Stress

"Each of us will have our own Fridays -- those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death -- Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come." (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin) Everyone that I am close with knows how great my parents are. Growing up my friends would often talk about how great my parents were as people. They treated them with kindness. They always welcomed them into our home and made them feel like they were part of the family. My parents were always very supportive of me and knew how much my friends meant to me. We have been blessed to have attended a number of wards ever since we first joined the church. I would hear similar comments from ward members about my parents as well. They saw how special they were, and because of all these people I noticed it as well. I am so grateful to have such wonderful parents. They’ve always given me everything I’ve ever wanted and more. My home was always full of love and support. Although I have been blessed to have been raised in such a comfortable and loving home, it was not always life this. Fifteen years ago, my home was very different than how it is now. My parents and I were not members of the church. We actually did not facilitate ourselves with any religion. We believed in God, but that was about it. In that time period, I saw my parents struggle with many things. My father had been struggling with finding work for a long time. He had issues with drinking and smoking cigarettes. He would cope with all of his financial issues by doing those things. That would cause him to have mood swings and yell at my mother. She too would drink but not as heavily as him. I remember we often have to pick him up late at night from the shop because he would stay their with his workers smoking, drinking, and gambling. He was not able to drive himself home so we would have to go there and bring him home. How do you think my mother about all of this during this time? Obviously she was doing everything perfect but she did struggle with my bad because he was being a bit irresponsible and making life more stressful at home than it needed to be. After school I would walk home and spend hours waiting for my parents to get home from work, and as soon as they would get home, they would start arguing and fighting. You do not want to ever hear two Latino parents arguing. It’s the worst thing in the world. That would hurt me so much. It was literally the scariest and saddest thing I have ever had to deal with in my life. I knew were missing something in our lives. I knew my home was not supposed to be like this but I didn’t know what to do in order to change all this. One day my parents started arguing and screaming at each other and it got so bad that I ran into my room just crying my eyes out from feeling so much pain. I did not want to lose them. I had an impression that I needed to pray. I was six years old. I didn’t really know who or what God was just that He existed. I knelt on my bed and prayed to Heavenly Father that he would do something to change all this. I pleaded with Him, begging Him to make things better and if it came down to it, I would much rather prefer myself to suffer than my parents. I don’t remember how long it took after that moment, but days or weeks later we started going to church and that’s when everything changed. My father overcame his addictions. My mother stopped drinking. My dad was able to finally find work again and provide for us. We received everything and a lot more than we needed just from a simple prayer. You cannot go through trials alone. There will come a time when you’ll realize that you need God in your life. You might have to struggle to eventually find Him, but it will be worth it cause He will bless you in ways you never dreamed possible. Ask and ye shall receive. Pray and He will listen.