A year ago I went on a church history tour with a bunch of my cousins and some other individuals who soon became our good friends. During this two week tour we saw many of the early church history sights such as Nauvoo, the sacred grove, and the Susquehanna River. Along with visiting the church history sights, we stopped in Washington DC to look at some of our country sights. As we arrived, we piled off the bus and quickly walked up to the famous fence to take pictures. After taking pictures and talking to other people, we piled back onto the bus to go to our next destination. When arriving at my seat I noticed my backpack was missing. I ran up to the front of the bus, informing the driver of my dilemma and ran back towards the white fence in hopes of finding my backpack. As I came into view of the fence I could tell something was not right. Everyone had been pushed back, about 40 yards, from the fence. I asked someone what was going on. They informed me that there was a bomb scare. I quickly looked towards the fence and there was my backpack, sitting alone next to the fence exactly where I had put it down to take pictures. I then proceeded to leave the line of people and walk out, sheepishly, into no mans land in search of one of the policeman on a bike. I told him that was my backpack. He then proceeded to go through the process of clearing me to be able to get my backpack back. After I was clear, I was allowed to open my backpack and show him what was in it. I showed him a couple of empty water-bottles and a Book of Mormon. After showing him this, I was permitted to take my backpack and leave. As I was from no mans land back to the crowd of people, there were cameras flashing and video cameras rolling. I felt like a movie star. Once the pictures were over, I made my way through my new fan club back to the bus. When I climbed onto the bus I was greeted with a standing ovation by the rest of the group. After this experience, of course as cousins do, the teasing came. I was informed that I was the best room clearer they had ever seen. They chided me about being a terrorist and hiding bombs in my luggage.
As I think back about this experience, I laugh now but in the moment to be honest I was scared to death. It is interesting to note how when we are going through hard times we do not see the blessings that come from it. I find the most growth occurs when the perfect amount of opposition is present. The Lord knows the perfect amount of opposition to create the optimum growth. In 1 Cor. 10:13 God says through Paul, " There hath no temptation
taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to
bear it." The Lord knows what to bless us with so that we can have the optimum amount of growth. Let us always remember that. Then at the very end the Lord through Paul tells us that he will also "make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
Let us move forward with a hope in Christ enough to turn to Christ and faith enough to walk into the darkness in front of us.
Optimism v. Pessimism. Two polar opposites which we face daily. The world throws many different views on this. Like the one shown just to the left in this picture. Why be optimistic? 
