"We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We are surrounded by challenges on all sides. Occasionally discouragement may sneak into our day; frustration may invite itself into our thinking; doubt might enter about the value of our work. In these dark moments Satan whispers in our ears that we will never be able to succeed, that the price isn't worth the effort, and that our small part will never make a difference. He, the father of all lies, will try to prevent us from seeing the end from the beginning." Dieter F. UchtdorfI saw this among the daily quotes and news I have e-mailed to me from the Church. The timing on this one is perfect, because I truly am in the midst of challenges and trials. My mother has decided that the proper way to punish me is keeping me home from church, which has got to be the most asinine thing I've ever heard. Did she ever stop to think that I stayed home from school because I was too exhausted to move? She assumes the worst in everything I do, and I'm really tired of it. And of course, she couldn't resist using her new favorite phrase:
"No church."
This will be the 3rd week now... but I won't tolerate this anymore. I'm making arrangements to have the Sacrament blessed and brought to me. That should show the adversary that he picked the wrong person to screw with.
What kills me is that there will be people in my branch that would happily trade places with me and be at home rather than at church. What I would trade to be in the chapel on Sunday, instead of in my room, in tears, because I can't go to church!!! And despite my trials, my faith has not wavered. At all. If anything, I've gained a testimony of how ruthless Satan is. He will not hesitate to use ANY means necessary to tear down the Church. He would put my own mother against me in order to cause me to hate her, and to divide me from my family.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
The scriptures have been a great source of comfort to me throughout this ordeal, and I'm so grateful for the Bible AND the Book of Mormon. Alma has proved to be a great source of inspirational scriptures, as well as the D&C... and I think what I ought to do is write my testimony out and have someone read it on Sunday so my testimony can still be heard. If Satan is working this hard to keep me from the Church, I must have something in my mind he REALLY doesn't want me to say.
Now to go figure out what it is so I can thwart his plan!
