"I will not fail thee nor forsake thee"

I have spent the past few days helping a friend of mine move out of the house that she has lived in for the last 20 +years. There- she has memories of precious years raising her daughter and living with her husband -who passed away from cancer when their daughter was just 8. This friend has been a great example to me of perseverence and faith.

Personally I think that becoming a widow at such a young age is enough trial for one life time! Yet since then, there has continued to be one trial after another. I won't share all that she has been through, but will name a few. She has battled her own breast cancer, struggled with anxiety and depression, lost the support of close family members and struggled financially.  As a result of financial stressors she is having to leave her home. As I think of the trials she has been through- I find myself asking "why would one person have to endure so much." I have asked this question before! When I see the struggles of those I come in contact with through my work as a counselor and social worker-- I am often struck by the fact that life is full of trials!  And no on is exempt! It may appear from the outside that others have it easier, but as a counselor, I see first hand that this is just not true.

When I was in high school I thought that maybe I was one of those who was going to luck out. I had a pretty easy life and a good family. During my senior year of high school a good friend of mine shared with me that her brother had sexually abused her growing up. I remember wondering how life could be so unfair. Why had she suffered, when my life had been so easy. I remember going upstairs that day and asking my mom "why is my life so easy and so many other people suffer so much?" I will never forget her answer. She matter of factly stated,"You are still young, our family is still young -there will be trials ahead."   That is not what I wanted to hear, but of course she was right." We do all have trials. President Monson has said.


"As I have traveled far and wide throughout the world fulfilling the responsibilities of my calling, I have come to know many things—not the least of which is that sadness and suffering are universal. I cannot begin to measure all of the heartache and sorrow I have witnessed as I have visited with those who are dealing with grief, experiencing illness, facing divorce, struggling with a wayward son or daughter, or suffering the consequences of sin. The list could go on and on, for there are countless problems which can befall us."

I do believe that sometimes our trials are there to help us grow and yet other times they are a result of someone elses bad choices. Either way-the Lord can use our trials and experiences to mold us into something even stronger and better !

Again President Monson said

"Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before."

You may feel that no one truly understand the suffering you have endured, but there is one who understands.

"He Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you 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.” (President Monson  "I Will Not Fail thee nor Forsake thee" Ensign, Oct 2013)

What difference does knowing this make to you?  How can it help you through the healing process?