Be The Miracle

(Updated comment, October 13, 2019.  I was so tired when I wrote the original blog post, below this add on.  A couple days ago I got back from Disneyland, the Autumn trip I hinted at a few times in previous posts.  It was supposed to be a much longer trip.  Fly into Vancouver, explore, Disney Cruise down to San Diego, explore, than Disneyland.  A huge part of the trip had to be scrapped, and what was left was Disneyland, as we had non-refundable airline tickets, so Disneyland was kept.

I've been working on Shutterfly projects for Christmas gifts, and there was one particular project I wanted to do which would required all 111 pages.  That's expensive.  And I was waiting for a 40%-50% discount+free pages+free shipping sale.  It was the only way the book would be affordable.  And low and behold!!!  The Wednesday before I left this very sale was posted, and I stared at the screen debating if such a feat was possible as I had to catch a flight Saturday morning.  And I hadn't even started on the book, besides downloading the pictures.  So I went with it.  I had to choose between really cool Christmas gifts vs. pre-written (low stress) blog posts.  I chose the gifts.  

Leading up to the project I wasn't getting good sleep.  In 3 days I only had 15 hours of sleep.  Insomnia.  And I was groggy, my mind already cloudy before this crazy task.  I did it.  All 111 pages with heavy writing.  Many times looking down to see what I was writing, my fingers moving, not looking up at the screen.  And around 4 am that Saturday morning I finished, sending it off digitally to be made without any proof reading.  It was my little miracle.  And this crazy marathon made it possible to order 7 books, because the original price per book would have been $240.18, but the sale price brought each book down to about $30.  No kidding!!!

That's why I had to go for it.  And 3 of the books arrived in the mail the day I got back, and there's surprisingly very little mistakes!  I did leave one of my brothers off the cover, and I asked him in a round about way if he's okay with this, but he was totally chill about it.  I flipped through the book, reading bits here and there, and it's truly amazing it came together in 2 1/2 days.  I still hold to the fact that angels helped me.  I felt my Grandma Stufflebeam off and on throughout while I put this special family book together.

And to add to the below quote, Dieter F. Uchtdorf recently said, "It is your choices that show what you truly are, far more than your abilities."  I think this is also a Harry Potter quote.

Now on to what I originally wrote!!)

"My dear sisters, do not pray for tasks equal to your abilities, but pray for abilities equal to your tasks. Then the performance of your tasks will be no miracle, but you will be the miracle."

~ Thomas S. Monson

I've been dealing with insomnia, and when I'm occasionally awake in the early morning hours I turn on the Mormon Channel app and select the talk radio live stream.  One morning there was a program playing different clips.  I heard the above quote and started crying.  Not being able to remember it correctly I scribbled on a note, "Pray for abilities equal to your tasks, you will be the miracle. Monson."

For a couple weeks I thought about this quote, the paraphrase, wondering about the complete context.  I recently found it, and it's from Monson's talk, "Three Goals to Guide You."

I'm actually writing this after being awake for nearly 23 hours straight while working on a project.  I'm shaking.  My mind is numb.  And yet, even in my fatigue I know I was being helped by angels.  When you pray in sincerity, willing to accept God's will, whatever that may be, miracles will happen.  No doubt.