Kevin and I are reading the book Trusting Jesus by Jeffrey R. Holland. Tonight while we were reading we came across the following:
"Now, if you feel too spiritually maimed to come to the feast, please realize that the Church is not a monastery for perfect people, though all of us ought to be striving on the road to godliness. No, at least one aspect of the Church is more like a hospital or an aide station, provided for those who are ill and want to get well, where one can get an infusion of spiritual nutrition and a supply of sustaining water in order to keep on climbing.
"In spite of life's tribulations and as fearful as some of our prospects are, I testify that there is help for the journey. There is the Bread of Eternal Life and the Well of Living Water. Christ has overcome the world - our world - and His gift to us is peace now and exaltation in the world to come (see D&C 59:23). Our fundamental requirement is to have faith in Him and follow Him - always. I testify that in my fears and in my infirmities the Savior has surely sustained me. I will never be able to thank Him enough for such personal kindness and loving care. President George Q. Cannon said one: 'No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distressed, how great the affliction [God] will never desert us. He never has, He never will. He cannot do it. It is [against] His character [to do so]. He is an unchangeable being...He will stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may pass through deep waters; but we cannot be consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and the purer for them, if we only trust in our God and keep His commandments.'
"Those who will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of their salvation will always lie down in green pastures, no matter how barren and bleak the winter has been. And the waters of their refreshment will always be still waters, no matter how turbulent the storms of life. In walking his path of righteousness, our souls will be forever restored; and though that path may for us, as it did for Him, lead through the very valley of the shadow of death, yet we will fear no evil. The rod of His priesthood and the staff of His Spirit will always comfort us. And when we hunger and thirst in the effort, He will prepare a veritable feast before us, a table spread even in the presence of our enemies --contemporary enemies-- which might include fear or family worries, sickness or personal sorrow of a hundred different kinds. In a crowning act of compassion at such a supper, He anoints our head with oil and administers a blessing of strength to our soul. Our cup runneth over with His kindness and our tears runneth over with joy. We weep to know that such goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life, and that He will, if we desire it, dwell in the House of the Lord forever (see Ps. 23).
"I pray that all who are hungering and thirsting, and sometimes wandering, will hear this invitation from Him who is The Bread of Life, The Fountain of Living Water, The Good Shepherd of us all, the Son of God 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, ... and ye shall find rest unto your souls' (Matt. 11:28-29). Truly, He does fill 'the hungry with good things,' as His own mother, Mary, testified (Luke 1:53). Come, and feast at the table of the Lord and what I testify to be His true and living Church, led by a true and living prophet." (pg 14-16).
Lately we have been struggling with the fact that we haven't been able to start a family, and have felt discouraged and down because our greatest desire isn't being realized. For me I've been struggling with my level of faith in Heavenly Father's plan for us and trusting in Him, even though we might not be able to have our own family in this life. It's really tough looking at others around us and wonder what's wrong with us? So we're recommitting ourselves to the basics of the Gospel: prayer, scripture reading, etc. in the hope that we will feel sustained and fulfilled during this trial of ours. This is something I never thought I would have to go through. But as my mom was telling me yesterday, Heavenly Father gives us specific trials to test the limit of our faith and we were prepared before we even came down to this earth for these trials. So when we read the above excerpt it was like an answer to me. It gave me comfort.
1 comment:
I really do appreciate you sharing your feelings, your heartaches and your testimony. You and your husband really are wonderful people and you deserve a house full of children.
Sometimes I think maybe it's not just about being tried and tested - sometimes I wonder if Heavenly Father isn't leading us on a path that will bring us to the gifts he has for us.
I have a friend who was childless for many, many years. She tried everything she could to have her own child. Then she finally agreed to adoption, but year after year she was never chosen.
A few years ago she shared her testimony with us at Girls Camp. She said she had fought the option of adopting a child through foster care - but knew that this was the direction Heavenly Father wanted her to go.
She became a foster mother to a 1 year old and just as they were beginning the adoption process and they opened up their adoption file they realized that, for some reason, their file had never been shown to any birth mothers. Instead of being bitter they realized that they wouldn't have found their sweet little Alyssa as a newborn through an adoption agency and that it was no mistake.
But soon after the adoption began they were chosen by a birth mother to be her baby's parents. They now had two daughters. And very shortly after the 2nd baby was born the oldest child's birth mother became pregnant again and they were able to adopt yet another little girl.
The are now very proud and very busy parents. I can't tell you the joy that I felt when they came trick or treating to my home last year!
I don't know if this is the path you are to take. I just felt like I should share their happy story with you. Heavenly Father has a plan for you. He loves you and I do too!
Post a Comment