Trials and Taking the Book of Mormon Challenge

The last few months it's felt like I just can't get a break. My grandpa died in July, and I was able to go to his funeral. After I got back from that trip, I thought I could finally get caught up after the summer craziness because the kids were back in school. But then I went up in the attic to get some parts for the crib so Ruby could start sleeping in it, and I ended up stepping through the drywall in the ceiling, and I injured the rotator cuff on my right shoulder. I've been going to physical therapy for a couple of months now, and although I've seen improvement, I still have pain and I feel like I've reached a plateau. Because of my injury, I wasn't able to do a lot of the cleaning around the house, so that put me really behind. I can mostly do what I need to now, but I still have to be careful when/how I lift things. We've also had illnesses, and I caught a stomach bug from Ruby that was as bad as labor pains at times and made me so dizzy I couldn't stand up for more than a minute. Ryan's been busy with work and some projects too, and Kevin and Heidi both have a lot more homework this year, so that's made the evenings more stressful. Then one evening I accidentally caught a wooden cutting board on fire when I turned on the wrong burner on the stove, so our house smelled like smoke (that's gone now, thankfully) and I haven't gotten the scorch marks out yet because scrubbing hurts my shoulder. I also felt horrible because I had left Ruby sitting on the kitchen floor and left the room when the fire happened (I was grateful that the Holy Ghost told me to go back in the kitchen). Oh, and we're battling a mouse problem.

However, I've been really grateful for President Nelson's challenge to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year and mark all the verses about the Savior. It was just what I needed. When he first made the challenge I had no idea how I could manage it, but I felt really strongly that I needed to do it. Focusing on the Savior has helped me remember that Christ suffered the pains and trials that I experience and knows how to help me. It's helped me to face the huge amount of work I have to do with peace, courage, and faith. It's helped me to keep a better perspective about the things that matter most. Because I have a better perspective, I can cope with my challenges and work on fostering more uplifting thought patterns. It's helped me to give myself grace when I slip up or don't meet my expectations of myself (which are too high sometimes). I've been able to recognize that my trials and challenges are building my character and helping me to become more Christlike. I've realized that I can't let circumstances beyond my control determine whether I have hope. I've been able to recognize that even though God can't always change my circumstances, He does care that I'm suffering and He does help me.

I've never read the Book of Mormon this fast before, and it's been interesting how that's helped me to make new connections. The Isaiah chapters made a lot more sense this time around (they're all about the Savior, by the way). The Book of Mormon prophets really do prophesy of Christ all the time, and their prophecies are incredible. I feel so blessed to have these scriptures as well as the counsel of living prophets.