Sharing Our Voices Archives - Women in The Church of Jesus Christ

Poetry: Broken

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:03:24 +0000

Briana shares the following poem with us, and also shares some of what she has learned about trials and about the Lord’s love.

Background on the poem:
My life has been full of doctor visits and health issues. I have had five open heart surgeries in the nineteen years that I’ve been alive. Just recently I got really sick with the flu — or so I thought. I found out later after a long hospital stay that it wasn’t a flu it was a clot. My heart was sick and it was making my body sicker and sicker. After I had my open heart surgery the found that I had a fungus on the valve they had replaced just two years ago. I have been on anti-fungals and blood thinner medicines since then and it has been a long road. I am still healing and it’s been three months. I am now losing my hair as a result of one of the medications. When I feel I can’t go on, I write about my experiences and put them into poems.

Broken

Broken is a word that has described me my whole life,
My heart,
My bones,
My body,
My life,
My relationships,
All broken,
All the Time!
Healing always healing,
What if I don’t want to heal anymore?
You can’t heal what has too many cracks in it.
I’m damaged goods,
My heart has been mended one too many times,
Only to be shattered into pieces once again,
I want to just stop,
I want to breathe again,
I want to cry,
I want to sob,
I want to scream,
I want to be carried,
My body broken from all the tears and wears of the world,
Her heart is shattered never to be repaired,
Her legs dangle as she is carried,
Carried away from the wreckage called her life,
Her arms are dangling,
Her eyes are streaming with tears,
Her face broken with scars of the past,
Her chest with a long scar of her heart,
A heart that has been repaired one too many times,
Her life is beyond salvaging as it lay far away.

In Doctrine and Covenants section 122 Joseph Smith is in Liberty Jail and asks where the Lord is and how long they will have to suffer. In section 122 the Lord answers him and tells him that “all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.” I feel I have been thrown a hard curve ball and it has taken me time to see that I have grown. At first I was scared and then I was mad and hurt and then I got sad. At times I felt all those emotions. I look back now and shudder; I wonder how I made it through but now I know that my parents and the Lord did care about me even when I didn’t think they did. I promise you the Lord knows what you’re going through. He may not take it away but that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t love you. I have learned that on this earth life we have to have experiences that allow us to grow. No matter how hard the challenge may be just take comfort in knowing that the Lord will give you nothing that you can’t handle. He knows you better than yourself. Stick with the Lord and He will help you in the most unexpected ways. I know how it feels to think you’ve been abandoned and no one knows how you feel but He does and He’s always there. Even though you don’t feel Him right away or notice what He is doing for you. I promise you if you look back and ponder the events that happened you WILL see His hand in your life and the lives of those around you. This I say in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See also “Broken Things to Mend“, by Jeffrey R. Holland.

The post Poetry: Broken appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

First Person: Building Bridges Instead of Walls

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:21:10 +0000

I’ve sometimes wondered why it often seems to be easier to build a wall than a bridge when we experience problems in our relationships with friends or family members. While selfishness and pride can sometimes be the culprits, many times, I think even simple misunderstandings can promote strife, hurt feelings, and alienation. We all have different personalities, and we see things from different perspectives. We can’t always find the right words to express our feelings. Sometimes we let the emotion of the moment lead us to say things we don’t really mean. If left unresolved, we may choose to build walls of self-protection to respond to the pain of misunderstanding. But often, simple actions could help us build bridges and thus foster trust and love.

A few years ago I had an experience with one of our adult children which illustrated this principle to me.

After living abroad for several years, my husband and I moved back to the States. Our daughter C, who had been living on the East coast, but was moving to California, planned to visit us on her way West. She sent us an email shortly after our arrival, part of which I quote (with her permission):

[Recently] I [have] realized that over the years. . . as I tried to establish my own identity outside of the family, I perhaps have also forgotten a bit of how much I do not only love my family but also LIKE them, despite our differences. And that I don’t need to be so quick to assume that I’m being criticized or judged. It’s hard sometimes, when you have a lot of history, to just take something at face value instead of reading it through years of filters.

So, I want this trip to really be about getting past a lot of “issues” that perhaps I don’t need to cling so tightly to and just enjoy being around my fabulous, smart, funny family. I realize that I may perhaps be a TAD stressed out about my move and new life in [CA], but I’m also excited for it, and excited to see you. So try and bear with me through the tumult of mid-August. In other words, if I become very annoying, please have patience. I probably don’t mean to be annoying. 🙂

This message came when we were in the midst of all the chaos that accompanies an international move. Although we had a laptop computer, I didn’t even check our email until several days after C sent us that message. When we read it, my husband and I were very touched and happy, and we commented to each other how wonderful it was of her to send it, and what a great time we would be having together when she visited us. But I then answered only a subsequent email from her, because it contained what I regarded as urgent questions about what we would be able to do together when she arrived. We then received a follow-up email from C:

Just a question. I didn’t get a response from either you or Dad about the letter I sent talking about trying to get past some issues. Did it offend you in some way? It’s hard to know with email because people might not write back just because they don’t think about it, get busy, don’t think they need to respond, etc. Decided maybe it was better to ask rather than just assuming I knew (see, trying to change my knee jerk responses!)

I responded immediately in a positive way, and the misunderstanding that had come to light was quickly resolved. The subsequent time we spent together was a very joyful experience. How grateful we were that C essentially followed the advice Christ gave in Matthew 5:23-24:

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the alter, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the alter, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

My husband and I had no idea that our failure to answer C’s email had caused her to wonder if it had fallen on either deaf or hostile ears. Had C not sent the follow-up message, she might have incorrectly assumed that we held resentments, and that might have prompted her to raise additional defensive barriers. We would never have given full expression to our mutual feelings of love and appreciation during our reunion, which made that time we spent together such a sweet and fulfilling experience for all three of us.

Even though C suspected that we might “have ought against” her, she was willing to risk possible further rejection by stating her concerns clearly. As it turned out, no offense was intended on either side. It was only a misunderstanding that was quickly resolved as soon as it was uncovered. But it was only uncovered because, when faced with what appeared to be mounting difficulties in her relationship with us, C chose not to build another wall.

How grateful we are that she chose instead to build a bridge.

By Rosalie

——-

For more First Person submissions, click here.

Would you like to submit a First Person essay or poem? Send it to ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’

The post First Person: Building Bridges Instead of Walls appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

First Person: The Blessing of Serving in the Church

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:45:49 +0000

The organization of this church is such an amazing gift from God. He wants us to learn about charity, and he doesn’t just leave it up to us without a perfect plan to help us get there. He gives us jobs (called callings), to help us become what He wants us to become!

I spent many years serving in the Young Women’s organization. When that responsibility ended, I was asked to report on my experience in a talk in Sacrament Meeting.

Working with the youth is a demanding calling; is time-intensive.

Yet, what an absolute privilege it is to work in the name of the Lord for the sake of His beloved daughters!

What a privilege to communicate with Him about their welfare.

What a privilege to feel of His pure love for them, and to gain that same love for them in my own heart.

What a privilege to work with other members of this church who are doing all these same things, to be inspired by them and their efforts in the behalf of others.

What a privilege to be given the opportunity to show God how much we love Him, by going to work for Him.

What an inspired system!

It is through giving service to our God by serving our fellowman that we can become close to God, that we will feel His pure love in our lives, that we will have charity — the pure love of Christ in our hearts.

– By Tami

For more First Person essays, click here.

If you would like to submit a First Person essay, please send your submission to ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’

The post First Person: The Blessing of Serving in the Church appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Poetry: Fragments

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:54:41 +0000

Thanks to Cheryl for sharing this poem.

We invite you to submit your poetry or essays to ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com.’

With “Fragments,” I was thinking a lot about the year I had just experienced. We had moved to a new state, I was struggling with the effects of Post-Partum Depression, I had four very small children, and I was far away from everything familiar. Although that year was full of struggles and frustrations, I realized that I had amazing joys and moments of complete bliss, too! I saw those moments of happiness as gifts of the Savior –part of His Atonement that made it possible to break through the Despair and Depression. I imagined those pieces of happiness were like glass, ripping through that darkness, and I was able to collect them and keep them in my memory. The other thought that came to my mind was that even though those moments of happiness did not outnumber the moments of darkness, they did outshine the dark! And that even if I had to face a lifetime with infrequent –but always constant! –happy moments, then it would be enough. Enough to be happy.

Fragments
Fleeting it seems, this Happiness
Which comes not once,
But as shards, piercing through this blanket of sorrow.
Gathering, glimmering,

Hoping, helping,
Reflecting Another’s increasing triumph over covers
Which muffle the voice of truth.
Give me a fragment,
One by one. If carefully,
It will be enough.

The post Poetry: Fragments appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Dealing with — and Healing from — Addiction or Abuse

Women Seeking Christ — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:34:19 +0000

Addiction and abuse are painful challenges that are all too common in our day and age. Fortunately, there is help and support available, both for those who have the problems with addiction or abuse, and also for those affected and victimized by these behaviors. Following are some links that may be helpful:

Official LDS material:

LDS Family Services‘ book, A Guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing,found on the right-hand side of the addiction recovery support groups page. (The book can also be ordered online (A Spanish version is available here).) Support groups are available all over the world, and are designed to help both addicts and their family members and friends. (See this page for more information.)

“Hope, Healing, and Dealing with Addiction” — a recent article in the July Ensign, written by an LDS Family Services counselor

“Lessons from a Milk Jug” — a touching personal story about how one woman found strength and hope when struggling with the pain of her husband’s addiction and sin

“To Heal the Shattering Consequences of Abuse” — a powerful and sensitive talk by Elder Richard G. Scott (this talk by Elder Scott addresses the topic of healing from abuse as well)

“Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse” — another talk by Elder Scott

“A Conversation about Spouse Abuse”

“Hope and Healing” — an article about healing from the tragedy of abuse

“The Journey to Healing” — victims of childhood sexual abuse share their stories

You can also search on topics such as ‘abuse,’ ‘healing from abuse,’ ‘healing from addiction,’ etc. at lds.org.

Current online discussion related to these topics:

There have been a couple of recent discussions about this at Blog Segullah. Segullah is a literary magazine, published three times annually, exploring faith and the complexities of life through the lens of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is power and peace in knowing that one is not alone in the struggle with the effects and pain of addiction and abuse, and the following posts may be of benefit to someone who is struggling. See here and here for others’ thoughts, including experiences of women who are dealing (or have dealt) with these issues in their lives.

The staff at Segullah and here at Mormon Women believe that there is great power in women coming together to support and help each other, and to open their hearts and share what has helped them through difficult times. If you are struggling with the effects of abuse or addiction (or any other trial, for that matter) and would like to share your story (particularly how the gospel of Jesus Christ has helped you find hope and healing), we welcome you to submit your story to ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’. Please note that for those who are concerned about discussion or comments about your story, here at Mormon Women, we do not provide open discussion or real-time commenting, so you could share your story without that fear. If you would prefer some real-time feedback, you might consider sharing your story at Blog Segullah. In either place, you can write without revealing your identity if that would be more helpful.

The post Dealing with — and Healing from — Addiction or Abuse appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Would you like to share a story about how the gospel affects your life?

Women Seeking Christ — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:29:32 +0000

Of course, we would invite you to submit one to this website, either via email, or through our Sharing Our Voices feature. You can do so by answering the following question…
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ help you in your life?

…or by sharing your thoughts on a gospel topic.

But if magazines are more your speed, the Church’s Ensign magazine is looking for submissions as well. See here for a list of topics in which they are particularly interested.

In the June Ensign, you can also find a couple of requests for submissions. One is “Tuning Out and Tuning On” (you can find that on the list above) and the other on the best marriage advice you have ever received (see the bottom of this page).

The post Would you like to share a story about how the gospel affects your life? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

First Person: The Little Details

Women Seeking Christ — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:38:28 +0000

Have we not been reassured about the fall of one sparrow and that the very hairs of our heads are numbered? (see Matt. 10:29–30; D&C 84:80). God is in the details! (Neal A. Maxwell, “Encircled in the Arms of His Love,” Ensign, Nov. 2002, 16)

During a routine obstetric ultrasound I was told that I needed to be induced immediately to give birth to my fifth child, just two weeks shy of my due date. I was not expecting that. My ultrasound revealed too little amniotic fluid and that the baby could be in danger. Because I knew that ultrasound measurements can be unreliable, I requested to talk to my doctor. I finally saw him a few hours later and asked him to repeat the ultrasound. Again the measurements showed too little amniotic fluid.

I knew I was dehydrated and hungry so I asked to be released to go home and eat, drink some water, pack, and see my kids before being induced. I had a strong desire to go home and be with my children and to call my parents. (I usually only called them on Sundays and this was Monday.) The doctor was okay with that, with the agreement that I would return in two hours to be induced.

I went home with my husband and ate a big dinner, drank lots of water, called and talked to my mom in California and let her know what was going on. My dad was on his way out the door for his daily bike ride and he got on the phone very quickly to wish me luck. I explained to my dad what was happening and that we would be having the baby soon. He said, “Break a leg, Kid! Well, having a baby is a piece of cake for you. You know how to do this!”

Little did I know that was the last time I would ever hear his voice in this life. An hour later on our way to the hospital we discovered that he had had a massive heart attack on his bike ride and had died. He was 49. We rode to the hospital in shock, while I sobbed until I threw up. How was I going to have a baby now?

Our doctors were wonderful and they gave us a private room and left us alone for a few hours until they came in once more to apologize and offer comfort. Then they again said they needed to induce because of the amniotic fluid. I asked again for one more ultrasound. I had been drinking a lot of water to improve my hydration level so I needed another opinion. They did another one and found that my level had gone from a 1 to a 7 in just a few hours of hydration! I was elated and relieved. However, they still suggested induction. (A normal level is about 10 and up.) I requested to stay overnight and be on an I.V. drip and fluids to hydrate me and check again in the morning since the baby’s heart tones were perfectly fine and in no distress at the time. They thought that was reasonable, so I was able to stay overnight.

I received a blessing from my husband and my doctor who promised me that I would have the birth that I desired and that we would all be healthy and that emotionally I would be able to handle this. I was able to finally talk to my mom and cry with her. I couldn’t believe I was preparing for giving birth with my daddy just barely gone. I was grateful for that night to prepare for what lay ahead.

A scripture I had previously read kept coming to my head:

“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give ye rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

I repeated that over and over in my mind that night, my pillow soaked with my tears.

Unbeknownst to me, earlier that night, my grandmother (my Dad’s mom) had received the news that my dad had had a heart attack. She did not know yet that he had passed away, nor that I was preparing to go to the hospital to have a baby. She and my grandfather knelt down together immediately to pray for him and for our family. As they prayed, my grandmother heard a distinct voice tell her, “Gregg is bringing the baby.” She had no clue what that meant until she found out my dad had died and that the baby was on her way. While we don’t really know the details of how and when the spirit of life enters a baby’s body, I like to think that perhaps the time spent that night waiting it out and preparing was time for my dad to give instruction and counsel, and to send his granddaughter to earth.

The next day my amniotic fluid level was back down to 1 despite my efforts that night. I was induced and gave birth very easily and quickly, though emotionally it was very trying. I could feel my dad there; he was with me. It was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life… intense joy at the life of a new babe all through the sorrow of the death of my father. I reflected on the cycle of life and I was lifted up. My promised blessings came true and I was given peace as I held my newborn baby in my arms.

The Lord is in all the little details of our lives.

– by Stephanie

The post First Person: The Little Details appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

First Person: “Fear not, I am with thee”

Women Seeking Christ — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:58:15 +0000

It seems to me that in the times of my greatest need or frustration I feel like the words I pray to my Heavenly Father are falling from my lips and onto the floor. I know in my heart that I am not really alone during the winter seasons in my life, but it can sometimes feel as though I am. I am grateful, however, to be reminded that I am not alone.

As I left the Missionary Training Center (MTC) to enter the missionary experience, I felt a strong sense of certainty that there was in front of me a vast sea of experiences to be had. I was anxious to share the gospel that I had been taught all of my life. With a renewed sense of urgency and confidence in my ability as a servant of the Lord, I embarked on my journey.

The first six weeks of my mission were spent in Sacramento, California. I had been called to Portugal, but was awaiting a visa before I could travel there. I distinctly remember the feelings I had as I arrived in my first area and met my companions. A sort of realization washed over me and I sensed that the days of dreaming about golden investigators, packages from home, and letters from a “waiting” boyfriend were now becoming a reality about which I was very uncertain. The feeling, as I can best describe it, is not unlike the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you are sitting in your seat on a ride at an amusement park and the bar suddenly locks into place.

About six weeks later, in my first area in Portugal, my companion and I walked along the busy streets of Lisbon, contacting people as they passed by. I had only been in Portugal a few days and had found that the Portuguese I had learned in the MTC differed vastly from the language the people were speaking. I felt insecure in my ability to both understand and communicate. I felt ineffective as a missionary as I easily became lost in conversations. As we walked home one rainy night after a particularly frustrating evening, I felt discouraged. I felt lonely and hoped I was not wasting the Lord’s time. I felt very far from my family and friends, far outside of my comfort zone, and afraid that I was not going to be up to this task.

It was in this rainy state of mind, when I heard in my head the words to a hymn:

“Fear not I am with thee, be not afraid for I am thy God and will still give thee aid” (“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymn #85).

That night I looked up the scripture in Isaiah 41:10,13, which reads:

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

I was able to derive from these words the hope that I so critically needed. I felt that I did not have to rely only on my ability, but that Heavenly Father was watching over me and would help me. Whenever I hear that hymn I think of that rainy night and feel in my heart a warm confirmation from my Father who believes in me.

– by Alli

(Did you notice that you can listen to an MP3 recording of this hymn? Find more hymns here. You can download MP3s of music as well.)

Read more First Person essays here.

Would you like to submit a First Person essay? Submit essays to ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’.

The post First Person: “Fear not, I am with thee” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Sharing Our Voices: Our Thoughts

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:07:01 +0000

A key purpose of this site is to provide a place where people can share their thoughts and feelings about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Of course, this is so readers can enjoy different points of view and experiences from members of the Church, and can understand more about how our faith impacts our day-to-day lives. This is not a discussion-driven site, so each comment can be considered a sort of mini-post in and of itself.

One way to share your voice is to write something to answer this question: How does the gospel of Jesus Christ help you in your life? (To answer, click on the link and make a comment on that post.)

Find out more about sharing my thoughts
Go to the topics list

More Information on Sharing Your Thoughts

If you would like to share your thoughts, click on a topic below, and make a comment in the form provided. You can also just comment here on this page. Feel free to share experiences or insights, how the gospel (or elements of the gospel) have positively impacted your life, favorite scriptures and quotes (along with how and why they have impacted your life), etc. As Elder M. Russell Ballard has recently invited members: “Share your experiences – those from your own life – that show how your values and your faith intersect.” He gives some other ideas of what we can share:

[A]llow people to see how your beliefs lift and shape your life for the better. How does the gospel help you as a parent engage with your teens? How do your values encourage you to participate in civic affairs? How has your experience as a home or visiting teacher enlarged your compassion or care for the sick and needy? How has your Church life helped you to avoid such things as pornography and immorality? How have family councils or home evenings helped you resolve differences of opinion with members of your family? How has your experience in speaking in church helped you address large public groups? Where did you learn to respect and not to criticize other faiths? And so on.

This is a place, then, for you to share how your faith impacts your life.

While we know it is tempting, please do not share your thoughts about someone else’s thoughts. We want this to be a place where people can safely share their thoughts without fear of someone else’s analysis of those thoughts, and where each comment can be read independently.

If you are uncomfortable sharing your name, don’t worry! It’s not a requirement. You can use initials, first name only, something like ‘a sister from Florida’ or ‘a friend in Europe,’ or a screen name of your choice. Your email address is required by the software to process the comment, but email addresses do not appear on the site and will not be shared (unless you give us permission if someone wants to discuss something with you privately). Comments are moderated (we read each comment!) so they won’t show up immediately. Comments that we deem inappropriate, or comments that seek to critique or respond to others’ thoughts will be edited or deleted.

Please note also that we will remove links to personal or group blogs, so please do not include a web site URL when you comment. (But if you have something from your blog you would like to share, please feel free to send it via email as an original submission to be considered for inclusion on the site!)

Some of the posts right now are empty and are there simply to make sure there is a place for you to share your thoughts. (Don’t be afraid to be the first!) If there is a topic you don’t see here but would like to, or otherwise aren’t finding what you are looking for, feel free to send us an email at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com.’

Topics List:

“How the gospel impacts and influences my life”

Agency

Education and Learning

Living with the Spirit

The post Sharing Our Voices: Our Thoughts appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

First Person: “To Struggle is the Program” (or Life is a Process, Not a Bunch of Events)

Women Seeking Christ — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:00:26 +0000

I don’t know when he started saying it, but Dad’s mantra is one that I heard often. I’m sure I will pass onto my own children.

To struggle is the program.

Of course, you can imagine the kinds of conversations that brought on that teaching. Who wants to hear that the pain and struggle they are going through is supposed to be part of life? I sure didn’t. I wanted things to be easier, period. (I would often wonder (and still sometimes do): This is what I signed up for in the premortal world and shouted for joy about?)

In moments of spiritual clarity, however, of course I know he is right. We are here to be tested, to learn from our experiences, to learn faith through the trials that come. Of course, life is also full of rich and wonderful blessings, so it’s not like he was trying to be pessimistic or gloomy. We are that we might have joy, right? But still, sometimes it is in the struggle that we learn to appreciate the joy all the more. I look at my life and really can see blessings that struggling has brought, and I am (usually) grateful for the growth.

Lately, Dad’s words have been distilling on me in a slightly different way, thanks to some discussions with my husband, who has been reflecting on how life is a process, not a bunch of events. How often are we focused on the events in life: the next appointment, the next project, the next piano lesson for the children, the next family scripture time, the next big opportunity, the next stage of life when “all of our troubles will fade”? The list of “things to do” or “things we want” or even the goals we set can sometimes dominate our lives and our thinking. As my husband and I have talked, we have realized, perhaps more profoundly than ever, that it’s possible that a focus on events could also cause us to miss the purpose of life and the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from the journey, and especially to build relationships with God and the people around us.

I think Nephi understood this concept. In 2 Nephi 31, he spends considerable time teaching about the critical nature of baptism, the ordinance necessary to get us into “the strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life” (v. 18). This is an event that is absolutely essential to salvation. And yet, after expounding on the blessings of baptism, Nephi asks an important question:

And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?

And then, of course, he answers his own question by saying, “Behold, I say unto you, Nay” (v. 19).

The event of baptism is not enough. Indeed, we could plug any important event into this equation. Is all done when we receive the ordinances of the temple? When we married to our spouse? What about the day-to-day events of life and of gospel living? Do we say one prayer and we are done? Do the dishes once and check it off the list forever? Is all ever done? Sometimes that very fact that be exhausting! There is always another meal to cook, another weed to pull, another paycheck to be earned, another church meeting to attend. Clearly, the purpose of life is not really to “be done”!

Nephi teaches us what our lives should be about in verses 20 and 21:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way….

No event, whether temporal or spiritual, will ever render our work “done.” No goal accomplished is ever sufficient to get us Home. We are here to struggle — not only to struggle in the sense of struggling through pain and trials, but to work hard and to work tirelessly and to work consistently. In short, nothing short of steadfastly enduring to the end (with faith, hope and charity along the way) will be enough to accomplish our work on earth.

Dad’s teaching has taken on a new light for me. Heavenly Father sent us here to learn the process of Christlike living and being. No event alone can make that happen, no matter how grand the event may be. It’s in the struggle, in the striving, in the pressing forward, in the enduring (in both spiritual and temporal elements of our lives), that the Lord can mold and shape and change us. The ordinances and commandments, as well as our day-to-day to-do lists, are only steps in the process, means to a potentially glorious end. The growth God desires for us comes in the struggle to make the most of every day, to repent when we make mistakes, and to build relationships with God and with our families that can take us into eternity.

I am convinced that this is part of why we hear so much about the importance of family life in the Church — because the consistent, repetitive work and the process of growth is so important in those family relationships. In fact, a quote from a talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks comes to mind even as I write that:

Now is the time for each of us to work toward…becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become. As we do so, we should remember that our family relationships…are the setting in which the most important part of that development can occur…. Exaltation [eternal life] is an eternal family experience, and it is our mortal family experiences that are best suited to prepare us for it.

To struggle is the program. More than ever before, Dad, I believe you are right. But that concept is exciting me more than ever because it has taken on new meaning. Life is a process and it’s through continual effort and focus that I can continue to grow closer to God.

-Michelle L.

——-

Do you have thoughts you want to share on the topic of trials, adversity, faith (or other gospel themes)? Would you like to write a First Person article for this site? Please see our Sharing Our Voices feature for more information on how you can!

The post First Person: “To Struggle is the Program” (or Life is a Process, Not a Bunch of Events) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.