Lyssa's inspirational thoughts for the day!

Maybe it’s the month of February that gets me thinking about love more often.  😌  (sigh) lol    I’ve been thinking a lot of where I am at right now in my life. I tell you this not to have you feel bad for me, but to describe where I’m at. I’m 27, not married, I’m single, working as a seminary student teacher at Bear River. I’m actually really happy.  ☀️☺️   I think of our society, especially Latter-day Saint/ Utah culture, makes you almost feel like you aren’t worth anything unless you’re married. Unless you’re a mom, a wife, a girlfriend, etc. the list could go on. I don’t believe that is true. But sometimes you feel like that.. or at least I do. That no matter how many degrees you have, how much money you make, how many friends you have, etc. will never compare to what we think we are missing out on, especially as a single person. Loneliness hits you like the plague, you often long for what the future holds and what is going to happen. And if it’s n...

Christ. Jehovah. Wonderful. Counselor. Peace. Redeemer. Savior. Lord. Deliver. Lamb of God. Jesus. My heart is so full today. No matter what name you have for our Savior Jesus Christ, mine is FRIEND. He is ALWAYS there for me when I might not feel I deserve it. He listens. He is someone I can trust. He is always there for me when I am struggling or can’t stop crying. Or when I am so mad I don’t know what else to do. He is there for me when I fall. He always knows the right thing to say. He buoys me up. He loves me unconditionally. And no matter what I do, I am never too far from His love. I can never pay back my Savior for everything He has done for me... But I can serve others as He would. I can be their friend. That is one of the reasons why we are all here. To be there for each other. To love each other. To SERVE and MINISTER as He did. I am so grateful for the love that I have felt as I have just cried silently typing this. I know these things to be true! I know my Savior ...

Oh what a BEAUTIFUL week it has been. 🌅☀️😍 I feel like this picture of the sunset tonight perfectly captured how I have felt. There’s so much LIGHT that I have felt from my Heavenly Father the last couple of days. He has been so good to me and I feel so blessed to be here on this earth. I’ve had so many wonderful tender mercies and have seen God’s hand so much this week, that it’s almost like I’ve gotten a glimpse of what heaven would feel like. Life is too short my friends to do anything other than what makes you happy. So if you aren’t, find that happiness. Find that JOY. That PEACE. That LOVE. And know, that God is watching over you and helping you along. ♥️ #blessed #grateful #thatsunsettho #thelordismylight

The future is at times a scary thing. I sometimes get so caught up in the “what if’s” that I forget to live in the present. I recently read a talked by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland entitled “The best is yet to come” He says: "Some of you may wonder: Is there any future for me? What does a new year or a new semester, a new major or a new romance, a new job or a new home hold for me? Will I be safe? Will life be sound? Can I trust in the Lord and in the future? Or would it be better to look back, to go back, to stay in the past? To all such of every generation, I call out, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the “high priest of good things to come” (Hebrews 9:11). Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform you...

🥳 As I reflect on the last 26 years of my life, a lot of mixed emotions come to mind. WHOA. Not only do I turn 27 today, but I also celebrate my 5 year anniversary of going through the temple ♥️ My life has gone nowhere near how I planned it. I never would’ve guessed when I was 17 what the next 10 years would bring. Boy was I in for a ride! 🎢 There have been lots of hard times, broken hearts, and trials that were so hard, I didn’t know if I would get through. At the same time, there have been times of sheer bliss, absolute joy, and so many overwhelming feelings of gratitude and happiness. Heavenly Father has taken such good care of me! Even better than I ever could’ve imagined. I definitely didn’t plan all of this out for my life that has happened, but I am beyond BLESSED. - I graduated from Utah State with a degree. I never wanted to go to school I and I definitely didn’t think I would ever graduate, but I did it! - I decided to take a leap of faith and try out the preservice...

I didn’t really put as much thought into what having Jesus Christ’s presence in my life, truly meant, until I got older. Being able to study, ponder, learn, and teach more about the life of my Savior Jesus Christ, from birth to resurrection has changed my perspective and my heart. Christ was born for me. He atoned for my sins. He died for me. He lives again for me. All of what Christ did was because of the LOVE that He has for each one of us. He has become more real to me than ever before. Not only have my prayers become more heartfelt, but I have really tried to be more Christlike. I definitely haven’t perfected this, and might not ever in this life, but I am trying. Christmas isn’t about all the gifts and the money that you spend on someone. It’s about the service you give, the love you show to your family, friends, and those around you. It’s also remembering CHRIST even more in your life and what He has done for you. It’s by the way He taught, loved, acted, how He treated al...

God’s not done with you ♥️ Just when you think you’re going to end up one place, you end up somewhere different. I have really been thinking about my life lately. There are so many things that I wanted, but didn’t work out, things I wanted, but don’t have, and the paths I’ve been lead down that have gotten me where I am now. Turns out, some of those things were not what I wanted at all. Looking back, I am so so so GRATEFUL that life didn’t work out the way. My way. It worked out exactly as it was supposed to-God’s way. And it’s been so much BETTER! Better than I could’ve dreamed and or planned. I never would’ve been able to have this wonderful opportunity to meet so many wonderful kids at Bear River seminary ♥️ To be an instrument in God’s hands, gain so many wonderful friendships, and be able to change lives (and have my own life changed). I’ve been able to use my gifts that God has blessed me with and have been able to shine 🌟 It’s a humbling experience and I thank my Heavenly...