The Earring

 I was a frantic senior in college, living on smiles and frozen burritos. A dear friend, Alisa, had recently returned from China and brought back some souvenirs. She gave me a pair of earrings that I immediately liked and wore often. One morning, shortly after she had given them to me, I lost one. I was very disappointed, and said a small prayer. I didn’t kneel, or even close my eyes, but in my mind I said, “Father in Heaven, please help me find that earring.” I searched the music building, but to no avail. I then went about my day, working hard, trying to use my time wisely and efficiently, and keeping my eyes open for a little dangly earring. At the end of the day I returned home, probably around 7:30 pm, and realized my cupboards were bare. I made a quick trip to the grocery store. As I was walking toward the produce aisle, a fellow music major, El, stopped me, “Is this your earring?” she asked. In her hand was the earring from Alisa’s China trip. “How did you find that?” I asked earnestly. The story that followed was shocking; my earring had passed through four different hands that day to find it’s way to me at 8:00 that night.    


This is a simple tale, but through it I learned great lessons. I felt God’s love. I realized a Great Being in the heavens cared about a simple girl from Idaho. My faith increased and my heart filled with gratitude. I have since offered up many prayers that are only in my thoughts, but directed to God, and I truly feel that He listens. 

I have thought of the experience and wondered, “Why wasn’t I the one who found the earring? I’m sure I could have been led to it while I was searching.” But that is not what I was supposed to learn. It is often through another that the Lord answers our prayers. And some things are completely out of our control. We have to let them go, move on, and trust that life isn’t against us. All things are working together for our good. We have seen and unseen angels caring for our needs and desires and a loving Father in Heaven who wants us to be happy.   


“… and men are, that they might have joy.” 2 Nephi 2:25


“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

 
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; For our light afflictions, which but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4

A Virtuous Vessel

It was late in the year of 2013 and I was standing on my bathroom scale looking down at the numbers. Tears began to well up in my eyes. I was overweight, discouraged, and my self-esteem was at an all–time low. In my moment of despair these words came to my mind, “Give the numbers to Me. Focus on becoming a virtuous vessel.”

I recorded the words in my journal and prayed daily for help to become a virtuous vessel. I had not realized that my Savior’s Atonement applies to the struggles of insecurity, along with redeeming power from my sins. A vessel defined in the dictionary is a person regarded as a holder or receiver of something, especially something non-material. Virtue is defined as moral excellence, goodness, and righteousness. Vessels come in all shapes and sizes.

I was reading the Ensign a few months later and came across an article written by Bradly D. Foster.  His words penetrated my heart. I chose my favorite sentences and grouped them together in three small paragraphs, then I taped the following to my cupboard above my washer. Each time I folded laundry I read these encouraging words:

“Our lives are changed daily by the incorrect decisions of others, by our own poor judgment, by the laws of nature, and by unforeseen circumstances in a world that was never designed to be fair.
Sometimes we will face things for which there is no earthly explanation. In those moments we need to erect a sign that reads, ‘Quiet: God at work.’ Meanwhile, hold on, child of God. Keep believing. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Let God do His work in you. The greatest tragedy is to miss what God wants to teach us through our troubles.
We must trust in Him, make the most of each moment, and use our talents and gifts to improve our lives and serve others. Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.” – Bradly D. Foster (March 2014 Ensign)

God did His work in me. As I received goodness and guidance from Heavenly Father my outlook began to change. I started to love myself again. I felt good when I exercised and I tried to re-gain control of my eating habits. Self-care became relevant to me and I began taking vitamins that were good for my health. It’s interesting that when I was depressed my outside appearance was my biggest concern, meanwhile my insides, both physically and spiritually, were a mess. As I slowly experienced a nature change my physical and spiritual well being began to improve, and over time my outsides began to show it. A year and a half later, I feel like I am glowing with health and radiance from my inside out, and I know that it is because I have become a true follower of Jesus Christ.