A Lesson In Patience

I LOVE attending Institute! The class I am in right now is called "Joseph Smith: The Early Years"; it is fabulous. The class discusses stories, events, and revelations that lead up to Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon and establishing the church. One of my favorite lessons so far has been about God's timetable. My teacher, Bro. B, just brings so much power and inspiration to the lessons. In this particular lesson, he compared trials to a cake. We start out as the batter, and yeah,  while batter is delicious and we don't mind it all, we need to be baked to improve/get any better. The trial is being in the oven. He asked, "what do you think that cake is saying as the oven slowly heats up?" Out of 350 degrees, we will probably start complaining at 110-150ish degrees, "Dear God, I can't do this any longer, I've hit my limit". Even though God loves you and wants to help you (take you out of the situation), he knows not to take the cake out early; you will be your best after about 20-25 minutes. The quote my teacher used was,
"Thus in the process of life, our Omniscient Lord has a schedule, a timetable, and a pattern - macro and micro.  We all need to know and remember this.  Being perfect in His knowledge of us and in His love of us, God is our perfect Father.  The metering and disclosing by degrees are all part of this mortal process.  Therefore, our faith in God includes faith that God lives, faith that He is our father and faith that His process (called the plan of salvation) is necessary and proper.  But, finally, faith also includes faith in His timetable.  Accepting that timetable requires great meekness and patience on our part." --Elder Neal A. Maxwell
It was just a lesson in patience for me, I guess. I've never realized how much faith is required for going off to college. Faith everything will be okay, faith you will get good grades, faith you will make friends & good decisions, etc...the list goes on and on. A true testimony comes from deciding now to stand on the Lord's side, so when the heat is turned up, you can handle it. Be gone temptations, be gone trials, I am here and I am making the right choices! I hope this brought the same confidence and courage to you as it brought to me. It is amazing what one class, as simple as it is, has shown & taught me. Go Institute!