Blessed

Today I'm counting my blessings. Before you'll understand why, I have to give you a little history-- and a scripture.

Ether 12:6 "... Wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

After Nathan was laid off, his boss, Greg, called and said that they would really like to have Nate back. A day or two after the lay-off two other guys quit. They'd had enough of the empty promises and a company that was clearly headed into trouble. They found better jobs, and they left. This was a source of great frustration for us because we didn't have another job waiting. And, if they'd had enough money to fund those two positions, then why couldn't they hire Nate back when the other guys quit?

Greg called again the week Nathan got his offer from Westinghouse. Nathan told him that he had to give Westinghouse an answer by Monday. On Monday we left to find a place to live. I fully expected that the minute we committed to the job, Greg would call. Well, he didn't. Nathan accepted the job, we found a place to live, and Nate took his pre-employment physical. Then we headed home to Montana. This was the weekend I was a complete basket case, but every time I prayed about whether or not we should be here, I received peace. It was like the Lord kept trying to tell me it would be all right, but I was just so scared to leave my comfortable life.

While we were sitting in the parking lot outside the doctor's office, another company called and asked Nate if he was interested in an interview. It was a really good company in a town where we used to live, but it was in a mine, and we'd already decided that we wanted him out of the mining industry if we could. Plus, Green River, WY is even colder than our home in Montana, and while I love my friends there, I don't think I could live there permanently. The job he accepted still seemed like the right job.

After we got home to Montana, Greg called again. Nathan told him he'd already accepted the job and that we'd signed a lease on a house. Nate told him that we'd be moving the following Monday. Greg again said they didn't know if the company had the money that they needed, but as soon as they did he wanted to give Nate his job back.

It was so hard. On the one hand, we really wanted to say in our home and Nathan's old job paid better. On the other hand, they'd laid him off without any sort of compensation. They didn't take care of Nate when it really mattered. Plus, we'd already committed to this move, and it felt more and more like the right thing to do.

On Monday Nathan's parents and youngest brother drove out from Washington. They helped us pack the entire house into the U-Haul. Then they were going to drive down to Rexburg that night so my brother-in-law could finish a test for one of his classes. Right before they left, Nathan's cell phone rang. It was Greg. He said the company had gotten enough money to operate for five months and Nathan could have his job back. He could start Friday.

I simply cannot tell you how angry I was. Nathan and I had already made up our minds that we weren't going back, but his mom was like, "We can unpack. You could stay in your house!" It was tempting, but we knew it was only five months and we'd be back in this same situation and we might have missed out on a great opportunity with a new STABLE company. Nathan said he'd sleep on it, but we told his parents we were still going. They took our boys and headed south to Idaho. That night as I said my prayers, I said, "I still think this move is the right thing to do," and again I felt peace.

Here we are a week later. Nathan is four days into his job, and so far, he doesn't love it, but he's still in orientation. He's wondered several times, "Did we do the right thing?" Our house didn't miraculously sell in the week we were gone.

Last night one of the guys he used to work with called. The money they said they had fell through, and the acting CEO who gave Greg the go-ahead to offer Nathan his job would have known it a week ago. In fact, if the company doesn't get something in place by Friday, it will close it's doors.

And so, today I know that we received a witness after the trial of our faith. We stayed true to the answer that we got, and we were led to a new job, a new, more-challenging school for our kids, a new community, a new ward. It was one of the hardest moves we've ever had to make, but now I know we did the right thing. It's so difficult to be led into the unknown, but sometimes it ends up being the best place for us. I still wonder how we're going to make it financially, but I know that the Lord will bless us for our obedience. We'll be fine-- somehow.