When Life Changes

| Aine M., 16, Texas | I am privileged to live a life free from disease, loss of immediate family members, natural disaster, or any serious tragedy. My biggest trial in life has come from the need to adjust to drastic changes.

The summer before 8th grade, my parents told us that we would be moving from Leander, Texas to Idaho Falls. This was going to be a very difficult transition and I was scared.

A few weeks in, I felt unable to escape the feelings of fear, disappointment, and discomfort.

During this time I felt prompted to open my scriptures and this was what I read:

“And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you; And inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me, the blessings of the kingdom are yours.” D&C 61:36-37

An overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort came over me. I was able to feel the bright light of the gospel in a dark time in my life.

I knew that if I humbled myself and trusted that the Lord knew what was best for me, I would be able to have the strength I needed in that difficult time.

We ended up only staying for 6 months and I learned so much that helped me grow and develop my testimony.

I was sure this move would be the hardest thing I would ever have to go through. I had never felt so uncertain and out of place.

However, after a little over 2 years back in Texas, our family decided to move back to Idaho Falls.

This move was even harder.

At this point, I was starting my Junior year in high school. Pretty quickly, I had friends, spent time with extended family, and even enjoyed school at times.

It was a good life, but it never seemed to measure up to the life I knew in Texas.

I would cry a lot, in private, and I had a lot of trouble putting my trust in Heavenly Father.

One night, after a particularly hard day, I prayed to know why I was sent here (y’know…again…).

I felt prompted to open my journal and I found the entry about opening my scriptures the first time.

I went back to those verses and again felt comforted by the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes we don’t know why we go through certain things. A comforting thought is that as long as we trust that God knows, we will learn and grow and change in exactly the way He wants us to.

For example, guess what! We are moving again in June, back to Texas! I do not know why yet, but I am confident there is a beautiful reason why Heavenly Father would send me there.

He constantly reminds us that we are in the hands of an all-knowing and infinitely loving Father and even if we lose sight of that, He never loses sight of us.

My greatest asset that I have in life has come from these experiences. These seemingly life-altering times have given me the ability to love and be comfortable with change.

This doesn’t mean I don’t cry or pity myself or slack off a little when I am given yet another trial.

What it means is that each time I am asked to go through something really hard, I am stretched into a better version of myself; a version that trusts Heavenly Father’s infinite plan of happiness a little more.