The Ultimate Running Partner

Recently, I experienced my final race for the Davis High Track Team at the Region Championships. This has been my first and last year competing on the Davis track team. I managed to fight at every meet in order to achieve a personal record at every race. I have never felt so much pain...and so much joy. That probably doesn't sound appealing...training for pain. But I not only trained for pain, but for the greatest reward: believing in myself to become stronger regardless of pain. While I was able to reach my goal and become stronger at each race, I have my Heavenly Father to thank. I have found that throughout every race, I had my Savior by my side with my Heavenly Father cheering me on. 

In the Book of Mormon in Alma 26:12 it says, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things..." I know that, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phillipians 4:13). I want to share with you the power of prayer. At every meet before almost every race, my teammates and I would gather around in a circle and pray to our Heavenly Father for strength in our race. I would get super nervous before my races because I desired to continually prove to myself that I can reach my goal to become stronger at each race. I know that through my hard work and faith, I can accomplish difficult things. As I approached the starting line, my heart would jump the gun and race before I even began. I would say a prayer to myself in the line before my race to not only have the physical strength, but the mental strength to endure this 1600m or 800m race. Through every prayer, I felt such a peace and strength that I could reach my goal. As to MY strength, I am weak but in His strength, I can do ALL things. At the Region Championship I managed to gain a personal record (PR) of 5:37 in the mile after entering the season with a time of 6:22. I managed to gain a PR of 2:30 in the 800 after entering the season with a time of 2:48. Not only do I want to thank my incredible coach who has encouraged me and taught me to become stronger, but I want to thank my Heavenly Father for providing me peace and helping me to develop faith in myself.

 I have been able to grow closer to my Heavenly Father through relying on Him to comfort me and strengthen me in times of trial, fear, and pain. I have realized that as we have times of trial, those are the times where we need to be humble and recognize that our Heavenly Father is there watching over us. I have related racing to life, and more specifically, racing the mile. In the mile, during the first lap my 400 split time is crucial. When I met my first lap split, then for the rest of the race I would have have the endurance and the strength to maintain my pace and reach my ending goal. During the 2nd and 3rd laps, I would pick up my pace, look to pass other runners, and endure the pain of every step. My final lap is my favorite lap where I forget about the pain and fight to finish the race! Throughout my races, I have my coach, my family, and my teammates cheering for me and helping me endure this difficult race. I can relate my races to trials. I have prepared myself for this race through hours of workouts and miles of distance runs. I relate this to preparing myself for enduring trials as I build my foundation of faith on Jesus Christ and His gospel. As I am faced with a trial, I have my Savior by my side and my Heavenly Father cheering me on. I have prepared for overcoming this trial from developing a relationship with my Heavenly Father and strengthening my faith and testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. While during the first lap of my trial, I will achieve my 400 split by remembering that I am a Child of God and He is watching over me. I will endure the 2nd and 3rd laps of my trial as I not only acknowledge my Heavenly Father and peers cheering me on, but also cheer on my teammates through their race. Finally, I will race my final lap through the strength of my Savior and overcome my trial and fight to the end.
I want to share with you how much I know that our Savior is racing by our side and that our Heavenly Father and family is there cheering us on. I have been able to communicate with my Heavenly Father through prayer before my races to help me perform my very best. I can communicate with my Heavenly Father through prayer throughout every trial I face. I know that as we approach trials and as we are enduring pain in our individual races, our Savior is by our side and our Heavenly Father is there cheering us on. I know that as we overcome our trials, that finish line is the greatest achievement we will ever experience.

Scatter sunshine by cheering and supporting others through their trials and remind them that they have a Heavenly Father waiting for their call so that He can help them through their races of life.

The Source of Joy

What is Happiness?

Happiness can sometimes be viewed as a temporal feeling. If something goes right, then happiness is produced. However, happiness doesn't have to be temporal. No matter the circumstance, the trial, or the pain, an eternal happiness awaits us as long as we seek to find it . This happiness, this source of joy, is our Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ died for us. He suffered for us. He endured every pain, every sorrow, every guilt so that we do not have to suffer. Because He lives, he continues to relieve us of our burdens, our pains, and our guilt. Because of Him, we can feel pure happiness through the comfort and peace of His love for us. As we seek to find Him through kneeling down in prayer, studying His life in the scriptures, and learning to love others through service and support, we will always find joy.

I have a permanent smile on my face every day because of my Savior. I am happy because I know I am never alone. When I am having a bad day, I can find happiness because amongst all the hardships or disappointments I face, I can still find that source of joy. I find this source of joy through acknowledging the good in my day and thinking positively. As I notice the little things: a smile from a friend, an exhilaration as I go for my daily run, or a warm feeling after reaching out to help someone, they overpower the negative thoughts or experiences that occurred throughout my day. As I acknowledge the good, I rely on my Savior to bear my pains and hardships. I can feel happiness each and every day through seeing the good in my day no matter what circumstance I am in. One day at a time, I am able to overcome my adversity and trials through seeking and finding the good and knowing that I have my Savior by my side to walk with me and carry me.

St. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

As I am starting my mission papers to serve a full time mission of 18 months for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I wanted to share my purpose of serving. I want to serve in order to scatter sunshine: to share the light and love of Christ with everyone! I know that through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can return to the embrace of our Father in Heaven as we seek to walk in Christ's ways. Through studying the life and commandments of Christ in the scriptures and living as He did through service and forgiveness, we can rejoice in this eternal happiness.

I invite you to read Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home. He states, "Our Savior, the Good Shepherd, knows and loves us. He knows and loves you. He knows when you are lost, and He knows where you are. He knows your grief. Your silent pleadings. Your fears. Your tears. It matters not how you became lost—whether because of your own poor choices or because of circumstances beyond your control. What matters is that you are His child. And He loves you. He loves His children. Because He loves you, He will find you. He will place you upon His shoulders, rejoicing. And when He brings you home, He will say to one and all, 'Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost...But just as the Good Shepherd finds His lost sheep, if you will only lift up your heart to the Savior of the world, He will find you. He will rescue you."

In order to find the source of joy in our life, we need to look for the good. Not only that, we need to look for Christ in our lives and find Him. I know that as we seek to find Him, He is seeking to rescue us. I am happy because I know my Savior lives. I am happy because I see His hand in my life as I note the tender mercies throughout my day. I know that as you seek to find Him, you will experience eternal happiness.

Scatter sunshine today through expressing charity: the pure love of Christ, to someone! Through this, they can find joy.