Best Decision

The other day my mission had a missionary reunion which unfortunately was held in Brazil and not in Utah. Since neither Sister Correa (one of my companions) nor I could be there in person we decided to make a video together and send it to my mission president and his wife telling them about our lives post mission. During my part of the video I surprised myself by saying something that completely caught me off guard. I had said that getting married was the second best decision I had made with the first being my mission. As soon as these words left my mouth I knew I couldn’t take them back. For the rest of that day and into the next I thought a lot about whether or not those words were actually true and in my heart I knew that they were. For some reason I started to feel really guilty about this because I felt like my answer should have been the other way around. The next night I decided to ask Danny to see what his answer would be. After asking “what has been the best decision you have ever made?” he responded without hesitation at all “definitely my mission”. I immediately told him “I’m so glad that you did not say it was me!!” haha I seriously felt so much relief at that moment. Then he went on to explain how he never would have met me if he hadn’t served a mission in the first place. After he had said that everything made sense. MY BEST DECISION LED ME TO MY SECOND BEST DECISION. I no longer felt guilty and instead I felt grateful. It was now 100% clear to the both of us that if we hadn't served we would never have been led to each other and most likely wouldn't be where we are today.

Philippines Bacolod Mission

Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission

              I do realize that a mission is not for everyone, nor is it a requirement to even make it into the Celestial Kingdom, but I will say that I have been eternally changed because of it. Danny and I will both always have the common desire to put God first and center of our lives and this includes our marriage. I wouldn’t want to trade or have any other person standing by my side.

With tomorrow being Turkey Day I know exactly what I'm grateful for . . .

Gaining Strength by Breaking Free

Right before I married into a farm family I learned a pretty cool lesson about baby chicks and ducklings. When the baby chick/duckling is finally ready to hatch he has to go through a struggle that asks for every ounce of strength he can muster to break free from the shell. As much as the baby bird rolls around and fights to break free from the shell this is something that the chick/duckling must go through alone. If he receives help from anyone he will ultimately either die or become disabled. The baby chick/duckling needs that strength that he can only gain by going through the struggle.

As I think more about this I’ve come to realize that sometimes we will go through trials that require every ounce of strength and energy we have because by doing so we gain the strength we need to continue onward and forward. I can picture our loving Heavenly Father above watching us and doing everything he can to hold back instead of freeing us from our “shells” because he knows of the strength we can only gain by overcoming our trials. Heavenly Father loves each and every one of his children with a love so deep that we will never truly comprehend the depth of it in this lifetime. At times when we feel hopeless and alone we need to realize that we have someone watching close by and cheering us on because He knows how strong we can and will be after each trial is won.