Year In Review

Some of the highlights from this past year in 2016 were certainly ones that I'll never forget and cherish forever-- but others, I'll probably just hope to never have to face or experience again. I'm hoping this new year will be a little bit better and less stressful but I can't promise that isn't gonna sometimes be the case. Here is a brief preview into what has taken place this year....

- Youth Leadership Conferences in Reno, Nevada & up Provo Canyon

- Family Togethers

- NINJA Friend Togethers

- Back to volunteering at Westridge Elementary

- Special Needs Institute Class at UVU

- Ability First Youth Summer Program

- Late Nights with my best friends

- BYU Summer DanceSport Challenge

- NINJA Salt Lake Temple Square Trip

(Almost decided to live away from home for 2 years and participate in a program called Aggies Elevated.)

(Signed up to participate in  the Advocates as Leaders - Self Advocacy's Speaker's Network)

Most of the things I just shared here in this list, is just a glimpse into what happened in my life this year in 2016. I know it seems like almost too obvious that there was a lot of things going on, but ya get the picture right?? I have definitely learned so much about myself as a person and realizing the highs/lows with being a grown up. It hasn't been easy at times for me to look at the bigger picture, much to my own surprise I am only going to continue to strive harder & notice the positives in life instead of the other way around. 

Grateful Heart

I am grateful for....

The incredible & wonderful opportunity that I had of attending my special needs institute class at UVU. It was truly such a pleasure getting to be a part of a class where the spirit was very strong & inspired me to want to be a better person. I am grateful for the amazing teacher that we had & being able to learn so much from about the gospel. I loved every single minute of this experience so much and getting the chance to express what was in my heart, was really great too. I may never know what next semester will bring us and yet I feel like I was able to get more out of the lessons this time, than ever before just because the class is not as large as it used to be. At this time in my life, I am grateful for the chance I have to go to Institute and feel of the spirit so strongly. It has been such a blessing in my life to go somewhere and learn about the gospel on a weekly basis. 

My friends who I've gotten to know through attending various leadership conferences and having had the opportunity to be in a student ward. I am grateful for their goodness and willingness to reach out to other people who may need a friend or someone to talk to. I am humbled to have them in my life, and getting the chance to know each of them has made me a better person. I know it isn't easy for us together and plan something really fun, but at the same time I know that as a person I will never, ever be the same. I am grateful for their examples to me of what it means to see good in this world and to always remember what is important, regardless of anything that comes in our way. Thank you all so much for being who you are and I am eternally grateful to call you my friends!!

#LightTheWorld

As I've been thinking in my mind about this worldwide LDS church initiative, I have just recently thought of an experience where I was able to help out someone who needed my prayers. For anyone that doesn't already know this about me, my family served in a YSA ward for a period of time and it was truly one of the most cherished experiences ever. One of my truest friends that I got the chance of being able to meet in our student ward went through an experience of which I will not go into any details about, but getting to pray for them during a time when they needed it warmed my heart. I just knew in my heart that my Savior, Jesus Christ was aware of what had been taking place and that this individual needed my help. I know without a shadow of a doubt, that through our heavenly father and his son Jesus Christ we will be able to make a difference in the lives of other people. 

I don't know what my life would turn out to become if I didn't ever have the gospel. I love it so much and the peace it brings into my heart whenever I'm struggling with anything. I know it will make me feel happier inside to know that I can pray for others who may need it more than I do. While this was happening at the time, I knew in my heart that I would be able to lift someone up by just praying for them everyday and knowing that it would all be okay. I am grateful for the power of prayer and that regardless of whatever it is we are going through in life, if we just take the time to kneel down & talk with our heavenly father everything is gonna turn out alright. I know in my heart that if we can think of someone who may need our prayers at any time, to think of them and what the Savior would do to strengthen one of his own. 

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"When God solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities. When He doesn't solve them, He has faith in yours."

In my amazing institute class this morning, we watched one of those bible videos of our Savior raising Lazarus from the dead. It was truly such a significant miracle that took place and thinking about what it would have been like to be one of those witnesses... I would be absolutely in awe of knowing for myself that my Savior, Jesus Christ lives and regardless of whatever struggles we are currently facing in life, He will always be there for us. If I were present in the time of Jesus Christ raising Lazarus from the dead, I would probably be at peace knowing that I had just witnessed not one of the many miracles performed by our Savior and wanting to tell everybody I knew. I'm really grateful for the blessings that have come into my life this past year and having a better perspective-- on how the Savior continues to play an important role in our lives. I know some of the things I have experienced myself may not have been what I wanted, but at the same time recognizing the hand of the Lord and coming unto Him in every situation. I am not trying to come across being too preachy here or anything of that nature, but I want those people who may not be of my faith that I know my Savior, Jesus Christ will never leave us alone in anything we are facing. I know he is always gonna reach out and want to help me along this journey of life that we all need to get through. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this gospel and the peace it brings me every single day...It warms my heart to know that I can make it to the end knowing I did my best. 

I shared this quote earlier today with my institute class and the simplicity of it means more to me, than I probably could have ever imagined. I love how when God solves our little problems, that we have faith in His abilities to guide us in the right direction and to believe in him-no matter what it is going on. There is always going to be a way for us to get through our trials in life and have the faith to rely on our Savior to help us make it from where we could be, to where we are right now. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life and feeling very much at peace with knowing what my purpose here on this earth is meant to be. 

Spiritual Crossroads

Have you ever had an experience when you thought something felt kind of right at the time and then you simply couldn't make a decision? I haven't really ever imagined myself doing anything that could require me to stop everything else in my life and hope for a good positive outcome. I am probably not gonna have that opportunity come up and that's just the way it will need to stay for awhile. I know if it were a lot more less complicated than it actually is, maybe I could easily see myself being a part of that for a period of time. 

I love this beautiful quote from pinterest so much and how it reminds us that instead of putting ourselves down in whatever it is we are going through, to just reach out and take the Savior's hand that is He is extending to each of us. He doesn't want any of us to feel as though we need to measure our personal goals and achievements to get something that we may not be ready for. I have definitely felt like there has to be a much easier way to come out of this trial and put my faith to the test. I will not continue to go into any detail about this chapter in my life and begin to realize that maybe it's just time that I continue to move forward. 

To make this long story brief, I know that they are other experiences anxiously waiting out there for me to take a hold of and only hope for the best in whatever it is. Right now at this very moment, I've decided to reach out for my Savior's hand and hang onto it for as long as I possibly can do. I know it will most likely never get any easier from this point on to see past what I dreamed of wanting to do for so long, but with the help from my Father in Heaven, nothing I ever face in life will appear to be impossible.

Motivational Monday

New Adventures

Aggies Elevated -

This incredible program would literally be such an amazing experience for me and getting to learn more about being independent as well as living on my own. At this point in my life, I have so much going on and trying to figure out if it would be a good fit for me is kind of a mix of emotions. A few of the things I'd have to give up in order to do this is would be: (Giving up Insitute, Volunteering at Westridge Elementary, My Job, Ability First, Family & Friends) to participate in this 2 year program and live on the Utah State University campus with roommates. I would be learning how to be a little more independent and live on my own, which to me sounds super awesome and scary all at the same time!!! With everything that is happening in my life, I would need to be able to see if that could end up being a possibility for me and seeing where to go from there. I feel like instead of focusing on the things I'd be giving up and just realizing what I would be getting from this unique experience too. It's definitely a big step for me to be thinking about taking in my life, but at the same time it would help me to grow outside of my comfort zone. 

I also might decide to wait a few years until somebody like myself feels comfortable enough to live away from home. I know it isn't necessarily a definite YES for me at this point in time and maybe in two years I can apply for this program :) I would really like to have someone else to do it with and if that were the case, I'd feel comfortable enough going into it and not feeling so terrified at the same time!!!!

NINJA Alumni Retreat - (January)

This isn't necessarily a for sure thing at this point and if we can try to make this something that could actually happen, but I would love the experience of being reunited with my truest friends!! It would be held on the USU campus and getting to go back to be Staff would be an unbelivable experience for everybody involved.  All of those alumni participants would be the ones teaching the classes and running the retreat in a small way or another. I will definitely be sure to post more about this later on into the upcoming year in 2017 and see what happens from this point forward. 

National Youth Leadership Conference

This last week I got the incredible opportunity of attending my first ever APRIL (Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living) youth leadership conference. It was basically one of those experiences that I really opened up my eyes to what being a true leader/self-advocate really means. I had never attended a youth leadership conference on a national level before nor outside of the state of Utah, but it was such a life changing experience for me. I really enjoyed getting to know other youth from across the country and making some new friendships that I can only hope will last forever. It is truly incredible to see and learn from other youth just like me who despite their challenges, can make a difference in their community and in the lives of those around them. I am grateful for the classes & workshops that I was able to participate in while being at this conference, probably more than words could ever possibly describe right now.

There is a quote that I have had stuck inside of my head & never been able to get it out of my head. I am just so grateful for the fact that despite my challenges...

"You need to ignore what everyone else is doing and achieving. - Your life is about breaking your own limits and outgrowing yourself to live YOUR best life. You are not in competition with anyone else; plan to outdo your past not other people."

I am truly grateful for the amazing family members that continue to accept me for who I am and not because of what I'm struggling with on a regular basis. If anyone of them ever tried to make me feel less of myself in some way or another, then I would immediately give them a piece of my mind and make them feel somewhat of my emotional pain. I have never been afraid to let someone know what is on my mind and trying to prove them completely wrong, without having to say much of anything less than what I'm capable of. 

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If The Savior Stood Beside Me - David Archuleta

When I attended my special needs insitute class today, our amazing teacher invited us to find ways to bring the spirit into our lives more. I absolutely love the gospel so much and the peace it can bring in my daily life regardless of what I'm going through. As I have reflected back on my experiences and how much the Savior has blessed my life, there are not even nearly close to enough words for me to describe that. 

Listen to the words of this beautiful song and think in your mind about what you would do, if the Savior stood beside you. 

This beautiful song was literally on my mind today as I waited for the bus to show up and take me back home. It has been one of those songs that I think needs to be in my mind more everyday and strive harder to be more like Him as much as possible. I am grateful for the many blessings that I've gotten from my father in Heaven and his guidance in my life has constantly strengthened me to be a better person. Here are the lyrics to this touching song and if you would like to read them closely just thinking about what you would do if the Savior was here. I love him so much more than anything and don't know if my life would ever be the same, if I didn't have someone guiding me through all of the many things I face on a regular basis.