High School Memories

"There's the first lost balloon of the night." I whispered to Sister Coon as I watched the lone balloon drift up and away. We were sitting in the football stadium in support of two of our ward's laurels graduating high school tonight. It is so crazy to think that I have been graduated for a year now, and these girls were doing the same tonight. As I watched that balloon float away, I wondered if my high school life would be remembered by those I had shared it with. Did I do enough things to be remembered? Would I stand out in their minds as someone really cool or really funny or talented? Did I do anything spectacular to sear myself into the memories of hundreds? I sat there thinking these thoughts, and then realized I hoped none of this was true. I didn't want to be remembered for the great feats I had accomplished while with them. I wanted to be remembered for the way I made people feel. When people speak my name, I hope they will remember a girl who was always smiling and did her best to lift others up. My greatest desire is that I was able to embody the pure love of Christ and bring Him into their lives by my simple acts. And if I am only remembered by a few, that is OK too. If only one person's life was made better by something I did to help them, then I did my job as a disciple of Christ. I've come to learn in the past few years that life isn't about what others can give to you, but rather what you can give to others. So this is my challenge, dear reader. Go about your days serving others as Christ did. Look for simple ways to brighten another's day. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness from you can make the biggest impact on someone else. There have been many times in my life when a simple smile and "Hello!" from a stranger have changed the entire outcome of my day.
Their principle left them with these words that I really love "If you want to be happy for an hour, go take a nap. If you want to be happy for a lifetime, go out and help someone around you."

Seminary and a Parent's Love

I am so impressed with the youth in my stake. Tonight was seminary graduation and it was such a sweet experience. Several of my high school friends are finishing up their high school experience and it was really impressive to see how they allowed seminary to change their lives.
Spencer has always seemed kind of a pain in the neck, at least that was the vibe I got from his older sister. I didn't know him very well because he was younger than me, but he seemed to have a bad attitude for church and seminary. He even admitted in his talk that he did his very best to not pay attention to the lessons. One of his teachers even wrote him a note, imploring him to be the good kid his teacher knew he was and allow seminary to help his life. Spencer stated that he remembered thinking that his teacher was crazy and he wasn't going to change his attitude. But somethings happened, and slowly Spencer began to realize the importance of seminary and the scriptures.
My little brother and I were sitting behind Spencer's family, and as he continued with his talk, I watched Brother Ray and the way he looked at his oldest son. I could tell that Spencer and Brother Ray were really similar and this was probably why they butted heads a lot. The fact that Spencer is a teenage boy doesn't help the matter, either. I have been in the Ray home many times where Brother and Sister Ray were getting after Spencer and he seems like he would be a difficult child to raise, just from an outsider's view. But it was so cute to sit and watch Brother Ray beaming from ear to ear as he listened to Spencer speak and share his testimony of seminary and the scriptures. The saying that a parent's love is unending and unconditional is so very apparent with the Rays. I could just see the love that Brother Ray has for his son Spencer, despite all the stupid teenage boy things he does. It got me thinking about how much our Father in Heaven loves us. I try so very very hard to be a good obedient child, but sometimes I'm just not. I make mistakes and slip up, or I purposely choose to do something contrary to His commandments. Heavenly Father must love me, personally, so very much because He allows me time and again to turn to Him and apologize for what I have done. He sent His son Jesus Christ down to this Earth to provide a way for me to fix my mistakes and return to Him. I know that because of the Savior's sacrifice, I can be made clean as many times as I slip up so long as I keep trying my hardest to be perfect. The Lord knows I cannot be perfect on my own, but so long as I keep doing the things I am asked of, everything will be alright in the end.