His Best Two Years

 What a fun day (afternoon) we had with our cousins! Jared has been home from Brazil for a week and today they paid us a visit. Jared played with the kids, I gave Madison her blonde back and Aunt Jill took care of dinner. A great Monday night. Can you believe it's been two years? I sure can't.

Nate-10, Reed- 4, Dane- 8, Kat- 11

Just look at how much they have grown up. Owen was so little here (7 months) that he was inside napping when we took this picture. I'm not too sure Jared could handle Reed on his neck now, that boy has gotten big! Kat- little girl into a maturing (beautiful) teenager. Nathan- long hair, shaggy phase to a clean cut deacon look. Dane- old glasses and missing teeth to an older, taller version with teeth. And Jared took on that 'new man' look that a returned missionary comes home wearing.

Though a mission is a hard learning and growing experience, it is often referred to as the best two years in a missionary's life. I believe they learn and grow by leaps and bounds because they learn to love others while serving the Lord. A missionary learns to rely on the Lord for strength and guidance to get through all those discouraging days. I haven't been a missionary but from what I hear there are many discouraging days. I can't wait to see where the tough experiences Jared had in Brazil take him in his life. He's a good, solid 'grown up' kid and a wonderful example for my kids. We can't wait to hear him speak in a couple weeks.

This morning I read Neil L Andersen's talk, Spiritual Whirlwinds, for my religion class. I loved his message-

'In nature, trees that grow up in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young sapling, forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the roots to grow faster and spread farther. Second, the forces in the tree start creating cell structures that actually make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible to the pressure of the wind. These stronger roots and branches protect the tree from winds that are sure to return.

You are infinitely more precious to God than a tree. You are His son or His daughter. He made your spirit strong and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life. The whirlwinds in your youth, like the wind against a young tree, can increase your spiritual strength, preparing you for the years ahead.'

After the three of them left, I thought about the past two year for my family. In some ways those years have been much like Jared's. Full of challenges and trials yet chock-full of blessings and growth. With that said, I'm not ready to call them our 'best two years' just yet (if ever). There have been some incredibly discouraging days but we have learned that when we rely on the Lord, we feel His guidance and strength. With a warning that the winds are 'sure to return', I'm grateful for our stronger roots.