This is my jam!

Not only is this hymn catchy, but it's full of legitness. This song has been stuck in my head for about three months and 12 days now. There's probably good reason to it. [Italics added]

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone's burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

 

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.

Do not let them pass by, saying, "Sometime I'll try,"

But go and do something today.

'Tis noble of man to work and to give;

Love's labor has merit alone.

Only he who does something 

helps others to live.

To God each good work will be known.

 

Then wake up! 
And do something more 
than dream of your mansion above! 
Doing good is a pleasure, 
a joy beyond measure. 
A blessing of duty and love! 

Questions to ask yourself daily:

1. What is my purpose today? (Honestly, besides going through the motions, why did God wake me up this morning?)
2. How can I be better today than I was yesterday? (It sounds silly, but if this isn't something you think about often, you're simply not progressing). 

I'm a firm believer that by turning outward we can find inner peace.
I've seen time and time again... people that focus on themselves are the most MISERABLE people ever. I'm serious. They wallow in self pity simply because that's all they ever think about. The opposite is also true. People that serve others, and spend time helping others along their way, are the HAPPIEST people on earth. Focusing on and helping others, helps us.

Yep.

On another note, here's something kind of random that is interesting to think about.
These two points that make total sense! I dare you to try and prove one wrong.

1. Pride is the root of all sin. 
2. All sin is selfish.

Something we learned in Relief Society. Pretty cool.

Okay I'm going to fall alseep.

Until next time,
buenas noches!

Pancakes and Ice Water

A couple nights ago, me and a friend were talking over pancakes and ice water at Denny's. My favorite. Our conversation was pleasant and so was the extra creamy butter and maple syrup. Our waitress was a 50-something woman who seemed she couldn't be more happy with her job. That was refreshing.
Time went on and so did our conversation.
Somehow my friend and I came across the topic of making mistakes. Tears immediately swelled up in her eyes and sheer disappointment and shame came over her face. I honestly have never seen such pain become so apparent to a person's face so suddenly. With difficulty, she expressed to me how she felt when she looked in the mirror every day, and that she feels like she's a "messed up person." She explained to me that she struggles with making the same mistakes over and over again and she feels like she can't ever change that. She literally asked the question, "am I going to be like this for the rest of my life? I am just a messed up person." She went on to explain that no guy is ever going to love her or care for her enough to look past her past mistakes, if she even will be able to stop making them.
I instantly started crying when I heard her say all of these things about herself. I could feel her pain and sorrow just by looking into her tearful eyes. But I also knew and felt the opposite.
Hope.
Trying to gather my thoughts, I explained to her in the simplest way I could, that she was not, in fact, a "messed up person," and that she can change. How many times has she heard that? Probably a million. So, I struggled through my tears (I decided not to care that I was crying in public, at 11:00pm at Denny's, no less) to explain to her that Heavenly Father literally loves her no matter what. His love for her will always be there. I stopped to think whether I should actually say what I wanted to say next, and I felt prompted to do so, even if it stung her a little.
If she wanted to change, she couldn't do it with sheer will power. She has to be completely honest with herself and with Heavenly Father. (I don't know why that concept has been to prevalent to me lately, it just is.) She can't justify her actions. Lying to herself is exactly what Satan wants her to do. Heavenly Father wants us to see things as they really are, with the eternal perspective. She needs to do what it takes to make changes in her life to move on from her mistakes, even if it's hard. If we learn anything in life, it should be that we can do hard things. That's why we're here. To grow from doing things that are hard with the help of our Heavenly Father and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We talked about how things will always get better if we trust that Heavenly Father's plan for us is what will make us the happiest. Sacrifice now, a million blessings later.
Her sad tears turned into hopeful ones, and I literally felt a burden being lifted from our table when we talked about having faith in God's plan for us. Our conversation didn't feel like one we would have in Sunday School. It was the real deal. (Sunday School is the real deal too, don't get me wrong.)
I haven't felt closer to Heavenly Father in a long time, and neither has she. I'm grateful that we stopped by Denny's that night. Our waitress even gave us a free brownie with bacon on it to share because we were crying. haha.
Tender mercy.

MY MISSION CALL!

"Dear Sister Gardner:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.
You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, June 19, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president."

I still get chills every time I read this! I know for a fact that this is where I am supposed to go, and when I am supposed to go. Revelation is so amazing! I am so excited to teach the people of Buenos Aires the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that they can find the happiness and peace that I've found! I want to do more than anything what Heavenly Father wants me to do. And this, my friends, is what He wants me to do.

I can see Heavenly Father's hand in my life more now than ever. I can see that His hand was in things in the past that I didn't realize before. I am so grateful to see His influence in my life and in the lives of those around me.

SIDE NOTE:

Something I've realized over the past few months is super cool. The Holy Ghost is very important to have constantly in our lives. VERY important. In fact, listening to and acting upon the Holy Ghost's promptings is the only way we progress! Making little good decisions every day (acting upon the Holy Ghost's promptings, whether we realize they are from him or not) is how we move forward and become better. But what I've realized lately is something that may be significant only to me, but it might be significant to you.
I've noticed that: when I have the Holy Ghost with me, (and I make it a point to stop and notice that he's there) everything is CLEAR as DAY. Things just make sense. I am able to think clearly, I know my purpose, I know where I came from, I understand everything that I need to do... I know that may seem like a weird attribute of the Holy Ghost, but I think it's right up there with him being "the comforter" and the way for Heavenly Father to give you revelation. I don't know if y'all have ever experienced a time a PURE CLARITY, but it is AWESOME.
The first time I noticed this was when I was at work. Work is almost always crazy (I love it though). I have a huge list of things to do, customers to call, people to deal with, things that need to be taken care of. But one morning before work I made it a point to make sure I had the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Then at work, once I realized that he was with me, everything just made sense! I knew exactly what I needed to do, what order I needed to do it in, who I needed to talk to and about what, and I even felt a profound love for the customers and my co-workers. I felt like I was able to conquer the world all by myself. This made me realize that every time my head is all jumbled up and I feel frustrated, the Holy Ghost isn't with me!
At the end of the day, I think it's important to make the effort to see the difference between when you do have the Spirit with you and when you don't. And then eventually have him as a CONSTANT companion.

Gracias por escucha tiempa largo!
el amor siempre,
Hermana Gardner

I hope they call me on a mission... soon!

Okay, the next post that is going up on this blog is going to be my legit MISSION CALL!
Be excited. I know I am!
Whether I'm called to serve in Pocatello, Idaho or Uganda, it's going to be awesome! The work is the exact same. I know that the member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles has chosen my mission through direct revelation. It's a nice feeling knowing that I am going to be sent exactly where Heavenly Father wants me to go, and that the investigators I am going to teach have been prepared to hear the amazing message of the Gospel. I am so excited to share it with His children!

Until then.

Sister Gardner

Mission guesses!

Okay people, here are our family's guesses of where I will be serving my mission. So excited! I should be getting my call within a week or so! :) They are as follows:

Mom: England, Leeds
Dad: Tennessee
Becky: Ukraine, L'viv
Chris: Virginia, Chesapeake
Camden: Salt Lake City East (hahaha)
Chrissy: New York (American Sign Language)
Jeremy: LaPaz Bolivia
Kari: Paris, France
Cathy: Chile, Concepción
Lindsey: Ethiopia

This is fantastic.

The lovely Miranda Regnier posted this on her facebook, and I had to share it with everyone. It's so great!

I'm a Mormon

If you want to know more about my faith, feel free to click on the "I'm a Mormon" button to the right, and view my mormon.org profile.

:)