Thoughts by Zo
Sunday, November 8, 2015
My New Point of View on the LDS Church Leaders
And I love God right back. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches that the absolute most important commandments are to first, love God, and second, love your neighbor.
Following this, I will admit that my heart hurt when I first heard of the new update on children not being able to be baptized until they are 18 if living in a house where same-sex marriage is being practiced. I genuinely love the friends I have that are gay/lesbian. And they're children? I couldn't understand at first how the leaders of my church could seemingly 'punish' them. This simple new statement made me question the leaders of my church and their teachings. How could God give this world such a rule?
But this is the moment that Elder Uchtdorf was preparing us all for when he said,
"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."
So I knelt in prayer. I needed help to understand, help to know of the truthfulness of this new rule. I needed to strengthen my testimony of the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and his apostles. I asked for the knowledge of where GOD would have me stand, because my ultimate goal is to follow God and his teachings, no matter where that leads me - in this religion or not.
And upon this prayer, I received a sure answer.
I am overwhelmed just writing this with love and respect for the dear prophet of the LDS church. I have always been one to stand beside him and his teachings, because that is what I have been taught. But now I've prayed to my Heavenly Father, and I would like to publicly announce that I no longer am following Thomas S. Monson because I was raised to do so. Now I follow him strictly because God told me I should. No questions asked. I know that God speaks to us through the prophet- and I KNOW that Thomas Monson is the true prophet, given to us and led by God Himself.
I cannot say that I completely understand everything Thomas S. Monson and past prophets have counseled us to do, but I know that what they say comes directly from God. And I always stand by God.
On that note, I also have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I testify that if you sincerely pray, God will answer your questions as he has answered mine.
Before being angry with the leaders of the LDS Church, please ask God for truth and search for an understanding.
I end with noting that I fully sustain President Thomas S. Monson as the true and living prophet.
I write this post with love for anyone else who may have been hurt by this new rule-
xo Zo
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Confidence is Key.
"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." -2 Nephi 5:27 💙
Once again, this post is not for sympathy or for attention. It's to make a point.
I posted a few months ago about having dealt with an eating disorder. Following that post, and still to this day, I get letters and messages from people, telling me about how 'strong' I am and that they're proud of me.
I feel hypocritical.
And I feel like I should make it known, that I have not overcome the eating disorder. All I did was put it into words, what it's like. But that voice, it's still there. I did go through a quick period of time where I felt superior to the disorder, but lately I have come back to seeing myself as nothing most days. Since that post, I will admit that there still have been weeks where I have purposely eaten less and days where I made myself throw up.
It has never left my side.
In class the other day, my gals were talking about diets and working out and goals, yatta yatta, when one of them pointed out that every girl sees something wrong with herself. It seems as if there will never be a day that any girl is actually, honestly, COMPLETELY happy with who she is.
This hit me.
Even if I starve myself, even if I workout excessively and follow a strict diet, I will most likely still see myself as below average, as fixable.
So to break things down: I'm unhappy with how I look now, so supposedly I'm going to be unhappy while not eating and stressing out about my appearance, just to still be unhappy with how I look after losing whatever goal weight?
THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD.
But that is pretty much what has been going on. So, rather that stressing out about 'looking perfect,' I want to try stressing out about finding happiness in myself.
Obviously that is easier said than done.
I realized today, there is never a time that I look into a mirror and don't critique something about myself.
That needs to stop.
I probably shouldn't even look in the mirror as much as I do, anyway.
I realized, as well, that I look at girls with envy. I judge my weaknesses next to their strengths, and I tear myself apart all day every day because of it.
I absolutely hate that. And I know I'm not the only one doing this.
But there are those immaculate people, though, who radiate confidence. People who have found a way to be happy with themselves, despite the flaws they see.
I dream to one day be one of those people.
These people, whether 378 lbs or 85 lbs, buff scrawny old, whatever, THESE PEOPLE ARE RADIANT TO EVERY ONE WHO MEETS THEM.
And that is a fact.
Confidence brings people happiness, happy people make other people happy, and if you make someone happy they automatically like you, and if they genuinely like you they just see you as spectacular. End of statement. Confidence is key.
So to sum this all up, I still struggle. But my newest goal is to do what makes me happy.
LET'S ALL JUST TRY TO BE HAPPY!!!!
I'll run and workout, because I like to, and I'll eat healthy most of the time, because it makes my body feel good, but I'll still eat a box of Samoas, because I like them. And I won't stress out about it. I shouldn't care that I don't look like Candice Swanepoel, because I'm just not her and I will never ever be her. And that's no big deal.
I do what I want, when I want. 2k15.
xo Zo 💜
IG: @zoevanwinkk
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Off My High Horse.
"O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." Songs of Solomon 2:14 ❤
(Note: this post is purely personal opinion. Don't be offended.)
Straight to the point: your testimony & your relationship with God are your top attributes.
Since I've started cosmetology school, I've caught myself getting too tied up in the worldly ways to be 'physically beautiful'. Sooo many girls these days get hair extensions, eyelash extensions, spray tans, meal plans, gym passes; anything they can to look 'perfect'. I know I have.
But I realized, all of these things were taking up so much of my time and mind that I hadn't made my testimony or relationship with God a top priority.
They should always be your top priority.
When I meet people that are not overly concerned with their physical appearance, but radiate the light of Christ in their countenance, they are absolutely stunning to me.
One should not be overly concerned with their physical appearance.
I want to marry a guy who loves God more than he loves the world. I would choose a guy with an amazing testimony over a guy who belongs on the cover of GQ any day. But you know what they say, you have to be the kind of person you want to end up with.
It's a new goal of mine to focus less on trying to look perfect and focus more on my testimony and my 'light', because I know I still have that problem.
I hope to see myself the way that God sees me, rather than the way that the world wants to see me.
So I guess all I'm trying to say is that if you're ever feeling less than beautiful - if you're ever upset because you don't feel like you fit in with today's ridiculous standards:
The strength of your testimony & your relationship with God are the only things about yourself you can REALLY control.
Keepin' it short, love you all
xo Zo ❤
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
The Road to Heaven - Tyler Robinson ❤
We'd visit him, of course. And he seemed no different, other than his lack of hair. He smiled and laughed and joked, pulling the 'cancer card' occasionally. ie:
"Hey will you grab that for me?"
"No, get it yourself...."
"But I have cancer."
"OK LOVE YOU"
Funniest kid I think I know.
He said he felt kind of sick. We didn't think too much of it.
People were saying 'rest in peace' in their posts on social media, but he was still breathing. They took him off of life support, still breathing. Snoring, even, while in a coma. What a Tyler thing to do ;)
"In the midst of adversity, lies opportunity."
(Or something like that)
xo Zo ❤
Sunday, February 15, 2015
PET PEEVE.
“We must remember that those mortals we meet in parking lots, offices, elevators, and elsewhere are that portion of mankind God has given us to love and to serve. It will do us little good to speak of the general brotherhood of mankind if we cannot regard those who are all around us as our brothers and sisters.” Spencer W. Kimball ❤
I'm just going to jump straight to my point: I am absolutely sick of hearing people talk badly about others. What gives ANY OF US THE RIGHT to judge anyone? No matter the circumstance.
So what, someone comes off annoying or creepy or awkward or whatever else it may be - maybe they legitimately have something off in their mind. Maybe they were abused as a child, or had a mother who treated her body badly while pregnant with them. Chances are, they can't control the way they act, they're just like that.
So what if your neighbor sells drugs out of their garage, of course I don't agree that they should, but who are we to be their judge? Maybe they were raised poorly and weren't taught any better, maybe their daughter is in her death bed and needs several thousand dollars for surgery, and they're desperate.
I promise you, if you knew someone's full story, you'd love them, no matter their flaws.
I have had multiple times in my life where rumors were spread about me and I'm sure the majority of you have been through this same thing. I remember the absolute pain it caused my heart, the fear I felt of going to school because I knew people were believing the disgusting lies that were told about me. I bet that no one who has been through this would ever wish it on anyone, yet I catch people on a daily basis talking crap on people who I have come to love.
And I cannot stand it.
On that note, I once watched a documentary on bullying. The number of people that attempt to, or even successfully, commit suicide because of being treated poorly by their peers blows my mind. I think we overlook the commandment, 'Thou shalt not kill' because words do, in fact, kill. If you hurt someone so badly with the way you treat them, and they kill themselves because of it, is that death not kind of sort of on your hands??
Back to the first thought, of judging people: it is a fact that everyone has some kind of special need or disability, we're just all at a different level of severity. HOW DARE YOU judge someone because they were blessed to be a little more odd than you. You have your own dang issues, too.
I am positive that God hears you when you talk badly about his other children, and I can imagine his disappointment.
JRJFBDISJDBFKFK. CRBRJD I'm getting angry just writing about this. So please, learn to love, and know that I love you all, still.
xo Zo ❤
"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12 ❤
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Dear Future Husband-
I literally don't want anyone other than the guy that God sees fit for me, so obviously I pray every day to be the girl that that guy deserves. I pray that he'll keep God's will at the tippy top of his priorities, and that we'll be able to make it to each other. I have no doubt that our marriage will last our entire lives and then for eternity afterwards, because I am the type that chooses happiness. Giving up on someone cannot be an option if you sincerely want to last forever. All of this being said, here is my inevitable letter to the boy in my patriarchal blessing:
I've loved you for as long as I can remember, and I miss you every single day. I already know how lucky I am to have a guy like whatever you're like, because God knows exactly what it is I need. I promise that when we are married, I will fight for you. Trials will come, I've been told.
But losing you is already one of my biggest fears.
I promise to tell you I love you, every single day, and I promise I'll try my hardest never to take you for granted.
I promise to never fall in love with another man, aside from our son(s). I promise to raise all of our children strongly in the church, and to put them before anything else, right after you.
I promise to throw rad Superbowl parties with all of your buds (unless somehow you don't like football.. I don't know what I'll do then. Shoot.), and to bake cookies and random things spontaneously. I also promise to make you sandwiches, because I don't mind being stereotypical.
Lots and lots of love,
zozo.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
A Denied Mission Call: my dark side.
Finally, at the age of 18 and after much preparation, I started my papers, turned them in as soon as they'd let me, and I waited. And waited.
They told me that three weeks was the average amount of time it should take to get your mission call in the mail. Well, three weeks passed by, then four, and they kept on building up. Almost two months after I had submitted my papers, my stake president asked me to meet with him. Walking into his office, my heart felt tight. My bishop was there, as well, and the three of us knelt in prayer to open our meeting. I could sense what was coming. We proceeded to sit down, and my stake president looked straight into my eyes, a look of empathy across his face.
My best kept secret.
High school. I started rugby. I began to be immensely proud of my strength and the eating disorder was less present than ever before. But then, senior year. There were several events that broke me down, the rugby season was coming to a close, and I just didn't care anymore. I let the eating disorder take over.
An eating disorder is not a choice. Like having depression or being bipolar or any other kind of mental disorder, it is something that is off inside of your brain. In MY OWN RIGHT MIND I knew I wasn't overweight. An eating disorder is like a little person that sits at the back of your mind and tells you lies about yourself all day long, until you end up believing it. You can choose to ignore it, like I did for quite some time, but that can only go on for so long. Once you give in even in the slightest, it gets more aggressive.
An eating disorder is also not classified by actions made. A person can have an eating disorder and never lose weight. The disorder is the part of your mind breaking down your confidence; these are the thoughts that potentially lead to the actions of not eating or throwing up.
All I thought about was how to avoid eating, what I could do to burn more calories. With every step I took further into this disorder, I also lost the feeling of self-worth. I was smaller than I'd ever been, yet I hated myself more than I ever had.
Well, God disagreed. He prompted whoever it was that reviewed my mission papers to not accept them, and looking back now, I see it was for the best. At the time, it felt like a slap in the face, like Heavenly Father saying he didn't trust me.
I layed it all out on the table for him, admitting everything I thought about myself and the way I had treated myself. I prayed that I would grow to WANT to change, because at that time I was still attatched to the eating disorder. For months, I used Him as a therapist-like figure, telling him my every thought and problem. Every single day, I prayed for confidence. I prayed to be able to love myself the way He loves me.
Then, on September 10th, 2014, it clicked.
I was in my apartment, on Pinterest just like any other casual night, when a friend sent me a pin. She had no idea I had any kind of issue with myself, so I like to assume that she was prompted to do so. It said,
So, I learned to love myself. I continued to pray for help, and I truly treated my body like a temple, and I monitored my negative thoughts. Everything negative in my life, I cut it out altogether.