Blessings are like stars- there are too many to count!

Sometimes your heart just aches.
Aches so much that all you seem to be capable of is crying.
Aches because of stuggles you're going through.
Or because of heartache others are experiencing.
Sometimes it just aches and you don't even know why.
But sometimes, more often than not, when we allow ourselves to see all of the good and happy things that still occur everyday in our lives, living becomes a whole lot more beautiful.

I was feeling pretty low today, until I came across Hunter Kofford's blog.
It just made me realize that there are some very strong people out there that have gone through way more than I'll ever have to. The story of Cooper Kofford definitely touched my heart. What a beautiful family.
I'm also learning how to care more about others when I'm in the midst of my own seemingly-unbearble struggles.
Because I know that it is a selfless, Christ-like thing to be able to be completely lost in your own hardships and tears but still be able to put it all aside in order to find those that are in need of help and love.
Like I said, I'm still learning.

Lately, I've also come across a lot of things about being thankful. Literally, everywhere I turn it's like I'm being reminded to be grateful in all things.
Thank ya Lord. He knows me so well and knows exactly what I need to do to be better.
I think that by remembering to count our blessings is Heavenly Father's way of helping us to remember that He really does love us and really is mindful of us.

So things I'm thankful for:
the Gospel (everything petaining to it- scriptures, the Prophet, my Savior, Church, institute, prayers, etc.)
music
blankets
technology
kind people
BYU
missionary work and missionaries
a safe place to live
green Utah grass and the sky
food that never seems to run out
laughing
memories made and memories in the making
pictures
all my senses
good friends

Speaking of good friends and memories-- what does a night of stargazing with a bunch of great people look like?

long walks back and forth, avoiding the long-boarders, counting the satellites and shooting stars, playing truth or dare (dare or dare), spouting off goofy pick-up lines, singing hymns in the dark, snapping pictures every 2 minutes, mainly just flashing the camera to see the path, arguing about which constellations are in the sky and which ones aren't, etc.

Happy Thursday,

Court

As They May Become

You know those days where things that you have heard before finally strike a cord and help you see how much-needed-to-be-learned lessons can be applicable to your life? Or those days where you hear things that actually make you listen?

Yep, it's one of those days.

But the Sabbath usually has that effect on a happy-hungry soul.
Not to say I'm not happy, because I am; I'm very happy.
But sometimes you have those days that help you see that extra bit of room you have within yourself to make necessary improvements.

Today at Church we were taught a lesson that was based on a talk given by our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, called As They May Become. We learned about the significance of seeing people, not as they are, but as they may become. This is an excerpt from the talk:

During the 1940s and 1950s, an American prison warden, Clinton Duffy, was well known for his efforts to rehabilitate the men in his prison. Said one critic, “You should know that leopards don’t change their spots!”

Replied Warden Duffy, “You should know I don’t work with leopards. I work with men, and men change every day.”

A couple of semesters ago I did a project for a class (Living Prophets, Barbara Morgan-- best class I've ever taken in my life) in which I had to pick a Christ-like principle that I wanted to work on, and then apply that principle to my life (by the way, I chose charity). At the end of the semester I had to put together some sort of project that showed how I applied charity to my life and how I had made progress, personally. Toward the end of the semester, I read this talk, As They May Become, and it truly changed the way I viewed people. 

I just want to bear my testimony that I know with all my heart that when we see people through the eyes of Christ and see them for who they are meant to be, according to their fullest divine potential, not necessarily as they are, but rather as they may become, THAT is when we have taken a step closer to our Heavenly Father, because we are learning to be patient and to love despite what we see and think we understand.

We also talked about struggles at Church today.
We talk about a lot of pretty cool things in Church. #goMorms (yeah, I just did that #oops)
Anyway, the low down on struggles: they're good for us.

It's easy to say that when talking about them, but it is most important to remember it when in the middles of stuggles and trials. We have to look at them as opportunities of growth and understand that all the challenges we go through are tailored to our individual needs in order to help us become our best selves and to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Okay.
Random.
But the apartment across from mine is definitely setting off fireworks. Inside. It's pretty entertaining. And distracting. And possibly dangerous, but you know-- #YOLO.

So, today we had an overcast sky. Pair that with a couple of loverbirds and you got yourself some cute pictures.

Tanner and Kelly. Telly. Cuties.
Kelly is my roommate/best friend/sister/laughing buddy/shoulder to cry on/godmother to my future children/etc. You get it. She hates me putting pictures of her up, most likely because people can't handle her darlingness, but ya know, we all do what we can for society.
Tanner is our friend that just happens to be a little more than friends with Kell. They're cute, it's fine.
Yeah, and that KT was already carved into the tree. Food for thought.

Hope y'all had a Happy Sunday!

xoxo,
Court