Messages from the prophets

We have been contemplating a lot lately about what paths we need to follow in our lives and why we have to go through hard trials.  I have read lots of things and thought about lots of things that have helped me in our struggles.  I read something this morning before church in the June Ensign that made me think a lot that I wanted to share.  It's from the article "He Carried My Sorrows" by Jane Bleak.  She talked about the struggles she had one year when she lost quite a few family members and some others had major health problems.  She said:

"I gained strength by reading a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles titled 'Trust in the Lord.'  He said: 'Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously.  When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more.  He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit.  To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.'  He said that questions such as 'Why does this have to happen to me?' or 'Why do I have to suffer this now?' lead us into blind alleys.  Rather, Elder Scott suggests asking questions like 'What am I to learn from this experience?'  'Whom am I to help?' and 'How can I remember my many blessing in times of trial?"

This was a source of comfort and also an enlightenment to my mind.  Of course they are things we are always taught, but sometimes forget, especially in times of trial.  I am grateful for this article that was meant for my benefit.  I hope that I can learn from my trials the things that Heavenly Father wants me to learn and that I can grow to become who I need to be.