How Has The Lord Prepared You For The Future?

  Growing up I had a strong passion for gymnastics. Though doing gymnastics was one of the best things I ever did it was also one of the hardest things I've ever done. I loved the sport with all of my heart and I couldn't go without it. As I continued to progress and move up in levels over the years it started to get harder and harder. My love for the sport did not decrease but everyday I would have to remind myself of the counsel one of my coaches gave me that I could not give up on a bad day. If I decided I wanted to give up I could but it had to be a day where I was at the peak of my performance and progressing in what I love. My coach was very smart because she knew where my heart truly was.

 Gymnastics taught me some really important lessons that will forever be apart of my life. The sport taught me how to endure hard times and be grateful for the good, to be dedicated, to spend my time wisely, and it taught me that I can't do everything on my own,especially when it came to my mental block on the beam. This mental block slowed my progression and it would slightly fade some days but then be back the next. The 3 years I dealt with this mental block was a very heartbreaking time. I loved the sport but I simply could not understand why my mind was doing what it was. My experience with gymnastics was not easy. I cried often due to great frustration that came from trying my hardest to do my best but sometimes I still felt like it wan't enough.
 
Fast forward now 2 years later after I stopped doing gymnastics. I am on the ultimate life changing journey of serving My God, and the lessons I learned from gymnastics are now being used today. I to this day honor the advice to "Not give up on a bad day", I am still working to endure the hard times with all my might, mind and strength, I have learned to appreciate the good because I have seen the bad. I still cannot do everything on my own because as it is said in Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do ALL things"
 
  Due to these experiences I know that the Lord is always preparing us for the future because the rewarding yet difficult adventure that gymnastics took me on is much like the journey I am on now. I am someone who grew up in the church and have been through the bad and the good, but no matter how hard things have gotten I have not loved My Savior any less. At this moment in time I am serving a mission. I love the Gospel so much and it has blessed my life immensely in fact that is why I am here in North Carolina, "Because I have been given much I too must give" but sometimes it's hard because though you have the love and passion in your eyes, people often turn their backs and don't wish to listen to the things we have to say. I know that this life is not something for us to tackle on our own, that is why we must put our trust in Him. I love how this is laid out for us in Mosiah 7: 33 " But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." Sometimes we must put our lives in the Lord's hands and simply say I have tried my best, now show me where you want me to go. I now invite you to consider the following questions..(:

   How is the Lord currently preparing you for the future? What will the experiences you are going through now teach you later down the road?