Life Lately {Via Instagram}

 //fresh flowers//

 //straight from the tree//                                    //preparing a talk for Church// 

                             //curls//                                            //dr. seuss quote put up in kids room//

           //photo booth//                                                      //lindsay's bridal shower//

Testimony Tuesday

Hey all of Kimberly's wonderful readers! My name is Stefani (or Stef, if you like the nickname thing) and I blog over at Miss Jo and Co. I spend most of my posts rambling about my crazy one-year-old, fashion, good food, and being a law student's wife.

I am so excited to be here for Testimony Tuesday and so grateful to Kimberly for having me!

When I think about my testimony, I really can't specify one moment where I just knew the Church was true. Instead, I have these bits and pieces that I've put together over time, and as each piece falls into place I begin to discover more about my beliefs and the beauty of the Gospel.    When I was 15 years old, I spent a week at EFY in Massachusetts. I'm going to be honest - I didn't have the greatest time. I had always had a hard time fitting in with "typical" Mormon girls and this time was no different. I spent a lot of the week alone and by the end of things I felt really, really discouraged. I remember being in my room one night, thinking about how the week was going and wondering if maybe this Church just wasn't the right fit for me. I decided to pray about it. I think this was one of the first times when I actually prayed with the intention of receiving an answer. I'd prayed for help before, yeah, but I'd never said, "Here's what I need to know. What can you tell me?"    It was there in that moment that I knew for myself that this Church was the "right fit" and that it was where I needed to be. I felt a strong confirmation that I just needed to stick with it and that everything would be ok.    I'd like to tell you all that after that experience I went on to be an exemplary Church member and everything was super and dandy. I'd like to say that I remembered that experience forever and that I didn't stray. Sadly, that wouldn't be true.    Years later, I found myself living in Provo, UT, a recent graduate of BYU. Even though I was in a huge Mormon community, I have never felt more alone. I stopped going to Church regularly, I began choosing the completely wrong people to date, and I stopped living the way that I knew, in my heart, I should be living.  With each bad decision, I fell further away and became more desensitized to the promptings of the Spirit. But the Lord was still looking out for me. He still loved me. And even in my "darkest hours," he tried to reach me and he finally found me.    The day came where I realized that I was not happy and that the choices I was making were never, ever going to bring happiness. So I went to the place where I knew I could find it. I went home.  I spent the next few months going through the repentance process. It was the hardest, most emotional thing that I have ever had to go through. But because of that experience, I can tell each and every one of you that I know that the Gospel is true. I know that we can repent for our sins and be forgiven. I know that even in our darkest hours, Christ is still looking for us. He wants to find his lost sheep and he wants to bring us home.   I also have a testimony of the joy and the reassurance that comes from reading the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. They are the Lord speaking directly to us and it is in them that the answers to prayers can be found.   (I was going to find a quote from one of my favorite talks to add to this post, but after looking through it, I wouldn't be satisfied unless I added the whole thing. So go read Jeffery R. Holland's talk Broken Things to Mend. It's seriously one of the best!   Thanks again to Kimberly for letting me post this week! It's been an absolutely incredible experience.

I am a Mormon Monday

Happy Monday!

Hope your weekend was great!

Interested in what this is all about?

For those of you who read my blog, you may or may not know that I am a

 LDS (aka Mormon).

I wasn't raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I actually grew up Catholic and found out about the church 3 years ago.

Since joining the church in December of 2009 I have heard and read

A LOT of misconceptions regarding the church and about things we do and don't do,

and what we believe and don't believe.

I think a lot of people really don't

have a true knowledge and understanding of what we believe.

I sure didn't at first and it was because of what I read and what I heard.

I never thought I would be able to have such a close relationship with my Heavenly Father.

I am so grateful for this.

I look back sometimes and see where

I was and see where I am today and it amazes me.

God is so good!

So with that being said I came up with

"I am a Mormon Monday"

This is to show the world that

we are normal,  that we are Christian and

that we do believe in Jesus Christ.

(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)

Every Monday I will be featuring a new face.

They will be sharing with you what they believe

and how they live their faith.

  

Today I would love to introduce to you

Rachel from Rachel Sayumi a blog about love

Take it away Rachel!

Blog link: Rachel Sayumi a blog about love

Instagram: @rachelsayumiporter

About Me:

I am a girl who grew up my whole life in a pretty Mormon-populated community. I had lots of strong friends who were members of the church. I feel so blessed to have had the friends and experiences i had in my youth, because it helped me to become strong and faithful. I then graduated high school, came to a private Mormon school, and married an amazing Mormon boy. It truly is the center of my life and I don't know what I would do without the gospel in my life!

I'm a pretty simple girl. I love the simple things in life... I don't like wearing tons of makeup, doing my hair all crazy,wearing crazy outfits... to me, less is more (: However I do LOVE classy fashion,anything with a vintage touch,floral prints and polka dots!

What is hope and what do you hope for?

To me, hope is to have faith and not give up on certain people, situations, and things in general. I believe in hoping for the best in all situations. Living life in an optimistic way can really change your outlook on everything! I hope for happiness for everyone in the world, I really do!! It makes me so sad to know that there are people suffering in the world. I hope that everyone can feel and find happiness in their life.

How I live my faith:

I live my faith by striving to live the morals and values which I have been taught. I do my best to be considerate and nonjudgmental towards others. When I am able to make someone happy,that brings me happiness as well! It can be hard to serve others when I have a pretty busy schedule with school,homework.. studying.. and work.. but I do my best,especially starting out with my cute husband. I want more than anything to make sure that he is happy,since he brings so much joy into my life! 

Thanks for having me Kimberly! 

This was so much fun!


See last weeks feature HERE



Want to participate in I am a Mormon Monday?

Email me @

bostonksox {at} gmail {dot} com

I would L♥VE to hear from you!

Sunday Best:What We Wore

WHAT I WORE:

Top: Thrifted (Banana Republic)

Skirt: Thrifted (Down East Basics)

Shoes: Thrifed (Lauren Conrad

Sunglasses: F21

*Today I'm Guest Posting over at http://jamie-brooke.blogspot.com/

Be sure to check out her blog!

WHAT SHE WORE:

Top: J Crew

Belt: Anthropologie

Skirt: Anthropologie

Shoes: Banana Republic

Sunglasses: Toms 

**Hope your weekend was fabulous**

Pure and Simple Faith

 

I realize how blessed I am to have such easy access to church every Sunday. After viewing this I felt extremely humbled. I look up to those who do everything they can to worship our Father in Heaven who blesses us with all we have.

The Lord will bless us if we but put our faith and trust in Him.He really does care about us and our situations, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.