Though I've read it before, I am starting again to read However Long & Hard the Road by Elder Jeffery R. Holland. It seems lately that though I am generally happy, I have been challenged by various factors. When a new unforseen challenge strikes, my response has evolved into, "What this time?" "How do I go about this one?" "Will they ever stop coming?" The truth is, the challenges will never stop but the types of challenges will be different. Some exciting and some dreadful. I suppose I should be thankful that mine are somewhere in the middle. Elder Holland says in his book that no one in mortality is spared pain and sorrow and difficulty...but we must never let it get us down or discourage us. In my reading today, Elder Holland quoted two versus that particularly comforted to me:
"And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along..." D&C 78:18
"...I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88
I have big plans. I know they are righteous desires. I often feel hindered from accomplishing them. I know all things in God's plan are according to his timing. He will go before me. He will lead me. He will send His Spirit. He will send His angels to bear me up. I've known His angels to bear me up in the past and they will again. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and for the love He provides especially when I could be discouraged the most. All I must do is endure with a brightness of hope.
Thinking about work, the future, and my happiness, I experienced a confirmation of sorts today. One of my biggest displeasures with my current profession is the lack of hands on or even deffered positive impact on people. In my Child Development reading material for class, the book challenged me to think of times when I felt empowered as a child. I couldn't think of one single thing. Suddenly two experiences came to mind:
1 - When I was in fourth grade, my class was having a party in and outdoors. I think it was a fiesta of some sort. Anyhow, everyone was outside playing and I saw a boy fall and scrape his knee really bad on the black top near our classroom door. I knew exactly what to do and ran into the classroom to grab the first aid kit without really thinking. When I rushed back out to him, the teacher or a parent helper was kneeling by him and I immediately began to clean him up. She allowed me to proceed, cautioned me not to touch the blood with my hands, and I felt very empowered.
2 - In a similar situation only at home, I was playing with my sister and some of the neighborhood kids that were all older than me. One girl got knocked hard into tough and scratchy bushes and couldn't get out. While everyone else stayed to watch and wonder and stress, I immediately ran full speed to her house and calmly alerted her mother what happened and where to find her. She had some cuts and scratches, but was not in danger of major blood loss or anything. Later, her mother through a pizza party and thanked me for how I remained calm and helped. Again, I felt empowered.
The moral is that I feel most happy and empowered when I am helping someone who cannot help themselves in a way I can. I think childhood education could offer that satisfaction in my work as I help children learn, grow, develop skills, and problem-solve.
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| Veggie Polenta |
Just remember Hymn #30:
Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins, fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake.
And soon we'll have this tale to tell -
All is well! All is well!
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