Good things to come...

Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better. Moroni spoke of it in the Book of Mormon as “hope for a better world.” For emotional health and spiritual stamina, everyone needs to be able to look forward to some respite, to something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead. It is enough just to know we can get there, that however measured or far away, there is the promise of “good things to come.”

-Jeffrey R. Holland

I often like to imagine my future self coming to me and giving me encouragement. It started with my running - I'd imagine my faster fitter self coming to me and saying, "Hang in there, someday you'll be running so fast and these times will just be a strange memory to you." And then when I did get better at running my hope became a reality.

And since then I've done it not only for running but for everything in life. And it's become an even more powerful tool since there are times I look back at and say, "Wow, those were some bad times, I'm glad they are over." That I am now the future self able to give encouragement - that things have gotten better/easier. Knowing and experiencing that makes me more quick to let that future me come and cheer me up.

"Yet in my mind’s eye, for just an instant, I thought perhaps I saw on that side road an old car with a devoted young wife and two little children making the best of a bad situation there. Just ahead of them I imagined that I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville, with plenty of distance still ahead of him. His shoulders seemed to be slumping a little, the weight of a young father’s fear evident in his pace. In the scriptural phrase his hands did seem to “hang down.” In that imaginary instant, I couldn’t help calling out to him: “Don’t give up, boy. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead—a lot of it—30 years of it now, and still counting. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”

-Jeffrey R. Holland

Gosh, I love love love that quote. I want to do it to the me that was overwhelmed with a first child or with the fear of the future. I'd go back and tell her how great things are going to be. How fun that baby was going to become and how I'd get used to less sleep. And yet, there are still many days when I need future me to make an appearance. Today if that she came she would say:

"Yes, it was crazy for a while there with two babies but it wasn't as hard as you thought it was going to be - and you should see your boys now! They are so cute and fun."

"Wow, were you really THAT chubby? I guess so, but don't worry, it doesn't last forever and just last weekend I completed a triathlon with a really great time!"

"Yes, your house is going to keep getting messier for a while and you won't be able to stay on top of it but don't worry - eventually it will be a beautiful place that everyone loves to visit."

And the list goes on - but really - it's such a powerful visual for me. You should try it. So, if you did it - what would your future girl say?

The quotes above are from one of the best talks EVER given and that image is one of Elijah and his cousin Bella from last summer - giving me hope that someday things will be green again!