smooth and polished

I was reading this morning about experiences of life and the importance of character. I was reading in the scriptures of those who have gone through affliction and it has been for their good. (Doctrine and Covenants 122:7)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell says about character, "It is much easier in this life to BE a character than to HAVE character. ...we see characters before us in the media all the time. To have character is a special and wonderful thing, but to develop it is not a pain-free process." /em>Sharing insights from my life

The Prophet Joseph Smith said "I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force...all hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty." (Teachings, p. 304)

There is a purpose to all that happens in our lives and can be for our good, if we let it. I am realizing that it is a matter of choice if we do-if we learn what God intends us to learn from our 'daily tutorials'. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows exactly what I need to continue in the polishing process.