Praying For A Strong Back

This morning, I heard an amazing talk by Ardeth Kapp. She told a story about when she was about 10 years old her father took her to the Belly River to teach her to swim. She said that it wasn't easy and it took alot of courage because the water was ice cold, the current was swift and she had to swim against the current. She said what made it possible was that her father always swam along side her; she said she can still hear his voice saying "You can make it. Keep going." By the end of the summer, her back was strong from all her effort and the constant encouragement. The water eventually receded and the current slowed, but only after she had learned the lesson: there must be opposition if we are going to develop strength.
Yesterday I attended an amazing Ward Conference where the theme was Mosiah 24:14 - "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." As this theme was shared from the pulpit, I looked around and saw almost everybody dabbing at their eyes - on some level, we are all swimming against the current.
I know our trials and tests are to strengthen us, but when we're in the thick of the current and swimming as hard as we can it's hard to remember that the current will slow at some point. I am grateful for those who swim beside me - I do know that I am not alone...and I pray that my back will grow stronger as I swim upstream.