Week 66: Personal Revelation (October 7, 2019)
"The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives, and everything to do with the focus of our lives."
-President Nelson
Do you ever feel like a water floaty? This week has helped me see that honestly, we all are like one.... Water floaties sit on the top surface of the water, baking in the sunlight and floating to the soft (or harsh) flow of the waves against it. Unless an opposing force of greater pressure acts upon the floaty, the material will simply continue along, being fully supported by the boyoncy the water acting with the material, gives. But when the opposing pressure comes, and it will, the floaty will sink below the surface of the water, being held below until that opposing pressure releases. Then, in continuation of the cycle, it will move upward again, back to the surface, under the sunlight.
I realized this week that for a period of time, I was being held under the water by an opposing force. But by what? That is exactly what I thought. It was not until I was teaching my good friends Tammy and Rick, where I brought up this anaology, that my heart was opened to the thought that I was that floaty. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that God had sent that message to me. I needed to realize that I was drowning - and that is when revelation for this next step in my life, started flowing.
The opposing force that sometimes holds us down, can be a myriad of different things: heartache, confusion, trials, our own personal mistakes, etc. So what was this weight, this weight that was sitting on my heart? For awhile now, practically my whole mission, the concept of when I would go home, I had let dwindle in the back of my mind. I knew the time would come, when my mission would email me, informing me that I had less than 100 days left on my mission; that I would have to start thinking about home. Recently my mission president extended the opportunity for me to extend my mission. And little did I know, just how much my sitting in limbo would effect me. Due to some recent home events and different things, I was weighted by my own struggle to make a decision. I was deeply conflicted.
But here is why this confliction, was so needed in my life. The Lord wanted to teach me more about how to recieve personal revelation. He wanted me to learn how to make righteous decisions, based on a righteous focus, and act. This realization of my own personal weight, that was dragging me below the surface, helped me experience an even greater amount of happiness this week. I learned to listen better, and move forward with faith.
There were four things I learned about revelation this week, and I feel strongly to share them with all of you.
#1 - Sometimes the Lord's first answer is not His last.
I think at different times in our mortal lives, a certain decision is better for us than another. I have at different points, felt strongly that extending my mission would bring me immense joy. I love my mission. So when the opportunity became available, I felt that maybe this was my chance. But, my inner conflict continued. And throughout the week and throughout discussions with my Heavenly Father and my companion, I knew that neither option would be selfish; if I focused on the right things. Due to different events, a different path might be the way to go for me.
Sometimes He tells us to go down one road, just to have us take a fork somewhere else. Focusing on every moment of my mission as if I have forever, has helped me bask in the little moments.
#2 - The Lord wants us to act and make a decision.
Heavenly Father wants us to make a decision. He wants us to act. And ultimately, if it is not right, He will change our course. He will lead us to where He needs us.
#3 - Sometimes we allow ourselves to feel weighted, and be held down, when Heavenly Father is really leaving it up to us.
Throughout my praying, I felt peace in lots of directions. "But how could that be?" I thought. I reached out to a sister who I had served with, in the very beginning of my mission. She had not extended her mission, and I wanted to know her feelings on the end. She told me that she had felt like me, and had no regrets about the decision she had made. I knew that the Lord would support me, and trusted me to make the best out of whatever situation.
#4 - God loves us and wants us to achieve perfect happiness in this life.
If nothing else can bring us comfort, knowing that God loves us perfeftly should. He wants me to be happy... And He also knows who else may need me too. Sometimes, happiness is something we have to search for. But just like President Nelson said in the quote above, it is about our focus. I will be happy, whether still as a missionary or aiding in a different fight at home.
God wants us to more fully enjoy the sunlight that rests on the surface of the waters of our lives. Like the boyoncy that is always present to propel a floatable object back to the surface, the grace of God, provided by our Savior Jesus Christ, will always be present to bring us back to the top. He is the only way to remove the opposing force that holds us beneath the waves. And it is possible to always make it back, back to that surface, gently being moved with the waves.
I sat in General Conference this week, in the womens session, next to someone we are teaching named Sara. Sara just turned eighteen this week, and picked a date to be baptized, in November. She has waited a long time, due to her family circumstance, to be baptized and finally be able to step foot in a church building. Sitting in a chapel, on 1260 Otter Rd, in Helena, Montana, with her, reminded me of what my focus for my whole life will be. No matter if I wear the name tag, no matter if we are overseas or on our home couch, we can be a part of His army.
And forever will I be.
May you all find a deeper connection to your Father in Heaven this week. May Christ's name not only be etched on your heart, but on your soul. Remember that God loves you, more than you could possibly know, and that will never change.
Remember it is not the circumstance, but the focus.
This will probably be the last and only time I will mention my departure home, until the weeks dwindle down to nothing. May we all pick up our crosses, continuing in the good fight.
We are all enlisted, and the conflict is not over.
He lives, and loves us all, and there is no end.
Sister Walstad
-President Nelson
Do you ever feel like a water floaty? This week has helped me see that honestly, we all are like one.... Water floaties sit on the top surface of the water, baking in the sunlight and floating to the soft (or harsh) flow of the waves against it. Unless an opposing force of greater pressure acts upon the floaty, the material will simply continue along, being fully supported by the boyoncy the water acting with the material, gives. But when the opposing pressure comes, and it will, the floaty will sink below the surface of the water, being held below until that opposing pressure releases. Then, in continuation of the cycle, it will move upward again, back to the surface, under the sunlight.
I realized this week that for a period of time, I was being held under the water by an opposing force. But by what? That is exactly what I thought. It was not until I was teaching my good friends Tammy and Rick, where I brought up this anaology, that my heart was opened to the thought that I was that floaty. As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew that God had sent that message to me. I needed to realize that I was drowning - and that is when revelation for this next step in my life, started flowing.
The opposing force that sometimes holds us down, can be a myriad of different things: heartache, confusion, trials, our own personal mistakes, etc. So what was this weight, this weight that was sitting on my heart? For awhile now, practically my whole mission, the concept of when I would go home, I had let dwindle in the back of my mind. I knew the time would come, when my mission would email me, informing me that I had less than 100 days left on my mission; that I would have to start thinking about home. Recently my mission president extended the opportunity for me to extend my mission. And little did I know, just how much my sitting in limbo would effect me. Due to some recent home events and different things, I was weighted by my own struggle to make a decision. I was deeply conflicted.
But here is why this confliction, was so needed in my life. The Lord wanted to teach me more about how to recieve personal revelation. He wanted me to learn how to make righteous decisions, based on a righteous focus, and act. This realization of my own personal weight, that was dragging me below the surface, helped me experience an even greater amount of happiness this week. I learned to listen better, and move forward with faith.
There were four things I learned about revelation this week, and I feel strongly to share them with all of you.
#1 - Sometimes the Lord's first answer is not His last.
I think at different times in our mortal lives, a certain decision is better for us than another. I have at different points, felt strongly that extending my mission would bring me immense joy. I love my mission. So when the opportunity became available, I felt that maybe this was my chance. But, my inner conflict continued. And throughout the week and throughout discussions with my Heavenly Father and my companion, I knew that neither option would be selfish; if I focused on the right things. Due to different events, a different path might be the way to go for me.
Sometimes He tells us to go down one road, just to have us take a fork somewhere else. Focusing on every moment of my mission as if I have forever, has helped me bask in the little moments.
#2 - The Lord wants us to act and make a decision.
Heavenly Father wants us to make a decision. He wants us to act. And ultimately, if it is not right, He will change our course. He will lead us to where He needs us.
#3 - Sometimes we allow ourselves to feel weighted, and be held down, when Heavenly Father is really leaving it up to us.
Throughout my praying, I felt peace in lots of directions. "But how could that be?" I thought. I reached out to a sister who I had served with, in the very beginning of my mission. She had not extended her mission, and I wanted to know her feelings on the end. She told me that she had felt like me, and had no regrets about the decision she had made. I knew that the Lord would support me, and trusted me to make the best out of whatever situation.
#4 - God loves us and wants us to achieve perfect happiness in this life.
If nothing else can bring us comfort, knowing that God loves us perfeftly should. He wants me to be happy... And He also knows who else may need me too. Sometimes, happiness is something we have to search for. But just like President Nelson said in the quote above, it is about our focus. I will be happy, whether still as a missionary or aiding in a different fight at home.
God wants us to more fully enjoy the sunlight that rests on the surface of the waters of our lives. Like the boyoncy that is always present to propel a floatable object back to the surface, the grace of God, provided by our Savior Jesus Christ, will always be present to bring us back to the top. He is the only way to remove the opposing force that holds us beneath the waves. And it is possible to always make it back, back to that surface, gently being moved with the waves.
I sat in General Conference this week, in the womens session, next to someone we are teaching named Sara. Sara just turned eighteen this week, and picked a date to be baptized, in November. She has waited a long time, due to her family circumstance, to be baptized and finally be able to step foot in a church building. Sitting in a chapel, on 1260 Otter Rd, in Helena, Montana, with her, reminded me of what my focus for my whole life will be. No matter if I wear the name tag, no matter if we are overseas or on our home couch, we can be a part of His army.
And forever will I be.
May you all find a deeper connection to your Father in Heaven this week. May Christ's name not only be etched on your heart, but on your soul. Remember that God loves you, more than you could possibly know, and that will never change.
Remember it is not the circumstance, but the focus.
This will probably be the last and only time I will mention my departure home, until the weeks dwindle down to nothing. May we all pick up our crosses, continuing in the good fight.
We are all enlisted, and the conflict is not over.
He lives, and loves us all, and there is no end.
Sister Walstad
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