Happily Ever After

This is my favorite thing about having a modern day prophet: 

They speak to us using modern day things.

They use things in this world to help us understand eternal doctrines. It's awesome.

The example I want to talk about is one that is near and dear to my heart. Stories in books are quite literally one my most favorite things on this earth. Before I was a missionary, I always had my nose in a book and even now as I am a missionary, I am constantly reading the scriptures and treasuring the stories and doctrines found inside. So a few years ago, when President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency, gave a talk titled "Happily Ever After," it spoke to me on a very personal level.

In his talk, President Uchtdorf likens fairytales to our life here on earth. Each of us are the Prince or Princess, Hero or Heroine of our own life story. What happens in all of the fairytales? There are challenges or obstacle to overcome. The same hold true for us in our own lives. Each of us face problems, difficulties and journeys that don't seem to end. However, life is a journey. It's hard sometimes. Yet, in the stories it's no different. All of the heroes or heroines faced heartache, loss, and fear. I love what President Uchtdorf says in his talk though.

"It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life’s story will develop."

That quote reminds me of a scripture in the Book of Mormon. In Alma 17:11 it says, " ...Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls."

In that particular verse Heavenly Father is speaking to 4 Nephite brothers named Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni. They are about to embark on a long journey to be missionaries to a the Lamanites. The Lamanites were a group of people who were, in fact, distantly related to the Nephites but were their enemies now. The Lamanites were known for hating the Nephites and constantly trying to start a war between the 2 nations. And those 4 brothers were about to go on a mission in the Lamanite land. A climatic part of the story right? Just before that verse, the brothers had prayed and verse 11 was their answer. 

Ammon and his brothers went on to have one of the most successful missions ever recorded in scripture. They served for over 10 years and had brought THOUSANDS into the gospel. That is thousands more people who were friends and not enemies. However, just like in fairytales, Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni all experienced their trials before their success. Ammon was nearly killed, and Aaron, Omner and Himni were all thrown into jail and were awating a execution because the Lamanites didn't want to listen.

So how did they experience success? How did they get their "Happily Ever After?"

They stayed true to what was right. It's rather well known that we should listen to our parents. God is literally our Father in Heaven. He is our Father. The brothers knew that. They stayed true to what was right and good and true. They listened to Heavenly Father. "Be patient in long-suffering and afflictions." They did that. The brothers in jail didnt bemoan their situtation but rather kept the Lord in their thougths and did what they could from a jail cell. Ammon came and helped free them.

If we stay true to what is right, to God's commandments, to the values and standards that Heavenly Father gave us, if we follow the example that Jesus Christ gave us, we can have our own "Happily Ever After."

We are the royal sons and daughters of a loving Father and King.

Our own stories are happening right now. Happily ever after is not something that exists only in fairytales or on the pages of long forgotten books! We have it! Each time we face a challenge, it is a dragon placed in our path to discourage us, to make us forget that we are the children of a king. Maybe, we have lost our way a bit. Maybe, we dont remember which way the arrow on the road pointed. I know that we can find our path again because Jesus Christ walked the path long ago so that in those times when fear and doubt would overwhelm us, He could reach out and lead us safely by the hand. He knows the specific challenges we would face and knows exactly how to help us defeat our dragons.