So I have keep meaning to write down some of the "ah ha" moments I've had this past week. People always say that you have to go through the darkness to know how great the light is. Well I totally agree with that! I think that has been a theme for my whole life! But I haven't been so grateful for those dark periods in my life until recently. I have come to see just how much I truly learned from those times and how much I grew and most of all how much I truly was never a lone! Its kind hard to explain exactly what I am trying to say. But I can give you examples of what i am trying to say :)
So on Sunday I taught RS lesson with the other members of the presidency. We focused on Christ. And the Scripture that says "For unto you a child is born" So we wanted to have to sister think about who Christ is to them personally! So I shared my testimony about how He is my friend. And that got me thinking of the times in my life when I truly needed a friend. When I felt so alone and that no one even saw me. Like how hard it was to leave the mission. All my friends and then going back up to BYUI and feeling totally alone. But I now can say I am SO grateful for that time! I needed to cling to the one person who would never leave me.
Also this week I had lunch with a very good friend. She is amazing! She is such an example to me! Well after chatting it up in pizza hut for three hours I walked away with a greater testimony of my Saviors individual love for his children! This friend has just recently found out she has cancer. So we exchanged Dr stories, Some that made me laugh, some that made me want to cry and others that made me want to never see a Dr again :). As I talked to her I remembered how there have been times while dealing with my heart problems that I felt that I couldn't go on. How I didn't know how I could find the energy to do another test or hear another bad news. (now I'm not playing the pity card I am VERY blessed...just explaining my feelings) I remember how Dark those times feel. But now I don't think I could ever have become the person I am with out those times.
Then one more example. I have been watching a VERY dear friend of mine come back into activity in the church. Its amazing to see the light get brighter and brighter in her eyes! How she is remembering just how much the Lord loves her and how much she loves Him! She is a GREAT help to me and example. She so reminds me of myself! I was her same age when I came back to activity. How excited I was about the gospel! How after so long of being away from the Light the Lord still opened his arms and lead me back to Him. I still remember feeling so lost and unhappy and truly dark it was in my life! I am grateful I remember so validly so will never ever forget how grateful i am to know how great the Light is!
So yes we do need to know the dark before the light! And how great the Light is after being in the dark!
