I had the opportunity to serve a full-time mission. For 18 months I left my home in Alberta Canada and headed for the southern states. During the year and a half I was away I lived in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. While there I devoted all my time and attention to Christ and sharing His gospel. I was only the ripe age of 20. The experience was one of the greatest blessings of my life, it was also the hardest time of my life. For both of these reasons I look to my mission as a very sacred experience. It is hard for me to share some experiences from my mission because they are so sacred to me, for it was the time I grew to know and love my Savior.
While my mission held many moments of pure joy, it also held moments of loneliness and discouragement. There was a song that would frequently come to mind whenever I experienced these feelings.
The chorus specifically struck me.
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah
I would hear the tune to the song in my head then I'd find God telling me, "You are okay. I am here." This experience would happen over and over.
Why does God give us trials?
Because it refines us.
Having trials breaks our hearts, it humbles us. Trials gives us the opportunity to rely on Christ and His atonement.
I felt close to him on those hard days. I knew he was there.
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
We all have different coping strategies when times get tough. What is coping? The ability to deal effectively with something difficult. When times get tough for me I lean on Christ's grace. (I am so thankful for grace!)
I know that when I have my family of creation we will not be exempt from adversity. It is important to establish early on (even in courtship) the coping mechanisms we will rely on. The earlier the habit formed, the more beneficial it'll be when crisis comes.
In my class this week my professor said something I found pretty profound. He said that if you understand the principles of something the practices are easy to figure out. So what are the principles of coping?
Pool Coping
Pool coping is the ledge around the outside of a pool. It is a pivotal part of the pool. It has to be strong to hold the weight of someone standing on the edge, as well as smooth so someone can sit by it and not have their swimming suit ripe. The coping also hangs over the edge of the pool providing a handle for someone to hold onto. It is on a slight slant to allow water that splashes over the edge to flow away from the pool into the deck drains. In essence the pool coping keeps things in there proper place.
The principle I gain from this is that one needs coping practices that are strong and will keep things in place when adversity comes. It also has to be in place well before the crisis happens.
I am grateful for Jesus Christ, for He has been my anchor when times grow hard. After all He has already experienced the trial and therefore knows how to cope with it.
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
(Alma 7:11-12)
I know that when we experience adversity it is easy to see it as a time of misery, but I know God truly sees it as a melody. An experience to turn to Him and seek His guidance. I know the purpose of trials is to break our hearts and have them changed; changed to become the person God created us to be.
"Adversities are temporary. What is permanent is what we become by the way we react to them." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks) Find the talk here.
Kate! I Iove you!! I have had an very sad and contemplative week with a cousin and his wife losing their baby boy during labour and encountering complications. I have watched them cope with this tragedy and been amazed. They surrounded themselves with family. They took the time to hold and cuddle their son even though he was no longer here. I went tonight to the viewing and was amazed and how calm and at peace Rachel was. I asked her how she was able to handle all of this and she told me that she has been able to feel at peace and comforted. She said she knew it shouldn't be this easy but that she truly felt the love of the Saviour and that allowed her to be ok. It was an amazing experience for me. I know this would be a trial that would ruin me but they have been able to over come it. They have taken the time to teach their children about the plan of salvation and eternal families. I have been so blessed so watch this sweet family go thru this horrible time. I really hope to be able to I still this same dedication and love of the gospel on my own children.
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