained that it is better to move on and look forward to the future eternal relationship, than try to hang on to and suffer through a mediocre, poor, or past relationship.

According to Brother Wells,when one is working through a relationship, they should have the following:

• Inspiration of the Lord.
• Communication
• Genuine interest in each other
• Shifting in which both partners can look to each other for support and strength
• Love for God and for yourself. 
• Honesty and Vulnerabilitiy
• Belief in your own lovableness.

  "As you develop those abilities, the love in your relationship can be sustained by a mutual conviction that you are loved by each other. Then you can know the delight of being trusted with one another’s ideas and feelings. And you can know the joyous, awesome capacity to give that comes with loving." - M. Gawain Wells 

  
  
   Relationship With Yourself
  "Friendship with oneself is all-important because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world." - Eleanor Roosevelt
  
  
  It is important to maintain one's health, both mentally and physically. Healthiness in both respects enables us to be more aware, alert, and energetic. Thus we will be able to help serve those around us more fully.

  "When you have a secure, spiritual knowledge of yourself as a child of God, you will find a sense of personal confidence and identity that makes a good relationship possible." 

  M. Gawain Wells

  
  

Relationship with God

All of our relationships can bring us closer to our Heavenly Father.  As His children, we have been blessed with talents and qualities that, if developed, will help us become more like Him. As we hearken unto Alma's words, we are reminded that by "small and simple things are great things brought to pass." Thus, in our effort to become closer to and more like our Father in Heaven, we should focus on developing spiritual qualities.

The desire to develop spiritual qualities will lead us away from other unrighteous desires. It will cause us to pray more intently and to be a little more forgiving of our neighbor’s faults. We will love more and criticize less. If we seek personal growth in a Christlike direction, we must make our life’s purpose the acquisition of these spiritual qualities. - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

I know of my Heavenly Father's love for me. He has blessed me with both talents and trials that have helped me become who I am today, and provide further potential growth. Furthermore, he has blessed me with relationships in my life that have given me experience and insights that I would not have gained otherwise. I am grateful for my family and friends, who continue to help me grow and are an additional blessing from God.

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

October Week 4

 Note: Lauren and I are standing on a BEAUTIFUL pathway soaking up the fall grandeur.


This week's goal is:
 Choose to be optimistic-Look forward with faith and patience (Say "Thy Will Be Done.")

I understand that sometimes this may be hard. Sometimes it's a struggle to look forward instead of to the past. But we are to learn from our mistakes, and make new choices. We are to go forward with faith, for our Heavenly Father loves us and has the most beautiful plan in store.

As our beloved prophet Thomas S. Monson said, "The future is as bright as your faith."
And let me say, my future is bright and beautiful. 

 And we do love life. Even if our hand guns look a bit weirdo sometimes.

September Week 1

As of tomorrow, we will officially be seniors in college. I said I wasn't excited for school to start, but now I can't wait. I like that all my friends are back in Provo after being home for the summer... or in foreign countries for two years. I like that the nights are warm enough for me to stay up way too late. I like that soon I will be back in the library half-reading, half-people-watching.

As an overarching theme for the month, we wanted to focus on people- strengthening our relationships, treating everyone like a child of God. This week's goal:

Think of others first

It reminds me of a talk President Uchtdorf gave in General Conference this past fall:
"We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman. Humility directs our attention and love toward others and to Heavenly Father’s purposes."

Recently I've been thinking a lot about the way I've spent my free time- or rather, who I've spent it with. Meeting people isn't something that is especially difficult for me- but sometimes it comes at the expense of my more important relationships. Knowing everybody is not the same thing as being a true friend, but Christ was able to do both. And the only way He could do that was to always put the needs of others above His own.

Sometimes when I feel insecure or out of my comfort zone it is harder to open up. To believe that people who seem to already have everything would want one more friend, or that complimenting a stranger will be uplifting and not creepy. To trust that if you truly forget yourself and give away all the love you can, at the end of the day you will be left with a heart that is full and not empty.
But that's the point of the experiment- so we'll just try it and see what happens! He won't leave us comfortless- so if we pray for opportunities to serve and love others, He will give them to us! We just have to watch :)

Goals for this week:
study the scriptures every day
go to the temple
pray for opportunities/increased ability to love
serve someone every day

The Game Plan

I'll be honest: Our inspiration comes from a group of young, marriage-hungry RM boys.

No, really...
They are young, smart, fun, handsome- and they have decided they are going to be married by Summer 2012.

Hmmm, thought we. That is a little unusual. (Though let's be honest, Taylor Henderson could probably get married next week if he wanted to.)

But not necessarily a bad idea. Marriage is celestial. And it's the next big step in our lives. And although we were more hesitant to dictate matters of timing to the Lord, we decided we could at least prepare ourselves and become the kind of people we want to marry.
We wrote a long list (not included here) of the qualities most important to us in a companion. Then we focused on how we could develop those things in ourselves. To make it concrete and feasible, we broke it up into smaller weekly focuses- formulated specifically around the normal course of the semester (holidays, finals, etc.) We realize that this is by no means a "Summer of 2012" guarantee. But that's not what we're shooting for, so much as the fact that we just want to be better people.

That said... ladies and gentlemen! (aka Mom.) We are proud to present:

The Game Plan

Pick one goal a week and work on it
Effective scripture STUDY
Weekly self-analysis with journal and patriarchal blessing
Regular temple attendance
Sincere prayer:
           Pray for opportunities to develop friendships and grow as individuals
           Pray for “Thy will be done” and be willing to accept it when it comes
Daily reflection- trying to listen to the Spirit
Regular exercise and balanced eating habits
Immersing yourself in your ward
Give everybody a chance- look for the best in everybody
Do something social every week

Schedule

August
1.) Study (STUDY) scriptures
Journal and reflect
Listen for the spirit daily (meditate and reflect)

September
1.) Think about others first- pray to recognize opportunities
                                             be a good listener
2.) Care deeply about relationships-- work for them
                                                            even if inconvenient, maintain friendships, keep them deep
3.) Love to serve- pray for opportunities and recognition
4.) Be real- good communicator, honesty
5.) See the beauty in those around you- pray to see them as children of God

October
1.) See the beauty in everything- positive attitude when things go wrong
2.) Be happy with what you have- content and grateful- express it
3.) Honor our divine potential- develop talents
4.) Choose to be optimistic- look forward with faith and patience (Thy Will Be Done)

November
1.) Consecrate our time to things that really matter
2.) Be intellectually curious and discuss it with others
3.) Be a hard worker- put whole heart into whatever you’re doing
4.) Develop good friendships- reassess our most important relationships
5.) Be physically attractive- take care of our bodies- be classy.

December
1.) Hunger for the gospel- assess where we want to go, strengthen our relationship with Christ
2.) Be giving and generous-- forget ourselves during finals (People > Problems)
3.) Focus on family- be a better sister, daughter, friend.
4.) Put your whole heart in whatever you’re doing

Again, let me be honest
I'm pretty ecstatic about this.
xoxo
Lauren

P.S. Ceb-babe here- We'll be logging our weekly progress on here.  Oddly, even though I adore Taylor Henderson, I didn't know about his idea until today when Lauren mentioned it.  But I just pretended to understand, and nodded silently.  Anyway, that's why we created the blog.  Enjoy!!