A Thought on Hardship

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Today we spent most of the day at Lagoon. It was really fun. A bit busier than past years (last time we went we only had Theo on our hands) since we had 3 little to take care off but still really fun! 


My awesome SIL Dian and her husband Elia were super helpful with our kids, which was so nice. And we were talking about babies and such when I realized something. Theo was by far our trickiest baby — between being new parents and not knowing what the heck we were doing and him being a little more particular than your average baby, it was a rough go for awhile there! Of course I would say 80% of the cause lies with us because we often made things harder on ourselves (aka not swaddling after a few weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️). 


Anywho. My realization was this: the experiences that I treasure the most and that I learned the most from have usually been the ones that were the most difficult in the moment. 


Compared to Theo, our two daughters have been a cake walk. But I didn’t learn as much from those experiences. And it feels very different to talk about those learning experiences versus the hard ones. 


When I go back further, I definitely feel the same way about other moments in my life too. I learned so much more from the hard times and I weirdly treasure those times. It brings to mind two scriptures:

✨ 2 Nephi 2:2 — Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. 
✨ Doctrine and Covenants 122:7 — 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

God really has (and I believe He will) consecrated my afflictions for my gain. 

So if you’re having a hard time or going through a difficult challenge, remember that ‘this too shall pass’ and that you’re being refined and gaining experience that you may one day cherish. 😘 xoxo! Hang in there and trzymaj się!