I have been in and out of the LDS church pretty much my whole life due to my home life, friends, my struggles, etc. This story starts in may of 2016, when I made a decision to choose Jesus Christ and His gospel. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and struggled with myself. And if I have learned one thing through all of the pain and heartbreak, it is that we cannot do this alone. And if we choose to come unto Christ, we don’t have to.
I wouldn’t wish my struggles upon anyone else or make some of the same decisions I did again. But I do know that my trials and experiences are what have strengthened my faith and helped me to become who I am today. Standing for what you believe in only gets harder as you go through life, so don’t wait to commit. The spirit will never lead you astray. And choosing to trust in the Lord and listen to that still small voice made a real difference in my life.
As a graduation present I received a gift that read, “I truly believe that one virtuous woman, led by the spirit, can change the world” -Elaine S Dalton. At that particular time in my life I was struggling. I remember feeling like I would never measure up in the Lord’s eyes and I was just so confused about everything in my life. I read that quote and I realized that if I strive to do the Lord’s work then I could truly make a difference in the world! And the same is true for you! The world is a big place where dreams aren’t always reality and happy endings seem to be just in movies. Where we are just a small voice in a sea of people going through life and we don’t really matter. But we do! Each and everyone of you can help change the world with the Lord on your side! “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).
You will never have all of the answers in this lifetime. And I know that sometimes that can be scary and overwhelming, but the answer can be found right there in the scriptures. As Joshua 1:9 says, be strong and choose to be happy. Be brave. Have faith and don’t fear, for the Lord will be with you. As long as you put the Lord and His gospel first in your life, everything will be ok. Things will still be hard and your life may not turn out how you planned, but everything will be ok. Heavenly Father loves and cares deeply for each and every one of us. He listens to us. He understands our struggles and fears. And He answers our prayers. It will be in the Lord’s time, but He does answer. If we listen and have faith, we will watch as blessings beyond our greatest imagination are poured out upon us.
I have gone through a lot of hard times in my life when I battled with depression. Sometimes I feel very lonely and have a hard time staying positive and motivated, even with the things I love. There have been days where the only thing keeping me going was the Lord and His gospel. I find comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are always there.
We are reminded in the scriptures that the Savior “bore our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Not only did He suffer and die for our sins, but He went through every feeling that we would ever endure. So He truly knows what we are going through and How to heal us. Christ chose to suffer every pain imaginable so that He could better love and understand us. So that He would know how to help us. He is always there and always ready and willing to help if we would just ask.
We are never alone!! No matter what the world says or how lost we feel. No matter what mistakes we’ve made or how many times we have turned our back on God. No matter how unworthy and undeserving you feel, the Lord is always right there beside you. He will never forsake us. But we need to do our part. We must be humble enough to ask for the help of the Lord and work to build a strong and close relationship with Him. He might be almighty God, but He is also your Father. He loves each and every one of us so much and desires to have a personal relationship with us. The Lord isn’t too busy or important to come to know us, He desires to spend time with us!! We talk to Him through prayer and show Him our love by the way we choose to live our lives, through our obedience. He speaks to us through the scriptures, the spirit, personal revelation, and even other people.
If you are feeling hopeless, don’t give up!! “God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine” (Uchtdorf). And He chose to send you to this earth in one of the hardest times, the last days. The fact that you are here right now means that you are one of God’s strongest and most valiant children! He never gives us more than we can handle and He knew that you could do this. He needs you during this time to share His gospel and stand for truth and righteousness. The Lord knows you personally, inside and out, and He knew that you could do this! He believes in you, so start believing in yourself! From the words of general authority Jeffrey R Holland, “To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: hold on. Keep trying. GOD LOVES YOU. Things will improve”.
I know that it doesn’t seem like it now, but life does get better! Life is so much more than hanging out with popular kids, dating football players, and our grades. Our future isn’t determined by how we were treated in high school or how the world views us. We can always choose to pick ourselves up and start over, no matter what we have done in the past. Because “the perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now” and “now is the best time to start becoming the person you were meant to be”. Don’t let the world beat you down! You are a divine son or daughter of the living God! He made you special in His own image and He put you down on this earth at this time for a reason. He never said it would be easy, but He did promise to always be there.
So many of the Lord’s valiant children get caught up in the world. In how many likes we get, how much money we earn, who we know, and our worldly status. We work hard to be the best at sports, hobbies, and musical talents. And working hard to follow your dreams isn’t a bad thing. Heavenly Father wants us to build upon and share our talents, but we must remember what is truly important. We must never forget that our Father in Heaven must come first in all that we do. We may go through hard times for being different from the world, but we will make our Heavenly Father so proud when we choose to do what is right. And “the only opinion of us that truly matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us” (J Devn Cornish).
Our worldly status might matter to those around us, but it doesn’t matter to the Lord. What matters to the Lord is our love and kindness towards others and how hard we try to do better and strive to follow and obey Him. When you get discouraged and feel like you aren’t good enough, remember that the only opinion that matters is that of your Father in Heaven, who knows you personally and loves you beyond measure.
I believe that sometimes it is good to share the bad times too because even though our lives can be good, the depression, anxiety, fears, etc never fully go away. We just learn to live with them and how to fight back...and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes our demons win. They may win battles but that doesn’t mean they win the war.
Don’t let them win the war! I know that sometimes it feels easier to give up and give in. That giving up seem easier than getting up to fight each day. I’m not going to lie and say that it won’t be hard or that the voices in your head ever disappear, but I know that it can get easier with the added strength of the Lord. And that our effort to push away those voices every day will be worth it. For some of us, life gets easier and the voices go away. But for others, it is a daily burden that they must bear for the rest of their mortal lives. I don’t know why some people can completely overcome their trials while others (who are just as good and faithful) have to keep fighting for the rest of their lives. But I do know that God is at the helm. He has a plan for us. We just need to trust Him and do our part to keep fighting.
The world needs you! It needs your ideas, your influence, and your love. No one can take your place or fulfill your purpose on this earth. Being a beloved child of a loving father in heaven alone gives you worth. And whether or not you see it now, you are beautiful! You are smart! You are talented! And most importantly, you matter!
I am sharing the following story not so that you will feel sorry for me but to help you understand that you are stronger than you think and you are never alone. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed and like you lost but that doesn’t mean it’s the end. You don’t have to let the bad days get the best of you and you don’t have to let fear control you. It’s not about living fearless, that’s impossible, but it is choosing to live in spite of fear. To not let fear hold you back or chain you down.
There will always be opposition but don’t let the world bring you down. With God all things are possible, so don’t give up on your dreams! You don’t have to conform to the world. You have the power to change and become your best self and you have the strength to create a beautiful life despite your demons.
A few weeks ago I was feeling overwhelmed and done with life. I felt worthless and all alone. This wasn’t a new feeling for me, but that day the battle felt too tough. I was mentally exhausted from fighting with myself about if I was pretty, why I didn’t have friends (or felt like I didn’t), if my family cared about me, if I was good at anything at life; the list goes on and on.
I’ve done self harm before but it didn’t feel like enough to ease the pain. I’ve overdosed but you still have to wake up and face your problems. I pulled out a knife and cut but it didn’t make a difference. I still wasn’t pretty, felt alone and invisible, and couldn’t name a thing I was good at. I held the sharp knife to my throat, pushing in so that I could hardly breathe and my heart pounded in my ears. I had a decision to make.
I suddenly felt the spirit strongly. The knife clattered to the floor and I fell down bawling. I was heartbroken, overwhelmed, scared, and just feeling lost and completely alone. I just wanted relief. I wanted help and love. To not hear the voices in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough and that I’d never measure up. In those moments of hesitation I was reminded whose I was, a beloved daughter of God. When we are hurting, our Father in heaven is pained. Sometimes we get so caught up in the world that we forget our worth. We forget that we have an amazing brother and Savior who suffered excruciating, incomprehensible pain so that no failure ever need be final and no mistake could hold us back.
And on top of paying the price for all of our sins, He also willingly endured every feeling and pain we would ever experience so that He would know how to succor (help) us. We are never alone! No matter what we have done, where we are, or how we feel, we always have a Father in Heaven who loves us and wants the best for us as well as a brother and Savior who gave it all for us and understands exactly what we are struggling with. That thought alone brings me to tears. Oh how very deeply loved each and everyone of us is. “Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree. It is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home” (M Russell Ballard).
I wouldn’t wish my struggles upon anyone else or make some of the same decisions I did again. But I do know that my trials and experiences are what have strengthened my faith and helped me to become who I am today. Standing for what you believe in only gets harder as you go through life, so don’t wait to commit. The spirit will never lead you astray. And choosing to trust in the Lord and listen to that still small voice made a real difference in my life.
As a graduation present I received a gift that read, “I truly believe that one virtuous woman, led by the spirit, can change the world” -Elaine S Dalton. At that particular time in my life I was struggling. I remember feeling like I would never measure up in the Lord’s eyes and I was just so confused about everything in my life. I read that quote and I realized that if I strive to do the Lord’s work then I could truly make a difference in the world! And the same is true for you! The world is a big place where dreams aren’t always reality and happy endings seem to be just in movies. Where we are just a small voice in a sea of people going through life and we don’t really matter. But we do! Each and everyone of you can help change the world with the Lord on your side! “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37).
You will never have all of the answers in this lifetime. And I know that sometimes that can be scary and overwhelming, but the answer can be found right there in the scriptures. As Joshua 1:9 says, be strong and choose to be happy. Be brave. Have faith and don’t fear, for the Lord will be with you. As long as you put the Lord and His gospel first in your life, everything will be ok. Things will still be hard and your life may not turn out how you planned, but everything will be ok. Heavenly Father loves and cares deeply for each and every one of us. He listens to us. He understands our struggles and fears. And He answers our prayers. It will be in the Lord’s time, but He does answer. If we listen and have faith, we will watch as blessings beyond our greatest imagination are poured out upon us.
I have gone through a lot of hard times in my life when I battled with depression. Sometimes I feel very lonely and have a hard time staying positive and motivated, even with the things I love. There have been days where the only thing keeping me going was the Lord and His gospel. I find comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are always there.
We are reminded in the scriptures that the Savior “bore our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Not only did He suffer and die for our sins, but He went through every feeling that we would ever endure. So He truly knows what we are going through and How to heal us. Christ chose to suffer every pain imaginable so that He could better love and understand us. So that He would know how to help us. He is always there and always ready and willing to help if we would just ask.
We are never alone!! No matter what the world says or how lost we feel. No matter what mistakes we’ve made or how many times we have turned our back on God. No matter how unworthy and undeserving you feel, the Lord is always right there beside you. He will never forsake us. But we need to do our part. We must be humble enough to ask for the help of the Lord and work to build a strong and close relationship with Him. He might be almighty God, but He is also your Father. He loves each and every one of us so much and desires to have a personal relationship with us. The Lord isn’t too busy or important to come to know us, He desires to spend time with us!! We talk to Him through prayer and show Him our love by the way we choose to live our lives, through our obedience. He speaks to us through the scriptures, the spirit, personal revelation, and even other people.
If you are feeling hopeless, don’t give up!! “God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine” (Uchtdorf). And He chose to send you to this earth in one of the hardest times, the last days. The fact that you are here right now means that you are one of God’s strongest and most valiant children! He never gives us more than we can handle and He knew that you could do this. He needs you during this time to share His gospel and stand for truth and righteousness. The Lord knows you personally, inside and out, and He knew that you could do this! He believes in you, so start believing in yourself! From the words of general authority Jeffrey R Holland, “To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: hold on. Keep trying. GOD LOVES YOU. Things will improve”.
I know that it doesn’t seem like it now, but life does get better! Life is so much more than hanging out with popular kids, dating football players, and our grades. Our future isn’t determined by how we were treated in high school or how the world views us. We can always choose to pick ourselves up and start over, no matter what we have done in the past. Because “the perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now” and “now is the best time to start becoming the person you were meant to be”. Don’t let the world beat you down! You are a divine son or daughter of the living God! He made you special in His own image and He put you down on this earth at this time for a reason. He never said it would be easy, but He did promise to always be there.
So many of the Lord’s valiant children get caught up in the world. In how many likes we get, how much money we earn, who we know, and our worldly status. We work hard to be the best at sports, hobbies, and musical talents. And working hard to follow your dreams isn’t a bad thing. Heavenly Father wants us to build upon and share our talents, but we must remember what is truly important. We must never forget that our Father in Heaven must come first in all that we do. We may go through hard times for being different from the world, but we will make our Heavenly Father so proud when we choose to do what is right. And “the only opinion of us that truly matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us” (J Devn Cornish).
Our worldly status might matter to those around us, but it doesn’t matter to the Lord. What matters to the Lord is our love and kindness towards others and how hard we try to do better and strive to follow and obey Him. When you get discouraged and feel like you aren’t good enough, remember that the only opinion that matters is that of your Father in Heaven, who knows you personally and loves you beyond measure.
I believe that sometimes it is good to share the bad times too because even though our lives can be good, the depression, anxiety, fears, etc never fully go away. We just learn to live with them and how to fight back...and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes our demons win. They may win battles but that doesn’t mean they win the war.
Don’t let them win the war! I know that sometimes it feels easier to give up and give in. That giving up seem easier than getting up to fight each day. I’m not going to lie and say that it won’t be hard or that the voices in your head ever disappear, but I know that it can get easier with the added strength of the Lord. And that our effort to push away those voices every day will be worth it. For some of us, life gets easier and the voices go away. But for others, it is a daily burden that they must bear for the rest of their mortal lives. I don’t know why some people can completely overcome their trials while others (who are just as good and faithful) have to keep fighting for the rest of their lives. But I do know that God is at the helm. He has a plan for us. We just need to trust Him and do our part to keep fighting.
The world needs you! It needs your ideas, your influence, and your love. No one can take your place or fulfill your purpose on this earth. Being a beloved child of a loving father in heaven alone gives you worth. And whether or not you see it now, you are beautiful! You are smart! You are talented! And most importantly, you matter!
I am sharing the following story not so that you will feel sorry for me but to help you understand that you are stronger than you think and you are never alone. Sometimes you may feel overwhelmed and like you lost but that doesn’t mean it’s the end. You don’t have to let the bad days get the best of you and you don’t have to let fear control you. It’s not about living fearless, that’s impossible, but it is choosing to live in spite of fear. To not let fear hold you back or chain you down.
There will always be opposition but don’t let the world bring you down. With God all things are possible, so don’t give up on your dreams! You don’t have to conform to the world. You have the power to change and become your best self and you have the strength to create a beautiful life despite your demons.
A few weeks ago I was feeling overwhelmed and done with life. I felt worthless and all alone. This wasn’t a new feeling for me, but that day the battle felt too tough. I was mentally exhausted from fighting with myself about if I was pretty, why I didn’t have friends (or felt like I didn’t), if my family cared about me, if I was good at anything at life; the list goes on and on.
I’ve done self harm before but it didn’t feel like enough to ease the pain. I’ve overdosed but you still have to wake up and face your problems. I pulled out a knife and cut but it didn’t make a difference. I still wasn’t pretty, felt alone and invisible, and couldn’t name a thing I was good at. I held the sharp knife to my throat, pushing in so that I could hardly breathe and my heart pounded in my ears. I had a decision to make.
I suddenly felt the spirit strongly. The knife clattered to the floor and I fell down bawling. I was heartbroken, overwhelmed, scared, and just feeling lost and completely alone. I just wanted relief. I wanted help and love. To not hear the voices in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough and that I’d never measure up. In those moments of hesitation I was reminded whose I was, a beloved daughter of God. When we are hurting, our Father in heaven is pained. Sometimes we get so caught up in the world that we forget our worth. We forget that we have an amazing brother and Savior who suffered excruciating, incomprehensible pain so that no failure ever need be final and no mistake could hold us back.
And on top of paying the price for all of our sins, He also willingly endured every feeling and pain we would ever experience so that He would know how to succor (help) us. We are never alone! No matter what we have done, where we are, or how we feel, we always have a Father in Heaven who loves us and wants the best for us as well as a brother and Savior who gave it all for us and understands exactly what we are struggling with. That thought alone brings me to tears. Oh how very deeply loved each and everyone of us is. “Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree. It is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home” (M Russell Ballard).
So those of you reading this and struggling, don’t give up! Rely on the Lord and keep pushing forward. It will be ok. “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come” (Jeffrey R Holland). Never stop working for a better life and a better you! Don’t let anyone get you down or stop you from your goals! The only opinion that matters is that of the one who made you and you are already doing better than you think you are! Take a minute to close your eyes and just breathe. Just take a break from the world and feel His love for you. I promise that He is there today, tomorrow, and forever.
