Joy in the Journey...

Two weeks ago we attended a Sunday evening kickoff fireside for a three day summer Trek that our stake has planned for early July 2010. The youth that go will pull handcarts loaded with the meager belongings they can each bring to reenact the pioneer trek of 1,300 across the plains that began in April of 1847.

While we waited for the fireside to begin there was a quote up on the screen that I was so drawn to. It said:

"Why were the saints saints?

Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful;

patient when it was difficult to be patient.

And because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still;

and kept silent when they wanted to talk.

And because they were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable.

That was all.

It was quite simple, and always will be."

I love this quote!

The pioneers coming across the plains had so many trials, so much heartache, yet so much faith and courage. This quote made me think again about something that, in my passing years, I become more aware of and that is that the way we respond to our trials defines us. It defines our character; it defines our relationship our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ; it defines our heart.

So while I thought on that quote, the fireside began.

To encourage the up and coming group of trekkers they showed parts of a DVD that was made of the last trek experience our stake had -- Trek 2006. To my delight I got to see Jordan who was on that trek with his dad!

While writing to Jordan last week I shared with him the quote about what makes saints saints to give him encouragement for his own journey. For I believe that in the same way the early pioneer's trek defined them, Jordan's journey as a missionary in Brazil will serve to define him.

I decided that along with quote I would also email a few pictures to him (he likes to have pictures from home) and I happen to come across the only two pictures I had taken of Jordan and Tim before they left for their trek experience nearly 4 years ago! I thought how perfect it was that I send those pictures with my email as I had told him of the trek fireside and told him that I had seen him in the DVD from 2006.

In the time since the fireside on that Sunday evening, I have thought over and over about the quote I shared with Jordan.

I have thought how we all have defining moments is our lives. Those moments come for each of us no matter who we are or where we live. We don't choose them and we cannot escape them but we can choose how we will respond to those moments.

The early pioneers chose to accept a journey of 1,300 miles on foot to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. Yet through it they rejoiced in seeing the hand of God leading their every footstep. Amidst the heartache they experienced, they also found joy in their journey.

Jordan chose to accept a journey that has taken him some 4,000 miles from his home and family to share with others his testimony of gospel truth with people in Brazil. It is a journey where he too will rejoice as he learns to recognize the hand of God leading his every footstep. And although there are difficult times for him I have no doubt that he too will find joy in his journey.