As we ask these questions, we realize that the purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences.
Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son. He already knows, and we have the opportunity to learn, that no matter how difficult our circumstances, “all these things shall [be for our] experience, and … [our] good.”1
Robert D. Hales
The last six months have been jammed packed with trials, obstacles and challenges and to be quite frank, I/we are all am ready for a break!
In September we found out that I had a tumor. A few weeks later the tumor was removed, not without some challenges from John changing jobs and thus changing insurance companies. Thankfully, John got insurance effective immediately and we didn't have to wait 30 days or the financial burden would have been much worse.
In December John got a tooth ache, which was an infection and had to be fixed with a root canal. Shortly before Christmas I got sick with a cold, the nerve racking cough lasted nearly 2 months.
In January John had another tooth ache, this time it was his wisdom teeth. His right arm also started bothering him in January, and both his hands would fall asleep easily. The pain in his right arm was getting so bad he couldn't grip anything or even shake someone's hand.
In February John had his wisdom teeth removed, the whole ordeal has been anything but pleasant. He ended up with a dry socket, we thought after being treated for the dry socket he was on the road to recovery, but that hasn't been the case. A month and 8 days has passed since having his wisdom teeth removed, and he is still having problems. His jaw still hurts, his neck hurts and his face is still swollen. This week he went back to the oral surgeon again, and they say his lymph nodes are "mad" so they have him on antibiotics. Also, in February Ashlee and Mikayla both got sick. Ashlee ended up with strep throat, Mikayla had all the same symptoms as Ashlee, but didn't have strep.
In March, Ashlee got strep again. Nearly one month to the day from having it last month. John's right arm was hurting him more so he went and saw an orthopedic surgeon. The doctor says he has tennis elbow and possibly carpal tunnel. Yesterday he got an injection for the tennis elbow and the pain has gotten worse. Just watching him trying to do something as simple as brushing his teeth, brings me pain. I can tell he is in a lot of pain, but he is still trying to carry on and go to work and do the things he needs to do. The good news is, the shot for his arm, some how made his jaw not hurt for a while. Mikayla is getting ready to start her second phase of braces. This week the orthodontist told us that her wisdom teeth are already coming in, and they are not in a good position. After everything John has been through with his wisdom teeth, I don't think the girls will ever let us take them to have theirs out! I also took Mikayla to the doctor for a routine ear check, and the doctor looked in her throat and says she has a "growth" in her throat. He said allergies or a virus may be causing the "growth", but if it doesn't go away soon she will have to have it burned off. Mikayla isn't looking forward to having anything "burned" off. She just had to have a wart burned off a few months ago and it was pretty painful for her.
I also had my first post op mammogram check this week, I go to the surgeon next week, to see how things are going.
I sure hope brighter days are ahead.....and that these trials will make us stronger, because when you're living them day in and day out, it really starts to wear on you/me which in turn wears on the family too.
Waiting upon the Lord means pondering in our hearts and “receiv[ing] the Holy Ghost” so that we can know “all things what [we] should do.”
As we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we discover that “tribulation worketh patience”and we learn to “continue in patience until [we] are perfected.”
Waiting upon the Lord means to “stand fast” and “press forward” in faith, “having a perfect brightness of hope.”
It means “relying alone upon the merits of Christ”and “with [His] grace assisting [us, saying]: Thy will be done, O Lord, and not ours.”
As we wait upon the Lord, we are “immovable in keeping the commandments,” knowing that we will “one day rest from all [our] afflictions.”
And we “cast not away … [our] confidence”28 that “all things wherewith [we] have been afflicted shall work together for [our] good.”
I happened to go to LDS. Org today and here was this video, first one on the front. What a nice reminder to know, we are not alone. Click the link to watch.https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-003-mountains-to-climb?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HP_Homepage-2015_3-17-15_dPTH_L1-A_759
