Savior of the World Act 1 Scene 2.2

My little moo is too cute in this scene where she(Anna) and Mary discuss marriage. I think all big sisters should have these kinds of conversations with little sisters. Just like a little girl Anna is amazed by all the beautiful things surrounding a marriage...where you'll live, the big wedding party, the beautiful dress. And then Anna realizes that she will be loosing a sister, and Mary realizes this is the end of her growing up stage. A beautiful time shared with sisters.

These wonderings cause Mary to pray and then she has her beautiful conversation with Gabriel.

Mary sings a beautiful song called Look on Me This Day, where she ponders the things that have happened and the feelings in her heart. But admist all these emotions she only feels to Praise God's name from day to day, for always.

Okay, so here is my most controversial opinion so far, and it is just an opion. I have no scriptural basis to back it up, none at all.:

So I have been thinking about Mary. And from what I believe about Mary she was as pure and true and obedient and virtuous a lady that ever lived. THEN, (To the views of an outsider) She becomes pregnant while being unwed. I am sure that it brought her much comfort that she was pure and true and obedient and virtuous in the sight of God. But what persecution did she have to suffer, what looks came her direction, what gossip was spoken behind her back, what fears and sorrows did she carry in her heart because of this blessing and trial. How hard it would be to be Mary, to be judged, scolded, ridiculed by others who did not know, who did not understand. And yet...this woman who was the most pure, the most true, the most obedient, the most virtuous may have been treated just the opposite. She may have been treated as one who commited a great sin, she may have been looked down upon, she may have had to endure great social persecution. And yet I am sure she endured with all the attributes of a true daughter of God. Sometimes the Lord test our greatest strengths. Sometimes the strongest gifts from the Lord bring us the greatest trial.

I often think of those who suffer the greatest in service of the Lord also are some of the most pure and true and obedient and virtuous. I think of the pioneers. They loved the Lord, they were willing to sacrifice so much over and over and over again and yet they had their own refiners fire and it was not an easy one. So many suffered great thing. The Lord tested their greatest strengths to survive. As one man in the Willey and Martin Handcart company said, You'll never hear one of us complain. We would do it again to experience that closeness with God. (that was paraphrasing btw)

We were reading about Jacob today in the Old Testament, about when Laban came to him to ask him why he ran away, why he snuck out, why he "stole" his daughters. And Jacob's response is...I have never wronged you, why do you wrong me. Even though he was mistreated for 20 years by his father in law, he did not retaliate, he bore it with patience with all the attributes of a true son of God. We talked about how Jacob relied on the Lord to fill up his cup. He relied on the Lord to make up the difference of Laban's crafty and sneaky and deceptive ways. He did not turn against Laban, instead he turned to the Lord.

I think that sometimes I think...I'm righteous I won't have to go through THAT. Or I think that the Lord will bless me to not have to deal with THAT. Or I feel entitled to my anger and my resentment of others because obviously they were in the wrong. But even the very elect have to endure their trials ...Adam, Noah, Moses, Job, Joseph Smith, and the greatest of all; The Savior. The only perfect Son of God had the greatest trial of all to bear. He he bore it with ALL the attributes of a true Son of God. He said He would do the Lord's will. He said He would suffer. He said He would overcome the world.

It makes me consider, what trials do I have that are also blessings. When I am judged, scolded and ridiculed, when I am mistreated by those who should love and care for me what do I do. I can choose. I can choose to bare my trials with patience and with all the attribute of a daughter of God. I can choose to whom I will turn.

I am grateful to Mary for her courage and endurance of her trials. I cannot marvel enough at the woman she must have been. I cannot value highly enough her role in raising the Son of God.