All Day, Every Day

I come from a family of 5 back in Utah. My dad is from Denver, Colorado and my mom grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho. My parents were married in the Idaho Falls temple and started raising a family. They ended up totaling at a family of 5, myself, my brother Hunter, and my sister Emily. I will be the first to tell you that my parents did an absolutely fantastic job at raising all of us! I have now been on a mission in North Carolina for 1 year (we serve 2 years total), and since leaving them I have come to realize the great examples they were to me even more.

My Family the Christmas before I left for the Carolina's
From left to right: my Dad, my sister Emily, me, my Mom, and my brother Hunter

Many of the lessons I learned while under their care consisted of normal life lessons, such as getting to places early, holding open doors for people, getting work done before play, or why we shouldn't touch hot stoves (but did I listen at 4 years old? of course not!) But I think the best lessons I learned from them were the ones that taught me how to be a true "example of the believers" (1 Timothy 4:12).

One of the things my mom always taught me over and over was to "make sure that you feel the Spirit at least once a day." It seemed to be her own sort of spiritual "apple a day" prescription. The Savior teaches the same principle in the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 6. As he prays to Heavenly Father, he includes the phrase "Give us this day our daily bread." (vs. 11). I realized my mom was teaching me the importance of what the Savior really meant here. So I decided to start doing my best to find my "daily bread." The Lord ask us to "pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." (2 Nephi 32:9)

Because I was striving to make sure my performance was for the Lord, I started looking for ways to make sure he would consecrate my labors. Some of the best ways I personally found was reading the scriptures daily (especially the Book of Mormon) and praying. As I did so, it was impossible for me not to notice the blessings that flowed into my life. I felt more love for my family. I felt a clearer mind when dealing with school or projects. I was better able to recognize the blessings God gave me in my own life. And most of all, my testimony of the gospel was consistently strengthened. I know that these same blessings are available for all of us as we make sure to "feel the spirit at least once a day." I testify that by doing so, we can become like the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob, who had such marvelous experiences that he "could not be shaken", even when faced with those who actively wished to destroy him and his faith. (Jacob 7:5) I thank my parents for teaching me the blessings of living the gospel daily, and I hope we all remember the wise council of our Savior to search for our daily bread all day, every day!

E'ry Day!!