Aloe Vera

2 things stick out about today and I'm not sure how to write them in a way that would make sense...

So, this post may ramble more than most...

One is that sometimes the best way for things to heal is counter-intuitive, and we must be brave enough to go the way that hurts in the short term to be happy for eternity. The second is that we must truly live what we believe. It shows, and though final judgments may not take place yet, they are coming.

1. I got sunburned yesterday, on the insides of my elbows, you know, the part of your arms that is whiter because it never sees the sun? It was rather painful. Yesterday I couldn't even find my aloe vera so I just had to hold still and hope I didn't move too much. Then, at church, my friend said I needed to wash the burn with as hot of water as I could stand, and scrub the burn. This, apparently helps sunburns heal. I wasn't going to try it, but he phrased it in such a way that reminded me of a lesson in faith.

See, the devil often draws us in by easier ways, by immediate gratification. And, when he said this, I felt that it had deeper implications. Sometimes, we don't try the one way that will help us heal. Aloe Vera helps healing, sure. But mostly, it just soothes us while we hurt, and it hurts to put it on. My friend's method directed me to solve the problem instead of just mask the pain. I know that isn't necessarily the best metaphor or parallel, but I want you to know that within a couple hours after washing my arms, the burn has visibly started healing. It still hurts, sadly, but it is going away.

Second: Elder Holland spoke today. It was fabulous. I wanted to get a hug from him, but got so much comfort from his words, it was like getting a desperately needed hug (and I've been needing a good hug lately). Yes, he chastised us because of our lack of faith, of judging, of checking our religion at the door. Babylon is great, and it has a great hold of our hearts. The thing is, I felt comforted. I've been feeling helpless lately, seeing so much pain and suffering around me, because of ignorance, and I haven't known what to do.

One of my roommates has suspicious behavior about a couple things, but the thing that stuck out today was this: My ward is rather spread out, so they have this thing called "Ward Round-up" to see who has moved in and didn't know where to go. Well, they stopped by today and talked to my roommate. She told them that she goes up to her parents' ward in Draper. However, to my knowledge, she never has. NOW, that is to my knowledge. I know she didn't go today and she doesn't appear to have a car, so anyway. Either way, I got to thinking that she (or others like her) has made her choice and I won't pressure her to come back or confront her about what I think is right for her. I will make sure she knows about activities and all, but I am not going to shove it down her throat. I also thought how fair and just our Father in Heaven is. He wants all to come back, (maybe I will have a role, even just a reminder, in her life, to come back to Him) Yet, He won't force anyone and His judgments are perfectly just as He will wait for us to truly become who we choose, and He will award us our choices because of our agency.

We must be strong, in whatever we choose. We must choose sometimes to forsake the easy path and try something that hurts. Things in my life still seem very impossible. Yet, I know that I can be happy where I am at and I can trust in His promises, they are still there for me, and I know that my Savior lives and loves me, and so I can move forward. I can have faith and I can trust in that and wait for good things to come, and find joy in my daily life now too. Some days I need more reminders than others, but that is ok too. That's what I learned at church (and the rest of the day) today.