I always know when I am speaking under the influence of the Holy Ghost because I always learn something from what I have said.

Marion G. Romney

This is one of my favorite feelings in the world. 

Sometimes, the person who needs to hear your testimony the most, is you.
(via ineedtodomylaundry)

Help Me Teach with Inspiration

Help me teach with inspiration;
Grant this blessing, Lord, I pray.
Help me lift a soul’s ambition
To a higher, nobler way.

Help me reach a friend in darkness;
Help me guide him thru the night.
Help me show thy path to glory
By the Spirit’s holy light.

Fill my mind with understanding;
Tune my voice to echo thine.
Touch my hand with gentle friendship;
Warm my heart with love divine.

Help me find thy lambs who wander;
Help me bring them to thy keep.
Teach me, Lord, to be a shepherd;
Father, help me feed thy sheep.

I’d never heard of this hymn (number 281) until today, but gosh… Aren’t these words beautiful?

Witness for His Name by D. O. Christensen  This is so inspiring. I love this painting. It furthers my desire to serve a mission and to faithfully and diligently prepare to do so. D. O. Christensen has definitely just been added to the short list of my favorite artists.  (This is also completely relevant to the last Tumblr Stake FHE.)

Witness for His Name by D. O. Christensen 


This is so inspiring. I love this painting. It furthers my desire to serve a mission and to faithfully and diligently prepare to do so. 
D. O. Christensen has definitely just been added to the short list of my favorite artists. 

(This is also completely relevant to the last Tumblr Stake FHE.)

Journal Keeping

I loved this post by Al Fox. (If you’re not familiar with her, check out her blog and/or her YouTube channel.) I’m inspired and I thought I’d share my own journaling system.

The black journal is the oldest. I started it in May. It’s my missionary journal. My boyfriend will be leaving for a full-time mission this year. Whenever I come across a scripture (like D&C 66:11), something said by a church leader, or some other quotation that I feel might be useful to him in the mission field, I write it down in here. It also contains things like a list of books I want to read by the time he comes home, and a list of things I want to do/try for myself while he’s away.

Next came the grey composition book. Every day (in theory; I’m not perfect) gets one page. In blue I write good things I did related to the Gospel like saying my prayers, studying the scriptures, participating in a discussion during an Institute class, etc. In red I write down things that weren’t so good like missing Institute, forgetting to say a morning prayer, etc. It sounds kind of petty, but it helps me to see where my weak areas are and work toward improving them. (The rare days that are all blue even get a gold star sticker. Haha, I’m a five-year-old at heart.)

Then there was the red journal. I struggle with panic disorder and this journal is just for that. I write down what was going on and what triggers each panic attack, what specific symptoms were present, and how I came out of it. It’s been helpful.

Tonight, I made this journal:
 
It’s directly inspired by Al Fox’s testimony journal. I found this blank notebook tonight around an hour before I saw her blog post. I put it aside because I just had a feeling that I would have use for it soon. Once a month, on fast and testimony Sunday, I’m going to write my testimony in it. (And maybe once in a while when I have one of those moments where some truth of the Gospel just hits me the right way and I need someplace to write it down.) It will definitely be a good thing to have. 

And, of course, I’ve got this blog. :)

I never used to be very big on journaling, but it’s strongly encouraged by the General Authorities and I’ve quickly seen how useful it can be.

So what about you guys? Do you keep journals? What are your habits?