The Atonement Covers All Pain

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday morning session of the April 2011 conference.

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. . . . It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire."

Elder Kent F. Richards was quoting an earlier apostle, Elder Orson F. Whitney.

Sometimes in the depth of pain we are tempted to ask, 'Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there?' I testify the answer is yes, there is a physician. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers all these conditions and purposes of mortality. 

I can add my testimony and witness that what Elder Richards said is true. I have felt the healing power and comfort of the Atonement through all kinds of physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. Some experiences are too sacred to share. But I know His power is real and His love is limitless and compassionate.

P.S. I got to visit Marilyn of Light in Leaves this past week; she and her children are as delightful in person as they are in her blog. 

 

 

Another Parental Payday

Noble has followed the counsel of the prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, to seek learning! She served in the Air Force, as a Korean Linguist; now she has an Associates of Arts in English. And she's transferring to a university in Minnesota to pursue a Bachelors in Asian Studies and Languages with a Korean emphasis! Her blue stole indicates that she is a Veteran. Way to go Noble!!!

I'm not cheating, Really!

I'm participating in the BYU-I Pathway program, which is an amazing way for adults to begin or continue college. I won't take time to explain it all, since you can go see for yourself at the link.

I had to confess to my Book of Mormon teacher that I feel like I'm cheating because I teach Seminary (religion classes for high school age) and this year is Book of Mormon so I pretty much know what's what for each lesson. Nice easy A for me this time.

This program is amazing and I'm enjoying it; mostly, until this week. The lesson this week in Life Skills is on career planning. I got a laugh out of TopDad when I explained that we have to answer questions about our current career (if we are in one), one of which is "What would be the benefits of a career change?" and I said "I could get paid in money!"

Okay, so I was trying to be funny. The questions I actually have to answer are almost as irrelevant. I live in a town of about 2,100, the nearest large city is an hour and a half either west or east of me. There aren't "careers" here, there are jobs. Well, I guess if you were interested in banking you could start at one bank and then move to the other if the pay was better or maybe the hours or benefits. And you could work at the Subway, before moving over to the convenience store. There is a nice nursing home and a medical clinic, hey, there's even a nice hospital here. There's one dentist, two optometrists see patients one day a week here; there's a couple of law offices; and a hearing aid place, two pharmacies, and a library, as well as a post office. There are a few stores, and a couple of gas stations; a whole bunch of mechanics, a car dealership, and a couple of farm equipment dealers, as well as lots of other farm related businesses. There are two bars, three restaurants, a movie rental place, some antique shops, and Chuck's Bargain Barn.

So, the question "Are there currently positions available in your desired career within an acceptable commuting distance from your home or will you need to relocate in order to be employed in this field?" is difficult to answer. Or not. No there aren't positions available, but no I'm not going to relocate because my husband's job is here and his job is more important than any I'll get.

Can we just skip this lesson?

I'm in my desired career so I'm not going to get a job (I'd be almost retirement age before I finish school) I just want the piece of paper that says I'm educated.