Peace Amid Chaos

Early on a Saturday morning in October of 2013, my little family gathered together to accept the charge to Come Listen to Living Prophets.  My heart was full to overflowing.  Our family was together under one roof and though some were injured, all were alive and we knew they would heal.

I thought back to the previous year, with our family scattered.  Rick and I were leaving to head for Phoenix, when Jon came and told us that President Monson had announced that the age for missionaries had been reduced.  Jon wanted to go then, but had to wait till his orthodontic work was completed.  Rick and I spent that long car ride listening to the Saturday sessions when we could and discussing the messages, then connecting with Hunter and Jon by phone that evening and the next day.  Little did we know that a year later, Jon would not only have left for his mission, but been injured and returned home to heal. Five months later, that healing process is reaching an end and he will be returning to California to finish serving the Lord.

I reflected to the previous April.  Wil was home from Japan and we made the trek north to Ogden to meet up with Hunter and join together to watch Conference.  How my heart was touched that Conference with the messages of the love our Heavenly Father has for us, His desire for us to return to live with Him and the power of the Atonement.  Those were the words our family needed to hear at that time.  How blessed I felt to spend that day with my family and receive those words of counsel and reassurance.

I find great strength in my faith.  I know that I have a loving Heavenly who wants only the best for me.  I know that I have an elder brother, Jesus Christ, who paid the price of justice, so that I can have the gift and mercy of the Atonement in my life.  I know that through the power of the priesthood, my life is blessed and that my family can be together forever.

During 2013, our little family has faced many ups and downs in life.  At times it felt like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and we couldn't get off.  At times it was a bad dream from which we could not wake.  At times life was like a piece of hot fudge cake with brownies warm from the oven.  At times the joy we felt was so great it could not be contained.  At all times when we turned to our Heavenly Father in prayer our hearts were filled with peace.

Tomorrow will bring another adventure for us.  That is how it should be.  Life should be about moving forward.  The ups and downs of life help us learn what we need to know to move forward.  Life is the time for us to prepare to return to our Heavenly Father, to be able to live with Him for eternity.  I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned.  I know that the Lord hears and answers prayers.  I know that He is with us, to guide, to aide, to protect.  This knowledge has the power to calm my soul and bring me peace.