'"This Life is the time for men to prepare to meet God"

So, I thought I know what I wanted. I know what I don't want. I know what I will and won't put up with. I know what I will or won't sacrifice. I know what I will or won't stand up for. I know what I will or won't go through. Yet, everything we go through in our lives prepares us for something else. I learned so much during the time my mother was ill and after she died, and I apply those lessons every day of my life. One of our good family friends said this at my mother's wedding. "Maybe it was for us that you had to go through this. That someday we would need to know how to care and how to love and how to help unconditionally." I have a friend who got married a couple of weekends ago and she is the epitome of God preparing you throughout your life. She accepted callings of leadership through out her teen, college and young adult years and each responsibily helped prepare her for the next. I look up to her in so many ways.

Often times, we don't see the under lining reasons why we are going through something. The scriptures tell us that God will not tempt us above that which we are able. I often times replace the word tempt with try or test. God will not try us above that which we are able. God knows each of us individually. He knows our names, he knows our hearts. He knows what challenges and what obstacles we need to face and overcome to become the sons and daughters of God he wants us to be. He knows what refiners fires we need to go through to burn our testimonies to our hearts and live them each day of our lives. He knows what struggles and pains we need to endure to become humble and giving and patient to our fellow man. He knows what uphill battles we'll need to climb to reach the potential we have inside our souls. He knows what our lives will be before we do, and we need him every step of the way to live up to that divine potential, live up to those celestial expectations. We are capable of so much but without him we are nothing. With an eye single to the glory of God, we accomplish great things and experience wonders of the world-by putting our lives and our trust in his hands.

We strive everyday to look at our lives and at the lives of those we love with an eternal perspective. What we go through on a day to day basis makes us who we need to be, who God needs us to be. We are his servants, we are his children, we are his most precious creations. We do his work, we share his message, we serve his people and we love with a fraction of the everlasting love he has for us. One of my best friends said something so profound a while ago. The day was bittersweet for me and he and I talked of many things. I shared a spiritual experience with him-one that I thought both of us could learn from. His reaction struck my heart and has stayed with me ever since. He said when we get to heaven and look back on our lives, we will be pleasantly surprised by how many times the Lord stepped in on our behalf. Sometimes as humans we don't always see the divine guidance leading our lives. Sometimes it can be something so small-to our eyes almost insignificant. But as the Book of Mormon states, in small and simple things are great things brought to pass.

I am reminded of the story of Jacob and Rachel. Jacob served seven years for her hand in marriage. During that time, I'm sure there were days he felt discouraged, disheartened, impatient and possibly even fearful that all his hard work and diligence would be in vain. Yet, look at the reward for his efforts. The prophet Joseph Smith worked and prepared himself to receive the gold plates. The Lord knew that when the prophet was physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually ready-the work could go forth. The Lord prepares us every day for the challenges ahead. He stays by our side continously as we face persecution from either our fellow man or our common enemy. Satan wants us all to be miserable like unto himself-the scriptures tell us that. He does not want us to be happy, to live the commandments of the living God or to return to our heavenly home with those we love forever. The Lord has promised us that he will never leave us, that he will never abandon us and that if we have faith in his name and do all that we can, he will lift us up at the last day. He will make our burdens light. He will be our mediator and our firm foundation. He will never forsake us. He holds his arms open to us at all times and we need but fall on our knees, thank him for his never ending blessings and allow him to guide and influence us for good.

I look back over the past couple years of my life and I see all the experiences the Lord has blessed me with. The people I have met, the talents I have strengthened, the places I have traveled and the opportunities for growth I have gained. I would not be who I am today without the positive example of so many people and for the journeys I traveled in this life. I changed my mind this weekend. I thought I knew what I wanted. Yet, the Lord often has a bigger plan for us then we do for ourselves. Maybe I won't have to wait 7 years like Jacob. But patience is a virtue and often times, the Lord needs us to go through what we need to become who he knows we are capable of becoming. I said a long time ago that when the time is right, I won't back down and I won't look back. That will be it and nothing will ever falter or steer me from that course. This past weekend, I truly see what the Lord has done with the clay-the instrument in the master's hands. This is the time for men to prepare to meet God.

I may not be able to speak with our Savior face to face but I know he lives. I know he loves us and I know he died and was rescurrected so we may be with those we love forever. So we may be forgiven of our shortcomings and be cleansed. I know that everything happens for a reason and like Elder Holland said- "Sunday will always come." This Sunday, I am grateful for that knowledge. Also on this particular day I also thank the prophet Joseph Smith for the sacrifies he made for the early Saints, the Saints today and the countless Saints to come. He truly is a prophet of God. And "he did more, save Jesus only, for the redemption of his people and sealed his testimony with his blood. " (D&C) I stand by what I said. I know what I know. And I live the way I do because of what I know. I changed my mind. I know what I want. I've always known what I've wanted. The Lord needed me to be ready for it. "With God, nothing is impossible."

Lord-I'm ready. I'll go where you want me to go, I'll be who you want me to be.