"oh Hail!": April 2013

This semester has probably been the weirdest of my entire life. Never before have I had so many ups and downs with friends, family, dating, school, etc. It just seems like this semester everything has picked up in its own special little way. I've had a really difficult semester in a lot of different ways and have been very grateful for peace and comfort through reading my scriptures.

We were really blessed with awesome home teachers this year and I am so grateful for them and for their lessons. In February, we had a fabulous lesson on how to effectively study the scriptures. One of them showed me his document on his computer where he types a question and then reads the scriptures with that question in mind. I had heard of a lot of people doing this and finding it effective, but for some reason I had never tried it. I've been doing that the last couple of weeks/month and it has been a really awesome experience. I feel like not only do I get answers to those specific things I am asking about, but that Heavenly Father also speaks to me and tells me things that I didn't know I needed to know. It has literally opened the windows of communication between me and my Heavenly Father and I don't know that I have ever felt such a close and sweet relationship with Him. I know without a doubt that He lives and loves me. I know that he is involved in the smallest things in my life and am so grateful for his guidance and direction.

I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon, and for the Prophet Joseph Smith and his dedication in translating those plates for our good. I don't know where I would be without those inspiring words that answer my questions and allow me to feel peace and comfort even when I am struggling with something that seems so hard and so never ending. I'm grateful for my Savior and for the knowledge that I have that I never ever have to do anything alone. I know that he is always with me and willing to help me if I will only ask him.