JOY and LOVE

These two words have been the topic of my thoughts lately.  Joy is something I have been struggling to understand and to find this entire year.  I guess it has sort of turned into my 2015 theme.  Through unraveling it I have come to understand more clearly the love that my Father has for me.  I don't think I ever truly realized how personally He knows each of us.  There are no words to describe what it means to me.  Truly I cannot vocalize it.  It has been a magical experience uncovering the small bit of truth that I have so far.

I recently read John Pontius' book "Visions of Glory" thanks to some beautiful post nap inspiration provided by the Spirit.  It has opened my eyes to a deeper understanding of the connection that we have with our Father without even knowing it.  It has opened my eyes to the relationship that we can have with our Savior.  I didn't know.  It didn't feel very tangible to me until now.  And EVEN now, having JUST completed the book, I feel as if the connection I discerned is growing dimmer by the second, as though a constant and dilligent effort has to be made to maintain it.

My desires have been slowly changing to fit this new vision of myself.  Suddenly things I felt were so important just don't seem that way anymore.  Conference this last weekend confirmed to me in almost every talk the importance of JOY, of Christ centered living, of SIMPLICITY, and of the LOVE our Father and Savior have for each of us and the LOVE that we should share with each other.

Thomas S. Monson April 2014 #LDSconf