I See... What is Around the Corner

How cool would it be to have the gift of prophecy? To view what is in your future, or at least around the corner waiting for you?

I have spent most of my life deeply involved in thick doctrinal issues, the “mysteries of God,” and through the miracle of hairbrained analysis, I have discovered a foolproof method of divining the future which, as a benevolent public service, I am willing to share with you now.

Review for a moment the life history of some of history’s most faithful and dedicated prophets, apostles, and other all-around gospel heroes, such as the freedom fighter Captain Moroni. What do they all have in common? There are two constants: 1) they were incredibly happy and blessed, 2) but not until after they had endured incredible hardships:

This pattern started with Adam, who was kicked out the Garden and forced to work by “the sweat of his brow” before he became the first father of the numberless progeny of man, and continues down to this day. “But wait!” barks the excited TV announcer, “there’s more!”

Abraham was nearly murdered on an Egyptian altar before he became a father of many nations;
Jacob lost his favorite son Joseph before he became the father of Israel;
Joseph was thrown in a pit and sold as a slave before he became the Pharoah’s right-hand man;
Elijah lived in a creek bed and was fed by ravens before he was granted the power to seal on earth what is sealed in heaven;
John the Baptist lived off of locusts in the desert before he had the privilege of baptizing the Savior;
his apostles endured rounds of persecution and oppression before they found success in their missionary labors;
Nephi was beat up by his brothers and tied to the mast of a ship before landing in the promised land;
Alma the younger was arrested, chained, stripped naked, starved, and spit on by wicked Ammonihahites and watched them burn his converts to death before he was granted the power to bust those chains and bring down prison walls;
Mormon and Moroni had to suffer through the spiritual and physical destruction of the Nephite race before God whsipered to their hearts that “charity is the pure love of Christ.”

In the modern era...

the Prophet Joseph Smith was routinely tarred and feathered before he became a recipient of marvelous visions restoring the new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage;
his nephew, Joseph F. Smith, lost his father and mother in death before he turned 15, and then lost two wives and 13, yes 13 children before he became president of the church;
and Spencer W. Kimball lost his vocal chords and a battle to throat cancer before he became the prophet;

And finally,
women since the beginning of time have had to endure painful pregnancies before bearing blessed babies.

I could go on, but I think that the point has been made- the great ones of mankind- prophets, apostles, gospel heroes, and mothers were all required to endure pain, trial, and tragedy before they enjoyed a measure of success and happiness.

Enough of evidentiary proof for now. Let’s get back to the headline. So what’s around the corner for you? It depends on where you are now. The pattern clearly dictates that if you are currently enduring some dimension of pain, or trial, or tragedy, or any combination of the three, success and happiness are just around the corner. Conversely, if life is copacetic for you at the moment... well... that something around the corner may be unpleasant.

So, what’s around the corner for the Taits? I can definitely say... without a shadow of a doubt... success and happiness.