It is mandatory to grow old, but it is optional to grow up.

This is how my newly called and sustained stake president opened up his talk. He is an amazing man. I loved what he had to say and I think he is going to do many and great things for our stake.

Yesterday was a crappy day. It had it's moments of happiness that shone through the clouds of crappy-ness, but for the most part it wasn't a good day. Today, however, was much, much better. (that seems like a lot of commas in one sentence. oh well.)

I woke up this morning invigorated at the day that I had ahead of myself. I made myself some French toast...mmmm....I love French toast. :)

I got ready with my roommates and my hair actually turned out how I imagined it would and it looked so good with my cute suit coat that I decided to wear today. I looked really cute if I do say so myself. ;) Then I resigned myself to sitting in a hard blue chair in the Smith Fieldhouse on campus for two hours. However, the words of wisdom spoke to me was worth the soreness given to me by the "blue seats."

After our new Stake Presidency bore their testimonies we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Osguthorpe speak to us on charity. He referenced Moroni 7:47 where it says, "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

He told of three enemies of charity: Self-doubt, self-indulgence, and self-absorption. The part that hit me the hardest was the enemy of charity that is self-doubt. He said that we all have self-doubt at times, which many times leads us to giving up. He said that things can't get worse when we try to do better. We can't do any worse than zero! He said many other things, that really struck to my heart. I realized that this self-doubt is very much something I have at times. Sometimes I think that by trying to do better and achieve those things I want I will fail...so I do not try. However, Elder Osguthorpe is so right in saying how can things get worse? I mean really...if do not try I will be at zero. If I try and fail, I will be at zero and therefore will be no worse than if had not tried at all. However, with trying there always comes the chance that something good will happen! Some window or door will open because of my actions and then I will be better off. How cool is that? I CAN TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE! And it can be everything I have ever dreamed it will be. It will take time, but I know that everything that has been promised to me will come true. I know it will, and today's talks were there to remind me of that.

Elder L. Tom Perry stood after that and spoke to us; what an amazing witness of the Savior he is! He spoke to us of the priesthood and the succession that happens in our church. He shared how President Monson was set apart, and that was really cool to hear about that experience. He's such a good man with a strong testimony and I loved hearing from him. I am much more excited about General Conference...and it will be here in a month! I know that it is going to be amazing and full of spiritual goodness that it's hard to contain my excitement. :-D

OH! and something I almost forgot...Sister Julie B. Beck is speaking to the Young Single Adults today in a CES fireside. I love Sister Beck and her words of wisdom always are exactly what I need to hear, so tonight's fireside should be one full of gold nuggets.

Life is good. There is sun shining through my window. I will take control of my life and it will be everything I have dreamed.