Shanari Baird: The world's greatest best friend!

To start things off, life can be really, really hard, as I am sure many are brutally aware. Lately I have realized that I am deeply struggling with the fact that I have no idea where I am going in life. Simple as it may seem, not having a destination can do things to a girl. You wouldn't think it was that big of a deal, but the endless questions of "what do you want to study", "what is your dream job" and so on, are really starting to weigh me down. I feel like I am so young and naive and completely lost. I'm in an open field with paths leading in numberless directions and I am sitting in the middle of it, having NO idea where I want to go. That really bothers me. How am I ever supposed to get there if I don't know where I'm going? The paths are all so daunting and I feel small, insignificant and misplaced. I look around and see people everywhere, determined as they walk briskly and effortlessly on a chosen path to some tangible, known destination. They continue to move and progress while I seem to become invisible and lonely--wanting to move forward but not knowing which way to go. I try to have faith and patience and trust that Heavenly Father has a plan for me--that everything will work out--but sometimes it just brings me down that everyone around me seems to be so in control of their lives and I'm sitting here, waiting to figure out where I want to go. I desperately hope that soon enough I'll figure out who I am and where I am going in life. Is it normal for me to be so lost at this point in my life? Is it unusual that this lack of knowledge is bothering me so much? Because it honestly is making me crazy; my mood is oscillating and I can't seem to control it. I just need something stable in my life, something that is constant, something that I know where I'm going with it.

A best friend: someone that builds you up when you're at your lowest of lows. One that stay by your side no matter what. A person that makes you better. That one that you can go to with no reservation or fear.

Shanari: consistency, surety, strength. 

Shanari Ann Baird is the most incredible best friend out there! I have to express how truly blessed I am. It is amazing how much she is able to lift my mood and make me realize my worth with a simple phone call--even when she is struggling herself. I never cease to be amazed by how truly beautiful this wonderful woman is. She sets such a great example for me and really helps me to see what I want to be like. I'm really impressed at how much she lets those around her know that they are cared for. It has been really crazy and somewhat difficult being back home, but I cannot stress enough how wonderful and natural it feels to finally get to see this best friend of mine again. She is one that I know will understand what I am feeling and the trials I'm facing. I know I can always count on her to build me up and give me hope. I'm so incredibly grateful that after all these years, we can still go to one another and feel just as close. This girl is truly amazing and I couldn't be more blessed with a best friend. Shanari, I love you so much! This is the girl that when I think of her, I know where we're going. We will never stop being friends through whatever changes come in life. She is the constant that I need and today I couldn't love her any more. 

I hope that you, too, are blessed with a best friend like I am. When times are chaotic and you can't seem to find your footing, I hope you can go to your best friend and find balance. I know that even though I'm frustrated with my lack of a destination in life right now, at least I am on this journey with my very best friend and wouldn't have it any other way. 

Visiting Teaching: Truly Inspired

I cannot even begin to express how full my heart is today. The Sabbath is such a wonderful day. I was blessed to have an incredible Sacrament meeting where I was uplifted and was able to partake of the Sacrament--renewing my covenants with my Father in Heaven. The rest of church was also especially great.

Today I also had the chance to go visit two incredible daughters of God--Leah and McKinzie--with my wonderful visiting teaching companion, Alley. It is remarkable how my spirits can be lifted even higher from the very beginning. These three girls are some seriously magnificent women and I am truly blessed to be able to interact with them. Their positive attitudes and their love for the Savior never cease to impress me and make me want to be better.

Relief Society is seriously incredible. All these women come together, and through their love of God, are able to be lifted and find the strength to carry not only their own burdens, but the burdens of those around them. Such strength and comfort comes from knowing there is such an immense amount of love with those women, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of it. I love how beautiful each and every woman is when they look to the Savior and try to emulate His life.

We each have a role to play in this life; our roles are big and small, but each is extremely vital. Together we have the chance to lift and fortify every person that we come in contact with.

Today I have been reminded of my responsibility to help others to come to know Christ and I hope that in some small way I can help those I interact with to feel of the love that their Savior and Father have for them.

I am so grateful to be a woman, in this church, at this time, and have the chance to know such wonderful people.

Christ lives! And He loves you, in a way that you cannot begin to imagine. Go out and remember how blessed you are; see the beauty in those around you and lift them up! It is a wonderful day, today. We are so very blessed!

The Lord is in my life

The past few days I've started to realized how truly blessed I am. Life is not easy with the stress of school, troubles with family, and mistakes I make; but as I look at the world that surrounds me, the simplest things blow my mind.

Friday I spent most of the day at my sister's house doing laundry and such. She used my car and drove me to class; it was one of the most beautiful days I've seen in Rexburg.

As I got out of class I waited on the sidewalk corner, enjoying the brilliant sun kissing my skin. I waited. I began to wonder if she was ever coming to get me. 20 minutes passed. If it had been any other day I would have been a little annoyed, but I was silently enjoying the wonderful weather and the warming sun. Although the day was lovely, I began to feel lonely as I was enjoying it all on my own. I then saw my brother-in-law, Garn, crossing the street toward me. Apparently he always takes a different path to class, but he told me he had a prompting to walk this way and there I was. It was so small, but I was amazed that God prompted Garn to come to see me, and especially amazed that Garn would follow such a small, seemingly unimportant, prompting. What a great example he is!

I was then blessed to go to a wonderful concert with Kyle and feel the spirit of the Lord through music. What a wonderful gift! The power of music is incredible.
Saturday promised to show me the hand of the Lord even more. My uncle George and cousins, Jesika and Emalee, came to Rexburg and I had the opportunity to go do baptisms with them; wow, it had been too long since I had been there. In the beginning things were a little crazy and the hustle and bustle had me finding it difficult to focus on the spirit. But, as things got settled I could feel the warmth of the precious companionship. I was reading through the Ensign and was enjoying it but still felt like I needed something different. My eye was caught by an article in the Ensign my cousin was reading entitled "Forgiving Thyself" as she flipped through the pages. When she went to put the Ensign down I knew I needed to look through it--thinking I needed that forgiveness article. I started at the beginning and read the articles that seemed to stand out to me. I came to one entitled "Joshua's Walls" and began to pass by it, not seeming interested. As I turned the page something told me that it could be interesting. I'm sad to say that I hesitated and continued to turn the pages. The thought again came into my head. I reluctantly decided to turn back and read it.

I can not even explain how perfect this article was for me. I was filled with love and peace and felt I needed to share it with one of my sisters. My eyes began to fill with tears as I realized how aware my Savior is of me. I absolutely love the temple and the inspiration I can find there.

As the day went on I thought more and more about the world around me. I played in a Black Light Volleyball tournament and the smallest things amaze me. Our eyes adjust so perfectly to changes in light; we can jump and run and play sports; we laugh and love and grow. Our bodies are truly amazing. I am set at awe with how perfectly God created us. I need to be more grateful for the body that I have been blessed with.

After the tournament Kyle and I went up to this church where you can see over Rexburg. I LOVE CITY LIGHTS! It was breathtaking. Even the chilling breeze making me shiver, and crazy drivers bringing the smell of burning rubber to my nose could not drown out the beauty of the stars, the city lights, and the joy of a wonderful boy being at my side. I wanted to just stop time and continue to be in that moment forever.

This world truly amazes me. So many different things allow me to see the hand of the Lord and His incredible creations. I am so incredibly blessed just to be a part of this world.

And now, I am blessed with a wonderful Sabbath day where I can turn to the Lord and partake of His Sacrament and be filled with His loving Spirit. I live in a wonderful town, go to a great school, and have such immense beauty surrounding me.

Today I am so very grateful that my Father is aware of me and makes Himself known in my life.