Rain and Rainbows

Spent this weekend in Utah's Dixie, aka St. George and vicinity.  The reason being that my youngest cousin got married yesterday. It was a joyous occasion, and a great opportunity to get together and visit with my cousins, who I don't get to see very often.  They are all great people.  She was married in the St. George Temple, and it was a very sacred experience to be there in the temple with their family and extended family.

In the midst of this happy time, I'm aware of friends who are dealing with sorrow and difficulty right now - trials such as death, disease, and discouragement.  I'm reminded that God's plan is for there to be opposition in all things, and how we can't understand joy unless we have to pass through sorrow.

This was brought home to me driving home from church today.  We were having a bit of a rain shower, and as I turned the corner, I looked up ad there in front of me was the most beautiful brilliant rainbow, right on the side of the mountain. It was one of several rainbows that I saw on while traveling back and forth this weekend, but this one was particularly stunning.  And I suddenly had the thought that as much as the rainy weather was a drag and a bit of a hassle, if it hadn't been for the rain, there never would have been a rainbow.  And a rainbow with no rain would not have been appreciated near as much.