Despite Adversity!

When we were hit by a severe hail storm just last week it seemed like nothing would have a chance to survive. Upon surveying the damages the next day the lawn was covered with leaves and branches and new, undeveloped fruit. The grapes looked bedraggled and the greenhouse looked like bubblewrap that has been popped, but with a little bit of effort and cleaning I began to see what was left and gospel truths filled my yard. The common theme through this experience was the blessing of repentance which gives each and every person on this earth the promise that they can clean up their lives as though the sin or sins had never, ever  happened. What a wonderful blessing.

This flower popped out within days of the storm showing a determination to stand forth in glory regardless of adversity. We too can be radiant and filled with joy despite the adversity we face.

My water garden was untouched by the storm with exception to the foliage that had blown in. We cleaned out the dead leaves and debris which, if we had left it, it would have decayed into a terrible mess. From my water garden I am reminded that sin and error must be dealt with immediately or they introduce something ugly and putrid into ones life.

The fish were all safe and secure in their watery home. They are well protected from  hail as ice cannot penetrate deeply into the water because it floats. So the water was a shield for the fish from the flying ice and debris during the storm. Our spirituality can be much the same. It will shield us from much of the fiery darts of the adversary IF we ensure that our spirituality is developed enough. It would have been fatal to the fish had they been in shallow pools. When our spiritual armor is thin we too can be fatally wounded.

Once the debris of leaves, twigs and other items were removed from the yard it was once again radiant. Repentance works this way. Through the Atonement, when we work at removing unwanted debris from our lives, the Atonement can actually make it as though those things never happened. What a wonderful promise.

Well, the grapes got thinned out by the storm. We cut the dead branches away and then realized that now the sun can reach the fruit and it will develop and provide us much nourishment come fall. We too are like the grapes. When adversity thins and prunes it is painful, but as we persist in righteousness, we will behold a great harvest in our own lives and receive blessings along the way. One blessing for me right now is that I don't have to prune my grapes!

The long shadows fall as we complete our cleanup efforts feeling fully rewarded. There is a great spiritual joy when we persist in daily repentance and righteous living, cleaning away the undesirable.

Our home. It took quite a beating and while it may not look like much, it faced the opposition without faltering and protected us from the raging storm outside. The gospel and our conversion does this for us spiritually. 

Still green and still growing. While some of these plants are a little beat up, they still have strong roots that will  help them overcome and regrow the lost foliage. Our roots in the gospel help us recover when opposition seeks to beat us down.

In the shelter of the house. Properly sheltered, these flowers never even felt the icy  balls of hail that plummeted out of the sky. With the Savior as our guide, we too can position our selves in places of safety.

And he still felt like singing. This little bird has been a joy in our yard ever since the storm. We hear him sing every time we go outside and he never wanders far away. Yes, even though we took considerable damage to our personal property I still feel greatly blessed in my own life and my soul is filled with song.

President Hinckley has encouraged us to stand a little taller and to be a little better. The evergreen trees lost a lot of their new growth, but as they reach taller every year, this slight setback will help them to be a little better as they grow and develop.

What a joy it is to  be taught by the creations of the Lord on a regular basis. I love the parallels and the lessons I receive as I seek to be taught. I am saddened when I hear others curse the storm. It was great and it was terrible, but God's hand was in it in that He, and He alone, can teach the lessons that testify of the truths we most stand in need of remembering.