Everything Happens For A Reason

     A lot of things have been happening that make no sense to me or just make me annoyed but one thing that I have come to realize is that everything happens for a reason. President Thomas S. Monson talked about this in the Sunday morning session of this past conference. He mentioned stories of his life that he was at a certain place at a certain time for a certain reason or that a certain thing happened for a certain reason. Now at first he did not understand the reasoning behind why he had to go where he had to go but he went and later learned the reasoning. This talk really hit me and has stuck with me this past month. Its been almost a year since I found out about my dad's cancer. I never blamed anyone or anything for my dad having cancer but I never understood why he had to be the one to get it. This past year has been a trial for me with this because knowing that it might be the last time I get to see him or the last holiday I get to spend with him its hard. Lately, I have felt that its just been one thing after the next. But this talk and some good friends advice is that everything happens for a reason. It truly does. I know that this trial is meant to strengthen my family and me.
     Another thing that got me was when I was in California. I knew I had to be there for the birth of my nephew but I didn't know I needed to be there for another reason. When we were waiting, Jaimie [Amber's mom] sat down next to me and we had a really good talk about my dad and she made me realize something that I never really thought of...His side. I was so stubborn and pissed about things that are going on with him I never stopped to think what he was thinking. Now yes I could ask him but where do you think I get my stubbornness from. He tells me he is fine. Which right now he is but for me I need to know more than fine. Honestly, she told me something that no one has told me face to face straight out and she is probably the only person I wouldn't smack for telling me it. I really needed to hear it and you know what it has helped so much. Now does she know that helped me probably not. Did I know that that would give me comfort or strength? Heck No! But you know what I was in a certain place at a certain time for a certain reason...well reasons.
    Now this week is what I should really talk about. Right now as I type, I was suppose to be in a hotel next to the beach in Southern California for my cousins wedding. But with certain things that come up and obstacles that made it so that really we should not go. Now yes it is sad and bumming that I am missing my cousins wedding but I know that everything happens for a reason. There is a reason that we were not meant to go to California. More in likely we will never know the reason behind why we shouldn't  have gone. But I can already see some of the benefits of staying, saving money, saving vacation days, not missing school, etc. And also we were kind of treating this trip as a must go because we do not know how many trips we get left with my dad but I believe that we will have more time because if that was the case these obstacles wouldn't have been in our way, I would be at the hotel on the beach right now if Heavenly Father knew that my dads time was coming closer than we thought. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways.
    Sometimes when going through something that just plain out sucks its hard to tell yourself or someone else that everything happens for a reason. There is a reason for this or that but you know what its the truth. We are here on this earth for a reason in it self. Do you honestly think that we would have all these problems or bumps in the road for nothing?! No because of those bumps it takes you to something better and greater. Think about your trials or problems, they have some how made you stronger or something good secretly came out of it. With my trial of my parents having cancer, I have a strong connection to my family that most families do not have. I have a relationship with my brothers that you usually do not get with siblings until your old and married. I have realized that people can be gone or sick with a blink of an eye. I also realized that life is just to short to miss. Now yes I have more trials in my life than my parents having or had cancer and you know what I have learned from those too and they have made me the person I am today. So even though it can be a rough time just remember...Everything Happens For A Reason!