Thoughts Create Our Emotions + Random Thoughts by Ashley

Hope you had a beautiful weekend and you got outside to enjoy the sun! It was beautiful this weekend. The sun is one the greatest creations ever. Seriously, craving summer right about now.  

I had such an amazing weekend spending time with some incredible young women, fourteen very choice and amazing of them to be exact. We filmed a video introducing The Power of One Girl. Every girl was interviewed by me. These girls have powerful testimonies and being around them was such a strengthening experience for me. 

Then what a spiritual and sacred Sunday as the Provo Temple Dedication took place. My heart was filled with the love Heavenly Father has for His children. How glorious it is that Heavenly Father has purpose in all things and He can make beauty out of ashes. I also enjoyed some time playing with kiddos, they sure give you a different outlook on life and make you appreciate it that much more. 

Some days I feel empowered and it's as if I can see God's hand in my life as things come together. And then there are the days where I just feel stuck and in a funk. The days where I use more faith than eyesight to know that the Lord is aware and opposition comes at us for a reason. This life is supposed to be hard, it's supposed to test us. If every single day was perfect, if everything worked out like we thought it should we probably wouldn't ever learn and we definitely wouldn't grow. 

When the little things come up that pull at my emotions, I'm grateful for the reminder to check in with the Lord. Negative emotions are necessary because they are powerful in pointing us back to the Lord. We have power over our emotions and the more we turn to the Lord, the more we can fight our negative emotions. However, it's not something that can fully avoided in this life because this life is a time to learn and grow. A time to turn our hearts to the Lord and know how to do just that. It is our thoughts that create emotions. Sometimes it's one simple thought and other times it's a cycle of thoughts that turn them into emotions; but nonetheless it is up to us to anchor our hearts in Christ so we can take over our thoughts and have power over our emotions.

The times where I feel off balance and in a funk, the times where I start to feel bitter or angry over a simple experience; it's in these moments that remind me I'm not planting my heart in Christ or my burdens at His feet and it's time for me to let go. Every time I turn to the Lord, every single time I tell Him about a trial or what's weighing down my heart, He either fixes the situation or lifts me up so I can keep going. God doesn't leave us in the ashes. God takes us and makes us whole. God has great plans for us; sometimes I understand how powerful those words are and other days I have to walk blindly and submit my will to His. No matter what, no day is wasted. No trial is unavailing. No broken heart is permanent. 

You are not forgotten and you are never alone! 

YSA #LDSFace2Face // Elder Holland - My Takeaways

I am a huge fan of Elder Holland...but I mean, really who isn't? He is so full of love, honesty, compassion, and humor. 

Watching the YSA Face2Face event tonight was so inspiring and full of the Spirit. So grateful for his words of wisdom and for the way he lives his life to bless us with such incredible words of the sprit. 

If you missed it - check it out HERE! 

I just wanted to share some of my favorite takeaways from the event...

1. Find a man that would do ANYTHING for you, knowing all that they would ask of you would be righteous. This is what true love is.

2. Focus on what is right rather than who is right.

3. Happiness comes from taking the blinders off and looking outside of yourself.

4. We are not going to form a 2nd class citizenship for girls who do not serve missions.

5. You don't know the backstory on everyone, often even your closest friends. We should never judge or assume.

6. Don't ever give up on ANYONE, the power of the atonement is so real.

7. Study the life of Christ long enough to truly know Him and love Him.

8. Blessings are available to those that are chaste.

9. If it's a good thing, go with it.

10. Whatever the question, the gospel of Jesus Christ is THE ANSWER!

11. Christ is the beginning and the end for me, He is where I begin and where I end.

12. Christ is Alpha Omega!!!

13. He is the bright morning Sun and Son that ALWAYS comes up!

14. In the dark of the night, Jesus will find you.

15. We are indebted to the women of the church, as I am to the women in my life.

16. Memorize D+C 4 = the formula for a happy marriage.

17. The work that needs to be done for the church can't be done by missionaries alone.

18. Christlike attributes are the foundation for all relationships.

19. God can speak to you through your thoughts, heart, intelligence, and every good thing. So if it is a good thing, trust it is from Him. Don't get so caught up in worrying if it's the spirit that you stop moving.

20. Love is what you go through together...don't wait when you have a good thing! Don't wait on money, school, a career. 


Elder Holland asked us to respond to this question:

What do I do to find peace + happiness in times of trial? 

My answer: I keep in perspective that it was I that fought to come to earth and be tried. Of course it is going to be hard but one day I will look back and it will be beyond worth it. I also get up and serve others. I find ways to build others so I can forget about my own problems. I read conference talks and listen to them as I go on long walks. I go to the temple to feel of God's peace and love. I pray aloud in my car, my room, outside in the park or in front of the temple. I take my Book of Mormon with me everywhere I go.