I sure do love this message! What a beautiful thing the Atonement of Jesus Christ is. I truly am grateful for my Savior. He is real and he lives! What a blessing it has been in my life to know the truth of the gospel and to have felt the peace that comes through using the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Day 12-What you believe

I've thought and I've thought and I've thought about what to write here because the question is what do you believe? I feel like I can't answer this question without talking about religion. But my religion isn't something I believe. It is something I KNOW. I am so blessed to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that it's gospel is true. I am so grateful for the happiness it has brought to my life. I have found that when I live by the teachings of the church and the way the Savior wants me to I am the happiest I have ever been!

The Living prophet
Thomas S. Monson

I know that there is a living prophet on the earth today directing us and guiding us. I am so grateful for the prophet and I love him! I know that the priesthood has been restored to the earth. It is amazing to me that the men of the church, the men I socialize with on a daily basis, have the power to act in the name of Jesus Christ! 

I KNOW that Jesus Christ lives. It's true. I know that he atoned for me and because of his amazing sacrifice I am able to be redeemed from my sins. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is my probably is my favorite thing about the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have felt the power of the Atonement in so many ways! The atonement is a comfort, it is a strength, it is a purifier, it is an escape. I know that as people turn to the Savior and use the atonement in their lives they will be happy. They will be comforted and they will be a better person.

I know that The Book Of Mormon is true. Recently I have noticed a very distinct difference in the quality of my mood, and my day, and my motivation when I read the book of Mormon and make it a priority in my life opposed to when I do not. I promise that when you read The Book of Mormon with the spirit and the intent to apply it to your life you will gain a testimony of it's truthfulness and you will come closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. Just like Joseph Smith Said you would!

Because of all of this it is hard for me to answer the question what do you believe. The better question would be what do you know?

I sure Love this gospel.

Just a Quickie

Seriously I am exhausted. The last few days I have felt like....like...well I really can't come up with a good metaphor because my brain is still spinning and I just can't think. It has just been one thing right after another! I have probably gotten about 8 hours of sleep in the last few days combined. As I type this I am literally laying on the floor because I am to tired to get up and go to my bed. Plus I don't want to leave my dear roommate in case she needs something. I really shouldn't complain. Despite the last few days, life is fantastic and I have so many things to be grateful for!

I am grateful I live so close to my parents
I am grateful I am blessed with so many ridiculously amazing friends
I am grateful for Sarah Jimmy and the huge blessing she is to me. Sarah, you make me happy because you laugh at my quirks, you take good care of me, you are tough as nails, and because you have put up with me in your space and business for the last two years! I love having you as my roommate!
I am grateful I have a knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ
I am So grateful for the power of the atonement and it's all encompassing power.
What a blessing prayer is!
What a blessing it is that I am almost done with school.
I am grateful for the new adventures that lay ahead of me. Until those adventures unfold and life slows down, I am laying on the floor feeling and looking like I've been hit by a truck!

Spoiled Rotten!!!

I have come to the realization that I am spoiled rotten. And you know what? I am completely okay with that. Now, I do try to do my best to show my appreciation for everything that people do for me and serve others in return but it doesn't change the fact I am treated well and LOVE it!

When I was in California my Aunt and I had a conversation that went exactly like this....

Aunt Jan: "Your Uncle Richard (her brother) tells me that we Allred girls are high maintenance."
Deborah: "That maybe true, but you get what you pay for and you can't get better then an Allred girl."

I've been wondering lately how I came to expect to be treated so well by the men in my life.

I thought about my father who has loved me so well that I never doubted my siblings and I were the most important people to him. (second only to my mother of course).

Then there is my Brother. This guy is the best ever! He treats me like a princess! Opens doors for me, tolerates my irrational rants about the latest frustration in my life, gets me water or pillows or whatever I need upon my request, etc.

Yesterday I was woken up by a phone call from my mother and two other ladies in their 50's just giggling. They told me they wanted me to teach a dating class to a few return missionaries and before I knew what was happening the time and place was scheduled and set up. I decided that I would recruit my army of male friends for help. I got out my phone and sent out a text asking their thoughts and advice on how to treat girls. Within minutes I had 20 responses. Here are a few of the responses from my closest friends.....

One Said: "My grandpa always told me, "Bradley, to treat a woman right think of how you want to be treated, magnify it by 10 and if she doesn't feel like the world revolves around her, your not trying hard enough!" When I am around women, I want them to know just how great they truly are. All women are amazing in some way or another.... The first thing I always try to do is make them smile.... Once you know what makes her smile, you hold it in your pocket and pull it out every once and awhile so as not to wear it out. Next, smile at her like she is your world, because she is! Without her life would be less full and empty. I understand this is more for a relationship, but you can do the same things on a lesser level with all woman. It about making them feel like there everything to the world, and that's the most important thing."

Another said: "I try to always anticipate any need my date might have. Being proactive will get you far. The moment you can see any potential need (water... ;) ) jump on it and offer before she has the opportunity to ask. Being a gentlemen these days is something few are...open doors, pull out her chair, offer your coat if she is cold, offer to get things for her, SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU! In general, think of women as someone that needs to be cared for. They have the capability to do everything you can, but do it for them before they have the chance."

Another gave me a list of his rules that consisted of Treating the woman you are with like they are the most important person in the world.

Between my stellar friends and my Father and Brother, it's no wonder I am the way I am. Yep, i can admit it.....I've got a good life.

Focus Deborah! Focus!

Of Course I have been dragging all day long and as soon as 11 pm comes around I can't fall asleep. I think I will write and hopefully it will wear me out a bit.

I have had a lot on my mind lately. Today I read a blog of a girl from my Relief Society last semester and it inspired me. It was almost as if it were tailored to me.

This girl had a quote in her blog that really exemplifies how I have tired to live my life. It said, Many people pursue their lives in search of happiness. The ones who truly have it are the ones who make their own happiness. I have always preached that happiness is a choice. It is about where you put your focus. If you focus on the things you don't have and the trials you do then you will always wonder when it is going to be your turn to be happy. As you sit and moan you will not be able to see the opportunities put in front of you to build happiness. But if you focus on the blessings you have (however small they might be), choose to serve others, and become proactive in living your life.....that happiness will come.

Today I found I need to redirect my focus. I literally asked myself when is it going to be my turn? Once I heard myself I stopped. I have been distracted by one thing right after another this year and have slowly let my focus slip to things I can not control.

What a blessing it is to be reminded by our loving heavenly father where I need to be focusing. I know that as I keep moving forward, choosing to be happy, and focus on the blessings that he has given me, my life will have a bit of balance again. Life is ALWAYS changing and is never certain, but if I am focusing on the right things I wont have time to notice what my life may be lacking.

Rebounding

Today started off as a really good day. I looked really good for court today (Juvenile court for my internship), I had fun doing community service with our kids, and was feeling alright. Then I went to a group meeting and I left in such a bad mood. There was a bit of an incident and I just could not brush it off. I ended up just thinking about all of the bad things going on in my life and of course that is no way to look at things. Don't worry though, I did my darnedest to pull my self out of my funk I was in. One of those things was to watch Boundin'. It is a short film made by pixar. I saw this movie a few months after my placement and it really struck a cord with me. I was pretty much in tears in the theater when i first saw it. Now, I watch it every time I need a little boost. Actually on days like this I watch it quite a few times. It just makes me happy and reminds me that I just need to bound and rebound.

My best friend Jared

I really should take more pictures but I never remember my camera for the important occasions. This morning I was able to get up and attend the baby blessings of one of my very best friend's son. It was a very special experience to sit there with Jared and Nic and remember the circumstances of when our friendship began. I was 18 years old and going through one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with. There is no other way to describe it other then my spirit and heart was broken. I met Jared January of 2004 and he was heaven sent! He took me under his wing and as my mother says, "put the light back into my eyes". He was such a good friend, mentor, and big brother figure. Now we all have gotten through our individual struggles and our group of friends (minus Liz) was sitting in sacrament meeting together as Jared blessed his first child. I truly am grateful for moments like that. The lord has blessed me with fantastic friends.



I'll just take a moment and tell you just how special Jared is to me. He is one of those great friends that you keep around always. I am very grateful for all he has done for me. He and I have been through a lot together and he has stuck with me through all my crazy shenanigans. There were so many times that my 6'5, 250 pound best friend would run off stalkers and unwanted ex-boyfriends. He's gotten me out of so many pickles and I wouldn't make any big decision without consulting him. Needless to say I love that guy. I am so extremely happy that he has found a beautiful wife who is amazing and they have just had their first son. Honestly their little boy is one of the cutest kids I have ever seen. They did good!



Jared did a fantastic job with the blessing this morning. My heart was touched to hear the words he blessed his little boy with. We all have come so far since January of 2004. I am just so grateful for all of the wonderful experiences I have had with him. The lord truly brings people into your life when you need them most, and he has blessed me with so many fantastic friends just like Jared exactly when I have needed them. Words can not express my gratitude for that.

Pigs must be flying

Okay so here's the deal.... the first week into the semester I got a phone call early Sunday morning. It was the bishopric asking me to come in and see the bishop in 30 minutes. (I was totally still lying in bed when I answered the phone. ) I went in to find the bishop and see why he would call me in on the first Sunday of the semester. "Deborah, we would like to call you to be the Relief Society president of Relief Society A" is what the bishop said when we sat down in his office. As soon as I heard those words I began to laugh out loud. After I realized he was serious and probably scared away any confidence he had in me I stopped laughing and accepted the call.

Is it wrong that I am a little over whelmed? Thinking about everything I have to do with school and my internship and everything I should be doing with Relief Society has me a little anxious. I am finding that really....there are not enough hours in the day and I do have my limits. Is it bad that I stick to my limits?

Dear former and current Relief Society president friends of mine,
I could use some thoughts and pointers. How do I get it all done and still feel like a half way decent pres? Sometimes my girls just look at me like "are you crazy?" either that or "I have no idea what you're talking about and please stop trying to be funny because it is not working". Ohy. I wish I could....well figure out a way to get more motivation, more energy, and more hours in the day.

(And I thought 2 jobs and 15 credits was bad)

Is it bad if I sometimes find myself questioning if this call was inspiration or revenge for gray hairs I may have caused my bish?

Probably the greatest major on Earth

I just had one of the greatest experiences ever! I was late leaving work today which meant I was late getting to class. As I hiked up the hill to my class in the Ricks it was cold and snowy and I cursed my decision to wear heels and the ridiculous pencil skirt I had on. I seriously thought about just stopping in the parking lot and heading home. However when I walked into class I quickly sat down because the guest speaker I had totally forgotten was coming had already started. Can I just tell you that going to class was one of the best decisions I made today.

The Guest speaker was one who uses the psychodrama model in therapy with homosexual individuals. I absolutely loved everything that he had to say. The things and ideas he shared were so interesting and helped me learn and grow so much more. I think that because of my own personal connections to this topic and my fantastic cousin I was hanging on every word he said. I walked away so uplifted and grateful for his service to take the time to speak to us.

I am finding that I am having wonderful growing and learning experiences in class every single day. I absolutely LOVE my major and the decision to switch from nursing to social work was one of the best ones I've made. I never knew school could be so much fun. As I walked out of class with one of my favorite friends in the program we commented on how lucky we feel to be not only be participating in the social work program but also attending BYU-Idaho. Not every university offers experiences where you are able to visit jails to go through the booking and incarceration process, or run group therapy sessions as a student, or hear from amazing people with expertise in same gender attraction, mental health, and drug courts. One of my favorite things was last week when a mental health client struggling with bi-polar disorder and many addictions came and we were given time to talk to him and interview him as if he were one of our own clients. Then he critiqued us on our interviewing skills as a professional. It was one of the greatest learning experiences.

Everyday I have amazing experiences. I am learning and growing into a kinder and more compassionate person. I feel like this major only teaches me to have a greater capacity to love others. (who wouldn't want that?) I am so grateful for the experiences I have had so far and the idea of the person I will become as I finish the program. I only hope that Heavenly Father will help me become more prepared and ready for the responsibilities he has in store for me.

You can't get to many heroes!

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A hero is no Braver the an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer." This last weekend I found a few heroes right in my own family. I was at my breaking point and did not have 5 more minutes of bravery. But these people sure did. I have talked about them before but you can never talk about your heroes to much.



This is my Brother Mark. He married my sister 4 years ago and he's been the best addition to our family since Rachel was born! ;) This man is amazing! He is a quiet strength and honestly I don't know what I would do with out him. He would give his right arm just to help anyone. He has such a good head on his shoulders and heart in his chest. This man keeps me grounded whenever I come up with one of my crazy ideas. But I know that he will always support me through anything like he has always done since I met him in December 2002.



This is my brother Eldon. Every day I become more and more grateful to be able to call this man Brother. I wish I could express how impressed I am with Eldon. My heart is so full when I think about him. He loves his sisters more then anything and we love him. I feel so undeserving of him and all he does. He is the greatest example of patience, charity, and strength. He has stepped it up and been my hero time and time again. It never fails that when i find myself falling apart or not knowing where to turn, my baby brother holds me together and rescues me from distress.




This is my Grandpa. What would I do with out him? I love being with him and listening to his ideas and stories. Just his voice puts me at ease and makes me feel safe. I could stay at his house forever. I know that he loves me and I would do anything for him. He is another man who is a great example of service to me. I sure am surrounded by great men. I am so grateful he was there when we needed him this weekend.



This is my Grandma, Christy. I do not know her very well yet but every time I hear about her or am around her I am impressed! She is a wonderful and wise woman. She is smart, creative, and has an amazing heart. I am so grateful for her strength and insight. Gramps, ya did good!



This is my sister Elizabeth. (I don't think she'll like this pic but I love it) She has always taken good care of me. I know that she loves me and she always knows what to do. Many many times she has just listened to me as I cry and pour my heart out and that's all I needed. I want to be just like this woman one day.



And this....This is my sister Tressa. I love her more then words can describe. She has done more for me then I can ever repay her for. She knows exactly what to say all the time. She is one of the strongest people I know and honestly has the biggest heart. She is the one who always thinks more for others then for herself. She has taught me what true love means and always shows Christ Like Service. This woman honestly is an angel on earth. I don't know how our family got so blessed to have her but she deserves better then the very best. There is nothing I would not do for Tressa Lee. I love you very much Baby sister!



And this is my cute sister Rachel. She wasn't with us this weekend but I wanted her to know how much I love her. I am so stinking proud of this girl! She is growing up into such a BEAUTIFUL young woman. I wish I could be with her more. I wish she and I weren't so far away and we could have more days like in this picture! Just together. I love you Rach! You are the Ray of Sunshine in our family!