"...if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." Alma 48:17
This picture paired with the scripture gives me goose-bumps! It is one of the most amazing stories in the Book of Mormon...to me anyway. Throughout my divorce, I looked to the scriptures for comfort. Because of that specific trial of mine...this story meant so much. Captain Moroni-fighting for and standing up for what he believes in. I have drawn so much strength from the example of Captain Moroni. I remember feeling like my small, new family was being targeted by the adversary. I read this story in the scriptures and knew that I had to fight. We all have to! The world is a scary place these days and almost nothing is guaranteed.
I was speaking with someone this week about trials. She isn't a church member but u don't have to be to go through hard times! I told her about a Relief Society lesson that helped me to actually appreciate my trials! The teacher asked all of us to think about the hardest thing we have EVER been through. Mine was pretty easy. Then she had a hat filled with lots of pieces of paper. She told us that if we wanted to we could trade our trial for one in the hat! Um....nobody decided that was a good idea! It made me think about how our specific trials are tailor-made. They are just for us because Heavenly Father knows us! He knows our strengths and weaknesses-He knows which of us have been given specific tools. He will only give us trials that He KNOWS we can get through! I was thinking about the hat. What if I traded my divorce trial for another one and got....cancer or something! Cancer wasn't supposed to be my trial then! Heavenly Father knows me and knows that I had a family who would stand by my side and support me. He knew I had a testimony of prayer and the scriptures and He knew I had faith. I was ready to learn and grow from that and he allowed it to happen. Now it wasn't easy to go through and it was not fun but...I was given what I needed to get through it. I am so thankful for the person that I have become because of that specific trial.
I recently found a quote that I love to just think about! It says, "The Holy Ghost brings peace. It is the one feeling Satan cannot duplicate. He can duplicate pleasure, momentary happiness, and so on. But he cannot duplicate pure joy and peace." (Sally H. Barlow) I love that!!! It's true! Just recently I was praying and needed to be comforted. I needed some guidance and was listening for an answer to a question I asked. I will never forget the wave of peace I felt. I STILL feel it and there is no way that this amazing feeling could be reconstructed by anyone other than our Heavenly Father. I was trying to think of why that is. Satan hasn't ever felt this! He doesn't know what joy feels like. He will never have peace! It makes perfect sense.
I know I have kind of unloaded my brain but to tie everything up...our Heavenly Father knows us, loves us, and wants us to learn, grow, and be happy!
"If you want to be happy, be."
-Leo Tolstoy
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