There's a story of a little boy that has serious heart issues. The doctor tells him that he is going to cut open his heart to see what's going on in there. The boy cheerfully replies, "You'll find Jesus there". The surgery happens and the findings are bleak. The little boy has no hope of survival. The doctor feels despondent and is angry with the Lord. Why? His bitterness is intensified when he remembers his feelings that he's had. His wife died a year ago and there seems to be no reason why. Then he remembers the little boys remarks, "You'll find Jesus there."? It's a long night and the doctor can't get that out of his head. He goes early to the hospital to visit the boy and let him know his findings. The boy is still sleeping. The doctor sits quietly pondering and after a time the boy wakes up. He looks at the doctor and asked, "What did you find?" The doctor pauses and said, "You were right, I found Jesus there."
Life is never going to be easy. It wasn't suppose to be. Life's purpose is not to avoid trials and they aren't just to endure. We are to lay our burdens at his feet, we are to put on the armor of God which is light, and we are to stand strong amidst our trials. And THEN, we need to find hope and truth and light in knowing that all things are for our good. Not necessarily how we would want them, but for our good. Usually it's not what we want and that's how it's suppose to be. Mosiah 24:14,15 (which in my scriptures is marked in red and has Carly's name by it with the date 11/13 and now Cassie's name with the date 3/15:
And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
And in the next verse:
And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
If the atonement is real, then if you have faith and patience, the burdens will be made light. The test is "How much will we LET the Lord help us?" It's hard to let go, to walk in the dark, we're afraid to fall. It's being on that cliff and having to jump off and I have to laugh thinking of how hard that was for Deanie in Hana years ago. We are strong women (since Danny doesn't write much) and we are talented. It's easier to do things ourselves and to be in control than it is to let someone else help us. Why? Because we either think we can do it or we want to prove that we can do it. Or is it because we know we can do it better than someone else? It's great to reach for the stars and have high goals. The Lord can make impossible things possible. So I think the key is to always "Make" the time to listen to the Lord. And after we hear - DO - what he tells us. When we keep plugging along and not making the time, the path gets dark and lonely until we feel hopeless. That is where Satan wants us to go. When we are feeling like the burdens are heavy we need to stop and feel the Savior's love. I have been so impressed with how Cassie has done this this semester. She'll take a walk on Sundays, serve others, listen and do what she feels the Lord wants her to do. We all realize she has too much on her plate and as she takes off all that she doesn't need there, it will still be heaping full. The mission has prepared you for this. Do the "Samoan Roll" and take one bite of a time. It's one of those days when you've got 3 dinners to eat. Those polynesians know how to do it and with joy! haha (Actually it doesn't seem that they eat as much as they are trying to make you eat. Maybe that's their secret - get someone else to eat it so you don't have to. I'll have to think about that).
Burdens and trials will always be there. Listen to your heart. Find Jesus there. Let him comfort you and show you the way. I have been trying to do this. As I was listening the other day, "give your husband a compliment each day". My first thought was how can I do this, we don't even talk and he's passive aggressive and is being a total baby right now. And I know that he will stay like this longer than I will be able to stand it. So what do I do about it? I compliment him. The first one wasn't really honest, but it was something he wanted to hear. I told him it looked like he had lost some weight. It might have been honest, but I hadn't really noticed. The next day it was "Thank you for doing stupid things". We were talking about Julie's car that she will be getting soon. I'm still having a hard time with it. And yesterday I laid in bed and couldn't think of one or how to say it. We are at least talking now and you can see that I'm not doing a great job at all. But if I listen to the Lord and do what he tells me, miracles will happen. So I will keep trying.
I love you all so very much and I am very proud of you. AND I think I am most proud of you when you do fall, and pick yourself up, apply the atonement, and get on with life. And when you do that you just become more beautiful to me!!!
MUAY! and these words ring true for me today - Cherish ... Fricken Wow!!!!! Go TEAM SWAN!
xo Mommy