Had a very interesting experience this last week. I was with my family and trying to get everyone in the car. I didn’t really think through everything and just put the kids in and away we went. It was about ten minutes later we arrived at my parents house. And thought I should get my notes and share them with my family. After all Conference was just so amazing it was something worth sharing. I looked everywhere. But the notes were not there, I was looking for a black binder with paper in it that had all my notes on it. I had the thought they must be at my mother-in-law’s because that is where we were last. So I hopped in the car and I retraced my steps. I thought that I might have also misplaced my computer somewhere too but thought nothing of it. I get to my mother-in-law’s and it is still no where to be found. So I thought I should say a prayer. I remembered that I had placed the notes on the car. So thinking that they had fallen off somewhere in between I decided to take the time to find out. That’s when I found the notes in the gutter about halfway between the two locations. I get out to pick them up and that’s when I noticed something else, my computer was with my notes. I had thought it was but didn’t think I had put both on the top of the car. And there it was face down in the gutter. I wish I had taken a picture of it because it appeared to be unscathed. I  picked it up and the screen was shattered. But the computer was still on! I couldn’t believe it! I love the Microsoft Surface Pro.

It was not that big of deal to lose my computer, but I did find that it was easier said than done to get my files off the encrypted drive. I learned that when you encrypt the file in the properties it only allows the computer that encrypted it to open it or access it.

I found this very intriguing to think about. Having the opportunity to see some interesting parallels. When we put up walls like encryption methods we always have a hard time letting good people, people who are trying to do the best for us, into our lives so we can allow them to help others. The intent for the walls are to keep the people that hurt us the most out. Then if we add encryption properties to our heart we essentially block all ability for others to gain blessings that would have helped us and the other person gain more love for our savior. This reminded me of a book I read, Toughen Up by Claude Hamilton. He says that we need to have tough skin as leaders, but a soft heart is essential in life so we can bless others. We really should allow others in to our lives because they just might have what will help us the most. I was making my drive with tough skin by encrypting it with a password, but only allowing the one user to access the files by encrypting the properties made it have a tough heart too. Essentially making it useless.

If we keep others from blessing our lives we are being self-conscious and it may just keep others from getting the blessings that they need to progress the most. I never thought I would learn such a truth from by computer breaking. I love our trials, they bring so many blessings to our lives, if we allow them.