So, what do you do when you have homework and it's 12:30 in the morning and you should be in bed?
Write in your blog!
So maybe not procrastinating will have to be one of the values I work on...
Anywho, I discovered the coolest thing the other day. You can do your personal progress online! I guess I'm at the tail end of the generation that's still really impressed by The Internet and all Its capabilities. You may have to have an LDS account to be able to do that. But if you're not LDS and you want to do Personal Progress, just find an LDS Distribution Center and buy yourself a pink personal progress book. They're pretty cheap.
So I've decided on the next thing I want to work on. On March 15th I'm going down to Utah to run in a 10k. Now, you might be thinking that a 10k isn't that hard or that big of a deal. But it is. For me. :)
So I've already purchased the ticket to run in the race which includes a t-shirt and probably a water bottle or something cool. I really hope it does include a water bottle...
So in order to prepare for the 10k I'm going to run every morning. Since it's been about a week since I've run I'll probably start slower tomorrow. I won't time myself. Then I'll pick it up a little from there. This means I need o get to bed earlier...and eat healthier.
This is going to count for my value project in KNOWLEDGE. I only have it in Spanish so I'm going to translate it here as best I can. The recommendation for this value project says:
"Read Doctrine and Covenants 89. Think about what you can do to better your physical health. Develop and follow a regular exercise program and learn to cook and eat healthy foods contributing to a healthy diet"
So it starts tomorrow, everybody. The running and the healthy eating. I'll let you know how it goes!
Are any of you runners? What do you recommend in a runner's diet? How do you build up your endurance? How do you improve your time?
I'd love to hear any of your experiences in doing similar things!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Saturday, February 22, 2014
I just completed Choice and Accountability #1!
But really, are you ever done with this one? ;)
Choice and Accountability #1
"A daughter of God can make wise decisions and solve problems. Read 1 Nephi 15:8; 2 Nephi 32:3; Alma 34:19–27; Ether 2–3; and Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9. Follow a pattern of regular scripture study and prayer to receive help in making personal decisions such as choosing good friends, being kind to others, getting up on time, or other decisions. Discuss with a parent or leader how regular scripture study and prayer helped you make correct decisions."
I've been working on this one since December. Right after my mission I was so good at reading my scriptures every day, but somewhere along the way I got busy, I got comfortable, I got distracted...who knows. Then it became a hit and miss practice and I missed the constant guidance of the Spirit.
Now I'm in school and I should be busier than ever to make time for scriptures, but I've noticed something amazing. Even when there's "no time" to read the scriptures, I do it anyway. I make time, I get up earlier, I bring my scriptures to school with me. I've learned that putting the scriptures first in my day is an act of faith. I have to trust that there will be enough time for everything else. And every time, without fail, there is not only enough time for everything else, but time to spare.
So as far as making decisions goes, reading the scriptures and praying are VITAL!
I read one of my favorite scriptures today:
"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;" (2 Nephi 21:2)
If you have the spirit with you you have wisdom, understanding, counsel, might (power), knowledge, and fear of the Lord (humility). All of those things help in decision making! When I read the scriptures daily I naturally choose things that are better for me!
Things I've chosen these past few weeks due to more scripture reading and prayer:
--healthier food
--less procrastinating
--good friends
--more creative and proactive choices at work
--waking up earlier
--going to the temple on a regular basis, etc.
When I read the scriptures daily and pray often my decisions are guided by the Lord :)
Choice and Accountability #1
"A daughter of God can make wise decisions and solve problems. Read 1 Nephi 15:8; 2 Nephi 32:3; Alma 34:19–27; Ether 2–3; and Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–9. Follow a pattern of regular scripture study and prayer to receive help in making personal decisions such as choosing good friends, being kind to others, getting up on time, or other decisions. Discuss with a parent or leader how regular scripture study and prayer helped you make correct decisions."
I've been working on this one since December. Right after my mission I was so good at reading my scriptures every day, but somewhere along the way I got busy, I got comfortable, I got distracted...who knows. Then it became a hit and miss practice and I missed the constant guidance of the Spirit.
Now I'm in school and I should be busier than ever to make time for scriptures, but I've noticed something amazing. Even when there's "no time" to read the scriptures, I do it anyway. I make time, I get up earlier, I bring my scriptures to school with me. I've learned that putting the scriptures first in my day is an act of faith. I have to trust that there will be enough time for everything else. And every time, without fail, there is not only enough time for everything else, but time to spare.
So as far as making decisions goes, reading the scriptures and praying are VITAL!
I read one of my favorite scriptures today:
"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;" (2 Nephi 21:2)
If you have the spirit with you you have wisdom, understanding, counsel, might (power), knowledge, and fear of the Lord (humility). All of those things help in decision making! When I read the scriptures daily I naturally choose things that are better for me!
Things I've chosen these past few weeks due to more scripture reading and prayer:
--healthier food
--less procrastinating
--good friends
--more creative and proactive choices at work
--waking up earlier
--going to the temple on a regular basis, etc.
When I read the scriptures daily and pray often my decisions are guided by the Lord :)
Saturday, February 15, 2014
What is Personal Progress?
Personal Progress is a program designed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for young women. Anybody who wants to can do it though! Which is why I am still doing it, even though I'm technically out of the Young Women's organization.
The Personal Progress program is based on 8 values in which young women complete small activities or projects. Each value has three "required" activities, a list of four additional activities from which young women choose three to complete, and a ten hour project of their choosing. Young women can work at their own pace and complete the program as many times as they choose. It is hoped that they finish it at least once during their time in the Young Women's program which lasts from ages 12 to 18. When a young woman completes her Personal Progress she is presented with a young women's medallion on a chain to wear as a necklace.
The values covered in the Personal Progress program are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
and Virtue
I know this program is inspired. It helps focus our efforts to live the gospel. Personal Progress is designed in a way that you can do it over and over and grow from it every time. I hope to grow from this "journey" and I hope you'll join me by doing your Personal Progress, too!
Please share your own experiences and ideas with me!!
The Personal Progress program is based on 8 values in which young women complete small activities or projects. Each value has three "required" activities, a list of four additional activities from which young women choose three to complete, and a ten hour project of their choosing. Young women can work at their own pace and complete the program as many times as they choose. It is hoped that they finish it at least once during their time in the Young Women's program which lasts from ages 12 to 18. When a young woman completes her Personal Progress she is presented with a young women's medallion on a chain to wear as a necklace.
The values covered in the Personal Progress program are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
and Virtue
I know this program is inspired. It helps focus our efforts to live the gospel. Personal Progress is designed in a way that you can do it over and over and grow from it every time. I hope to grow from this "journey" and I hope you'll join me by doing your Personal Progress, too!
Please share your own experiences and ideas with me!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
About Me
Dear Reader,
Thanks for visiting my blog! I've tried writing blogs before, but something always felt wrong about them. Most popular blogs I've read have a theme, and I could never come up with a theme for my own blog. I have broad interests that are seemingly disconnected and when I wrote I felt like things were thrown together and hard to follow. I would lose interest and I thought blogging wasn't for me. One night I realized that if I was going to keep interest in a blog it would have to have something to do with Jesus Christ, because it was when I turned to Him that I was able to deal with and understand my depression. Depression is something I've dealt with all my life. I am lucky to have a father who also went through the same thing. He was able to show me that you can fight it, and we each did so in our own ways. It's something I learned will never completely go away in this life, but with Christ I can understand how to grow from it, and it's not as bad as it used to be. To learn more about depression from a very eloquent speaker, see this TED talk by Andrew Solomon, "Depression, the secret we share."
When I was younger I kept myself from getting depressed by learning lots of new skills. I learned to play the piano, the guitar, the cello; I learned to draw, to write: stories, songs, poetry, plays; I made music videos. Sadly, many of the things I wrote or learned went unfinished and undeveloped because I couldn't hold my interest long enough before falling into indifference we call depression.
But then something wonderful happened. The Lord called me to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I tried to run from the call, but it was undeniable. For the first time, Christ showed me that I can finish things. Hard things. My mission was the hardest thing I have done so far in my life, and I finished the whole thing, and I tried my best every day. That is when I came to know Christ on a more personal level. Now that I'm finished with my mission I still try to be a missionary and live the gospel because I've realized that it's those things that give me strength and understanding.
A few weeks ago I was lying in bed, almost asleep, when I sat up and thought, "I need to do my personal progress again." It was weird. And then I went back to sleep. The next day during scripture study I got my personal progress book and looked for a goal to start working on. As I flipped through the book I thought, "I need to invite Jamie to do this with me." So I texted her (my lovely neighbor and Relief Society President here at BYU-Idaho). She agreed and bought the new Personal Progress books. Right away she began planning all the projects she wanted to complete for each of the 8 values. I came up with the idea to document my journey through personal progress in a blog. It was the perfect thing, I thought, to combine my love of learning and my love for Christ. And I felt inspired, so who can argue that? :)
Personal Progress is something you can do again and again and it is different every time, because you change, you're different every time. I plan on continuing in this program for the rest of my life. Please join me, if you care to :)
Throughout the journey you'll get to know me better, and I hope to get to know you too! Please leave comments and ideas and tell me about the things you've tried.
Finally, I want you, and the world, to know that I know that Christ lives. God sent him here to live, teach, love, and die for us. He suffered for our sins. He was crucified and rose on the third day. Because of this we will all be resurrected. Because he suffered we can all be perfected. Because of Him we can overcome things like depression and whatever it is that you are facing. I know that this same Christ restored His church again on the earth in the year 1830 as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He did it the same way He's always done it: through a prophet that He calls. This time it was Joseph Smith, and today, Thomas S. Monson, a prophet, leads the church under the direction of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith and contains the words of Christ. I promise that those who read it with real intent will come to know for themselves that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was His chosen servant, and that Christ's church indeed has been restored in our day as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with all the authority and rights that were lost some years after Christ's death. I know this because while reading and praying about the Book of Mormon, the spirit communicated to me that it was true. And it will happen for you, too :)
Love, Kellie Hermansen
Thanks for visiting my blog! I've tried writing blogs before, but something always felt wrong about them. Most popular blogs I've read have a theme, and I could never come up with a theme for my own blog. I have broad interests that are seemingly disconnected and when I wrote I felt like things were thrown together and hard to follow. I would lose interest and I thought blogging wasn't for me. One night I realized that if I was going to keep interest in a blog it would have to have something to do with Jesus Christ, because it was when I turned to Him that I was able to deal with and understand my depression. Depression is something I've dealt with all my life. I am lucky to have a father who also went through the same thing. He was able to show me that you can fight it, and we each did so in our own ways. It's something I learned will never completely go away in this life, but with Christ I can understand how to grow from it, and it's not as bad as it used to be. To learn more about depression from a very eloquent speaker, see this TED talk by Andrew Solomon, "Depression, the secret we share."
When I was younger I kept myself from getting depressed by learning lots of new skills. I learned to play the piano, the guitar, the cello; I learned to draw, to write: stories, songs, poetry, plays; I made music videos. Sadly, many of the things I wrote or learned went unfinished and undeveloped because I couldn't hold my interest long enough before falling into indifference we call depression.
But then something wonderful happened. The Lord called me to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I tried to run from the call, but it was undeniable. For the first time, Christ showed me that I can finish things. Hard things. My mission was the hardest thing I have done so far in my life, and I finished the whole thing, and I tried my best every day. That is when I came to know Christ on a more personal level. Now that I'm finished with my mission I still try to be a missionary and live the gospel because I've realized that it's those things that give me strength and understanding.
A few weeks ago I was lying in bed, almost asleep, when I sat up and thought, "I need to do my personal progress again." It was weird. And then I went back to sleep. The next day during scripture study I got my personal progress book and looked for a goal to start working on. As I flipped through the book I thought, "I need to invite Jamie to do this with me." So I texted her (my lovely neighbor and Relief Society President here at BYU-Idaho). She agreed and bought the new Personal Progress books. Right away she began planning all the projects she wanted to complete for each of the 8 values. I came up with the idea to document my journey through personal progress in a blog. It was the perfect thing, I thought, to combine my love of learning and my love for Christ. And I felt inspired, so who can argue that? :)
Personal Progress is something you can do again and again and it is different every time, because you change, you're different every time. I plan on continuing in this program for the rest of my life. Please join me, if you care to :)
Throughout the journey you'll get to know me better, and I hope to get to know you too! Please leave comments and ideas and tell me about the things you've tried.
Finally, I want you, and the world, to know that I know that Christ lives. God sent him here to live, teach, love, and die for us. He suffered for our sins. He was crucified and rose on the third day. Because of this we will all be resurrected. Because he suffered we can all be perfected. Because of Him we can overcome things like depression and whatever it is that you are facing. I know that this same Christ restored His church again on the earth in the year 1830 as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He did it the same way He's always done it: through a prophet that He calls. This time it was Joseph Smith, and today, Thomas S. Monson, a prophet, leads the church under the direction of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith and contains the words of Christ. I promise that those who read it with real intent will come to know for themselves that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was His chosen servant, and that Christ's church indeed has been restored in our day as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with all the authority and rights that were lost some years after Christ's death. I know this because while reading and praying about the Book of Mormon, the spirit communicated to me that it was true. And it will happen for you, too :)
Love, Kellie Hermansen
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