Times of Trials

Some things have happened with friends recently that have really torn my heart. A new schedule change at my school means my lunch hour gets changed so that i don't have the same lunch with my friends anymore. I miss them terribly and i've lost touch with them. We still talk for about a minute or so in the hall but nothing else really happens. It's made my days very dreary.
I've also gotten into a rift with my really close friend. We had an argument about something and we can't seem to get past it. We're now at the stage where we act as if the other person isn't living and it really breaks my heart. She was such a great friend to me and we've had some fantastic times and now, from one stupid and reckless moment, all happiness has vanished.
Because of the problems that occurred last year with my friends that i lost, I've grown and changed to become a better friend so i've forgiven her and i've tried to make amends but things aren't working out. She just has no interest in making it work. So today, i was just asking Heavenly Father, Why does this always have to happen to me? I always seem to be doing so good and then things just plummet to the cold, hard ground and it made me think of a scripture.
It's found in D&C 58: 3-4 And it says...

 3 Ye cannot behold with your natural ^aeyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the ^bglory which shall follow after much tribulation.

 4 For after much ^atribulation come the ^bblessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be ^ccrowned with much ^dglory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand.

And it just gave me so much peace to know that Heavenly Father knows what i'm going through and he does have a way where this will all work out. Times get hard and things change but our blessings are down the road and without change, we'll never be able to receive those wonderful treasures He has in store for us. 

I'm doing good and i'm staying positive by eating yummy foods and watching lots of Ellen. (: I hope you're all doing well and make sure to keep smiling. (:

Catch Up

It has been 4 months since I last posted in my blog and that means i'm failing! But, not a lot has really happened so i don't feel so bad! I've been focusing on my Personal Progress for a little while because i only have 3 10-hour projects left to do so i'm hustling to get them done! One project is a cookbook for when i get into college and so my sweet aunt Leah is letting me choose meals that i;d like to learn how to cook and she walks me through the steps and the meals turn out good. My other project is scrap booking The Family: A Proclamation to the World with pictures of my own family. It's really coming together and it's actually a great activity because it's developing my creativity skills as well as helping my spiritual growth. And the third project is reading the Book of Mormon and i'm 3rd Nephi so i'm doin' great!
Life at home is really fun with all the kids running around and being crazy. Just the other day when i was doing my homework, Madelyn (4) and Ian (2) crawled into my room pretending to be puppies and i was their "mama". They always find new ways to make me laugh and smile and just brighten my day. Children really are such a blessing. Of course, they can sometimes get on your nerves but those moments when they rest their heads on your shoulder or say they love you, you forget all about everything that's bad in the world! The love from a child is more rewarding than 1.5 billion dollars. I love the Hoogland kids so much and they are no longer cousins; they're my little brothers and sister.
School life is pretty rough this semester. I have U.S. History, American Literature, Algebra 2, Consumer Economics, and PE. All my hard classes have been saved for 2nd semester. Not too excited about that! But i can do it! I can do anything! I finished out last semester with one A, two A-'s, one B, and one B-. The best i've ever done i think! I can really see myself improving and it makes me have so much self-confidence and i just feel so proud of myself for doing something hard. I love the experiences i'm having here and the lessons i'm learning.
I hope all is well with your families and i hope to see you all soon! I love you and keep smiling! :)