How Cancer has Blessed my Life.

I am so blessed with the many changes which have happened to me in my life. I have always enjoyed a good adventure, whether in a book or movie. I enjoy the different twists and turns, and the unexpected. I enjoy comparing myself to the heroes of the stories I read. Every good hero always grows from the experience they have. They make the best of every situation.

I feel I have had my own adventure in my life as I have battled cancer. I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in February 2006. I initially went through 8 months of chemo therapy. I then had a relapse of cancer in July 2007. I then had a subsequent 3 months of chemo, and a bone marrow transplant in December of 2007.  At the time it seemed the transplant would be the "end" of the trial I was having, but with the transplant also came something called Graft vs. Host disease. It is where the bone marrow I received begins to attack my own body. I have had numerous complications from this, and it has helped to continue to learn and grow.

Adventures are certainly not always fun. One thing I do know is we each have our own trials in our lives. We each have hard things to endure through in our lives. We have those trials of faith that cause us to question. I have found myself in the “pit of despair” wondering how things could work out, wondering how there could be a happy ending to what seemed so miserable at the moment. I have found it difficult to understand why I was having the trials I did. I did not understand what I was supposed to learn, or why I was chosen to endure such things.

I do know we can overcome all the trials in our lives as we continue to follow what we have been taught, no matter how dark the situations in our life may be. I have learned we need to rely on Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the light. I know as we rely on Him everything will work out. I know from going through the treatments it has given me a greater sense of ambition in my life which I did not have before. It has given me more of a purpose and a drive to follow the things I have been taught. It has helped to bring my family closer together. It has helped me to have a greater sympathy and compassion for others.

I do know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I know it is something for us to use not only when we die, but something we can use in our lives today. I have felt it give me strength, understanding, and perseverance. I know the Gift of the Holy Ghost is real. As I have cried to my Father in Heaven in prayer I have been able to feel His peace and comfort come for me in my life. I know God loves me. I know I am a child of God.

Because I know these things, I know who we all are on earth. I know God loves me, and I know He loves everyone here on earth. I try and do my best to find that love God has for His children with everyone I meet. I know the most meaningful thing I can help people know is who it is they really are. So that is why I am here as a missionary. To help people understand we are the Children of God, and through Jesus Christ and His Gospel we can return to live with Him.