Last Year's Resolution

This is not a post about my new resolutions...it's a post about last year's resolution that I actually accomplished!  The first time that I can ever remember completing a year long goal.  Even though some of you may think that this goal is lame, I'm still very proud of myself.  So what did I do?  I read EVERY Ensign Magazine from cover to cover for the whole 2011 year.

For my whole adult life I've ordered the magazine and even had it in my mom's house while growing up.  But I've only read one or two articles and looked at some pictures.  So in January of 2011 I decided that I didn't want to waste the money any more and I wanted to get the most out of the magazine.

So to celebrate my accomplishment I wanted to blog about the top 12 articles I read that touched me spiritually and/or increased my faith and strengthened my testimony.  This may be a lengthy post but I hope you enjoy these articles as much as I have.

JANUARY
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/01/fundamental-to-our-faith?lang=eng

This article was AMAZING.  Elder Oaks gave this speech to Harvard students about the misconceptions of Mormonism.  It helped me to see more clearly the exact points of our beliefs and why we believe them.  I wish I were better at words because this article really touched me and I'm not sure how to explain it.  My favorite quote from the article: "The academy can pretend to neutrality on questions of right and wrong, but society cannot survive on such neutrality."

FEBRUARY
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/02/finding-answers?lang=eng

Not to get too personal, but I have been working on feeling the spirit more in my life.  This article really gave me an insight in how to do that.  "The fact that every member of the Church is given the gift of the Holy Ghost is evidence that the Lord wants to reveal things to you and through you."  The article really made me pray with more intent and ask the right questions so that I can feel the spirit.

MARCH
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/03/when-broken-hearts-become-one?lang=eng


I've been in a ward like this one before and it was comforting to know that we were all in it together.  This ward didn't have the tragedies like the one in the article but the idea of a ward family was the same.  I really miss that ward and it makes me want to hope and work for another ward like that!  I miss you Portsmouth Ward!


APRIL
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/04/to-always-remember-him?lang=eng


What a great lesson on how to prioritize your life and make Christ at the center.  This article motivated me to be more involved in my scripture study and to stop worrying about all the decisions I'm required to make.  I know that "... aligning our will to that of Jesus Christ as He aligned His will to the Father’s is something not easily achieved." but I am more determined to do my best at trusting Him.

MAY
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/05/what-manner-of-men-and-women-ought-ye-to-be?lang=eng

There are so many wonderful articles about this issue.  It really was hard to find just one.  This issue took me almost 2 months to read because I kept wanting to reread some articles.  So June and July's issues had to be doubled up.  But I got through them all.  I choose this particular article because it inspired me to create a "Attribute Book" for our Family Home Evenings.  Here is the quote from the article that helped me create the book: "We are never done being good parents. And to be good parents, one of the most important things we can teach our children is how to be more like the Savior."  I hope to have a different post about the book to explain it more so stay tuned.

JUNE
http://lds.org/ensign/2011/06/the-heart-and-a-willing-mind?lang=eng

"If we love the Lord with all our heart, we are willing to give Him everything we possess. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) said: “The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. … The many other things we give to God … are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him. … There is a part of us that is ultimately sovereign, the mind and heart. … And when we submit to His will, then we’ve really given Him the one thing He asks of us.”  ENOUGH SAID!  I just wish it was as easy to do than it is to say!  Since the beginning of 2011 I've been working on submitting my will to the Father...it is not easy!  But this article helped me to understand how to do it a little better.

So I will do the other 7 in the next post.  I wanted to get at least a little done now.  Hope you enjoy!