Since I created this blog for my mission, I thought that I couldn't start too soon writing about spiritual matters. . .
A couple days ago, my father and I were talking about the gospel and it stemmed some thoughts in my own mind.
Last Sunday we had Ward Conference in the YSA Singles Ward. Our Stake President got up for a few minutes at the end of the meeting and said some simply-profound things. He spoke of the simple things of the gospel. He then spoke about how Satan is going to do everything in his power to make those simple things appear difficult. For the next couple days I couldn't get this idea out of my head, that the gospel really isn't that difficult, but we make it so all the time.
Well, rough days come, and it gets hard to remember that the Lord loves us, and that the gospel is easy. . .and a few days later I had one of these rough days. I'm not really sure why it was such a rough day, but it just seemed that everything was falling down around me. All these plans that I wanted to come through were falling through, people in my life are struggling, and it makes me struggle to have to see them go through things, which I feel to be unnecessary. It is easy to say that the water in the pot began to boil over, and I continued to try and keep it inside. I simply got home, went to my room, said my prayers, and cried myself to sleep.
It happens to the best of us :) But I woke up the next day feeling better and started to reflect on those things that I had been upset about. I got up, came upstairs and started reading in 1 Nephi. I think I read two chapters when I pulled out my Conference edition Ensign and opened to the front page. I quickly scanned through the names of the talks, and there was one, given on Saturday morning, that didn't have a date by it (I date when I read the talk, so that I know what I have and have not read, and how recent it has been since I last read it). It was a talk by Sister Thompson, and so I opened up to her talk, when I discovered that I had already read it, I just hadn't marked that I had. Instead of turning back to find a new talk though, I decided that I would just read this one again. . .couldn't hurt, right?
The first half of her talk included the chapters that I had just read in 1 Nephi. The material was so fresh in my mind that I could relate so much easier to the things she spoke of. It was a great talk, and I'm grateful that the Spirit prompted me to read it, because it was exactly what I needed. I thought of simply having the gospel in my life, and being able to have the Spirit in my life, that I can get those tender mercies from the Lord.
I know that times get hard, even for those who seem to have it all together. The Lord knows that we don't always keep things simple, that we complicate things, because somehow it makes it seem easier to us. I don't know why we do what we do, or complicate what we complicate, but all of this has helped to remind me that the Lord knows my desires, he knows what I want, He knows that I want it now, but He also knows that it won't make me as happy now as it will at a later date, if at all. I am grateful for the knowledge of a Father in Heaven who loves me, and who helps me by showing those small tender mercies to let us know He is aware.
Long story short, the Lord has His own timing. We don't understand it, but He doesn't ever abandon us. So, have faith, pour your heart out to your Father in Heaven, and trust in His timing.
“Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.”
― Jeffrey R. Holland
“God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as he always has. But he can't if you don't pray, and he can't if you don't dream. In short, he can't if you don't believe.”
― Jeffrey R. Holland
I would be so bold as to say the same thing as Elder Holland about prayer. "Some prayers are answered quickly, some are answered later, and some won't be answered until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they're answered. Pray, dream and never lose faith.
