52 New Things: Station 22 (44 to go)

Station 22

Last night I went to Station 22 in Provo.  Wow.  I almost died of how hipster it was.   But in a good way:)  It was really cute.  My favorite part was that there were player piano music rolls on the wall and the lights were made out of them:)  Way cool.  Also, there was 1920's music playing in the background. Their sweet potato fries had INCREDIBLE spice, tasted like garlic, cinnamon, s&p.  Sauce almost drowned out the taste.  The texture was nothing compared to Guru's though.

Also, check out this commercial for "Unpretentiousil,"  I think I should have taken some before eating here;) 

Player piano music rolls on the wall:)

Sooo hip.

Keeping Commandments = Happiness

There are a lot of things we are commanded to do and not do. It can seem overwhelming and like a burden at first, but the more I practice keeping the commandments, the more I learn these three truths: wickedness never was happiness, live according to your light and knowledge, and commandments are blessings.

First, wickedness never was happiness. What an embarrassingly simple, straightforward truth.  Yet so many do not know it. I think it's because the world's/Satan's message is so loud and complex that wickedness is happiness.  The world says drugs, sex and rock and roll is fun and brings you happiness.  It's portrayed in every form of media. People seem totally at ease, confident, happy, and fulfilled when following the ways of the world.  We see it so often, many people become convinced that these things bring happiness. People try to treat sadness, pain, and emptiness with fun. They become jaded, confused and disillusioned when they feel worse instead of better. Because what they really need is to seek peace and healing by following the commandments and using the atonement and Love of the Savior. It may not seem as exciting, but it's true, and it's what brings happiness and contentment.

Second, each person is responsible to live according his/her own light and knowledge.  Understanding this allows you to love other people.  Perhaps people that are not living all the commandments, but are fully living according to their own light and knowledge, view people who are keeping the commandments a little more fully and think that they are being pretentious. If you followed commandments that you had no faith in, it would be a little pretentious. People who are strict followers look down on others and are annoyed that they don't sacrifice and step up to the plate and live a higher law. They think they are lazy and irresponsible.  If you had a great knowledge, it would be lazy and irresponsible not to live what you know to be true.  If people understood that not everyone has the same amount of light and knowledge at this moment, it would be easier to understand that it's extremely likely that they are doing (with their personal capacity) what they believe to be best, and who can blame anyone for that?  

Third, keeping the commandments not only bring extra, unrelated blessings; they are blessings in and of themselves.  Some people think that this life is a test, and once we get to heaven we can do whatever we want. Not so.  This life is a time for us to realize that we love the Celestial law because it is good for us and for others.  Keeping the commandments can sometimes seem unpleasant because it requires sacrifice and delayed gratification. But in the end, keeping the commandments brings us maximum happiness.  If you kept the commandments 100%, you would be 100% happy.  

World Religion

Ai!!!! I am so happy.  I randomly read a scripture about two months ago and then I kept thinking about it all day and I couldn't find where it was again:(  I was sitting in institute today and we were reading the scripture right above it and I happened to glance at my friends phone and read it:

Alma 29:8 For behold, the Lord doth ^agrant unto ^ball nations, of their own nation and ^ctongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he^dseeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true. 
LDS.org

I loooove this scripture.  I took World Religion at BYU with Dr. Keller and he really stressed this point; that God gives truth to all His children.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fullness of the restored gospel, meaning the priesthood authority to perform ordinances like baptism and make eternal covenants, like marriage.  

Sometimes we get into the bad habit of saying we're the only true church.  This is a pretty offensive way to persuade people to come unto Christ.  This scripture has the right perspective:  that God gives to every nation His word, in His wisdom, all that He seeth fit that they should have, in a way that is just and true.  

What does that mean?  It means Buddah was inspired by the same God who inspired Joseph Smith.  If you think that is a bold claim, try reading some of the Buddah's teachings and see if the Holy Ghost doesn't testify that they are true.  Try looking at the Koran.  Sikhism.  They are all what God instructed righteous people to do in the proper time and place.  Of course, we know there will be a time when the fullness of the gospel has sounded in every ear, and as people receive fullness of the gospel, they receive the blessings of making and keeping sacred covenants.

I've been thinking a lot lately about living according to what you know.  I think that people who have grown up strong in the church often don't subconsciously realize that not everyone has the same understanding of eternal truths.  Yes, everyone knows the basics of morality, but to really understand them is a different story.  

Sometimes it may seem like people are amoral, when in fact, they live more strictly by their moral code than you live by yours.  There are so many stories of people who get converted to the gospel and start living impeccably righteous lives.  In fact, maybe they always did what they thought was right or okay, and now they just have more knowledge about what exactly is right and okay.

Think about that before you judge someone. There is no way to be a flawless person in this life, but there are a million ways to be a good person:)

Lilac Scarf as a Top

This is me getting creative with ways to wear a scarf:)  I just tied it in front and made it into a flowy shirt.

Don't let a fool kiss you and don't let a kiss fool you.

52 New Things: Went to Guru's Cafe (45 to go)

The Commonalities.  Peter's face is obviously the best part of this picture.

My supes good friends The Commonalities played at Guru's last night and it was awesome:)  I've never been to Guru's before and I've been meaning to go.  Okay, their sweet potato fries are amazing. Not soggy, not burnt, perfect.  It can be so hard to find a good sweet potato fry.  

YUM.

Prom nails?

These remind me of prom nails for several reasons:
1) Teeny-bopper purple
2) Glitter silver
3) They're both Bon Bon's (If you didn't use these when you were young, you didn't experience (pre)adolescence.)

4) It's all over my cuticles

5) These would go SO well with a gaudy satin gown.

The Star of Happiness Is Shining On You

 The star of happiness is shining on you.:)  Well, that's a nicer fortune than my last one which was something like, "don't let your many weaknesses limit you..."