There is something to be said for enthusiasm. The world can feel like such a dark place, with so many concerns, fears, worries and overwhelmingness that we can lose sight of what it is to be happy and to be excited for life. And that's not even when life is sending us a growing opportunity. Sometimes the humdrum seeming monotony or the daily pattern of life lulls us into this sense of forgetfulness that life is inherently good and that we have a purpose.
I love going to the temple, something about being there just makes me smile, whether smiling through playing and singing during prayer meeting or reverently waltzing in elevators where no one can see me (sshhh, don't tell anyone). The temple just makes me happy, the work that goes on in those halls is a hallowed and sacred work, it is the work of salvation the training of future gods and goddesses. It is also the dwelling place of God on earth and I'd like to think that if being there makes me so happy, it's because He is so happy to see the work for so many of His Children, to know that the things we learn there bring us closer to Him. The temple allows us to enter into His presence and feel of His love and His hopes and dreams for our future. And when I say that, I say that literally, just because we cannot see Him does not mean that He is not there, it simply means our mortal eyes just need more training.
Heavenly Father truly wants for us to be happy, He understands that this life is full of bumps, bruises and unexpected oopses, He also realizes we aren't perfect, that though our desires our pure sometimes our efforts are not and that it is all too easy to lose perspective. Yet He still means for us to trust Him. Elder Jeffrey R Holland taught in "Remember Lot's Wife: Faith is in the Future"
"So it isn’t just that she looked back; she looked back longingly. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin." "we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives. So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind."
Over the past two years and even now it seems my life is a lot like a rolling ocean, I might enjoy a calm for a very short season (like a week) and then the next waves comes crashing down and all the ground I thought we had is gone or at least buried under tons of water. In those moments I have often questioned my Heavenly Father why I can't just have a season of peace, why can't I just have some good. I have wondered why others have it so much better and what could possibly come next. In these past two years I've learned a couple things, first, no one really has it easy, we all hide our struggles with varying degrees of difficulty and we all have mountains to climb, second I've learned that those moments aren't to make me miserable, it is just part of life. I used to think that I was just the whiny, that I just thought my lot was hard. But the more I open my heart in Relief Society and Sunday School I realize life is getting harder, Heavenly Father needs a people prepared and that means trial and growth. As the prophets say we are a chosen generation to live at this time. Being chosen to prepare the earth for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ means having hearts and bodies prepared to do so.
I know this is weighty stuff and can at times seem very overwhelming and perspective crushing. Today I fasted just for faith to overcome fear and to see a little farther. Heavenly Father answered those prayers by reminding me of the joy of the temple. He gave us temples to enter His presence, to feel His love and be reminded He is in every step of our lives. He prepares us with equal parts trial and tender mercy, He wants us so much to succeed which means he prepares us with little stuff to be ready for big stuff. He loves us so much, He wants so much for us. Look to the good before us. Remember that faith lies in the future, that it really will be better and brighter, even if seeing the waves ahead makes us long for the peace behind, there will be joy up ahead too, longing for today to last forever, halts our faith that God has so much good before us. God is in the future, He is preparing the way and the best is truly yet to be.
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