A story to write

Today we went to Church two hours away and then to another chapel to see where Elder Nelson will be hosting some meetings. We left around 11:00 to be at church by 1:00 and by the time we visited the other building another two hours away we got home at 7:00 p.m.  During the long ride I got thinking on one of my goals this year to write a story.

Everyone has a story... a history...  a series of failures and mistakes that have shaped them into the person they are today. I, for one, believe we shouldn't be ashamed of our story. Our story is what helped us b become the person we are. That story is what taught us great life lessons that we mint not have learned otherwise. That story is why will help us make better and wiser decisions in our future. That story is who we are... it is us.

When I hear other share their stories, it is those mishaps and failures and even mistakes that end up having the most profound impact on me. Their stories of overcoming hardships and standing up after falling down...those are what inspire me to want to be better in my own life. Those stories are what speak to our hearts. And how unfortunate would it be if those stories hadn't been shared by that person...how different would my life have turned out if I hadn't been inspired by hearing from them?

I remember once in Relief Society a woman came to speak to us who had been a drug addict and spoke to us about her struggles with drug addiction. She shared how it took over her entire life to the point that she had given up all of her agency to the drugs. She even shared how she tried to harm herself without even realizing it. She then shared how she changed her life and overcame her addition. I can tell you that I felt impacted by her story. It  was so powerful that I thought of a few people I knew who needed to hear this  and felt grateful I never felt tempted in my whole life to try drugs. Not even a little bit and  how hard it must be for some people out there.

I remember vividly when a woman came to our BYU class whose face and body was deformed due to a fire when she was a little girl told us of her life after death experience and how she saw Jesus and even spoke to him. She feels she was given a second chance to tell her story and share her testimony. And how many countless of stories have we heard of successful people who share their story of multiple failures before they found success. Hearing those stories helped us to recognize that the times we fail aren't really failures so long a we get back up and learn something from them that makes us better going forward. Hearing those stories inspired us to try and try again until we find our own success.

My thought today is to never be ashamed of your story and never discount the impact it may have in someone else's life. Let your mistakes and your failures inspire others to do better in their own life... then feel good about knowing that the things you overcame have helped inspired others for good.

Con amor,
Vero