Ether 6:11

"And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water."
Ether 6:11


So, today this is making me feel fortunate, so I thought I would share. :)  I was just watching this documentary about the Lewis and Clark expedition (fascinating), and then I come in here and find this scripture... and right now I feel like my life is perfect.  I have it SO easy compared to having to walk across the rocky mountains, or spending the better part of a year in a completely closed in ship (I get claustrophobic).  So, you know... life is great. :)  And sincerely, sometimes we need to see that contrast in our lives.  You are never more thankful for a job than you are after being out of work for a while... never so thankful for blessings from heaven than when you lost them for a while... the same with keys, and relationships. :)  we all have bad chapters in our lives, periods where it really *doesn't* seem like it will all come out okay... but, with God, the end is always going to be triumphant.  We just have to keep turning the pages.  The monster that you thought would eat you becomes your ally... the dungeon you thought was inescapable proves to have a secret escape route.  Your trip over the endless mountains that you thought would end in death turns out to be successful. 344 days on the water that you thought would never end eventually brings you to the promised land.  And you know... hard things always happen to the hero.  It makes the hero strong, and confident.  But the hero battles through every hardship, figures out every riddle, and does what the hero came to do.  We are each the hero of the story... we just have to be patient, continue to read, and trust that God has a great reward in store when we make it back to his presence... reunited with our long-lost brothers and sisters, to live happily ever after. :)  It's no fairy tale.