It's late, and my mind has been whirling with thoughts and impressions of my readings.
A while back, amidst some trying times, a friend recommended that I read A Single Voice by Kristen M. Oaks. I must admit, though my friends intentions were amiable, I never opened the front page. But years later, I found myself purchasing this book for myself, and opening the spin and letting myself fall into the thoughts, impressions and experiences of a lovely, uplifting, divine woman who lives the Gospel of Jesus Christ with immense faith and trust. I am not very far in the book, and already, I feel like she and I are kindred spirits. Despite the extreme differences between her experiences and my own, I find a friendship and relationship in these pages, and words of wisdom and advice that have been long needed and sought after. There isn't anything extremely unusual or unheard of about her advice to single women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but it's advice that every woman should hear at one point or another, but there's not always a voice to put it in front of us as plainly as she does.
So, while reading this book about becoming a better single Latter-Day Saint woman, I have been dwelling on the thoughts and ideas of who I am. What are the signs and signals that I'm putting out for others to see, hear and read? Who do I want to attract to me to be a friend or companion? I've noticed recently this last week, that something feels like it's missing, and something important. And tonight, I finally realized it! Yes, I am missing "a husband", or someone of that sort, but I'm missing friends and people in my life that would help guide me to where I want to go. I was reading in the Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 48, where it talks about Captain Moroni, and the type of man he was. HE, outside of the examples of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, is the type of man (or friend for that matter) that I want in my life. Someone who is not perfect, or has everything in common with me. But rather, someone who strives to do what is best, who knows that there is good and evil in the world, and isn't afraid to fight for what they believe in. They uplift those around them, serve those in need, and rely upon the Lord. "Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men [women] had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."
I am far from perfect, and I am not the most spiritual person so say the least. But I know that if I want people like this in my life, then I need to rise to the occasion, and be worthy of those blessings and people that Heavenly Father has in mind of putting in my path.