Lessons from the Principals Office

So today during the last ten minutes of school, I find myself sitting uncomfortably in Mr. Fidelibus's office (isn't that an AWESOME name for a vice principal? Anyway...). This morning started out kinda stormy, I felt sick, seminary wasn't too great (I hate it when that happens), I had a quiz later that I hadn't studied enough for, yadda yadda yadda. The end of the day was the only part that was actually fun for me, hanging out with friends during activity period, and now I was missing it.

He was dealing with another student, so it gives the next victim (me) time to have the wheels in my head turning about what I did wrong. Frantically, I grasped about what I could've possibly done. I hadn't skipped fourth period lately (or ever), I didn't cus at a girl or punch a boy. But still, being in that office scares me. It felt like the walls were going to close down and tell me all the mistakes I had done and that I would have to stay after school for the forsaken detention. Scary, right? (I think I've actually had nightmares about the principals office)

Well, nothing was wrong! I was only being asked to stand as a witness in an act that I had seen happen. I had thought I was innocent, but to hear him tell me "you're not in trouble" was so nice.

I was thinking about that. Life is like this. It starts out a little troublesome maybe, there's some mistakes and trials we need to go through, but by the end we should be all clean and joyful, with a strong family and testimony and joy and peace because we've repented. Then all of a sudden, we are summoned away (however, it will probably be joyful, not "bummer I don't get to talk with my friends." Although... I guess we will miss our family members for a short while...). Anyway, we die. We go to the spiritual "waiting room" and then we finally get called into God's office. I don't know about you, but I think it would be the most amazing thing to hear "you're not in trouble" from my Father in a Heaven. I want to stand as a witness for Jesus Christ.

To make sure we can have that peace in this life and in the next, we need to constantly be reflecting on our actions and faith. Are we on the path God would have us be on? Are we praying? Is there anything we need to repent of?

I want to be ready.

I am so grateful for my Savior, who makes it possible to be forgiven of our sins and to have the peace and feel the Spirit.

<3 Eliza

Ps. Oh! And I finally added pics and memes to the pics and memes page! Thanks for bring patient. :D

An Example of the Believers

There are many ways we can be an example of the believers, in faith hope charity word and many many other things. One I don't think we quite realize is in our humility, especially as manifest through sincere apologies.

So a little background: I am seminary president you guys! Now I would be excited about that, except that I'm a freshman, so it just causes tension between me and the seniors. All of them hate it. And I can feel it :/

Last week I was at a friend's house. It was great, I felt like I had friends again, I loved being there. But her brother and his friends were some of the afore-mentioned seniors. Hopefully, I thought, they would just leave me alone and we could all have a good time in separate worlds. But to my dismay, I became the victim of a prank. It ended up burning a lightbulb sized hole in my boot. The smell was awful, they could've set the house on fire. It was just a boot though, right? It didn't really matter.

Well, alone in the dark car on the drive home, it hurt. I felt like I could never measure up, these boys were unhappy with me as a new girl and freshman and someone who had a "power" over them. So they teased me, ruined my property, and didn't even say sorry. I know--super lame pity party.

I had completely forgotten about it. But then tonight at mutual, they came up to me and were so humble, so incredible. They apologized and offered to pay for my boots. Now can I just tell all the guys out there--GIRLS LOVE IT WHEN YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS.

Long story short, thank you boys. Thank you for being willing to be humble. It made my night. Sometimes, all someone needs is for you to genuinely care about them. :)

Come Unto Christ 2014

(Copyright Intellectual Reserve and lds.org)

Come Unto Christ is the youth theme for 2014! I love it!

We've had some great themes the past couple years. Keep arising and shining and standing and be not moved! But I think this years is amazing! Truly an inspired theme!

Moroni 10:32 says:

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32)

I have personally felt the effects of coming to Christ. Truly, after being cleansed and forgiven and made perfect through Christ, there is no way I can now deny my testimony. I know that God lives and loves us, for he sent his son. I know for a fact that God is real and is watching over us, for he has changed things in my life I could not have changed by myself. Attitudes have been improved, thoughts have been purified, despair has been vanquished, and hope has replaced all the darkness of the world. There is no earthly or humanly possible way I could have done that on my own, for I had already tried. Only when I humbled myself and truly asked for God's help was I able to feel that peace.

To come unto Christ means to leave behind our doubt, fear, and sin, and humble ourselves. Let him heal you.

One of my other favorite parts of this verse is "his grace is sufficient." No matter how many mistakes you've made, no matter how many times you've stumbled or doubted or feared or rebelled, no matter how short you may fall of the glory of God, Christ's grace is sufficient for YOU. He loves  Helen, Mady, Rachel, Marie rose, Katie, Nicole, Sherri, Valerie, Caroline, mark, John, Amanda, Eliza, James, Seth, jack, Madison, Dylan, McKenna, Mckenzie, Gerdy, Mary, Alice, Tyler, Makayla, Adam, Stacy, Victoria, Brandon, Matthew, Max, Elizabeth, Samantha, Whitney, Brittany, Stephanie, Sarah, Gwen, Bryan, Brad, Gabby, Emily, Louiza, Lissa, Molly, Megan, Bailey, Parker, Brock, Austin, Jake, Lindsey, and: You. If I missed your name leave it in a comment and I'll add it on here, because Christ loves you.

Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.