Righteous Desires

The first time I really heard this phrase was the day after my endowment. I had a desire to go back to the temple that day because the following day I would be married to my sweet heart and just wanted and desired to go through again. However, someone in our family wasn't too keen on the idea and prevented me from going. My brother told me "this is a righteous desire" and offered to go with me. I declined and didn't go. After Svend and I were married we went to the temple weekly ... in part because I was so distraught I'd missed my chance to go one last time before getting married. I craved the temple and wanted to be there every time I felt even the slightest desire to attend.

The second time was the first summer Svend and I were married. I thought I was ready to be a mom but the Lord said "no." I brought this up in class (not using me specifically) to our Book of Mormon teacher. He compared it to this:

The pioneers who crossed the plains suffered a lot. Their children suffered horrible things. They prayed to the Lord for their children. This was a righteous desire--to take away the pain of their children and not have death. But the Lord knew this was part of the trial. The Lord couldn't grant this righteous desire because they needed the experience.

The last time I heard it was when I used to myself in talking to a loved one about their future. We all have righteous desires. Heavenly Father puts these desires in our hearts and what we do with them is our choice. Sometimes "men" stand in our way. If this is the case, we should put off the natural man and stand by our desire. Sometimes Heavenly Father stands in our way. When this happens, we would do better to pray and strive for the reason and timing behind "block" so to speak. Not being able to have kids right way really hurt, but Heavenly Father had a plan and our children came at the perfect time in our lives. Not choosing to attend the temple that day hurt because I let someone dictate what I should do, when I knew where I was supposed to be instead.

When we have righteous desires, we should write them down when they come so we can remember them. The Adversary loves to take these desires and crush them in any way he can. That's his plan. To tell us the desires are pointless and unworthy of persuing. But they aren't. Heavenly Father's plan is for us to follow through...and if we can't, then we should pray for answers.