You Are Valuable

"If you aren't being treated with love and respect, check your price tag. Maybe you've marked yourself down. It's you who tells people what you're worth. Get off the clearance rack and get behind the glass where they keep the valuables!" ~Unknown

Keep smiling,

JS :)

Peace Be Unto Thy Soul

I have been plagued by the adversary ever since I made the decision to prepare for a mission. Most recently, I have felt the oppression growing stronger, and it's been hard for me to handle as the time approaches for me to work on my papers. Each time I feel it is too hard to handle, I pray for help and strength to endure. Today I was blessed with the prompting from the Spirit to do my seminary, and I have been able to fill my life with the light and love that comes from it. The Spirit gave me comfort at my time of need, and my prayers have been answered.

"My [child], peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." Doctrine and Covenants 121:7-8

You are loved!

Keep smiling, be strong, and endure well.

JS :)

Live For The Lord

I interviewed one of my friends with this question from seminary: "Why do you think it might be even more difficult to live for the Lord than to die for Him?" 

His response was very well worded. :)

"I think its more because it's easier to sacrifice our mortal lives for what we believe.
But often times we don't give our lives (Our time and our actions) for what we believe.
The original apostles gave their lives for what they believed (excluding John the beloved), but more importantly they lived their life based upon what they believed.
Anyone can profess to be a member of our faith, and have membership in the church, but only a few people actually LIVE the gospel. Devotion indicates that you would die for what you believe, TRUE devotion dictates that you live what you believe. To know is not enough, you have to DO." ~Paul S.

I believe that it is so important to follow the Lord, even to the death. He will guide us through life. We must do our part to live for the Lord, to walk in His ways, and to devote ourselves to living what we believe. 

Ever smiling,

JS :)

God's Will Be Done

Last year, I was asked to be Student Mentor for my Shakespeare class. It was a big step in my life, and I was unsure about whether or not it was the right thing for me to do. I did a lot of praying, and even fasted about it, and I was blessed with answered prayers--a big, resounding "YES!".

A short while after I receive my answer, the original mentor for Shakespeare moved away. She was a good friend of mine, and I was extremely disappointed to see her leave. I would no longer be teaching with her--instead I would be working with someone that I didn't get along with so well.

Instead of giving up, I chose to stick to it, and I have never regretted it. God put me in this position so that I could learn to love others despite weaknesses, and to see the good in everyone. Now, I have developed a strong friendship with the new mentor (something I never expected to happen), and I have seen such amazing things come from her leadership! :)

Great blessings come from following God's will!

Shining smiles,

JS :)

Faithful Saints

“Some years ago in the Philippines we arrived early for a conference. Sitting on the curb were a

father and mother and four small children dressed in their Sunday best. They had come several hours on a bus and were having the first meal of the day. Each of them was eating a cob of cold, boiled corn. The cost of the bus to Manila probably came out of their food budget.

“As I watched that family, my heart overflowed with emotion. There is the Church. There is the power. There is the future. As with families in many lands, they pay their tithing, sustain their leaders, and do their best to serve. …

“Let no one underestimate the power of faith in the ordinary Latter-day Saints” (Boyd K. Packer, The Least of These).

NEVER underestimate the incredible power of faith!

Keep smiling,

JS :)

The LDS Church--A Powerful Name

“I have thought a lot about why the Savior gave the nine-word name to His restored Church. It may seem long, but if we think of it as a descriptive overview of what the Church is, it suddenly becomes wonderfully brief, candid, and straightforward. How could any description be more direct and clear and yet expressed in such few words?

“Every word is clarifying and indispensible. The word The indicates the unique position of the restored Church among the religions of the world.

“The words Church of Jesus Christ declare that it is His Church. …

“Of Latter-day explains that it is the same Church as the Church that Jesus Christ established during His mortal ministry but restored in these latter days. …

“Saints means that its members follow Him and strive to do His will, keep His commandments, and prepare once again to live with Him and our Heavenly Father in the future. Saint simply refers to those who seek to make their lives holy by covenanting to follow Christ” (M. Russel Ballard, The Importance of a Name).

The name of our Church is so important and has incredible significance. Am I living in such a way that I am worthy of Christ's name? Do I live up to the powerful name of our Church? Am I an example of a true saint?

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do missionary roleplaying, where I pretended I was a "missionary" teaching two "investigators" (Young Women), and I taught them a lesson. When I introduced myself, I said, "We are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we have come to teach you a message." At that moment, the Spirit overcame me and I was filled with the power of the Holy Ghost, testifying that those words were true, and that I was soon to become that--a sister missionary, an instrument in God's hands. 

I am so excited to serve, and I look forward to the opportunity to draw closer to my Father in heaven and Christ our Savior. 

Ever smiling,

Future Sister Eggett :)

Cast Aside Your Pride

"Humility does not mean convincing ourselves that we are worthless, meaningless, or of little value. Nor does it mean denying or withholding the talents God has given us. We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman.

"Humility directs our attention and love toward others and to Heavenly Father’s purposes. Pride does the opposite. Pride draws its energy and strength from the deep wells of selfishness. The moment we stop obsessing with ourselves and lose ourselves in service, our pride diminishes and begins to die." 

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Pride and the Priesthood
Be thou humble!

Ever smiling,

JS :)