Expectations

I had a wonderful trip to Long Beach, California, this weekend to teach the Living in Truth Seminar in the Long Beach East Stake. It is always so exciting to meet sisters in the gospel and feel of their commitment and love.  Everyone was very kind and I made some wonderful new friends. As I said before I think I learn more from them than I teach them and I’ll give you two examples.

A few years ago I met a woman who was older than I am but had never married. Instead of becoming bitter, self-pitying, or even pre-occupied with the fact she was still single she was full of light and happiness. As I got to know her, I realized why. She lived in Truth. One day she told me that every morning she wakes up very excited because she knows she is one day closer to meeting the man who will be her eternal companion.

This weekend I stayed with another woman also about my own age who lives in Truth. She has been married thirty years but never had children. She explained how hard they had tried to start a family, but finally she decided that all she could do was accept the fact that they weren’t going to get pregnant and move on. The startling thing to me is that all through the house I had seen books on child rearing including one in the room I stayed in about helping your child through the terrible twos. 

So when I got the chance I asked if she had read the books. She said she had. So I asked why and she said, “I don’t have children yet, but I will and I want to be ready.” She then proceeded to tell me who the best writers on the subject of rearing children were. That’s living in Truth! No self-pity, no bitterness, but a peace that comes from trusting in God.