Skip to main content

Lessons Learned

One of my goals for myself for the semester has been to write in my journal every day. I've been doing a pretty good job so far! Last night, I was thinking about the quote that is on the cover of my journal by Marjorie Pay Hinckley that says, "Everything you are learning now is preparing you for something else. As I was lying in bed about to go to sleep, I started thinking about what I have learned in my short 19 and a half years of life and came up with a pretty good list!

1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. It's interesting, because I know a lot of people have one single experience when they realized that the Church was true. For me, I've kind of always just known. I've had experience after experience that have confirmed to me time and time again that the Gospel is true. Seemingly small things such as, hearing a quote that seems to be directed right at me, feeling the Spirit during a lesson at Church, receiving comfort and guidance from the Holy Ghost, seeing my prayers answered, and so many others have built my testimony and continue to build it. Not a day goes by when I am not so grateful to have the Gospel in my life!

2. Heavenly Father's plan for me is better than any plan I can make for myself. When I applied to college two years ago (CRAZY right), I embarked on what is known as the decade of decisions. I was fortunate enough to get accepted to BYU and BYU-I. I went back and forth and prayed more fervently than I ever had before. I felt that the Lord needed me at BYU. My next big decision was deciding on a major. I wanted to be a music education major. I never felt totally settled about it, but applied to the program and did not get accepted, by a very small margin. I decided instead to be and Elementary Education major. I prayed about my decision and did not get a strong answer either way, so I decided to continue with it. I started major classes this semester, and the Spirit has confirmed to me that I am in exactly the right program! It's such a great feeling! I am already so excited for my future career! I have a lot more big decisions to make over the course of the next few years. It's so comforting to know that the Lord has a plan for me! I'm glad that I learned early on in this period of my life that his plan is better than any plan I could make for myself! 

3. Music is so powerful. Some of the greatest experiences of my life have involved music. Music speaks in a way that nothing else can. I am so grateful that I was blessed with musical talents. The Lord has provided me with so many ways to use them, and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so throughout the remainder of my life. Singing and music bring me joy in a way that nothing else can. I know that the Spirit can be felt through music, and that is such a blessing in my life. 

4. We all need the Atonement. I can't even put into words how much I need the Atonement, for so many reasons. First of all, I make mistakes every single day. Because Jesus Christ was perfect, I don't have to be perfect. I can repent and be forgiven. What greater gift could I possibly ask for? In addition, no matter what I am going through, I am NEVER alone. There is always someone who understands through firsthand experience. What an incredible blessing that is! Finally, the Atonement has an enabling power. Whenever we are feeling like we don't have the strength to accomplish something, we can be strengthened through the enabling power of the Atonement. I use the Atonement every single day and am so grateful for it! 

5. Prayers are answered, even if it's not in the way we expect them to be. I know without a doubt that the Lord hears our prayers. Sometimes when I pray, my answer is simply "be patient," something that is not always easy for me, but it's always worth it. 

6. EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Sometimes in life things don't go the way that we want them to. Life was never meant to be easy. However, every curve ball that is thrown our way comes with a lesson that our Father in Heaven wants us to learn. We will come out on the other side better than we ever thought we could be. He truly loves us and wants us to learn as we are tested in this life. 

I know there are more lessons but these are just a few! I am so thankful that everything I am learning now is preparing me for something else! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Birthday Shoutout to my Favorite Missionary Cousin!

What better way to return from my unintentional blogging hiatus, than to write a birthday blog in honor of my favorite cousin? Whenever I describe Matthew to my friends I refer to him as, "my cousin who's kind of more like my brother." In honor of his birthday, this weekend I was reading through some of our e-mails that we've written to each other while he's been on his mission and selected my top 10 favorite quotes that encapsulate ten of my favorite things about Matthew. 1. He will forever be a matchmaker.  "So a guy in my ward sent you a message on Facebook. He was going to say that he's single and looking for a girl to take to the temple. I said that would probably be a little strange." Side note: He sent it to the wrong Sarah Freeman, so I never got it.  2. He appreciates good television.  "So I've been e-mailing Michael Scott. I thought you would appreciate that he's been working in the mission office. Please think about th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shipps on a Ship Part 1

        It truly feels like just yesterday my grandparents gathered our family in the living room of our rented beach house and told us that they were taking us on a Disney Cruise. In reality, it was a year and a half ago and at the time it seemed like November 2014 would never come. It still almost felt like a dream even as we boarded our plane to Orlando last Saturday after MUCH airport turmoil, i.e. Michael forgetting his carry on at security, Jonathan getting a bloody nose, and me almost losing my debit card. Against all odds, the Shipp cousins made it to Orlando in one piece. I always get teary-eyed when I see my family after a few months away, and this time was no exception! Just as we were getting settled into our hotel room, we found out that our toilet was broken, so we had to move rooms! Once we were finally settled, Uncle Dave was kind enough to take as many cousins as could pile into his van for a McDonald's run. We spent Sunday in Downtown Disney, visiti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life Changes and New Adventures

          I thought that I had the next couple of years of my life all figured out. I am a prime example of a chronic over-thinker, and the queen of the pro/con list. I had carefully thought out every recent decision I had made. I was settled at the school where I had been working, I had a good apartment and ward, and I had just been accepted to a 2 year long Master's of Education program, which would fulfill one of my long term goals. Yet something still felt off. Despite the fact that I thought I had a good direction in my life, I felt confused and unsettled. It felt like I was trapped inside a box. I would walk in one direction, hit the wall of the box only to turn in another direction and hit another wall.          The problem was, I just could not figure out what it was that wasn't right. I started taking the long way driving home from work each day and praying about my concerns. It took a couple of weeks of this before seemingly o...
Post a Comment
Read more