The Ultimate Veteran

 *overheard at church as I walked in with American Flag earrings*
"I wish I could be as passionate about something as Alayna is about holidays."
She's got a point. Holidays are a magical time where I wear my heart on my sleeves and ignore how loud or bright or crazy my outfits are. But the earrings and scarfs and stockings are just the outside manifestation of my deep love for these days, what they stand for, and the opportunities for unity they present us with.

This weekend, we observe Veterans Day. In order to honor something, we have to really understand it. While making a list of some of the qualities of veterans, I ended up with a really unique and meaningful conclusion that I'd like to share with you. Most of these are applicable to all Veterans who have served, but because I have a specific Veteran in mind please excuse my use of the masculine pronoun in my list.

The Ultimate Veteran

He served for those without the strength or power to save themselves.
He left his home to fight on foreign soil.
Some derided and devalued him; some esteemed him as a hero.
He willingly paid the ultimate price for many who will never really know him.
He didn't serve from a specific state (nation), but because he served, our state is forever changed.
He fought for our freedom....
...freedom from sin and pain and death.
His name is Jesus Christ.

This weekend, as we remember the veterans who serve and sacrifice with Christlike love, may we also remember Jesus Christ, the veteran of the world.
Veterans Day is a holiday.
But it can be a holy day, too.

Sunday Insights

In the mission I called them #HermanaEenTheories. Essentially, they are the little distilled "aha" moments of spiritual insight that come to me throughout the week and really should be shared so... enjoy these ones.

"Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives." Ronald A. Rasband in "Divine Design"
Well, if life is like a chessboard, then I must be a knight because the moves are unpredictable and all avenues seem blocked and then hey! Suddenly I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Also, Ronald A. Rasband sounds like Dug, from Up. ( I think it's the roundness of his tone and the lack or contractions).

Sometimes I have to do FHME activities.

I want to have a knee-jerk reaction to the Spirit.

Other people's testimonies relating to the Reformers and another one including the seasons (we complain about the weather and the seasons--whichever ones we are in, we find something to complain about. We do the same things with the seasons in our lives. Let's not complain), I love to hear the different ways the gospel the truths are made manifest in the lives of others because I see them EVERYWHERE in mine.

Why did the early saints dedicate so much to the building of temples? It was the price of eternity.

The Gospel is the Golden Ratio of my life. I see it pieces and patterns in all aspects of life and creation.

Borrowed wisdom:
Elizabeth: Salvation is like a group project--you have to help each other out in order for your family to be together forever.
Eliza: If salvation is a group project, then Jesus is that person who will do all of the work and still let you get the good grade.

4th Nephi 1:17 "There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God." Many of them may have been Lamanites by birth, so it wasn't a change in their parentage... rather, a decision not to have that be their primary identifier. Instead, they chose to identify first as "the children of Christ." What are the "-ites" in our lives? (BYUites, Datingites, Singleites, Disneyites, Missionites, etc.) But if we take away the ites, if we focus instead on what we have in common, if we "un-ite" ourselves... we will be UNITED in Christ.
- I was really excited to share this in my portion of the Relief Society class today and it was incredibly validating to hear the shocked gasps and verbal ahas (it even got a few claps). So it wasn't just me that was weirdly happy about this nerdy connection (shout out to Elder Ryan Davis for the concept).