today

Though it has been a good 3 months since I've been meaning to write this post, I know that today couldn't be a more perfect time. As always, I've got a lot of rambling to do!

So basically, it all began when I saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie. Was it not the most amazing thing you had ever seen? I died. So thank you Mr. Mitty...

"Stop having daydreams and start making them happen"

Pretty sure there could not be a more true statement out there. Now, I've only recently come to know the divine importance of this saying...

Sometimes, the only way to make things better (you know what, actually...the ONLY way to make things better) is to start today. You've got to start somewhere and you might as well start now. Why? Because if you start now, you'll already be one step in and one step ahead. 

Because what you do today can improve all of your tomorrows. Because if you start acting the way you want to feel, your life will become what you desire. And because finally, if you want the future to be different than it is right now, then you've got to change what you're doing right now. 

If you yourself want to be better, or you want your life to be better, you've got to be the one to make it that way. You can't count on anybody else to do it for you and you can't just expect time to make it better if you aren't willing to help out, try, and take that first step now. 

See, this idea can be integrated into anything that you desire: greater happiness, greater spirituality, greater physicality, greater knowledge, greater selflessness...anything. Just start now to get there, or you honestly never will haha

See and I know that it's hard to start. It's hard to start today. It's hard to get the motivation or the desire to even desire to take that step. I know. I know firsthand. Ha and I know a lot of people that could vouch for this struggle, too. It's common. It's definitely more common than one thinks and it's more common in ourselves than we think. You've just got to realize it and admit it in yourself and you can be right on your way. You've got to accept something in order to change it. 

But, you've got to realize that you literally cannot make this step without hope. You can't man. Ha so don't even try(let's be honest-you won't even try hahaha)

Hope is freakin crucial in our steps toward progression. When we have hope, everything else falls into place. Hope brings everything into sync. Hope brings that motivation to start that step. Hope brings new outlooks on your current situation by helping you know that what lies ahead is better than what is left behind. Hope shows that anything can happen. Hope brings anxiousness and eagerness for the future and leaves depression and desire for the past, behind. And most importantly, hope brings back our faith in Heavenly Father's divine plan of happiness for each of us, that we lost sight of in the first place. Hope brings the solution into sight. 

"There may be times when we must make a courageous decision to have hope, even when everything around us contradicts this hope."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Today is the best time to get that hope by doing our  best. It's time to fully and willingly dedicate yourself to everything that you take on. Become who are you and be who you are, by doing your absolute best in everything that you do. If you want that high level of hope, do your best to get it. Focus and engage your hardest in class to increase your knowledge; treat others with the highest level of kindness, sincerity, care, and selflessness; serve your family with a positive attitude; work hard at your job; strive to make your Heavenly Father proud by keeping the commandments and studying the works He's provided us with; and finally, desire to have hope. Give your all, so you can say that you tried your hardest and are finally satisfied with no regrets when you lie down at the end of the day. Then, you will know that you had hope.

Because, when you are striving to do your best and your hardest in every aspect of your life, hope will automatically be infused and blended into your attitude, thoughts and actions. Because... 

"When we are continually doing our best, we will be blessed with a life that will always exceed our greatest expectations."

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

So please stop having daydreams and start making them happen today. Rely on that foundation of Christ's love for you and trust in His plan for you because He is, and always will be, "the high priest of good things to come". Today is the best day to start making those daydreams come true. Today is the best time to make those goals and dreams happen. So buy that flight to Thailand, plan that backpacking trip around Europe, run that river in Jackson, climb that cliff in Moab, date that way hot boy, push yourself to get in shape, get those good grades, do what you want to do, do you, do it for you, and always remember to try to have that hope.  

"It's not enough to wish, it's not enough to dream, it's not enough to promise. We must do!"

-President Thomas S. Monson

love,
moss

listen to these talks and this will make more sense hahaha
The Infinate Power of Hope - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Remember Lot's Wife - Elder Jeffery R. Holland

The Bad Day Remedy

I like to believe that I’m an open book kinda gal. The girl who is super outgoing all the time, the girl who can share anything without a flick of concern or insecurity, but quite frankly, I know I’m not. I have moments where I can be that open-book, but I would be lying if I said I was open all the time. Probably because I like to keep some secrets close to my heart or maybe because I like to be a little bit of a mystery... Or maybe it’s because I’m weird (yes, this is definitely why) and until I have complete trust in people I don’t want them to know how quirky I actually am. But a good friend reminded me this week that madness is genius and we should all share the madness that’s inside of us all. For it was a bit of madness that I shared with her a few months ago that she got through a rough week, and that made me realize we should never convince ourselves that our ideas, dreams, and stories aren’t important to others because they certainly are. So that’s what led me here to write about a certain idea of mine, a theory if you will.

I never really thought much of it. It was a routine that I made up when I was seventeen that made me feel better on rough days when I thought my world was falling apart (gasp, another dramatic teenager). But I never thought to share it with others, it’s kinda weird and I can’t let people know I’m weird right? Haha well I broke that rule on a November night when I saw that good friend in my hall. With a frustrated frown she told she was having a bad day. Now people who know me best know that there is nothing I love more than giving advice. I love listening and love helping people solve their problems, but sometimes I don’t always have the answers and have to resort to a plan B. Well in this case my plan B was telling this lovely girl this routine of mine. Slightly embarrassed, I kept my eyes down and told her the steps of my process and the reasoning of each one. I told her the magic it can have even with its simplicity. I told her that sometimes we can’t solve our bad days but we can do things to help us get through them. I told her these things despite the fact that I felt foolish and well, weird. But as I finished I looked up, and to my surprise I saw tears in her eyes telling me, “That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” And from then on, I decided that this remedy was meant to be shared. Despite it’s silliness, it’s a routine that anyone can do to fix up a crummy day.

 It’s called the Bad Day Remedy.

The Bad Day Remedy is composed of three necessary steps, beginning with
 1. go get a Diet Coke. Substitutions are acceptable so if you are DP lover go for it but it is essential that you get a soda. It’s all about that fizz in that first sip of soda that can settle your upset heart, calm anger, and gradually stop the tears. It’s simply soothing and delicious. Mock me if you will, call me another Holladay girl who loves her DC (I embrace the judgment), but I promise you won’t be mocking after you give it a try.

  2. get a cookie. I may have a slight obsession with the countless memories that include cookies, or maybe I’m just in love with their deliciousness, but nonetheless they are my favorite. Cookies remind me of baking days with my mom talking about anything and everything. They remind of cold New York days, sitting on the curb with my brothers, fresh cookies warming our frozen hands. They remind me of the summer that my brother and I spent creating/perfecting the ultimate chocolate-chip cookie recipe. They remind me of simple, happy moments and reassure me on bad days that no matter how hard or bitter life may seem, there’s still sweetness to be experienced

**I prefer chocolate chip but pick whatever cookie but pick whatever makes your heart happy 

  3. talk with someone you love. This is the last, if not the, most important step of conquering a bad day. Take it from someone who often struggles relying on people- life is ten times easier and better when you allow yourself to ask for help. So turn to those that deep down you know will help you conquer what you're facing. Because when it’s all said and done, the reasoning of getting through your bad day will be because of those lovely people. Talk it out, cry it out, and laugh it out to those you love the very most. But possibly the best conversation you can choose to have will be with God. Because sometimes even the best drink and cookie can’t fix your bad day, but he always can.

And that’s the bad day remedy. Simple but sure to work. Despite how much we dread bad days, I believe that they are needed every once in awhile. Bad days aren’t meant to ruin us but rather humble us. Their intent is to give us a reality check of what’s important and what’s not, a chance to turn our hearts to Heavenly Father and seek his counsel and love. Never forget to look from his perspective of what he wants us to gain or learn on those particular rough days as well.

So the next time a bad day comes around and you can’t help but look up at the sky and ask “why me?”, just try out this magic remedy that has yet to fail me… even it sounds, well, weird.  I once thought it was weird too until I shared it with my friend that November night.

That same girl came knocking on my door the other night with another bad day story to tell. This time she kept her head down until she finished then looked up and said, “…but guess what? I tried your remedy, and it really did work.” This time I had tears in my eyes and thought, 

“that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” 

You'll get through those bad days, never fear, they actually will end. And never forget- You are smarter than you think, stronger than feel, and more loved than you realize. Bad days got nothing on you.

 Love Always, 

Lauren 

Free as a Bird

It all started at the Camden Market in London. A time where change overwhelmed my thoughts and my heart longed for any form of stability. My stomach was in knots resulting from catching a nasty bug and fear of the future.  Truth is, I was scared. Scared that I no longer could call my fellow high school my school. Scared to go to college alone. Scared to say goodbye to those I love and a time of my life I loved. I hated being scared, I always convinced myself to be fearless and for the first time in my life I was truly letting fear get the best of me.

Like any tourist market, there was endless amount of crap. But nonetheless my brothers and I set out on a mission to find a quality souvenir. And then we stumbled upon a little tent of unique, ink art-work. The handmade art was amazing but my attention was drawn to the artist herself. If I had the chance to speak with another stranger for a second time in my life I would surely pick her. I couldn’t tell you her name but I could tell you about her presence.  She had a stillness that brought me peace, she had a passionate spark that gave me hope. She told me stories about spontaneously moving to India and adventures of exploring England by bicycle. She had this love for life that inspired me to do the same. During our conversation I came across a handmade card of hers, it read: “Free as Bird”. That was my souvenir. A remnant of a lovely stranger who reminded me of what I wanted my life to be.

Free as a bird. That was what college was going to be. A chance for a new start, adventure…and far too many expectations. That was where I made my mistake. I had this subconscious idea that the second I moved into my dorm room that my life would just take off. I would instantly be best friends with girls in my hall, I would be dating like a madwoman, I would be loving life like never before. Okay so that fantasy died fast and reality hit hard. Things were more difficult than I expected they would be and even though I was hardly an hour away from home I had never felt more alone in my life. But we all go through hard times so I just told myself to wade it out. A month and half passed and I realized I was still wading out the storm. Looking back I now realize that it was my own fault. You see I still had set expectations. They were the culprit to my unhappiness, they held back my wings of being  ‘Free as a Bird’.

When I finally let go of my expectations and let the Man upstairs lead the way everything just got better. Never would I think by giving up something I could gain so much. I didn’t necessarily gain anything new, I just finally saw what I was blessed with all along. Blessed with a hall of crazy, loving girls. Girls who make me laugh till I can’t breathe, girls who brush my tears off my cheeks during hard times. Blessed with an education that pushes me, inspires me, and motivates me to make something of my life. Blessed with a beautiful world of golden falls and white Christmases. Blessed with a healthy body that allows me to explore that world. Blessed with a hometown that is full of love and the dearest best friends. Blessed with a family that who supports me, laughs at me, and reminds me that life is about the journey not the destination. Blessed with a testimony. Even when it’s as simple as I know that God loves me and I love Him.

I learned that a happy life doesn’t bring gratitude but rather that gratitude makes a happy life. Everyday I feel more and more blessed to be where I am, what I’m doing, and whom I’m with. Gratitude has made me free. Rather than looking at all the things I don’t have that hold me down, acknowledging what I do have has set me free in so many ways. Free from comparing, judgment, negativity, and free from the adversary telling me that I’m not enough. Of course we are all going to have rough days where it feels like nothing can go right. But in those times I stop and try my hardest to name ten things that I’m grateful for… It doesn’t take more than get to #4 that I feel so blessed and happy to have the life the have.

I’m not perfect and everyday is a whole new set of trials and experiences but I’ve learned that to be 'Free as Bird' you need to lose expectations of handling those trials and experiences. Throw them out the window and don’t you dare chase after them. Because the best part about throwing them out is that life doesn’t turn out the way you expect it...

 it’s even better.  

Love Always, 

Lauren 

pure blood

this story was read at one of my good friend's LDS mission farewell. it definitely is something to remember. it's a new way to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ.

so let us this season, remember what Christmas is truly about...

Pure Blood

The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio.

You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It's not influenza, but three or four fellows are dead, and it's kind of interesting, and they're sending some doctors over there to investigate it. You don't think much about it, but on Sunday, coming home from church, you hear another radio spot. Only they say it's not three villagers, it's 30,000 villagers in the back hills of this particular area of India, and it's on TV that night. CNN runs a little blurb; people are heading there from the disease center in Atlanta because this disease strain has never been seen before.

By Monday morning when you get up, it's the lead story. For it's not just India; it's Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and before you know it, you're hearing this story everywhere and they have coined it now as "the mystery flu".

The President has made some comment that he and everyone are praying and hoping that all will go well over there. But everyone is wondering, How are we going to contain it? That's when the President of France makes a announcement that shocks Europe. He is closing their borders. No flights from India, Pakistan, or any of the countries where this thing has been seen. And that's why that night you are watching a little bit of CNN before going to bed. Your jaw hits your chest when a weeping woman is translated from a French news program into English: There's a man lying in a hospital in Paris dying of the mystery flu. It has come to Europe. Panic strikes. As best they can tell, once you get it, you have it for a week and you don't know it. Then you have four days of unbelievable symptoms. And then you die.

Britain closes it's borders, but it's too late. South Hampton, Liverpool, North Hampton, and it's Tuesday morning when the President of the United States makes the following announcement: "Due to a national security risk, all flights to and from Europe and Asia have been canceled. If your loved ones are overseas, I'm sorry. They cannot come back until we find a cure for this thing." Within four days our nation has been plunged into an unbelievable fear. People are selling little masks for your face. People are talking about "What if it comes to this country," and preachers on Tuesday are saying, "It's the scourge of God."

It's Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when some- body runs in from the parking lot and says, "Turn on a radio, turn on a radio." And while the church listens to a little transistor radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made. Two women are lying in a Long Island hospital dying from the mystery flu. Within hours it seems, this thing just sweeps across the country. People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working. California. Oregon. Arizona. Florida. Massachusetts. It's as though it's just sweeping in from the borders.

And then, all of a sudden the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It's going to take the blood of somebody who hasn't been infected, and so, sure enough, all through the Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That's all we ask of you. And when you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospitals. Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line, and they've got nurses and doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it. Your wife and your kids are out there, and they take your blood type and they say, "Wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name, you can be dismissed and go home." You stand around, scared, with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on and that this is the end of the world.

Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He's yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says, "Daddy,that's me." Before you know it, they have grabbed your boy. Wait a minute. Hold on! And they say, "It's okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn't have the disease. We think he has got the right type."

Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging one another - some are even laughing. It's the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, "Thank you, sir. Your son's blood type is perfect. It's clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine." As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. But then the gray- haired doctor pulls you and you wife aside and says, "May we see you for a moment? We didn't realize that the donor would be a minor and we need...we need you to sign a consent form." You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken is empty.

"H-h-h-how many pints?" And that is when the old doctor's smile fades and he says, "We had no idea it would be a little child. We weren't prepared. We need it all! But-but...You don't understand. We are talking about the world here. Please sign. We- we need it all -- we need it all!"

"But can't you give him a transfusion?"

"If we had clean blood we would. Can you sign?

Would you sign?"

In numb silence, you do. Then they say, "Would you like to have a moment with him before we begin?" Can you walk back? Can you walk back to that room where he sits on a table saying, "Daddy? Mommy? What's going on?" Can you take his hands and say, "Son, your mommy and I love you, and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn't just have to be. Do you understand that?" And when that old doctor comes back in and says, "I'm sorry, we've-we've got to get started. People all over the world are dying." Can you leave? Can you walk out while he is saying, "Dad? Mom? Dad? Why-why have you forsaken me?"

And then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, and some folks sleep through it, and some folks don't even come because they go to the lake, and some folks come with a pretentious smile and just pretend to care. Would you want to jump up and say, "MY SON DIED! DON'T YOU CARE?"

Is that what GOD wants to say? "MY SON DIED. DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?"

"Father, seeing it from your eyes breaks our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great Love you have for us."

Author Unknown

be the ones to care and to be fully involved in your passions, like the gospel. don't simply "come with a pretentious smile and pretend to care" 
remember what this Christmas season is truly about. show your love to others and to Him by acting in a way that he would be proud. 

mormon.org 

love,
moss

genuine

as i sat on the church benches in sacrament meeting today, i reflected on my week, thinking about what i need to work on. i try and make these thoughts occur weekly because i know that there isn't any progression without reflection. i considered the week: remembering things that i could congratulate myself for and also the things that i failed at. i take into account what i saw during the week that i enjoyed and what things i need to cease from becoming. 

what stood out to me the most, was when people were genuine.  

see and it's funny because many things lately have all brought me back to this idea of being genuine. 

i want to live genuinely-in all aspects. because i think then, my life would be more filling! as cheesy as it sounds, i really think it would. and i've been searching for that one thing that's missing anyways so i think it'll help. 

maura dern said it perfectly, 

"i want to act by not only focusing around kindness, but on a general interest in people. avoiding the shallow conversations and really getting to know them." 

i'm sick of all the small talk and casual conversations filled with the same old questions. (ha lets be real, nobody truly wants to hear about what you're majoring in because then it just adds more stress to your indecisiveness.) i want to be genuinely interested in people and how they are doing and what they are doing. i want to know if they're genuinely doing okay so then i can know how to help. we always have infinite room to love and serve someone. 

 i really do think being genuinely involved with a couple friends is better than being shallow with many. and with those friends, you've got to treat them like friends. to genuinely love them, you've got to love their mistakes, faults, and talents-you've got to love them fully. so make those genuine efforts and take that time to love and serve them fully. find joy in your friends and family.

>>------------>

another part of the genuine life i want to live is by revolving myself around the genuine things in life: the things that really bring value and make people feel of true worth. 

i want to live with passion. referring to my lovely friend haley hilton's blog, she talked about the importance of living with passion. what is life if it isn't with passion? you're wasting your time if you're not doing what you love. do what you want and do what you love and everything else will work itself out. because when you hope and work towards good, the work will work for your good. 

see and i think it's good to focus on the genuine things too so then you can be genuinely happy. i feel like the world has changed the view on what can make people genuinely happy. 

for example: 

A.) the image of social media 

i love social media but i hate social media, i truly do! yet, i still involve myself with it because Satan continuously convinces me that i can find true happiness from it. stupid stupid stupid. (ha i'm going to try and do something about that btw.) but for me, social media never helps. i always find myself comparing other people's highs to my lows when i log on. yet, we all do it-we all post on social media for one reason or another. maybe to get attention from that one guy, to show how great the weekend was, or to simply post just to post and see how much publicity we can get. but see, when we get caught up in competing and comparing our lives with others, we forget the great highlights right in front of us-we forget to enjoy today. 

these distractions are "costly apparel" and arise prideful feelings that aren't needed in our lives. they keep us from enjoying true happiness and enable Satan to make us believe that they will bring us satisfactory joy. we get so caught up in thinking about how we're going to top the pictures tomorrow, or how we're going to look better than that girl tomorrow, or how we're going to tweet the funniest tweet tomorrow, etc. etc.... we need not worry about tomorrow because it will sort itself out, we just need to enjoy the genuine things of today and help others do the same. 

"I asked before, what can a person gain from beauty?  The answer is nothing.  Now, what can a person gain from knowing they are a child of God?  Everything.  What can a person gain knowing there is more to them than a facebook “like”?  That their character and actions prove to make a much more noticeable mark on the world than hitting 100 “tweets?”  We should be teaching our children they are beautiful long before they ever have a facebook or twitter account.  The kind of beauty I'm talking about is taught, not put together in front of a mirror with makeup and hairspray.  Some of the most beautiful people you and I know would never appear on the cover of a People magazine.  Now I'm not saying we shouldn't feel good about how we look.  Our bodies are gifts from God and we should honor them as such. I'm not saying it's bad to walk out of the door feeling good in your new jeans.  Heck, I’m not even saying you shouldn’t feel good when your neighbor compliments your looks.  What I AM saying is that the foundation of our self worth should not be made of “likes.”  It should be made of the content of our character and the true beauty that lives inside all of us." 

-Alyson Bauer

i don't want to focus on my looks or how to outwardly impress people anymore. i want to focus on how i make people feel and how i am feeling on the inside about myself. i want to be sure of myself through feeling confident of inside self. i want to develop my talents and love myself and others with more sincerity. i want to set down that technology and ignore that social media sting so i can develop my relationships face to face rather than screen to screen. i want to acknowledge how blessed i am and immerse myself in those blessings. i want to ignore the "costly apparels" of the world and find true happiness in the genuine lovelies of the world. 

so if that isn't enough rambling, i don't know what is! 

love,
moss