Why Is Life Hard?

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about trials- the hard times we face in this life. I have come to realize that hard times are going to come whether we are trying our very best to be our very best or we aren't. I believe it is how we deal with these trials that makes all the difference in the world. I have had times where I have tried to deal with my trials on my own and I ALWAYS end up turning to God, pleading with Him to help me through it, to help me feel at peace and to figure out what He would have me do. Why? Because He, is all-knowing and I, am not. He knows me so well. He knows everything about me, the choices I will make, the things I will encounter in my life and my potential. How? Because He is my Heavenly Father and He is yours too. He knows you perfectly. He knows all of His children perfectly.

So, we each have our own unique trials in our lives regardless of what we are doing and we have a God who knows us perfectly.... So what??

I have heard people ask, "Well if He knows me so well and He knows that would be a really hard trial for me, then why does it happen? Why would He let me struggle and suffer??" To that I would say, "What is the purpose of this life?"

I believe this life is for our learning, growing, and refinement. This is our chance to prove that we are willing to do what God asks of us, that we are willing to devote our lives to Him and trust Him. I believe our trials do that for us. I'd say most of us at some point in our lives have had the desire to become a better person in one way or another. God knows what we are capable of becoming more than we do. These trials we have in our lives stretch us so we can become better. How else are we supposed to change and progress??

"If for a while, the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who have ever lived."

This is one of my favorite quotes. It gives me hope that the things I am going through will be worth it. I have faith that these experiences will be for my good and help me become the person that God wants me to be. I need to have faith and remember that trials are what make us stronger and that I am never in it alone. I need to trust in His plan for me and that everything will work out for the best, even if I don't understand it at the time.

If you know me at all, you've probably gathered I am a worrier and stress over just about everything. Thus, I am not writing this to inform you that I am super awesome and have mastered having faith and patience during trials because I definitely haven't. I am, however, writing this because surely if it has helped me, if can help you too. And it will. I promise.


Please watch this five minute video. It is so inspiring and full of hope. (I know I've shared it before but it's just that powerful.)

Blessings

This past week I have been noticing some littler things in life that I have been blessed with. From certain experiences lately, I KNOW that God hears our prayers and He answers them, even if they're silly requests or concerns He hears ALL of them. If it's important to you, it's important to Him. I have found this to be true. Sometimes we don't get the answers we expect and sometimes we do. I feel like even though I am not trying my very hardest to do everything I'm supposed to, He STILL blesses me, even with the little things. I think it's His way of saying He loves me, and He is aware of me. I feel like He's saying, "See, obedience brings blessings."

If someone were to tell me that they don't think God loves them or cares about them, I would dare them to pray and ask for a witness/sign/answer. I know they would get one. Sometimes I think we look for lightning bolts or huge things as a sign that God loves us, knows us and hears our prayers but I have found that a lot of the time it's in smaller things that are only noticed in the quieter, more peaceful moments of our lives.

We have been blessed with SO much. God has given us EVERYTHING we have and nothing is coincidence. He blesses you even when you aren't doing your very best BECAUSE He knows you, He loves you and He wants you to be happy.

Families Can Be Together Forever

Soo... I have kind of been throwing myself a pity party lately. I had mini-emotional breakdown number 384757462 today. This week I had kind of been thinking life isn't super awesome right now. Thanks to FaceBook and blogs, though, I've had a couple reality checks come my way.

Reality Check #1: One of my friends posted this link from a photographer's blog. This photographer had the honor and privilege of photographing the reunion of a family after being separated for six years. I can't do the story justice so you're just going to have to go and read it; it's a serious tearjerker. After reading this story I felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude for many things: my family, the country I live in and the freedoms I take for granted, the amazing church I belong to and the love, compassion and service that is such a huge part of it, the life I have and all the many, many blessings I have been given.

Reality Check #2: Another one of my friends posted on her blog about one of her best friends who has been fighting a nasty and incurable case of cancer for the past year and will return to live with her Heavenly Father any time now. I can't imagine being her friends or family members, or even her right now. I have been so blessed to never have had the experience of losing a loved one thus far in my life. I have also been so blessed and so has this girl and her loved ones with the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the peace and comfort it brings into our lives. Because we know of God's plan of salvation for all of His children, we can take comfort in knowing that if we are obedient, we will see our family again and be together after this life, and forever.

When I think about things like these, my "problems" don't seem that big after all. Actually, they seem dumb and pointless. There are things out there way more important than worrying about writing papers, taking tests, what I'm going to do this weekend and all the other little things in our lives that won't matter later down the road or after this life.

I am so grateful for the church that I belong to and that helps me live my life in a way that I can experience true happiness and joy in this life and forever; it brings me great peace, comfort and hope in this world we live in. I truly believe that if we do the best we can in this life, we will see our loved ones after we leave this earth and be able to be with them forever.

Good Things to Come

I'm so excited for this new year. It's going to be fabulous. In life, there are ALWAYS good things to come. :)

Hope

"Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks... and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name's glory, saith the Lord." (Doctrine & Covenants 98: 1, 3)

I recently heard this scripture (at the BYU-I Center dedication) and it was definitely one I needed to hear. This scripture gives me more faith in Heavenly Father and His plan for me and more hope that everything I have gone through and will go through will help me progress and grow closer to my Heavenly Father.

I need to worry less and trust more. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows what I am capable of and what I can achieved. He wants me to be happy and to see me succeed more than I do. He loves me more than I am able to comprehend.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths." (Proverbs 3: 5-6)

BYU-Idaho: Disciple Preparation Center

This past Friday, the newest building on BYU-Idaho campus, The BYU-Idaho Center, was dedicated. President Henry B. Eyring(1st Counselor in the Presidency of the Church), Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Russell M. Nelson (members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles) came for the dedication.

First of all, the building was PHENOMENAL. I was blown away by the size, design and overall feeling of it. President Clark (the President of BYU-Idaho) said that even though it looks amazing, the wonder of this building is in the work that will happen in there. I know that this building was built for purposes that we don't know but I know that amazing things will happen there. Being at the dedication listening to President Clark, Elder Bednar, Elder Nelson and President Eyring speak about our campus and testifying of our Heavenly Father and of Jesus Christ was definitely one of the best moments of my life. The Spirit was so strong. I could feel of my Heavenly Father's love for me so strongly. He has provided me with so many amazing opportunities to learn, grow, progress and become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. The BYU-Idaho campus is just one example of how much our Heavenly Father loves His children and wants to help them. I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to attend this university and partake of all that it has to offer. This university, also called a "Disciple Preparation Center" by Elder Bednar (read his awesome talk about that here), has been provided so that we can structure our lives properly and become followers of Christ. I know it is not just coincidence that I am able to attend this university and I know that the students attending aren't there because it was their next best option but that it is in Heavenly Father's plan for us. We are supposed to be there at this time for a purpose.

I know that everything we have is from Him. One of my teachers this past semester said that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and he wants us to be happy and succeed more than we do. He has blessed us with so much to make this life enjoyable and worthwhile. It is experiences like going to this dedication that put everything in perspective for me and I am once again, so grateful.

To watch the dedication (which you should), go here.

Look to the Light

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." -St. John 8:12

"Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ." -Moroni 7:19