Spirituality

Last year, I trained for my first half marathon.

This semester I had the chance to be in BYU’s production of the musical The Light in the Piazza.

Spring is my favorite season.

During this past semester break, I had one goal: Recenter and refresh myself for the new year and upcoming semester.

I wanted to write about a story that, although not my own, made a real impact on me and on my outlook towards life, especially the hard times of life. This story was shared by Mike Gibson.

How learning to ask for help can help you

While I was studying Come, Follow Me in Dec, I read the story of Jane Elizabeth. She was a Black woman in the early days of the Church. At that time, the priesthood was not given to Black members. Because of her race, she was refused a seat on a wagon traveling from Connecticut to Nauvoo. And because of that, she had to walk more than 500 miles to get there.

As Christmas gets closer, I’ve caught myself thinking about presents, not just the ones that show up under decorated trees, but gifts that make lasting impacts after the season is over. Most gifts are things that simply happen to us. We open them, enjoy them, and move on with our lives. But every now and then, a gift changes the way you see yourself or the way you move through the world. That’s the kind of gift C.S. Lewis was pointing toward when he wrote about toy soldiers. In Mere Christianity, Lewis compares people to toy soldiers and tin men. Toy soldiers are well made and look the part, yet stiff, lifeless, and obviously, lack humanity. With this in mind, Lewis explains how grace can change these tin men into humans that can act and change. The fascinating claim of Christianity is that God isn’t interested in better-looking toys; He wants real, living people. And the even better news is that the hardest part has already been done. As Lewis says, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” The change from toy soldier to human being isn’t something we have to figure out or earn. It’s already been done for us. What’s left is learning how to live as if it’s true. That’s where action comes in. Toy soldiers get moved around by someone else, placed where they’re told, and packed away when they’re no longer useful. Humans aren’t meant to live that way. We’re meant to choose, to respond, to take responsibility for how we show up in the world. Lewis isn’t asking us to sit around waiting to feel transformed. He’s pointing us toward actually living, toward acting instead of being acted upon. Over time, that’s how the gift becomes real in us. So this Christmas, alongside all the other things we unwrap, it might be worth remembering this gift too. It’s already been given, and it doesn’t need batteries or assembly. We don’t become more human by staying rigid on the shelf. We become human when we step forward and act, leaving the toy soldier behind and learning how to live fully alive.

About two months ago, I was called as an Elders Quorum teacher. Having taught before, my "tried-and-true" method usually involved coasting until Saturday, skimming the talk, and throwing together a slide deck at the last minute. However, the presidency threw me a curveball during our orientation meeting. Instead of the usual "good luck" pat on the back, the counselor, Hunter, laid out a specific, detailed plan for success that included deep study, intentional coordination with the other teacher, and strict stake guidelines. I left that meeting stunned and frankly a bit skeptical about whether all this extra homework was actually necessary.

if we are too busy for the most important things in our lives then we are too busy

During a class of mine called Character Mask (a class in which we dress in black, put on masks that have large or interesting expressions, and act as though we are these characters), I was lying on the ground behind a wall of blocks, holding a stuffed animal with one arm just above the blocks to make it look like an alligator was swimming around to the audience on the other side of the wall. After doing this for about a minute, I had to take a moment to just laugh. My professor came and poked his head over the wall, asking if I was alright. And I said, while still laughing “what am I getting a degree in?”

This Alone

When I first applied for my program, I felt confident I would be accepted. I went about my days without much worry, sure that everything would work out. But when I received the news that I had been placed on the waitlist, reality hit me hard. Suddenly, the possibility of not getting in felt real — and with no “Plan B” that matched my career ambitions, I was left frustrated and unmotivated about the future.

When asked what they missed most about childhood, a few people said:

Growing up in Provo, I always drove to school in the mornings. Back in 2017, Cougar Boulevard didn’t have a median barrier separating the two directions of traffic. It was extremely convenient—especially when I wanted to grab lunch from some of my favorite spots like Noodles & Company, Mooyah, or Don Joaquin. I could easily head from class straight to food without much hassle.

Last week, as Easter was approaching, I listened to a devotional by Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf that helped me see things differently. He talked about how sometimes our expectations do not match reality, and that really spoke to me. Like many people, I have experienced moments when life did not go the way I hoped. I had goals and dreams, but things turned out differently. It is hard not to feel disappointed when that happens.

This semester has been the most difficult semester of my college career. I have enjoyed it, but there has been an overwhelming feeling of stress and anxiety. From difficult exams and personal illness to car troubles, sick family members, sleepless nights, and stressful family emergencies—not to mention endless hours of homework—these past few months have been exhausting. Not to mention, I’ve been planning a wedding throughout all of this.

I've been thinking a lot lately about joy and what it means to live a joyful life.

Recently at stake conference, my stake president introduced us to the acronym RSVP

This blog post is as much advice as it is a reflection on my last semester. While I have had busy class loads in the past, my Fall 2024 semester was the heaviest I have had up to this point.

Since starting my higher education, it sometimes feels like I’ve been studying forever. The challenge of maintaining motivation and giving my best doesn’t get any easier with time.

In the end, everything will work out!

It happens, but remember, you are not alone.

In Our Times, Staying Metaphorically "On the Mount" is More Important than Ever