Institute

The last half of last year was really hard for me. Particularly after we moved. Don't get me wrong, I love our new apartment and I was happy to move...things were just different. I wasn't as happy as I was before. School was constantly bogging me down, and I didn't enjoy it like I usually do (I usually love school and doing homework. I love to stay busy).

At the start of the new year I decided I wanted to make some changes. I started writing in my journal more (I would rarely write in in, unless it was related to general conference or church). I started working out again. I also started going to institute again. Since leaving LDSBC, I stopped taking institute classes full time. I would go occasionally, and then I completely stopped going at all, blaming it on school or work. This year I realized I didn't really have any excuses to not go, especially since now that we live in Bountiful I don't go home during my 3 hour breaks at school. So before the semester even started I found a class and registered for it. The class is Pearl of Great Price (something I have never truly studied in depth before). The first day I was amazed at how differently I felt. I was not only happier, but I also felt lighter. I had been feeling burdened with different trials I had been going through. It was amazing to me how one single hour of being in a gospel infused setting could change so much. I am learning so much and my testimony is growing with each class. We discuss deep gospel doctrine (something I don't really get a lot of being in primary every Sunday). Our teacher is very knowledgeable in the gospel and often answers our questions with scripture references.

I find it so incredible how one small tweak in my life could make a huge change in my happiness. I now understand why President Monson urged college students to not only attend institute, but to make it a priority in our lives.

I would like to end by sharing one last thought that I had this Sunday. For the sacrament hymn we sang "Reverently and Meekly Now". I have never really paid much attention to the song, but as we were singing I realized how much I needed to hear the last few lines of the song:

I have loved thee as thy friend,

With a love that cannot end.

Be obedient, I implore,

Prayerful, watchful evermore,

And be constant unto me,

That thy Savior I may be.

 

I knew all along what was missing these last few months, but I was too lazy and sad to change anything.  From now on I will be more "constant" unto my Savior.