I was fifteen the first time I went a recording studio.
Initially, I was
really nervous when I was invited to record, because I had never done it before. I had no idea what to expect and I felt the pressure to prove myself and my abilities.
I walked into the padded studio, put on my headphones as instructed (they let me use David Archuleta's headphones! I was a little star-struck...), and started singing, tentatively, into the microphone when the music started. As I got going, I got a little more confident, and pretty soon, I was singing like no one was listening. But then... I made a mistake.
The recording engineer stopped the music. I was expecting a disappointed look through the glass, but I was surprised to see that it didn't even phase him. He said, "Opps! Let's punch you in a few bars before we stopped, and you can sing it again."
I realized after my first session in a recording studio, that they
actually record everything several times, pick the best parts, and paste them together. At first, it felt a little bit like cheating.... It caught me off guard, and I found myself thinking, "Wait.... You can make me sound better than I actually am?"
Through out the many hours I've spent in the recording studio since, I've seen how much you can really do to change what something actually is, into something that people want to listen to... :) And I'm here to tell you, nothing is perfect on our first try. Or even the second try. And we can always make up for our mistakes, no matter how intentional or unintentional they might be.
Before we lived on this earth, we lived with God, our loving Heavenly Father. When we knew we would be coming to earth, we were a little nervous. We didn't know what to expect. We had never lived in a mortal body before. We had never experienced life.
We felt pressure to prove ourselves. We wanted to show Heavenly Father what we could do, and what we could become. But, He knew we would make mistakes. It was all part of the plan, so He made sure there was a way for us to erase those mistakes so we could keep and cherish just the best parts of life. He made it possible for us to become better than we actually are. But we had to try, over and over, to get some good
cuts! And we would learn from those and the finishing product would be perfected. Not because it wasn't created with mistakes, but because through the atonement of Jesus Christ, those mistakes could be
removed.
God gave us agency. He gave us the ability
to do, and Jesus Christ gives us the ability
to undo. Sometimes it's difficult to forgive ourselves, because it feels a little bit like cheating. We don't easily let ourselves off the hook. But I'm here to tell you it's not cheating! He can make us
better than we actually are. He's given us the tools, and He wants us to use them.
So, repent. Forgive. Let go.
We are all imperfect. Sometimes we hold grudges against others because we feel like it might be "cheating" or "unfair" to let them get away with their mistakes or errors against you. Remember, none of us are perfect. God loves them just as much as He loves you. Be patient with them, and you will find that
you are happier.
I know that Jesus Christ lives, and He loves us. Let Him help you. Let Him erase your mistakes.
It's never too late to go back and sing it again.
She was the one that was always there for me. She showed me that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. She taught me how to work hard, and to trust God. When my heart was broken, she would put the pieces back together. She not only came to all of my shows, concerts, and performances, she would find ways for me to use my talents for people who needed it. She didn't only keep up with me and my family's needs, but she was always collecting things to help other families in need. My mom served a full-time mission and is always doing missionary work, and that's what made me want to be a missionary.
