PAIN

As I have talked about for a few weeks I have been having terrible pain in my hip. I had a fracture in it when I was about 12 years old and now with getting old it has deteriorated. I have had a couple of days this week that it was bearable so yesterday I went shopping. It was a lot of fun but a STUPID thing to do. I was up all night in extreme pain. I have an appointment next week to see the doctor. Anyway, all week I have been having these thoughts about PAIN. There are many types of pain, physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological. I'm sure we will experience all of them during our lifetime. As I was reading my book, "The Continuous Atonement," by Brad Wilcox he talks about pain. There is a quote by Marie K. Hafen who said, "The gospel of Jesus Christ was not given us to prevent our pain. The gospel was given us to heal our pain." I have heard of children who are born with a disorder where they do not feel pain. Because of that, their lives are limited to what they can do. They will put their hands on the hot stove and not even feel it. One little girl had to wear special gloves because she would pull on her face and eyes causing severe damage. So pain is necessary for us and serves a real purpose.
All week I have been following a story about a little girl who fell in an irrigation ditch in Idaho and was found by a farmer two miles down the road. If you would like to read about her you can get on their family blog at patrickandashley.blogspot.com. They did everything they could do to save her but she passed away yesterday. The family seems so solid in their testimonies of the gospel and they know they will be with her again. It seems like there is sadness and heartache everywhere, but also great service and "bearing one an others burdens that they may be light" going on also.
This week Jenn will be having her first son. After having four beautiful daughters, one who has returned home to live with our Heavenly Father, I worry about the pain she will have to endure. I had four children without the benefits of drugs, I begged for them but because I went so fast I got the opportunity to feel every pain. At times I did pray to die and begged for help but I survived, and it was extremely worth the pain. I have faith that Kamber is aware of her little brother coming to her family and I hope the angels will watch over Jenn in this very exciting and spiritual experience of bringing another baby into this world.