Your Happily Ever After

Ok so last night I went to the 25 or better institute class. It was so so good. The class is Teachings of the Living Prophets. The teacher is wonderful. SO last nights lesson was Elder Uchtdorf's talk to the Young Women entitled "Your Happily Ever After". now i know that it is to the young women but it has some very valuable and important lessons for everyone. For those of you who know me ya know that i am a big princess or Cinderella fan and I LOVE the idea of Happily Ever After. There were some parts of the talk that we talked about that I would like to share.

"Isn't that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty, and, in the end to live happily ever after?"

my teacher brought up a good point and or interesting thought.... what is your story going to be like? Is it an adventure, drama, comedy, scary, or boring?

"Isn't it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love? In fact, His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of "once upon a time" complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility courage and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest of all -- eternal life-- and the opportunity and infinite blessings of your own "happily ever after"

How wonderful is this?!!

Then he talks about some of the stories of princess like Cinderella, belle, and the daughter of the miller in Rumpelstiltskin.

" Sandwiched between their "once upon a time" and " happily ever after," they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love."

Sometimes I find myself wishing that I live in a fairy tale but as this talk explains i do. I have a once upon a time. and now i am in the adversity stage and one day i will have my happily ever after. and to answer the questions he ask the best thing is 2 Nephi 2:11,15.

"In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that come in no other way. Our Loving Heavenly Father has sent us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom become stronger, and experience joy."

A kid that i was sitting next to pointed out that in the last of that paragraph with adversity and opposition the last three (learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy) that it is in order. we learn and become strong and then we experience joy.

Then Elder Uchtdorf tells a cute story about how he met his wife. he said something that clicked for me......

"Was I disappointed? Yes Was I defeated? Absolutely not! "

As it thought about that I really think that instead of just being disappointed I just skip to defeat. I am going to try hard not to be defeated.

"We all search for happiness, and we all try to find our own "happily ever after". The truth is God knows how to get there! And He has created a map for you; He know the way. He is your Beloved Heavenly Father, who seeks your good, your happiness. He desires with all the love of a perfect ad pure Father that you reach your supernal destination. The map is available to all. It gives explicit directions of what to do and where to go to everyone who is striving to come unto Christ and "stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow his plan."

I know That this is true. I know that my heavenly father has a plan for me and if i trust him and follow him and ask him he can show me and help me along my path that will lead me to my happily ever after.

This last statement kind of ties with the last statement.

""Happily ever after" is not something found only in fairy tales. You can have it! It is available for you! But you must follow your Heavenly Father's map"

The whole talk is so great. I highly encourage everyone to read it.