Anxious....

So...this is a little bit different of a post for me, but it's relevant to write before I post about my trip to Guatemala. I had just been overwhelmed and stressed about things for a couple months before leaving on this trip. I kept waking up at random times at night just worrying about a million things, which is not normal for me. I tried different methods but couldn't shake just this darker, stressed feeling. I started to get worried that maybe this was a "no" answer about going to Guatemala. I felt a "no" was a crappy answer just a few weeks  before I was supposed to leave, and after I'd invested a lot of time and money into going, but I didn't want to ignore a prompting from the Lord. I wanted to go to Guatemala, but I didn't want to go if something bad would happen etc etc. Anyway, I went to the temple about it a few times and I received two blessings. The first was given to me by my amazing friend, Brian. It counseled me to continue doing my scripture study and praying, but to also counsel with people I trust about my feelings. I discussed things with Brian right after the blessing, and his perspective alone made me feel so much better. I also discussed things with my sister, Holly, and my friends, Rob, Rachel (who attended this trip with me), Lindsay (she just 'happened' to be in the temple one night) and Susan (who also 'happened' to be driving through St George before she left for a two month trip back to Kenya). Those discussions lead me to  Bishop's house.  He lives right across the street and has always been welcoming to me at random times of day or night and was on this occasion as well. He is incredibly inspired and basically just listened to me for about an hour (a little over) while asking me questions that helped me better articulate my feelings. He also gave me another blessing that helped restore the peaceful feeling about going on this trip. In the blessing he said, "Go have fun with your friends! Enjoy yourself!" I sooo needed that, and I needed this trip to Guatemala! The blessing also commented about certain gospel things I hadn't studied or even thought about in the way he explained them. It's given me new insight into the sealing blessings of the temple and about my patriarchal blessing. Afterward, I came right home and started packing for an AMAZING adventure in Guatemala.  Those posts to follow =).