It is interesting how the Lord works.

I do not write here enough. Things have been tough of late, and I guess I did not want to be a negative nelly. These past several months have been difficult and have been a trial for Lisa and I. But I have been blessed of late. I made such a huge mistake last year not accepting the contract offered to me by Laveen, or finding a teaching job closer to home and pursuing a career in IT. In a regular economy it would not have been a bad decision, but in this crap economy man did I pay for it.

I began looking again for teaching job last November, but unfortunately the AZ economy and state budget were so bad, that a lot of districts began laying off people. Thus it did not look like I was going to find a job in teaching, at least in the state of AZ. So, I started looking at Texas, with a better economy and way more teaching jobs. And after some initial interest, I could not get a bite there either. I prayed hard for guidance as to where and what I should be doing.

I have to say, my faith was beginning to wain a bit. I was starting to wonder what more I could do. I had been praying almost hourly, pleading with the Lord for help. I wondered if anyone was listening. I prayed more, but began to have doubts. I had a few interviews, ironically more in AZ than Texas (even though there were way more jobs available in Texas), but nothing came through. I had good interviews, but seemed to be just missing on timing. I had one Assistant Principal tell me that they had offered on position to someone else, but were sure that another teacher was going to not renew his contract and would offer that position to me. Of course that person renewed (there were no other jobs anywhere else), and I was out of luck again.

So after almost four weeks of nothing, out of nowhere I received a call from another principal in the district where I had almost landed a job. He told me that I came highly recommended from another assistant principal (the one I spoke of before), and that he wanted to meet me. I jumped at the chance and had a job by the end of the week. I have no doubt that Heavenly Father had a hand in my job search. And as I thank him I feel a bit ashamed that I doubted Him.

In Sunday School yesterday we were talking about adversity and trials. We were discussing the Prophet Joseph as he suffered while being unjustly imprisoned in Liberty Jail. In Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith laments his state and calls upon God asking where He is, and to deliver him from bondage. The Lord responded with some words of comfort and also some soft words of rebuke. The rest of Section 121 and 122 are the words which the Lord spoke to the Prophet, comforting him chastening him to keep the faith. The instructor in Sunday School began to relate his own life experiences to the trials of the Prophet Joseph. He talked about his own trials which were difficult by any measure. He asked if anyone else could relate to Joseph Smith. We talked about dealing with trials, and while I feel like I have been through my share, (some of which were by my own doing), I was reminded of the scripture in D&C 122:8. The scriptures before describe potential trials that could come to the Prophet Joseph (and to anyone else as well) and some of which are quite terrifying. But then the Lord says, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than He?"

I raised my hand and quoted this scripture. With tears in my eyes I was reminded that the Savior suffered all. He understands what I am going through in mortality. In comparison to Job, and many many other apostles, prophets and many good and worthy saints my sufferings are minuscule in comparison. Regardless, the Lord understands what we are all going through and if we can just trust in him, and remain faithful, we can be comforted in knowing that He has been there. he has suffered, and that he will intercede on our behalf and help us.