17 miracles

mir-a-cle:

n.

1] an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.

2] such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God.

3] a wonder; marvel

4] my life

Yesterday I went with my institute class to go see the movie [17 miracles]. This is the pioneer story of the Martin and Willie Handcart Company who left late into the year while trekking west and who experienced many trials, but along with those trials, many miracles.

I cried most of the movie. And left saying to myself, "I will never complain about my life again."

Perhaps the most touching part of the movie was when the 3 men walked back and forth through the ice-cold river carrying over each of the women, children, and sickly saints. I remember talking about this story in seminary and it has always been one of the most touching stories I keep close to heart. It says so much about those 3 young men and the sacrifices they were willing to make. And I specifically remember sitting in that seminary class promising myself, "That's the kind of guy I'm going to marry."

Excerpt from LDS.org

[When the people of the Martin handcart company arrived at the Sweetwater River, they were very weak. They saw no way they could cross the river, which was deep and wide and very cold. All they could do was pray. Then three eighteen-year-old boys from the relief party came to their rescue. George W. Grant, David P. Kimball, and C. Allen Huntington plunged into the icy water and began carrying people across the river. They made many trips and carried almost the entire company across. The cold water caused health problems for the boys, and years later all three died from these health problems. When President Brigham Young heard what these three boys had done, he wept. He later said that this act alone would ensure the three young men places in the celestial kingdom.]

This movie was so inspiring that I felt I should record

17 Miracles In My Own Life:

[one] Family. I have the greatest parents who love each other and have made numerous sacrifices for us children. 3 brothers and 1 sister who are the best examples to me. I have my Brassell family, my Bracey family, and my Barker extended families and 2 great dogs I got to share my childhood with. I know there were no coincidences when He planned families and am just so grateful I got the one I did! A miracle!

[two] Health. I have been blessed to always have great health. And it is something I am aware of and have become grateful for each and every day. Miracle.

[three] Florida. I lived in South Florida from the time I was 10-14. It was the hardest years on our family. There I truly learned that "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." I have never been tried so hard in my life and all at the same time than when I lived there. The things I was exposed to and had to deal with at such a young and critical age still bewilder me. When I do share the stories, my friends always say, "How did you come out the way you are?" And my answer always is, "It was a miracle."

[four] Saved. My older brother [John] saved me twice. Once when I was a baby and fell in a stream, and another time when I was 8 and fell into the canal behind our house. Miracles.

[5] Friends. I have always been blessed with friends. Something I'm grateful for every single day. And good ones at that. Friendship is so important to me and the Lord knows that. Each friend I have I've learned something from. And I know each friend was placed in my life not by accident. And as friendships change throughout the years, I've learned the most consistent friend and relationship I can have is with my Savior. Miracle!

[six] Boys. I have too many protective men in my life. Be it my grandpa, dad, 3 brothers, guy friends, and even co-workers. However, I have recently come to understand that my Father in Heaven is the most protective over me- even in an area such as this in my life. And am slowly coming to see why all things have happened the way they have. I've had many promises given to me and I know I just need to continue trusting the Lord along my way til I meet him, my Miracle.

[seven] Driving. I am not the best driver, and in all reality it's a miracle that I've never gotten in an accident, much less ever had a ticket. So many times I have come so close to being in an accident. My best friend says, "Are you aware that all of your blessings go to keeping you safe on the road!?" She reminds me of this all the time, and ya know, I'm beginning to believe her. Miracles!

[eight] The Accident. Speaking of accidents: I was with another best friend of mine driving to work one October night when the car beside us didn't stop for the 2 pedestrians on the crosswalk near campus and hit them both. It was so unreal to see. We were the only other car on the scene and right after the hit he immediately jumped out of the truck and I ran after. By the time we got to the first, she was already dead. The other was barely alive and couldn't move. It was the most terrible thing I've ever witnessed, a nightmare. All I can ever think is that I am so grateful and blessed that we weren't the ones who hit them. My life would never have been the same. The fact that [Bonnie] is now with her husband- miracle. The fact [Peggy] is still alive and walking again- miracle.

[nine] November ?, 2005. Never have been more grateful and aware of Heavenly Father watching out for me and protecting me from danger than on that day in November, only 18 years old. One of the greatest miracles.

[10] Trials. I do think that trials become miracles. Or at least when enduring a trial you can see the miracle at the end. At 24, I have been grateful for all my past trials. Things I never thought I'd get out of or see the good/lesson in, I have. And it has only made me stronger and more sure that when new upcoming trials come I am strong enough to go through them and faithful enough to have learned from them. All miracles.

[eleven] Job. As already addressed in my Miss Brassell! post. Nothing short of a miracle that I got this job!

[twelve] Seminary. You may laugh but attending 6:00am seminary for 4 years was a miracle! I am not a morning person and would and have slept through Christmas morning if my siblings weren't pulling me out of bed and dragging me down the stairs. And 6am really means 5am because we had to get ready. My dad drove us the whole first year- thanks for that sacrifice dad! If it weren't for the fact that I LOVED seminary so much nothing would have gotten me out of bed or motivated me enough to go. And I even got 100% attendance for the 4 years, now that's a MIRACLE!

[thirteen] Sand Dunes. 2006 my friends and I went to the St. Anthony sand dunes and 2 hours after playing and jumping around realized that we had lost the driver's car keys somewhere along the way. The dunes are huge and the sand is always moving, so knowing that the keys could be anywhere and already buried we knew they would be impossible to find. On top of that, it was almost dark. We said a prayer and not even 5 minutes later, minutes before the sun went down, we saw something reflecting in the sand. It was the car key standing straight up through the sand, the other keys on the key ring buried in the sand. A Miracle.

[fourteen] Joseph Smith. Over the past couple years I have become even more involved with studying church history and the early beginnings of the church. I have done a fair share of research and my testimony has grown 10-fold when I learn of the organization of the church, both the good and bad. And over the past 5-6 years I've never had to defend the prophet more. They say you find your testimony in the bearing of it and although I have always had a testimony of the prophet, I can see more clearly now so many of the miracles that took place and the miracle of the publishing of the Book of Mormon. I am so grateful for the sacrifices of the early saints. The big and small ones. I cannot wait to express my appreciation for them when I get to the other side. They, themselves are miracles.

[15] Small things. One of my most favorite roommates [Sierra] would always say "My life is a miracle." "It's a miracle." "That was a miracle" about all the day to day things. And she wasn't just saying it to say it, she truly believed that all these small, menial things, were in fact, miracles! I admired her outlook and wanted to be able to see things the way she saw them- as miracles! Thanks to her great example I can always be sure to see many small miracles throughout my day.

[sixteen] Answers. Receiving answered and unanswered prayers is a miracle in my life. The act of prayer alone is a miracle. Growing up, I have always struggled with receiving answers to prayers. My dad always says, "The Lord works with everyone in different ways. You just need to learn the way the Lord works with you." Each answer (no matter what the answer was) was just another simple, yet special, miracle in my life.

[seventeen] Unseen. I know there are many miracles that have happened to me that I don't know of yet, or miracles that I haven't been able to see. But I know they are there, or that they have happened and that the Lord's hand is in my life. And my life specifically. That He knows me individually and apart from all His other children. And that, is a miracle.

"miracles happen to those who believe."