take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go

general conference was amazing.

maybe i've never really paid close attention, but wow.

this time around every talk hit me like a ton of bricks.

i was eating every word up, every question i had gone in with were all answered, and as conference sadly came to an end my heart was overflowing with pure joy.

     

when you're a child you depend solely on your parents testimony of the gospel. but as you grow up you're suppose to slowly develop a testimony of your own, one that your own children will someday depend on just as you once did.

i'm slightly embarrassed to actually admit this, but my testimony never really stood strong all by itself until this very day.

you know how when it comes to marriage, they say you just know when you know. you could be on the date of your life, or simply watching a movie.. but once you know, you just know.

that's how it was today. i was at the morning session of conference, President Thomas S. Monson had just finished his amazing talk, the tabernacle began to sing "I Believe In Christ" and then a switch flipped.

i know what ya'll are thinking.. IT'S ABOUT TIME!

but seriously, it IS about dang time!

  

i just knew.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

i wanted to shout it from the tops of the conference center!

like king kong on top of the chrysler building, except for the fact that i'm nothing like king kong and it would just be a crazy ginger hanging on for dear life, probably peeing her pants, and just screaming about how she finally truly knew that this gospel was the real deal.

  

BUT IT REALLY IS!

just by making a few small changes in my life, the difference has been like night to day.

three months ago the idea of actually reading my scriptures every day was a foreign concept. praying was only a night time activity, and an entire three hours of church was pure torture.

oh, and when i had a bad day i would just rock out to the used and go for a run, hating the world and everyone in it.

now look at me. 

i literally cannot go a day without reading my scriptures. if i don't do if before school i feel like i'm walking around with no pants on. there is just something important that the scriptures, and only the scriptures can fulfill. i pray. and i kind of pray a lot. i literally begin my day with prayer and continue to pray throughout the day until i get up from my knees and crawl into bed at night. i look forward to church. weird, right? and when i'm angry or having a sucky day.. get this... i go to the temple. is your mind blown or what?!

   

this girl, this girl i am right now is completely different then the girl i was three months ago. AND IT'S AWESOME. i feel like i got bit by a spider one day on a school field trip and woke up the next day all muscular and with spider webs flying out of my hands. but the best part of it all is that i'm not just happy, i'm filled with joy. i know that if i continue to do what i am doing i will be blessed with the things the Lord has promised me. He HAS TO hold up his end of the deal if i meet him right where he has set the expectation mark. 

i know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and i'm so happy to be able to say that and actually have a firm testimony of such a thing.

 

to truly know is something i hope everyone can bear testimony of someday. it's a feeling i want to shove in every cake i make so hopefully someone somewhere can get a preview of what it truly feels like. words can hardly explain.

but wow. it's 2:25AM and i am going to go to bed now.

i love this gospel, i love the people, i love it's leaders, and i love Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. the church is true ladies and gents. families are forever, we must trust in God's timing, and always remember that we are divine sons and daughters of our Eternal Father.

preach!