This week has felt like a turning point
in my mission! I am learning so much, and I am continually so grateful
for this opportunity to be a missionary - a servant in the Lord's
vineyard, giving my all to partake in this great and final harvest.
A lot of what I have learned this week has to do
with faith and the will of God. Sometimes we read scriptures that say
"If you have faith and ask God, nothing doubting, then it shall be given
unto you", right? But what about the will of God? How do I know if my
faith is sufficient to work miracles if it is not the will of God for
it to happen? Our faith cannot possibly only be manifest through moving
mountains if God doesn't want the mountain to be moved, right? As I
studied it out in the scriptures this week, I learned so much about
God's role in our lives.
As I was studying by topic, trying to find the
similarities between faith and faithful, I happened upon Psalms 31.
This chapter hit me so hard. It was like everything I needed to hear
at the exact time I needed it. It taught me once again that God is
aware of everything we need. He sees our trials and our afflictions.
He knows what we go through with on a daily basis. I was reminded once
again that faith is not just made manifest through things that happen
to us. There are plenty of people, like Joseph Smith or Paul the
apostle, that had bad things happen to them. They were cast into prison
and paid hard prices for their beliefs. Surely that wasn't because
they didn't have sufficient faith to be relieved of those burdens or
situations. Their faith was extremely strong. It wasn't made manifest
by them being released immediately or prison walls crumbing to the
earth. Their faith was made manifest in their patient endurance and
submission to God's will. Faith is trusting in someone or something.
We can't be relieved of every trial we are put through. We cannot fix
all our problems by saying we have faith. That's not how that works.
Faith is trusting in God and all that He has. Faith is knowing that
there are good things right around the corner if only we endure
patiently a few more steps. Faith is remembering that God will not give
us any trial we are not able to handle.
If you need any comfort of this, read in Ether in
the Book of Mormon. He told them how to prepare the barges - He gave
them the means to cross the great waters to the promised land. He sent
great winds across the waters, resulting in waves and storms, but He was
continually guiding them to the promised land. Sometimes they were
buried in the depths of the waters, but God delivered them and kept them
safe until they got to the shores of the Promised Land. He is always
aware.
The more we try to get closer to God, the harder
times can get. He is steering us towards our "Promised Lands" and
sometimes that includes raging storms in life. It doesn't mean that God
has forsaken us - it only means that God wants us to get there. We
have trials in life so that we can learn and become more like our Savior
Jesus Christ. This time is a test, and what good does a test do if we
have all the answers right there in front of us? He knows what He is
doing. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Trust in Him and
have faith that there are good things in store to those who wait and
endure patiently.
I love you all!
Sister Norrell
P.S.
- P-day next week is on Christmas! Don't worry if you don't hear from
me again until then! Who knows where I'll be in Thailand... :)
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