Pains of Progress

Today, I made a happy little visit to the oral surgeon. Quite an experience! I am now officially wisdom tooth-less and with that one more step closer to the mission field!

I recently finished my mission papers (except for the required appointments with the dentist/surgeon and family physician). What is so exciting about that is that I had been looking for my passport for, no kidding, 6 months leading up to this. I started my papers back in March and one of the first forms I worked on required my passport information. Unfortunately, I had not seen my passport since I returned from my trip to Europe. At the same time, I was looking for my checkbook which I kept in my closet. I distinctly remember putting all my bank information on the shelf to the left of the door. Well, when I pulled down the paperwork which was on that shelf what I found were programs and posters from my Europe trip. I was excited to see them because I really enjoyed the trip and I had just thought of looking for this stuff to throw into a scrapbook. Anyways, on top was an envelope given to the group by the travel agent to keep all of our ticket stubs and boarding passes in. Yet this envelope was quite heavy for a few pieces of paper, and as you could have guessed, inside was my passport! I knew the Spirit guided me to finding it because I had just asked for help in finding it in a prayer, yet I was getting ready to replace it. Needless to say, I fell to my knees to show my gratitude for the answer to my prayers.

Anyways, back to the point of this post. Although having 4 teeth surgically removed was not the way I had planned on spending a Friday, this was necessary for my progression to the mission field. I just now have to get in to see the family physician to get my general physical and continue to save my money.

But to relate this little story to what we have been told by an Apostle of the Lord, I know that whatever we may be going through, trial, tribulation, or suffering that the Lord will be closer to us than ever. In the CES Fireside given by Elder Jeffrey R Holland, we learn that although some may say in times if trouble that our God has forgotten us, we are to know that He is closer to us then than in times of naught. He is at our side, walking with us, holding us up, making up the difference to return us to times of happiness. As I write this, I am reminded of a story that goes similarly as follows:
There was a man walking along a sandy beach. In his times of great success and peace, there were two sets of footprints in the sand; the man being accompanied by Jesus Christ. Yet in this man's most pressing trials, his lowest moments of spirit and times of most difficulty, there was only one set of footprints in the sand. At first the man saw this as Christ abandoning him, leaving him in his own during these tribulations. However, we have been taught that in these times, those footprints in the sand were actually Christ's, carrying the man through his troubles.

What a powerful message! To know that when we are lowest and in times of trial, that Christ is right there, carrying us through whatever it is we are suffering and that we have the most to learn in these times. Elder Jeffrey R Holland said that being in these kinds of situations is like being in the House of Our Lord, the holy temple in that we are closest to Christ and subsequently Heavenly Father as they accompany us in times of need.

So remember that when we feel alone in our troubles, that we are closest to Christ then then at most anytime throughout our temporal experience.