Enjoy to the End

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Endure to the End.

We have all heard that phrase countless times, and to be honest, it gets a little hard to hear. This life is chalk full of trials and i know that i am not the only one who faces them on a daily basis. This last week seemed like a lot of enduring to me, and i was beginning to get really worn out. It seemed like Satan was pelting me with trials! 

So on Friday my good friend Katy called me and invited me to go to a conference in Vernal with her. I'm always up for adventures so i said that i would love to. 

Saturday morning circa 6 am rolled around and i sleepily stumbled out of my front door to be greeted by the Orion constellation. For those of you who don't know me, Orion is my favourite constellation and it was exactly what i needed that morning. I basically poured myself into Katy's car and totally crashed until we were right outside the conference center in Vernal- which is about 3 hours away. I promise that i am usually a better roadtrip buddy, but i was exhausted from staying up far too late the night before. 

All i knew about the conference is that John Bytheway and Hank Smith would be there. John Bytheway has been one of my favourite LDS speakers since i was very young. My mother used to play his cd's all the time, we had a DVD of his, and i have read many of his books as well. Hank Smith was a teacher at BYU and i've seen him speak one other time and loved his messages. 

I sat down and opened up the program, and realized that the conference was called "When Life Gets Hard: A Celebration of Trials" 

A celebration of trials...alright, what kind of crazy conference is this? I thought to myself. 

The Spirit taught me a lot within those three hours, and i'd like to share those insights with you. 


We Have to Be as Strong as Ourselves
Meg Johnson was the one to teach me this lesson as she spoke about how her life changed when she became a paraplegic. She was so inspiring as she told us story upon story of the challenges she faced and how she made it though each and every one of them.

So often we are our own worst enemies! Telling ourselves that we are not good enough, convincing ourselves that we can't possibly do something, and why are we even trying? I know that i have been guilty of such thoughts on many occasions.

What can we do? Meg asked us as she continued on. We can do whatever we put our mind to. We have to be the one to lift ourselves up. There is nothing that anyone else can do to make us happy, we have to choose that for ourselves. We have to be strong enough to lift ourselves up and trust that a loving Heavenly Father has got our back in case we fall. We have to know for ourselves that we can do hard things. We have to take that step forward.


You'll be a lot happier when you focus on what you can give instead of what you can get

John Bytheway was the one who gave me this little gold nugget of information. How often during our trials do we tend to throw ourselves little pity parties? How often do we get so caught up in ourselves and our problems? From each and every one of these speakers i heard stories of helping others and how it raised their spirits in times of trials. A phrase that really stood out to me was when Meg was telling a story of her own personal storm and a loving helping hand that was able to help her through. At the end of the story she said this, "...and she turned around and walked right back into her own storm."



We can gain so much perspective and strength when we help others when we are in the middle of our own trials. I know that something that helped me keep my head above the ways the last couple of weeks has been helping others. It was never anything huge, it was taking five minutes out of my time to ask a roommate how she was, helping a tired pregnant friend with her dishes, making food for a friend, and other little things. These are the moments that have kept me sane during the trials that have been thrown my way. What can we give to those around us? 


I Had a Choice Between Living my Life Wanting my Old Life Back or Creating a New One

This one was a bit of a kidney punch, but a needed kidney punch. Hank Smith was the one to deliver this line, and it was something that floored me. It was a trial that I was struggling with, but one, as he said "we create ourselves". I've had fantastic moment in my past where it seemed like life was the greatest it could ever be. I asked myself how it could ever be that great again, how was that possible? How could i be on that level again? It seemed impossible, so i dwelt in the past. 

His message inspired me and motivated me to look forward with faith and excitement. I don't know whats going to happen within the next day, week, month or year. It changed my perspective on the past. I look back on the last year, and yes, it was one of the hardest ones to date. It was also one filled with the most joy i have ever felt in my life, and i tend to overlook those little things. I am so excited for my future and the path that Heavenly Father has for me. The path that i chose to align mine with. 



There are so many important things i learned that inspired me and motivated me to be better and do better but the last part of the conference that i want to share with you is one that is circled and underlined multiple times in my notebook.

Never Lose Faith in the End of the Story

Satan would have us cloud our understanding with the trials that seem to bog us down. He would have us believe that all we have to live for is the here and now. He does not want us to be inspired or motivated. He does not was us to have goals or to fight for anything. He want to complicate and twist simple beautiful truths that the Gospel brings to our understanding. 

In the middle of the storm it is very hard to see past the next wave that seems to be ready to crash upon us. It seems impossible to keep our heads above the water. How many times do we look back on past trials and think, If only i knew then what i know now? 

I felt the Spirit in overwhelming abundance when i heard these words. Heavenly Father has a plan for me, Heavenly Father is on my side, and my future is bright and full of so much hope. Hope. You know that perfect happy calm peaceful amazing feeling that you get when you come out of the Temple? For me, that's hope. Hope because i can see, for a moment, how great the end of the story is. Satan wants to cloud that, because let me tell you, he does not want me to be happy. When I think of the end goal then suddenly i find the strength to bear the trials that are upon my shoulders. Because it's just a moment, right? 

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 7-8

My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

This conference inspired me, uplifted me, and filled my soul with so much peace. I am thankful for the time i had to spend with such amazing people who are guided by a loving Heavenly Father to help others. 
Here is to enjoying to the end as we endure the trials that are set upon our shoulders. Here is to finding the strength to see through the storm and keep our eyes on the end goal. Here is to being as strong as ourselves. Here is to creating a new life filled with hope! 


Here is to facing our trials, kicking them in the butt and saying.....




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