I am officially an hour ahead of my scheduled plans for today...so I am taking the extra time I have to update my blog! I originally thought we had class until noon today, but it turns out we got out at 11! My original plan was to post last night before I went to bed, but by the time I got home and finished getting ready for today's schedule-I was dead tired. So alas, I am posting now.

A bunch of stuff has happened over the past month...but most of it I don't really want to blog about because it is super personal. Last night I hung out with a new friend (insert plug that I am really excited that we are becoming fast friends-who knew spitting on someone could bring forth closeness!) and we went to FHE with the single's ward kids. It was tons of fun and I enjoyed talking to my friends that I don't get to see often due to the distance between the branch I attend and the single's ward. The lesson was simply amazing. I want to share a part of it because I just found it so profound. Especially with everything that has happened over the last few weeks.

The lesson was about our eternal progression and Jessica, the girl who prepared the lesson, read this quote by David O. Mckay:
"The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."

I just have to reflect on how grateful I am that I have really had the opportunity to have Christ's influence in my life. That through the atonement, my life is being changed from the inside out. It makes me so sad when I think that not all people have the beauty of this gospel in their lives; that people don't know how much the atonement can heal. Life is not perfect-it is a constant test-and some days it down right stinks. But in the end, if we but endure it well, we all have the opportunity to be healed and to progress. I just think that's such a beautiful promise.

I have found such joy as my knowledge in the gospel grows. I find that Heavenly Father keeps putting new people in my life, new and exciting events, and even more difficult challenges...but each one is filling up my treasure chest-and for once in my life, I am starting to feel whole.