Briefly: 2013 (In Review)

Man, what a year! As some of you might remember, last year was a little more predictable for me because it didn't take me long to recognize why I felt prompted to stick around in Las Vegas after my mission. However, my purpose in sticking around in Vegas came to a quick close as Timmy, Skyler, and Levi were all on  missions serving the Lord by the end of 2012. While helping them prepare for their missions was one of the greatest and most gratifying experiences of my life, I decided in November of 2012 that I would be moving up to Utah at the beginning of the year.

Although I told everyone I was excited for the challenge, I must admit that I was scared half to death. Yes, my mission taught me how to be self-reliant and responsible, but...this would be the first ever that I would actually be out on my own--no companion following me everywhere, no mission president to give me advice, no money being automatically deposited onto my mission credit card at the beginning of the month, etc. Indeed, the year 2013 was going to be unpredictable and quite the journey! However, despite not having the mission companion, the mission president, or the money, I did have the confidence and testimony that I developed on my mission that everything works out as long as we are working hard and trusting in the Lord--even if it doesn't work out the way we want it to. 

Working McDonalds' Drive-Thru

The first three months of 2013 were spent living on the Berrys' couch in Orem, Utah. (The Berry family is a family that I got to know in Mississippi when my family lived there; they then moved to Orem around the time we moved back to Vegas, and we've stayed in contact throughout the years.) I was very grateful that they were willing to let me stay with them those three months while I figured everything out. As stated earlier, however, it didn't quite work out as expected. Originally, I was supposed to get a job at the chocolate factory with my BFF Chris Berry; however, we learned quickly that that would not work out. I remember sitting in the Berrys' living room my second day there and thinking, "Oh man. Maybe I can't do this?? Maybe this wasn't the right decision?" Long story short, I trusted that I made the right decision, and before I knew it, I was working at McDonalds and staying busy. Even though it wasn't the ideal job, I felt so blessed that I was able to find work so quickly.

My Car That Matt Sold Me

As stated in many of my blog posts throughout the years, my dream was always to graduate from BYU. Hence the reason I applied before my mission, while I was on my mission, after my mission, and one last time while living at the Berrys' house. All four times I was denied, and after the fourth rejection, it hit me that the Lord had different plans for me. I decided to accept those plans, and I enrolled at BYU-Idaho for the Spring 2013 semester. 

My brother Matt (who lives in Blackfoot, ID) sold me his car, and next thing I knew, I was moving from Orem, Utah, to Rexburg, ID. What I thought would be a tough transition actually ended up working out perfectly. I roomed with an old MTC buddy (Danny Hardisty), I had a car, and—best of all—I got a job immediately when I got to Rexburg as an early morning custodian. Like my McDonalds job, it wasn't the ideal job having to wake up at 3:30 AM to clean toilets and do other "dirty work", but it was work! And to this day, I am super grateful for the opportunity I have every morning to go work.

While it was a smooth transition, I must admit that I didn't enjoy my first semester at BYU-Idaho as much as I should have. Those of you who know me well, know that I believe that there is an "order of operations" when it comes to dating. I realized suddenly that being an RM made it a lot more tough to date because it seemed that every girl I tried dating automatically assumed I was dating them to marry them the next week or something crazy like that. Besides the dating woes, though, I enjoyed Rexburg—just not as much as I thought I would.

The seven week summer break was much needed. I spent the first three weeks in Indiana with my sister Kerstin and her family; I spent two more weeks with my brother Brent and his family in Washington. It was so awesome being able to spend time with my siblings and their kids; I was especially grateful for the hospitality and patience they had with me.

However, the break went by way too fast, and before I knew it, I was back at BYU-Idaho for the Fall 2013 semester. My classes were much more challenging, but overall, the semester was so much better than the first. Everyone was telling me that I needed to date more, and I always just laughed and agreed with them to avoid any arguments. In reality, I wasn't expecting to date too much because before going back to school, I came to the conclusion that all girls were the same and none of them would ever understand me. I came to the conclusion that I wasn't good enough at expressing myself and letting the girls know that I was trying to build a strong friendship before anything else. So the sad truth was that I was pretty set on not dating during the Fall semester.

Fall Semester Was Awesome

However, at the same time, I was praying that the Lord would prove me wrong and place some awesome girls in my path to show me that the world was still full of girls that weren't "like the others." Long story short, I met one of my friends the very first day of classes, and as I got to know her those first few weeks, I realized she wasn't "like the others." It was an answer to my prayers, and I ended up dating a lot more than I did during the Spring semester. My life was more balanced; it was three of the greatest months of my life because I was working hard, helping others, and having fun in the middle of all of it.

Even though 2013 was unpredictable and I had no idea what was in store for me, I must admit it was one of the best years yet. Despite all the hard times, I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons and challenges that came with 2013. Looking forward to what 2014 has in store for me! 

A Small List of Gratitude

My original plan was to write a blog post like this on Thanksgiving, but I realized today that I will be far too busy hanging out with my little brothers to have time to write a blog post on Thanksgiving. So I decided that I would go ahead and do it today since I am off to Las Vegas tomorrow!

I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel it appropriate that my gratitude begin with what I am most grateful for. I simply cannot imagine where I would be in my life without the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My testimony of the Gospel is sometimes hard for me to express because for me words simply don't do my feelings justice. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been my anchor in the worst of times, and I know that that pattern will continue throughout the rest of my life. I am not the brightest person and there is a lot I don't know, but I do know that Christ is my Savior. I know that He established His Gospel to provide a way for us to be truly happy. I know that if we follow Him, we will be blessed infinitely. I have a very strong testimony of God's plan, and I know that we can live in a state of never ending happiness with our families as long as we follow this perfect example and Gospel that Christ established for us.

I am grateful for my parents. I love my parents; I always have, and I always will. I mean no disrespect to them when I say that they are far from perfect. And I won't even go far enough to say that they are "the best parents ever" because I know they've made a lot of mistakes as parents. BUT they were and continue to be the best parents for me; I know that my mom and my dad are my parents for a reason. I know that's true because I look back on a lot of the things they taught me. I look back on a lot of those mistakes they made. I look back on all of that, and I just think, "Wow. My parents may not realize it, but they taught me so much by saying that" or "Wow. My parents made that mistake, but I'll take note of that so I am never put in the same situation." Again, my parents are far from perfect; but I think that is why I love them so much.

I am grateful to be the fifth of eight children. Man, I am grateful for my siblings more than I think anyone will ever be able to comprehend. I am grateful that I was one of the middle children, because it has given me the chance to really get to know all seven of them really well. I would say something awesome about each one of them, but man, words wouldn't do my feelings justice for this either. But I will say that I am beyond blessed to have my older siblings; they've helped me by setting an example. All four of them have been the best examples of what it means to progress and live righteously. I am blessed to have my three little brothers because each of them have taught me valuable life lessons. Like my parents, my siblings are far from perfect, and they've made mistakes. But I love them so much, and I am honored to call all seven of them my best friends.

I am grateful for technology. I wasn't aware of my gratefulness for technology until after my mission when it was so easy--and continues to be so easy--to keep in contact with the Chilean people that I got to know so well. This year, I've gained an even greater appreciation for technology since my older siblings and I are literally able to text message each other every day in a group chat on our iPhones. It is an awesome thing to be able to communicate with people with today's technology--even if they are on the other side of the world.

I am grateful for my mission. I won't go as far as to say that my mission was the best two years of my life. Heck, when people say that I kind of feel sorry for them because I feel that life should only get better after the mission. I can't speak for all returned missionaries, but I definitely feel that my life has only gotten better since. And the reason is simple: While the mission weren't the best two years OF my life, I am fully convinced that the two years of my mission were the best two years FOR my life. My mission taught me so much about how to love people. It taught me how to be self-reliant. It taught me to never give up. The list goes on and on. Now, I will admit that I haven't been perfect about applying these lessons to my life. I will even admit that I wasn't the greatest missionary. But I will also admit that I have no regrets because the mission taught me so much, and it continues to do so as I often ponder the experiences I had while serving.

I am grateful for my job. I had tithing settlement today at church, and man, it made me think of how grateful I am to have a job. Sure, I don't make a lot of money nor is it the ideal job. But I am grateful for the opportunity I have every morning to wake up at 3:30 AM to go and make some money to purchase the things necessary to live. 

I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for all the good people who have befriended me throughout my life. I feel that I am a pretty awkward person when people first meet me, and I don't always give the best first impression. But man, I am grateful for all the people who have given me a chance by becoming my friends.

I am grateful for food. On a less serious note, I just want to say that I am grateful for all the delicious food in the world. Here in Rexburg, Costa Vida has been especially good to me. I am grateful for all those who provide that food.

Tomorrow's Anniversary

For English this semester, we've basically been working on writing research papers all semester, and so I've been writing a lot these days. I feel that is the reason why I've been in a blogging mood the last few days. Granted, I usually plan out what I am going to write; however, tonight I am just going to type out some of my thoughts. We'll see how it goes. :)

First of all, I was looking back at some of my old posts from back in the day, and I was laughing so hard. It's incredible to realize how immature and ridiculous I was even at the age of eighteen. The funny part about that is the fact that when I was eighteen I really felt like I was mature. And maybe I was for my age at the time. But looking back on those old posts helps me realize that I've at least matured to the point where I don't post ridiculous stuff about The Dark Knight or the most RANDOM pictures and videos. But who knows? I'll probably look at this post another five years from now and think, "Wow. I was pretty immature when I was twenty-three." So, man, maybe it's just a never-ending cycle. That's fine.

The main reason I feel like I am writing this, though, is because tomorrow marks the four (four!) year anniversary of when I entered the MTC. Incredible! This semester I've thought about my mission a little more than usual, and it still amazes me how much I learned and how much I continue to learn from my mission. Even though it was only 1/12 of my mission, it's especially impressive how much I learned in the MTC. Here are just a few examples of the things I learned in the MTC:

I learned an impressive amount of life lessons as a missionary in the MTC.

• I learned that I was never alone. I entered the MTC a handful of months after graduating high school, and so it was my first real time being away from home. Leading up to my mission, it was something I didn't really think about. I love my parents, and they've always loved and supported me in return. I don't mean this as any disrespect to them, but it wasn't really hard for me to enter the MTC and not have my parents by my side. However, it was extremely difficult to enter the MTC and realize that I wouldn't have my siblings around. My siblings are my best friends, and all seven of them have taught me more than anyone will ever be able to comprehend. And so I remember being in the MTC the first few days and thinking, "Oh my gosh. I can't do this." However, by the end of my first week in the MTC, it hit me that my siblings were praying for me every day, and they wouldn't forgive me if I gave up. Not too much longer after this realization, I was reminded also that the Lord would always be by my side--throughout my mission and throughout the rest of my life.
• I learned the true power of testimony. All of my teachers in the MTC as well as our branch presidency were so awesome, and they taught me so much. I can't remember who it was, but one of our leaders told us that whenever a companionship within the district  would start fighting/arguing in the middle of class or something, he would have them get up and bare their testimonies. When I first heard that, I remember thinking, "That's interesting. I don't get why that would be appropriate or effective." It didn't take me long to realize just how quick a testimony can change an environment from contentious to an environment of peace. And it's that way because testimonies invite the Spirit of the Lord.  
• I learned to work hard, but to have fun doing it. While I was in the MTC, I noticed that there were way too many missionaries that would work themselves way too much and stress way too much. Just being around them made me depressed, I will admit. Now, I am not saying that missionaries aren't supposed to work hard. But the MTC taught me that if we are working hard to the point where we aren't enjoying it or having fun, we aren't doing something right. On the flip side, I learned that if we aren't working, and we're just goofing off, that wasn't a good thing either. I learned that there had to be a balance. For example, I remember one day after studying all day, my district and I decided to take my camera with us to gym time, and we did a "photo shoot" of all of us exercising on the exercise equipment. It sounds crazy, but it was fun things like that that helped us both in the MTC and in the mission field.

The list literally goes on and on. The MTC taught me a lot of valuable lessons, and it's just crazy to think that I learned these lessons four (four!) years ago.

With that said, my last random thought for the night is this: I am super  excited for Thanksgiving!! Can't wait to do some road tripping with my little brothers. We haven't road tripped together since last Christmas! It'll be so good to spend a few days with them. Can't wait to joke with them while jamming to some tunes and what not. I am giddy just thinking about it. LOVE those dudes. Oh, and Timmy gets home in FOUR MONTHS and a few weeks!! Just saying.

Too Blessed To Be Stressed

It's been a while since I've blogged, and I have some time on my hands tonight; so I decided to take some time to sit down and write a few thoughts down. I don't promise anything extremely exciting, but I hope at least one person reads and enjoys what I am about to say.

It's football season, and I think everyone reading this probably already know how much I love football--especially BYU's football team. Man, I really do love that team. But my reason for loving BYU's football team might be a little different than the usual BYU fan's reasoning. I am not usually very open about this idea because it's a little strange, but man...I really feel like BYU football has helped me through some of the toughest times of my life. 

Now, allow me to explain myself before anyone calls me sacrilegious or something. Perhaps the best way to do this would be by giving you an example or two. Possibly three:

The first example is really simple and actually has to do with the sport. It was in 2006, and life wasn't the greatest for me as I was struggling through some tough transitions in my life. I wasn't much of a sports fan. I hated sports, actually. But I enjoyed going to my high school's football game in November 2006, and so I decided to give sports a chance. My first opportunity came when I heard BYU was playing Utah. At the time, I didn't realize how big that rivalry was, but I knew it was a rivalry and so I decided to just cheer for BYU since it was the school I always dreamed of attending. 

I didn't know it when the game first started, but by the time that game was over, I would have learned a valuable life lesson: To never give up--even when things seem impossible. How did BYU teach me this? With one minute left in the game, BYU was down 27-31. They needed to go 90+ yards to win. I remember thinking, "Man, it's over. It's not even possible to go that far in a minute." For those of you who don't know, John Beck threw a 15-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Jonny Harline as time expired to win the game. 

That first experience with BYU football was enough for me to continue following them. In the process, I fell in love with their coach Bronco Mendenhall. Not because of his awesome name or because of his abilities to coach football, BUT because of his courage to put faith and the Gospel before football. As a used-to-be sports hater and a lover of the Gospel, that intrigued me that he would do that. And so I've followed Bronco and BYU football ever since.

And in the process I've learned a lot of life lessons from Bronco. Before my mission four years ago, I attended a BYU football fireside in Las Vegas the night before the BYU vs. UNLV football game. I had my mission call, and I was starting to worry a lot about my mission. I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull it off. I was doubting in myself. But attending that BYU football fireside was huge for me. I can't remember what he said, but Coach Mendenhall spoke, and the things he said were exactly what I needed to hear.

Since that experience at the fireside, I've learned a lot from the football players themselves. One of the most impressive things I've ever seen was last year in 2012 when BYU played Utah. BYU was favored to win, but they lost on a missed field goal. I remember thinking, "Man, that really sucked." I decided to watch the post-game show, and when I turned it on, BYUtv was interviewing Kyle Van Noy. I sat there and thought, "Oh boy...He's probably so mad."

Kyle Van Noy became my hero that day, though. When they asked him what was going through his head during the defeat, all he said was something along the lines of, "I was just thinking about what a blessing it is for me to play this game. I was thinking what a blessing it is to play with my team mates."

Even more impressive was this year when again BYU was favored to win. Kyle Van Noy had never beaten Utah. He was 0-3. This was the year. I was positive it was. I'm sure KVN was positive it was. Heck, every BYU fan was positive it was. But BYU lost 20-13.

Kyle Van Noy's reaction?

Too blessed to be stressed. Again, KVN taught me that when things don't go our way in life, we just need to count our blessings and focus on what we do have.

And these are only a few examples. The list could go on and on, but it suffice me to just say that I am really grateful for BYU's football team and the things they've taught me--especially players like Kyle Van Noy and coaches like Coach Mendenhall. Football is just a game that I've learned to enjoy, but BYU football is a program that I've learned to love because of the small lessons they've taught me--on and off the field. 

Guardian Angels

I feel that it is too often that when we think of seeing an angel, we think of having experiences such as Alma the younger when an angel actually descended from heaven and visited him face-to-face. While it is not wrong to think of having such an experience, it is important to know and understand that God has more than just this method of reaching out to us. In the October 2008 General Conference, Elder Holland taught:

"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

Elder Holland teaches us that we are literally surrounded by angels. I've listened to this talk many times, but it wasn't until recently that I gained an even more powerful testimony of what Elder Holland taught. It was a few weeks ago when I was driving up to school from Las Vegas. I don't have the best car, but man, that thing is a fighter, and I had no doubt that it would get me up here! It was starting up still, I got the oil changed, I made sure it had everything it needed, etc. I left Vegas, and that thing was running better than ever. 

And so it was a big surprise when I got to Beaver, Utah, and stopped to use the bathroom...and my car wouldn't start! I called my mom to let her know that I'd be getting to Ogden a little late, and I felt bad because I had told her that I'd give her a ride to work if I made it on time. My car had troubles before, and so I didn't panic; I just tried what had worked before in hopes that the thing would start. After a good 30 minutes or so of trying different things, nothing worked. I still had my mom on the phone, and I could tell she was starting to worry a little. And everything to that point was suggesting that I should do the same and start panicking. But I didn't--especially because my mom suggested I say a prayer--which I did--and I felt comforted and knew everything was going to be okay. 

I was go into every single detail on what happened next, but I will say that after another hour or so, I was leaving Beaver, Utah, after receiving help from a family-owned mechanic shop close to where my car was parked. They didn't charge me a dime, and my car didn't need any serious repairs. It was just a matter of a person more familiar with cars being able to take a look at it. 

I was giving my siblings the play-by-play via our group chat, and when they heard I was on the road again, thanks to this generous family in Beaver, my brother Matt texted back and said, "Thank goodness for guardian angels." It was then that the light bulb in my head went off, and my heart was filled with gratitude. It was thanks to those guardian angels in Beaver that I was able to continue my journey back to school. I didn't get to know these people super well, but I will never forget them; I will always be grateful for the love and kindness they showed me that day. :)

Small, Powerful Adjustments In Life

"Just Because You Think Something Is Some Way, It Doesn't Make It Right."-BDN

This week I decided to put a little something to the test. You see, in recent weeks I have realized that I've been a tad malnourished. No, I am not talking about being physically malnourished. Rather, I speak of being spiritually malnourished. I noticed that I had been slacking in reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, having charity for others, etc.

However, even when I was doing those important acts of faith, I recognized something pretty disturbing...I honestly hadn't felt the Spirit in church for quite some time. I was at church physically, and I feel like I learned  a thing or two every week. But I wasn't feeling anything. I felt empty, and so as soon as I returned from my vacation to Washington and Indiana I decided it was time to turn my life around.

It didn't take long for me to realize what was preventing me from feeling the Spirit. I knew immediately that my iPhone was the root of the problem. Now, I am not saying that phones are evil and no one should use them in church. I recognize that they can be effective (for scriptures, talks, lessons, etc.) if used properly. But I also recognize that they can be very distracting. For some, they are more effective than distracting while for others it is the opposite. Unfortunately for me, I fall under the category of people who get way too distracted when I have the World Wide Web at the very tip of my fingers.

Even more unfortunate was that I was allowing something as small and dumb as a phone to prevent me from feeling the Spirit at church. But earlier this week I wasn't so convinced. I thought to myself, "Well, it can't just be because of a phone. Maybe I need to pray harder for the Spirit?" I quickly laughed at myself because deep down inside I knew it was a big problem. I was just being prideful and making up excuses to justify my actions.

However, while I was sitting in my car on Sunday, about to get out and go into the church, I decided to put it to the test. I put my phone into the glove compartment of my car, picked up my "hard copy" of the scriptures, and walked into the church phone-less. And boy, did it work wonders!! I felt the Spirit strongly in all three hours of church, but especially during fast and testimony meeting. There were no distractions, and I could finally give the Lord my full attention during the meetings.

Since then, I have been to two institute classes, and I decided to put it to the test again. I went to both classes phone-less. Same results. Amazing!

My purpose in writing this is not to say that electronics shouldn't be allowed in church. I have no doubt that they can be used effectively. My purpose in writing this is to explain the powerful lesson that I have learned this week. That lesson is this: Each and everyone of us probably has adjustments that need to be made in our lives in order to better feel the Spirit in our lives. They may be small adjustments like stopping to bring your phone to church with you, but they are powerful adjustments. And I am a witness that it's worth it to make these adjustments.

Talk Given On June 9, 2013:

Becoming A Disciple of Jesus Christ
Benjamin David Nelson

Today in my talk I will focus on three questions.

·         What is a disciple of Christ?
·         How can we become Disciples of Christ?
·         What blessings do we receive when we are Disciples of Christ?

To answer these questions, I would like to use the scriptures as well as talks from our latter-day prophets that will help answer these questions clearly.

I. What Is A Disciple of Christ?

In the Bible Dictionary, we read that Disciples of Christ are “[A]ll followers of Jesus Christ.”

In the September 1974 Ensign, Chauncy C. Riddle expounded on what a true disciple of Jesus Christ is:

The word disciple comes from the Latin [meaning] a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act [like] he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares … in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of [a] saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength.

In the October 2012 session of General Conference, President Uchtdorf taught:

[Becoming a disciple of Christ] is the pursuit of holiness and happiness. It is the path to our best and happiest self.

In The Book of Mormon, we read about a handful of Disciples of Christ, one of them being Alma The Younger. Like each and every one of us, Alma The Younger was far from perfect, but he learned what a true disciple of Christ was. At one point of his life, he was an unbeliever; his only desire was to prevent the work from going forth.

As we know, however, Alma The Younger was visited by an angel, and he had a mighty change of heart. It was essentially at this moment that Alma became a disciple of Christ. In Mosiah 27:32-33, it explains:

32 And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

33 But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the commandments of God.

II. How Can We Become Disciples of Christ?

Alma teaches us that no matter where we are in our lives, it is never too late to become a Disciple of Christ. It isn’t necessary for us to see an angel like Alma did, but we can decide now to follow Alma’s example of true discipleship.

In the April 2009 General Conference, President Uchtdorf taught us what we can do today to become true disciples of Jesus Christ. He shared:

The first step on the path of discipleship begins in the exact place where we stand! We do not have to prequalify to take that first step. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor. There is no requirement to be educated, eloquent, or intellectual. We do not have to be perfect or well-spoken or even well-mannered. You and I can walk in the path of discipleship today.

President Uchtdorf then shares a list of things that we can do to begin our journey of discipleship:

·         Let us be humble; let us pray to our Father in Heaven with all our heart and express our   desire   to draw close to Him and learn of Him.
·         Have faith.
·         Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened. (See Matthew 7:7.)
·         Serve the Lord by serving others.
·         Become an active participant in your ward or branch.
·         Strengthen your family by committing to live the principles of the gospel. Be of one heart and of one mind in your family.
·         Adjust your lives to be able to have a temple recommend and use it.
·         Have meaningful family home evenings, read the word of God, and speak to our Heavenly Father in earnest prayer.
·         Fill our hearts with gratitude for the Restoration of His Church, for living prophets, the Book of Mormon, and the priesthood power that blesses our lives.
·         Embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, become His disciples, and walk in His way.

At times, however, it can be difficult to follow these suggestions given by President Uchtdorf as we are surrounded by so many distractions in this life. In such situations, we can follow the advice that President Eyring gave in the April 2010 Priesthood Session when talking about diligence:

We are to learn our duty from the Lord, and then we are to act in all diligence, never being lazy or slothful. The pattern is simple but not easy to follow. We are so easily distracted. Studying the daily news can appear more interesting than the priesthood lesson manual. Sitting down to rest can be more attractive than making appointments to visit those who need our priesthood service.

When I find myself drawn away from my priesthood duties by other interests and when my body begs for rest, I give to myself this rallying cry: “Remember Him.”

As we remember the Lord and our love for Him and His work, we can progress as His disciples—even when it seems impossible.

III. What Blessings Do We Receive When We Are Disciples of Christ?

In the same talk where President Uchtdorf talked about true discipleship, he also talked of the blessings that come from being true Disciples of Christ. He promised:

Let us remember…that the restored gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has the power to fill any emptiness, heal any wound, and bridge any vale of sorrow. It is the way of hope, faith, and trust in the Lord. The gospel of Jesus Christ is taught in its fulness in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I bear my solemn witness that Jesus the Christ lives. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He is the promised Messiah. He lived a perfect life and atoned for our sins. He will ever be at our side. He will fight our battles. He is our hope; He is our salvation; He is the way.

As we strive to become true Disciples of Jesus Christ, any emptiness we are experiencing in our lives can be filled. As we strive to become true Disciples of Jesus Christ, He will fight our battles.

[Testimony]

Looking Up.

Today in my Science Foundations class, my teacher shared a spiritual thought that really impacted me. He talked about how too often we think along the lines of, "Man! I'll be happy when this semester is over" or "You know, I will be much more happy when I am done with this difficult task." What we don't realize, though, is that when we finally reach these "turning-points" we aren't actually happy after all because--well--challenges and difficult tasks are going to follow us the rest of our lives.

So what's the point? Well, I personally believe that it means that we need to find a way to be happy even if we are overwhelmed by what life throws at us. We need to maintain a positive, hopeful attitude toward life. I am reminded of the talk Elder Carl B. Cook gave a few years back--"It Is Better To Look Up." After a busy day at the church offices, he was a little down on himself; he got on the elevator and kept his head down. To his surprise, though, President Monson hopped onto the elevator, whistling away before he told Elder Cook, "You know, it's better to look up." It's simple, but sometimes the answer is to just be a little more positive and hopeful by looking up and not down.

Another talk that can help in such times: "Come What May And Love It" by Elder Wirthlin. That talk has helped me "look up" even during the hard times.

My Science Foundations professor had some great advice, too, though. He said, "Write a list of activities you love doing...and do them!" When he said that, it hit me that even the smallest, simplest things that we love can help us "look up" as long as if we remember to do those things. For example, I have realized these last few months that I love sending random text messages to my siblings and my parents. And I have been pretty good about doing so. And sending all of these texts has truly helped me "look up" even during some of the most difficult times that I have faced these last few months. Something as small as a text message to a loved one can help us be happy now rather than later. Amazing, isn't it?

Of course, this will be different for each person. But I am fully confident that it is always possible for us to "look up" as we strive to do the small things that make us most happy. Life will always have challenges and will never get easier. There will be heartache, tears, and disappointments, but these things are much easier to bear as long as we are "looking up."

The Lord's Hand

We are often taught and encouraged to look for the Lord's hand in our lives as we go about our days. Sometimes the Lord's hand is obvious, while other times the Lord's hand is there, but we simply do not recognize it as that. For me personally, it has been difficult for me to recognize the Lord's hand in my life at times, but when I recognize it, I am overwhelmed with peace, joy, and gratitude.

I have been here at BYU-Idaho for almost two months now, and I have seen the Lord's hand in my life so much during these two months. To try and state each occurrence would be unnecessary, of course. But I do want to share an experience that happened to me yesterday that helped me recognize the Lord's hand in my life.

Today I have a project due in my Visual Media class, and so I decided to get it all done yesterday so that I wouldn't be scrambling around today trying to get it done at the last second. The project required that I mount what I had created to a 13x16 "mounting board" (for lack of a better word). It seemed like simple enough instructions, but the problem for me was that I had no idea how to use the spray room used to mount projects, I had no idea how to mount it in a way that it looked professional, etc.

In such situations, I feel like I just need a little input and/or feedback from another person to get me going in the right direction. And so as I went about my day yesterday, I kept a small prayer in my heart that everything would work out with my project. Surely enough, my prayer was answered. Arlan, a fellow classmate of mine who also happens to be a professor here at BYU-Idaho, showed up to the spray room and asked me if I needed any help or suggestions.

Long story short, I was in that spray room mounting my project to that "mounting board" for five minutes tops thanks to Arlan and his willingness to take just a few minutes to help my lost, uncertain self. As I walked away from campus with my completed project, it suddenly hit me that it was once again the Lord's hand (Arlan's help) that helped me complete that project.

The Lord's hand is evidence that He loves us and is aware of our situations. It is that unfailing love that anchors me when the trials and/or troubles come. And that love--the Lord's hand--will always be there as long as we let it and recognize it.

Old Phone Call (July 8, 2012)

Old Phone Call (July 4, 2012)

One Of My First Recorded Testimonies

Originally Written and Sent On November 17, 2003

Dear Family,

I finally decided to tell you guys my testimony. As you guys all know, this school year has been one of the hardest yet. (Matt working while I stay home and the kids at my school saying rude stuff about me and such.) When school first started, my acne really hit me hard. My friends from 4th, 5th and 6th grade stopped talking to me and kids would say rude comments about me and my face. I didn't know what to do so I decided to pray to the lord one night and asked him to help me get through my hard times. The next school day during First Period (P.E.), I made up a daily schedule called The LDS Daily Schedule. It says:

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LDS Daily Schedule

This daily schedule will help you prepare to serve a honorable full time mission. (One of the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood.) It will also help you keep the body and the mind clean. It will surely also strengthen your spirit and Testimony. Put this schedule anywhere where you will see it when you wake up and when you go to bed. (For example, I hung mine up behind my computer, where I will see it every morning and every night.) Enjoy.

Morning

1.Pray as soon as you wake up.

2.Shower.

3.Read at least one chapter in your scriptures. If you have time, read more. Understand what you read.

4.Eat a healthy breakfast.

5.Brush Teeth.

Night

1.Eat a good dinner.

2.Shower. (If you don't take morning showers.)

3.Brush Teeth.

4.Read at least one chapter from your scriptures. If you have time, read more. Understand what you read. (HINT: If you have a younger or older brother or sister, ask them if they would like to join you in reading. Help them understand. (My brothers and I did this every night when I was in 4th grade. It is a great way to get closer to your family.) )

5.Keep a Journal. Write in it every night. Record what you do, learn, and what you would like to remember that day.

6.Don't stay up too late when it is not needed. The earlier you get to bed the earlier you awake.

7.Pray right before bed.

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After making this schedule, I put it above my computer and every night/morning I followed it. After using this schedule, I was able to do and get the following:

1.I got accutane 3 weeks early.
2.My pain disappeared.
3.I made 4 new friends at school.
4.I got all A's on my report cards.

After all these wonderful things happened I Know that God lives and I Know He loves me.

I love all of you guys!

Love,

Benjamin Nelson

BDN Philosophy

BDN Philosophy #1: Persistence vs. Overbearance
          I personally believe that persistence and overbearance are often mixed up. What's the difference? Read my definitions here.

BDN Philosophy #2: Love's Order Of Operations
          I personally believe that too many people these days rush into love. I believe that there is an order that must be followed; I believe that love is something that must be planted and then grown. I believe that friends become best friends, best friends become boy/girl-friends, boy/girl-friends become fiances, and fiances become spouses. I believe that love's order of opps is: like, in like, love, in love.

BDN Philosophy #3: Communication Is The Only Way
          I personally believe that communication is the key to having healthy, enduring relationships. I believe that it's absolutely vital that we are open and honest with those that we love. I personally believe that most relationships could be saved so easily if only the ones involved were a little more open and honest with each other.

BDN Philosophy #4: Regret Is The Result of An Unlearned Lesson
          I personally believe that regret is seen way too much in the world. I believe that regret is a direct result of failing to learn something from our mistakes. I believe that with each mistake comes a lesson and with each lesson comes improvement. But I believe that regret damns our progression.

BDN Philosophy #5: Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid
          I personally believe that some things are better left unsaid. This can be the trickiest of them all because--as stated above--I also believe that it's very important to be honest with everyone. For example, perhaps we have strong feelings for someone. But if that special someone is not ready to hear about those feelings, it's probably not necessary that they are said. It all boils down to this: There is a time and a place for everything.

BDN Philosophy #6: Awfulness And Sincerity Cannot Co-Exist
          I personally believe that awfulness and sincerity simply cannot co-exist. It is far too often that we hear people criticizing others and calling them awful for not keeping up with the pace or for not executing a task with ease. But I believe if someone is sincere and gives something everything he or she has, it cannot be awful. Sincerity and simplicity are more powerful than most people realize.

BDN Philosophy #7: Practice Doesn't Make Perfect, But It Makes Progress
          I personally believe that practice makes progress. The simple truth is this: No matter how much we practice, we will  never be PERFECT at what we do. But yes, the more we do practice, the more we progress. And the more we progress, the happier we become.