Sacrament thoughts

During Sacrament  we had a nice Returned Missionary from the Stake speak along with the high councilmen.   He started his talk about the usual, where he served etc.  and then went into how when he was a year into his mission in Ukraine he became sick.  He said he struggled with this sickness for the next 7 months until he was almost completely bedridden.  At that time it was decided he would return home to get the necessary treatment and surgery.

I'm ashamed to admit this but when he got to this point in his talk I thought.  Here we go just another millennial who came home early because he was "sick".  Seriously does any of them stay anymore.   I was soon humbled as he shared "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say.

He talked about the struggle, disappointment and shame he felt coming home early.   He couldn't understand the why behind it.  After his sinus surgeries and recuperation he contacted his mission president and he requested him to come back and finish his last 4 months of his mission.   In the process of going back, he discovered that his visa had expired.  His mission president gave him 3 choices.  1.  He could be honorably released from his mission.  2.  He could wait 9 more months for a new visa to come through and return to Ukraine or 3.  He could be reassigned to serve another mission.

He knew he couldn't wait 9 more months because he was scheduled to start school in the fall and he felt impressed that he needed to finish his mission.  So he was reassigned to the LA mission speaking Russian.   He then shared how hard it was to accept that he wouldn't be able to go back to Ukraine which was where he thought he was suppose to be but as he accepted the call and served a very brief time in LA starting a new Russian branch. He shared a few stories that testified to him that he was meant to serve there even if but for a brief time.    He then talked about the last night he served and his overwhelming sense of gratitude that he was able to be reassigned and even really lucky he was able to serve in 2 different assignments that would  not have been possible if he hadn't gotten sick.

At this point I was out in the foyer with Spencer.  As I sat on the couch I was touched and very impressed by this young man.   First he finished his mission when he was given an easy out.  Second his story was a great example about how Heavenly Father works through mysterious ways to accomplish his work here on Earth.   Things that may seem like set backs are often God's way of directing our lives so we can accomplish our mission on Earth.   I thought about my own life and the experiences I've had that have developed my testimony that we each have a purpose and mission .

In my own life I think about how Heavenly Father has been in the lead.   Often it is the set backs that made it the most apparent.    I remember the devastation I felt when I got the rejection letter from Ricks College.  I had set my eyes on that goal and had done ever possible thing to be accepted but for some "divine" reason Ricks had decided on a lottery system to accept a variety of qualified students.  I laugh at the letter now that read something like "although you are very qualified you just not very lucky"  I'm sure it was more eloquent than that but that's what it meant.    Interestingly it was also the only year Rick's College did such a thing.

So in my devastation I for the first time considered my other college choices.  This lead me to be accepted at Utah State.  I was also soon granted a rehab full ride scholarship that could only be used at an in state college.  I look back and see what a huge blessing it was to leave my undergrad without any student loans.   I had also taken enough college level Ed net courses to start college as a sophomore but soon discovered church schools do not accept the credit.   I felt the Lord's hand the day I arrived for Freshman Orientation and I sat in the College of Education Auditorium listening to the different department advisers talk about their programs.  I sat there ready to declare my major as a Science teacher and Dee Childs, the communication disorders adviser stood up and shared a few things about Speech Pathology and said "All those wanting to major in Speech Pathology come with me."  Something inside of me that I realize now was the spirit said go with him and I've never looked back.    It also came to me that the Lord has his hand it my life or the "raffle" at Ricks College.  As a sophomore I started taking my specific major courses and became friends with a few girls that had transferred from Ricks College.    I knew that if I would have stayed at Ricks and somehow had discovered my true calling I would probably made it back to Utah State to finish what I was already ahead of the game doing.


Another set back that changed my course for the better was the day I failed the GRE for the 2nd time.  It was the day before Thanksgiving.  I scheduled it in Provo so I could go home for the holiday right after.  I cried and cried driving home all the way from Provo to Teasdale.  I felt like such a failure.  Uncertainty and fear about the future embraced me.  What was I going to do now.  In a very emotional state that night before bed I opened my patriarchal blessing looking for answers.    I came to the line that says "You have come through many generations of special people."  Instantly the spirit overwhelmed me and said "It's time to go on a mission."  I feel strongly that it my ancestors pushing me forward that night.  Had I passed the GRE with flying colors would I have been open to the impression to serve a mission?  I somehow feel I wouldn't have and would have missed the most pivotal moment of my life.   I grew so much in faith and trust that after my mission.  I again began the process of diligently studying and a lot of prayer to pass that dang test.  I attended an admissions prep class.  One of my favorite college professors  taught the class and shared advice about getting into grad school.   As almost a passing thought she said "You know occasionally we will accept an applicant that is strong in all areas except the GRE".    It gave me some much needed hope.  I also received a blessing from a home teacher the night before I took the test and in it he said "You will understand the importance that this test will have in your life".    Once again I failed that dang test but I left not devastated but calm and collected with thoughts like  "If I'm not meant for grad school the Lord will lead me to what I am suppose to do".    I continued with my applications to 4 different grad programs and to my exhilaration I was accepted at all of them.   What a relief and blessing to have choices and to once again see the Lord's hand in helping me chose the University of Utah where I meant some choice classmates and being in Salt Lake allowed me to meet the love of my life Bart.

Sacrament meeting ended and I went on to serve in the nursery with a renewed testimony of the gospel and with a feeling that I need to share this story on my blog.  Who knows why but I'm hoping one day it will help one of my kids move past a set back or two and find the joy of trusting in God's plan for each of us.