"If we can trust the answers God has already given, why not the answers yet to be given, including patiently awaiting the data from our first estate that will illuminate the imponderables of our second estate?"
Neal A. Maxwell
"Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we may learn from our experience without being condemned by that experience." Elder Bednar quoting Elder Bruce C. Hafen
Life is hard. Having faith is hard. It takes just about all of my effort to not only have faith, but to act in faith. And what do I have faith in??? Faith in Jesus Christ, that he is the Savior and Redeemer. Without that first, all of the acting in faith in the world would amount to a whole lot of nothing. So, I have faith that He lives, that He will come again and that I have a purpose in all of this crazy stuff called life. And then, I ask questions. I get answers and exercise faith in things not seen and I act. One step at a time, into the dark. Waiting for the light to come on. Trusting that I am not alone and that something I do will matter to someone, somewhere. Trusting that I can make a difference to someone or somewhere. And... when I mess up. (which happens more frequently than I'd like to relate here) I fall back, once again, on the faith that comes first. The Atonement. So, I believe and trust all over again as I get up, brush myself off, and try again. When I think I am too tired to do one more thing or take one more step, I do anyway because that's when I know I'm in the thick of it and there's one thing I know about myself. I like to be in the thick of the battle of life. I need to be there. Standing still doesn't do it for me. One thing I know is there is more to be learned and more to do, so I keep insisting that God continue to lead me along and show me the way. No matter how daunting and INSANE some of the roads I walk down may seem at first. My view is narrow and limited and so I trust God's guidance, through His Spirit that the feelings, impressions and promptings I get are meant to teach me and help me progress, regardless of the timing or the outcome. And every once in a while, like Abraham, it seems like I'm climbing a mountain to do something I'd rather not do and I don't understand why I'm doing it; an angel is sent at the last possible moment to save me and God lets me know my willingness to obey was enough. So, with faith and gratitude in my heart for all of the angels He has sent and the roads He has led me down and illuminated as I go, I say, bring on the data of that first estate, the experience of this life and the imponderables that will come. Bring it on...
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