And Blessings Shall Come to Those Who Have Faith

It has been a long journey, but the day has finally come. I've been given the opportunity to work at a different job, one that will give me corporate administrative experience. Within a couple days I will be starting a new career with a company called Ashley Manor. I am excited yet scared at the same time, but mostly excited. My job will entail processing payroll for over 500 employees and processing Accounts Payable for the company, which consists of over 40 locations in three different states. I feel so good about this job offer. I'd like to share with you how this blessing has come about.

Around the beginning of December, Ron and I made a commitment to read the scriptures together daily. We have often struggled with this goal. Oftentimes we would allow outside influences take precedence (TV, friends, computer, etc.) and when we came around to taking the time to read we were tired or cranky or unmotivated. I knew that what I needed to do was to make a sacrifice, myself, to show my commitment to this goal. "Bring forth fruits meet...unto repentance". What I knew I needed to do was to make a more sincere effort to go to bed at a decent hour so that I could get my necessary seven hours of sleep. I calculated that if I were to make sure I went to bed by 10pm, I could therefore wake up at 5am with Ron, which is the time he normally wakes up to prepare himself to go to work. Thankfully, my body has adjusted well to this schedule. I oftentimes will wake up just before the alarm goes off and I feel well rested. Ron and I spend about 1/2 hour studying the scriptures together; reading, pondering, and discussing how they apply in our lives today. We have grown together more spiritually than we've ever been. It feels comforting and I know we are being blessed. There are days that we may miss our time reading together in the morning, but Ron takes the initiative to make sure we stay on top of our goal and he will prompt a study time later in the day. I am grateful for his faith in our goal.

I've also made an effort to listen and ponder on what has been spoken to us in general conferences. The past two general conferences I've made MP3 CD's to listen to in the car while I drive to and from work. It has helped me get in the right frame of mind when I first start my day and has given me reason to rejoice in the blessings our Heavenly Father has given us. I will often find myself thinking throughout the day about what someone may have said in their talk and my heart shouts with gladness that we are blessed with a living prophet and apostles and leaders of the church who testify of the reality of love the Savior and our Heavenly Father have for us. If we do not make their words a constant in our lives, we will forget His love. We must make every effort with all the energy of our soul to remember; remember that we are sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who sent his Only Begotten Son to show us the way back to Him.

During the past week I have been given reminders of how I should be living and what behavior I need to be emulating. Recently I re-watched the well made movie about Joseph. I am reminded of how the Lord will bless you in your trials, not on our time table, but on His time table. I took time to listen and re-listen to this talk in particular by Elder Richard G. Scott about wholesome character and integrity built on faith. I am ever grateful for daily reminders of our Savior's love for us through acts of kindness, written word and proclamations to the world by modern day prophets.

I have had many struggles in my life, but when I make a consistent effort to live what I know, to witness these truths by the choices I make daily in my life, I am given an indescribable joy in my heart that is promised to me through my obedience to God's law. I wish you all could feel this love too. I know you can if you desire and pray for it and find a way to sacrifice a part of you to make room for blessings unmeasured.