The Wind in Our Sails

We went to a double missionary farewell/homecoming yesterday. What a great experience to see that visual difference. The strong, but anxious testimony of a devoted young man  going out and the deep, experienced testimony and self awareness of a previously struggling young man coming back.  Such uplifting thoughts.

The returning Elder shared a beautiful analogy about trials. I've heard similar comparisons, but this particular insight impacted me on such a personal level yesterday. The young man was talking about how people come home from their missions and say it was the best two years OF their life, but he wanted to clarify, personally, that it was the best two years FOR his life. He told about a one week period where a sister missionary in his district was killed in a car accident and her companion was sent home because she had a broken back. In the same week their area experienced an earthquake, two tornado's and Hurricane Irene, which completely washed out two or three areas. While all of the Elders were struggling emotionally with the death of their friend they were sent out to help with clean-up. On the first day they drove past a woman crying in the street and asked what they could do for her. She said she couldn't find her house--literally. He said it was times like those that he truly wondered what he was doing there. (He served in New York) But, he said as those things became the past, he would see in hindsight how the hard things were changing him and the people around him and he would remember why it was all so important. The analogy he used was much more succinct, but as I pondered it all day this was how I interpreted his inspired insight. Our earthly experience is the ocean, our lives are sailboats and the wind in our sails are our trials. Sometimes "nature" causes the wind to blow, sometimes Heavenly Father manipulates the weather and He is the source of the wind, but no matter the cause or the source, it's the wind that moves our boat. However, we are steering the ship and must determine the direction that it travels. We can steer if forward or we can steer it backwards or we can let go of the wheel and let the ship toss to and fro, or we can deliberately take down the sails until the wind dies down, but as long as the wind is blowing we can't cease the movement of the ship. Sometimes the winds are calm and though we enjoy the respite our ships doesn't progress very quickly toward their destination. Sometimes the winds are completely still but then we are in danger of the doldrums which is a state of stagnation and listlessness. Sometimes we think we're in the doldrums, when really we've just forgotten to put up our sails. But whatever the circumstances, we only move when the wind is in our sails. I'd never really thought about trials that way before. Such great imagery and symbolism!

Ran into one of those storms this week and realized once again that a compass and the understanding to use it skillfully is such an imperative part of steering our ships. Sometimes I think if I was just more discerning about what I feel is right, that the journey would be smoother, but that just doesn't seem the case in all of the annals of history. We're just all learning to overcome our weaknesses together, by trial and error and sometimes by fire. I keep waiting for that magical plateau, where I can heave a great sigh of relief because my family is finally "safe", but I am realizing that with "eternal increase" that's no part of the package. After all, even Heavenly Father hasn't reached that imaginary pinnacle, but at least in the equation, He has achieved perfection and I'm sure that makes all the difference.

Jordan will be making his last mission phone call home on Mother's Day. I can't believe his return is less than half a year away. What a sweet and vulnerable experience it is to have a missionary in the field.

Quote of the Week:
“There comes a time in a man's life when to get where he has to go--if there are no doors or windows--he walks through a wall.” ― Bernard Malamud
(Aaah...I'm still looking for this kind of inner passion and determination!)

Eden's First Prom (She got to go as a Sophomore because she was asked by a Senior)

Boutonniere's Are Hard

Getting Help From Her Papa

Late...But Ready to Go (Mom was so busy with the hair--forgot to iron the dress)

Modest Girls--Happy Boys!

The Epitome of Eden--Life is Fun!

The More...the Merrier!