(5) Real Life Pondering

This week has been full of pondering and soul searching to be 100% honest.  Some very impactful events in my life have caused me to do an auto-analysis on where I am in life and where I want to be later down the road.  Ten years ago my idea of "what I wanted in the future" has dramatically changed as to what it is now.  I always have seen myself as a successful person in the future.  One with a wife, kids, good job, modest house, and other nice things, but over the past few years I've really had to analyze the "how" aspect of that.  For example:  How am I going to become a success?  How is my wife going to be?  How will I teach my kids so they also grow up successful and happy?  There are so many aspects to which all these questions tie back to.  Overall, as I did some pondering, I realized that the best way to accomplish this is through the gospel.  I've never had to rely on it more in my life than now.  As a recently returned missionary I came back to a life style full of challenges and obstacles. I'll tell you what, it has been THE most stressful moment in my life.  The weight of school, my social pressures, business opportunities, etc.  In my moments of despair and sadness I have felt the weight relieved as I've learned to continue trusting in the Lord.  I've never been the best at this, but I just want to stress the importance of always relying on the Lord in all that we do.  My biggest challenge as a young adult was figuring out "How" we do that.  I still am trying to figure it out, but I've learned one thing amazing.  God has already given us the way to know how to trust in him.  It's called "The Scriptures."  In his infinite wisdom he has left us some amazing tools such as the Book of Mormon and the Bible to give us a guideline of how to follow him.  If we trust in the Lord we will trust in the words that he has caused to be written.   I Absolutely LOVE the scriptures.  They have changed my life, and in those moments of desperation I can always fall back onto them.  So wherever you may be, or in whatever moment I would challenge you to always have the scriptures in hand.  Whether it be on your smart phone or in those new "miniature scripture set" that they sell in Deseret Book, have them on hand.  I promise that you will feel a better sense of security as you know that you have the word of God within your finger's reach.