Our Walk With The Savior~

We each will have experiences where we need the Savior to walk with us through it. I do believe He does. The past few weeks have been most trying for certain family members, both immediate and extended. Two young people were taken through accidents and one through a long terminal illness. These were precious young ones who had life yet to live; but were taken before their prime. They will miss many precious events that we cherish and hope for our children and grandchildren to experience.  
Meanwhile, we hear see and hear media stories of difficulties and trials many individuals and families go through. We seem to be surrounded by sadness. Yet, this really is why we are here. We are here to be tested and tried. Through our experiences our character can be refined. We can learn those lessons that draw us closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Our Savior, our advocate with the Father is near us and will walk with us. I know this to be true from my own life experiences. Because Jesus Christ loves us and aids us; we can feel the comfort of the spirit during trying times. We can experience joy great joy in our lives as we learn to reach up for the Savior. 
I love this quote by Orson F. Whitney: "No pain that we suffer, not trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility,. All the awe suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called children of God."

Nikki with Eliza - Callahan and Caroline~

This week as I attended the funeral of Eliza our grand niece who was only 10 years old when she passed away. I was deeply impressed as both her parents gave beautiful messages at her funeral. This couple has really experienced a refining fire. They are strong and faithful and have a deep understanding of the "Plan of Salvation". They believe in Eternal Families and that they will be and see sweet Eliza again. They tenderly cared for Eliza for 8 years. She soon lost control of her body early on and was under 24/7 care after the age of 2. She was physically unable to function and became blind due to a rare genetic disease known as Metachromatic Leukodystrophy ( MLD). They believe in Eternal Families and that they will be and see sweet Eliza again. 
Her mind and her hearing had function because she was able to blink responses to some of their questions. They helped her experience everything possible in their limited environment. She went to the ocean and felt the water tickle her feet. She went on rides at Disney land. She attended school and experienced the kindness and compassion of the students in her grades. Eliza was amazing because of all she taught without being able to do a thing for herself. I admire the strength of her parents in providing so many opportunities for her; when they might have easily just taken care of her in their safe home environment. 
Her parents and I agree that Eliza exemplified the preceding quote from Orson F Whitney. 
One of my favorite scriptural quotes is found in Alma 7:12: "And he will take up on him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
Here is a favored story by Margaret D. Nadauld:
A simple thing happened many years ago that I have always remembered because it caused me to think about the Savior's mission. although it was just a childish incident, it has some meaning. It happened when our twins were only about five years old. They were just learning to ride their bicycles. As I glanced out the window, I saw them speeding down the street on their bikes going very fast! Perhaps they were going a little too fast for their level of ability, because all of a sudden Adam had a terrible crash! He was tangled up in the wreck, and all I could see was a twist of handlebars and tires and arms and legs. His little twin brother, Aaron, saw the whole thing happen, and immediately he skidded to a stop and jumped off his bike. He threw it down and ran to the aid of his brother, whom he loved very much. These little twins truly were of one heart. If one hurt, so did the other. If one got tickled, they both laughed. If one started a sentence, the other could complete it. What one felt, the other did also, So it was painful for Aaron to see Adam crash!
Adam was a mess. He had skinned knees, he was bleeding from a head wound his pride was damaged, and he was crying. In a fairly gentle, five-year-old way, Aaron helped his brother get untangled from the crash, he checked out the wounds, and then he did the dearest thing. He picked his brother up and carried him home. Or tried to. This wasn't very easy because they were the same size, but he tried. And as he struggled and lifted and half-dragged, half-carried his brother along, they finally reached the front porch. By this time, Adam, the injured one, was no longer crying, but Aaron, the rescuer, was. When asked, "Why are you crying, Aaron?" he said simply, "Because Adam hurts." And so he had brought him home to help, home to someone who knew what to do, to someone who could cleanse the wounds, bind them up, and make it better - home to love. 
Just as one twin helped his brother in need, so might we all be lifted, helped, even carried at times by our beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He feels what we feel; He knows our heart. It was His mission to wipe away our tears, cleanse our wounds, and bless us with His healing power. He can carry us home to our Heavenly Father with the strength of His matchless love. 
I believe we have a Heavenly Father and a Savior who care for each of us personally. I love this thought by Elder Jeffery R. Holland: "I testify of angels both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. "(nor) will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man (or woman or child) upon the face thereof to be saved" ( Moroni 7:36). On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal."
 I have experienced occasions where I was assisted by earthly angel friends and family. I  had moments when I have felt those from beyond aiding me in my plight. Above all, I have felt the sweet comfort of the spirit lifting me up and bringing solace to my soul. I know the Savior walks with me and and most certainly He with you.