This path cannot be easy for any of us...

About a year or so ago our neighbor was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Adoree and her husband Gerald have five beautiful children. Adoree had a mastectomy, radiation, and chemo. It seemed for time that she might be healed. Then several months later she was having terrible headaches, the cancer had metastasized to her brain. The doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor and once again there was hope. A few weeks ago Adoree was not feeling well so there were more test. There are more tumors between her brain and the lining down her spine. She has been at Huntsman since Wednesday receiving radiation and fighting for her life, maybe 3 to 4 months with treatment. Today I learned she is declining fast. 

I wrestle to understand why this has to happen to a forty year old mother of five amazing children. We have three of her children in Primary and I have come to love them. Rush has my heart, I tear up every time I hear him pray. One can only imagine the countless prayers and pleadings that have been sent heavenward for Adoree and her family.

I listened to this talk today, it gave me some comfort. "Even so, this path cannot be easy for any of us. There is too much refining needed for it to be easy." No one can escape the refiners fire. I still shake my head and ask why. But I won't stop praying for a miracle. 

"We are God’s children, set apart for immortality and eternal life. Our destiny is to be His heirs, “joint-heirs with Christ.” Our Father is willing to guide each of us along His covenant path with steps designed to our individual need and tailored to His plan for our ultimate happiness with Him. We can anticipate a growing trust and faith in the Father and the Son, an increasing sense of Their love, and the consistent comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Even so, this path cannot be easy for any of us. There is too much refining needed for it to be easy. Jesus said:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit [the Father] taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

The process of God-directed purging and purifying will, of necessity, be wrenching and painful at times. Recalling Paul’s expression, we are “joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

So, in the midst of this refiner’s fire, rather than get angry with God, get close to God. Call upon the Father in the name of the Son. Walk with Them in the Spirit, day by day."

Our Relationship with God | Elder D. Todd Christofferson

April 2022