No Rain, No Rainbows!

The clouds have burst here in Santa Rosa (/Sebastopol).  It's raining.  After a month of solid rain in Ukiah I was done with drippy skies, but now after a little break, it was nice to see some moisture again and get to enjoy the sights:

Makes me think of this T-shirt my dad gave me one time after he came back from Hawaii on a business trip.  It had a bunch of really slick Hawaiian catch phrases on it--you know, really "hang loose", flip-flops-on-the-sand, Joe Cool style--the last of which has stuck with me for years:

No Rain, No Rainbows

I've thought about that from time to time, especially when I see rainbows streaming through the gloominess of an ashen, rain-washed sky.  It makes me grateful for the rainbows my Heavenly Father sends my way whenever it seems I can't hold on any longer or when the rains are going to wash me out.  I could go off about all the different "rainbow connections" (right, Kermit?), but I think I'll just leave you one more thought in this little snippet. 

We heard from an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ today, Elder Neil L. Andersen.  He talked a lot about our faith in Christ and how that can help us raise families and deal with the day-to-day.  I loved one thing in particular that he said about or lives here on Earth; he said, "We can't know everything about this life.  That's impossible!  we will never figure out every reason why bad [or good] things happen to us.  We will never have all the answers.  But that's because this is not our Heavenly Home.  We are here, away from our Father in Heaven, being tested and tried to see if we will be faithful, obedient, and true.  And if we have trust in God, no matter the outcomes, no matter the unanswered questions, we will be happy with Him forever in that Heavenly Home." 

I absolutely love that.  It rains a lot in our lives (like a spiritual Seattle!), and sometimes we even forget what the sun looks like.  But I can promise you God will send you rainbows.  He has for me.  Just look for them and you will find the splash of color against the dismal background of your trials.  I know that is true.  No rain, no rainbows!

Much Love,

Elder Spendlove