Trials and opposition

"At the Grand Council we also learned the purpose for our progression: to have a fulness of joy. However, we also learned that some would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose their way. We learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good (see D&C 122:7). If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 15–16)." -Gospel Principles Manual Chapter 2

Sometimes I think we forget that we signed up for hard things! Pain, sorrow, trials, opposition--all of it is important to our journey! Ram was playing with a little stuffed animal puppy. I was sitting watching him and he took the dog and ran him into the wall. Then he looked at me and said, "Bonk!" Then again, "Bonk!" I said, "Did he get a bonk? Give him a kiss." So he said, "Yeah, muh" (that means kiss) then he kissed them. We went through this same routine 4 or 5 times. Trials and opposition are so important that it shows up in the imaginative play of a 2 year old. It is something that our spirits know has to happen.

Opposition

We had a Ram football game tonight. Viana cheered her little heart out like I've never heard anyone cheer before. The game finished and we were packing up to go when Viana said, "Did we win?" Unfortunately, no--we didn't. And this is what she did next. Tears. Giant ones. She was bawling like a baby. Sobbing, "I wanted the Rams to win. I wanted to win." It was so cute. We consoled her and told her encouraging things like "We can't win everytime," or "We will work harder and play again next week". And isn't interesting how we can't win everytime, but we really do get to work harder and try again. Even though there is opposition and trials and hard things in life, I think we are allowed to take a little crying break, and then realize that we can keep moving forward.

And besides, when it's all said and done, if we're faithful, we have that assurance that we will be the eternal victors.

Plan of Salvation

We know that there was a great council in heaven before we began our life here on earth.  In that council all of us here chose to follow our Heavenly Father's plan to come to earth, receive a body, be tested and tried, face joy and sorrow, experience hardship and gladness, rely on our Savior's atonement and then one day hopefully return to Him.  I've tried to imagine what that time must have been like.  Thanks to my experience today I think I know a little more how it may have been. 
Today Viana had open house for kindergarten.  The parents got to go and get all the paperwork one cold ever dream of, and the children got to follow their new teacher around for a class tour and procedure explanation.  I watched as this little group of children were preparing for their next step in life.  They were confident that it was time for them to be in kindergarten.  They were a little bit nervous to do something they had never done before.  They were eager to obey their teacher.  They sought to please her and follow her lead.  They were excited about all the new things they would get to do.  It was so neat to see such a blend of emotion that ultimately equaled knowledge of potential and plan.  Which, my friends, is the beauty of the plan of salvation.  We have a plan to follow, and if we do we have such promising potential within us. 

In His image

Today Ram put on Eric's shoes and in his deepest voice said, "Daddy, daddy," to mimic one of his sisters' favorite games to put on our shoes and pretend to be that parent. I realized how great it is that litle children have the desire to be like their mom or dad, just like we need to have the desire to be like our Father; even if the shoes seem too big to fill. If we work hard we'll keep growing.