Excerpt from April 12, 2014 journal entry:
"I had 4 days. 4 incredibly insane days to prepare and memorize a speech. It was terrifying and terrific all at once. It taught me I can do hard things! Although I did no win the competition, I gained something. I gained more confidence in my abilities, I gained experience, and best of all... I gained a strengthened testimony. To say I was more nervous to speak than I had ever been in my life, would be an understatement. Last night simply thinking about speaking made me want to curl up in a ball and cry for help.
This morning my father gave me a priesthood blessing. (https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/ap/priesthood-keys/what?lang=eng) His words were calming and ever so humbling. I was told that through my faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I would give my speech without fear. Those words brought such comfort to me because I realized Christ did much harder things. Christ felt my anxiety. He felt my racing heart. He felt the pit in my stomach. He felt all my pains and afflictions all in what must have been one excruciatingly long night. Christ did so much for me. So many difficult things, so I could do this for Him.
My Savior lives. He loves me. And although I know I can never repay Him for His sacrifice, I can always strive to be better. To become more like my wonderful, beautiful, magnificent, Brother and Savior. I am eternally grateful for My Father in Heaven, and His son, Jesus Christ."
The atonement is in all things. Small things. Big things. ALL THINGS.
