Blessings in Disguise

My husband will be starting his grad program this fall. Although I feel so blessed for this opportunity, there was a lot of fear and anxiety mixed in there as well. We are moving ten hours away from both of our parents. I can no longer depend on my parents for their constant Sunday dinners, random game nights, or a much needed face to face conversation without planning ahead of time and saving money for it. We are also moving out of a ward I had grown wonderful relationships with and feel loved and welcomed in.

On top of this anxiety, we weren’t hearing back from the “affordable” housing units the University subsidizes for. At this time, we had only asked for their cheapest option so that we could still live on one income. We finally started looking at other options since we had to move in three weeks and we didn’t have a place to live yet. We realized that the university’s most expensive options were still several hundred dollars cheaper than the cheapest option outside of their complex. We signed up for other, pricier, options with the university.

During this time, we had fasted, prayed (pleaded), and researched for housing options.

On top of our move, my mom and dad had to fly to Japan to support a demanding trial for my grandmother. My little sister came and lived with us while they were gone.

Have I mentioned that a couple weeks before this had happened, I had dislocated my knee and heavily sprained my right elbow?

To sum up, I was stressed.

During the most intense part of our struggle, I was able to attend girl’s camp. This was my Heavenly Father’s gift to me. The wonderful leaders who had prepared for this were the angels who wrapped up the gift and brought it to me. I am forever grateful. If I could explain how I felt inside…it would probably be a ragged dress that drooped lazily on a hanger while I dragged the hem across the dirty floor. And girl’s camp was the bright new dress to help straighten my drooping shoulders.

I was only able to attend girl’s camp because my knee and elbow was healing fast enough for me to attend and this led to me being able to heal my spirit.

My little sister was there to do little errands for me around the house and keep me giggling the way only sisters know how.

Our research of other housing options had made us aware of how blessed we were even when we got the most expensive option at the university’s housing complex (we haven’t stopped thanking our Heavenly Father since!).

And I had felt the love and care of those around me as they served me during my injury.

Although I don’t wish any trials on any one of you, I do know that Heavenly Father had given me blessings only I could have seen through my trials. I may not understand or have recognized all of His blessings throughout this time in my life, but these blessings were enough to let me know that God lives. That He loves us. He is looking out for us in all aspects of our lives. He knows where we are needed and will guide us there through any methods. You may be going through a trial right now. You may not understand why you’re going through it. You may even be tempted to wonder if Heavenly Father cares for you or even knows you. If this is the case, I hope you may find hope through my experience. And find hope through the atonement of Jesus Christ to get you through your trials. I also pray that you may be able to see your blessings, even blessings in disguise, to help you along your journey.