To Become...

I was especially excited for this week because of my insight from the interview and because of the reading of the talk "The Challenge to Become." That was the main theme of my mission president when I was serving in Washington DC. When we left he gave us all a special copy in a booklet of our president letters. He often used that talk to teach us as missionaries and encouraged us to continue after the mission to apply these incredible teaching. I love the thoughts of becoming being an ongoing process of conversion. It is a sweet reminder that we are here to become perfect like our Savior but that it doesn't happen all at once. It happens over time as we become truly converted. 

This made me think back to my mission and the connection I made to this talk and my work with cattle. Cattle are one of my greatest passions! One day while reading this talk on my mission and as I was going through a personal study on conversion. I thought of how being converted is having Christ branded on our hearts. I thought of cattle and how they are branded with an element of love by the rancher, to ensure that they will not be lost. When a calf is branded with the brand of it's owner, they, in a way, represent that rancher and send a sign to others of who they belong to. It is the same thing with conversion. When we choose to become converted we choose represent that we belong to our Savior. Of course conversion branding must be continued in order to ensure that it sticks, but the object of the lesson is quite powerful. 

This week I also mentioned my excitement over the interview. I chose my own own mother for my entrepreneur interview. She and my father are the perfect example of powerful entrepreneurs. Their story is one that inspires me to want to create a similar lifestyle for my own future family. This activity helped me connect on a newer level with my mother and the sacrifices made for my siblings and myself. Honestly, this really hit me because until now I never truly realized the impact this lifestyle has made in myself and so many others. As I talked with my mom and wrote my reflection paper, I wept with an incredible amount of gratitude. I know this journey is not easy, but I know that it is worth it!