This is my first blog post in our new home, back in Utah. Nearly five years ago we moved to AZ. Oh how I love where we lived! Long story short…my husband and I decided God wanted us to move back, after he lost his job last Thanksgiving. So we are here!

The longer story involves many prayers, tears, the roller coaster ride of expecting a job to come through, then having hopes dashed, and months of waiting. Our prayers and fasting have been answered in the way we hoped. What seemed impossible has now happened and I am thrilled! I had to make some trade-offs: lots of acreage for little, a bigger home for a smaller home (which equals less storage), and living in a pretty much silent neighborhood (aside from birdsong and the sound of the UPS truck crunching on my gravel driveway to deliver Amazon boxes) to living in a bustling neighborhood. I can actually see cars driving outside my front window and people outside.

The upside is I traded living in pretty much a cultural wasteland to living close to a smorgasbord of educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities. I traded neighbors who aren’t very neighborly for neighbors who are, and I got a prettier home with the white cabinet kitchen I have always wanted! Yay! Plus I got a new flat-top stove and shiny new fridge in the deal. Double yay!

The cream and cherry on top are that I also get to live much closer to half of my adult children, both in college, as well as lots of relatives, and long-time homeschool friends. Instead of driving my kiddos 90 minutes one way to a homeschool group that I love I only have to drive 10 minutes max. Triple yay!

I know that prayer to our Heavenly Father in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ is the answer to ALL our problems. Prayer and scripture study got me through this long journey of my husband’s unemployment, waiting for a new job and a move to Utah. Our prayers won’t always be answered the way we hoped, but they will be answered in the way that is best. It is is so comforting to know that God is at the helm.

The above talk by Sister Bonnie H. Cordon includes an ah-MAZ-ing talk about the power of prayer. She tells of a miracle that happened for 7 days in a row of her daughter-in-law receiving exactly what she wanted through prayer, regarding something inconsequential, in the case, what she had for dinner.

You can read the talk here, or watch it above. I quote Sis. Cordon, below, quoting her daughter-in-law, because this is exactly how I feel right now.

“After that prayer my heart felt light and unburdened, and I was grateful for such a mindful and loving Father in Heaven.”

In my case I can say, “After this experience of months of prayer my heart feels light and unburdened…” Actually I can say that I felt “unburdened and light” during the experience, whenever I would pray. During those long uncertain months, exacerbated by the pandemic, the anxiety of the unknown left, everytime I knelt in prayer and poured out my soul to God. I knew God was watching over us and preparing the perfect job and place for us to live. I testify that God lives. I promise you that as you pray to Him in the sacred name of Jesus Christ you too can feel a light and unburdened heart. You too can have prayers answered.