You Just Gotta Smile

I was thinking about what I should write and suddenly the title of my blog caught my eye. Why did I name this "You Just Gotta Smile"? What significance does smiling have?

We are all human, therefore we all go through trials and challenges. Sometimes in those moments we forget to smile. We forget to look at the positive things in our lives. Look around, you have a beautiful house to live in, family and/or friends who care about you, and a Father in Heaven who loves you with an infinite and eternal love. What more do you need? Okay, you need food, water, and sleep, but do you really need the latest fashion or the nicest car? Probably not. Do you really need to make everyone happy? Heck no! That's not your job! You have no control over their feelings and their actions. So let it go. Have faith and pray that they will choose to not be offended or angry when you make mistakes and then leave it in the Father's hands.

If you are struggling to be happy, I would encourage you to count your blessings. I would then encourage you to pray to our Father in Heaven and share with Him your challenge. If you ask Him diligently and sincerely for help and then have the faith to act on promptings you might receive, He will lead you to joy and happiness. I know that this life isn't supposed to be miserable... it's supposed to be full of joy and love. Yes, we will have struggles and we'll want to give up, but if we try our hardest to do our very best we can be happy!

So I have a challenge for you. Next time you are feeling down, smile. Even if it takes every effort you have... do it! You will be amazed.

Brittany :)

The Importance of Learning

Why do we have to learn? Why do we have to go to school? Why is there always so much homework? I often ask myself these questions and wonder why I'm paying to get an education. However, this morning as I was talking with a friend, the answer hit me like a ton of bricks. 

1- A man cannot be saved in ignorance. (D&C 131:6) Our whole purpose is to return to live with our Father in Heaven.... at least that's my purpose here on Earth. And if I cannot be saved without knowledge and understanding, then why wouldn't I want to learn as much as humanly possible? It just makes since!

2- This was the one that really hit me though..... God knows everything. Like EVERYTHING!!! It's amazing! Along with trying to return to live with Him, we are also trying to become like Him. If I want to be like God, I have to be obedient to His commandments and serve others and pray and do all the "Sunday school answers". But- I also have to be striving to know everything. We have the opportunity to become like Him if we work for it and show Him that we really want it. As we learn and grow, we will be progressing towards Godhood.

I know this is probably really confusing and hard to follow, but I needed to share it with someone so I did! :)

Continue in Patience

Read this... it's incredible :)

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/continue-in-patience?lang=eng&query=continue+patience

texting...

So, yesterday was my ward conference. The Stake President said this and I think it will stick with me forever. And I'm so glad!

Text for information 
Talk for conversation

I wish more people lived by this. It is too hard to have conversations through texting. And people always take it the wrong way. Texting can be really frustrating! So, why don't we just revert back to the olden days and pick up the phone and make a phone call.

Yeah... I think that's about it. Just had to let it all out :)

PS- I'm not a text hater... I just think that there are times when texting is definitely not appropriate.

Brittany :)

I love this picture :)

I am thankful for...

I have so many things to be thankful for. The last few days have been absolutely incredible and I have had the privilege to think about my many blessings. So here are just a few of the things I am most thankful for:

-My family. They mean the world to me.
-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It brings so much joy and peace into my life!
-Learning. With the technology and advances of today, we have the opportunity to always be engaged in learning something new. As a college student, I often get overwhelmed with all the work that I have to do. But, when I've off school for a few days I begin to miss the constant exploration for knowledge.
-A home away from home. Living with the Taylor's has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I know that even when I'm 1500 miles from my immediate family and home, I have a home and family here that love me and support me. And they are so understanding of my crazy college schedule... HUGE blessing! :)
-Friends. I love all of my friends, I really do. But, I'm especially thankful for my friends who are always reminding me to be better. Even when they don't know it, many of my friends are motivating me to be a better person.
-Joy. I am thankful for joy. Life would be so sad if we didn't have joy. I know that's obvious, but it's the truth. Without our pains and weaknesses, we wouldn't have the chance to feel true joy. So, I guess I'm really thankful for trials as well. Hmm...
-ME! I'm thankful to be me. I'm not perfect. I have a lot to do until I'm even close. But, I'm thankful for the talents and abilities that I do have. As I get to know myself more each day, I am grateful for the chance that I have to improve and continually grow with the Lord. I am thankful for my dry/oily skin. I am thankful for my short, wide legs. I am thankful for my straight teeth. I am thankful for my ability to forgive. I am thankful for my dedication to doing what is right. I don't mean for this to be a brag session, but I feel like in today's world we forget to think about ourselves in the right way. We are always judgemental of ourselves and can never seem to be quite good enough. But, God has made us the way we are for a reason. He's made our weaknesses and strengths. He has created us to become like Him. And if that is our ultimate goal, we need to start viewing ourselves as He views us.

Never forget who YOU are.

Brittany :)

My Hero: Great Grandpa Thompson

One of my many heroes is my great grandpa David Thompson. Grandpa passed away this passed Thanksgiving at the age of 92. While his death was hard to accept, I know that he is in a much better place now. He's happy. He has full mobility again. He's with his wonderful wife. He has a perfect garden with berry bushes and flowers.

My grandpa led a full life.

One of the things that I remember most and admire most about my grandpa is that he was a hard worker. And I mean it! He always had a large garden and would share everything with his neighbors and friends. I remember going with my grandpa one time to the middle of nowhere to a corn field, where we picked corn ALL day. I was only like 11 years old, but I still remember the experience. Afterwards my grandpa asked if I wanted to go to dinner, even though it was clearly lunch time. I remember that I fought him about what the name of this midday meal was called. As an 11 year old girl I didn't understand why anyone would call lunch "dinner".

Another time I remember going to Grandpa's with my cousin Tanner. At the time I think I was about 9 and he was 8. We were picking berries, which was kind of miserable because it was the middle of a hot summer day and we had to reach in the scratchy bushes to get the best berries (and grandpa wouldn't settle for anything less). Tanner must have stepped on a hornets nest or something because all of a sudden he was surrounding in raging hornets. We ran as fast as we could to the car, screaming the whole way. When we got back to Nanny's house (my grandma) the adults helped Tanner feel better and then we counted the number of stings we could see. Tanner had been stung at least 15 times. Neither of us ever went back to help pick berries. I'm secretly still afraid of those bushes to this day :)

About 10 years ago my great grandpa fell and broke his hip while delivering berries to a friend. Ever since then his health had been declining, but he just kept fighting it. We thought for sure we would lose him about 5 years ago, because of the insufficient care my great grandma was providing. They both refused to be put into nursing homes, so instead my mom and dad decided that we were going to take care of grandpa. We cleaned out our piano room and made it his new room. At first, I was not excited to have him living with us. Don't get me wrong I love him and I wanted to help him... but I have old person phobia. BAD! I'm not sure why, but old people REALLY scare me. 

Having grandpa living with us, especially during my high school years was a challenge. But, it was even more of a blessing. At first I avoided him. I didn’t want to talk to him or help him, because I was scared. However, as I watched my grandpa be helpless in his chair, with nothing to do because of his poor eye sight, my heart was softened. I started talking to my grandpa when I came home from swim practice. And then I would offer him mints. Slowly I grew to love the old man that lived in my house.

Grandpa didn’t stay with us for too long, because caring for him became to taxing on our family. He did however, have the chance to be with us for Christmas. One of my favorite moments was when he opened his stocking. Inside was a one pound bar of Hersey’s chocolate. His face lit up as he realized what it was. Sure enough, the whole thing was gone within a few hours. It was a different Christmas having him in our home with us, but it was a memorable one.

I love my grandpa so much. I could probably write 10 or more pages just about him; telling stories and life lessons he taught me. My great grandpa was an amazing man. He was full of love and life. I am so thankful that he was a part of my life. I wish I would’ve taken the time to get to know him even better, but I know that I will have that chance in the next life. My grandpa is a man unlike most, but loved by many. He is my hero.