Just Work with Me Here

“God is not the God of superheroes, nor of people without weakness—such beings do not exist…He helps people like you and me, those who recognize their limits and their weaknesses and seek His help…” (Bishop Gérald Caussé).

The other day I clocked in for my FamilySearch service hours, said a prayer, got organized, answered the phone, and had a long conversation with a very grumpy person.  I’ll be honest, it wasn’t my pleasantest hour.  When I answer the help line I never know who is going to be on the other end—old, young, impatient, skilled, ignorant, cheerful, frustrated—there’s all kinds.  I am sometimes disappointed by the unkind criticisms that come primarily from members of my own faith.  I am well aware that just because we know how we should act doesn’t mean we always do, but for some reason listening to this man was particularly disappointing for me.  I was neither personally attacked, nor personally offended, but I was affected by this man’s cloud of impatience, frustration, and most especially of ingratitude.

Without going into too many details I will tell you the core of his frustrations: he is mortal and he lives in a world full of mortals.  Isn’t that usually what ails us?  We are swift to be impatient, unkind, judgmental, and ungrateful.  We think about what has been taken away from us, what we can’t do, what we want and what is not.  We forget about what has been given to us, what we can do, what we have been promised and what one day will be.  Sometimes we see limitations or imperfections and we give up before we’ve begun.  Such was the case with my poor patron.

After talking to this man I thought a lot about the limits of mortality, in particular my own.  I’m not a great example of overcoming challenges, but last year I learned a lot.  I was chopping the firewood, refurnishing buses, walking up and down the streets of Chile trying to share my testimony of Christ with as many as would listen, and months later I was lying in a bed while my mom tried to help me put on my pants.  It was a drastic change.  It amazes me how many people have gone through so much more than I ever have.  In my case I was lucky enough to find other opportunities, which is why I answer phones!  But first I had to let go of what I couldn’t do and start doing what I could.  When I open up my journal I can tell which weeks were most difficult because there is a list of what I am grateful for, instead of why I was sad.  It didn’t always work, but I tried.  I tried to work with what I had and it turned out to be more than I ever even realized.

Our world and its people are so far from perfect in so many ways.  That was part of the deal.  We’ve just got to work with what we’ve got; after all we’re all Heavenly Father’s got.  Talk about frustrating circumstances.  We are such privileged people to live in an age with so many liberties, so much truth, so many educational opportunities, so much technology, and so many capabilities that allow us to cope with our weaknesses, afflictions, and mortality.  Some of us instead of marveling at the little computer in our pocket complain at how slow the internet is; or we whine about gas and traffic when every day we can travel for miles in a matter of minutes.  Life is filled with little and big difficulties but it is also good and certainly much better than we sometimes make it.

An enlightening principle was presented to me recently: Every soul has been sent to this earth, regardless of their weaknesses and limitations, for God’s perfect plan of progression.  That is a beautiful thought!  No matter where we start or where we are now we are all capable of expanding our abilities and becoming something more.  God said “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).  Those are some pretty big plans!  I’m so humbled by the level of trust Heavenly Father places in us, and sometimes baffled by the level of trust He places in me.  I know that He lives.  I know that through the Atonement we can be better than we are.  I am grateful for Him and for the opportunity I have to repent and improve.