Kaikille:
“Once upon a time.”
Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of ourage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”
For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale.In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity.
Cinderella has to endure her wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters. She is compelled to suffer long hours of servitude and ridicule.
In “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle becomes a captive to a frightful looking beast in order to save her father. She sacrifices her home and family, all she holds dear, to spend several months in the beast’s castle.
In the tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” a poor miller promises the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king immediately sends for her and locks her in a room with a mound of straw and a spinning wheel. Later in the story she faces the danger of losing her firstborn child unless she can guess the name of the magical creature who helped her in this impossible task.
In each of these stories, Cinderella, Belle, and the miller’s daughter have to experience sadness and trial before they can reach their “happily ever after.” Think about it. Has there ever been a person who did not have to go through his or her own dark valley of temptation, trial, and sorrow?
Sandwiched between their “once upon a time” and“happily ever after,” they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? Why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love?
The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not discern the sweet from the bitter.2 Would the marathon runner feel the triumph of finishing the race had she not felt the pain of the hours of pushing against her limits? Would the pianist feel the joy of mastering an intricate sonata without the painstaking hours of
practice?
In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy" (President Uchtdorf).
I really think this is the greatest lesson I have learned thus far on my mission. "It is our reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how our life's story will develop" (President Uchtdorf). We were placed on earth -- a state of being called mortality. It's inevitable that trials and challenges will come while here. They are part of living on the earth and living in mortality. But ultimately, we choose who we will become because of those trials that we experience in our lives. I am so grateful for the trial that my family and I have all experienced this past week because it is allowing us all a chance to change-- to become better-- to be more loving, more kind, more caring, more wise, more forgiving. I am grateful for the miracles we have seen and for the prayers and fasting, tears and hugs, everything that has been done on behalf of my brother and our family. I come from such a blessed community and have been surrounded by some of the most wonderful people. We are truly blessed!
I really just wanted to talk about this this week. Next week I'll fill you all in on what's been happening across the big ocean, but for now, I hope you all know how much I love each of you! Rhett I love you! I am so happy that you are okay! I love you more than words can express! I hope you know that! I know this gospel is true! We just have to put our trust in Heavenly Father and know that "we cannot comprehend all that the Lord doth comprehend." I am so grateful to be here serving in such a sacred place. I am so blessed each day and I have seen the hand of the Lord so vividly yet again this week in my life! Miracles are real! God is merciful, loving, and all-knowing. Believe in Him. Trust in Him. And know that "these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for they good."
I love you all! Make today a great day!
Rakkaudellani,
Sisar Jordan
“Once upon a time.”
Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of ourage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”
For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale.In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity.
Cinderella has to endure her wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters. She is compelled to suffer long hours of servitude and ridicule.
In “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle becomes a captive to a frightful looking beast in order to save her father. She sacrifices her home and family, all she holds dear, to spend several months in the beast’s castle.
In the tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” a poor miller promises the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king immediately sends for her and locks her in a room with a mound of straw and a spinning wheel. Later in the story she faces the danger of losing her firstborn child unless she can guess the name of the magical creature who helped her in this impossible task.
In each of these stories, Cinderella, Belle, and the miller’s daughter have to experience sadness and trial before they can reach their “happily ever after.” Think about it. Has there ever been a person who did not have to go through his or her own dark valley of temptation, trial, and sorrow?
Sandwiched between their “once upon a time” and“happily ever after,” they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? Why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love?
The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not discern the sweet from the bitter.2 Would the marathon runner feel the triumph of finishing the race had she not felt the pain of the hours of pushing against her limits? Would the pianist feel the joy of mastering an intricate sonata without the painstaking hours of
practice?
In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy" (President Uchtdorf).
I really think this is the greatest lesson I have learned thus far on my mission. "It is our reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how our life's story will develop" (President Uchtdorf). We were placed on earth -- a state of being called mortality. It's inevitable that trials and challenges will come while here. They are part of living on the earth and living in mortality. But ultimately, we choose who we will become because of those trials that we experience in our lives. I am so grateful for the trial that my family and I have all experienced this past week because it is allowing us all a chance to change-- to become better-- to be more loving, more kind, more caring, more wise, more forgiving. I am grateful for the miracles we have seen and for the prayers and fasting, tears and hugs, everything that has been done on behalf of my brother and our family. I come from such a blessed community and have been surrounded by some of the most wonderful people. We are truly blessed!
I really just wanted to talk about this this week. Next week I'll fill you all in on what's been happening across the big ocean, but for now, I hope you all know how much I love each of you! Rhett I love you! I am so happy that you are okay! I love you more than words can express! I hope you know that! I know this gospel is true! We just have to put our trust in Heavenly Father and know that "we cannot comprehend all that the Lord doth comprehend." I am so grateful to be here serving in such a sacred place. I am so blessed each day and I have seen the hand of the Lord so vividly yet again this week in my life! Miracles are real! God is merciful, loving, and all-knowing. Believe in Him. Trust in Him. And know that "these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for they good."
I love you all! Make today a great day!
Rakkaudellani,
Sisar Jordan
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