Mission Call!

Sister Madison Ruby Ritter: You are hereby called as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.

Let me tell you something right now and I am going to be completely honest. I was so disappointed when I read that to my family. I actually almost said out loud that I didn't want to read it. All of my friends were being called to all these cool places like Italy, New Zealand and Brazil. How come I got stuck with Salt Lake City Utah?! What, am I going to tell Mormons how to be more Mormon? That is super lame! My dad is going to spend all this money to send me to Utah? Seriously? The next night was my ward trunk or treat and everybody who asked me where I got my mission call started out super excited but as soon as I said Salt Lake City Utah I got a "Ohhh.. Well that will be fun." or "Oh well how nice."

I haven't prayed to my Heavenly Father like that in years. That prayer was at least 15 minutes of letting my frustration out, crying my eye balls out and being angry with God. I was furious, I was hurt and I was disappointed. Nobody wants to serve a mission in Utah! I laid in bed for what felt like hours thinking and listening. I hardly slept that night. But the Spirit of comfort that I felt was beyond description. Now I am a very blunt person so when I get answers they are straight to the point. Usually when I write them down I bullet point or number them. This is straight out of my journal when I had written the following Tuesday:

1. Madison bringing souls salvation and teaching them about their God and Savior is not lame. No matter where you serve I am not lame. I would never call you somewhere that I won't need you. Trust me.

2. You know I will make this worth your time. Although you may be teaching others you also learn so much that you can't learn anywhere else.

3. Jeff Ritter, your dad, was called to Denver, Colorado on his mission. That's not Italy or Brazil. He did not turn out lame. Boy, is he such an amazing example isn't he?

4. I called you where my prophet and apostles are. So not lame.

5. This is said a lot and I know you have heard it over and over but it is true. It does not matter where you serve but who you serve. My sheep are everywhere. My children are in Salt Lake City and they need the gospel too. They are not lame.

I have been thinking about these answers for the past 2 weeks and I came to one conclusion. I didn't sign up for this because I wanted to go somewhere foreign and cool. I didn't sign up for this to impress people with where my mission call was. I'm not in it for any of those worldly things. I am here because of my journey, the answers to my prayers and the fact that I love this gospel. No matter where I was called I have the most important job. I submitted my papers because I want those who don't know my Savior to learn about Him and love Him just as much as I do. I want them to know that they are a child of God and that they can be with their families forever. Most importantly I want them to feel the love that their Heavenly Father and their Savior Jesus Christ feel for them. I know that my mission call is where God needs me the most. He has never let me down in the past and there is no way He would let me down now. Watch out Salt Lake City! Hermana Ritter is coming your way!

XOXO, Madison

You Are Not Alone

Before you read my post, watch this video. Her bravery amazed me and I applaud her for being as brave as she is and sharing her story. I apologize for some of her language but her intentions are so very honorable.

I want you to take a moment and throw out religious, political or any back ground you have obtained. Since tonight I am posting about women, that is who I am assuming is my audience as well.
       First and most importantly I want you to say to yourself "I am a human being, no matter the choices I make, and I deserve to be respected and loved". It does not matter how you live your life or where your life journey has lead you, you are WORTH IT! It does not matter what anybody tells you or what you feel you deserve, you should be cared about and treated with dignity. If you don't believe in God then believe me when I tell you that there is one, you are His Daughter, He only has your best intentions in mind and HE LOVES YOU. He would never want anyone to hurt you or for your life to be miserable. Rape was not your choice or fault and was NEVER in His plan. Sometimes bad things happen and because he lets all His children choose their own destiny, one of His other children chose wrong and affected you in a way that makes God shed tears. You are precious beyond any comparison and you are LOVED.
      Second, you are strong enough to move on with your life. If you need help there are rape councilors that are more than willing to help you every step of the way. My favorite place to go when I feel like I can't go on is my Savior Jesus Christ. He loves you and knows exactly the pain you are going through. He helped me get rid of the pain when my best friend Olivia passed away due to someone else choosing to drive under the influence. Bad things happen but He has felt every single moment of hurt you have felt and He can help. There are those who can help you.
      Third, do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and put your abuser/offender where he should be. He deserves to feel the consequence for his choice. There are plenty of people in the world that would be more than happy to help you with that! I want you to know that if you don't get justice in this life, God will surely make his life a literal HELL when he passes on to the next life. I can promise you that.
      Last, goes out to the rest of society especially to men. No matter how "slutty", "trashy" or "demoralized" a woman can be she is still a human being and deserves to be treated as such. She deserves respect and should never, under any circumstance, be taken advantage of. It does not matter if she is sober or black out drunk if she does not give you permission to have sex of any kind, no matter what hole on her body you want to violate, it is rape. It is wrong.
To those who haven't had to endure the pain of rape/abuse there are ways we can prevent it as women.
      1. Try not to go anywhere alone especially if it's a party, club or a night on the town. If you are going alone say to the grocery store or happen to live alone always be aware of your surroundings. Bad things can happen at anytime, whether day or night, and it's not always a guy in a trench coat or a dark and hooded weirdo. Always proceed with caution.
     2. Know your limits and never pass it. This means drinking or smoking or anything that would cause you to loose control. If you are going to get black out drunk do it with a bunch of girl friends that you trust in one of your homes. Never ever under any circumstances except a drink from a stranger or go home with him. Promiscuity leads to terrible situations so do everything in your power to avoid them. If you see a woman being approached by a man and she is clearly not able to make good decisions then go up and ask her if she is okay. Then ask the douche bag trying to take advantage of her to get lost and get her a cab. We can prevent so many rapes by simply looking out for our fellow women.
     3. Always have your best interest in mind. Think about it. If it's a guy that you have never met and don't know, would it be in my best interest to home with him tonight? No matter if you are under the influence or not you should always think about your safety first. Is walking alone in this dark ally really the best decision for me? Instead maybe I should take the lighted sidewalk where there are more people and public. Is it in my best interest to be so under the influence that any bad in this world will probably happen to me? Have enough respect and love for yourself to always have your best interest in mind.
     4. Never give out your personal information to someone that you hardly know. If they can use that to track you or find you then you probably shouldn't give it out. Now I'm not saying to not have fun and take a chance by giving that cute boy your number. Just be cautious when giving it out. Be safe on the internet and always be cautious.
     5. Modesty never hurt anybody. Men are VERY visual and thoughts can turn into an action in a second. Present yourself with dignity and self respect. This simple prevention can save so many women. Your body is your greatest treasure so treat it like such! :)
     6. Be wise when it comes to your sexuality. My preference is sex under the holy bond of marriage but if you do not share my same beliefs at least be smart when you are having sex. Do not go home with a random guy you met at the club or go looking for trouble. Try your best to keep yourself safe. Being promiscuous is a risky choice so be very very careful ladies! Again have your best interest in mind.

Stay safe and never forget that I love each and every one of you! Together we can prevent rape. Remember that even the smallest light can illuminate the darkest room!
XOXO, Madison

P.S If you are looking for help the website to find a rape councilor

in your area is http://centers.rainn.org/. Also, if you need any additional

help, find a nearest member of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints

and they can help you find a counselor in the church as well. Go to www.lds.org.

Help is always available! XOXO!

Papers Are Submitted!

Finally! After the count down coming to an end, my papers are officially submitted! It is all thanks to my Savior and Heavenly Father because with out them I would have had the change of heart that lead me to my mission. I just wanted to post a short observation I noticed and I think will help me make better decisions in the the future. When you get interviewed for your mission the Stake President asks the same questions that he asks for temple recommends. The Spirit was so strong! So here is just a couple of things that I noticed during my interview the President Rolfe:

-    When President Rolfe said an opening prayer for the meeting I was instantly comforted, calmed and reassured that I was exactly where I was suppose to be. I could not get the huge smile off my face after he said that prayer. The Spirit took my breath away.
-    The fact that I could say "Yes" to his question "Do you obey the Word of Wisdom?" almost brought me to tears. The Word of Wisdom is a constant battle for me and to able to say "For now I am conqueror" was an amazing feeling. I felt like my heart was going to pop it was filled with so much joy.
-    The next question he asked was "Are you obeying the Law of Chastity?". The feeling that I could say yes with no doubt in my mind and no guilt because I have never broken it is indescribable. Even when I felt like I couldn't take it anymore I showed Satan who's boss on that commandment and it felt great to acknowledge that!
-    The opportunity I got to look back on these past 3 years and all of my life's challenges I have had to overcome made me grateful for my trials. Yeah, I probably would have served a mission anyways if I hadn't made the mistakes I have but because of those mistakes I can look the people I am teaching straight in the eye and say "I know following Christ is going to be hardest thing you will ever do but He will make it worth your while. He has never let me down and I know He won't leave you behind either."
-   Because of how I feel about my Savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, I can not deny that this gospel is true. When I said "I have faith in my Savior Jesus Christ and God the Eternal Father" my heart started to patter and my eyes swelled up with tears. My body grew warm and I could feel my face turning red. The relationship I have with Jesus and God is the most precious and beautiful thing in my life. I feel their love as I obey the commandments and learn love through action. This process and journey has truly been the greatest blessing. I hope I can constantly feel what I felt today for the rest of my life!

Thank you to all of you who read my blog and have loved me through my bad times and during my good. I could not be the woman I am with out the blessing of having you in my life. Until next post!
XOXO, Madison

Prayers of The Heart

The past week has been so very stressful and it will continue to be stressful for who knows how long. Through all the chaos and difficulty I realized one thing... God knows the desires of my heart and wants me to be happy. I am going to tell 3 stories that is proof God answers the prayers of your heart.

1. General Conference was this weekend and although we need to listen to it no matter what I felt as though I needed it now more than ever. Something about conference relaxes me (partly because I never get dressed while I am watching it) and it comforts me when I am feeling inadequate for life's challenges. My manager had scheduled me to work 11am - 7pm on Sunday so I was sad that I was going to miss Conference and not be able to spend time with my family. A lady at  my work was asking about my plans this weekend and I said I don't work Saturday but I work Sunday. I didn't tell her about Conference or that I prefer not to work on Sunday. On my break she walks in and says "Madi would you like me to take your shift on Sunday? I heard you saying you were going on a mission for the Mormon church and I know Mormons don't work on Sundays. I don't do anything and all my husband does lately is watch football anyways." God had answered my prayers through Carol (my co-worker) and it almost brought me to tears. If you are reading this, thank you Carol for listening to your gut and helping me grow stronger spiritually.

2. Society seems to be taking out all of it's demoralization on women lately and as a woman I was feeling like poop. Sometimes you forget just how divine you are to God's plan and that you are a Daughter of a King. To Elder D. Todd Christofferson I am eternally thankful for how you nourished my testimony this General Conference. Your words inspire me to be a better woman, sister, daughter, and friend. If you haven't already, no matter if you are a member or not, listen to his words and it will give you the strength to become the best woman you can be. Once again God answered my prayers even when it was a silent one in my heart. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear and has given me an push to try harder and enjoy life. (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2722266089001&cid=5)

3. I worked so much last week and have so many things due in my classes this week. One assignment I was stressing about the most was my Unit Test in my Math 121 class today. I had been studying all week but I still felt unprepared and I had to finish the essay that was due in my English class that I was suffering writer's block with. 10 minutes before class was suppose to start he emailed everyone saying that class was cancelled giving me an extra hour before the test to study and give me an extra 2 days to work on my essay.

A favorite scripture of mine is found in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Alma Chapter 37 verses 6 and 7 and it reads:
" 6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."

I pray that we all find joy in the simple blessings that make life delightful. Until next time

XOXO, Madison

Day 22

I have exactly 7 days until my papers go in and I could not find a person more fitting than my mom to write about today. She is such an amazing woman. Growing up we did not get a long at all. We would butt head about EVERYTHING. It wasn't until high school that I began to appreciate her and she then became my best friend. Her knowledge and testimony always strengthens mine. Whenever I have a question about the gospel or am doubting my beliefs she always puts me in my place. She went above and beyond to help me get to know my Heavenly Father and Savior. I want to go on a mission so that I can be as knowledgeable as she is and help others become like her as well. I love her laugh and the way she makes others feel. She is beautiful on the inside and out. I know that she will be there for me no matter what choices I make and or how much of a brat I can be to her. I know that her love is unconditional. Her example has pulled me through the harshest of times. Mothers are God's special guardian angels for his little ones and I am grateful for mine! She is my best friend, my confidant, my guardian angel and most importantly my mother! I love you mom and I hope you know that there is a special place in my heart that belongs to you!

Christ Like Reaction

It seems as though when we are having difficult and challenging times we remember our Savior a little more than we usually do. To me that is a testimony that trials are for our own good and have an actual purpose. For the past 3 days I have been down and having a hard time learning how to look at someone through my Savior's  eyes. Shame on me. Naturally I turned to the scriptures for answers on how to better this skill to which I do not have. After doing a little research I came to this spiritual hypothesis. If we react the way our Savior Jesus Christ would the result may, or may not, be freeing for the subject being forgiven but for the donor of the forgiveness. How awesome would it be when the person who hurt you finally decided to say "sorry" and you can say "dude I forgave you a long time ago. It's time we BOTH move on." Here is some of the resources I used for my hypothesis. Maybe it can help you formulate yours?

- I went on to www.lds.org and looked up forgiveness. This website is a great resource for things spiritual and can answer any question you may have. I found this talk given by a past President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When you have time watch it! It will change your whole perspective.

- I pulled out my scriptures and looked up the in the index "forgiveness". Make sure you spell it right or else you can't find it.. forgiveness is not spelled "firgiveness".. Just saying ;). I came across this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants. (For those of you who don't know what the Doctrine and Covenants is: just like Matthew and John wrote down their commandments given to them by God, so did Joseph Smith making it scripture). The scripture I found was in Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10 and it reads " 9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. 10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."

- I sat there and I listened to the Spirit. Not kidding I sat there, zoned out and focused on what I was feeling and thinking. (P.S always do this! It helps so much when you are receiving inspiration!)

With these three steps I took to find out how I needed to react when someone hurt my feelings, was being mean to me or bringing down I came to one conclusion. React the way Jesus would. Whenever someone is not being so nice I need to first not judge them. The phrase "that's between you and God yo!" came into my head. I guess that's the spirit saying to chill out and let them make their decisions. Second, don't expect them to apologize. It will be a nice surprise when they do in the future. Lastly, let it go and simply love them. I know it is easier said then done. You don't have to necessarily get along with them or like them. Love them the way the Savior would.

Just a thought... xoxo Madison 

I Want You to Know...

1. I want you to know that your Heavenly Father knows, loves you and has the best in store for you. No matter what you do He will always love you. To Him you are enough.
2. I want you to know that you Savior Jesus Christ know, loves you and is the only person who knows exactly what you are going through. He died so that you can live and follow your dreams. No matter what He will always fight for you.
3. I want you to know that you are worth it. It does not matter if you are trying to get through college, wanting a new dress, going through a break up or struggling with your confidence. YOU ARE WORTH IT! Do not let anyone tell you different.
4. I want you to know that there is someone out there who cares!
5. I want you to know that no matter what decisions you make, where life takes you or how far gone you may seem. You can always come back and kick life in the toosh. You are never too far gone to straighten up, pursue your dreams and a create the life you have always wanted.
6. I want you to know that there is always a storm before a rainbow. Life sucks a lot of the time and that's a fact. God never said it would be easy, He just said it would be worth it.
7.  I want you to know that people will tell you that you can't. They will tear you down and try to build themselves up. Do not forget that you can do anything you put your mind to.
8. I want you to know that unicorns are real..
9. I want you to know that you are awesome. Obstacles are nothing to you. Do not get into your own head and don't let other either. Believe in yourself and keep your chin up.
10. I want you to know I love you!

Xoxo, Madison

Day 15

Today's post is not a person or something that helped me decide to go on a mission. Instead it is something that I realized after I had gotten the answer to serve a mission. Thinking about the recent stages in my life I realized one thing. I had forgotten what mattered most and what I wanted. I forgot that I wanted to go to college, have a temple marriage and create a family with my eternal companion. When you fall into temptation it blurs your eternal perspective and you only see the now. Deciding to serve a mission is the best thing that has ever happened to me and cleared up my view of the future. Although I am not certain what truly lies ahead I can say that I know exactly what I want and will remain worthy to receive those blessings. Now I just have to put in the work!

Xoxo, Madison

Day 13

Day 13 is an expression of deep gratitude for the example and verbal butt whoopins from this woman. Tammy is like a mother to me in more ways than one. I used to get so annoyed when I wasn't going to church or seminary and really loosing my faith in the church. Every once and a while she would message me asking if  I went to seminary or how church was. Over and over again she would ask me if I wanted to go on a mission. Every time I said no she would reply "Well yah should!" At her son's mission farewell, I went to hear her speak in church. SHE IS TRULY AMAZING! Her faith is so strong in the gospel and she always reaches out to those who are struggling. Even when they don't want it! One way the spirit gave me an answer to serve a mission or not was through her. Every night I would ask "Heavenly Father, is a mission right for me? Should I go?" and I would hear "Well yah should!". Thank you Tammy for accepting me no matter the decisions I was making and for always being there for me. I pray my testimony can be awesome as yours! I love you!
Xoxo Madison

Day 12

I am trying my very best to keep up with the days but it is seriously super difficult to find time to blog. Day 12 is about two very special people. My grandparents are such a blessing and major reason for me staying in the church. If you meet my grandma or have ever met her, she is one of the kindest and most caring people you will ever meet. She loves her kids and grand babies no matter what and family always comes first. She never judges and when you need someone to talk to she is always there. She is truly beautiful on the inside and out! My grandpa is the most intelligent, caring and faithful person. He gives the best hugs and no matter what he is always there for you. Both have always come to my volleyball games, dance recitals and never fail to show their support in all that I do. Even though my grandma does the same cheer over and over again, it is always the best hearing her high pitch little voice in the crowd when I get a kill. Their testimonies of the gospel have never failed to strengthen mine. It does not matter what everyone else is doing around or with them, they never budge. Never once have I felt like they didn't love me. They really are my very best friends! I love you Grandma and Grandpa! Thanks for setting the bar so high so that I can become like you guys some day!
Xoxo, Madison

Time Management

Honestly, I am surprised I have learned this lesson already. This week I have not done a single chore around the house and struggled to get my homework done. I procrastinated my studying and essay til 3 o'clock this morning. I only got a few hours of sleep and could not focus on anything today! Taking my test was such a challenge and it scared the crap out of me! I thought I was going to fail! Here is to starting new and awesome habits! Although you can't plan every second of every day there are some things that you can help. Working and going to college at the same time is starting to get exhausting so I am trying some new things starting tomorrow! Care to join me?

1. Get things done when you have free time ASAP. My problem is that I think I can get it done later and when later comes around something always pops up. Moral of the story.. Get it done right then and there when you have time or else it will end up not getting done at all.

2. Do not do homework at 3 o'clock in the morning the day it is due. Instead space it out. Usually I do pretty good with this but this week was just brutal!

3. Get to bed on time. There are so many issues with sleep deprivation and how unhealthy it is for you. Not only does it age you 10x faster but it also creates unwanted habits. Today in my psychology I learned that people who get only 6 hours of sleep have the same level of sugar processing than a 60+ year old man with diabetes does. Scary! You are giving yourself temporary and maybe even long term diabetes if you are not getting enough sleep!

4. Put your phone on your dresser or somewhere far away. When I am done reading my scriptures and saying my prayers I automatically reach for my phone and spend another hour on it! Turn your alarm, on set it across the room, and get to bed!

5. Do not sleep in even if you do go to bed early. I do this a lot. I will go to bed early and sleep in! Then when the next night comes I am not tired and stay up. I have learned that when I do get up and get moving I feel a lot better.

6. Set time aside to prepare somethings at night so you don't always have to do everything in the morning. I pack my lunch, get my school stuff together and make sure I have everything in my purse the night before so I am prepared.

7. Get a paper planner. I know this is a little old fashioned but seriously it has helped me a lot. When I used my phone I would press dismiss and forget about it til 5 minutes before it actually happened. Also writing it down helps me remember since I am such a visual person.

8. Last, don't forget to make family time a priority. If you are like me sometimes this is the only down you will get besides at 3 o'clock in the morning. Treasure it. This time to wind down and spend some quality time with your loved ones.

Join me in creating better time management. Til next post! Xoxo, Madison.

Day 6

Day 6 is here and I am so excited to write about how the man above influenced me to stay active in the church and lead me to the path of serving a mission. I remember one time Randy had picked me up to go over to his and Melissa's house. At that time a lot of things had happened, I had made some not so great decisions and was telling everybody I was serving a mission to get them off my back. I was honest to Randy and told him why I said I was serving a mission and how confused I was. He didn't say anything at first. Then after a moment he said "Madi, it doesn't matter why you serve a mission as long as you go. It will change your life. No matter the reason." As I was praying months later on whether to serve or not for real that conversation popped into my head and what was said ended up being the answer to my prayers. I look up to Randy so much! I watch how he not only says how much he loves Melissa but shows it! His children adore him because he makes each and everyone of them feel special including me. Someday I hope to find a man half as awesome as he is! Thank you Randy for helping me decide on serving a mission. I love you!

Day 5

Life has been so crazy with work and school that I couldn't write days 3 and 4!

Since today is little Wyatt's birthday I thought I would write about how my siblings impacted my decision to serve and change my life. It wasn't until Lilly was born that I decided to serve a mission. Being the oldest of 5 or any number of siblings, you set the standard. You are the example and the person that your younger siblings look up to. I didn't realize that until some of my siblings started following in my not so good footsteps. Then when Lilly was born I came to the conclusion that my siblings deserve a better role model than what I was giving. I made it my goal to give them the best person to look up too. While contemplating on whether to serve a mission or not I thought about Jackson. What would Jackson do? Well knowing Jackson he would say, let's do this! In reality my siblings became my example. They taught me to be a better woman! I love my siblings more than anything in this world. I want to be the best role model for them and show them it is possible to be the best person you can be! It is my hope that on my mission I can learn how to do so and come back a kick butt example for them.

A Letter From Big Sister

To My Little Munchkins:

If I could give advice in my 18 years of triumph and loss, this is what perspective I could offer. I know I am not experienced because I am still a kid myself but if I follow my own advice long ago it would have saved me so many tears and heartache. My only hope is that you will be twice the human being I ever was!

Whatever you do, DO NOT follow the crowd. They are very tricky and make you believe that the lives that celebrities live are extravagant and leisurely. Money can buy most things except true happiness. Drugs and alcohol do not make you more "chill" or "fun". In fact they make you look immature and only lead to worse things. Immorality is not okay. It is not "just a feeling" or something that should be thrown away like a piece of paper. Wait and share that special moment with the one you love under the sacred bond of marriage. You will thank yourself later and so will your future spouse. Immodesty and vulgarity do not make you cool. It does not make you smarter. It does not take you the places you want to go (unless you like dumpsters and if so I'll spank your booty because that's nasty!) It does the exact opposite. Stay pure, be kind and remember that you are a son/daughter of God.

No matter what put Heavenly Father and your Savior Jesus Christ first. If you do this I can promise that you will make better decisions, relationships and your self confidence will soar. When you remember who you come from and who loves you it is amazing how brighter life seems!

Family always proceeds the above. They will be there for you no matter what! Especially our family! Sometimes sissy would forget this and I hurt a lot of people in the process. Don't be like me! You are so much better than that! Mommy and Daddy are only hard on you because they expect great things from you. We all know that you are capable of moving mountains, trust us! We might also push you to do volleyball a little more than other things and that's because we have found so much happiness playing it, both with each other and on teams! If you don't like it tell us though.. We just want what is best for you!

Believe in yourself dang it! I can not stress this enough. Sissy could have gone so far, both in sports and academically, but she didn't because she didn't believe in herself. Now she watches college volleyball players and regrets so much. You are capable of anything you put your mind to. Don't let anybody else tell you different. YOU ARE THE BOMB DIGGITY! Stay true to you and don't forget how incredible you are!

Learn from sister. She messed up. A lot. But that's okay because now you get to learn from those mess ups and create better life for yourself. There was a method behind the madness!

The most important (well to me) is that SISSY WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU! No matter what decisions you make, how you treat me or if you decide to be a democrat. It's okay... well... Sister will try her very best on that last one! Haha. To me you are the most wonderful person in the world. Nothing can change the fact that you are my brother/sister and you are stuck with me for eternity muahahaha! Know that you can always count on me and I will always be here for you. Your dreams are mine, your trials I will help you bare and when all is said and done you will always be able to say "I know my sister loves me and to be honest.. I love her too!"

I love you with all my heart and soul!
-Your Eldest Sister Madison

Day 2

Melissa O'Donnal is my hero. I am on the road to serving a mission because of her. During my parents divorce, Olivia's passing and my dad remarrying Melissa was always there! It is hard for a mother to parent her daughter when she is a couple states away. Melissa stepped in and became that mother figure that I so desperately needed. When I wasn't making good decisions she didn't judge me and instead accepted me for me no matter how I was choosing my life. When I needed a place to run to she basically packed my bags for me and took me in as her own. She is the woman I want to be when grow up. She is the most amazing mother, wife and woman. Melissa is my best friend! My road to serving a mission is a result of her constant faith, friendship and example to me.

Day 1

In 30 days my mission papers are going in and I could not be more excited. It's amazing how fast the time has gone and I as a countdown to the day I mail in my paperwork I am going to post everyday until September 29th on how the church or others have lead me onto this path to my mission. Let's get started!

The number one person who inspired me to serve a mission (besides my Savior and God) is my dad! Through out my life he has been an exceptional example of faith and love. No matter what kind of decisions I have made or how badly I have treated him, he has always been there for me. He is the greatest man I know and has this radiating light about him. When I am sad he knows how to make me laugh, when I'm having a hard day he comforts me and I know I can count on him for anything! The other day I was looking at his mission album and it made me that much more excited to follow in his footsteps and be like him! My dad has shown me that no matter the mistakes we make or how hard times can get, if we do our best and have faith, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will make up the difference. He is my best friend and my hero. I could not ask for a more awesome father! The Lord has truly blessed me!

"Hand of Hope"

I read this and I seriously cried. How many women are told that their baby is just a fetus? How many babies have been killed because abortion is used as birth control due to the lack of responsibility in the world today? How many more? If this is not proof that a baby is a living, breathing human being then I don't know what is! How come a microscopic life form on Mars is considered alive and this baby isn't?! This has nothing to do with religion or morals. This picture and story is 100% science.

"A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the U.S. paper which published it, you probably would never have seen it.

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person" Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful."

My Crazy Dream.

So I am the person who has a dream every time I fall asleep. Last night I had one of my more vivid dreams and it seriously felt like it was happening in real life. Maybe I will start blogging my dreams... Any ways here is the story.

The dream starts off where we, my family, are in our house and we hear on the News that people are falling asleep and not waking back up.They don't know the reason for this, all they know is that you need to do everything you can not to fall asleep because you will not wake back up. Then we hear a loud bang outside and the United States Air Force is fighting in the air around us but you can't see what they are shooting at. So we get in our car and start to run. As we are driving around we see people running, exercising and doing everything they can to stay awake. I ask my dad if we can stop by Melissa's to see if they are okay and say goodbye. After arguing about it he says yes but not for very long. We get to Melissa's house, I open the door and see Randy holding Melissa as she is crying. I ask her if the kids are okay and she says that she put them down for a nap before she heard about the "sleeping disease" that's going around. I say I have to go because me and my family are running and asked if they wanted to come with but they refused and said they wanted to spend their last moments in their home with each other.

I get outside and my family is all out of the car and Kendra is saying we should go one way and my dad is saying we should go the opposite direction. Kendra grabs Wyatt and starts walking her way. Dad takes Lilly, me and Jackson and heads the opposite way. Dad heard about this ship that is taking off sailing to a refugee camp where the air was clean and you could sleep. So we start to run toward the ship and get there after days of walking. When we get there and get on the ship we start to hear that it was the aliens that put a pathogen in the air that kills us in our sleep. They knew that humans couldn't survive with out sleep. Just then an alien ship flies over head and bombs the front of the ship. Dad jumps off and tells me to throw Lilly to him. I refuse and have a very difficult time climbing down with Lilly in my hands. I swim trying to hold her above my head so that she doesn't get the salt water in her mouth or eyes. I felt so hopeless! We yell for Jackson to jump and swim to the refugee camp with us but he is too lazy! Every time we yelled at him he would say he was too lazy and that he didn't want to go swimming. The aliens bomb the ship one last time and Jackson is gone. Dad and I had to swim with Lilly all the way to the refugee camp.

When we get there they take our blood so that the device protecting us will let us in so we could sleep. The aliens have the ability to be invisible and so they invented this device that spins super fast around the city and shows the invisible aliens. The only weak spot is the door that looks like the ones at the grocery stores. Some of our alien alliances see an invisible alien and go to kill it. Basically it chopped all their heads off in 10 seconds tops. The leader of the alien invasion had killed a man who wondered beyond the protective device and used his blood to get through the doors. I had Lilly in my hands and started to run again when I woke up. CRAZY RIGHT?!

I'M RANTING!!!

I am warning you in advance that this is a rant and I am very angry hahaha! I am going to tell it like it is so if you don't want to hear the truth then don't read this page. Today I am ranting about people that have made me very angry lately and other things... Enjoy.

1. Judgmental people. HOLY COW. I get it, you're perfect right and you do no wrong? WRONG! There is not one person on this planet that is perfect. Stop expecting perfection from others when you can't offer the same results! Do not judge someone especially when you do not know the whole story.

2. Gossiping people. Oh my goodness. Do not be nice and kind to my face and then talk about me behind my back! Not cool! Why can't people just be real with you and tell you how they feel?! Or what I really hate is when grow women talk about girls in high school like they know everything just because they were already a teenager! No one ever has the same life or experiences and you can never completely understand someone's circumstances because you are not them and did not feel exactly what they felt when they were going through what they did. You never know... Maybe the teenage girl that you are talking trash about just went through her parents divorce and her best friend died and she has no faith left to hold on to? Then to add onto that her dad is getting remarried and having baby with a woman she doesn't even know. All of this happening within 2 years. That could definitely be possibility! Flippin' knock it off!

3. Religious people. When are the members of the church going to realize that they are the main reason why so many become inactive or leave the church!? It's because everywhere they turn they get "Well good luck with that because she is a handful and always gets what she wants" or "Oh my gosh, can you believe that so and so did this" or "I heard that this person did this... I'm not surprised". AGGHHH! Those kind of people drive me insane. Or the "Look at you, you sin. You're going to hell." Yes people sin and sometimes they don't repent of it. So what! That is between them and the Lord. Leave them alone!

4. People who don't mind their own business. 'Nuff said.

5. When people exit through enter door and enter through the exit door! Whether it is at Wal-Mart or Target or the mall. I do not want to run into you when I am trying to get stuff done and am in a hurry. Use the correct door!

6. Racism. This is such a controversial subject and I am going to tell it how it is. IF YOU ARE BLACK AND CALL ME A WHITE CRACKER OR WHITE TRASH THAT IS RACIST! Saying that I don't need scholarships for college because I am white, rich and I can borrow money from daddy is RACIST! Calling each other "nigga" when you are black yourself does not make it ok to call others that! Last time I checked this is the 21st century and just because you are of color and I am not does not mean that you have any right to say something that I can't. Just because you are of color does not mean that you get away with racism. You are just as racist as any other person.

7. When people pat me on the back after I tell them that I hate it. If you know me you know that I hate being touched on the back. If I say, "Hey dude I really don't like my back touched so please next time you can just give me a high five." then freakin listen!

8. When people say that Mormons aren't Christian. WHAT THE HECK. It says it in the name of our church. We are members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints and we love our Savior dang it! People spend so much time tearing other religions down when they could be spending that time in other productive ways. Stop being a dweeb and let us worship God how we wish. Mormons have never done anything to deserve the kind of disrespect we receive.

Okay I'm done have a nice day. I am now going to do something productive with my time.

More Pictures!

Lillian Brook Ritter

Update! Lilly is almost 5 months old and has the most sassy personality on the planet! She now growls when she is hungry and laughs at everything I do! She truly is a blessing :)

The Power of Fasting!

The definition of fasting is to abstain from all or some kinds of food or drink, esp. as a religious observance. You give up 2 meals or 24 hours with out food or drink in order to ask for certain blessings. Sister Nichols gave a talk in my ward today about the power of fasting and I had recently had an amazing experience that strengthened my testimony.

All summer long I had been applying for jobs and no one was calling back or hiring me. I fasted every first Sunday of the month. So I moved back home to go to school and tried getting a job in another city. Within 2 weeks I had a job and it was all because of fasting. What did I do different the second time?

1. I had sincerity. When I was fasting before, I would get up and forget to open my fast and when I did I said the prayer in my head. This time I got up, knelt down and said my prayer out loud so I could focus and mean it. I didn't ask Heavenly Father to give me a job, instead I asked Him to help me find a place where it could be most beneficial to the store and to me and my family.

2. Action. After I fasted that Sunday I got up every morning and applied to every place in the city that I possibly could. Instead of saying a prayer and waiting for Heavenly Father to answer it for me, I worked for an answer and acted upon the promptings I got.

3. I prayed everyday. When I knelt down at night I asked if Heavenly Father could help the managers of the places I applied at, see the good in me and call me for an interview. Within a week I got a job!

4. Last, I thanked Heavenly Father for opportunity to work, save for my mission and go to school. I also thanked Him for my dad's job and our success in such harsh economic times. ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR HIS BLESSINGS! He loves hearing that you recognize them and appreciate them!

My testimony has been strengthened so much these past couple of months. I know that if we fast, pray and act upon the promptings we will get our answers when we need them and how we need them! I love my Savior, my Heavenly Father and their gospel. I leave these words with you in Jesus' name, amen.

Live Like His Son

One of my favorite church songs is "He Sent His Son". It always helps me to feel the spirit and brings back to the foundation which the gospel is built upon, Jesus Christ. The last of the song is my favorite part and it says "Have faith. Have hope. Live like His son. Help others on their way." These 4 statements have changed my life!

1. Have faith. In order to live the gospel we must first have faith. This is the hardest principal to achieve and it takes time. No testimony was gained over night with no work. Like we have been told before by prophets of old and new faith is like a little seed. We must nurture it, work hard to maintain it and most importantly never give up on it!

2. Have hope. Life is going to be miserable if we only look at the negative. Yes, the world is so very wicked and it's hard to see the light in such a dark place. THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD! Take those little flickers of goodness and expound on them! There is always good when there is the Savior in your life!

3. Live like His Son. Once you have attained faith and hope you must put them into practice by following Christ's commandments. Heavenly Father has so many blessings for you that the heavens cannot contain them! We just have to show Him that we deserve it. Be a follower of Christ.

4. Help other on their way. Now that you have the above help others come unto Christ. It is our responsibility as disciples of Christ to share how much joy the gospel brings into our lives. There are so many ways that you can do missionary work. The best way is to set an example and let your actions teach others the gospel! Feed His sheep!

I know that if we live by this we will be blessed in so many ways! My testimony grows each and everyday and I am so thank for a Heavenly Father that loves me and wants me home. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and that He made it possible for me to be with my family forever with Him and our Heavenly Father. This truly is the true and everlasting gospel! I leave these words with you in Jesus' name, amen.

Super Sibling!

There is nothing more I love in this life than being an older sister! If there is one thing I know I am good at in this life, that is being a sibling! Here are some great tips to strengthen your relationship with your siblings both older and younger. They have worked all my life with my brothers and sisters.

1. FAMILY OVER EVERYTHANG! It does not matter how close you are with your friends or if it is a boy/girl friend, family always comes first. Family is the one thing you are guaranteed in this life and the one to come. Doesn't matter what family you come from, your loyalty should always be to your family. If my boyfriend asked to choose between my family or him. I would choose my family.

2. Once a sibling always a sibling. With my parents remarrying and having babies with their new spouses I have a lot have half and step siblings. WHO CARES! Just because they are from a different parents doesn't mean they aren't your "real" brothers and sisters. Whether by blood or marriage you guys are siblings. So forget the titles and just go with brother and sister! You guys are related by heart now! Nothing else before matters after you become siblings!

3. Always listen and never repeat. Let your siblings know that they can tell you anything with out you tattling on them (except if their life is in danger). Somethings are meant to be kept just between siblings like who their crush is, if they are having trouble with friends or even some advice with some decisions.

4. Give lots of hugs and kisses. This one is pretty self explanatory.

5. Do stuff with them that they enjoy, even if you are not good at it. My little brothers LOVE video games and I am absolutely terrible at them and think they are a waste of time. But, to spend time with them I will always show interest in Wyatt's Pokemon or play Call of Duty even though Jackson has to revive me every 5 seconds. We always end up laughing at how terrible I am and stupid things I do when I play. Any time with your siblings is always the best times.

6. Say I Love You! I always make it point to tell my siblings I love them and that they are my best friends, because they really are! I tell that to Lilly everytime I change her diapers hahaha! Let them know how much they really mean to you!

New Hair Cut!

Decided to chop it all off! 10 inches later and I'm loving it!

Chastened Even In Righteousness

" 27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me." Alma 36:27

Why do good things happen to bad people? Why would God let this happen? Where are you God? Uhhh... Hello?

Heavenly Father has always given us a choice. Since before this life He has always let us choose what we want and it's because He loves us. This is called free agency and even Satan has the power to choose. Satan chooses to tempt us to sin or make hurtful decisions. We choose if we want to give into temptation or follow God's commandments. With free agency God knew that all of us would sooner or later make mistakes that would make life miserable for the rest of His children. Can you relate? When one child is in a bad mood it seems as though he can't leave his brothers and sisters alone! Taking that into consideration Heavenly Father asked "Whom shall I send?" Our loving eldest brother Jesus Christ said "I will Father! Send me." Heavenly Father already knew the impact of our decisions and that some of those would hurt our brothers and sisters. It was the consequence to having free agency. In order to uphold His promise of free agency He can not take away someone else's agency to stop bad things from happening. That would diminish the purpose of this life. So He sent His son, to not only Atone for the sins of the world, but create a person wherein men can lay their burdens and feel the peace of the pure love of Christ. Our Savior is the only person who knows exactly what each person is going through. The hurt, the guilt, the pain, the loneliness. He has suffered, bled and died so that He can take you in His arms and say "I understand and I am with you every step of the way." In order for ALL men to come unto Christ we ALL have to go through trials and learn from them. Even when we are righteous we tend to drift away from the Savior and through trials, no matter by other's free agency or by Heavenly Father's will, we rely on our Savior. What about the little boy with cancer? He didn't choose it for himself and neither did anyone else. Our teacher in Sunday school told us a lesson about an inactive family. The littlest boy out of the children was diagnosed with Leukemia. When that happened all the children that left came home, the older brother stopped smoking, the older sister left the boyfriend who had influenced her in very negative ways and they all started coming to church again. They were all sitting around the bed when the little boy passed away. A year later they were all sealed in the temple along with their little boy and brother. Sometimes terrible things happen to the righteous so that many other souls can be brought to salvation. Now the older brother is preparing to serve a mission and the family is still actively going to church. Just because bad things happen, doesn't mean that our Heavenly Father doesn't love us. In fact He chastens those He loves. Although we may want to be loved a little less sometimes(haha), He does it because he wants us to be the best we can be, return to Him and know true happiness.

Learning this aspect of the gospel has strengthened my testimony in so many ways. I was actually going to change this post to my testimony of the Savior. It seems as though everything I write circles back to Jesus Christ. It is just another testament to me that Jesus lives and He loves each and every single one of us! This is His true and everlasting gospel! Our Father in Heaven loves and knows each and every one of us and because of that love He created the Plan of Salvation! I love my Heavenly Father and eldest brother Jesus Christ. I say these things in His name. Amen.

Molly Mormon

Today in church, as we were waiting for the lesson to start, a mother shared stories about her daughter that really touched my heart! Her daughter loves the gospel and lives the principles that she is taught. As a result other kids her age call her "Molly Mormon" and she is put down because she has strong morals and sticks to them. She also mentioned that these peers teasing her include some members of the church and attend seminary with her. This article goes out to the Molly Mormons!

I want to start by thanking you. You are the diamond in the rough, the light in the darkness and the example of the believers. Although it may seem like nobody appreciates your courage and strength right now, I guarantee that someday someone will! One day you will be going about your daily life and you'll get a text or call thanking you for your example. When I fell away from the church I was one of those who teased the "Molly Mormons" and I lost my best friend because of it. Once I returned to the church, I thanked her and continue to thank her for the example that she set for me, even when I was a terrible friend. Because of women like you I made it back to the gospel. More importantly your Heavenly Father and Savior appreciate your efforts to be the best that you can be. I cannot put into words how proud they are of you!

Keep it up! Before I fell away, I was always teased and bullied for being a stuck up Mormon. I must admit at times I was! But even when I wasn't I was still seen as judgmental and it always hurt my feelings. It was one of the contributing factors for making the terrible decisions I made because I wanted to prove that I could be a "cool Mormon". THERE IS NO SUCH THING! You cannot be of the world and still expect your testimony to remain strong. It's impossible. Elaine S. Dalton once said "No amount of peer pressure, no acceptance, no popularity is worth a compromise." Do not fear man more than you fear God. Satan will do anything in his power to try and keep you from being the woman your Heavenly Father wants and NEEDS you to be. You are doing great! If you have made a mistake that's okay! Nobody is perfect. My bishop once told me "Only the righteous repent." Do whatever you need to do to be that "Molly Mormon" again! You Heavenly Father needs you and your courage!

To that amazing young woman I heard about in church today and to all the righteous young women out there, thank you! You cannot begin to comprehend the lives you have changed already due to your exemplary character, bravery and strength! I am so proud of you and most importantly your Heavenly Father and eldest brother Jesus Christ is! I love you with all my heart and soul!

XOXO, Madison

Meet Olivia.

Since I talk about Olivia a lot I thought I would post some pics of us! We are DORKS!

 I used to call her black Dora when she had this hair cut! Hahaha! (ABOVE)

Forgiveness

I had a hard time starting this post. The reason being is that I have yet to learn true forgiveness. If you have not read my post "My Life Story" then you should read it first before reading this post. When Olivia passed away the man who hit her died on the scene as well and I never got to meet him. How do you forgive someone who has taken so much and is not even here to see the damage that he caused? How do you forgive someone who is here on this Earth, knows the pain they have inflicted and does not give care in the world? How do you forgive someone who you once loved but they hurt you instead of returning that love? How do you forgive someone who continues to hurt you over and over again? Here are some things I learned about forgiveness..

- Let the person know how you are feeling and do not let it fester! Sometimes people do things that hurt you without really realizing it and their intentions were never to cause pain. I've done that to plenty of people. Once they know how you feel take a deep breath and move on from there. This has saved me many times.

- Forgiveness is not about hearing a sorry. For the longest time I wanted to hear "I'm sorry". The person who hurt you is on a different level then you. Maybe they are ahead or maybe they are behind in the forgiveness process. You never know what is going through their head and they're probably not ready to apologize for what they did. Forgiveness is a choice and only yours to make.

- The ability to forgive has everything to do with what is happening on the inside. The way you talk, think and act towards them. Whenever I was around somebody that hurt me my goal was to try and not think anything negative about them. Of course I was never ever at anytime perfect at this but when you learn to control your thoughts your actions always follow.

- Remember that NO ONE is perfect. It's impossible. We all make bad choices and they never affect just ourselves. Think of a time when you hurt somebody and instead of holding it against you they welcomed you with love and support. Wouldn't you want to be that person? Whenever I get hurt and want to be angry I think of my dad. I mess up so many times and it always has an affect on him. No matter what he always forgives without boundaries and loves without condition.

- Do not rush it. As much as we want to rush things and get it over with we can't with forgiveness. Forgiveness takes time and it takes constant trial and error. It is not perfect. One day you will feel like you are completely over it and the next day it's like it happened 2 seconds ago. It is a process.

- I watch this video every so often when I feel like I can never forgive. It's about 8 minutes long but those 8 minutes will change your life. I was shown this video following Olivia's death and it helped a lot! He is such a phenomenal example of forgiveness.(http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2010?lang=eng&start=13&end=24#2010-07-14-forgiveness-my-burden-was-made-light)

- Look at them through the Savior's eyes. Jesus Christ loves each and everyone of us, knows us by name and died because of that love so that we can return to our Heavenly Father. He is the PERFECT example of forgiveness and we should all follow. Christ looks at us for who we are and for what we have potential to become. Every person is a puzzle and we do not have all the puzzle pieces nor do we need them to forgive. Our loving eldest Brother and Savior made up for all of our mistakes. All he asks in return is that we try our best and keep in mind that everyone else is doing the same thing.

- Lay your burdens at your Savior's feet. He is the only who knows the whole story and exactly how you feel about it. The Atonement did not confiscate for just sin but any hurt that was also cause by that. The guilt, the pain, the loneliness and the anger. All of it. Pray to your Savior and Heavenly Father. They are there to help no matter what!

Women and Rubies

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

Rubies are the rarest gems on Earth and so are you!

As women, one of our biggest challenges that we have is how we view ourselves. We live in a world where the degrading of women is constant and all around us! In ads, music, television and all other forms of media we see women hardly dressed, treated like objects and yet at the same time, expected to be perfect in every single way. We can all agree that it is hard to feel and be a confident and righteous young woman while still feeling beautiful. YOU AS A WOMAN NEED TO HEAR THIS!

1. Be proud that you are a woman! In order to recognize how truly awesome that is you must first learn what it means to be a woman. You are a Daughter of a King with divine heritage because you are a child of God. Through the Atonement and Jesus Christ you can become like your Father in Heaven. Remember that you have divine qualities and have limitless potential! Understand how God feels about you. He loves you, knows you personally and wants you home with Him! No one else has what you have to offer and you can change the world because the world needs someone like you! Your intellect, style, life story and who you are is unique! No one else compares! "You are, as James E. Talmage once phrased it, “a sanctified investiture which none shall dare profane.” Take a moment to say out loud or write what it is and feels like to be you. Get to know yourself! I strongly suggest listening to a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland addressed to women. (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/to-young-women?lang=eng)

2. Stop nitpicking! There are times where I just sit there and pick and pick, whether it's pimples, hair and the little bit of fat I have on my body. Those days are usually the days where I have a bad day. Now don't take this as never look in the mirror because that is not what I am trying to say. Instead look at yourself through the Savior's eyes. It's okay to look in the mirror and say "I've gained some weight I need to work out and loose it" but don't sit there and say "Ugh, I'm so fat and that makes me ugly". That does no good. When I get ready I say 5 things about myself that I like about myself that day. It is okay to get frustrated and it is okay to love yourself. Love yourself for your flaws and work towards being a better you. 

3. Stop comparing. You are your only competition when it comes to self. You are the only one who has exactly gone through what you have and it is unfair to compare yourself to other women. Each body is different inside and out. Also I always hear women in my life talking about and comparing themselves to how they looked in high school. Knock it off! That little high school body didn't have kids and gone through life the way your body has now. Your body is even more beautiful now than it ever was! Work out, take care of your body and feel great! Be the best you!

"19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

4. Be modest. Boy do I struggle with this one! I wear bikinis and have terrible language and in the long run it has damaging effects. Modesty is always in fashion. If you look at timeless beauties like Audrey Hepburn you see that they didn't need to show off a lot of skin to be viewed as beautiful. Choose your clothes like you would choose your friends. Would you choose someone who will embarrass you and degrade you as your best friend? No and you should choose your clothes the same way. The only time I was ever embarrassed was when I was immodest. When Princeton male students participated in a study comparing reactions to modesty and immodesty they concludes that when males view women who are immodest, they view them as if they were object rather than people. Modesty isn't just about appearance. It is also the way we talk. Watch this video on modesty and it will completely change your point of view! Promise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJVHRJbgLz8 

Every single woman is beautiful and has something to offer that the world is in desperate need of! I hope this post helped you whatever you stood in need of. Let me know what topic you would like me to post about next! 

XOXO Madi