It is better to look up!

"Believe in God; believe that He is...believe that He has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth."

-Mosiah 4:9

I went on a much-needed run after conference on Saturday this past weekend. I had really been looking forward to that incredible re-fueled feeling conference always brings to my spirit and to my life, and even just from Saturday's talks, I had not been found wanting. General Conference just renews my energy and improves my perspective.

The run was beautiful - the canyon is slowing turning to shades of gold, and nothing could be more perfect to me. My roommate Tania came with me, and maybe because we had so much on our minds, the run turned to more of a long, long walk interspersed with periods of running as we talked about all the things we'd learned, and what we were feeling. I am so grateful for the friends I have in my life whose testimony and experiences allow us to learn more from each other, and to be able to find more strength and clarity to keep moving forward. I always learn so much more about my testimony and about my Heavenly Father's love for me as I talk about it or write about it. This time was no exception.

It was on that beautiful run in the fall colors of the canyon that I recognized the fulfillment of a promise my Heavenly Father had made to me. I recognized once again His hand in my life, and how much He truly does help us - especially when we ask.

Back in January, after receiving a priesthood blessing from a friend as I was just beginning to go through a particularly difficult learning experience, I was reminded that I needed to pick up my own personal goals again, and to trust that Heavenly Father had MUCH more in store for me. But I was so afraid. I was heartbroken, and I felt I had nothing left to give. This wasn't true, but that was how I felt ten months ago. I also knew, however, that the promise was true: I DID have much more to give, and I needed to find a way to get over my fears and just move forward, trusting in God.

So I asked Him for help. I told him the things I felt I needed to do; and many of them were things I felt He wanted me to do, but I didn't really understand how to do them. They would change most of my life as it currently sat, and I already felt like everything was changing: could I handle the load? I knew I could with His help; somehow.

The months have passed by, sometimes feeling slow, but as I look back to January from here, the time has flown by. As I was pouring my heart out on that run, I suddenly realized my Heavenly Father had answered my prayers. He had heard my plea for strength and courage. He had healed my broken heart. He had helped me find all the little turns along the way to where I am now. He had given me the courage to do the things I felt I needed to do, and helped me sort out the most important things from the options. I now had a much clearer vision of where I was going, and on whom I could truly rely. I knew He had answered my prayer from that January afternoon, and the most overwhelming feeling of love seemed to wash over me, to tell me He that as blessed and amazed as I felt in that October moment, He still wasn't done blessing me or helping me find the way to happiness. It has been around me every step of the way.


The worlds of Elder Carl B. Cook's talk that very afternoon kept running through my mind, and just seemed to brighten everything around me. "It is better to look up." It really is. Though I experienced moments of looking down, and still will all throughout my life, at least I know the beauty and burden-lifting feeling of truly looking up. Believing God, that He is, and that He knows...ALL things.

And most importantly, that He loves me. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the best, happiest, most glorious gift I have been given in my life, and it is likewise the best thing I have to give. The love of our Heavenly Father magnifies ALL the goodness in our lives, and can erase the pain of this life, if we will only let it.

Look up. The happiest message I heard all weekend. :) I could listen to this talk over and over and over again...