I have not always been a fan of Stake Conference*.
In fact, I used to quite despise it. Two hours in the same room, with no break time to get up and walk around?
Ick.
This year, though, I had a change of heart. We had our first Stake Conference for my YSA** stake in October.
It was amazing! I had several friends who missed it and I was just sad for them because it was so great and they missed out on several wonderful messages.
Then, this past weekend, it came 'round again, and, though some roommates and friends groaned about it, I was actually excited!
Then, this past weekend, it came 'round again, and, though some roommates and friends groaned about it, I was actually excited!
I had lots of questions about things that I was going through, and, though I had been praying about them, I was still unsure of some of the answers. Guess what?
Every. Single. Question.
Answered.
The biggest one, I think, had to do with something I have really been struggling with lately.
Being around incredibly talented musicians all the time tends to make me reflect on my own talents. And... Not in a good way. Things like -
"I've played the piano for 14 years. Why can't I play like [insert name here]?" or
"I can't sing like [insert name here] can..." or
"I'll never be able to play the guitar like [insert name here]."
It's rather horrible, actually. I degrade my self and put myself down and focus on how everyone else is better than me at everything. I have struggled with this basically since the beginning of the school year - it's just too easy to feel inadequate around such incredible people.
Well, about a month ago, I was thinking about it and realized the love that my Savior has for me.
He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for my sins and afflictions, and then he died on the cross - for everyone, but for everyone individually. That means that he did it for me, individually.
When I realized that, I remember thinking, "If he loves me enough to do all of that for me, I ought to give myself a chance."
I thought that I had my answer there, but I continued putting myself down and feeling quite inadequate. A lot.
Fast forward to Stake Conference now. I am sitting in our Saturday night meeting, listening to one of our lovely leaders speak, when I hear him say something along the lines of:
"God loves all of His children. He loves you. He wants you to realize that you are enough."
And there it was, like a ton a bricks. All I could think about for the rest of the meeting was how everything that everyone else said supported that. I was so incredibly happy.
I am enough.
Though it is sometimes hard, we need to remember that life is not a competition.
It is not about being better, or even "as good as" other people.
In His sight, we are all equal.
We are all enough.
Every. Single. Question.
Answered.
The biggest one, I think, had to do with something I have really been struggling with lately.
Being around incredibly talented musicians all the time tends to make me reflect on my own talents. And... Not in a good way. Things like -
"I've played the piano for 14 years. Why can't I play like [insert name here]?" or
"I can't sing like [insert name here] can..." or
"I'll never be able to play the guitar like [insert name here]."
It's rather horrible, actually. I degrade my self and put myself down and focus on how everyone else is better than me at everything. I have struggled with this basically since the beginning of the school year - it's just too easy to feel inadequate around such incredible people.
Well, about a month ago, I was thinking about it and realized the love that my Savior has for me.
He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for my sins and afflictions, and then he died on the cross - for everyone, but for everyone individually. That means that he did it for me, individually.
When I realized that, I remember thinking, "If he loves me enough to do all of that for me, I ought to give myself a chance."
I thought that I had my answer there, but I continued putting myself down and feeling quite inadequate. A lot.
Fast forward to Stake Conference now. I am sitting in our Saturday night meeting, listening to one of our lovely leaders speak, when I hear him say something along the lines of:
"God loves all of His children. He loves you. He wants you to realize that you are enough."
And there it was, like a ton a bricks. All I could think about for the rest of the meeting was how everything that everyone else said supported that. I was so incredibly happy.
I am enough.
Though it is sometimes hard, we need to remember that life is not a competition.
It is not about being better, or even "as good as" other people.
In His sight, we are all equal.
We are all enough.
Anyway, moral of the story? Stake Conference is the bomb.com and I loooove it. Yup. :)
Peaaaace.
*Stake Conference is an LDS (Mormon) meeting that is held twice a year in individual stakes, which are made up of wards, which are made up people in a certain area. This is not the same as General Conference, though that is in a few weeks, and I love it. :)
**Young Single Adult
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