When I was about 15, I received my Patriarchal Blessing. I obviously had no idea what any of it meant for me and my life or how any of it would play out but I've always tried my best to stay in tune with it (keywords: tried my best). Without going into any details, I've noticed how something is worded in my blessing and the way it has affected me since.
I have always felt "called." And what I mean by that is, based off of my Patriarchal Blessing, many prayers and studying, I have always felt like God wanted some part of me to share the gospel. And more than just a mission. More than just posting photos on Instagram when I drive by a temple. I have always felt impressed to blog about the gospel, my love for it and anything in between. I have tried and tried over the years to pick a "niche" and nothing ever felt right. Nothing ever stuck with me long enough to really feel passionate about it.
Each time I thought about really starting a blog, making it gospel-centered was the only "niche" that came to mind. I am so passionate about sharing the goodness of the gospel. But let me say this first, I am not a perfect "Mormon" scholar. I cannot quote many scriptures, or tell you many of the stories and/or lessons from the scriptures. I'm not really sure why I wasn't blessed in that department LOL I feel like everyone around me is. ;) I am not a perfect Mormon. I am not a perfect disciple/follower of Jesus Christ. I do not intend to share anything with that in mind.
I share the gospel of Jesus Christ, my membership, my Church... simply because I love it. I love my faith. I love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love the gospel and the scriptures. I love General Conference. I love our Prophet and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I love my church leaders, my ward and so much more! I simply love it all with a love that words cannot do justice.
So why am I sharing this with you today?
I recently attended an LDS women's retreat called SALT. It was amazing. I'll obviously be sharing all about it in another post for a different day. I didn't go in with any expectations or questions. I didn't have plans to go to specific classes or listen to specific people talk. I didn't go with any friends or family members. I went alone :O! Simply because I just wanted to go, and experience and meet new people and be inspired! That's the honest truth. And that's exactly what I got.
I love social media. I really do. I love networking and following others and their lives. But I really love connecting with positive, uplifting accounts, especially those that are faith based. One in particular was going to this same event as me. We told each other that we were going to look for each other to say hi. They were with some family members and during a break we got to talking and get to know each other. It was as if we'd been friends for a really long time. Their family members made me feel so special and it was so wonderful to meet them and get to know all of them.
I kind of opened my heart up in a roundtable discussion we were having and they all happened to be at this table at the same time. I confessed to this group that I really really have a love for blogging and blogging about Jesus Christ and my love for the gospel. But the reason I don't have a blog started is because there are already so many out there. There are already so many blogs and Instagram accounts sharing inspiring and uplifting things based off of the gospel... so why should I add to it? Why did I feel like we needed one more blog to add to the millions out there? I just felt like there wasn't a point to it.
After sharing these feelings that I wasn't really expecting to share, this friend and their family members came up to me and told me that I should do it. I should start a blog and who cares what others think. Who cares how many blogs are already out there and what they're sharing. They told me, "if you don't do it, someone else will. God will ask someone else to do it." I kind of smiled and nodded like yeah, I know what you're saying. As if I had heard it a thousand times. But for some odd reason, hearing it from them made me pause and ponder.
So here I am, at home, pondering these words from people I just met who know nothing about me. Yet I feel like a huge prayer has been answered. I feel like God finally said, "Ashley, you've been letting this float around in your head long enough. Here is your answer through these servants of mine. Now go and do." Like clear as day. The impression and the Spirit and my heart just know without a doubt that if I don't do it, someone else will.
To add quickly, the night before the SALT event, I had attended one of their workshops. It's a create workshop where you pay extra to attend this said-class for so many hours and learn about one thing and it's a limited space group so it's more intimate. As we were discussing why we all decided to take this class, someone shared how they would love to speak at events similar to this one and they were there to kind of see how others are able to do it but so nervous because who would listen to their story? Then the teacher said something that hit me hard. She said, "Pioneer it. No one will show up the way you will." And I am pretty sure everyone's mouth dropped open.
And that's where I tie it in with this post. I'm doing it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to start a blog and share my love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I would love, one day, to have a domain (a dot com) and all that fun jazz but I'm not really sure what to call it, or what it will even become. All I know is that I'm doing it. I have had a prayer answered that I didn't even know I had prayed. I feel more confident now in this "feeling called" I've had since I was 15.
It just feels so good to finally get this off of my chest. To quit messing around and just finally do it.
Because if I don't, someone else will.
"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
- 1 Nephi 3:7
No comments