brand spankin' new

This past conference weekend, all of my roommates left Rexburg, or at least the apartment, for bigger and better things. Me, well, I didn't have the gas moolah or the motivation to brave Utah traffic when I could just watch it in my quiet apartment. So I stayed. The thing about being all alone in your apartment for conference weekend is, you end up having these "one-on-ones" with the prophets. It's pretty cool! I felt like each talk was a personal interview, and as each message was shared I had the desire to do better. After conference ended, I was on a "to-do list" kick. I was scribbling down goals like you wouldn't believe, and now I don't really know what to do with this huge list except get started! One of the talks that really stood out to me was President Monson's on service. I had the impression that I really needed to focus outside of myself this semester and really be aware of others. I made a goal right then and there to do something nice for someone every day, and boy has it made a difference. Another of the goals I made was to start saying morning prayers without fail every day. I've been doing okay on this but never very vigilant. I have been doing it each morning since I made this goal and on mornings that I miss accidentally there really is a difference! On days I say my morning prayers, things happen: I notice good things about people instead of their flaws; I always get a parking spot, no matter how many cars are in the parking lot (ok, this probably isn't related, but on the day I forgot to say my prayers I could not find a spot for the life of me); I am more positive about things that would normally irritate me; I am more patient with my roommates; I take more time on my scriptures and really soak up the words; I am more sensitive to the Spirit. Conferenc weekend has changed me from the inside out--Orson Pratt had a way of describing this "born again" process that I just love. He said:

"Water baptism is only a preparatory cleansing of the believing penitent...whereas, the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost cleanses more thoroughly, by renewing the inner man, and by purifying the affections, desires, and thoughts which have long been habituated in the impure ways of sin . . . Hence, it is infinitely important that the affections and desires should be, in a measure, changed and renewed, so as to cause him to hate that which he before loved, and to love that which he before hated."

I just love that idea of loving something you once hated, or vice versa. I believe that we should experience this every day. That's what progression is, right? Coming closer to God and further from the natural man. I hope you all had a lovely conference weekend and that you learned a lot. I sure did! I feel all brand new inside.