The Big Elephant

I was talking to a friend today and explaining how I feel about the big pink elephant sitting in my house. Maybe I don't have a pink elephant in my house, but I do have a dark cloud hanging over my head. It follows me everywhere I go. Sometimes the elephant leaves and the sun shines through the clouds, but most of the time they don't. My sister called and told me she and her husband have been asked to give a talk in church this week. The subject is "Surviving Spritual Hurricanes." She wanted to know if I had any insight on that. I sent over Rich's talk on "Gratitude for Adversity," and another talk by Brude Hafen. As I read that talk I realized that we can't show empathy and charity to others without going through some form of affliction, physical or mental first. I look around and there is suffering everywhere. I have a new understanding of suffering now. Elder Maxwell said "If we are serious about our discipleship, Jesus will eventually request each of us to do those very things which are most difficult for us to do." I hope someday to become a better Disciple.