Reflections of a True Millennial

In "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, a young Andalusian shepherd boy sets out on the journey of his personal legend. A recurring dream instructs him of his necessity to trek across the African continent to the Pyramids of Egypt to find a treasure, but more than that his personal legend. In the book it explains personal legend like this:  “One’s Personal Legend is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. “At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend….whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth” (21-22). A ltho...

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues" -Thomas S. Monson The fourth Thursday of November- the day we stuff ourselves full of food and give thanks for everything we have. After all, there is a lot to be thankful for. Although a feast of such enormity is not reasonable for day to day life, gratitude is, and sometimes we seem to forget that. Thanksgiving is one of those days where we forget about all our troubles and simply give thanks. But in daily life our troubles seem to overwhelm the good in life and despair sets in. Each day, we should take the time to remember the blessings in our life and thank God for every living breath we take. Mosiah 2:17 says "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God....

Today is November 21st, 2011. Also known as Jada's 15th birthday. She died five months ago today, but preceding death shouldn't impede any celebration of this glorious day. Fifteen years ago an angel was born into this world. Now she is back in the angelic world. Imagine the glorious celebration that might be going on right now. Come on, a birthday party in heaven would be pretty sweet right? Jada touched so many lives in so many ways, so on this day just remember how she touched your life. And use that as an inspiration to touch the lives of others. You never know if you'll be around in the future, but you always know you're here now. So use every moment to touch the life of someone else.

You're a kid. A teenager actually. But sometimes it seems like you want to be an adult. Sometimes we think we can handle all the responsibilities of the world and live the seeming luxuries of adult life. Sometimes we think that the grass is greener on the other side, but we get there and it's not all that we hoped it would be. Sometimes we think we found true love and the ensuing drama encompasses us. Sometimes we take on the world and we get pushed down. Well guess what? You're only a kid once, so live like one. Don't drown yourself so much with duties and responsibilities that you forget to have fun. Because if you forget to have fun every once in a while, life isn't a happy place. And when you mount upon yourself many burdens you unevenly devote time to each, and thus none receives your full effort. If you commit yourself to something, do it to your best ability or it's not worth doing. This is kind of a rambling list, but what I'm really trying to say he...

Turn to almost any page of the Scriptures and somewhere among the lines you'll find the simple words "and it came to pass..." followed by some event of the ancient times. Such an oft-repeated line seems irrelevant and is comparable to the transition terms such as "first", "next", or "last" taught to fourth grade essay writers. While each repetition of this saying does not reveal a new profound truth, the essence of the phrase is applicable to our own lives. Everything came to pass  not to stay. Similarly, in life our trials come to pass. They are not meant to confound us and tear us down through the eternities, but they are meant to test us for "a small moment" and help us come closer to God. Sometimes life seems like it isn't fair, but it is so very fair. The fact that God gives us trials is a testament to the fact that He wants us to grow and achieve our eternal perspective. Your trials will pass, while they are around you end...

"If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do? ... would I say the things I say?" - "If the Savior stood beside me" by Sally DeFord Throughout the day, you stand beside hundreds of people. Your friends, classmates, people in the hall, family members, teachers, and many more. Depending who you are with, you act differently. For example, something you may say to your friend wouldn't be said to a random person or a teacher. But what if the Savior stood beside you? Would you be able to act the same way and not be ashamed? What would you change if He was always there? Would you still be gossiping about what Suzy did last night? Would you still be laughing about that kid who tripped in the hall? Would your language stay the same? Well guess what? "He is always near me, though I do not see Him there" (ibid). He sees your daily actions and hears your daily speech. Move your life into accordance to what would be acceptable if the Savior stood bes...