Every time I call up our blog, Bryce's blue and white face startles me. I am going to fix that now.
I have heard, "Small minds talk about people, good minds talk about events, but great minds talk about ideas." I know that all of you have great minds. I also know that we are not together enough to enjoy the chance to talk, and even when we are there is always a baby to take care of (like Piko). I would like to hear what you think. So, I am going to post a question/task each week for your response. Anyone is invited to participate, even son-in-laws! I will also participate later in the week.
Describe the three year period that you experienced the the most personal growth and change, since adolescence.
Christmas 2014
11 years ago
6 comments:
I love this idea Dad. In fact, I kept thinking I wanted to ask questions on my blog too, when I thought of them, but they wouldn't be as serious.
I have definitely experienced the most growth in my life in the past 3 years. Moving to Germany with all of the challenges that came with that was a hard time for us.
1. We really learned how to follow the Spirit in deciding to come here, and that it may not be the easiest road, but it will probably be the most rewarding.
2. I learned that, taken WAY out of my comfort zone, I can still survive and even be Happy. That has been character building.
3. By being in a small Branch and being given opportunities that we otherwise may not have had, my testimony has grown a lot. I can see the Lord guiding me in my calling to make sure that the Primary children are taught the right things. And teaching the very basics of Heavenly Fathers love for his children, makes my feelings even stronger. I love to testify to young children that they are so important, and can live with their Father in Heaven again.
4. By being put in situations where I had three small children, I am in a foreign country and things go wrong, I have learned to rely on others for help. By doing so, I have also learned the true meaning of service. Watching the members of my Branch, I have really learned what it means to give to someone else, and be there when someone needs me.
All valuable lessons, that I wouldn't trade for anything. Did you think about the length of these responses when you posed this question? :)
When I first read this question my first instinct was to go with my mission. I mean, typically in Mormon culture we talk about our missions as a time of rapid growth, but upon further reflection, I believe that my mission was more of a jumping off point. It was there that I learned so much about myself that has helped me to experience growth. I would say the past three years have been a time of immense personal growth.
1. I have learned to be very independent and confident in my abilities to handle a myriad of new and challenging situations as I moved both to New York City and then to China and as I backpacked through Europe.
2. My testimony of the divinity of this work has grown both as I served in the Manhattan temple as the shift coordinator and could see the Lord’s involvement on a constant basis in that important work and as I have been in China and have been able to see first hand the genius of the Lord’s plan for this country as he not only prepares China for the church but also the church for China.
3. My confidence in my abilities to employ the gift of agency has increased as I face an uncertain future and have had to figure out what steps to take next when it seemed to me that all steps were equally right or wrong.
4. My assurance that Heavenly Father knows me, loves me and supports me has grown as I have realized time and time again that he knows my faults, weaknesses and shortcomings and loves me anyways. I have learned to rely on Him for support and comfort with an intensity that I never had before.
5. I have learned so much about how to love and support people that are so very different from me as I served in my ward in Manhattan, where members of the ward were facing difficult challenges of which I knew nothing about.
6. I have learned to become friends with all sorts of people.
7. I have learned as I have traveled around this world that all people are basically the same, children of our Heavenly Father in desperate need of a Savior.
8. Most importantly I have learned that no matter how great the adventure, how amazing the art or architecture, or how beautiful the scenery, nothing will come close to the calm and quiet assurance that He lives and that we can return to live with Heavenly Father someday.
I have only had 1 3 yr period since adolescence....so it was a good and growth filled one....
I was thinking about this question and determined that my most significant growth has happened in the past 3 years also. Upon further thought, I decided that this is not by coincidence. Isn't that what life is all about?? Eternal progression? I feel like we will always be growing, learning, and maturing. I hope this never ends because I have a long way to go. I hope in 3 years I will say the same thing- the most recent 3 years have been those with the most significant growth. I am interested in Grandma's take on this. Do you feel like the growing ever ends?? I will share one of the things that I have learned in my most recent years...
I feel very secure in my own skin. This has taken me almost 29 years to figure out. I am confident in myself as a woman, mother, wife, leader. I have realized that just because I'm not perfect does not mean I should feel guilty, sad, etc. I FINALLY realized that I will never be as pretty as her, skinny as her, talented as her, friendly as her, spiritual as her, rich as her- and that's all OKAY. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me very much and accepts me for who I am now, and the effort I'm putting forth to grow. I try my best and that's all I can do. There are things that I must work on daily and still more that I haven't even touched yet, but that's okay.
I try to fill each day with things that matter to me and my family- that make us happy. And I'm learning not to worry about/compare myself to what everyone around me is doing.
I am in a changing part of my life now. Going from being an active mother to I am not sure what(an inactive mother?), this is a growing time for me. What do I want to be? It is the first time that the answer is not dictated by what I should do and by where I am in life. I can do whatever I want, thanks to Dad who takes such good care of me.
But, the most growing 3 years was when I joined the church,was in college, got married and was pregnant. All were life changing happenings that molded who I was and who I would become. The choices made then have formed the rest of my life. I am happy that I made such awesome choices.
First of all, thank you to all of you who took the time to share. I was educated, enlightened, inspired and got to know my adult children better.
The three year period that I grew the most was from my 19th birthday to my 22nd birthday.
During that time I learned:
1. It was time to grow up and be an adult.
2. To sacrifice
3. How very blessed I am
4. That I could be as happy as I chose to be.
5. Physical illness does not have to keep me from doing my job.
6. To cooperate with others (Yes, I am still learning)
7. That my parents gave me a strong foundation to build my life upon.
8. Not only was the gospel true, it was the BEST way to live a life of joy and fulfillment.
9. I was not as smart as I thought I was.
10. My dad said, "If you're ready to get married, you're ready to take care of yourself, your wife and your kids."
And probably many more things that I was too immature to recognize.
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