Making it Alone

Last week my husband took the scouts on a 3 day float trip on the Salmon River. A year ago a scout leader was drowned in that river on a similar excursion. Well, I don't do well anyway when my husband is gone and knowing this, I wasn't thrilled at all. He didn't have any cell reception to call me each night so I wouldn't be able to talk to him until he was on his way home. Every day the children and I prayed for his safety. The first day he was gone, one of our chickens got out. Our chickens peck so I wasn't too thrilled about chasing it back into the coop. I called my friend across the street and she came to help me. After about 15 minutes we finally got it back in. The second day he was gone, 2 of our pigs got out. Again, I couldn't chase them back in alone so I called my neighbor and he came to help me. He was able to get them back in by us chasing and cornering them, then he'd grab a leg and lift it back in the pen. Those little pigs weigh about 75 pounds each so I never would have been able to do that by myself. I decided that night that if anything happened to my husband, I'd sell those darn animals! I'm not much of a rancher/farmer! It's just a good thing that the cows didn't get out too! Later that night I was feeling really lonely and worrying about his safe return. The spirit was there and comforted me to know that IF anything did happen, I'd be OK. It would be hard, extremely hard, but I would be OK. With the love and support from friends and family I would make it through it. I was also comforted that he would return home safe. The second he walked through the door I realized just how much I really loved him! It could never be put into the right words, but I love him with all my being! He means more to me than life itself! I'm so thankful for the blessing that we have each other, that the Lord knew we needed each other to continue through this life and to raise children together. I'm so grateful for the Gospel in our lives. To have the knowledge that when we finally do depart from this life, that we'll still have each other throughout all eternity. Our lives don't end here on this earth! We will continue to live forever! I hope that I can live my life according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ so I can have that blessing of being eternally happy!

David A. Bednar: "In the classroom of mortality, we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, and even the challenges of physical limitations in ways that prepare us for eternity."

John M. Madsen: "Tragically, millions in the world today still prize and choose “the riches of the earth” over the “riches of eternity” (D&C 38:39), not knowing or fully understanding that “he that hath eternal life is rich” (D&C 6:7; emphasis added), and that eternal life is God’s greatest gift to man (see D&C 14:7). In His great Intercessory Prayer, the Savior gives to all mankind the key to obtaining eternal life: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3)."