Look Up!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

The Comeback Kid...

Hi Y'all! I don't know if you remember Anna Beninati, the Utah college student who lost her legs in a train accident in Colorado last year. Well, look at her now! I read this article this morning on deseretnews.com and it is so inspiring! Please follow the link here to read it. It sure puts life into perspective.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765613957/The-comeback-kid-After-a-devastating-accident-Anna-Beninati-finds-happiness.html

Friday, October 26, 2012

When Whys Turn to Ways...

This Wednesday I had an appt. with my GI doc in which we decided I would undergo another endoscopy in a couple of weeks due to more (yes, more) gut issues I've been having the past several months. We've been digging this whole time for what exactly is causing the problem. I've made some lifestyle changes and tried different medications to see if they would remedy the situation, but none of them have. I wasn't sure how the wheels in my beloved Dr. Sossenheimer's head would be turning and what he would suggest but felt I needed to go in with an open mind and trust in his expertise as to what to do.

Some of my symptoms sent off red flags in his head, which is not usual. I always stump him, not alarm him! He didn't want to put me through more tests and $$, but said that doing another scope to implant a special testing monitor would show us what's going on and give us the right direction as to what to do.

This will be my tenth EGD, and they are so routine for me that I didn't think it would be a big deal, but for some reason, this time it has been. The stakes are higher because what we're searching for a condition that could require me to undergo a surgery that I really don't want to have to have.

I left the appt. very upset, worried about what all of this meant. But at the same time, my gut and the Spirit told me that this procedure was necessary to gaining answers as to what is wrong and guiding us in how to resolve it. I was really worried about what the results of the procedure would be and what they would mean for me, instead of having the scope in general. My eyes started leaking on I-15 on the way home and the dam burst as I pulled into my driveway. I thought, Why is this happening to me? Why do I have to have one more thing pop up to add to the long list of problems by body has? Why am I so upset when I've had this done so many times? Why am I feeling so anxious if I also feel this is the right thing to do? What should I do?

I don't ask the "Why?" question much anymore, because I have learned over the last 12 years of chronic health problems that these challenges serve a purpose. But on this day when I felt like I just couldn't cope, this scripture quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to mind:

"Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden. 'Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden,' the Savior said, 'and I will give you rest...unto your souls."

("He Heals the Heavy Laden", Ensign November 2006)

The full scripture he quoted above is in Matthew 11: 28-30:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

To read more about this scripture and what it means, please follow this link: http://www.findingamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2012/04/as-much-as-you-trust.html

It reassured me of what I have been promised time and time again, that the Lord will, to some extent, deliver me from these trials, but for those that stay in this life, I will find rest from them in the next one. So I allowed myself to cry because, well, this is all scary stuff, but I stopped asking the "Why?" question because I reminded myself that Heavenly Father will make a way of strength and deliverance when there seems to be now way in sight. I just have to trust in Him. That seems so hard, but the more and more practice you have doing it, the easier it gets. Twelve years of practice has changed my life, because it has changed me. I would not be who I am today if I had passed through these challenges, some of which have sunk me into a pit of complete and utter despair. But the Savior has lifted me out of that pit and up to higher ground, ground that only He can bring us to.
I know that no matter what, My Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ are with me every aching, tiring, long step of the way, helping me carry the burden. So I'll have my scope, going forward with faith that all will work out in the way He makes, even if that means more surgery for me. He has shown me time and time again that I can handle it and that He will help me through. May we each let go of the Whys so we can see the Ways the Lord is preparing for us.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Life is like a piano...

Last week I underwent my 9th surgery (5 within the past 2 years)...
* Ear Tubes * Appendix * Gallbladder * KneeX3 * Jaw-Bilateral * Hernia RepairX2 *
I haven't had the best of luck when it come to my health ever since I turned 16. It seems my life was absolutely perfect up until this point, when I moved away from what I called home, Austin, Texas. Life was great, my gymnastics couldn't have been better as I was on the road to accomplishing my goals and dreams of being a member of the US Gymnastics Team. I loved school, I had a great group of friends and my ward was awesome - life was just dandy.
Then, all at once, it seemed, I was faced with trial after trial. My health went downhill, I spent weeks upon weeks in the hospital. I didn't have a normal junior or senior year, spending much of my time with a tutor in a hospital bed instead of a normal high school classroom. My family moved and then moved again, 6x in 4 years. I watched my younger brother go down the wrong path. My gymnastics dreams were slipping away as I lost strength and skill, then, just when I thought I was getting back on track, I blew out my knee. I haven't completed college as quickly as I planned because of these set backs. This is just a small glimpse of everything I had to deal with.
But these years are behind me and as I look back on all I have dealt with, it is hard to believe all that I have been through and conquered. I look at the person I am today...

I am stronger.
I am braver.
I am more aware of how much the Lord loves me.
I better understand the power of the atonement.
My testimony has been strengthened with every challenge.
I am more understanding and willing to serve those around me.
I am a better person and have had the power to overcome trials through my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I love the following quote....

The black keys have strengthened me to become who I am today. They have brought meaning and purpose into my life. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to create a beautiful masterpiece. Without the black keys in our life, without the sadness, heartache, and challenges, we cannot grow to become more like our Heavenly Father. Our life becomes more meaningful and more beautifully perfected as we are given challenges to overcome. The beauty is, we aren't left to endure and bare these hard times alone; Heavenly Father is with us all along the way.

"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort...
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage....and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." -Mosiah 24:13-14

My Surgery went really well. I discovered my first hernia back in November of 2011. I found a lump and not sure what to think of it, called the doctor. At the same time, I realized I was losing weight at an unhealthy level; I lost 25 lbs in 2 months! I went from doctor to doctor and they all wanted to pass me onto someone else because they didn't know what it was. Finally, In January, I re-mentioned it to my GI doctor and he examined me; immediately, without thinking twice, he says "Oh, that's a hernia". So he referred me to Dr. Tittensor for surgery. Then, In March I went in for a repair. The harnia was much larger then she thought, in fact, it was bigger then any she had ever seen in someone as petite and athletic as I. She had to double mesh it to be sure it wouldn't pop back out of place. It was probably the toughest recovery of all my surgeries and I was restricted from doing much for about 6-8 weeks. I remember laying there the first night after surgery in the hospital bed, pleading for comfort, wondering why I had to endure such great pain. I felt so alone and helpless. This was when I truly understood the fullness of the atonement. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered for all of us.

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44

"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole death, and have been slain for the sins of the world." 3Nephi 11:14

In doing so [suffering], Christ “descended below all things”—including every kind of sickness, infirmity, and dark despair experienced by every mortal being—in order that He might “comprehend all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth.” -Elder Jeffrey R Holland

The atonement is not only for those who have sinned, but for those who are afflicted and sick. In this moment, I felt the Saviors love all around me. He was there by my side. He brought me comfort and reminded me of his great suffering. He knew EXACTLY what I was feeling. He felt my hurt. He shed tears even as I. He suffered much more than any of us can even comprehend. I knew at this moment, I was not alone. I realized that this time would pass, I would regain my strength and the pain would subside. I was able to sleep a little after this. I felt a greater love for my Savior in being there with me that night, when I felt so alone and so incredibly uncomfortable due to my pain levels. I was comforted.

My more recent hernia repair was performed by Dr. Rasmussen - also a great surgeon who was referred to me by Dr. Tittensor. He was able to go in and make the repair. It took about 2 hours because of the complexity of having to work around the previous repair, but my prayers were answered. He fixed it. And according the to beautiful blessing my cousin, Brandon, gave me, it was a permanent fix. I was admitted to the hospital with this repair as well. My blood pressure was dangerously low, therefor, I was unable to receive any type of pain medication the first night. Yeah, you try going without ANY pain medication right after a surgery...It was not a fun night! But again, I was comforted my my Heavenly Father and knew that this too shall pass. And it did. I am now at home, on the road to recovery. I am still having my bad moments, but things are looking up!

I must endure the "black key" moments in my life and know that they are only there to help create a beautiful masterpiece which makes me who I am today. They say practice makes perfect. The more you endure, and the more you are able to see the good in life, the better you will be able to handle challenges that come your way. The better you will become at playing the black keys which help create your own masterpiece!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Lessons of Our Worth

Life sure is sweet, isn’t it? Even in the midst of trials, tribulations, or let me speak candidly, lots and lots of crappy stuff, life is amazingly, beautifully wonderful. Sometimes the trials are what help us see and experience the best life has to give, and help us see our worth. This must be a lesson the Lord knows I need to learn, because he’s given me LOTS of experience with it.

This all came back to me last week, as I was sick for the entirety of it. It started Monday with a stomach flu. Ugh. I handled the first day well, but the second one was harder, if only because I was stuck indoors with no other human contact. That’s when I get irritable, and I’m no happy girl! Then I learned I had tonsillitis. Yes, you can get tonsillitis when you have no tonsils! In a nutshell, I felt horrible.

But while I was sitting pretty in my pity-sarcasm, people-I prayed to the Lord that he would bless me with something He knew I needed. And as always, he did. My sweet mother sent my brother over with some food and sent texts each morning to see how I was doing. Many friends sent texts and messages of well wishes, asking me what they could do. My niece gave me a big hug even though I was “a sicky”. All these little happenings brought to the forefront of my memory a time last year when I was really-and I mean realllllly!!!-sick, and the amazing lesson of love and worth it taught me.

One Sunday last July my head started to hurt severely, the worst I've ever had in my life-and for those of you who know my headaches, that's really saying something!!! I went to bed with my whole body hurting: muscles, joints, everything. My body had never hurt that bad. I went to work Monday morning souped up on Excedrin and Tylenol but only made it to 12:30 before I knew I had to go home. Even I could not push myself that far. From then on, my body fell apart. The aches worsened; I got a fever, chills and shakes and nausea; and that headache, oh that headache! My head screamed in agony if I moved it even a fraction of an inch. Just sitting still hurt like insanity; I could hardly eat or move, let alone get up and walk.

My Doc and I suspected Meningitis and on Wednesday he told me to go to the Emergency Room because I was getting worse and the blood test they took for Meningitis would take at least 48 hours to run. That day was my birthday. The ER is where I got to spend it, oh joy! I was in there seven hours, got hooked up to fluids, morphine, zofran, had a chest x-ray, CT scan and a spinal tap. Yikes! you say? It was actually amazingly painless, which was a little birthday present from the Lord!

All the tests came back negative but my liver function was really off. Liver enzyme levels are normally around 50. Mine levels were about 400. Talk about toxicity! Because nothing serious was found, they took some more blood to check for things like CMV and West Nile Virus and sent me home.

I was a physical wreck, and my spirit took a dive too. Being sick plummeted me dangerously low. I was unable to work for a week but when I went back I felt useless because my head hurt so badly I could hardly keep my eyes open, let alone play on the floor with my kiddos. I slipped into what I call the "Pit of Despair", which I frequently visit during times like this. I questioned the Lord as to why this was happening and felt like it was because I was a bad, worthless person, and that I wasn't living my life right. But the Lord sent me some divine signatures to prove me wrong. Through this whole ordeal I had a bounty of love and care shown to me by the people in my life. I was shown as plain as can be that I am loved and of great worth.

My mom and dad were my strength through all of this. I received three blessings from my father and felt his great love for me. My mom was my Florence Nightingale. Both of my parents were there for me at all hours of the day or night. Several nights were filled with several trips from their room to where I was sleeping to answer the shrieks of pain I could not control nor stop, get my medicine, take my temperature, and kneel by my bedside as I tried to sleep. It was hard to see the look of worry and concern on their faces because I didn't want to cause them grief or pain. But those looks of concern precisely showed me how much they loved and cared for me.
During my trip to the ER I kept my facebook page updated on all the happenings and it was quickly inundated with messages from family and friends who let me know they were thinking of and praying for me. Over the next week many little blessings occurred. My friend and ward relief society president brought me flowers and a card out of the blue. I had no idea that she even knew I was sick! I received more visits from grandparents, family and friends who wanted to see how I was doing. When I got back to work everyone was excited to see me and I received gifts, hugs and lots of love. I won't try to write here all the gifts I received.
The response was simply overwhelming, and you know, with all I was going through at that time in my life, not just this particular sickness, it's just what I needed. In all honesty, I was grateful I got sick if only because I was able to see evidence of how much I do mean to the Lord and to others, how much I am worth. No, I am not saying that one's worth is based upon other people's feelings for us. Our true worth comes from God, but he sends angels in the form of other people on this earth to help us see that we are of worth to Him and to them. A week after this ordeal began I wrote in my journal about this and thought, Maybe that's the real reason for this trial. No matter if that is the case or not, I need to remember how much this experience showed me that I am loved and that I am of much worth.
Our trials serve specific purposes, which sometimes are impossible for us to discern right at that gut-wrenching moment. People may say, Hindsight is 20/20, no? But those of us with the truth know that it is really the eternal perspective that allows us to, "see beyond this veil of tears to the other side of sorrow." Our worth is great in the sight of God. I don't just believe that, I know it to be true.

Do you? Please share your stories or experiences here!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Blueberry Muffins and Fruit Smoothies

My ward had fast and testimony meeting today, with it being General Conference last week. I love to bear my testimony! Today, I was one of the first to stand up. I was so full of the spirit and my heart began to beat so hard, I just had to get up and express my feelings to everyone in attendance.

I am so grateful for this gospel and I know that we have the full truth restored to us today, through Joseph Smith, a prophet of God. I know that I am a daughter of a Heavenly King and I know that he loves me. My heart is so full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father and I know he is there with me every step of the way. The past 2 weeks have been incredible with so much happening. As I have put Christ first, I have received inspiration as to what comes second. I know that Heavenly Father does hear and answer my prayers. I am so grateful for the power that comes from reading the scriptures and how much can be learned from the prophets of old. I have found answer after answer just by reading its words. I know that our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God, here to guide and direct us along the path of righteousness!

In the words of Sister Ann M. Dibb of the General Young Women's Presidency:

I am a Mormon

I know it!

I live it!

I love it!

Last weekend, my brother Nick and his girlfriend Zoe stayed at the house. My parents were out of town and when I realized they were there Sunday morning, I ran upstairs with a box of blueberry muffins and asked them if they would like some breakfast. They said they would love to stay and I even made fruit smoothies. As we sat and ate, we all watched conference. I was filled with joy to see them in tune to the words of the general authorities and leaders of this church. I have prayed that Nick, and Zoe too, will come around and realize what is most important in life. This was an answer to one of the six questions I had written down, prior to conference.

Elder Craig G. Christensen stated:

"The Holy Ghost is a teacher and a revelator. As we study, ponder, and pray about gospel truths, the Holy Ghost enlightens our minds and quickens our understanding. He causes the truth to be indelibly written in our souls and can cause a mighty change to occur in our hearts.

"President Boyd K. Packer has taught: “The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear. … While we speak of ‘listening’ to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, ‘I had a feeling … ’.” It is through these sacred feelings from the Holy Ghost that we come to know what God would have us do, for this, as stated in scripture, “is the spirit of revelation.”

I felt this spirit of revelation throughout all of conference and can't wait to read the words again.

I have been reading in D&C and today I came across a scripture re-emphasizing this very thing.

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit...
"Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;
"Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.

"Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

D&C 6:14-16, 20-21, 36

All we have to do, is come to Him in faith and ask for comfort and direction. He knows the intents of our hearts; He is just waiting for us to come forth and ask. We must do our part in striving to keep the commandments and as long as we are doing this, we will be directed by the spirit of the Holy Ghost.

I was touched by many of the words spoken during general conference, but by far, the highlight of the whole weekend was seeing my younger brother and his girlfriend take in the words being said. Just there presence was a big step and all it took was something as simple as making blueberry muffins and smoothies for breakfast to motivate them to stay.
I love this gospel and I KNOW it to be true!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Heartfelt Message

Last weekend was amazing! I look forward to conference weekend every fall and spring and it always goes by way too fast! This gospel is true! The words spoken by our prophet, the general authorities and all the leaders of this church, speak through our Heavenly Father. They are here to guide and protect us in such a world of unrest, disappointment, and trial. They give us hope and light the path for us to find happiness here on Earth as we make our way back to our Heavenly Father. President Thomas S. Monson is an amazing prophet. He shows concern for the Lords children all over the world and brings comfort as he testifies of the things which we should do. As he closed Sunday evening, he stated:

"Let us be of good cheer as we go about our lives. Although we live in increasingly perilous times, the Lord loves us and is mindful of us. He is always on our side as we do what is right. He will help us in time of need. Difficulties come into our lives, problems we do not anticipate and which we would never choose. None of us is immune. The purpose of mortality is to learn and to grow to be more like our Father, and it is often during the difficult times that we learn the most, as painful as the lessons may be. Our lives can also be filled with joy as we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"We offer our heartfelt gratitude to all who have participated in any way. The truths of the gospel have been beautifully taught and reemphasized. As we take the messages of the past two days into our hearts and into our lives, we will be blessed."

There are so many wonderful words of wisdom in these few words. This is only a small glimpse of the great amount of inspiration that came from all the words which were spoken. President Monson knows this life is not easy. He prays that we will find comfort and direction in our lives. I love how he says "None of us is immune". No matter what we have been through, there will always be hard times. The purpose of difficult times is to allow us to grow so that we can become more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

"And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
"And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." Mosiah 24:15-16

The Lord wants us to grow. We don't have to be perfect to find happiness. As long as we are striving to become better and more like him, we can be happy. In times of trial, one should pray for strength to endure and ask for guidance and understanding as to what is to be learned from it all. If we just pray in hope that everything will be made easier we won't be strengthened in any way. The Lord loves us so very much and he wants us to succeed. "Our lives CAN be filled with joy as we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

For the past 9 months, I have been studying for my PTC (personal training certificate) test. When I first began, I didn't know how to study the material I was handed. My brain wasn't functioning the way that it was supposed to. Let me back up a little bit....

In February of 2009, I was involved in an ice skating accident. I fell forward while trying to attempt a Walze Jump, smacking my head on the ice. One quick ambulance ride and 9 hours later, I woke up in ICU. Thats right, the blow to my head knocked me cold for 9 hours. I don't remember a thing. It took some digging to figure out who I was since I didn't have my ID with me and I was alone. Luckily there was a girl there who recognized me from class, first miracle. The paramedics called my Aunt Sandi who happened to have the whole Inkley clan at her home for a sibling dinner and they were able to contact my mom this way, miracle number 2. The whole family drove down to see how I was doing but the doctors weren't saying much. They were all pretty much preparing for the worst. After scans and tests, they confirmed there was no bleeding in my brain, no fractures, and that I suffered a major concussion with a moderate brain injury...third miracle considering it could have been a LOT worse! I had to drop most of my classes that semester and was out of work for a little over 6 weeks. I basically had to allow time for my brain to heal. I attended therapy and rested a lot! because of this injury, I have had jaw issues including surgery, continuing headaches and migraines, and I have had to re-learn new ways of studying.

I have been given a priesthood blessing that I will make a full recovery and that I would be ok. It has been almost 4 years and I am still fighting the symptoms caused by this traumatic fall. I decided during my last fall semester I needed to go back to therapy. I was put on a wait list and didn't get in until after I had already begun this course through NASM. By this time I was so frustrated and nothing was sticking. I didn't know how to study and was running out of options. Ally, my therapist at TOSH Neurology has been great! She helped me get back on track and has geven me ways to work on improving my short term memory, multi-tasking, and other little study tips.
Over the summer I became distracted. I have never been the one to take courses through the summer. It is my favorite season and I just enjoy playing and going on vacation and having fun. Well, I started this internship in June, plus I was trying to study like mad. This didn't give me much time to have fun for myself. I missed our bear lake trip! I feel as though I have been studying non-stop, and the time has finally come. My test is just around the corner. I was supposed to be taking it as we speak, but the testing center somehow didn't get me on their schedule, so now I am taking it Tuesday morning. This gives me more time to study and prepare, however, now I have to take time off work to do it. But the more I think about it, this was a blessing. I really wasn't ready to take it today and now I have more time to really get down the things I need to know to be successful...

I have prayed for strength and understanding of what I am supposed to learn. I have prayed for an increased knowledge as I put in the time and effort and discover new ways of studying. I have had to work at it and as I do my part, I know my Heavenly Father will bless me.
This week, I have had many other wonderful things happen...I got approved to refinance my car and this has been a HUGE blessing in my life. I have made many mistakes when it has come to buying cars and I am learning my lesson...the hard way. But now I know what NOT to do when it comes to buying a new car. I also successfully passed my CPR and AED training and am certified! That was such a great feeling of success! Just the thing I needed to boost my confidence knowing that I CAN DO THIS! The Lord is there in time of need! I have felt his presence so strongly in the past couple of weeks as I have moved my scripture study time to the morning. It is a great way to start my day and this way I know I will have time for it.

"If you put Jesus Christ first, he will tell you what comes second."

Well, I have to get back to studying, but stay tuned for more....I have plenty more to share relating to general conference!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Scratching the Surface

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be truly humble by recognizing our nothingness compared to God. Just when you feel you finally "get" something about life, or that you just "get" life, you learn something else that makes you "get it" again. Translation: We as human beings aren't even beginning to scratch the surface of God's knowledge and marvels.
When I think I've seen the most beautiful sunset and that I'll never experience anything to top it in this life, when I feel depressed because that moment is gone, another moment occurs and I see a more beautiful one. When I've had an experience that's amazing and think life can't get any better, the Lord proves me wrong by showing and blessing me or those around me with an even more amazing experience.

There will always be more. More sunsets, more calm spring nights, more crisp mountain mornings, more enchanting holiday seasons with snow and lights all aglow. There's more revelations, more inspiring words, more moving music, more touching portraits and photos, more scriptures that speak to you in a new way. God always has more. There is never an end to His glory, His works, and His love.
I have sooooo much to learn here and I want to ask, seek and open myself up to all that He has to offer.

Look for the sunlight in the sunsets Y'all!

This is Us!

We're two best friends who were put in each other's lives for a special purpose. We later realized our uncanny connection was more than uncanny! Together we have endured years of chronic health problems that have allowed us to be strengthened and polished by the Lord. In the process we have only grown closer to Him and to each other. We know that everyone has their own crosses to bear and it is through this blog that we hope to inspire and strengthen others.

LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson’s encouragement to "Look up!" is a metaphor for remembering Christ. As we remember Him and trust in His power, we receive strength through His Atonement. It is the means whereby we can be relieved of our anxieties, our burdens, and our suffering. It is the means whereby we can receive the faith, strength and hope to endure all things.