Personal Lies

Lately I have been noticing lies, and not just any lies but lies people tell themselves about themselves. For example I tell myself that I'm quiet and I like to try and portray that self to people. The thing is I always comment in classes, I often find myself the talkative one in awkward interactions, and especially among my family I find myself dominating the conversation. And yet on stupid papers where you are supposed to write three words that describe you I often write "reserved."
I know some other people that tell themselves they aren't smart enough when they probably just don't want to deal with that knowledge. Or others who describe themselves as outgoing, when they hardly talk to anyone. And yet in all of these instances, myself included, the people seem to believe these things about themselves, at least sometimes.
It would almost make more sense if the lie I told myself was actually helpful (like telling myself I am stronger or braver so that you can "fake it 'till you make it") but I know the lie I tell myself can sometimes be detrimental. Not that being quiet is a bad thing, but forcing myself to be quiet in a situation when I don't need to be and I don't actually want to be, can be.
And certainly telling yourself that you are awkward, or not smart enough or that you always need help doesn't seem like a helpful sort of lie.
Where do these lies come from and why do we persist in telling them? To others and most of all ourselves?

Scripture Cases

When I arrived in Indiana as an LDS missionary I had two sets of scriptures. One with a normal case and the other was a small quad that had no case. I quickly decided I needed one, and the fad of the mission was to make your own out of cardboard, pictures and tape. So of course I made one. It is pictured on the right. It has five sides meaning it's a box without a top. Each side has pictures portraying a theme: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, The Holy Ghost, and Enduring.

About a year into my mission I decided I wanted to make another case for my big set, and shortly after I gave my normal case away to someone who needed it, so I got busy and made another case. It is pictured on the left. This one had a top plus a flap and I made it's theme scriptures so each side portrays a different type of scripture. The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are the four sides. The bottom has Modern Day Prophets, the top is Personal Revelation, and the flap just says "Scriptures."

Recently I have wanted to carry around just my Book of Mormon around, but wanted to keep it protected, so I decided to make a case that fits just my Book of Mormon. I was a little lazy though and didn't want to do all the pictures and try to think of a theme and all that. Plus, I had the fun idea of making it look like gold plates like the ones the Book of Mormon was originally translated from. So I covered my cardboard with tinfoil and then with a gold plastic and finally with tape I made another case. Pictured in the middle (sorry the picture isn't great). It's not amazing but it amused me, and it will keep my Book of Mormon safe, so it's good enough. I enjoyed making it.

For more information about Scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon you can go to http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon.