We all have a destiny, we just have to find it
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Man, I cannot tell you enough. We get so much expectations to go and help others, to help them, but if you aren't doing okay, it's not going to do much good to help others either. I will painfully admit that I tend to do that. I try to put other people's needs in front of me and for that, I have realized how much I can suffer for not taking care of myself. There is nothing wrong with putting other people's needs in front of you, but if you are suffering because of that, there is a time and place where you need to take care of yourself as well. Not only that, allow others to take care of you. I can get pretty stubborn when someone offers to get me something because I have nothing in my wallet, when they insist, I still decline. I have realized that if I want to give the charity to others, I should learn to accept it as well.
It doesn't matter if it's mental, physical or emotional, take care of yourself. A lot of times, we think faking it until we make it will cure the problem, but it's like putting a band-aid on a serious cut, it won't heal itself unless you take care of it. I can list you a bunch of times when I may be having a hard time and I feel the only way to fix it is a bowl of ice cream and a chick-flick movie. Although it may make you feel better for a few hours, it doesn't cure the problem. Whether it's a counselor, an ear to listen to you, a twenty page document for venting, or all of the above, you need to find something to help you. Our destiny can be hard. It may seem like it is tearing us down, but there is a reason why you aren't the only living breathing being on this planet. Someone somewhere understands. Of course, the number one person that will understand the most is our brother Jesus Christ, but even the people around us can understand. Please don't feel alone in this situation, because you aren't. Perhaps you're trying to make sure others don't feel alone when they are struggling, but that should apply to you as well. Someone will listen to you, someone will understand, you just need to find them. Often times, a simple prayer can give you the right answer, whether it be sending someone to you or allowing your questions to be answered through scripture or other written text. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways, it's wonderful and beautiful and perfect. He will not leave you alone, He will not leave you comfortless. So I would advise to everyone, even if it may not be a terrible time of your life right now, to please take care of yourself. There will be times when you are in that refiners fire, but if you aren't taking care of yourself, the heat may crack the beautiful teacup Heavenly Father is trying to make you into. Don't make this a situation you have to do alone, talk to someone, or multiple people, allow them to help you make it through your refiners fire. Nobody should be left alone to deal with their trials.
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Patience can often be an acquired trait, but it exists and everyone can use it if they set their mind to it. One of the most common things the adversary will do to oneself is to rush them. Rush them on making decisions, feeling like they need to get to someplace, or get something done, or try to finish before anyone else. We are often rushed every day, even if we don't full think about it. It's okay to slow down. My brother went to South Korea for his mission where he came across hundreds of Koreans who refused to even listen to him. My brother found that they often had too many other things, they were too busy to listen to the gospel. My brother himself, had to learn more patience on finding those who weren't in such a hurry to get to where they needed to. Although we aren't quite in Korea, it doesn't mean we here aren't rushed in our daily tasks. It's okay to give yourself a moment to breathe, to think before acting on an instinct. I feel there are too much expectations for being busy, but what happened to relaxing, to resting? Sunday's are a wonderful example of allowing yourself to sit, pray, think and relax, but it doesn't always need to be just Sundays. I found myself being rushed into making a decision on two wonderful places. They were both good, they both had good people, but both sides rushed me on making the decision. There seemed to be no middle-man, just me and my Heavenly Father. There is nothing wrong with that, but I felt alone and rushed and it was difficult to truly be satisfied at which one to really stick to. This week, I came across one of the employees who supported me no matter what decision I made. That was the type of person I needed and it helped me make that decision. He didn't rush me, nor did I feel rushed. It had taken me nearly three weeks before, after speaking with the employee, I made my complete decision. In a sense, it wasn't me that was impatient, it was more like the others around me was impatient for me to make the decision. Because of that, I was impatient with the Lord to help me make the decision. Often times, the Lord wouldn't even give me a direct answer, I have to make a personal decision and when I act on it, then will I know that it was for me. This happened when I first decided to come to the COB in the first place. Heavenly Father did not confirm to me entirely that I was supposed to go, but I chose personally and as soon as I entered the building, I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be. I feel this applies with the Global Service Center as well. So throughout your journey, just remember to stop and don't allow your entire life to be so rushed. It's okay to slow down, take a deep breath, and go at the pace desirable for you. Because with patience, there is no need to rush. I get it. Sometimes putting a smile on your face is difficult when it seems there is no reason to. Between struggles, hardships and that refiners fire, how can we smile? Often times we define smiling to be only used when you feel happy, but what if I told you happiness is the result of smiling? So smile! I don't care what is going on in your life, it's okay to smile. Find an excuse, what makes you happy? Family? Friends? Your mammoth stuffy? Your dog? Think of moments, adventures you've had in the past. Several years ago, my mother went to the seminar where this lady mentioned what she does every day. She held out a clicker with a giant smiley face on it and said this was her 'Happy Clicker". She would just keep this clicker with her every day and whenever any positive thoughts or happy things happened, she clicked it. It made her realize, after two weeks of doing this, how much happier she was. It didn't matter what was going on, there was at least one thing that day that made her happy or think happy thoughts. The more she clicked, the more happier she realized she was. Whether you have a clicker or not, think of how many happy things you find every day. Maybe it's a dark rainy day, you didn't get enough sleep, your homework isn't even done yet, you failed your first periods test and you forgot your lunch. Wow, sounds pretty miserable. You can go around and tell people that and it won't make anyone feel better. Now what if, during that same day, someone gave you their bag of carrots so you can eat something during lunch, you had the ability to retake your test and it gave you enough time to study an extra day, dinner was your favorite meal and the rain smells really good. Change the perspective, and you can change the day. So smile, I don't care when or why you can't, because it's somewhere. And consider this, smiling takes a lot less muscles than frowning anyway. I want to tell you a parable of a teacup. If you observe this picture, the elegance of the flowers and designs, the way it glistens. It's beautiful, but it didn't originally look like this. With muddy hands, an artist works and molds together a wet mass of clay until they have shaped a teacup. Although still ugly and wet, the artist leaves it out to dry until it turns into this pasty white. With a paintbrush and paints, he paints the elegant designs, but they look faded and dusty looking. Then the cup is placed in an oven of scolding heat, too much heat, and it will crack it, too little heat, and it won't refine it. After a long time in scolding heat, the teacup is taken out and turns into this intricate porcelain dish we are all familiar with. The reason why I explain the process of a teacup is because we represent this teacup. We may be beautiful and nice as we are molded into who we are, but it's not until we are placed into the refiners fire when we become this beautiful refined individual. Perhaps right now there may be a refiners fire in your life, but Heavenly Father will never put too much heat on you, but you can't be refined unless you have the right amount. This heat may be scolding, but with an end date in mind, you are taken out as the most refined you were ever. I know this analogy is simple, but it defines something we all must go through, but it's only there to refine us and beautify us. Another analogy of a teacup, is, in China, when a teacup is broken, they seal it together with gold. Although you can still see the cracks of the teacup, it gives this beautiful intricate teacup with lines of gold through it's body. We may go through a refiners fire, and even if we break, we are put together by gold, refining us into yet another beautiful teacup. So this week, think of the teacup. If you want to, make it an object lesson. You can go the old fashioned way and go to a ceramics place and mold and shape your own, or you can just go to the little painting shops like Color Me Mine or other local places where it is already molded, you just need to paint it and they make one for you. If you do this, just think of how whatever your molding or painting, this will enter into that scolding heat and when you return to pick it up and take it home, it will be this glossy rich colored masterpiece. Our destiny defined in a teacup. |
Kaylee CasuttI have been writing for over eight years now and have been both building to publish my first book and serve as a service-missionary of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Everything I write will contribute to the journey destined I have been striving to find and build. Archives
May 2020
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