Be of Good Cheer

Life is ever eventful in our family {I wonder how often I have said that:-)}.  I spent part of yesterday alongside my little sister in the hospital who had been there the entire day, and has had become somewhat of a resident the past little while.  36 1/2 weeks along in her pregnancy, she has had numerous kidney and gall stones, and was now experiencing intense chest pains.  Having ruled out all of the "dangerous" possibilities for her and the baby and not really knowing what the source of the pain was, the doctor decided to send her home with this awesome farewell speech.  "Our door is always open.  You are always welcome to come back.  Don't let us tell you 'no' if you want to come back."  Wow!  Seriously?!  Poor Nes.

On a more pleasant note, the day of the long awaited embrace of their daughter Abigail had arrived for Jesse and Jani...and of course grandmas Teresa and Kathy.  What miracles had to have taken place for this day to arrive is almost unfathomable!  I love this photo.  It make my heart melt to see such love exuding from by baby brother to his baby girl.  I love how her little body fits just perfectly in Jesse's arm.  Such a happy Daddy!

Thank you Abigail for looking at the camera:-)  She's already being trained.  So adorable.  And beautiful Grandma Teresa, how blessed she feels to have been able to be there from the very first moments of Abigail's life.  I know it must have been very difficult for her to leave her today.

Jesse sent me this cute little photo of her fascinated by this bright light toy.  She really looks mesmerized.  Seeing her so alert and demonstrating such typical newborn behavior makes me very happy!

Jesse told me that he would send some more photos of Jani and Kathy with the baby later on today.  Counting on it Jes.

**And he delivered today at 2:30pm.  Thanks Jesse.  Jani looks rather amazing for just having a baby, don't you think?:-)  Love you Jani!  What relief this must be to you, to feel Abigail's heart beat next to yours.

Yesterday I chose to read an article in this month's Ensign, a magazine our church publishes which is full of articles relating to living Christ's gospel on a daily basis, many of which are written by Christ's living apostles and prophets.  This article is entitled Be of Good Cheer:  Choosing Happiness written by one of my religion professors I had while attending Brigham Young University, Camille Fronk Olson.  She states and also quotes Elder Neal A Maxwell:

Cheerfulness in the scriptural context connotes a divinely assured optimism, "a deep trust in God's unfolding purposes," a grounded conviction that God will always keep His promises.

When Jesus tells us to "be of good cheer" (John 16:33) he is not just telling us to put a smile on our face, but to have an earnest expectation of what He has already assured us.  That he has born our grief.  He has suffered for every possible type of infirmity.  That we might not suffer if we but Come unto Him.  And that we must have a deep trust in the purposes and plan of God that we may not see right now, but which are unfolding.  Awesome!  And from our knowledge of the nature of God, we know what kind of purpose that is.  A refining purpose.  A defining purpose.  I love her use of words, "grounded conviction".  For when trials come such as these, we must be grounded.  We must be continually laying down roots in this fertile soil of the gospel, continually planting our testimony firmly in that knowledge that God will always keep His promises.  And he has given us so many.  In particular for a couple that was able to create covenants, those sacred promises to each other and to God, in the House of the Lord, even the temple, like Jesse and Jani.  Those covenants which bind families on earth as well as in the life hereafter, together for eternity.  How blessed to have made such covenants.  To have such knowledge.  Truly a reason to "be of good cheer".

***UPDATE by Grandma Kathy Jul 12, 4:20pm
Abigail was moved out of the ICU this morning to a room on a regular floor!