This is a test, this is only a test!

This is something I sometimes have to be reminded of hourly. We are here for a purpose, to be tested to see how faithful we will be keeping the commandments, serving, learning (sometimes the same lessons repeatedly because we are to dense to get it the first time, or maybe because we have some sick need to make things harder on ourselves then they really need to be!!!) repenting and just a general test of the most amazing gift, our free agency.
All throughout the scriptures are stories of God testing his people. Especially when they had been prosperous because for some reason that causes us to be prideful, lose site of our priorities and harden our hearts to the teachings and example of our Savior.
We are no exemption and unfortunately I think we as a people have gotten pretty ugly. We will be tested, but we have much to be thankful for. We have an understanding of the plan of salvation and why we are here, not everyone is that fortunate. We are not alone. We have family, friends, church members and best of all a Heavenly Father who LOVES us UNCONDITIONALLY. He is there waiting to lift us up, bring peace to our spirits, if we will only be faithful and ask. Each of us will be challenged and tried in different ways, and it will be difficult. But the beautiful thing is NO MATTER WHAT, we have our families, our knowledge and all the promises from our Heavenly Father. They are ours, regardless of how much money is in our savings account, whether we have a job or not, whether we have lost a loved one or are suffering with a terminal illness. How we deal with and overcome our challenges is completely up to us and how we choose to respond! I am so thankful for this knowledge, for my family, I am thankful for friends and the examples they are to us, I am thankful for the lessons I have learned and continue to learn and most of all for my Savior.