Carriers of Light - My Testimony of Jesus Christ

This is my Savior. 

This is my best friend.

This is the source of all happiness that has ever existed.

This man is a shining light.

His name is Jesus Christ.

Lately I have been studying the light of Christ and I want to bear testimony of my treasured discoveries.

Christ stated the words "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

but did you know that Christ also stated:

"YE are the light of the world....let YOUR light so shine." (Matthew 5:14-16)

How is it that this incredible man trusts us enough to be carriers of his light? 

He must love us. He trusts us because he loves us.

.

Gaining the light of Christ consists of hundreds of small moments. To live the gospel is to listen to your spirit. It is an incremental process throughout the day; it is DECIDING to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost!

Something we don't always realize is that these moments aren't glamorous. There is nothing glamorous about sacrifice. But to sacrifice is to be like Christ. Because he sacrificed everything.

Is it not worth it?

In Jerusalem there was no room for Christ in the inn. As we deny the promptings of the spirit, we are sending a subliminal message to Christ that there is still no room for him - this time in our hearts. But as we dispose of things God needs us to, we are freeing our confined spirits, which opens room in our hearts to FILL with our Savior's love! Light cannot be contained. It chases the darkness and the darkness cannot overrule it. It spreads far and warms everything it touches. I testify that anyone can feel this warmth. Look to him! You will find it!

And once you find it YOU will be a carrier of light.

Suddenly, you have the power to bless everyone around you.
Please do it. For Him.

I just want to close by bearing testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. He helps me face every day. He guides me, directs me and he knows me! We are best friends. He is my brother. He is my Savior. 

He is YOUR Savior!

The video below teaches of him and I promise you that it WILL make your day better,

I know this because Christ always will. :)

I bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

xoxo 

-Hallie Jo 

"Do you know why we make plans, Hallie?"

My bishop asked me this question last August as I was, like most young adults, working through some big life decisions. I wasn't sure what he was going for at first.
"Why?" I asked.

"We make plans to change them" he told me.

Looking back on my life, this has proven to be true. Things change - which is so comforting. 

A few weeks ago I put my mission papers in. I made a plan.
In the past week, my plan has changed. 

Let me just say - I am so incredibly grateful for the agency that comes with being a child of God. I am so incredibly grateful for guidance from leaders and parents. Most of all I am grateful for prayer. 

I put my mission call on hold because I have felt that I need to make the choice to pursue another opportunity. However, even though my call is on hold, I wanted to make a decision I could stand behind 100% and so right now I am not planning on serving a mission at all.
I am making this post because I want to share this information as well as my testimony of my Heavenly Father. Every single thing that has ever made me smile has been placed into my life by Him. Lately in my prayers I have been praying that I can "recognize all of the reasons to smile" that day. The recipe to happiness is clear: noticing and appreciating what is around you to smile about. This is called gratitude.

I am not perfect at being grateful, but I want to become perfect at trying.

Life is good, God is good and I am happy. :) 

xoxo 

-Hallie Jo 

S U C C E S S E S.

During the first month of college I wrote myself a letter. It is titled simply; successes. I want to share it today:

Successes - May 17th, 2015

I am at college. I am sitting in the chapel in Rexburg, Idaho. This will be my fifth week of school. I have all A's right now. I have an amazing friend group. I am living without my parents for the first time. I have a strong relationship with my roommates; I am building an even stronger relationship with my Savior. I have accepted a calling as relief society teacher. I took my first college exam! I stay in touch with my best friends. I have a strong hold on my anxiety. I worked hard to get here. 
Today especially, I miss my family. I miss my dog.  I am scared that I won't be successful. I want to be a leader! I want to serve others more! I do not know how to be an adult. 

BUT I AM DOING IT. I am a leader! I am independent! I can and will be successful. I don't know what I'll be doing 8 months from now, but I am here. I am in the refiners fire. Because of that; I am successful. I am where I need to be. I can always be better and that is super cool. 

God is good! Life is good! And I am good.
For me, that is enough. 
-Hallie 

I've been so inspired lately - 3 songs in 2 days? okay that's fine :-)

Last Sunday I sat in a different chapel and thought about that letter. I thought about CHANGE and how cool it is. And then I grabbed my pen and my very same notebook and began writing: 

Successes pt. #2 - August 22, 2015

I am sitting in a chapel in Missoula Montana. I am in a transition phase right now. I am mature, but I am young. I am young, but I am mature. In the past 4 months I have grown incrementally and exceptionally. I have become acquainted with obeying my God and I have become acquainted with disobeying my God (I like obeying more). 

I traveled across the country becoming familiar with the beautiful history of my church. I fell in love with Nauvoo; I wear it on a necklace around my neck every day. I learned that people NEED me to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I met dozens of soulmate friends. I learned to persevere when you feel the social pressure of being alive. I learned that home is where the people you love are. The people I love are all over the country now -- my family is everywhere! 

I laughed. I cried. I struggled and I grew. I feel CLEAN now. I will begin fall semester at BYU-Idaho feeling infinitely free!! I will meet new friends; I will grow with old friends (family). I can't wait!
God is good! God is my anchor and life is beautiful! 

Happiness can always be achieved, if only we look in the right place. 

-Hallie

Everything in my life came full circle. I wasn't even sure how to express how COMPLETE I felt after writing that. I feel brand new! Which....coincidentally is a song that came out TODAY by my favorite singer in the world. It's such a happy listen; good luck not getting up and dancing! :-)

God really IS GOOD. Life IS good and YOU are good.
Never forget that God isn't leaving you alone. If you feel like you are in the dark he is right there holding your hand, but he can't drag you unless you decide to walk. 

xoxo, 

Hallie Jo 

fearlessly forging your own direction

I don't know how to write this post without being incredibly vulnerable;

and so I will be. And that's okay. :-)
 

 

Lately I've found myself on my knees a lot with the same question:

 

 What is my future?

 

I am an anxious planner. I always have been. I like to plan step #7 before even taking step #1. Because of that anxiety, I claim that I try to live spontaneously in the hope that if I act suddenly, my mind's draining overanalyzing won't kick in. I think that everyone must feel this way sometimes.

 

Going to college was so spontaneous that my mind had no time to process. It was built on a promise that I talked about here -- you will be happier than you've ever been.

And I was.

The last three months were filled to the brim with the happiest, most carefree times I've ever had in my life! I realize that there is only more to come. Only...I'm a dreamer. I fill empty pages with bucket lists and I fill my mind with dreamy plans. As I've grown up it's become apparent that I have many, many, many different opportunities building around me and

 

I
DON'T
KNOW

WHERE

TO

START.

 

Can you detect my anxiety seeping through my words?

One of the only times I had a calm mind and was able to think clearly about this; a phrase was placed in my mind

"Don't ask me about my plan for your future; ask me about my plan for your day."

Even better -- I should ask God about his plan for my MOMENT. If I am planning step #7, I can't possibly be living and learning from step #1.

 

After confiding these thoughts in a close friend, he sent me these words;

"Sometimes the Lord expects us to step forward blindly with faith and I'm confident that he won't let you step in the wrong direction".

I'm choosing to step forward into the unknown and it's beautiful because that's the only way I can grow! I can only feel terrified if I let myself forget that I am walking on a path towards salvation.

It is a path once strewn with branches and rocks, cleared by my brother Jesus Christ who paved the way and set an example for the world and for me.

Fear is powerfully real, but hope is immeasurable.

It's time to filter out the fear and let the hope motivate me.

Yes I am intimidated by the future, but the future is not the enemy. It is my saving grace!

I am alive. I am breathing and every morning I wake up to a new 24 hour long life. It's time to take that 24 hours and dissect it by loving each moment like I'm about to lose it. Because I am.

 

With God's help it's time to fearlessly forge my own direction.

Anxiety? No problem. My God is greater that that.
#bye
:-)
xoxo
-Hallie Jo

 

"Therefore let the morrow take thought for the things of itself."

-D&C 84:84

 

Traveling across the country // Church History Tour

There is nothing quite as eye-opening as an adventure across the United States. There's nothing like a long night on a heated, rock-hard bus floor, throwing rocks into the beautiful Mississippi river and deep talks about God at 2 am while struggling to stay awake.

There's nothing like seeing fireflies for the first time and feeling awe at how magical life is,

but most of all, there's nothing like spiritual growth that fills you up so quickly that it's almost as if God flipped the light switch.
From May 28th to June 2nd I had the chance to travel across 6 states with 34 other people. I went on a Church History Tour courtesy of  BYU-Idaho and it was one of the most eye-opening weeks of my life.

Here's some exerts from my journal about this life-changing journey. 

"We've driven through Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri and next we'll go to Illinois. Getting off the bus in Missouri yesterday, the air was warm and warm rain cascaded around us. I am in love with this place. I am purposely leaving a piece of my heart here so that I can come back for it someday."

STOP #1- LIBERTY JAIL 

Liberty, Missouri

"Before seeing the jail, all 35 of us on this trip sat in a room while a curly-haired sister missionary talked to us about it's historical and spiritual significance. For four months our amazing, wonderful prophet Joseph Smith and four other men were trapped in the cold, stinking basement of Liberty Jail. They called it a "temple jail", because Joseph was able to turn such a rancid place into a temple. In the jail he received D&C 121, 122 and 123 (all BEAUTIFUL chapters). As we sat, we talked about how we can always have God with us. It was like a window opened up in my soul as I thought about my life. The wall of the jail-stone and wood- was 4 feet wide. Joseph had to endure a physical barrier and we often spiritual barriers, but it is necessary to remember that we can always break through them."

STOP #2 - ADAM-ONDI-AHMEN 

Daviess County, Missouri 

     









"The spirit in this place was so incredibly strong.
We had 20 minutes to be alone / explore / study scriptures. It took everything I had not to run across the fields into the trees and start exploring. Instead, I sat down and opened up my scriptures.
"Someday the saints will gather here. This is Zion." was all I could think over and over again. It was in this beautiful, glorious field in the middle of Missouri that I felt like Christ could have walked out and called to me I wouldn't have been surprised. I felt so close to him.

I want to indulge in the gospel I want to wake up thinking of Christ-I want to go to sleep thinking of Christ and I want every moment in between to be full of his love. There's so much more I need to learn and experience and because of that I was able to close my eyes and turn around and walk back into the world of unknown future opposition. But I took a piece of Zion with me. I don't know what I have to give to this world, but I want to share it. I want to do what he wants me to do. 

And I will.
Until next time, Missouri. I'll be back." 

STOP #3 - CARTHAGE JAIL 

Carthage, Illinois 

"This place effected me more than I ever thought it ever could. We stood in the very room next to the very window where Joseph Smith was martyred. Surrounded by the love of beautiful sister missionaries, we gathered to hear the story. In Joseph's last hours, he requested of his friend to sing "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". 38 of us packed into this small room and listened as our fellow traveler, Gregory, sang that song for us. The sacrifice of Joseph Smith was not described as sad because of his death, but it is celebrated because we have been blessed with something worth dying for! When the song finished we sat in peace for a few minutes. I prayed and asked God what he wanted me to learn in that moment and he answered; If Joseph Smith can die for this gospel, then you can live for it."

STOP #4 - ENTERING NAUVOO 

Nauvoo, Illinois

 "Nothing beats the feeling of a dream coming true. My dreams came true when I entered Nauvoo. It was like going home at the same time. It was like receiving a hug from Christ The temple was so beautiful; it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Every thing about Nauvoo feels warm and happy. Tonight we did something called "The Trail of Hope". I could have called it the "Trail of Humility", though. I had a hard time getting rid of my pride in Nauvoo. It was a process. It took me the entire trip to get rid of the intricate, sturdy walls I had subconsciously put up inside of myself to "keep the spirit out". The trail of hope is on Parley Street in Historical Nauvoo. A dozen young performing missionaries were spread throughout the path, acting as pioneers and sharing stories from the saints. Each stop humbled me more and more. I felt the spirit the entire time, but at the beginning it was unstable I prayed as we walked in between people, always questioning what I could be doing better.  By the time we reached the Mississippi river, I felt truly humbled. 

Our group began to dwindle away and I found myself left with my new friend Travis. It filled my soul to talk to someone who loves Christ as much as him. We walked down the middle of the street-the air was warm and rainy. We talked about the gospel for a good hour before reaching the temple. 

You know when you are sitting around a campfire in the summer in a forest with the stars above you and there's not a care in your mind and everyone just stares at the flames -- captivated? That's how I felt looking at the temple. That night was warm, carefree and happy."

STOP #4 - INDEPENDENCE ROCK 

Alcova, Wyoming 

The history behind this rock is incredible. In 1830, the pioneers were trekking across the country to find their new home. This rock, 136 ft high and over a mile wide, stood as a sign of hope for the saints. Being here really brought my testimony to life. The saints of 1830 carved their names in the stone. I could see them and run my fingers through the grooves that their knives had created.

The view from the top was inspiring. Sitting at the top I felt as if I was a pioneer myself, looking towards the west and seeing HOPE. Because for the first time in their lives, the saints were free of persecution.
They were free from mobs and hate.
They were almost to Zion.
 If they could make it, I can too. 

I am so grateful for this experience. There's still so much I didn't talk about, but these were the highlights for me.

What an incredible life I am living. :-) 

xoxo, 

Hallie Jo

It's always better when we're together

This weekend has been PERFECT. 

Two words: Aryn & Serena. 

Okay there were MANY more reasons that this weekend was incredible other than Aryn and Serena, but they came and visited me this weekend and when are together, life is better. 

We had a perfect group:

they should make a TV show about us.

 We were in an amazing place:

Serena is prettier than the sunset, but the sunset is pretty. 

It feels so good to be myself. If I can be myself around anyone, it is DEFINITELY these people. From car dance parties to native-american techno music, from watching fireworks in the grass to bonfires under the stars, from digging sand away from the car on our hands in knees to diving headfirst down a steep sand dune; this weekend was perfect. I am constantly amazed by the people that God sends into my life. They are the purest definition of good. They all adore each other and me and I adore them and it feels good to be with them. 

Today in church we talked a lot about seeing God's hand in our life and I can truly see his hand every day. God is an amazing father who loves me so much. 

I am so grateful for the adventure that is my life. 

xoxo

Hallie Jo 

"...you'll be happier than you've ever been"

I have always anticipated college the way a little kid anticipates Christmas. 

But because I wanted to love college, the last thing I wanted to do, was to go off to school when I wasn't ready. My uncertainty turned into doubt and I decided to defer a semester. 

Until I went to Badger Creek three and a half weeks ago.

Three and a half weeks ago I sat on the dock by the pond - my favorite place in the entire world - and read a letter.

Last summer while at AFY, I wrote myself this letter. I bring it everywhere with me. I LOVE this letter. Sitting on the dock with my two best friends around me, reading my AFY letter should have been the most spiritually uplifting experience in the world. But it wasn't. I couldn't figure out what was going on and so I prayed. "God....here I am. I've been waiting weeks for this. Why can't I feel the spirit?"
And I was overwhelmed.

You need to go to college at BYU-Idaho in the spring.

Originally when graduating high school early, I planned to go to BYU-Idaho in the spring and so I had already been accepted. But at this point I had already completed the application process for my humanitarian trip in the Dominican Republic and I was set to work all spring to save the money and then go in the fall. But I could NOT feel the spirit on that dock until I promised the Lord that I would go to school. I was basically terrified.

If you go to college, you will be happier than you have ever been.

I felt that promise. It's one of the only things that kept me going when I said goodbye to my two best friends and my parents and my dog and when I packed up my room and drove out of Montana.

School started in a month and I had to talk to my parents, quit my job, sign up for classes, buy an apartment contract and shop for everything I would need.  It was an emotionally draining three weeks , but I've realized that when you are following God's will, everything plays out like clockwork. Ten minutes after I put in my two weeks notice at work I messaged a friend asking if she needed a job. She did. I bought an apartment contract off someone. All of the classes I wanted still had room. The spirit was guiding my life!
Ten days ago, I packed up everything in a suitcase and moved to Rexburg, Idaho.

The hardest goodbye. Look at his face. He knew.

Ten days. It's been ten days and I am in love with my life. I woke up yesterday thinking "how many days are left on this amazing road trip?" and then "oh wait...this is my LIFE now". During the school day I walk across campus with a smile on my face wanting to yell I LOVE MY LIFE!! High school wasn't exactly like that (haaha at ALL) and it feels good to feel good.
My life mantra is to "always do things that scare me", but since coming to school I have also adopted the phrase "JUST SAY YES" (unless it's to drugs because duh). I wrote in my journal; I think that 'just saying yes' on this campus is another way to say 'I am being guided by the spirit right now'.
For example....I have been joining all of these activities that I thought I'd never do. AND I LOVE IT. It's so cool to go into a place where you never could picture yourself and to meet all of the people there. I recommend it, actually. Just say yes. :)

 Basically? It's been a good ten days. I can't wait to see where this crazy adventure takes me.
Listening to the spirit is a wonderful thing. :-)

Home sweet home.

xoxo -Hallie Jo