Welcome to Tuscaloosa Stake

Welcome to the Tuscaloosa Stake Young Womens Presidency Page

Fellow Members of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Stake,

I hope this letter finds you well. We are all living in new and different circumstances than we have ever experienced and it can be hard for all of us to navigate this new normal. Many of us are experiencing financial difficulties, mental health struggles, and emotional turmoil as we strive to balance work, parenting, or isolation.

We can take comfort in knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. Throughout the scriptures, followers of the Lord have endured tremendous trials, and through those trials grew and became better because of their struggle. In the Book of Mormon we learn of Nephi, who, after leaving his comfortable life in Jerusalem behind, suffered repeated abuse from his brothers and spent eight years in the wilderness suffering from frequent hunger and fatigue. He then spent a significant amount of time in unfavorable conditions on a ship traveling to the promised land. It was not an easy journey and he was treated cruelly by his own family. However, as he endured his trials with faith in Jesus Christ, he received comfort from the Lord and, ultimately, countless blessings.

Joseph Smith spent a trying winter in Liberty Jail where he was starved, poisoned, and kept in unlivable conditions. In his speech called "Lessons from Liberty Jail," Elder Jeffery R. Holland says the following: "In one way or another, great or small, dramatic or incidental, every one of us is going to spend a little time in Liberty Jail--spiritually speaking. We will face things we do not want to face for reasons that may not be our fault."

Brothers and sisters, it is my testimony that during difficult times, Heavenly Father blesses us. If we open our hearts and listen to the whisperings of the spirit, we will find blessings and silver linings in our individual circumstances. Elder Holland continues to say, "Indeed, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in any situation you are in. Indeed, you can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life--in the worst settings, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odds and opposition you have ever faced."

There are countless other stories throughout the scriptures of people, who even in the midst of their suffering see the blessings of the Lord. 2 Nephi 2:24 reads "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." Our afflictions may not be taken from us immediately, and oftentimes we don't recognize the many blessings we've received until long after our trial is over, but the Lord is always aware and shows His love for us through tender mercies along the way.

Brothers and sisters, as we go through uncertain times, the one thing we can count on and be certain of is our Father's love for us. Give your worries to the Lord. We do not need to carry those burdens by ourselves. Reach out to a friend or ward member and see how you can help with their burdens. We were put on this earth to help one another. Only through Him can we find everlasting peace in the midst of our trials. Search for the tender mercies of the Lord and recognize his hand in the small and simple things. The Lord is truly in the details of our lives.

Sincerely,

Niki Sealy
Stake YW President &
The Tuscaloosa Stake Presidency

FaithCommand