Walmart.

You may be wondering why this post is title "Walmart" ...yeah. It'll make sense in a minute, hopefully :)

This holiday season has been the best-beautiful, busy, blissful, and blessed (I hope you appreciatively noted my use of alliteration, k thanks). However, the holidays seem to magnify the feeling that there is so much to do, and so little time. But this has always been a problem and always will be! As I've looked, I've noticed so many Divine Signatures this season. One particular instance occurred at- Walmart -you guessed it!

I was last minute Christmas shopping. I was a little tired and stressed, and then a lady stuck out her hand and grabbed my cart to stop me. Huh? She looked at me and said, "Can I just stop you for a second and tell you what I thought when I saw you?" This is where I got nervous, wondering what I had done wrong and if this lady was crazy, and worried for what she was going to say next. I said of course that would be fine, to which she so kindly gave me such a sweet compliment that meant a lot to me.

This happened at Walmart!

I was a little taken aback, but so thankful for this woman's courage, thoughtfulness, and kindness. Over the past few days, my mind has continued to linger on this Divine Signature.

This woman went out of her way to tell me something she thought would make my day. It really hit me- am I treating others the way I would want to be treated? We hear this ALL the time, from when we are little children. But think about it. 

• Do you like getting compliments? 
• Do you like getting random kind little texts from your dear friends? 
• Do you like when someone helps you with something you're working on?
• Do you like it when someone smiles at you and treats you well?
• Do you like it when others give you the benefit of the doubt? 

These are just some of the simple things I could think of. But if we like these things, odds are that so do others. So why not stop some random stranger in Walmart and give them a compliment? The smallest acts of service can make a difference.

"We live in deeds, not years, in thoughts, not breaths, in feelings, not figures on a dial and we really should count times, by heart throbs."

-Elder Maxwell, A More Excellent Way

So. "Don't wait for happiness, seek it out." 

     -Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Ha. 

Moments

I feel like I could post this video and comment, "nuff said" and get my thoughts across today. 

I'll share some of my thoughts anyway :)

The months of November and December are always so busy. Everyone's getting ready for and anticipating Thanksgiving and Christmas, finals are coming, and it's always harder for me to be productive when it's cold and snowy outside and I just feel like drinking hot chocolate and watching a movie. 

But the past few weeks, I've been noticing that my Father in Heaven sends so many Divine Signatures in order to remind me what's truly important. 

Whether it's taking time to play with my little siblings while I'm visiting home, realizing a Relief Society lesson was just for me, taking advantage of spur of the moment roommate ice cream runs, it's usually the little things that make my week so much better! 

I think one of the reasons why Prophets and Apostles often counsel us to find joy in the journey is because it is a challenge for us to recognize the blessings and opportunities God pours out upon us. 

"Sometimes we become so focused on the finish line, that we fail to find joy in the journey." 

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Learning Through Service

This blog post is coming from my homework...

What? Did I just say homework? YES.
 

In my Learning Through Service class (which I highly recommend), we were assigned to creatively present our philosophy of service and how it has changed throughout the duration of the class. I decided to make a Thought book containing my favorite quotes, thoughts, and service experiences as I have been learning. It's nothing fancy or anything, but as I was making it, my thoughts turned to Christ. 
     Among the many things I have learned concerning service, it all ties back to Christ. Christ is the ultimate example, as He serves perfectly. We serve to become like Christ, right? Right. But honestly, all we can do is learn through service and, as President Gordon B. Hinckley so beautifully stated, "Try a little harder to be a little better"(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/04/we-have-a-work-to-do?lang=eng).
   If our goal is to become like Him, what better way than by following His example of service? I'm so grateful for the insights I've had from this class and for all I was taught. The things I've learned have become Divine Signatures in my daily life! So I'd like to share a few of my favorite parts from my Thought book to sum up what I've learned for you, wahoo!

• "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
  -D&C 4:2
• The Savior is perfect at serving in all four ways. As we consistently try to be better, we can become better at serving with our heart, might, mind, and strength.
• As we pursue our dreams and reach our potential, we are more able to help others and change the world. Education is important, everyone!
• "Without Thomas Edison we would have no light bulbs, recorded music, or hundreds of other inventions. Yet his goal was not to sacrifice for others, but to pursue and prove his passionately held ideas, no matter what others wanted of him. Do we really wish that he had dedicated himself to "citizen service," perhaps by collecting donations to buy candles for the poor?"-David Harriman, "Public Service and Private Misery"
• "Real charity is not something you give away; It is something that you acquire and make part of yourself...Charity is expecting the best of each other."
  -Marvin J. Ashton
• "One sees in Peter an individual who used his chances to learn, to grow, and to follow by faith in great adventures that otherwise he would never have undertaken."
  -Elder Maxwell, "A More Excellent Way" 
• Sacrifice: To make it to the Lord. To give something up to the Lord.
• Elder Oaks, "Why Do We Serve?"
• Earthly Reward
• Good Companionship
• Fear of Punishment
• Duty
• Hope of an Eternal Reward
• CHARITY
• "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."
  -Alma 37:6
• "If you focus on deficiencies, you aren't helping one bit."
  -Bill Hulterstrom, President and CEO of United Way of Utah County
• "In serving others you will find yourself."
  -President Spencer W. Kimball 

Have a great week! :)

Love,
Rebecca Sharlene

Lookie, I'm startin a blog! "O Remember, Remember"

     Elder Eyring's talk "O Remember, Remember" has had a major impact on my life. During the summer of 2013, I taught a Relief Society lesson based on this talk. It's true. The teacher always learns so much more than the audience...at least I do! This talk is definitely a Divine Signature, showing me how I can improve.

     I learned so much from preparing for this lesson, and I've been trying to apply it to my life- one way is through starting this blog. Go read this talk! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/o-remember-remember

     I've always been interested in trying to see the Lord's hand in my life. I remember as a young girl, my grandmother came over to my house and was visiting with my mom about a wonderful book she was reading titled Divine Signatures: The Confirming Hand of God by Gerald N. Lund. I can't even say I've read this book, but I heard the description of the hand of God being called a "Divine Signature" and I've loved it ever since. Little did they know they had such an impact from a small conversation. :) Looking for God's hand in my life has greatly strengthened my testimony concerning the love of God and His influence in my daily life. I have been able to come to know and understand more fully my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

     This is why I've started blogging! I'm not expecting to be great at it. I'm only hoping to somehow lift someone through my testimony and be an instrument in His hands.

Alma 17:11

"...Go forth...and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." 

So! My goal is to dedicate my blog to sharing the experiences I have where I notice God's hand in my life- whether that be through sharing some instances where I've noticed Him, a happy thought, a fun experience I'm thankful for, something new I've learned, or my testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.