See God has Got a Plan for You

"We may not know when or how the Lord’s answers will be given, but in His time and His way, I testify, His answers will come. For some answers we may have to wait until the hereafter. This may be true for some promises in our patriarchal blessings and for some blessings for family members. Let us not give up on the Lord. His blessings are eternal, not temporary."

(Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/waiting-upon-the-lord-thy-will-be-done?lang=eng)

A few weeks ago while I was working on my mission papers, behind in my school work due to being sick for a week, overwhelmed by my calling, I was stuck in a boot, I was also (and still am) concerned about college, careers, and one day becoming a mother (for various reasons). I felt claustrophobic from everything. Everything seemed to be closing in on me.

I was attempting to clean my room while listening to music when I began to question everything. "Will I get my three papers done for english, history, and psychology? And get four larger cups finished in ceramics? Why was I even trying? Why would I serve a mission? How would that benefit me ever? Why can't I just stay here, go to school at home, and tell SVU that I don't want to go? Will I really ever be a mother? Would I be able to go off of my medication for the duration of the future pregnancies and such, if I can hardly concentrate on driving after missing my pill one day? Am I really smart enough to get a doctorate in history? Will I really be able to live in the dorms and successfully manage myself?" All of these things were going through my head while I was trying to pick up my room. Then "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia came on and I heard these words:

"Up on the hill across the blue lake,
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My father said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See [God has] got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Yeah!"

It was then that I had the prompting to start clearing my bedside table. I was throwing trash away and putting away books when I found my patriarchal blessing. I had thought that I already knew all of it like the back of my hand, but a prompting from the Holy Ghost isn't one to be ignored. I turned off my music, sat down on my floor by my bedside table and read my patriarchal blessing.

It was everything I needed to hear. It covered everything that I needed to know; everything that I needed to know to keep going. It gave me a glimpse of the results in store that would be in place if I did what I was supposed to do. I started to cry. God has a plan for me!  He knows my struggles, my weaknesses and pains. He knows my potential, my strengths and limitations. Despite these, He still loves me! I stood up and continued to clean my room with a renewed purpose. 

God loves each of us, and he has a plan for you, and you, and you! If we do what is right and follow His light, we will be blessed. I bear my testimony that I know that God still speaks to us today. He has not left us! He lives! He sent his son to suffer, die, and live for us so that we may also live again. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Without a doubt

"...I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

 

"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

 

"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)--and which I should join.

"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”

Joseph Smith—History 1:16-19

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng

My freshman year of high school was studied the Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith History 1:15-20 was a scripture mastery verse (set of verses). I read them and reread them. They were awesome and amazing but I don't truly take them to heart until camp. We were reading these aloud and I got to read verse seventeen. I felt the Spirit so powerfully, more powerful than I ever had at that point in my life. I was fourteen, the same age as Joseph when he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Almost a year ago I was helping my friend prepare her lesson in Young Women on the importance of the scriptures. We had the computer read some of Joseph Smith History aloud with the audio setting, but it cut off at verse fifteen. I knew that we had to era those aloud. Again I felt the Spirit so powerfully as I read verse seventeen and eighteen. I eventually had to give that lesson because my friend got sick, but I felt the Spirit very strongly again as I have her lesson.

Today I had the opportunity to meet with the missionaries and a friend. I was able to explain the First Vision (when Joseph saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ). Again the Spirit was very powerful as I explained this.

I have no doubt in my mind about whether or not Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ. I have no doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is God's word. That it is written for us now. I leave you with this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.