I want to share a favorite quote that I have posted on Facebook, but it has once again come up this past week. My sister shared with me the fact that she had read this and shared this,this past week.
"May I share some suggestions with you who face...the testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments. Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11-12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain" (in CR, Oct. 1995, 18;).
- Elder Richard G. Scott
We all share this common thread in mortality of trials. Some trials are large and some seemingly small. Why does one family lose a husband and father far to early? Why does another struggle with infertility, when all they want is a baby in their home? Why do some struggle financially and some face the trial of infidelity? Why,when we are doing all that is required and asked of us do we still face trials and are caused to be humbled further? When we have eternal perspective we begin to understand Heavenly Fathers hand in our lives. I have heard of all the struggles I listed in just the past 2 months. So what do we do in the midst of the lowest part of the trail? I believe we have to keep remembering the fundamentals of the gospel of Christ. We must PRAY daily, communicating with our Father. We must STUDY his word and how blessed are we as Latter Day Saints to have both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We must exercise our FAITH and sometimes just put it out their first and couple it with HOPE. We must SERVE one another and LOVE one another. Realizing that Heavenly Father will hold us closely as we go through the necessary stretching and growth, or as I like to say : as we "level up" in this mortal station.
Now, I have NOT been going through any big trial, but had a couple of wonderful experiences lately. Last Thursday night, a member of the Bishopric met with Kris and I and the first thing he said to me was "I would like to honorable release you from your calling as teacher in the Relief Society". He did not ask if I wanted to be released, he just did it and I felt my heart twinge a bit. I was taken aback and I was SAD! He let me tell him why I loved Relief Society and what I had learned in my calling and then he said "I don't think you will be sad for very long" and then he called me to be the 1st councilor in the YW Presidency. I was so emotional and have been all weekend. When I was released from YW's a few years ago, my heart broke and with each move I have secretly hoped and LONGED for the opportunity to serve in there again. When I was called to be in the Relief Society presidency in Maine, again, I was sad, but was willing to serve and learn and grow. When I was set apart for that calling, I was told in a blessing that although my heart was with the Young Women, my time was to be used in teaching their mothers. Well, OK, that sounds good. So when this calling came, I began to realize just how much I had missed the young women and how much I love them. We have an amazing group of YW and of leaders, cream of the crop!!!! It was a testimony builder to me that my Heavenly Father loves me and knows that I am prepared again to serve in this capacity. I have felt very strongly this weekend where I need to help and teach and how I can serve and sustain. So, although the trial of NOT being in YW's may seem miniscule, it was something I struggled with and am grateful for the stretching I have been able to go through to prepare to serve them again. :)
