Hi I'm Katie Clark | College Student, Peace, Finger Paint, Teacher, BYU-Idaho, Happy, Mormon.

Hi I'm Katie Clark | College Student, Peace, Finger Paint, Teacher, BYU-Idaho, Happy, Mormon.

The Box.

Wow. Life is all about  learning, and let me tell you what... I have been doing that all over the place recently  I have been abundantly blessed in my life, and although it was not in the way I thought or wanted, it was in the way I needed. 

I have been reading a book subtitled, "Twelve Keys to Finding Peace" by Ester Rasband. Surprising? I know. I don't normally read, but I am reading this for a class it blew my mind. I love how my major helps me learn about dealing with human nature effectively. The following changed my view of life and the Atonement completely.

An LDS missionary serving in Canada. She comes in to talk to the mission president's wife. She starts saying how she is tired and doesn't think she can keep going. The mission mom tells her to take a day off, to make sure she doesn't get sicker. Then she replies, "How much more can I give Him (Heavenly Father)? I am practically all used up." Then the mission mom said this:

"The way you're doing things right now, it's as if you're writing huge checks to the Lord from your adequate bank account. He appreciates them and all that. He's putting the money to good use. But what He really wants is the box you keep under your bed. The one with the rock you found at the beach of your favorite day of all time, and the silly safety pin your boyfriend gave you that day he told you he loved you. Until the Lord has that box, it will never be enough. It will never be enough because that box is the symbol that there is something you hold more dear than Him. Your need is to give Him that box. If and when you can do that, the measuring will stop. You will feel Him telling you when it is enough, and the peace will descend."

I think this hit home to me so much because I often feel this way. I have school, leadership positions, church callings, family things, roommate things, social pressures, cleaning my room, doing my homework, making sure I do my laundry and feeding myself, work, dating, fears of the future, student loans,  working out, teaching 4th grade, doing things I love, visiting teaching, my own weaknesses, friendships. I stop short sometimes and ask why I am doing it all. After a day is gone, I feel no peace in what I had just done. My load seemed too heavy and unnecessary   Sometimes the hopeless thought of, "Why keep trying?" enters my mind. My load is not your load but the concept behind this is the same: it will seem like God is asking too much of us if we don't give Him that box under our bed. Your box is different than my box, but the concept is once again the same: if we love something/someone more than God, what we give to Him (in our daily efforts) will never be enough. We will never feel the peace of having our lives accepted by Him unless we give Him what is dearest to our hearts.

So as I reflected on my life, I realized what was in my box. Most of the contents seemed trivial, but I decided to give them up anyway. I already feel better, I already feel a life of more acceptance that when I work up this morning.

I realized today that I love teaching Relief Society. I love when the sun shines. I love doing homework when I have time. I love working out. I love talking to other people and eating cookies. There is so much in this life to behold and understand. My love of llamas is still deep and I am excited for Easter with the family and General Conference. I am going to take up rock climbing and bike riding (outside) this summer. My goal is to also get tan and do something I have never done... also, visit the birth state: California.

This temple, and every temple in the world brings peace to the soul

This is me missing the days of baseball in Washington D.C., good things baseball season starts soon....

This girl never ceases to make me laugh. good things she likes to feed ducks with me and enjoys the adventure of going into public with me... haha. yes!

Do more of what makes you HAPPY.

I thought the stop I was being led to should have been one place, but the train kept on going.
I know that sounds weird, but sometimes life is not what you expect. It's not because you aren't worth it to God or that you have messed up; it's because God can see the end. He has something better in store for you.

I have paying attention to the things that make life worth living lately and here is what absolutely helps me feel God's hand in my life and I realized that life is for living. Do more of what makes you happy. My list follows...

The friend that calls at the perfect time.

My mom. She just lets me talk.

The person who invites me to go on an adventure when I otherwise would be tempted to stay in my apartment and do homework.

The 2nd and 4th graders I go and teach every other day: the fact that they are at school and around me, make my world stop. Stop for good, everything else gets lost in the joy of learning.

Sarah Martin. She left on her mission and is such a good example to me of faith. I love her.

The stars. When I have time to look up, I remember who I am.

My sisters. They know me so well, too well sometimes. The know exactly what it takes to make me laugh.
Service. The fact that I am able to stop thinking about myself for however long, makes me happy. The miracle is that some small act I do, is something that makes their life easier.

Advice from old people.

        Me: How was your day?

        Eldon: My days are always good. I love where I am. I am in a good place.

The fact that Eldon is a 85 year old man who lives in a rest home and who's family has died.... inspiring.

Spring weather. It's on it's way and I could not be more excited.

The past couple months have been months that I have gotten to know my Heavenly Father. Circumstances beyond our control are known by God. He has become my best friend.

Dirty Dishes. Give me something to think about while listening to music.

Music. It changes my mood and enlightens my thinking.

Adventures. Volleyball, Tennis, Floor Hockey, sandwiches, dinner with a stranger's parents, making cookies and only eating the dough, curly hair, racing on the track, pancakes for lunch, G's dairy ice cream, Special Needs Olympics, Taco Bell, Dumbo, drives in the snow, sledding, classes, shortcuts that take longer than normal, snowball fights, drawing with chalk, flying kites, singing off tune, finger-painting, doing things that scare me, being brave, playing the piano, eating frosted flakes, cleaning my room, memories of Washington DC, squishing with the roommates in a  car, wearing glasses, skyping the little sister, summer plans, road trips,  writing missionaries, smiling, llamas, listening, loving someone like God, sunsets, rainbows, waterfalls, electricity, people who live life with all they have, hot soup, photos in the crossroads, running farther than I thought I could, cheese, cake milkshakes, walking, skipping, cycling, camping,

All these things bring me joy. I am grateful to be alive. 

Here's the link to what why I am happy:

 http://mormon.org/me/8KJ0

eyebrows.

This afternoon as I was waxing my eyebrows (something that I need to do WAY more than the average human girl should) I was awkward and started thinking of how it applies to life... and it applies in so many ways.

Way #1: Sometimes when life gives you a challenge (in this case, bushy eyebrows) there are ways to overcome and eliminate the challenge= wax. Some real life waxes are friends, cookie dough, but more importantly the gospel. I can change and become better.

Way #2: When a needed part of the eyebrow is accidentally waxed off this creates a problem. The only solution: wait for it to grow back. In life everything heals with time. Everything always turns out good. President Hinckley said once, "For the optimistic person, everything works out." Patience is something I need to improve on. Hence, the lesson #2 from this situation.

Way #3: No matter how great you wax your eyebrows it will ALWAYS grow back. When I was in DC facing something hard, my mom said this, "It is wasn't this here, it would be something somewhere else." This life is hard, and it is supposed to be. A man who went to Chilie on his mission said, "If you aren't struggling, you should be worried. It's when you are struggling that you are killing the natural man." I am grateful the life is hard. I am never facing it alone. Everything will always work out.

That's all. I feel like even 3 lessons from this situation is even pushing it. I just felt enlightened and thought I would share.

Life is good. BYU-Idaho continues to be a blessing to me everyday. I love that I get to teach Relief Society and work with the elderly. I love how I have no idea what I am doing with my life. Teaching elementary school only feels appealing to me on certain days (probably when it's sunny outside). I really like how I get to wake up every day and start over. The temple is a blessing and I adore my family. Pancakes and llamas still make me happy. .

Life is so good. There is so much to be grateful for.

I am going to make a bucket list, take more pictures and find one person everyday who is having a worse day than me and help them. 

I. LOVE. THEM.

This girl is going a mission soon. We like to dress up and then pretend like we are a foreign couple... only on new years.

One time, right before Christmas break was over. Me and Jordan ate our body weight in Zupas (never regretted something so great)|

Ally hates this picture but I love it. We have adventures all the time. She is great.

Sometimes life is real good.

He so this one time, it is NOVEMBER. Talk about time flying. I just feel like life is so great right now. I have been able to grow so much up here at school, I know that happiness is found when I choose to live the gospel and then my happiness depends on how much I let my  Savior help me... awesome. Mu favorite things these days is to talk to my sisters on the phone. I love them, the other weekend I spent it at Hales and Spencer's apartment in Logan. Good thing they are way awesome and  we probably made a least a million cookies: heaven!! It was such a perfect fall vacation for me. Life had been way stressful, but I came back with a realization of important things in life, Haley's perspective of life always does that too me.

 

I have had some nastalgic feelings towards this cute boy and his two twin brothers. I look back on my adventure in DC and miss it. I remember it being so hard, but I look back and am nothing but grateful. It helped me become someone so much better. Ah, I stalk the West family blog all the time, they are getting so big. I see facebook post's of my Langley Ward friends and miss them so much. They were my family for four months. Ah, God knows me so well. I am grateful.

 

 

I have the best roomates ever. We built a snowman after all my roomates came to my volleyball game where we WON. Last semester we lost every game, of course we were a level higher... whatever. They came and then we built this Chinese snow woman. The simplest things in life make me the happinest.

Ally in the best. She spent Halloween with me and we dressed up like the evil brothers from Mario. Yep, I have never played before, but Ally is the pro. It was so much fun, I got to meet her family and it reminded me of Halloween with my family, who I was missing. Also, we then played Mario Nientendo 64 which only seemed fitting.

 

Me and my roomate carved pumpkins. Yep, you are looking at a freehand llama. It was so much fun to take a break from finals and enjoy life. Ah, I love Destiny! We then made pumpkin seeds, back to childhood happiness.

 

I am so blessed. I love teaching gospel doctrin, I am grateful where God has helped get to in life. I am a blessed girl.

count your many blessings.

I love people. Talking to them, laughing with them and listening to them.

I love elderly people. they are such a bright spot in my life.

I hated the thought of being a gospel doctrine teacher up until I was called as one this semester. Talk about a crash course of the Book of Mormon;  with the spirit as my guide. Awesome.

Boys are great. I have learned a thing or two about them this week by actually listening to them; they are great.

Reese cookies are to die for and will probably be the reason for my death.

I LOVE fall. Everything about the sunrise-sunset. The leaves to the birds. Ah, it is the most beautiful place up here in Idaho, I love being outside.

I love my mom. She is my best friend. She loves me so much and knows me better than I know myself.

I adore my father. He is the great man I have ever met. Good thing he has taught me everything I know... fishing skills, salsa eating skills and life skills.

I love solitude. There is a time for surrounding yourself with awesome people, but the time that allows me to do so happily is the time I spend alone.

I love eating ceral... all day. Breakfast foods know no bounds.

I love adventure. I love laughing. I love dancing around like a crazy.

I am grateful for my roomates. I am grateful for all my homework waiting for me tomorrow. I am grateful for my sisters who I enjoy so much.

I am grateful for good friends; Jordan Aliece, Kim Diane and Sarah Lyn. Even though our paths have taken us to different places.... I am grateful for them everyday.

I love learning to play tennis, throwing parachuted, plastic ninjas off a balcony, blowing bubbles and going to piano recitals.

Ice cream is a weakness.... but so are Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwhiches.

Travis Dee is my sunshine and Brad is the best.

I really like smelling like a bon fire. I also really like smelling like I justed worked out for an hour (ok not really, but I love working out).

I love hearing other people's stories. I love trying to blend into the crowd and silently trying to change the world.

I love Baylee's fudge and Destiny's laugh. I love Kacee's smile.

General Conference is coming up. I am grateful for the oppurtunity to go home to lovely family and make an apply pie while listening to the words of God.

I am grateful for peace. I am grateful for joy. I am most grateful for my savior who allows me to feel those things in a world so crazy.

Life is beautiful. There is so much beauty to behold.

You are stronger than you think you are. You can make a bigger difference than you ever thought was possible.

I hate how I love the sky so much. I hate how I love smelling deoderant in Wal-Mart. But mosly I hate how much I love that life can be so good and so hard all at the same time.

This is what I learned this week.This week was a good one.  

Chocolate Captain Crunch.

The leaves are changing. Sunsets are beautiful. and Life is so good. I am now 2000 miles away from my last post's location. I miss it. Virginia is the most beautiful state. The people where as beautiful, or more.

My little sister go married... that was fun! Loved seeing so much family and friends. The past couple weeks have been absolutely insane and as I sit at the bar in my kitchen up here in Rexburg, with a list a million miles long, I can't believe I am here. I love BYU-Idaho. There does not go a day where someone makes my day just becasue of how happy everyone is. I love being surrounded by people who make me want to do and be better. I have learned alot about being back up here. Mostly, that worrying about certain things is a waste of time. A postive attitude makes any situation 10 times better. Chocolate Captain Crunch is the best invention ever. Also, going to the gym everyday has some pretty sweet benefits, my favorite? The ability to see my calf muslces. I miss my familiy back home, but feel a distinct feeling that here is where I am supposed to be. I got called to teach Gospel Doctrine... ok, so I know that my major is Elementary Education, but the thought of teaching scares me. I will need to take baby steps in order to feel comfortable talking in front of that many 7 year olds... now lets talk about the twenty or so young adults who will be staring at me this Sunday. Here's my thoughts though, I am so excited. This gospel is something I am passionate about, so why not try to understand it better and teach it to others?? right? :)

 

I ran into Elaine at the store today (she is the cutest old lady I used to visit last semester at the Senior Center) her husband had died since I was gone. She is the happiest lady ever, I want to be more like here.

 

There was this one boy in one of my classes who is so nice and gave me a reall nice compliment; I am going to be more like that.

I ran into Michelle Christensen; she LOVES life and was an absolute bright spot in my day. I am going to be more like that.

People can make such a difference in other lives; they have in mine this week My goal; make a positive difference in someone else's life.

I am going to go and not be scared of all the BEAUTIFUL oppurtunities that are in front of me. I am going to start living as if I was dying. Life is too short, and there is too much good.