it's sunday and i want you to know how much i love this day. i think sundays are one of the great blessings the Lord gave us. it's a day that nourishes me, gives me time to reflect, sometimes a day to heal but most of all a day to be fed by the spirit. this week grandpa died and it has all the more caused me to reflect on life and what it's all about. why we have to go through the things we do, how do we go through hard things and what we learn from those things. elder scott said this: "as you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions to the challenges of life you would not obtain otherwise. no matter how strong your faith is, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. rather He will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. your exercise of faith will forge strength of character available to you in times of critical need. such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. that is when it is used."
in section 24 of the d&c the Lord tells joseph to be patient in his afflictions because he would have many. not exactly great news to joseph, but the next lines says "but endure them for I am with thee." that's a little more comforting, but there's no there's no promise of ease. apparently those afflictions are our training ground, our boot camp, the way we get strong. an opportunity to prove ourselves to ourselves. elder scott says: strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and, when acted upon, will be confirmed as true. God uses your faith to mold your character.
so family....carry on, endure well. we are all learning together...and we are all learning from each other.
