WE KNOW NOT

"There once was a village that had among its people a very wise old man. The villagers trusted this man to provide them answers to their questions and concerns.

One day, a farmer from the village went to the wise man and said in a frantic tone, "Wise man, help me. A horrible thing has happened. My ox has died and I have no animal to help me plow my field! Isn't this the worst thing that could have possibly happened?" The wise old man replied, "Maybe so, maybe not". The man hurried back to the village and reported to his neighbours that the wise man had gone mad. Surely this was the worst thing that could have happened. Why couldn't he see this?

The very next day, however, a strong, young horse was seen near the man's farm. Because the man had no ox to rely on, he had the idea to catch the horse to replace his ox - and he did. How joyful the farmer was. Plowing the field had never been easier. He went back to the wise man to apologize. "You were right, wise man. Losing my ox wasn't the worst thing that could have happened. You must agree that this is the best thing that could have happened". The wise man replied once again, "Maybe so, maybe not". Not again, thought the farmer. Surely the wise man had gone mad now.

But, once again, the farmer did not know what was to happen. A few days later the farmer's son was riding the horse and was thrown off. He broke his leg and would not be able to help with the crop. Oh no, thought the man. Now we will starve to death. Once again, the farmer went to the wise man. This time he said, "How did you know that capturing my horse was not a good thing? You were right again. My son is injured and won't be able to help with the crop. This time I'm sure that this is the worst thing that could have possibly happened. You must agree this time". But, just as he had done before, the wise man calmly looked at the farmer and in a compassionate tone replied once again, "Maybe so, maybe not". Enraged that the wise man could be so ignorant, the farmer stormed back to the village.

The next day troops arrived to take every able-bodied man to the war that had just broken out. The farmer's son was the only young man in the village who didn't have to go. He would live, while others would surely die."
-  Author Unknown


Some years ago while I worked at the Church Office, a group of us were discussing whether we had a choice of being born into the Church or not. The general opinion was that it is not fair that some are born into such choice circumstances whilst others are thrown into the deep end. The prevailing conclusion seemed to be that if we were presented with this choice everyone would have chosen to be born into the Church to righteous parents smack middle in Zion and thus have an easier life. I was of the opinion then and still am that this is a very narrow minded view of the matter. I do not agree that we all wanted to be born into perfect circumstances thus assuring an easy life. My view was and still is, that back then what we wanted most was to receive the maximum amount of personal growth during our mortal experience and because of it we agreed to all the trials and problems we could possibly endure. We did not want an easy ride else what would be the point? We might as well have stayed where we were, remaining children, never reaching adulthood. However, that was not the case. We were not one of the third of hosts of heaven who sought to avoid hardship wanting a life of ease. We were the valiant ones who planned our path to godhood with unsurpassed valour and we stood up to the forces of evil that threatened that plan convinced that the Saviour we chose could and would bring us home. The fact that we are here today is proof of our victory.

I love the above story because it teaches us three things:

1. Something good always comes out of something bad. One of our greatest earthly challenges is not being able to see past the corner. We cannot tell where our trials are leading us. Sometimes what we consider a misfortune is in reality a clearing exercise for something better to take place, as this story so aptly illustrates. Sometimes the only but the most important thing that comes from our trials is our personal growth. When I got divorced I thought, very much like this farmer, that my divorce was the worst possible thing that could have happened to me until my daughter went on the path of self-destruction and I had to change my mind. Eighteen years ago I could not foresee the personal growth I would experience as a result of the wrong turn my life had taken. Whereas I would never recommend divorce to anyone for numerous reasons, this trial in my life has proved to be of profound advantage to me. Because we are all so eager to avoid pain, we fail to see trials as blessings. Any misfortune, no matter, how advantageous to our growth is always considered a bad deal.

2. To appreciate the sweet in our lives, we have to experience the bitter. There can never be a fullness of joy without first going through sorrow. For many years I could not understand this scripture: "Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). I reasoned that this scripture was wrong and that Adam's purpose had somehow gone awry for how could we be men of joy when there is so much suffering here?   Now that I understand mortality a bit better, the meaning of this scripture is a bit clearer to me. The whole point of Adam's fall is not just for us to experience mortality but for us to arrive to godhood. We were never promised fulfillment and true joy in this life, only moments of happiness. The joy, I believe, will come when we have been made complete through the power of redemption and resurrection. Then we will be made perfect because of our tribulations in this life over which we had gained victory. We will look back at what we had accomplished and we will have joy because of it, forever after. The extent of sorrow and suffering we go through in this life is the measure of joy we will experience when we are crowned with glory for having endured and overcome and arrived to become what we always wanted to be.

3.  Trials are a necessary fabric of this life because through them we develop true faith and trust in God. It is a sad fact that man would never turn to God if his life was a bed of roses. We too, like the villagers in the story, need 'a very wise old man' who we can trust to provide us with answers to out questions and concerns. The harder your life, the closer you will get to God. If your trials are not of your making due to sin, then you have to have faith that they are a part of the individualized plan for your earthly life. Some people believe that we have come here to experience random situations and hardships and that some escape them and some don't and all that matters is how we deal with them. I do not believe that. I am of firm belief that there was a careful individualized plan made for each of us in our pre-existence according to growth that we each needed. If everything was random and had no rhyme or reason, then some of us would miss out on certain trials we needed because some of us know how to duck better than others. We are all different and we all need different things. We all came here with certain qualities already developed whilst lacking others. I might not need to go through a certain trial that my daughter for instance needs because that trial might offer understanding and growth that I already have so there is no need for me to experience that situation. She on the other hand might not need something I have to go through. The crucial thing here is to know and believe that God's plan is unfolding for you and to be accepting of that plan. Until the veil is taken away and we can once again see the past, present and future, we have to live by faith and trust that what we are enduring now is a masterpiece in progress. This is beautifully expressed in the following poem:

My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I let Him choose the colours,
He worketh steadily.

Oft times he worketh sorrow
And I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the pattern
While I see the under side.

Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why,

The dark threads were as needful
In the Weaver's skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He had planned.

- Anonymous

If you are being stretched and tested to the limit and your life seems unfair and overwhelming, know that the Saviour of this world is making something wonderful of you. You are a masterpiece in the making. He had descended below all things that He might rise above all things and take you with Him. Do not give up and end up an unfinished product, a piece of art undone. There is no need to feel you cannot do it for the Saviour's grace can get you home. Allow Him to weave the pattern of your life to perfection. Trust in Him and in His power to carry you when you cannot walk alone. Godhood comes at a price. The furnace is hot but the refining is worth it.

"For behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction". (1 Nephi 20:10)