A Series of Very Fortunate Events

A friend once told me the reason we sometimes can't fall asleep at night is because we still have something to learn. I have no doubt that is why I laid awake for so long last night;

At 2:21 AM I was laying wide awake in bed annoyed that I still had not fallen asleep. By 2:23 AM I found myself thinking about Elder Edward Dube’s talk from General Conference and how perfectly it relates to my life, "Never look back. Look at what we still have to do." I LOVE that! At 2:24 AM I was reminded that two days prior (Sunday) marked one whole year since I received my very first Temple recommend and my Patriarchal Blessing recommend. By 2:24:04 AM I was frantically checking my calendar to see if my mind was playing tricks on me. It wasn't. It has been an entire year! Woah. The next 60 seconds I "laid all amazed". Haha get it? Seriously though- I just laid all amazed. After that, I knew I had to document the moment so I wrote down a few thoughts and feelings...Only to realize at 2:34 AM I forgot to do the most important thing I could in a situation like this; Give thanks to my Heavenly Father. I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't think to do that first, but now I can remember for next time, right? So I took a moment to thank Heavenly Father for the experiences I have had in the last year and to reflect on how far I have come since then. Yes, I did exactly what 15 minutes earlier I was thinking about not doing-I was looking back at how far I have come. But as I looked back on the last year of my life, I recalled a few things I have learned:


1. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always by our side.

Example: In the last year, I have come to realize that since I was baptized 13 years ago, They have been very quietly helping me find my way to Them. Through normal people, through ordinary experiences, through small decisions; They were there. Looking back, I can pinpoint seemingly insignificant times that now prove to be among the most significant times in my life. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have truly always been there.


2. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can do more with our lives than we will ever be able to do.

Example: Even though I have been baptized for 13 years, active in the Church for three years, and active in the Gospel for one year, I feel that nine months ago was when I really turned my life over to Them. Nine months ago was when I really let go of everything that was holding me from Them. Nine months ago was when I really reached out to Them. Nine months ago was when I finally realized I needed Them. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have truly done more with my life in nine months than I did with it in almost 21 years.


3. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will carry you.

Example: The last year, by far, has been the hardest year of my life. I have been faced with doubts, temptations, “what-if’s”, insecurities, questions, and everything in between. Seven months ago, I was called to make a life-changing decision that interrupted every plan I had ever made, and as a result, hurt the people I love most. Because of that alone, this year has been the hardest year of my life. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have truly carried me through the last year, especially the last seven months, and They have not put me down once.



In essence, I have learned that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real.
We just have to look for Them.


Until next time,

The "Farewell Talk"

Today, I gave my “farewell talk” and it was a very special day for multiple reasons.

One, I had originally planned to do a luncheon at my house after, but I changed my mind after a very wise man reminded me that the meeting I would be speaking in and the day I would be speaking on, should not be centered on me, but on the Savior. How grateful I am he reminded me of that! Opting out of the tradition and trying my absolute best to treat the day like any other Sabbath day was one of the best decisions I made leading up to my “farewell” and I will never regret that decision one bit.

Two, I felt an outpouring of the Spirit throughout the entire meeting. Not just while partaking of the Sacrament. Not just while singing the Hymns. Not just while listening to the speakers speak. Throughout the entire meeting, I felt the Spirit and I had an experience I will never, ever forget.

Three, I had the opportunity to teach the exact people who have been teaching me for all these years. That was an incredibly humbling experience. As I looked around, I was surrounded by people I have known for years and people I have known for just a month, but nonetheless, they were all people I have learned something from. They were all people I have looked up to. They were all people who have influenced me. And they were all people I love dearly. I felt an enormous responsibility to teach my teachers something that would have a lasting effect and I knew there was only one-way to do that.

Which leads me to my last reason, I relied on the Spirit more than I can ever recall doing. I was given a talk from General Conference to speak on; “The Moral Force of Women” by Elder Christofferson. As great as that talk is, I never actually used it in my own talk. Upon reading, pondering and praying, I felt prompted to take my talk in another direction. I did, however, find what direction Heavenly Father wanted me take my talk by listening to the assigned talk. Amazing how that works! In the talk, he says,



And that is what sparked it. So naturally, I spoke on the Plan of Salvation, but mainly focusing on the Pre-Mortal Life. Now, I really struggled with this. I won’t lie. I am the only active member in my immediate family and I knew there would be other people in attendance who are not active or are not members, and I felt an important need to break down the Pre-Mortal Life as if I was teaching it to a little child because that is the exact way I learned about the Pre-Mortal Life. And again, I struggled with this. So, as I approached the stand with my scriptures, a Hymn book (because of a last minute addition), and the little notes that I had purposely prepared, I prayed to my Heavenly Father just one last time for the Spirit to be with me. Almost everything after that is a blur. I am unsure of what I said, but I am fully aware of what I felt and I have been told that if I am feeling the Spirit, than those I am teaching are feeling the Spirit as well. And I call that a success.


Until next time,

The Facts

Helloooooooo! My name is Kaylyn Crawford! What's yours?!

This is most definitely the cliché “About Me” first blog post,
but I feel it is absolutely and completely necessary, so bare with me :)


THE BASICS:
As stated above, I am Kaylyn Crawford.
I am twenty-one and a half years old.
I was born, raised and still reside in Utah. (For now!)
I have two supportive parents and one older sister.



THE MINORS:
I adore the water and the human mind.
I love making things pretty.
I enjoy having fun and being outside.
I like to think I'm not your typical girl.



THE MAJORS:
I am a Mormon and I love everything about it.
I want others to know what I know.
I want others to feel what I feel.
And because of this, I am a future Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.





Until next time,