Diamond in the rough

Have you ever wondered where diamonds come from? I have. I remember asking my mom about 15 years ago and her telling me, that it is just a piece of ugly black charcoal that has been put under tremendous stress and pressure that has held it well and is transformed into a beautiful  diamond. As C.S. Lewis said hardships really do prepare us people for extraordinary things. We can look at the prophet Joseph Smith Jr. He has an infection that lasted for several months and ended up settling into his bone marrow that they ended up cutting out of his leg WITHOUT any kind of anesthesia what so ever, he was persecuted from age 14 on when he told people he saw God the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove. Joseph and Emma lost 4-6 of the their children in infancy for different reasons. He was tarred and feathered several times. He was thrown into jail on false charges several times. He was chastised for asking to lend Martin Harris the 116 pages that ended up getting lost. He was murdered in his late 30's or early 40's (cant remember which) all to bring about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these the latter days. What Joseph went through has literally brought MILLIONS to a restored knowledge of Jesus Christ and his gospel, but even more importantly, it allowed Joseph to turn to God our Heavenly Father in his trials and struggles. It allowed Joseph to find who he was and what he was willing to give up to help spread the gospel even farther in the world. 

We each go through trials and struggle with different things for many reasons to help us turn to God. It allows us to prepare for eternal life in the presence of God. Yes, life is hard. Yes we ALL struggle. Yes some give up. Yes we need to TRY again and again and again. Jesus Christ gave his life up for us, even if we do not partake of this amazing blessing. How many of us would be willing to die for every single person who has come, is currently on earth, and has yet to come to earth, no matter if they are male or female, no matter if you are white, black, chinese, japanese, indian, mexican, spanish, no matter what sins or crimes you commit in life??  The point of life is to turn to God in all our troubles and trials and to allow them to shape us into a person worthy to life with God for eternity. Dont give up. Dont give in. Turn to God always and he truly will direct your paths back to Him (Proverbs 3:6).