My Journey to Discovering Me

We did an exercise in class this week about deconstructing our fears. It was pretty eye-opening. I realized that most of my fears are associated with disappointing people, including myself. I was able to try out this exercise in another area of my life. I am planning a vacation and we are trying to decide on what activities that we want to participate in. Part of me wants to just go for it and push myself, but a very big part of me is terrified.  Activity : Rafting Kaituna river, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. It includes a 21-foot waterfall.    Fear : Falling out and drowning Strategy to Mitigate Risk:  Find an experienced guide, sit in the securest part of the boat, pay attention to all of the safety guidelines, wear a life jacket, and go swimming to become more comfortable in the water.  Way Back to the Status Quo: If I do fall out of the boat, they have people ready at the bottom of the water...

I know all too well the pain of an unethical choice. My husband recently lost his job because he broke a policy and notarized a document that he didn't see his client sign in person. He had been in professional banking for 15 years. He had recently started working for a new bank as an executive banker. He loved his job and he was good at it. In less than a year, he was one of the top bankers in his region. He had a client referred to him that needed a small loan. The loan was taking much longer than it should have and the client was moving to a new state and was anxious to get it taken care of. Finally my husband agreed to email him the loan documents which my husband notarized and sent on its way. He knew that this wasn't the correct way to do things but he had seen dozens of his fellow employees do the same. He constantly had mortgage guys coming in and asking him to notarize documents without the client being there. He would always tell them "no" so they would ju...

I've really enjoyed reading Launching Leaders by Steven A. Hitz this week. One of the lessons that was the most meaningful to me was about how our trials are one of our greatest opportunities to learn valuable lessons about what really matters in life.  Recently, I went through one of the most difficult and unexpected situations that I've ever been in. There were times that it felt completely unfair, but for the most part, it put things into perspective. I'm grateful for the small things that I had previously taken for granted. it has given me a chance to reflect on what I really value. I have found myself in what Hitz refers to as "the space of faith."  I don't know what Heavenly Father has planned for me, but I'm putting my trust in Him that everything will work out for the best. Randy Pausch was such a great example of facing a trial with dignity. I loved how nothing kept him from chasing his dreams. I think that his supportive parents were a big rea...

First off I want to share how I came up with the name for my blog. Dieter F. Uchtdorf posted on Instagram, " nothing will change your life this year as significantly as seeking to gather God’s light into your souls and allowing your spirits to be filled with the shining truth of heavenly things. "Gathering light is a full-time privilege and process. It is not something you get from a class or a sermon. It cannot be checked off a list and considered completed. It is a process of every day and every hour. When you awake in the morning, you begin your quest for light. And when you finish the day, you evaluate your engagement in the task. "Unfortunately, you will certainly experience times of sorrow and trial in your life. But as a light gatherer and disciple of Jesus Christ, you will experience His abiding joy in the midst of your trials. You will feel His watchful hand guiding your steps. As you receive this light, let it shine so that others will see it and glorify God be...