True Friends

"Everyone needs good and true friends. They will be a great strength and blessing to you. They will influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. They will help you be a better person and will make it easier for you to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. "

- For The Strength of Youth

I'm leaving all my friends. Do you know how hard that is? Sure I have email and stuff, but I can't go to their house every week. They will be going to all these activities and I won't be there. As I look at these friends I think to myself, " Who are my true friends? Who will not forget me when I leave? Who will I still be friends with 10 years from now?"

I have had friends kinda back out on our friendship when they found out I am moving. That made me realize who my true friends are. As I look over my true friends I realize how blessed I am. Some of my best friends are guys and they look after me like I am there sister. Some of my guy friends are not aloud to email girls, which I respect. It makes it hard moving and not really having any contact with them, but they were good friends while I was here and I will never forget the influence they had on my life. I encourage you to ask your parents if you are aloud to email the opposite gender. Your parents know best and they watch over you. They may also want to read all of your emails. They are trying to protect you. The world is a scary place that we can not face alone. This is another great reason to have friends.

The above quote brings tears to my eyes. I have not realized how blessed I am to have such good friends. Now that I am leaving I realize how lucky I am to have all the friends I have. Each and every one of them have blessed me in significant ways. I could go through all of my friends and tell you how they changed me. But they changed me for the good. We need to make sure we pick good friends that will make us want to be better people. 

- See Ya Later Raccoon 

The Amazing Mother

Mothers are amazing.

           This week has been so hard on my family. Let me walk you through it. The family that bought our house backed out. ( WHAT? Why? Ugh!) We bought a house in Washington, but my mom has to work this all out from Utah. ( She is simply amazing) I am a crying mess. ( She makes me feel better about the move) All this is happening and my Dad is already living in Washington. She is doing this all by herself. I know. My mom is outstanding. My mom also is homeschooling her 6 kids who are in all different grades. 

          Does anyone remember the 2,000 Stripling Warriors? Those were brave young men. And they gave credit to their mothers. They said, “Our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:48) Wow.  I really admire those mothers. What if they let their sons do whatever they want? I am sure the story would have come out differently. 


         Being a mother is something so special. You get to help raise the next generation of children! I know that If I didn't have the mother I have today, I would have turned out much differently. I am eager to one day have the privilege of becoming a mother. Heavenly Father need mothers! Every child feels a close connection to their mother. They nurture us. They care for us. They make sure we are happy. 
         Fathers are also so outstanding. They provide for us. They watch over us. They are the head of our family and are righteous priesthood holders. Together, our parents make the best team! They are like super hero's raising us! 
         Parents know best. They know everything. I know we teenager think we know everything and think that they don't understand, but they do! They used to be our age! They had some of the same trials that we did! Oh And don't even think about lying to them. They find it out. They know when something isn't right. They will help guide us back to the Iron Rod. They really know what is best for us and want us to be happy. Sometimes we think we know what is best, but they know. They know when we are up to something and they will find out. 
         Remember that no one is perfect. Our parents will make mistakes just like we have, but they know much much more than us. We are all human and we all make mistakes. That is why the atonement is such a blessing in our lives. I encourage you all to thank your parents. They pray for you, they worry about you and they love you. Just like our Father in Heaven loves each and every one of his children on Earth.

Will You Be happy?

              That has been my motto this week. Be Happy. 2 words. It is so simple, but not many people are happy. We determine whether we will be happy or not. No one can make you angry or sad. We choose what we feel. We choose whether we will be happy or not. Will you be happy?

           Teenagers have a rather difficult time being and staying happy. I know. Go ahead and blame hormones, but you choose if you are going to be happy. I know people aren't perfect. People are going to come into your life and make you want to cry. They will make you angry. You will want to get back at them, but the best way to get back at them is to be happy. All bullies want to do is make you angry and sad, but if you are happy, they won't know what hit them.

This is one of my favorite talks:
       
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/04/living-happily-ever-after?lang=eng&query=be+happy


           

I encourage you all to read it, but if you don't, here are some of my favorite points she makes:

" In the Book of Mormon, Lehi explained to his son Jacob that happiness is a result of obedience. He told Jacob that eternal laws have both punishments and opportunities for happiness attached to them. When we disobey God’s laws, we suffer the punishments, but when we obey, we reap the happiness (see 2 Ne. 2:10). Part of what creates happiness is the absence of regret, guilt, and sin.

Happiness is not only simple, but it is here for us to experience each day. Happiness is all around us. It can be as immediate as now. Some children said, “Happiness is a big word with flowers all around it.” Another said it looks like “a rainbow.” “It looks like the sun.” We need to remember that despite all of life’s challenges, our time to be happy is now."

Modest is Hottest?

               We have all heard the saying, Modest is hottest! But is it true?  I asked some guys their opinions, this is what they said:

 -"MODEST IS HOTEST! It's more attractive if a girl is actually wearing clothes."

- "It makes me feel more more comfortable around them when there modest, I feel less nervous."

- "(Immodest clothing) makes things really awkward and uncomfortable. It may sound cheesy, but when a girl is wearing sweet modest clothing, it says a lot about the character and personality of the girl, and that is the kind of girl most guys like to be friends with. "

 Wow. Maybe modest is hottest! Lets read the For Strength Of Youth:

Your body is sacred. Respect it and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and that you love Him


Wow. Isnt that great? We can show we love Christ by being modest? 

Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=31aK2Y9yvZc#t=78

Girls. Please. Please be modest. You know what is modest. Live those standards! Modesty is huge! Represent our church! Be an Example!

Todays blog post is kinda short, but I hope this got the message across! Here is another good modesty video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6jSXCUJ9jY


-See Ya Later Raccoon

Open Book

Open Book tests are the best! You get a book that basically has the answers to all the questions! It is the best! All you have to do it right it down. You can't just read it and put something totally different! You would get the wrong answer! So you read it and do what it says!  Simple! 

Take a look at this:

“Within the covers of our standard works is a modern-day ‘school of the prophets,’ where class is constantly in session and the tuition is free. On the faculty is a team of spiritual giants, many of whom have conversed personally with the Lord. All we have to do is open and read in order to be tutored by [these great and wise men in directing us to the way of joy].” –John Bytheway

Wow. That is a lot to take in. Actually, no. It is really simple! Our Earth life is our test! And Guess what? It is Open Book! The scriptures are the open book! Just read and obey it! Wow. Easy right? Now, we all mess up! Big or little, We can erase it! It can all disappear like it never happened! Thanks to the atonement we can be forgiven! 
The Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is amazing! Last October, Sister Ann Dibb gave a talk. She said something I will never forget. "I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it."

Im just going to add something to it, Im a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I love it. I'm proud of it.
I have met too many people who are ashamed to follow the standards! Arise and Shine forth! You are doing what is right! Carry on and be proud that you are a child of God. Life is an open book. Open it. Follow it. 


-See Ya Later Raccoon

My Blog

Sorry, My blog kinda freaked out and made the last post look weird... Hahah Sorry about that.

A Heavenly Pep Talk

This week I have been working very hard to get my house ready to sell. We would work from 7:30 in the morning to 8:30 at night. By the end of the day I was tired. I was ready to quit. I just wanted to stop and cry and quit. I was done with the whole moving thing. So I got on my email and I saw one of my friends was online. I started chatting with him and I told his I was exhausted! I asked him if he could give me some words to help keep me going. This is what he said,

"First,

Your amazing. Second  People WILL love you for who you are  Third  and YOU are the one who'll decide where to go... ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!   Forth  I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended  up where I needed to be. ― Douglas Adams " I don't think my friend realized how much he helped me. After I read that I got up and I cleaned with a happy attitude! Go read it one more time, but imagine Heavenly Father telling you this before he sent us to Earth. Imagine him saying, " Your Amazing. People will love you for who you are. You are the one who'll decide where to go. "                                But Im going to change this last piece a little bit. " You may not go where you think you are meant to be, but you will end up where you I need you to be" Take a minute and imagine yourself in Heaven. Imagine saying goodbye to your Father, Your  Heavenly Father, to come to Earth. I imagine him giving me a little pep talk. I could imagine him saying exactly what my friend told me. I read a great quote today, "The Lord knows who we really are, what we really think, what we really do, and who we really are becoming" - David A Bednar After passing through the vale, we forgot everything! But we know that Heavenly Father loves us! He knows us  and wants whats  best for us! We have the blessing of being able to talk to him! So when It is hardest to stand up, kneel. Kneel  and pray to him and tell him your worries! He wants to know! I challenge you to get on your knees and pray to him every morning and every night. -See Ya Later Raccoon