Talks & Videos that have changed my life

This is a smorgasbord of different talks and videos that have become major turning points in my attitude, my outlook on life, my decisions, etc. 

"Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence"

"Moments that Matter Most"

"Daughters of God"

“As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten” by Elder Christofferson

"The Will of God"

Here's the video that goes along with it.


More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us by Paul V. Johnson. I still remember vividly listening to this talk one night my freshman year. I was discouraged and in despair towards heading back to campus which seemed like a hopeless cause in attacking my stress and assignments. Here's the part of the talk that got me through that trial of my faith: In the midst of problems, it is nearly impossible to see that the coming blessings far outweigh the pain, humiliation, or heartbreak we may be experiencing at the time. “No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” The Apostle Paul taught, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

"The Coat: A Story of Charity"

"Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them"

"An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ"

"Chastity: What Are the Limits?"

Daughters in My Kingdom.

"Be Strong and of a Good Courage - Mutual Theme 2010"

Scars

(Written about 2 weeks ago; edited and published today)
As I write this post, I listen to a song that inspired my thoughts today. Scars by Papa Roach. I was washing the dishes the other day and my roommate's iPhone shuffled to this song.

"I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And my scars remind me that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel."

And then, it hit me how applicable this song is to me right now. I apologize to any of my roommates reading this right now. I've been singing my own rendition of this song around the apartment. 

But, I'm very accident prone I've realized. With Aaron, every time we would go on an adventure, I would always get injured in one way or another.

I'd like to draw from one specific example. Canyonlands. Imagine it, May 2012. I'm in Southern Utah, with a friend's family, the Nelsons. Camping in the middle of nowhere. They decide to go repel off of an arch. To be honest, I went because I didn't want to miss out. Or miss spending time with a certain person. Anyways, whatever the reasons may be, I went. I didn't feel so good about it; but, I went.

Long story short, I scraped my hand while I fell repelling an arch. It sounds really cool, but it was totally stupid on my part. Here's a picture a couple days later of my hand.

The cuts healed, but they left scars. Here's what they look like today. Tonight actually, I just snapped these pictures.

 Side note: Look how bony my hands look. This is evidence that I have deathly, skeleton hands. 

It's funny how I've come to love and hate these scars. They reminded me of the beginning of a summer, of a new page in my life. But, they also remind me that I'm not invincible.

I'm trying to sensitively say that I'm sad because they now remind me of the finiteness of summer and that part in my life.

This relates to any kind of scars, even those left on the heart. Or those scars in your mind. I empathize with anyone experiencing those scars. You feel like you can never fully let go because the past has left an imprint.

"I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And my scars remind me that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel."

However, scars are really amazing. They remind me that I still have room to improve. That I'm not perfect...yet.

When we're resurrected after death, our bodies will be perfect. Without blemish (or scars, as far as I know). Our imperfect bodies will be made perfect.

And yet, Christ--the only one that lived a perfect life, will say, "Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world."

By his scars, we will know He is our Savior. Let me emphasize that the only perfect person will be the one who's scars will identify Him. Our wounds will heal. Our pain will dull. But, let us not forget why. Because of His sacrifice of the Atonement, our scars will fade.

I will end by sharing a quote from Elder Holland:

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.

 I also bear my testimony of Christ and His Atonement, and it is because of this, that my outlook is hopeful.