Here there be dragons

It isn't an adventure worth telling if there aren't any Dragons." - JRR Tolkien 

Each of us has "dragons" especially if we are doing what we know to be right, or even trying to do what we think is right. Then the dragons rear their heads and charge even more fiercely. We don't need to be afraid when this happens. Yes life might get more difficult for a time. Yes it might be scary, but we know what the end is. We will always be stronger than our dragons if we remember to call upon our Heavenly Father and ask for his help then do our best to take care of them ourselves. 

Our dragons could be friends, or people that we think we are. They might be substances like tobacco or alcohol, or they might be ourselves. Sometimes we are our own biggest enemies when we tell ourselves that we cant be happy until, or that we dont deserve something when we get it. I guess the trick is to be happy in spite of ourselves or our problems. To find Joy while facing our dragons. We knew that they would be here when we came to this world. We just need to learn how to embrace the joy in the middle. There is a scripture in 2 Nephi 2: 27 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy. 

I testify to you that Heavenly Father is aware of you. He wants us to be happy and he knows that the only way we will be is if we are able to face these challenges, these dragons and beat them. I love this quote from Elder Holland:

"Every one of us has times when we need to know things will get better...My declaration is that this is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need. There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel."