As I Have Loved You.

So Sunday was a great church day. The talks were awesome. The people had good comments. The Spirit was there. But I just felt so much love and appreciation for my life and all the good that it has in it. Sometimes I can only think about the things that I struggle with or wish I had, but on Sunday I got to take a step back and look at the things I do have and the things I am so blessed to enjoy. Here are some of the things I got to think about and appreciate for having in my life:

My Amazing Parents.
My Beautiful Sisters & Studly Brother-in-Law.
My Island Home.
My Friends.
My legs so that I can dance.
My voice so that I can sing.
My hands so that I can play piano.
My 2 Jobs.
The college education I am getting at BYU.
My 4Runner, Neil. [even if he gets a temper from time to time.]
My Wardrobe.
My Bed.

Just those few things I listed a lot of people do not have...even here at BYU. Not everyone has parents that are still in love. Not everyone has siblings they are best friends with. Not everyone can go home to an island for Christmas vacation. Not everyone has the incredible friends I do. Not everyone can dance, sing, or play the piano. Not everyone has one job, let alone 2. Not everyone has a car or more clothes than they know what to do with. As I sat in Sacrament Meeting literally thinking all of these thoughts I became so grateful to my Heavenly Father. Yeah the last year was a struggle and there were definitely times where I would've traded the list above to make it all go away, but it didn't. Heavenly Father knew that I could handle those trials in my life. I am flattered that he knew I could take it. I am awed that he gave me that responsibility to shape me as a person. I could not have gone through it without the love I felt from Him though! I felt more love as a divine daughter of God last year than I have in my entire life combined.

I also became a lot more grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and just how universal it is. I think sometimes we think of the power of that sacrifice only extending to us when we've done wrong in the eyes of God. But I didn't need the Atonement for that purpose. Not that I'm perfect and never have a need for repentance, but I needed it for something different. I needed it for comfort. I needed it for direction. I needed it for peace. I needed it for purpose. I needed it to draw closer to my Savior. The closing song in Sacrament Meeting was "Love One Another." The words read: "As I have loved you, love one another. This new commandment, love one another. By this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." That's it...the song is so short and I've heard it countless times in my life. But it really hit me on Sunday. The Savior loves us so much and I am grateful for the experiences in my life that helped me feel that love ten fold.

...Love One Another.