After the Trial of your Faith

Wow. This summer has certainly been a surprise to me. I naively thought that coming home from a mission was going to be a cake walk; as if the Lord somehow owed it to me for serving a mission. (I'd forgotten King Benjamin's words: "Are we not all beggars?" Mosiah 4:19)

The big trial of this summer has been the job hunt. I lost my first job, the second didn't work out the way I'd hoped, and the third was only temporary because of its hours. Let's not mention the countless applications I filled out and the numerous interviews I had. Time after time I got my hopes up and was let down after not receiving the position I'd applied for.

And now FINALLY I've gotten a job at the Education in Zion gallery at the JFSB on BYU campus and couldn't be happier. The hours, pay, longevity, and environment are all ideal. What a tremendous blessing!

I think all of our trials are this way though. Is the night not darkest just before the sunrise? Don't we need the character building that comes through disappointment, grief, and pain? Do not these things turn our hearts to the Lord?

I must admit, there have been plenty of times I've doubted. I've had times where I've wondered why I haven't received certain blessings when I've tried so hard to be faithful.

Sometimes we just need to wait.

To those of you who are in the midst of your own trials: ENDURE ENDURE ENDURE. The blessings will ALWAYS follow after the trial of your faith.