Climbing My Mountain

I was recently reading one of my favorite LDS conference talks by Henry B Eyring called Mountains to Climb. I've read it a million times and each time it has struck a chord as I've traveled through the different phases in my life. It has helped me realign my faith in Jesus Christ so that I can better climb these spiritual "mountains."

Henry B. Eyring explains that he asked the Lord to strengthen his faith, and two days later he was hit with the hardest trial in his life. I asked myself why anyone would ask for a trial in their life? Why would you want suffering, tribulation, doubts, and uncertainty?

He goes on to explain that if we rely on our faith and lean on the atonement of Jesus Christ while we endure to the end, we will be strengthened through that trial and be lifted up in the end. (Watch this video for a quick but powerful excerpt from his talk).

Now that we live in Colorado, we can go hiking on many beautiful trails. On Labor Day we decided to hike a trail that was a little difficult at times, as I am still adjusting to this new altitude. I kept thinking, how much longer can this trail go up? It would seem that we were almost at the top and I would look up and see another switchback. I think, at one point, I said "Is this a joke?"

At times I would get a glimpse of the view that was offered through the trees and between peaks of other mountains. And I was almost content enough to stop there and turn back; I didn't really need to finish this trail. I kept going, for only one reason - my husband wanted to finish. People on mountain bikes were coming down the mountain and I thought, it would be nice to just glide through the mountain quickly and be down and finished in no time at all.

Finally, we made it to the top, where we found a huge rock and we climbed up to enjoy the view. Not only was the view bigger and better than the small glimpses I had received earlier, but I could also see the entire other side of the mountain. The climb was worth the view.

Sometimes I don't understand why I am going through this trial of infertility. Why am I being denied the blessing of becoming a mother, albeit just for the time? Will this "mountain" ever stop going up? Will there ever be relief from this trial?

Trials don't go on forever, I know that. But sometimes it is the hard journey we endure, like when we are hiking, that makes us better appreciate the end view. My end view will be a baby in my arms and the hole in my heart will be filled. It will, no doubt, be the biggest blessing in my life.

We all have mountains to climb, different trials to endure. But the most important part of the trial that we have is our willingness to endure it. When we endure, we show God that we are trusting His plan, and He will bless us because of it. We must continue to fight the urge to give up and to settle for less than the blessings that we are going to eventually realize.

It may be hard to remember while we are in the midst of a very painful experience, but the view at the end, the blessing that we will receive for enduring and continuing on, will one day make it all worth it.