Emily told a story of one Christmas (it may have even been this last one, I can't remember) where her husband was called to work and had to go to China. To add to the disappointment, he would leave the 26th and be gone for all the rest of Christmas break. They had made plans, but all those plans wouldn't work if he wasn't there. So, Emily decided that she would go with the rest of her family to her parents cabin in the mountains and go skiing.
She bought ski passes for them for three days, which she found not to be the best idea, because after two days she was wiped out. Muscles she had not used in a very long time were sore and tired. So, after it all, she wanted to get comfy and put on her new pj's. She described them as cute and sort of matching and loved them as they were brand new and a gift from Christmas. When she came into the kitchen she saw her mom was making White Chicken Chili. Now, I've never had White Chicken Chili, but she said that she knew her kids would never eat it and decided that she would go into town and get chicken nuggets and fries for her kids. Before leaving, she asked her sisters-in-law if they thought it would be okay for her to go into town wearing her pj's. They told her that she would be fine. (*Haha. I personally found this hilarious because I, from time to time, will be found lazy enough to go to the Safeway, a block away, in my comfortable attire [aka: my pj's] with no shame.)
So, she goes to the store and they have a Redbox and there is NO line in front of it, and apparently this pretty much never happens. She thinks, "Oh this is great!" She had a few movies she needed to return anyway. While she does this she is on the phone with a lady who is trying to make an order and is having trouble with it and she is trying to walk her through it. Once she returns her movies, she looks behind her and there is a line and she thinks, "Oh good. I'm at the beginning of the line and I can get another movie and I'll be the BEST MOM EVER." So, she proceeds to go through the process of a movie. I've never used Redbox before, but she said that the thing is really slow and she's on the phone and entering in the information. Then, a lady comes up to her and says, "Are you on the phone while using the Redbox?" Emily winks and waves at her thinking the woman is sort of teasing her. Finally, when she gets done she goes on to the store, when the lady, again, comes up to her and says, "You can't use your cellphone when using Redbox. You are Rude! And you're wearing your pajamas!"
This started and internal conflict within her and she started saying to herself, "I'm so rude for being on my cellphone while using the Redbox." Then, kept on progressing, "I shouldn't have used the Redbox." By the time she got out to the car she was saying to herself, "I'm a horrible mother for not teaching my kids to like White Chicken Chili and then I wouldn't have had to come out here."
She got back to the cabin and told her sisters-in-law, "The pajamas were a bad idea." Emily then started to put the food on the oven trays and the ladies finally asked her what happened. She told them the story and they just thought it was hilarious. One sister-in-law said, "You should have told her, 'I know I'm wearing pajamas. I dressed myself.'" Haha. I like her already.
Emily said, "Isn't it interesting how you can go from being on top of the world and feeling great about yourself and one person can turn it all around and make you feel horrible?"
First of all, wearing pajamas to the grocery store is really not that big of a deal. Maybe that's just me, but honestly, who even cares?
Secondly, this lady must have been having a really bad day to call someone else rude, while being quite rude herself.
Emily then talk to about perspective. How two people can be having the same experience, but can have completely different perspectives. She gave the example of Nephi and Laman and Lemuel.
This is what Nephi said of their journeying:
1 Nephi 17:1-2 "And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us..."
This is what Laman and Lemuel had to say:
1 Nephi 17:20-21 "And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.
Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy."
I think it's hilarious that they say "might". THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW FOR SURE?! Really guys? The city was going to be destroyed and you "might" have been happy? I highly doubt it. Anyway, getting back on point. It's all in our perspective. Nephi CHOSE to look at the blessing the Lord had given them. While his brothers only focused on how hard everything was. Nephi acknowledged that they had it rough, but even so the Lord was watching over them. I think Laman and Lemuel were thinking the way we do sometimes. If we are following the Lord's word and His plan, He will make everything smooth sailing. It's only fair right? We forget that we actually have put in some of our own work.
My advice:
Life's rough. Say a prayer.
First of all, wearing pajamas to the grocery store is really not that big of a deal. Maybe that's just me, but honestly, who even cares?
Secondly, this lady must have been having a really bad day to call someone else rude, while being quite rude herself.
Emily then talk to about perspective. How two people can be having the same experience, but can have completely different perspectives. She gave the example of Nephi and Laman and Lemuel.
This is what Nephi said of their journeying:
1 Nephi 17:1-2 "And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us..."
This is what Laman and Lemuel had to say:
1 Nephi 17:20-21 "And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.
Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy."
I think it's hilarious that they say "might". THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW FOR SURE?! Really guys? The city was going to be destroyed and you "might" have been happy? I highly doubt it. Anyway, getting back on point. It's all in our perspective. Nephi CHOSE to look at the blessing the Lord had given them. While his brothers only focused on how hard everything was. Nephi acknowledged that they had it rough, but even so the Lord was watching over them. I think Laman and Lemuel were thinking the way we do sometimes. If we are following the Lord's word and His plan, He will make everything smooth sailing. It's only fair right? We forget that we actually have put in some of our own work.
My advice:
Life's rough. Say a prayer.
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