Enjoying Peace and Perspective

Mesa Falls

Johhny Sack Cabin

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to join my husband as he traveled to a training meeting in Island Park.  I loved enjoying being together with him as we hiked to nearby tourist attractions and enjoyed many meals together (that I didn't have to prepare!). While he attended training during the day I pursued my addictions passions... family history and piano.  My daughter marvels that I could love something so boring as finding names and attaching source documents for hours on end, but each time I find more links in the chain of my family tree, I am filled with immense gratitude for the life I have been blessed with.
This week I found the families of the cousins of my great-grandmother Kristina Jonsson who emigrated from Sweden.  As I reviewed the records I contemplated the grief and often harsh conditions that some of my relatives endured.  So many dealt with the untimely death of their children and spouses.  One mother only saw 2 of 6 of children live to adulthood. I feel so blessed to live in an age where modern medicine prolongs so many children's lives.
I also spent some time adding to my personal history and enjoying reflecting on my happy childhood filled with so many positive influences.  As a teenager I spent much of my Sunday's enjoying music-making.  Often I was just trying to catch up on violin practice to keep an "A" grade in orchestra, so I practiced hymns for sometimes up to 3 hours.  Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that come from being a grown up I yearn to go back for a day of peaceful contemplation like I enjoyed in my teens.  Jared's mom gave me that opportunity this week as she watched over our kids so I could join Jared.
Today I accompanied the Young Women as they sang I Walk By Faith.  Practicing reminded me of one of my favorite Janice Kapp Perry songs "Song of Testimony" which I played and contemplated on those peaceful Sabbath afternoons of yesteryear.  I love it because it so perfectly articulates my beliefs then and now.
"I know God lives
I know He loves me
I know He hears me and
He answers when I pray
I know His son is my Redeemer
And that He died for me
That I might live eternally one day

I daily drink of living waters
For He has promised those who drink
Shall thirst no more
I daily feast upon His teachings
In perfect faith I grow because
I know His promises are sure"

Back then I could dream of my future spouse and children and the idealistic life I hoped to carve out.  As I am now living that dream I recognize that because life is often less than ideal,  I need even more to rely on what I knew even then.  

I ended my weekend with an inspiring Stake Women's Conference.  As the speakers related how their faith had helped them cope with the tragedy's of letting go of family members for a time to early death.  I want to recommit to "feasting" more on the Saviour's teachings in the scriptures, because I expect that life is going to keep on having HARD moments that may test my faith, but I can draw strength from examples of stalwart scripture heroes who also endured disappointments, grieve and despair through challenging life circumstances, but they held fast because of their faith and chose to believe that God knew better than they did what they needed to learn through experience in this life.