Who am I?

I am defined by what I do and what role I play in this thing we call life. Some of my roles include: brother, son, friend, co worker, employee, and student. What do I believe? Many of my beliefs reflect my religion which I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. I believe in a loving Father in Heaven and in His son Jesus Christ. I believe that they have a plan of each of us. I believe in being a good christian. I believe that we are all brothers and sisters. I believe in treating all people equally even if I don't agree or understand them. I believe that people are good in general and have potential to become better through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that it is important to be grateful, humble, charitable and to do good continually. I believe it is essential that we help one another. I believe in caring about other people and helping them. I believe that it is important to gain an education. I believe that there is a time and a place for all things and that an overload of any one thing is not good. I believe that it is essential to be a good citizen. I believe in striving to become a better person through the atonement of Jesus Christ. These are just a few of the things that I believe that make up who I am.

Why I do what I do

I question this sometimes. What are my motives behind certain things that I do? Why do I laugh and certain things? Sometimes I cant pin point it to anything specific. Most of the time I do certain things depending on my mood or who I am with. With certain people I may be more susceptible to laughing because I feel happy in their presence or I enjoy laughing around them. Maybe its a silly facial expression or something I admire about them. Maybe it just happens that they reminded me of something funny. I enjoy laughing. I am a serious person sometimes when the conversation or the people around me are discussing serious things.  There is a time and a place for all things. I am a firm believer of this and understand that its not appropriate to act in a certain way in the wrong situation. If someone is discussing something serious its not appropriate to laugh. It important to check your manors in certain situations to make sure that you act appropriately. Sometimes I don't understand why I do certain things. Its just a part of who I am.

The Good Days

Some days I just feel at peace and know that everything will work out. These are some of the best days because I'm not worried. I feel content with my life and where I am headed. We all need days like these because life should not always be hard or stressful. It important to enjoy life. I have felt super grateful for all the many things I have been blessed with. There are days when I stand amazed at all that I have been given. God is so great! He is the author of peace and joy. I have been given so much and I try to give back to those who need it. Most of the time this is by being a good friend or trying to cheer up someone who isn't having a good day. I try to care about others and remember the things that are important to them. Sometimes I have a hard time showing people that I care but, in reality I care a lot. I think I do this best by remembering them and sending them meaningful texts. We all enjoy being remembered because we are the most important person to ourselves. We care a lot about ourselves and we love it when people acknowledged us. Just remember you may be going through a hard time or feeling down but, it will get better. Remember how much you have been given and the wonderful people that God has given you. If you do this you will realize that your life is actually pretty good. So lift up your head, put a smile on your face and go out and change the world in which you live!

No such thing as coincidences

We meet people for a reason. I have come to understand that there are no such thing as coincidences. Everything correlates and sometimes its important and sometimes its really not.So many people that have taught me something we people that by normal happenstance I would have never met. Based on decisions and events. I have married off almost all of my original roommates. I watched each of them met and date their wives. Each happened quickly and met because of their connections to people. They all would agree in saying that they met their spouse not by chance. There is no such thing as a destined eternal companion but, at the same time God will lead us to people that can be our eternal companion. People are everywhere and never miss an opportunity to talk to someone because that person could change your life. You also can have a big influence in the lives of those you meet. Share your talents and abilities. Help people and in the end your reward will be great!

The Simple Things in Life

The Simple Things in Life

Sometime I think everything is going wrong and feel sad for myself when in reality everything is going great. I let little things bother me that really have no great importance in my life. Usually they are just temporary problems that I won't remember even a few weeks later. Lately I have been distracted and stressed with a lot of things. As the semester gets closer to the end the more I realize how much I need to get done and it seems like the less I am able to get done. But it's important to remember the little things that help keep me going:

Apple juice

Naps

My warm fuzzy blanket

A cup of hot chocolate on a cold night

A text from a friend I haven't talked to in a while

A compliment that I wasn't expecting 

A warm shower

Hot pizza

My warm hoodie

Sleeping in

Texting someone until late hours for the night

Talking to a friend when there is a lot on my mind

Watching a movie

Watching tv

Eating chocolate

A late night walk

Music

My favorite song

Laying in bed with my iPod in

Writing on my blog 

Dr. Pepper

This list could go on for a while but, these are just a few of my favorite things. They are so simple and sometimes I take them for granted because I get caught up in things. I am truly a happy person and know that God loves me and will help me get through any trials. It's important to remember the small things that make us happy and remember all the blessings that we have been given. Try not to focus on the negative things in life and you will be a much happier person. 

We like to complicate life

I always wonder why we like to complicate things. Life is hard to understand sometimes. The hardest part is understanding the other people who are going through this thing we call life. Some days I just want to isolate myself from people because they are hard to understand. I wish I was a more straight forward person. I try to be nice too much when I shouldn't be. However I don't think this will ever change. I am a nice person and treat almost everyone with kindness even if they really don't deserve it. I think this is because I understand that everyone is fighting a different battle. Its hard to judge a person that hasn't lived your life.

 "Always remember you are unique! Just like everyone else in this world!"-Courtney Webber

We are all so unique and God made us that way. We all have unique personalities and spirits. We have also all been given unique challenges and trials. We also have the ability to help other people in a way that no one else can. We must accept our uniqueness and use it to better the unique world in which we live.

Desires

We all have desires both large and small. What do we want out of life? What do we want out of a relationship? What do we want out of a friendship? What do we want out of our job or school? We all desire an end result or little benefits along the way. A good example is service. What do we want out of it? Usually we desire the feeling that we helped someone. We make friends because we want their company or maybe something else. There is a book called everything is a business or something to that extent. We do everything with the hope or desire to obtain something. Its important to analyze what these desires are. If we can understand what we want out of something then we will understand what we need to put into it in order to obtain the desired result. An example is a friendship. If my desire is a good friend then I myself need to be a good friend and do what I hope the other person would do for me. This wont always work but, in most cases it will. If I desire to make a lot of money I need to be willing to work for it either through labor or schooling to have the knowledge to make the desired money. God teaches us that everything worth while is hard to obtain and always requires work. Our Heavenly Father looks upon the desires of our hearts. He knows what we want and knows how we can obtain it. He also knows if that is really what we need and He will sometimes not give it to us because its not what we need. This is hard to understand and sometimes drives us crazy because we want something so bad but, He knows its not what we need.

Future Wife

Dear Future Wife,

Thank you for being the kind of person that understands my stupid jokes/humor. Thanks for putting up with my awkwardness and the weird things that I do sometimes just for fun. I'm not sure exactly what you see in me but, I'm sure I see a lot in you. I bet you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on. Your smile probably melts my heart and I'm sure I make lots of stupid jokes just to see it. I probably try doing little things to show you how much I care about you. Your probably the first thing I think of in the morning when I wake up and the last thought I have before I fall asleep. When my mind wanders it probably goes back to something funny that happened to you or to me when I was with you. I'm sure I have the biggest smile when I'm around you because you make me happy. I cant wait to meet you. Please find me soon, if you haven't already.

Thanks,

Your future Husband 

Friends

This is a topic that I think about regularly. It brings me back to my younger years when I remember asking my Heavenly Father to help me make friends.This was a pretty continuous event because I wanted to make lots of friends. I've made a lot of great friends over the years. However some I am no longer in contact with or haven't seen in years. This makes me sad but, I realize its a part of life. I try to hard to please people sometimes which ends up pushing people away. I get along with almost anyone. I always find something that I share in common with them. I feel like people become disinterested in me after a while and they move on. One the worst feelings is being forgotten by your friends. This unfortunately has happened to me and I'm sure I have done it. Its hard to live in a world of imperfect people including myself. There is always a group of people that are happy to see me and that is my family. Someday I will find that special girl that loves me for who I am. For my crazy ideas and jokes. For my weird personality and my attention to detail. I cant wait to meet her if I haven't already. I know that God leads us to where we are needed most even if we don't understand why sometimes. Sometimes I wonder why I came to Cedar City Utah to go to school when there is a university in my home city. However I know that I am here for a reason. He has shown me many reasons why I am here. I still wonder what He has in store for me. Its easy to feel sad or alone sometimes even though I am around a lot of great people. I have one friend that I know I can always rely on besides Jesus Christ. He has been my great friend for the past year and a half. I know I met him for a reason because he has helped me so much and I don't think he even knows how much he has helped me. He is the kind of guy that will randomly just call me to say Hi. He invites me to everything he does almost even if its with his in-laws. He has helped me so much. He has been there when no one else has. If I need someone to talk to about something he is one of the first people I know I can call and know he will listen to me. I know he will always be my best friend for life. I have always tried to be a great friend but, I feel as if I fail a lot just like with dating. I care a lot about people and don't know how to show it sometimes.

Technology and Communication

This is something I have thought about and have even talked to people about. As technology advances we many ways to communicate with people but, this is not always a good thing. When it comes down to it the best way to communicate is in person. However this is hard sometimes because we all have busy lives and sometimes we just want to check in with that person so we send them a text or a quick call. There is nothing better than face to face communication. Texts can easily be misinterpreted and don't really show much emotion. Sometimes we end up frustrated or worried because we get a text that we misinterpret when in reality the sender didn't think anything of it. Sometimes I wonder how many relationships have been ruined because of texting. I text a lot don't get me wrong and its great way to connect but, its also important to have face to face conversations with the person. I have a lot of improving to do and I am very aware of this because I am very much a technologically connected person. Sometimes we feel alone even though we are texting a person or we have a ton of friends on a social network site. Nothing beats doing something with people that care about you. Sometimes I think it would be easier to disconnect from social media and focus on those around me. I have been in so many places but, what was I doing? I was busy updating my twitter account or posting to Facebook. Sometimes we forget to live in the moment and enjoy life around us. I spent two years disconnected from the world as I served a mission for the LDS church. Did I miss anything super important because I wasnt on social media. The answer is no and I was caught up in a matter of days when I came home. I'm not saying to stop using it because I know I wont. I enjoy connecting to people. My advice is to make time to talk to people around you. Watch when and where you are using social media. There is a time and a place for all things. I have a lot to improve in this area but, none of us are perfect.

Stress and People

Sometimes I let stress bother me too much. Yesterday I made a comment that I wish I had never spoken to people. Its funny because so many people ended up helping me out yesterday. It made me realize that I am truly blessed because of the people I have in my life. Sometimes they may drive me crazy or do things that hurt me but, in the end they help me. I wrote a post earlier about people and how we meet them for a reason. I know this to be true and sometimes the reason is not clear. I wish I understood life better. I always have so many unanswered questions that might not be answered until I leave this mortal existence. Our Heavenly Father loves us and He helps guide us when we obey Him. He knows our potential and who we need in our lives to help us. Sometimes we get caught up in the short term issues and we miss the big picture. I am a very imperfect person but, I am trying to become more like Jesus Christ. I wish I was a better friend sometimes. I fail sometimes to recognize all the things that people do and have done for me.

My Friends

Most of my friends have come and gone as the waves of the ocean. Many people have moved on to other adventures which didn't include me. There are so many people that I once cared about that I haven't seen in years. This really makes me sad sometimes because I have had a lot of great friends over the years. I am the kind of person that cares a lot about other people. I am very much a people person. I wish I could talk to and see a lot of people but, most people are just memories that I have left because they are different or I am no longer in contact with them. Every night I try to pray for my friends by name. It hurts me when they forget about me but, I still care about them. I am excited for when I find my eternal friend because I know that she wont forget or leave me. What a glorious day when I take her to the House of the Lord.

Understanding people: I dont

This is my rant about people. I know I posted today about the great people that have helped me and this post has nothing to do with them. This post has to do with all the people that I don't understand. I have taken a few psychology classes and they have taught me a few things about people. First of all why do we always only care about ourselves? I admit I have done this before because I'm human but, I do care a lot about other people. I get tired of people who disrespect others and cause harm to others. Stupid people also drive me crazy but, more when they are just ignorant. But in trying to understand people I go crazy sometimes. I want to understand some people but, after driving myself crazy I realize I wont understand them. Then the only thing to do it be nice to them and let them continue. This is hard but, necessary sometimes in order to maintain sanity.  I am not exempting myself from this. I realize I probably drive people crazy sometimes because I do weird things sometimes. People are weird.

Memories

I love memories because they help me remember how blessed I am. I have so many great memories, a few sad memories but, they are experiences that have led me to where I am today. An old friend recently sent me a Snapchat of a picture. It reminded me of the great time we had when that picture was taken and the events that followed. I enjoy going through old pictures and remembering the memories. Sometimes they make me laugh and other times they make me cry. I am who I am because of the experiences I have had. I am always excited to create new memories. I am sure I will look back on my experiences down the road and smile. Life has its up and downs but, in the end its what we learn that matters the most. When it comes time to go to the other side all we can take with us is our knowledge(Experiences) and our friends and family. Sometimes I think life is hard but, its the memories that keep me going. I am excited to create new memories.

ME

Some days I wish I was a better person because I find myself comparing me to other people. If there is one thing I have learned is that I am unique. I am my own person and if a person truly cares about me then they will accept me. This doesn't mean I wont make the necessary changes. I realize I have a lot of room to improve. It just means I will be me ad not try to be someone who I am not. If I had to describe my personality I would say that I am a caring person. I am funny sometimes or at least I think I'm funny. I am weird sometimes but, usually its on purpose. I am awkward sometimes but, usually because its an awkward situation. I over think things sometimes and this can get me into trouble. I pay attention to details. I remember a lot of facts and things. I love my religion and it plays a huge role in who I am. My family means everything to me. They are always there for me when others are not. This is just a glance at who I am because its pretty hard to describe who I am. You just have to get to know me!

People

People are everywhere. They come and they go. Sometimes you never see the same person again. Then sometimes a person comes into your life and they change you. We all have people like this who came into our lives and changed us. Sometimes they stay for a long time but, sometimes they move on but, they remain in our hearts. I feel like I am a result of the amazing people like this. I do so many things that other people have taught or inspired me to do. My goal is to be a person that will help influence people I surround myself with. Everyone is fighting a different battle. I love to invest my time in people even though most of the time I end up disappointed or hurt. If there is one thing I learned is that every person has something to teach you. Every person has lived a different life with different experiences. A wise person will learn something new every time they talk to a person. One of my favorite quotes says that love is spelled TIME. This is such a true quote and I know it to be true.

Life is Funny Sometimes

Sometimes its important to just laugh and realize that life goes on. A funny example was a few weeks ago. I was in a great mood and before I came into work I decided to buy a fountain drink. I bought one and drove to work. When I went to get out of my car I decided to put my drink on top of my car so I could grab my backpack. When I got out of my car my drink fell. It splashed on my back and all over the sidewalk. And what did I do? I laughed. Then I grabbed a bucket of water to wash down the sidewalk. I think sometimes life is all about our attitude. If we are happy then everything wont be so hard. I try to live by this but, I'm human and I do have my sad days. I like to be happy as does everyone else in this world. Be happy!!!

Life is Hard

Sometimes I feel like life is hard. I want to give up but, then I remember that the end reward will be worth it. Life loves to give us trials and sadness. Sometimes we have to live for the days when we are happy. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. He is aware of our circumstance, our pains and ambitions. He wants us to be successful. He is always rooting for us. He loves us as a father loves his child. Sometimes we forget Him but, He never forgets us. He always has open arms. If you ever doubt this pray to Him and you will feel His love. I have felt this love and know that He loves me.

Service

I am a person that cares a lot about others. I feel like I get this from my parents. They are some of the most selfless people I know. Almost every decision they have made was in consideration of me or my siblings. They have served in countless callings in the church. My father is currently serving as the bishop. I love service. I wish I was better at serving others. I love the great feeling of helping someone. The greatest example of service was the Savior Jesus Christ. His whole life was a gift of service. He was always serving and helping other people. The closest I have ever gotten was my service as a missionary. It was the best experience of my life. I wish sometimes that I could go back because of the joy I felt. Service can be easy. I invite you to serve someone today. It can be simple as a kind text to a friend.

A Journey

Life is a journey. It has its ups and downs. Sometimes we get stuck at certain points. There are sometimes logs and other obstacles that we have to overcome to continue. Everyone is at a different point in their journey but, we can all help each other along the way because there is a person who knows the trail better than anyone and He is Jesus Christ. He can help us in this journey of life. He is the author and creator of this journey we call life. It is Him that we must trust when our journey gets hard. My favorite scripture is; 

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6 In all thy days acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Decisions

This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time. Decisions play such a huge role in our lives. One of my favorite things is to look back at some of the decisions I have made and follow them to the results that they had in my life. I am at a point in my life that I need to make some decisions that could potentially change the course of my life. This scares me a little. During stake conference today there were quite a few talks that were focused on making decisions.

Every decision we make leads us somewhere no mater how small it may be. Many of the decisions I have made have been small with little effect in my life however, some of the more larger decisions have made all the difference. One of these major decisions was to attend college at Southern Utah University. Before my mission I made this decision and it felt right even though there were other options like UVU. My mother really wanted me to go to UVU but, they let me decide for myself. After serving an LDS mission in the Tampico Mexico Mission I returned home for a few months before heading to college. When I arrived at SUU, I didnt really know anyone. My housing was messed up somehow in the process and they put me in a really small shared room. My bed was literally between two walls. Im pretty sure I cried because I missed home and felt alone. The next few weeks I didnt make many friends. I would call my mother everyday and talk to her for almost an hour. At this point I felt like I had made the wrong decision. I met a few people here and there but, really didnt do anything with them. I think the highlight of my week was going to Walmart. During this time all I did was watch movies, go to class, do homework and go to church. Then one day I met a guy when I was doing laundry and he started talking to me. He began inviting me to a few things and after a while he invited me to join his friends every night for scripture study. I began to meet more people. I still looked forward to going home. Then one day a guy talked to me between my history and english class. His name was Jon and the only comment he made was, How do you always beat me to English? Over the course of a few weeks we became better friends. It wasn't until the end of the semester that we started doing stuff together. His decision to talk to me made all the difference. Because I became friend with him. I ended up moving to an apartment with him where I meet Kylan and Puga. Some of the major effects include that I helped Kylan find his wife. Many of the friends I made were also a result. Its amazing how many things were effected by one small decision.

I believe that we meet people for a reason whether it is for our mutual benefit or for one person or the other. Our Heavenly Father will guide and help us in our decisions if we choose to follow Him. He has given me the great gift of agency and allows me to decide. I know this with all my heart and know that everything will work out if I trust Him.

I made a blog

I have never had a blog before but, after seeing the awesome Blog of Courtney Webber. I have been inspired to start one. Sometimes I need to get my ideas out and what better then to put them somewhere I will remember to re-read them. The ideas and views are mine but, may include ideas that I find from other sources. I hope that anyone who reads this might be inspired or entertained. Let me introduce myself. My name is Jacob Burgess. I was born and raised in Utah. I am currently a student at SUU. I am an accounting major with a photography minor. And most importantly I am a Mormon or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.