STEPPING OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF

Today I was talking to my sister Maddie on the phone about how alone i really felt this past year and I couldnt help but get choked up even thinking about it. I remember hearing people bare their testimonies in church and talk about how lonely they felt at times and I could never fully understand because I had honestly never felt that way before. Ive always enjoyed being super social and surrounding myself with tons of people so I had never experienced what loneliness really was.

As I was going though trials this past year I remember feeling so alone and like nobody understood what I was doing through. I would be at a party, surrounded by all of my friends, but I still felt so lonely. It was the hardest thing to explain and I hated feeling that way. I remember one day, I was filling up my gas at a circle K and I was dwelling on all the trials I was going through.  When i got in my car i saw an old man with his hood lifted on the side of the road and a voice instantly came to my head, "Help that man!". I knew that was the spirit and I was so mad because I wanted to dwell in my own self-pity. I didnt want to focus on someone else and their problems in that moment. I ended up driving over to the man and asking him if he needed help. He didnt hear me because he was probably deaf so i rolled my window up and thought to myself, "Heavenly Father cant be mad at me for not helping him. Its not my fault he is deaf!". As I started driving away, I felt the prompting again. "Help that man!" so I was like, "Oh my goodness Heavenly Father, I get it!".

I ended up parking my car and helping him push his truck into the circle K parking lot. We ended up jump starting his truck and that man was so full of gratitude. I can honestly say that was the happiest I had felt in months. I didnt feel lonely and I didnt feel sad because i was focusing less on me and more on others. As I was driving away I realized that that prompting from Heavenly Father probably helped me more than it helped that old man. There were still moments after this experience when I felt lonely. I would try to take a step back and see how I could help others and I always ended up feeling so much better when I did.

I am so sorry if any of you are feeling lonely! I have been there and I hate that feeling so much. I promise that stepping outside of yourself and focusing on lifting others will help bring so much happiness into your life. I hope you know that you are loved by your Heavenly Father. He is so mindful of you!

-Have a great week Everyone and remember you are so loved!