Back in March of 2020, I was watching “Don’t Miss This”, a Book of Mormon class taught by two institute teachers, on youtube. David Butler captured what I had been feeling about motivating myself. He said he got back from a run and asked his wife, “Does it ever get easier?” His wife said, “That’s the purpose of exercise, to push you!” We want to reach some point and have the good, easy life, with a plateau of no pain, misery, or toxic relationships. David Butler said, “God says, this is perfect. I want to struggle with you.”

I have thought a lot about that idea. God wants to struggle with me.

Also in March, back in what my daughter calls “The Before Times”, we were in Costa Rica, for a little warm weather and went on a 3 hour tour, called, “Sloths, birds and butterflies.” This is what I learned about sloths:

They are the slowest moving animal on earth.

They only go to the bathroom once a week, climbing out of the high trees of safety, to the perilous ground. more available to predators.

Because sloths don’t move much, they lose 30 % of their body weight just making the effort to to come out of the trees and go to the bathroom and then up again.

We found 4 sloths huddled up in the trees. One of the women on my tour said, “It’s also one of the 7 deadly sins.”

We have reason to feel like sloths! We are feeling depressed, sluggish, slow and overwhelmed by everything going on. Lockdowns, loss of jobs and income, and uncertainty can immobilize us.

As I invite God into my struggles, as I make time to read the scriptures, to have a connecting prayer before I look at my phone in the morning. these small habits help fight my slothfulness, and hopelessness. These habits remind me everyday Who is in charge, why I am here and show me everyday how good life is.

Elder Bruce R. McKonkie said,

“People who study the scriptures get a dimension to their life that nobody else gets and that can’t be gained in any way except by studying the scriptures. There’s an increase in faith and a desire to do what’s right and a feeling of inspiration and understanding that comes to people who study the gospel – and who ponder the principles, that can’t come in any other way.” 

I am grateful this is an option for me– a better dimension than what the world offers.