Long days and late nights

“When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.

In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers." 

-Lorenzo Snow

It's hard for me to not automatically turn inward when times get tough. Life has a way of overwhelming every day if I let it. I love what elder Bednar teaches about character:  

"Character is demonstrated by looking and reaching outward when the natural and instinctive response is to be self-absorbed and turn inward." 

Something I have been learning these past few months is the importance of recognizes that everyone has their problems. It is so much easier to have my own pity party, but the times where I choose not to always end better. Focusing on other people is my perfect cure for heartache, stress, and anxiety. I want to include a little bit of an email that Sister Hibbert (Cait) sent me a few weeks back: 

I'm realizing that the mission can be a painful learning process where we get torn down, but then God builds us up better than before. Sometimes it is hard, but then it is always better. But it is all good :) I was able to work through some stuff and am feeling light as a feather. I had to humble myself, and with God's help it is all possible! My new favorite motto/life theme is this: look heavenward (to God), reach outward (serve others), and change inward (look to yourself to make changes instead of blaming/ accusing/ expecting others to change). It's pretty deep, but I think that it is pretty amazing. It helps me keep a good perspective.

I love Sister Hibbert's new motto and have been trying to adopt it for myself as well. I am slowly learning that focusing on God, serving others, and allowing myself to be changed because of the first two is making all the difference. 

Look Heavenward
Reach Outward
Change Inward

Rachel