Catch Up: General Conference

(In case you missed my constant encouraging to watch the LDS General Conference the first weekend of April, here's that: http://melissamichiale.blogspot.com/2014/03/fire.html)


Here are some of the quotes i heard that really hit me, and thoughts I had that stood out:

when someone disagrees with my beliefs, i should always answer with courtesy and respect

"Christ-like love is the greatest need we have on this planet"

respond with love

Am i serving with love and dedication?

"intimacy binds two devoted hearts", and should not be tossed around 

petition the Lord for the help i need

"challenges will come to you. But as you trust in God, they will strengthen your faith. ...You need the strength that comes from trusting the Lord's Prophets"

I have an immeasurable inheritance if i keep the commandments

all i need to do is love, the Lord will do the rest. 

I want to leave a heritage of hope!!

am i tied back to God? or something else?

"There is only one in whom your faith is always safe: Jesus Christ"

ALL truth emanates from God

courage, not compromise!

people learn line upon line. that's the way it's supposed to be! it's okay! let people learn. and I need to be okay with learning one step at a time myself. 

"as our understanding of obedience deepens, we recognize the importance of agency"

how can i purify my communication?

one day i will understand why i have my trials. while i'm in them, my belief in Jesus Christ can help my see past the darkness that surrounds me. 

we resist endings because we are eternal beings! "Endings are not our destiny"

"Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christ-like attributes"

pray to be led to those whom i can help

the Lord is aware of me. He knows my needs and He answers my prayers. 

"the Gospel is not weight, it is wings! It carries us!"

what will i do with my time?

Happiness is not a lack of burden

my unique burdens can help me!

I won't regret being too kind

I love my family, but do i possess charity for them? 

"forgiveness should go hand in hand with love"

who are my pioneers?

i stand on the shoulders of giants!

prayer is how we know all things

"marriage and family are not conventions of men only until 'death do us part'. They are intended to be eternal by covenants we make with God. The family is the pattern of Heaven."

"by their fruits ye shall know them"

what do my 'fruits' say about me?

to know the truth, all i have to do is ask God for myself. 

just love people, melissa. just love them. 

Fire

I've been thinking a lot about prophets lately.

I wrote a bunch, trying to explain my feelings right now but deleted it because in reality it all boils down to this, friends:


I feel this truth like a fire in my bones- God has not abandoned His children! He has called Prophets to guide us, and i know that. with all of my heart, i know it! for the past few weeks i have felt this burning inside my heart and i think if i don't tell you all, i really might burst open! Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God.


and even if you don't share my belief, i want to invite you to watch the general conference of my church this weekend, and see for yourself our Prophet. God's Prophet and Apostles today. Hear them speak, and then ask God if their words are not true.

here's the link:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng

hear and ask.
and then listen for an answer.
it may not come loudly, or immediately, or with any grand gesture.
But if you sincerely want to know for yourself whether or not God still speaks to His children through Prophets, then ask Him.
and an answer will come.

it did for me, and i know it can for you, too.

Tommy

So I have a prophet. 

"I" meaning, we. and "we" meaning my church.

His name is Thomas Spencer Monson

and he's a prophet just like moses or Abraham but anyway, the next general conference for my church is coming up, so I've been making my way through last conference's talks. I usually listen to them on my phone while i'm getting ready for bed. and the prophet, Thomas S. Monson spoke at the very end, so his was the last talk i listened to. anyway. 

Wednesday night, i fell asleep while his talk was still going and so in my dream, president Monson was talking about freshly baked bread and depression, haha. 

that actually happens a lot; sounds from reality seeping into dreams. 

so don't judge me, it's a perfectly normal occurrence. haha.

anyway, so i'd been thinking about the Prophet all day on Thursday, so that afternoon i decided to paint him! because i haven't painted in awhile.

there's his original Navy picture on the left (Evelyn as my screensaver in the background :)), and my sketch on the right. i traced his eyes and nose because i wanted them to be perfect, and when i freehand, things get way too messy.

bada bing bada boom. and i was super happy with it, but when i came home from work, i saw that his poor eye on the left side of the picture hadn't dried fully before i did his pupil, and the darker color spread all over. ugh. 

otherwise, it was practically perfect and i was actually quite proud.

ignore the fact that they're sideways. 

so i tried to fix it. 

here's the final product. 

over all, i'm satisfied but UGH that eye still bugs me. way better than it was, though. 

not like he wants this portrait, but i'm gonna send it to him. 

just cause i can. 

and because i sent Boyd K Packer his last month and he wrote me back.

maybe good ol' Tom will, too??

hahaha i CAN DREAM, ALRIGHT.

now on to the silly things:

Dear Seth Johnson likes to edit my instagram pictures into 'romantic collages'.

shout out to my oldest sister who is a sewing WIZARD and made me these star wars pajama pants for christmas. HOLLA. and they match my ANH tee perfectly. 

ignore my thumb in front of the lense. 

the selfies have officially begun. sorrynotsorry. blame my glasses, i'm obsessed with them. 

also, this conversation between me and Oscar. gah, it's so tiny, maybe if you click on it you can zoom in

Oscar despises frogs. absolutely LOATHES them. 

i thought i was a comedic genius.

and finally, this letter that my mom found among old Christmas cards. 

from me to Derek circa 2001. 

TGIF