Heaven's Lessons in Life's Darkest Corners

Have you ever had one of those trials...Like those really big trials like dang it, my car is dying and I don't have money to keep it on life support, or I got fired from my dream job because of something that wasn't my fault. The word on the street is those things come in sets of 3. Well in 6 days I got 2 full sets of 3 of those things.



Here are I am in the deepest pit of my despair (so I think) at trial #1 and I ask for a blessing from my Bishop. I am promised through the priesthood that trial #1 is to prepare me for much harder trials in my life. The next 24 hours brought trials #2-5. I have never felt more hopelessness in my life than at this point.



Through this time of depression, my friends came out in force to love me and protect me.



Lesson #1 I have friends who care about me



If you really know me, or even kinda know me, you are aware of how negative I can be. I sometimes convince myself I am all alone. It was super neat to see how many great friends are there for me in a moments notice.

Lesson # 2 Joy Comes from work (not a job)

There was a time where I was very proud of my work ethic. Heck I worked at wireless city for 60 hours a week hours which left no chance of having a life. Even greater than that, I work as a field consultant starting my days at 7 am and often times going till 1 am 7 days a week. Both of these jobs lacked joy. The Field Consultant Job lacked joy because I didn't have to work spiritually. I was virtually free from temptation, and the happiness that comes from overcoming it. Wireless City was lacking because I did nothing which brought much temptation and no rewards of any work.

Although my trials were great, I was so happy as I survived them. I worked hard, endured, and made it through.

This on top of having a 8-4 type job (working less hours than I have since high school), that I run all day after great kids, and see the joy in peoples lives that have far less than I, helped me to get through a week that I alone was not capable of.

Lesson # 3: The atonement work different on me than I thought.

When I read the poem footsteps, I think, wow, I will be lifted up during the hard times and it will be easy, because He will just do everything for me. Wrong!

The Savior uses the atonement by allowing me experiences he has had to teach me. He knew that if I had not had six major trials, I might not have grown stronger on one smaller, much more long term meaningful trial.

This really has been a great week, and I am thankful for it...But I am ok with a break from things major for a while :)