Friday, March 27, 2015

People are awesome!

When you were a kid, did you have a hero? Someone you looked up to, who you wanted to be like, who had adventures and trials but always ended up standing on their own two feet. You know, the hero type.

Do you have a hero now? Real or fictional, present day or past, who do you look up to?

Heroes are people who change the world, they stand-up for themselves! Sometimes they are alone, and we forget that. Being a hero isn't easy, and even after you have accomplished something no one else could do, you are often still alone. Think about it.

But heroes are awesome! They make life better for people, they make life possible, who are our heroes? Who are they now? Where are they now?

Who are you? A human, a teenager, an adult, a child? A teacher, friend, sibling, parent, person.... Who are you?

When you wake up in the morning, what do you think of? Food, activities, people? When you look in the mirror who do you see? I mean really?

That person in the mirror, is that you? Is that what you look like? Is that who your friends see? Do you see a reflection of someone you know, or who you don't know? Have you figured out who you are? Probably not completely... Not very many people do at first.

What if no one knows who they are? What if we are all going through our individual life's, driving our individual cars, listening to different songs, learning different things, seeing different reflections in the mirror.

Who will change it? We need heroes, and fast! We need to change the world, so who is going to do it? When they wake up, who do they see in the mirror. Cause the only person you can change is you. So the only person who can change the world is you.

When you look in the mirror, do you see a hero? That's who you are, or rather, who you can be, could be, should be. I should be too, but how?

Being a hero isn't easy, remember? Being alone, standing up, pressing on, are you up for it?

 When heroes get up in the morning who do they see in the mirror? Someone who is awesome? Someone who wants to change the world? Someone who will? 

Will you?

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Old-Fashioned Girl

What is it that makes ideas and traditions change? What makes us, as human beings, change our ideas and standards? What makes us forget "Old Fashioned things" and create new "modern things"? Is it a desire for change? Is it pride? Is it right?

In a part of "An old-Fashioned Girl" the girls are gathered around eating lunch and talking about "the perfect woman" they want her to be strong yet gentle and kind. This is what I saw Polly doing throughout the book.

The first time I saw her strength was when she went to visit Fanny and she chose to stay with her 'old fashioned ways' even though the girls around her were trying to grow up. It takes lots of courage to have high standards but it takes even more courage to stick with them.

The next time was when she decided to teach music. She started out on her own and went at it with a will and a way. Even though it got pretty hard she didn't give up, she didn't stop, she kept at it.

The next time I saw her strength was after she went to the party and she had to see through the fun and know that she should not do it again. I think this took strength because it is hard to see the fault in things that make you so happy, but you have to realize that it can't make you happy forever.

Then there were her lovers and she had to have strength in staying away, giving up Sydney, holding out on Tom and all the time staying at her work

Over all she had to endure to the end, through everything. Being old-fashioned isn't easy, and even though being poor was hard I think that was the only way for Polly to be old-fashioned.

Was she more beautiful because of it? Was she blessed for it?

Sometimes I feel like I'm being forced into being old-fashioned like Fanny was, how did she still have a good attitude about it, even when she didn't necessarily want to become old-fashioned? I think that she started focusing on other rather then herself. And that is what it means to be truly beautiful.

"Yes, give me a young woman who loves home and family, who reads and ponders the scriptures daily, who has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me a young woman who faithfully attends her church meetings, who is a seminary graduate, who has earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award and wears it with pride! Give me a young woman who is virtuous and who has maintained her personal purity, who will not settle for less than a temple marriage, and I will give you a young woman who will perform miracles for the Lord now and throughout eternity." -Ezra Taft Benson

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Dear Friend,

Do you know Him? Do you know what it feels like to follow Him, to trust Him, to seek Him? Do you know what its like to find Him? He is always there, He is steadfast and immovable. It is us who drifts away from Him, so how do we stay with him? How do we know Him?

What does it take to know Him? "Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again." Is that what I must do? Give up my life for Him? Then that is what I will do. My life is His, whatever He would have me do, according to God's will shall be done. 

Do you know Him? If you do where have you found Him? Have you found Him in your church meetings, in your service projects in your home? Have you found Him in holy places and in the secret places where you pray? And did not He welcome you with open arms, and a loving voice?  " Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance." (2 Nephi 26:27)

So tell me, do you know Him? For I am longing to find Him, this is why I keep my standards high, this is why I honor my father and mother, this is why I try with all my heart to listen and obey His word. I have been told that if I ask I will receive, seek and I shall find, knock and it shall be opened and if I search will not I know? For I long to know Him.

He is my Savior, my Brother, my hope, my Friend. And I feel Him near me I feel Him apart of me, He loves me-He loves you.
-Dassia

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Dear Friend,

I don't like how this is drawing us a part. I remember when we didn't have worries or struggles like this and I wonder where it all went wrong. I hope that my thoughts are as pure as my feelings are true because I truly care about you. I hope I am not blinded by other things in my life. I have been trying to live righteously this month so that I can better help you to see the light-but I am not perfect. Please try to understand.

I know your life didn't come easy, no life ever has. Yet I know that the struggles you have been through and will go through were made for you at that time. Heavenly Father doesn't enjoy making us suffer; rather, He loves watching us grow. I have seen you grow and change, you are not the person you were five years ago but you are still a child of God, He and I both want what's best for you.

You have always had high hopes and dreams, some I never though possible but you are working to them with such excitement and passion it makes me smile. It's not easy to balance everything in life but I know if we put The Lord first, every other good thing will fall into place and the bad will fall out entirely.

It makes me so sad when I see you make choices that cannot help you with your mission. We are not perfect or complete on earth, yet we are still able to know right from wrong. No matter how right the wrong may feel it will always be wrong. How easy it is to be deceived how easy to give up! But together we can have the strength of millions. Two people can do anything as long as one of them is God.

And now I quote from President Gordan B. Hinckley: "Thou shalt not be stupid." And I fear I have not done this myself. I can't ever start to mention the stupid things I have done, but God has forgiven me and He can, will, and wants to forgive you. Repentance is the most wonderful gift, I hope you know that you can use it anytime.

Where are the youth of yesterday? We have all changed by our hardships and trials. There have been times when you have not been what you were before, our friendship at times seemed troubled and doomed and I was not sure what I would do.

That we have had our struggles, is the least of my worries, that I have awakened out of the most glorious childhood and found life here to greet me, that is something I can master. But that our friendship might be over, intirely, decidedly, and instantly, that is something I cannot do-I cannot do it!

And I hope I never will have to. :) I am here when you need to talk and I am here to listen. I will love you for your weaknesses and hardships, you know I always have. I love you for a person and I don't want to leave that unless it is my last choice. Please don't let pride cover your eyes until you are blind, for the light is to wonderful to leave. And yet, if pride and other things pull us apart, know I will be here with open arms, never to be closed off to those who wish to come back.

And above all know that He is there, waiting, watching, wishing for both of us, along with everyone here in earth to come back to Him, to once again be loved and to be rewarded with the highest of blessings.
-Dassia

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

100 words

Here are 100ish words to describe this picture:
 
Awesome. Around. Amazed. Angelic. Above. Appreciate. Believe. Big. Beautiful. Bold. Care. Color. Crest. Center. Calm. Clean. Clouds. Connect.  Defined. Direct. Decision. Deep. Everything. Empty. Elegant. Enchanting. Fast. Forever. Fresh. Fly. Giant. Guest. Heights. Incriedible. Inside. Insight. Inspire. Indescribable. Jump. Just. Knock. Laugh. Large. Longing. Listen. Let. Longer. Magestic. Magic. Mellow. Mentor. Meant. Much. Meaning. Neat. Nice. New. Open. Ocean. Oh. Perfect. Precise. Performance. Peace. Quiet. Quest. Rest. Rise. Reach. Round. Redo. Reassure. Right. Sight. Soft. Sing. Star. Sharp. Speak. Sleep. Shine. Silent. Sparkle. Secret. Test. True. Try. Tell. Universe. Understand. Unblock. Unsure. Under. Venture. Wonder. Well. Wish. Wise. X-celent. Yesterday. Young. Zest.
-Dassia :D