“Behold, We Count Them Happy Which Endure"

Tonight I am faced with a similar trial that I've had one time before - and apparently did not pass because here it comes again... It is so easy to feel angry when trials come. Angry at the person causing the trial, angry with God for telling you one thing and giving you another, and angry with yourself for allowing someone else to manipulate your emotions. I decided to do some research on trials and see if I can get it right this time so my Heavenly Father doesn't feel the need to give it to me again. Here are some great quotes I found, and some of my own commentary on them. I am not going to give any specifics of this trial, but these quotes really helped me.

"We cannot expect to learn endurance in our later years if we have developed the habit of quitting when things get difficult now." - OK, so this one deals with patience, something I definitely need to work on.

"We are taught in the scriptures that there must be opposition in all things (see 2 Ne. 2:11). It is not a question of if we are ready for the tests; it is a matter of when. We must prepare to be ready for tests that will present themselves without warning." - The without warning part is key. Trials come at hard times sometimes. This week, with my best friend getting married, there is so much happiness to be shared. I hope I can get over this and feel some of it.

“Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days” (D&C 24:8). - Wow, what a beautiful scripture. Just to know that the Lord is with me and sees the pain I'm going through and understands really helps.

“Behold, we count them happy which endure” (James 5:11). - So I am not one who has mastered the whole happy despite adversity thing... In fact, I get very upset when adversity comes...

"It takes great faith and courage to pray to our Heavenly Father, 'Not as I will, but as thou wilt.' The faith to believe in the Lord and endure brings great strength. Some may say if we have enough faith, we can sometimes change the circumstances that are causing our trials and tribulations. Is our faith to change circumstances, or is it to endure them? Faithful prayers may be offered to change or moderate events in our life, but we must always remember that when concluding each prayer, there is an understanding: 'Thy will be done' (Matt. 26:42). Faith in the Lord includes trust in the Lord. The faith to endure well is faith based upon accepting the Lord’s will and the lessons learned in the events that transpire." - Heaven knows that I have made enough mistakes in my life following my plan instead of the Lord's. I guess this is one spiritual gift I feel that I have. When I receive an answer from God, I know it is from Him, regardless of what I want. I know the voice of the Spirit and try to always listen and follow it. The times when I don't follow it have brought the most sorrow in my life. But it is easy to want to go your own way and give up hope in the answer you have received - that is the test. And right now, all I want is to make the trial go away, say things I don't mean, and shut myself off from it all. I did that last time though and it didn't get me anywhere, so round 2, here I go...

"There is nothing that we are enduring that Jesus does not understand, and He waits for us to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. I testify that if we will be obedient and if we are diligent, our prayers will be answered, our problems will diminish, our fears will dissipate, light will come upon us, the darkness of despair will be dispersed, and we will be close to the Lord and feel of His love and of the comfort of the Holy Ghost." - This is what I am waiting for... this is where faith is tested and character is gained...

Jenny's Life Lesson's to Live by:

• Nothing worth it ever comes easily
• Contention and Pride are Satan's biggest weapons against our souls
• Live as if you were going to die tomorrow, love as if you were going to live forever
• Kenneth Cope's songs make even the worst day so much better - Youtube them
• My experience with making a pro/con list is that there are always more cons, but going with the pro's always seems to make me more happy
• Be moral, be kind, treat others the way you would want to be treated, be Christlike
• Don't quit: You have not failed until you quit trying
• When you don't know what else to do, lose yourself in service