Accepting the Lord’s Will and Timing

The other night I was reading the Ensign and came across this article,  "Accepting the Lord’s Will and Timing" By Elder David A. Bednar.  Here's a few parts that stood out to me:

"I asked Elder Maxwell what lessons he had learned through his illness. I will remember always the precise and penetrating answer he gave. “Dave,” he said, “I have learned that not shrinking is more important than surviving.”"

"In his October 1997 general conference message, Elder Maxwell taught with great authenticity: “As we confront our own … trials and tribulations, we too can plead with the Father, just as Jesus did, that we ‘might not … shrink’--meaning to retreat or to recoil (D&C 19:18). Not shrinking is much more important than surviving! Moreover, partaking of a bitter cup without becoming bitter is likewise part of the emulation of Jesus.”"

"I then posed questions I had not planned to ask and had never previously considered: “John, do you have the faith not to be healed? If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death in your youth to the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?”"

"...strong faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will and timing in our lives--even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or wanted."

"Elder Bednar, I do not want to die. I do not want to leave Heather. But if the will of the Lord is to transfer me to the spirit world, then I guess I am good with that.”"

There were a few parts of this that I really relate to. The part which says, "Do you have faith not to be healed?" In our experience with Tacen that's how I felt. We knew that God could perform a miracle, but it wasn't His will for Tacen and our family and his will was for us to accept that he would not be healed and that he would return to our Heavenly Father!

Then the end really reminded me of what I feel like I have learned since Tacen's passing. "And God expects and trusts us to face temporary mortal adversity with His help so we can learn what we need to learn and ultimately become what we are to become in eternity."

"Thus, their experience was not primarily about living and dying; rather, it was about learning, living, and becoming."

Because of Tacen I have learned many things I couldn't have learned in any other way. It has taught me about life, about joy and about becoming who I am supposed to become.  All of these things have happened since we lost Tacen. Tacen changed me and he continues to help me be better! I'm grateful for the chance to be his mom. Because even though losing Tacen makes me feel like a piece of my heart is missing I wouldn't trade all those memories and the love for anything! It love looking back on pictures and remembering to pure joy he brought into our lives. I'm grateful for an eternal Father in Heaven who understands us and loves us. He helps us through our deepest hardest moments and not only do we get through them, but we come out stronger, better and more refined!
Each trial we face and overcome we become stronger! I continue to learn this in my life. Life is not without trial, but each time I face something difficult looking back I see how I learned. I see our Heavenly Father's hand in my life and I come through. I make it through. I have highs and lows, but I am learning and trying to better. Because life is wonderful! Life is worth living!

Here's a couple pictures of my sweet boy!

Iszella has really been into lip gloss lately. Maybe it's the age!