[cake]

I heard the best FHE lesson last night.
We read this:
"Sometimes we wonder,
'What did I do to deserve this?' or
'Why did God have to do this to me?'
Here is a wonderful explanation!:


A daughter is telling her mother how everything is going wrong: she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.  Meanwhile, her mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely, Mom.  I love your cake.'
'Here, have some cooking oil,' her mother offers.
'Yuck,' says her daughter.
'How about a couple raw eggs?'
'Gross, Mom!'
'Would you like some flour, then? Or maybe baking soda?'
'Mom, those are all yucky!'
To which the mom replies: 'Yes, all of those things seem bad all by themselves.  But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!'
God works the same way.  Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times.  But God know that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful."


One of the Elders went on to talk about all of those ingredients being the batter.  The batter is only changed into a cake by putting it in the oven and turning it on.  The oven represents putting yourself in holy places: reading your scriptures, attending church, surrounding yourself with positive & uplifting people, etc.  Turning on the heat represents turning on the spirit.  Having one, but not the other, does no good.
The part that he said that really hit me was pulling the cake in and out of the oven doesn't do any good.  Cooking the cake for five minutes, and then taking it for five before putting it back in the oven is not going to have good results.
I'll be honest, I tend to jump in and out of the oven.  I tend to try really hard, feel frustrated, and let my habits slide.  I tend to remove myself from the oven to cool off, when I need that heat to better myself.  The heat is scary, I can tell you that much.
I'm just working on me.  I'm trying so hard to work on me and to prepare myself to eventually be a wife and mother, and sometimes it is just so overwhelming to try to learn and grow and be better than I feel.  As much as I want to be the best me, some days I just choose to jump out of the oven.
This month, I'm going to work on staying in the oven, even when it gets tough. I'm going to work on letting the heat refine me. I'm going to work on loving me and loving Him.