Places we want to travel together in our lifetime

Washington DC
Chicago
Minneapolis
Brussels
Amsterdam
Paris
Rome
Seattle
Mount Rushmore
Barcelona
Scotland
England
All 50 US states (14/50)
New Zealand
New York City

Adventures of Fall 2014

Alright so I am supposed to writing in a journal or something, and I was going to do that I promise... except that I don't have a journal. So I figured a blog is the next best thing! So I guess I’ll start from July.

My wonderful Great-Grandma Louise passed away this July which started off my adventures a little earlier than expected. We live in Rexburg, Idaho because Nathan is going to school there. We were planning on traveling home mid-July so that I could go to fiddle camp but that just got bumped up a week or so. Nathan didn’t finish school until the end of July so we were apart for a while (waaaaay too long). The service for Great-Grandma was beautiful, I was able to play my fiddle. I got to see a lot of family which was nice. I spent that next week just relaxing and spending time with family. Then came fiddle camp.

Fiddle camp was different this year because it was in Moses Lake rather than Kittitas, WA. It was nice except for the blazing heat. My cousin came to camp with me and Grandma this year which was great, I am all for promoting Old-Time music to the next generation! Camp was great, I learned some awesome pieces, saw some friends, and played lots of music. Also (as every year) my resolve to play all the time and perfect songs got stronger. My teacher Katrina told us that this would be her last year teaching which made everyone very sad because she’s amazing. But then camp ended and craziness ensued.

My grandmother and I planned a trip to the Oregon coast after fiddle camp. That trip included 3 female cousins. 1 car. That’s 5 females and all their crap in 1 car. It was awesome (most of the time). We went to the coast, got in the ocean, saw all kinds of creatures, saw some family, had some frustrations, and I feel like technically some laughs. ;) Oh and we were camping the whole time so that was interesting too. And then we drove home (finally).

After that adventure I spent almost a week waiting for my husband to join me. I spent some good time with my grandma and the rest of my family. Then Nathan got there and I went to work. At Plato’s Closet, again. I really don’t know why I did it… oh yeah it’s because we have no money! It was fine… I just feel sooo done with retail. Seriously that is all I’ve ever done and to be honest I don’t even like it anymore. I mean yeah I like clothes and I like getting them for good prices but I just think I’m done with that. And I don’t really know what to try next as far as a job goes, so if any of you have any good ideas PLEASE let me know! Anyway, yeah so I worked 5 days a week and we house hopped between families. Nathan bought a new suit. Oh and we went camping with his family at the St. Joe. Camping is always fun with the Blacks! I ate spam for the first time! It was great! Then we got ready for our road trip!

So we started early September 1^st from Coeur D’ Alene, Idaho. Our first day was the longest. We made it all the way to Jamestown, North Dakota (home of the world’s largest buffalo statue).We were going to stay at a campground but then we realized that it cost money so we ended up just sleeping in the car in a wal-mart parking lot. J The driving was not as bad as I thought it would be! The second day we drove to Minneapolis, home of American’s largest mall. WHICH WAS AWESOME! We started early enough to be at the mall most of the day. This thing was crazy! There is a theme park in the MIDDLE of the mall. Like legit theme park, it had like 3 roller coasters, I wish we had more time (and money) so we could have gone on rides. The mall itself was so great they had almost everything you could image. Nathan got a tie, I got a dress, and we spent like $9. After that, we drove another hour or two to a campground. The next day we drove to Chicago, now that was an experience! As we drove closer to the city we could see the buildings on the horizon just rise from ground, it just got more and more incredible the closer we got. Then we got into the city. Now mind you, I have never been in a big city like this, the closest thing I’ve seen to Chicago is Salt Lake City. The buildings were gigantic and amazing. The driving was terrifying! I seriously thought I could die that day. The parking was crazy, and scary. The people were scary. The Navy pier was cool, we saw the stained glass museum, the hot dogs were phenomenal at Chub A Dub Flub. Then we left cause it was stressful just being in that city! I was so relieved as we left, even though everything there was incredible. We drove for an hour or two to a hotel… apparently this hotel had just opened the day before we got there! So I was expecting kind of nice, new things….no. It was a pretty old hotel that had be RE-opened. Let’s just say, there was an iron burn in the carpet… yeah. Then it was our last day and long stretch to DC! Little did we know there would be a million TOLL roads! We did not budget for that! But we did get to see gravity hill! That was cool! Then we finally made it to Nathan’s cousin’s house!

They were the best hosts ever! We had our own room and a nice air mattress. They fed us! We spent a week there near DC, we got to ride the metro, see some museums, some monuments, the white house, all the cool things basically. It was SO HUMID! I seriously don’t think that I have sweat that much ever before. But we got to go the the DC temple (which is actually in Maryland) and it was so beautiful! I was so glad we could do that! Then our Belgium adventure began!

We left the airport at about 11:30 PM on Sept 10^th. It was cool because every seat had a screen where you could watch movies (I watched like 5) they even gave us little tooth brushes! It was a very long flight though. They made us keep our window covers down so people could sleep… We got to Turkey at about 4 PM Turkish time. The airport was amazing, a whole shopping mall, a food court, a hotel INSIDE the airport! But 15 hours of a layover is kind of a lot… we tried to sleep on the seats but it was difficult, for me at least, Nathan can still pretty much sleep anywhere. But we finally got on our last plane and made our way to Belgium! I just watched movies again the whole time.

We got to Brussels at about noon their time. We were so excited to be there! As soon as we left the airport and got outside the first thing I noticed was that everyone smokes! After a little trial and error we found out which bus to take to get us closest to our flat. Figured out how to pay for it. Not having service on our phone was tricky. We got to the bus stop and figured out where to go from a picture of a map on Nathan’s phone. As we walked to our place we just saw the city’s neighborhood. There are a lot of pharmacies, convenience stores, and all the building are the same thing, there is just a long stretch of buildings that are all connected, there’s one door and like 5 doorbells then they unlock the door for you. Anyway, we were so relieved when we saw the door to our place! We buzzed our flat and the landlord let us in and met with us. His French accent was so thick it was hard to understand him. But he was nice and showed us around our tiny little place. Our bed is the couch. We have no oven. Our fridge is mini. Our bathroom is as big as our living/bed room. There is no shower curtain. A clothes washer but no dryer. But it’s nice! We have a TV!... Jet lag wasn’t very nice though! We would go to bed and not be able to sleep for hours! Then when we did sleep we slept in until like 3 PM! But we finally got over it

So we have explored the Grand Place (pronounced: grawnd plaz) a couple times and it is seriously so beautiful! The architecture is phenomenal and everything is amazing. Oh and the sidewalks are all like brick… and I trip over it all the time! We’ve been to a few grocery stores, still trying to figure out the best one, there’s nothing here like wal-mart, everything is smaller. Oh and I am SO glad that we don’t have a car here! The driving is crazy! There’s no yellow lines on the roads! I would get so confused! We went to church on the first Sunday but we didn’t know how to get there so we just walked…. For like 2 hours, it was 4 miles. Then right before we got there an African lady picked us up and takes us the rest of the way, luckily she spoke English! And when we got to church she told us where to go and helped us, she was so nice!!! So they translate all of church in French and English and there is a Spanish relief society. It was so great and everyone was SO friendly! It was awesome! A little too friendly though because we got roped into teaching Sunday school for the next two weeks! There were so many missionaries too! A pair of senior missionaries offered us a ride home and we ended up going to their place for dinner! They are so cute! The sister gave us a map and told us the best waffle places, the best grocery store, the cool fountains, and basically everything! It was amazing! So that was basically the first week

Nathan started his internship and he is doing really well and he is loving it! He is really interested in what he is doing which is great! He really likes the guys he works with! From what I understand he is compiling a list of religious prisoners throughout the world and this list is going to be published into their annual report that goes to the EU and helps them make human rights policies. It’s way cool! Me on the other hand, I’m pretty much a bum. I don’t do anything all day really. I have started working out! I clean sometimes… I usually don’t go outside. I probably will at some point, when I get more comfortable! I’ve been reading up on some things, playing games, and… that’s about it, but I’ll get more productive!

So that’s it so far! If I missed anything I’ll edit this or something. It’s been 2 ½ weeks so far and honestly I miss the states. It’s just more comfortable for me ya know. I am loving it here though, I am soaking in all the culture and having an awesome adventure, but I gotta say I will be very happy when we land in DC and are home for Christmas!

Conclusions...

Family: The Lord has put so much emphasis on the importance of Family. I am very passionate about my family and intend to do whatever I can to help them and keep my family intact. I know that if I put the Lord first he will bless my family and me with the things that we need. I know that through Him we can find hope and solace through anything that we are facing. I intend to head the council of the Prophets and rely on Heavenly Father to help and support me in my efforts to care for my family.

Atonement: Words have no power to describe the way I feel about the atonement. Christ’s sacrifice was the ultimate gift that our loving Father in Heaven gave to us, His children.  Because of that gift we can be reunited with Him, we can live our lives free of past guilt’s; we can continue to strive to be better in all ways. No matter what happens to us we can have the comfort knowing that Christ has suffered what we are suffering, and on top of that he has suffered for the sins that we have committed. I will live my life striving to be worthy of this great gift.

Agency: Agency is another one of God’s great gifts to us. Agency is what this whole plan is all about, without agency there would be no plan, no purpose, and no life. I am so grateful for this gift and that I was able to fight for it in the pre-mortal life. Agency is sacred to Heavenly Father and he trusts us enough to let us have it, we should regard it with the same sanctity. I learned from the talks that I read that the only way that we can feel true happiness and joy is through agency and the atonement. We are responsible for our lives and the choices we make and thus can only be happy by using our agency to do good.

Pornography: Reading talks about pornography and the power it can have over us just made me feel so extremely grateful that I have not fallen into its trap and that I married a man who similarly has been untainted by pornography’s satanic influence. The talks that I read made me have a stronger conviction to keep this filth out of my family. They all had very good advice on how to protect our families and I will be implementing all of those ideas. The damaging effect that pornography has on the spirit is unmatched and I will do all that I can to keep my family and those I love away from it.

Temple Attendance: I chose this topic as my personal application topic because I have been very blessed lately to live in areas that have nearby temples. I attend the temple fairly often but not as often as I know I should. I wanted to be inspired more to go to the temple and receive those blessings. The talks that I read and the quotes that I gathered did just that. Going to the temple really has such a great healing effect on the spirit. Even if we are ‘sick’ in spirit, simply living in this world can and will taint our spirits. Going to the temple cleanses us and we are blessed for our sacrifices.

Setting Goals: I chose this topic because it is something that I am not very good at. My husband is a goal setter and he is very motivated to achieve his goals, while I am of the mindset of ‘if I don’t set a goal I cannot fail’. Reading that talks that I did made me realize that if I do not push myself and strive to achieve things that may not even be possible, I will grow in spirit and knowledge. A lot of the quotes I found on this topic were centered around missionary work (not surprisingly). The emphasis that I got was that we as members should always set and have goals to become better and to spread the gospel to everyone that we know. Even if we cannot succeed in many or most of our goals, at least we are trying and that in itself is noteworthy.

Charity: I love this topic mainly because it is something that I am striving to do better in. Sometimes I can be very selfish and prideful, but I am trying to be more like Christ and have more love for my fellow man. What I learned from that apostles was that really, it is our responsibility to be charitable and care for our brothers and sisters who need it. As members of this church, we are constantly representing Christ and our Heavenly Father, and because of that, we are obligated to care for others. Something that I previously had not pondered is my responsibility. Knowing this now will inspire me to be more charitable.

Scripture Study: I loved all the correlations between scripture study and personal revelation and getting answers to questions. That is something that is said all the time but it is something that I have not experienced a lot personally. I read my scriptures but I could do better at studying them. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to take religion classes in college because I have learned so much and have had to study the scriptures. It is amazing what you can learn from other people’s insights! From the talks I read I have learned more of the importance of personal scripture study and I think that I will start studying by topic.

Patience: This is another Christ-like attribute that I have been trying to get better at in my life. Through the apostles addresses I have noticed that they emphasized being patient with ourselves and our human frailty as well as being patient with others because they are human. Sometimes I feel like learning should be so simple and easy, so then I get frustrated when I don’t or can’t learn something as fast or as easy as I thought it should be. We need to have patience with ourselves and remember that we are on the Lord’s errand in this life, and everything will come to pass in the Lord’s time.

Revelation: Revelation is such an important attribute to our testimonies. From the apostles I learned how to gain revelation and the importance of acting upon it. This is something that I struggled with as a teenager and came to the knowledge through trials and diligence. Something that is very important to me and that I have read the apostles say is that we need to trust in the faith that we already have and the moments of insight and revelation that have already occurred before we doubt. This is something that has kept me going through almost every trial in my life and I am so grateful for that knowledge!

Seeking Riches:  This topic is simply just an interesting one and I wanted to see how many of the apostles had spoken on a topic such as this one. As I had thought, not many apostles have, but the quotes that I did find I liked a lot! The apostles connected riches with being charitable, relying on the Lord, being wise, and being happy. 

Elder Holland.. Holy Moly

ELDER HOLLAND              

“Lord, I Believe” April 2013

This talk was directed to the young church members. He talked about being forgiving of ourselves for not knowing everything and to lean on our faith to continue to grow in knowledge.

“Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe.”
Elder Holland, “Lord, I believe” April 2013 General Conference

“In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited.”
Elder Holland, “Lord, I believe” April 2013 General Conference

“Be as candid about your questions as you need to be; life is full of them on one subject or another. But if you and your family want to be healed, don’t let those questions stand in the way of faith working its miracle.”
Elder Holland, “Lord, I believe” April 2013 General Conference

“So be kind regarding human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you in a Church led by volunteer, mortal men and women. Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we.”
Elder Holland, “Lord, I believe” April 2013 General Conference

I feel like it is so important to remember that we and others are human and we make mistakes and we have doubts and that it is ok. We just need to remember the faith that we have, remember the confirmations that we have had and lean on those to bring us to a greater knowledge of the gospel. We need to try to believe and act upon that desire.

“Safety For the Soul” October 2009

This talk is in my opinion the most compelling, strong, irrefutable testimony of the Book of Mormon that has ever been.

“I ask that my testimony of the Book of Mormon and all that it implies, given today under my own oath and office, be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven. I hope I have a few years left in my “last days,” but whether I do or do not, I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter days.”
Elder Holland, Safety for the Soul, October 2013 General Conference

“would these men blaspheme before God by continuing to fix their lives, their honor, and their own search for eternal salvation on a book (and by implication a church and a ministry) they had fictitiously created out of whole cloth?

Never mind that their wives are about to be widows and their children fatherless. Never mind that their little band of followers will yet be “houseless, friendless and homeless” and that their children will leave footprints of blood across frozen rivers and an untamed prairie floor. ⁹Never mind that legions will die and other legions live declaring in the four quarters of this earth that they know the Book of Mormon and the Church which espouses it to be true. Disregard all of that, and tell me whether in this hour of death these two men would enter the presence of their Eternal Judge quoting from and finding solace in a book which, if not the very word of God, would brand them as imposters and charlatans until the end of time? They would not do that! They were willing to die rather than deny the divine origin and the eternal truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.”
Elder Holland, Safety for the Soul, October 2013 General Conference

 “Brothers and sisters, God always provides safety for the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done that in our time.”
Elder Holland, Safety for the Soul, October 2013 General Conference

Elder Holland’s talent with teaching and speaking in general simply makes this talk legendary. There are really no words to describe how this talk makes me feel. I so strongly believe every word in this talk and can only hope that others will feel the same as they read these words.

FULL TEXT HEREhttp://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/safety-for-the-soul?lang=eng&query=

Elder Hales

ELDER HALES

“General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony” October 2013

This Talk focused on the importance of general conference and how it can help us and how we can prepare for it.

““You must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right.” Conference messages come to us after prayerful preparation, through the Holy Ghost.”
Elder Hales, General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony, October 2013 General Conference

 “What is said is not as important as what we hear and what we feel. That is why we make an effort to experience conference in a setting where the still, small voice of the Spirit can be clearly heard, felt, and understood.”
Elder Hales, General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony, October 2013 General Conference

 “The greatest blessings of general conference come to us after the conference is over. Remember the pattern recorded frequently in scripture: we gather to hear the words of the Lord, and we return to our homes to live them.”
Elder Hales, General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony, October 2013 General Conference

I feel as a whole, we take general conference for granted. We get to hear answers to our prayers, personal guidance from our Heavenly Father through the voices of His loving servants. I am hugely at fault for not preparing as much as I should for conference. I have not received as much personal guidance as I could have every year but I will truly strive to do better and do as the Lord would have me do.

“Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ” October 2009

This Talk was about Heavenly Father and His nature. It quotes scriptures that explains His nature and how we can gain a testimony of Him and that He exists.

“The light of belief is within you, waiting to be awakened and intensified by the Spirit of God and the Light of Christ, which you are born with.”
Elder Hales, Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ” October 2009 General Conference

“I testify that the way to know the truth about God is through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, is a personage of spirit. His work is to “testify of [God]” and to “teach [us] all things.””
Elder Hales, Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ” October 2009 General Conference

“When we do not do what is right or when our outlook is dominated by skepticism, cynicism, criticism, and irreverence toward others and their beliefs, the Spirit cannot be with us. We then act in a way that the prophets describe as the natural man.”
Elder Hales, Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ” October 2009 General Conference

 “Cultivate a diligent desire to know that God lives. This desire leads us to ponder on the things of heaven—to let the evidence of God all around us touch our hearts.”
Elder Hales, Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ” October 2009 General Conference

I loved the references Elder Hales used to prove what he says about the nature of God. I really like that we have those scriptures so that we can really know our Father in Heaven. We are made in his likeness, that fact seriously just makes me feel more loved by Him. 

More Ballard and Scott

“Finding Joy through Loving Service” April 2011

This Talk focused on charity and why it should be such a focus in our lives. It also spoke heavily on missionary service.

“Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, no matter how much we try to make it complicated. We should strive to keep our lives similarly simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“By treating each other kindly, speaking words of support and encouragement, and being sensitive to each other’s needs, we can create loving unity among ward members. Where charity exists, there is no place for gossip or unkind words.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“Through our heartfelt kindness and service, we can make friends with those whom we serve. From these friendships come better understanding of our devotion to the gospel and a desire to learn more about us.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

“In all of our service, we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The still, small voice will let us know who needs our help and what we can do to help them.”
Elder Ballard, Finding Joy through Loving Service, April 2011 General Conference

Much like the first talk, this one was also inspiring. It is great how Elder Ballard is so passionate about missionary work. Love should be our motivating factor in everything we do and it is what we should be focusing on improving in our lives, well mine in particular!

ELDER SCOTT

“For Peace at Home” April 2013

This Talk focused on how we can make our homes Christ-centered and the good that come out of doing that.

“One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Be certain that every decision you make, whether temporal or spiritual, is conditioned on what the Savior would have you do. When He is the center of your home, there is peace and serenity. There is a spirit of assurance that pervades the home, and it is felt by all who dwell there.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Be obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow. Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles. Remember: little things lead to big things. Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead to big problems. More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“Greater peace will come as you couple your efforts to be obedient with serving those around you. So many individuals who have what they perceive to be meager talents humbly and generously use those talents to bless the lives of those around them.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“As you center your home on the Savior, it will naturally become a refuge not only to your own family but also to friends who live in more difficult circumstances. They will be drawn to the serenity they feel there. Welcome such friends into your home. They will blossom in that Christ-centered environment. Become friends with your children’s friends. Be a worthy example to them.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“We need to trust in the Lord and in His timing that a positive response to our prayers and rescue efforts can occur. We do all that we can to serve, to bless, and to submissively acknowledge God’s will in all things. We exercise faith and remember that there are some things that must be left to the Lord. ”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“We need not worry if we can’t simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time.”
Elder Scott, For Peace at Home, April 2013 General Conference

“The Joy of Redeeming the Dead” October 2012

This Talk focused on the responsibility we have to do our own ancestors work in the temple.

“Any work you do in the temple is time well spent, but receiving ordinances vicariously for one of your own ancestors will make the time in the temple more sacred, and even greater blessings will be received. The First Presidency has declared, “Our preeminent obligation is to seek out and identify our own ancestors.””
Elder Scott, The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 General Conference

“temple Worship: the Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need” April 2009

Elder Scott is very passionate about this topic. He talked about temple attendance and why we should make it a priority in our lives, and what we can do to make our temple attendance more meaningful.

“When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan. This pattern will guarantee that those who live in the shadow of a temple will be as blessed as are those who plan far ahead and make a long trip to the temple.”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

“I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

“What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent.”
Elder Scott, Temple Worship:, April 2009 General Conference

Personal Realization thanks to Elder Ballard

ELDER BALLARD

“Put Your Trust In The Lord” October 2013

“the Lord is hastening His work. In our day this can be done only when every member of the Church reaches out with love to share the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“Make the decision to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to do.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord’s errand. While the outcome is a result of the exercise of one’s agency, sharing the gospel is our responsibility.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“You don’t have to be an outgoing person or an eloquent, persuasive teacher. If you have an abiding love and hope within you, the Lord has promised if you “lift up your voices unto this people [and] speak the thoughts that [He] shall put into your hearts, … you shall not be confounded before men;”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

“ I realize that some of you may feel heavy laden, but I pray that none of you would ever feel that reaching out in normal, pleasant ways to share the gospel would ever be a burden. Rather, it is a privilege! There is no greater joy in life than being anxiously engaged in the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ballard, Put Your Trust In The Lord, October 2013 General Conference

This talk was really inspiring! I have had missionary opportunities before and kind of did my best for the church, but for some reason it just clicked that the reason that we should be wanting to do missionary work is because of love! I know this is super old news and everyone knows that, but it really just hit me. And it made me realize that if I was more loving and my friends knew that what I do is out of love, I would be more successful. For some reason I have a hard time putting my thoughts and feelings into words (vocal words more so than written). Because of this, I have a hard time expressing my feelings, whether it be of apology, gratefulness, love, etc. This is probably why I do not share the gospel as much as I should! This talk made me realize that Heavenly Father will help me if I try. That is all we need to do, try.