That thing the world calls "TIME"

Time. It passes quicker than you want when you are having fun. It passes quicker than you want when you hear your alarm in the morning. It passes quicker than you would like in the summer. It passes slower than you would like in the winter. It passes slower than you want when you are in pain or in the midst of a hard spot. It passes slower when you are waiting for something important, or even someone important.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks stated “In all the important decisions in our lives, what is most important is to do the right thing. Second, and only slightly behind the first, is to do the right thing at the right time. People who do the right thing at the wrong time can be frustrated and ineffective. They can even be confused about whether they made the right choice when what was wrong was not their choice but their timing.”

Woah Elder Oaks, you hit a nail right on Emily Thatcher’s head.

When I was 17, I thought I had my life totally figured out. I was going to play basketball for four years on a scholarship, get a good degree, find my future husband and start a family shortly thereafter. But I think Heavenly Father thought that sounded nice, but I needed to lead me to other priceless experiences. Three back surgeries, two school transfers, a handful of boyfriends, an 18 month foreign mission, and a few life curve balls later, I am happily standing here in Salt Lake but with that cartoon character confused face.Why am I writing this? Because I have come to a grand realization that until I write it down, I won’t be able to convince myself of it and live it.

I have come to believe that the first principle of the Gospel is faith for some good reason. “Indeed, we cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord's will and in the Lord's timing” said Elder Oaks.  Most times either we do things too late, too soon, or too long. Applying to graduate school before we have the needed experience or background= too soon. Maybe living at home and mooching off our parents= too long. Making yourself available to someone after months of contemplation= too late.

So here’s my pledge. I know I have gotten the answer to obtain higher education so if that be medical school or physician assistant school, I accept either happily. Even though maybe some of my classmates and friends may be whizzing by me and getting higher degrees before I even apply, so be it. Does one or two years really make a difference in the long run? Although it’s frustrating as heck and our pride tells us others are doing more things faster than we are, I think the Lord knows best and we need to trust Him. I need these years to develop and become a better person. I need these years to make lasting friendships. I need these years to prepare to be a better mom. I need these years to have fun and love life. Will I stop progressing and just wait around for good things to happen? Absolutely not. But I will grab every opportunity I have and make it known than when it is my time, I’ll be ready.

So medical school applications done this year- probably not. Sometimes hard things are thrown your way and you have to slow down a bit. Maybe next year? I most definitely plan on it. Time is a worldly concept; the Lord really cares about who we become and not how old we were when we did it. So even though I have this “internal basketball shot clock counting down 5-4-3-2-1, Emily you should be in medical school by now and be making more money and have 2 kids!”, I need to have a little more faith that Heavenly Father has a better plan than the one I’ve imagined.

Happiness comes from accepting the Lord’s will in our lives. We will be eternally frustrated if we want things to go our way. So let’s have a little more faith, a little more patience, and a little more love. Or maybe at least I need to. 

"Do not rely on planning every event of your life—even every important event. Stand ready to accept the Lord's planning and the agency of others in matters that inevitably affect you. Plan, of course, but fix your planning on personal commitments that will carry you through no matter what happens. Anchor your life to eternal principles, and act upon those principles whatever the circumstances and whatever the actions of others. Then you can await the Lord's timing and be sure of the outcome in eternity." (Quotes taken from 'Timing by Elder Oaks, http://magazine.byu.edu/?act=view&a=1042) 

This is Emily's internal shot clock that tells her there is too much to do and too little time. Who even made clocks, seriously? Enjoy the dang game of life. 










This is 17 year old Emily- moderately cocky basketball player Emily who thought she could rule the world. 

And even more importantly, this is 24 year old Emily- a little less cocky, a little more chubby, a little more faithful, a lot more happy.