ColoradoBennett

I found this story in LDSLiving. I'm sorry for my previous whimpering about trite little problems, but I'm grateful for all the calls and comments of support :). I thought I'd share this story with you because I found it to be profound:
"Another Zion's Camp?"
1st Lieutenant David DeMille
Afghanistan, March '06-March '07
"One time our convoy was out on night patrol. We stopped by what was known as a "district center." The district center compound was the locations for the area's main Afghan government buildings and police station. It was normal for us to occasionally visit this center at night. Normally we would arrive to find everyone except a few guards asleep. This night everyone was awake and in their defensive fighting positions. We asked what was going on and they explained they had received intelligence which indicated they were going to be attacked that night. My convoy decided to stay and help them defend their post. We quickly did our best to hide out trucks in the compound so the enemy would not detect our presence. Since we did not have cots or beds, we slept either on the ground or on the hoods of our trucks.
About halfway through the night it suddenly started to rain. It was pouring. Within a few seconds, my guys were soaked head to toe. We quickly climbed into our trucks, but we were already drenched and miserable. We spent the rest of the night trying to sleep in wet and uncomfortable positions. the night slowly turned into morning without an attack. The next day we continued on our patrol route soaking, smelly, and miserable.
A few days later, I had the opportunity to visit a larger U.S. base and actually attend a Church meeting. I cannot remember all the details of the lesson, but it was about Church history and Zion's Camp. The instructor shared how a mob was coming to attack the Saints and that the Lord prevented the attack by sending a fierce storm. I then thought of the wet night I had just experienced. I do not know if we would have been attacked that night, but that same Afghan district center had been hit before, and a few days after we were there.
Although the rain made us miserable, it may have prevented a violent attack. No one would have attacked in that kind of horrible weather. I have since thought that when something happens in our life that makes us totally miserable, maybe it is God intervening to keep us safe. Or maybe He is blessing us in a way we cannot immediately understand. Although we might be miserable for a time, don't worry about it. The trial will not kill us. We might be miserable for a day, but in the long run God might be doing His part to bless or save our lives."
Chad S. Hawkins wrote a book about LDS military members and their families and LDSLiving had a few excerpts. It is called Faith in the Service. I wish he would have interviewed the Stinchfields. I attended seminary this morning and it was on this same topic. Habakkuk asks the Lord why things are so miserable for him and the Lord's reply is to be patient because things are going to get a lot worse. Instead of getting depressed about that, Habakkuk replies "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." (Habakkuk 3:18-19)
Somehow we are given the strength to make it through our trials and challenges. Even if that is something petty like losing your stroller or dying you hair orange (by the way Ellynn I followed your suggestions and my hair looks great. Even my aunt who is highly critical said so (this same aunt influence me to stop dying my hair, which lasted over 5 years)).