One hundred percent.

General Conference weekend is easily the best 48 hours of the year. 

We get to listen to our prophet, apostles, priesthood leaders, and so many others speak to us about the truths of this gospel. 

I can't even begin to express the gratitude I have to be part of the only true church on this earth, and how blessed we are to have a living prophet who guides and directs us daily. 

General Conference is fun--I mean, there's nothing bad about watching it at home with your whole family, enough treats to fuel an army, and endless sheets of Conference Bingo. But it took until I was in high school to truly appreciate this weekend for what it is. 

I had a seminary lesson my second semester of high school that changed the way I looked at General Conference. 

It was right before the April conference, and I honestly felt like every aspect of my life was crumbling. 

My grandma was in a rehabilitation center after having a stroke and battling cancer for the second time. 

I was overwhelmed with the new world of AP testing and high school. 

I was stressed about everything and didn't have any idea what to do. 

I was sitting in seminary the week before conference [probably not paying very close attention, but what else is new] when Brother Burton said something that I decided I should do. 

"If you go into conference with a question, a sincere desire or personal problem, your Heavenly Father will hear and answer those questions. The talks will apply to your situation, and you will come out of Conference with answers you didn't have before." 

I did just that. And heard exactly what I needed to hear. Now, the worries and stress didn't disappear. But I now knew how to handle it, and everything that came about afterwards. 

Every conference since then, I've made sure to have a specific care in mind and pray for an answer prior to listening; and this year was no different. 

I know without a doubt that this church is true. And that we have a Heavenly Father that is listening to our prayers, and uses our priesthood leaders as tools to answer our prayers. 

If you didn't have the chance to listen to or watch General Conference this weekend, I highly suggest that you do. You can do that here.

I love this gospel, and every thing about it. That's all. 

Just a minute.

It's no secret that I despise Mondays. And I have yet to find something [inanimate, at least] that I hate more than Monday mornings. Yesterday though, was way different. I rolled over, and picked up my phone because it was freaking out while downloading emails. First name that pops up....Bronson Kunzler. I sat STRAIGHT up and bed, more awake than I had been in days. Between him figuring out a nice way to tell me to stop talking, learning what a "Michigan minute" was, and making me laugh like he was right here, I discovered that there's seriously nothing better than starting your day off with a "talk" with your best friend (if you can call it that) and yesterday was wonderful because of it.
In his email, he told me about an investigator they're teaching and he talked about the Atonement. As I was reading his testimony about this incredible event, I remembered a talk that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave in General Conference a few years ago.
He spoke about the Atonement, and the sacrifice that it was for our Savior to suffer and atone for our sins like He did, and ended with what is probably my favorite quote in the history of General Conference.

"...may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in world only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ "at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death," for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone." 

Today? Take a little extra time to be grateful for our Savior and his sacrifice. Because I'm grateful.
Grateful that there's someone who understands how I'm feeling when I can't sleep at 3 a.m.
Grateful that there's someone who understands how I feel when I ace a test.
Grateful that there's someone who understands what it's like to miss someone so much it physically hurts.
Grateful that there's someone who understands how excited I get when I get to see my little sisters.
Grateful that there's someone who not only knows how I'm feeling every second of every day, but someone who has felt it exactly like I have.
That's what the Atonement does for us. And it's just one of a million and a half reasons why I love this gospel.

Happy Tuesday, folks.



[p.s. If you want to read/watch/listen to Elder Holland's whole talk, go here. I promise, it's worth it.] 

Reason for the season.

I love being home. Because I get to see Christmas lights with my cute sisters. [We saw a Christmas moose, a Christmas dragon, and a Christmas moose. If they're made of Christmas lights, they're holiday animals. Ask Mary, and my mom.]

Christmas means family parties, and seeing this little cutie. I haven't seen him for three months, at least, and he's the happiest little guy I've met. He didn't let me put him down for a majority of the night, and I was perfectly okay with that.

Same family Christmas party, just a different view. All of the Bell cousins, making donuts, drinking hot chocolate, and opening presents for the cousin gift exchange. We even got Amy's family--who lives in Vancouver--in on the fun via FaceTime. Here's a mass of the small children, watching the Lay's open their gifts, and vice versa. My family is definitely cooler than yours.

Not really sure what this one is for, but we must be related or something.

I love Christmas morning, and this year? I got leggings to match Mary's. We rocked the matching outfits today, and my great grandma told me, "Those are the classiest pants I have ever seen." You better believe they are.

Then I was at the Kunzler's getting destroyed at Uno and Phase 10, and my mom told me to hurry home because Matt and Braxton had brought a present over for me. I came home to this little beauty, and you better believe it's going up in my room. I'm a lucky girl, ladies and gents.

Even though presents and games and dinners and cousins are great, there's more to the Christmas season. And as exciting as new toys are, it's important for us to remember the real reason we celebrate this holiday. 

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord...Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." 

Our Saviour died for us, and he lives today; and He, not presents or candy canes or Santa Claus, is the reason this season is so special. 

Merry Christmas, friends. 

Everywhere I turn.

November 10: Go Radio. Katy Perry. Mayday Parade. Yellowcard. The Killers. Taylor Swift. Anberlin. Adele. Ed Sheeran. Regina Spektor. The Black Keys. Bon Iver. Carrie Underwood. All Time Low. Christina Perri. Coldplay. The Eagles. James Blunt. Every Avenue. Sara Bareilles. Fun. Ingrid Michaelson. Jimmy Eat World. Katy McAllister. Lady Antebellum. Maroon 5. Parachute. Muse.
Just a few of the bands and artists I am grateful for today. Because without music, my life would be rather dull. I'm so glad I live in a world where we have millions, if not billions, of songs at our fingertips, and even more grateful for the love of music my mom has instilled in me.
Music has a crazy way of making you feel things differently, and it cements memories in your mind better than anything else. Songs like Just the Way You Are, Every Time We Touch, So Close, 22, and E.T. will forever be associated with specific people. Emi and I have a playlist that will always remind us of driving to hockey games, and a bunch of the Top 40's will always remind me of Homecoming and high school dances.
Not only does music help you remember things or bring about emotion, it impacts people--or at least me--on a spiritual level. I can listen to talk after talk by all kinds of speakers, and feel the Spirit. But the second the choir starts singing, or a musical number steps up, it's overwhelming. I cry faster during the hymns than during anything else. And I know that it's because music is one of God's greatest gift to us.
I love music, and I wish I had any talent at all in that area. But I'll stick with appreciating everybody else in that field, and be forever grateful for the sheer beauty that it brings into my life.