all things from the beginning

I have this awesome job that basically involves showing up, sitting at my desk, doing practically nothing until it is time to go home and getting paid for it. The only 'work' I have done today is 1-show up 2-clock in 3-open my office door and 4-turn on my computer. I checked all of my e-mail accounts (junk, personal, work) and there wasn't anything new since last night. I checked facebook and there weren't any interesting updates. I checked my class schedule for fall semester since school starts in less than 3 weeks. It was exactly as I left it when I registered 4 months ago so that was just about as thrilling as finding empty inboxes. I hadn't even been here for half an hour and the only thing I had left to do at work was to take a lunch break. It was a little early for that and the rest of this week is going to be kind of slow so I decided to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish this week. I opened up trusty lds.org and started flying through the verses until I got to 1st Nephi 9:6.

But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.

I have been thinking about that a lot over the past year or so. I started thinking about it when I decided to go to Jerusalem. There were so many little details that contributed to me developing the desire to go to Jerusalem and then actually being able to go when I did. It has been amazing for me to see how many decisions had to be made by at least thousands of people to make it possible for me to have that semester in Jerusalem that taught me more than I could ever begin to describe.

Life is such an intricate process where one small decision can really swing everything in a different direction. Knowing this could be stressful for some but this scripture brings so much peace to my heart. Our Heavenly Father really knows what is best for us and what lessons we need to learn to be perfected through the Atonement. He knows the road that we need to travel to return to Him and He has the power to make sure that everything works out the way He knows it should. I know without a doubt that this is true. I know that I was meant to go to Jerusalem and have the experiences that I had there for a reason and I know that my Heavenly Father helped me and my parents and my friends and so many others make the choices that would eventually make that special experience possible for me.

This doesn't just apply to my study abroad experience. It took a big experience for me to see it so clearly but God's hand really is present in all things. I know that He will guide me through all of life's twists and turns because He loves me and I know He will do the same for you because He loves you too.