February 7, 2010

Sunday

Daniel got an offer from Ernst and Young for an internship over the summer with transaction services. This is a huge opportunity for Daniel, and we have been so blessed. We were so confused when he did not get an offer from any of the 4 accounting firms for an internship. Dan was so confident that he would be offered at least one. It was a little bit discouraging and it threw us for a few months there. But then he found more opportunities to apply for, and Michael hooked him up with an interview with E&Y for transaction services (which is far more prestigious and is what Daniel originally wanted anyway). And this last week, after waiting to hear back from them and a few other places, he got an offer. The internship is in D.C., and it’s for a little over 2 months. We just feel so blessed. After not getting an offer, we were a little discouraged; but we knew (especially Daniel knew) that the Lord would bless us and provide for us. And now it seems apparent why he didn’t get one. Heavenly Father was waiting to bless us with something even better.

Lately, I have felt really blessed. Today, I bore my testimony in sacrament Meeting about the power of prayer, and how Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. And it seems that this becomes increasingly apparent to me as the months go by.

A few months ago, Mark was in danger of losing a year of school because he didn’t pass his board exams for a second time. That would have been a huge problem for Julie’s family, emotionally and time-wise, but especially financially. My family had a fast in November or December for him and for their family. The school decided to allow Mark to remain in school and get another chance to take the board exams again in the spring. What a huge blessing from God for Julie’s family! What evidence that God blesses the faithful and that He is aware of our needs!

Even with my small problems, not feeling included in my family or my ward, Heavenly Father is aware of. He has provided me with opportunities to get to know some girls in my ward and has sent me people to be friendly to me. He has helped me to not care so much what people think and to just be myself. And He has helped me to see the good in the people around me.

This week has been hard for me. I have felt really down about school and discouraged, thinking that I won’t be able to do everything I need to this next couple of months. But He has heard my prayers about that and strengthened me and lifted me. I finished an assignment yesterday in a few hours that I thought would take several hours. What a blessing for me to feel more confident in myself! What a blessing for such a small thing! And now, I know that I can do everything I need to for school as long as I ask God to help me. By myself, it probably couldn’t happen. But with His help, I can do anything.

It’s interesting. I felt prompted to get up and share my testimony about prayer and how it has blessed my life. But I didn’t fully realize or think about how prayer has blessed my life until I sat back down. I feel like I’m not very good at praying. I could do some major things differently to make my prayers more effective and good for me. But it’s just another testimony that Heavenly Father is aware of our troubles and our needs.

I’m so emotional today. It doesn’t help that I am fasting. That always seems to push me over the edge. But then, it also helps me to feel the Spirit more. Today in Relief society, we talked about service and creating a Zion community in the Relief Society and Ward. And the Spirit was so strong in the meeting. It was incredible; I realized places that I need to improve. I realized that I can accomplish so much more if I am willing and if I ask for His help.

I feel like the Book of Mormon prophets! There is so much in my heart that is so hard to express in writing.