There is Joy in the Journey

Ever since we returned from Bryce canyon I have wanted to write about an experience that I had as we were hiking the Navajo Loop. This hike is what I like to call a round trip hike, meaning you don't hike to your destination and then turn around and go back to where you started. This was probably self explanatory to most of you when I told you the name of the trail (Navaho Loop). We started down the trail, and this hike was definitely going to be a little wet, but it wasn't to bad. It was an amazing hike. All of us truly enjoyed every minute of it. The views were breathtaking. Kendra and I took a ton of pictures. There was just so much to see. As we got down in-between the rocks, it was a little icy because some of those areas do not see the sun. We went a little slower and helped each other.

As we started to come to the end of the trail we had to go up all of these switch backs, and it was really muddy. I mean really muddy. There were all of these people that were starting to hike down the way that we were finishing. They were turning back, I heard them saying things like, "This is too muddy, it will be to hard!" I wanted to yell, "No, come back you can do it!" I wanted to tell them what they would be missing out on, if they didn't try. Then I came to the realization that, had our family started the hike from the opposite side, we would have missed all the joy in the journey that we made together. I started thinking about how this hike might parallel with our lives here on earth. Sometimes I think that if we knew what was in store for us, we might turn around and miss out on the whole awesome adventure.

I truly have a testimony that even though our hike might seem hard or impossible at times, there is a purpose and a plan. I am so thankful for the gospel and the feelings that I had as I was hiking. I hope that I can always remember the feelings and emotions that I felt. This experience really helped to strengthen my testimony about Heavenly Father's plan for me and you.

"There is a guiding hand above all things. Often when things happen, it's not by accident. One day, when we look back on the seeming coincidences of our lives, we will realize that perhaps they weren't so coincidental after all."
President Thomas S. Monson