Week 2, Day 5: Animals

This is Nellie. She is about to pounce on the sprinkler.

I am telling you now, this is going to be a weird blog post. I have mentioned several times on this blog that this year has been a time of great learning and growth for me. Today, I realized another change that has happened in my life.

For those who know me best, animals and I haven't always gotten along. I didn't like them and I avoided them. I have had a few traumatizing experiences (getting close to cats when I was young and then having them get hit and die in front of me, which happened quite a bit, homeless and anorexic dogs in China, being chased by abused violent dogs in Samoa, dogs with mange and lice in Uruguay... one that even peed on me once, dog bites, etc.) that have made it so I didn't like them. When I returned from my mission, I carefully avoided the family dog of 10 years, Nellie. My heart was totally closed to animals except the ones in the zoo. I didn't mind them at a distance.

The interesting part is that I knew that my heart was wrong. I knew that animals are God's creations and beloved creatures, but I still couldn't bring myself to like them, even Nellie.

I have tried often to like animals and have gone through the motions of liking them, but today, I realized that the "motions" are no longer just motions. I am with my family in Hagerman, Idaho, and we have Nellie with us. This morning, I woke up with Nellie beside my bed hoping to get a cuddle in before I got up. Normally, my instinct would be to give her a slightly heartless pet, but leave her on the floor. She was a gross animal, right?

Instead, I picked her up and we had a good cuddle. I have cuddled with her several other times on the trip. I have also taken her on our daily walk/jog and I realize just how much I love her. The best news is, though, that I don't just think it's Nellie. Suddenly, I love animals. My heart has softened and I have changed. I know that the change has only come about through Christ and His Atonement, which has the power to change and soften hardened and unkind hearts... even when it comes to animals.