General Conference!

Okay, so since finals week is arriving Monday...I know that my stress levels will be even higher than they were during my last post. I've come to realize that I need to remember the happy times in my life, the times that truly gave me great joy such as serving as a full time missionary in the Brazil João Pessoa Mission and marrying my lovely wife Whitney. I've come to the conclusion this past week that since I decided that I wanted to get married and fulfill Heavenly Father's will, I decided that I should take on ALL the responsibilities that come with it instead of allowing my parents and in-laws to help. However, I've also noticed that they both are quite stubborn when it comes to things like that. I also realize that I have a lot to learn in the aspect of following the promptings that Heavenly Father gives me.

Today I was contacted at work by a guy that is very nice and kind who basically is offering me a job. I was quite estatic and I felt that it was an answer to my prayers and invited him to come over to explain what the job was exactly. I explained to Whitney what was happening and she was a bit skeptical as I was deep down but I was more excited to get into a job that would be beneficial for my family and I. I had been praying about it all day that Heavenly Father would help me discern between a good opportunity and one that would completely destroy my fiances. Unfortunately, this opportunity will destroy my finances if I continue or "give in" but I did receive an answer to a prayer it just wasn't the prayer that I thought it was. We had a good conversation when he first came over, but as he was preparing to share the movie that explains everything he made a comment that I will never forget. He said, "I don't know what it is about you but I just felt like I could talk to you and so I did." The answer that Heavenly Father gave me was a remembrance from my mission and what some of the families had told me as I taught them. They told me, "I feel so comfortable in talking with you. I feel like I can talk to you and you ALWAYS have the answer!"

Okay, so I don't always have the answer but I definitely have something about me that makes people feel comfortable when they talk with me. Having that thought in my mind it is a great confirmation that this major change that I am making, is something that Heavenly Father wants me to do. He doesn't want me to be completely in the medical field as a doctor which has been my dream since I can remember. He doesn't want me to be a Pulmonologist, lung doctor. He wants me to be a Marriage and Family Counselor. The major that I have decided to change to is Professional Clinical Emphasis in Marriage and Family Studies. It is just what I need to do. If people feel comfortable around me, than why shouldn't I use my talents to help as many of Heavenly Father's children return to His presence by helping them with their families or marriages that seem to be not working out the way they are supposed to.

I may not be super smart, as I know I am not, but I know that when Heavenly Father tells me to do something I will. If I don't follow the promptings that Heavenly Father gives me I would not be as happy or as blessed as I am today, even with all of the stresses that are in my life. I have a beautiful wife that I wouldn't have if I didn't follow the prompting I received to marry her, nor would I have a baby girl coming into the world in three months! I  wouldn't have served a mission to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with many awesome people that I love and miss dearly! Nor would I have the wonderful blessing and opportunity to work in the Temple every Saturday from 9am to 430pm to assist in weddings. I am so grateful for the promptings that Heavenly Father has given me.

Now for my reasoning for the title of this post, it is because tomorrow(Saturday) and Sunday The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is having its biannual General Conference where we have the privilege and opportunity to hear from a modern day prophet who is Thomas S. Monson. He is a man called of God to guide us and direct us in these latter days! I am ever so grateful and excited to hear his counsel and the counsel of his counselors and also members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who are disciples of Jesus Christ! I am excited to find answers to questions that I have had and hopefully receive confirmation and more guidance for the things that I will be doing within the next 6 months! If anyone reading this would like to check out what the Prophet of the Lord has to say, you can go to www.lds.org and watch any of the 4 sessions! They are on Saturday from 10am to 12pm MST and 2pm to 4pm MST. Then on Sunday from 10am to 12pm MST and 2pm to 4pm MST. It is a wonderful opportunity but if you can't watch them at those times, that is okay because the recordings will be on this same website after the session has gone through. They will also be posting the conferences in PDF format if you would like to read them instead! It is a wonderful opportunity and I encourage all to watch at least one session this weekend! I pray for the well being of everyone and I hope that everyone receives many blessings from our Father in Heaven!

Hope...

Life is full of interesting events...I wish that I always knew the correct answer to things but for some reason I don't. It is probably better that way. I am excited for this day to end as it has been a pretty crappy one with no motivation to do anything. I hope I can find a new job soon and I hope that during my week of break that I will be able to rest up and have no worries. I hope that I will have the opportunity to have fun and not worry about anything! I hope that next semester won't be as hard as I am anticipating it to be. I don't understand some things that happen in my life or reactions that I get. But for some odd reason they happen and I have learn to live with them. Heavenly Father is really creative! He knew that we would have these "interesting" experiences and I think He hopes that we always succeed.

Stress sucks. haha It is so true and I'm able to take in a certain amount but after that amount, I no longer am able to handle it. I think we get over loaded with things and we can only take a that certain amount. Once that amount hits it seems that nothing goes right. What's funnier is we are supposed to help one another in our goals, trials, etc. Yet sometimes, I think it is some people's goals to make others lives that much more complicated. Yet I know, this too shall pass. Therefore, I think its better to go to bed and not worry about things for the rest of this day and tomorrow will be better! :)

Well...since its been a month I guess I should post a blog...haha Well Whitney and I recently have switched wards. A ward is basically a congregation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is basically a form of a family unit, in a way, kinda. Anyway, our boundaries were changed and we experienced our first Sunday in the ward today. It was super quiet as there were a total of 8 babies and two or three pregnant ladies, one being Whitney. We came from a ward where basically everyone had a kid in the ward so of about 75 families each one had at least a kid. There were a couple families in the ward that had three or four kids. But it was super quiet in our new ward and no one really talked to us. We hope that things change and that we will be welcomed a little better. I don't think Whitney will have much of a problem as the Relief Society(the biggest woman's organization in the world) Presidency already contacted her this past week and she received a visit today. I on the other hand wait to receive any contact from the ward. I hope that we get some visits as we still haven't been visited by any home teachers since we've been married, going on 7 months. I hope that I get a calling in the ward to be able to learn people's names and such but that may not happen as well as I work in the Temple every Saturday. But at least Whitney is being included as that is more important for her to feel welcomed than me. I'm able to get through any situation or make friends with people even if they don't want to! ;) haha

This past Friday we had some friends come over and it was a sort of "open house" type deal and it was VERY interesting. It was primarily Whitney's friends that came but I learned a lot about a major that I never would have considered that actually sounds like something that I could/would enjoy to do. I'm going to be changing my major to Marriage and Family Studies with an emphasis in Professional Clinicals. In other words, I'll be helping marriages and families become better and stronger and hopefully I'll be able to work with LDS services which would be AMAZING!!! I feel that it is something that it is something that Heavenly Father would approve of. I loved helping families on my mission come unto Christ and perfect their marriages and I think that this will be a wonderful continuation of that! :) Also, with these friends coming over I have an "in" with a grocery store nearby that would be wonderful to work at! It will build my resumé and I'll also be able to work during the breaks! I'm excited! I have to turn the application in tomorrow as they are hiring real soon!  I have a lot to do as finals week is approaching and way too much to do. But life continues no matter what and Heavenly Father NEVER gives us trials that we cannot handle! I am super confident of that and therefore I know that it is possible to return to Heavenly Father's presence as long as we do what He asks of us! I hope you have a great week or time until I write again...oh and our baby Julia Rose arrives in about 3 months! :)