Trials: Blessings in Disguise

How many times has God handed you a trial that made you just want to complain, and cry, and complain some more? The instances, for me, are countless!
It sure seems like I've been sitting in God's classroom for quite some time now. The lessons keep coming! Yesterday, the Spirit taught me, yet again, another worthwhile lesson: something that I really took to heart.
My husband and I had fallen asleep watching Friends. I woke up around 1AM, my neck kinked; my head pounding. I nudged Corey to wake up and we went to bed. When morning rolled around, my head was just throbbing! I was in so much pain--nearly to the point of tears.
Note that this was my first, truly awful migraine since I returned home from my mission nearly six months ago, earlier than anticipated.
Church meetings were going to start in an hour and there was no way that I'd be able to get myself ready in time; no way that I'd be able to get ready at all in the state I was in! Corey ran to the kitchen to get me some medicine, and I went back to sleep.
As I drifted into my dreams, I distinctly remember saying a prayer--in my state of unconsciousness--asking Heavenly Father to ease the burden even a little bit so I could get myself out of bed and ready for church.
When I opened my eyes, I looked over at my husband and told him that I wanted to go to church. My headache was gone.
Just long enough for me to get myself ready, out the door, and take the sacrament, God took away my migraine. As soon as the sacrament ended, the migraine came back.
I buried my head into Corey's side. Dreadful. Absolute pain.
I couldn't help but silently ask my Heavenly Father why He couldn't take the pain away for the duration of the testimony meeting. I so wanted to feel the spirit and learn from those who shared their testimonies. I'd had such an amazing experience last month! I wanted it again!
My answer came rather swiftly.

Trials are untimely.
Trials are hard.
Trials are not desired.
Trials lead me to my knees.
Trials make me plead.
Trials draw me nearer to God.
Trials allow me to recognize His mighty hand.

This trial in particular was a tender mercy from the Lord. While it was odd that He took my pain away for only an hour, for the sixty minutes that God eased my burden, I was able to focus on the single, most important event of the week: taking the sacrament.
As silly as it may seem, I'm so grateful for the headache I got yesterday. Through that difficult, temporary experience, I was granted a greater knowledge of the importance of the sacrament. I shared a moment with my Savior, Jesus Christ, when I partook of the emblems of His death. He had already suffered my headache. He had already felt that agonizing pain for me so that I didn't have to go through it alone. Because God eased my burden for that little time, soon afterward, I felt His love overtake me. I felt His hand work a tiny miracle just so my testimony could grow ever so slightly.

That slight increase in my faith in the Atonement of the Lord and Savior made all the difference in the world.
Because of that headache, I made progress in my eternal journey.
Because of that headache and my desire to renew my covenants, God did not just  allow me to renew my promises, but to renew my testimony.

I always knew that trials would help me progress.
I had never thought that the teeniest, tiniest trial could get me that much closer to God until yesterday.
God is a god of miracles.
My trials are a great blessing from my Father in Heaven.
I wouldn't trade the lessons I've learned and the insights I've gained from the discomforts I've experienced thus far for the world.
I cherish my trials.
I hope you do too.

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The Family: A Proclamation to the World

This inspired document was released twenty years ago today and read to the public by President Gordon B. Hinckley, whom we love, revere, and miss.

These are not just words written on a piece of paper, but rather, they are scripture and as such we should do our very best to follow the counsel given by the apostles of God, and therefore, God Himself.

You can find the document here.

I know that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. No man-made law will ever have the capability of changing eternal law.

Men and women alike are essential to the Creator's plan, and we have different roles for a purpose. If we were all the same, we wouldn't need each other, but we do. 

Equality doesn't come by dismissing specific roles of each gender and substituting yours for the other. Equality is being equally yoked; sharing the load.

In 1 Corinthians 11:11, Paul said, "Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." Neither could be without the other. In our mortal lives, we have the wonderful opportunity to find someone we love and marry. The bond between a husband and wife is sacred, and the gift of pro-creation shouldn't be tampered with.

That's the beauty of this gospel. 

While society is quickly dragging the world off-course, Latter-day Saints and many others are keeping themselves moving forward by living what most people would consider, "old-fashioned."

I was once asked my sophomore year of high school why I wouldn't want to "test" the man I love before I get married. At the time, I didn't have a response, but I do now:

Because I love God more than I love the principles of society. Because I have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet called to restore the gospel, and because I know that we still have living prophets today, I know that God has said to save myself until marriage. Having not shared that bond with anybody but my husband has made our relationship much more strong.

I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that the greatest way to show Him my love and gratitude for His atoning sacrifice is to live the way He has asked. I love Him and I will follow Him.

His hand is extended toward you always. Take it. Hold on tight, and He will lead you Home. 

If you have not had a chance to yet, read The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Pray and ask your Heavenly Father if this document is a bunch of boloney and He will provide you His witness through the Holy Ghost. This is my invitation to you.

Happy 20th Anniversary!

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Testimonies: A Tender Mercy

After a hectic morning of not only being late to church, but not being able to find anyone in the ward to tell us where our classes were held, we finally made it to sacrament meeting where I felt the Lord's hand work a miracle.

Tender mercies with a touch of a miracle seemed to be the theme of the day in spite of the craziness..

1. Sacrament meeting is the last meeting
2. I was rebuked by the Spirit.

Okay, okay, now you might be thinking: Excuse me, Mrs. Sabin, but please explain to me how being rebuked by God is a tender mercy!

I'm so excited to share this experience with you. It's personal, but, aside from being sealed to my husband a short time ago, this was the greatest blessing I've been given in a while.

As I sat in the chapel, snuggled up to my husband, I made the decision to intently listen to every single testimony that was shared.

It started with the first testimony--it was a simple one--about things I'd already known to be true, yet I felt an intense sensation overcome my being. Why? I already know the Church is true. I already know that Jesus is the Christ. Why am I feeling this way? 

The second testimony, the third, fourth, up until the tenth were shared. The feeling didn't go away.

I began to listen even more intently. I just knew that the Lord needed me to learn something. It was quite obvious. By the way the Spirit touched my own, Heavenly Father's intentions were very clear. I was missing something.

A Japanese woman got up with her husband. She spoke in her native language while her husband translated. As she spoke in Japanese, before her husband could translate, that same spirit filled me up. Although I couldn't understand her directly, I understood what she was saying to be true. 

It was in that moment that I realized I needed to be in that room at that time to be told by my Father in Heaven through His servant that I needed a reminder; a reminder that this gospel is His.

It was in that moment that I realized I've become complacent with the way my life has been. It was in that moment that I realized that my testimony has been sitting on a plateau. It was in that moment that I realized I haven't been doing anything to strengthen my conviction. It was in that moment that I realized that being comfortable with complacency in this life is going to land me in a place where I can be eternally complacent--which place isn't with God.

I became very emotional at that point. How did I let this happen? I thought.

It's so easy to think that what you already know is enough, but we can cheat ourselves out of some really wonderful experiences if we decide that we're good enough to stop progressing.

The truth is, once you gain a testimony, that's not the end. 

Testimonies are gained as a result of faith. However, if we don't continually nourish the "seed", it won't grow. It'll remain a seed, or if it's already been planted, nourished, and has become something more than just a seed, it'll begin to wilt and eventually...die. 

I'm so grateful for the individuals who were courageous enough to stand before the congregation to bear witness of the things they know to be true. Without those individuals following the Spirit, I don't know how much longer it would have taken for me to realize that I need to make progression a habit.

Eternity is all about progression, so naturally, mortality is as well.

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through the prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal and Only Begotten Son of God. I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and the words found therein are powerful, comforting, and most importantly, true. 

Before I walked into sacrament meeting today, I knew these things were true. When I walked out of the chapel, I was reminded by that same Spirit that the truth of these things hasn't changed.

It wasn't the knowledge of Christ as my Savior that saved me. It was the reminder by His Spirit that I need to change that saved me.

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