"I will share my own personal trial of grief and heartache, which has been made light because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My challenge is losing my physical health to cancer. In 2017, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. It shocked my family and me because I don’t have a family history of breast cancer. In addition, the results of genetic testing showed that I did not carry the BRCA gene. So, the reason this affliction had come upon me was a mystery.
"At that time, I had so many things going on in my life. My oldest daughter had just gotten married a month before, and I had gone back to school to finish my degree. I had my whole grad plan worked out, which would allow me to graduate in just a couple of years. Little did I know that my plans were going to change dramatically.
"I went through my cancer treatments, which included several surgeries, 31 rounds of radiation, and ongoing medication that I must take for a total of ten years. Because of all these interventions, my body is not the same. I don’t think it ever will be. I mourn for how my body used to be—fit and strong—every day.
"Breast cancer has changed my whole life. The many side effects of my medication can make some days a terrible struggle. One thing I have learned through this challenging experience is that I am not alone. I know that my Savior experienced my pain and frustration during His atonement. He knows what I feel on my worst days. I also know that when I pray and ask for peace, it is given to me.
"I am still in the middle of my cancer journey. Its end is yet to be written. However, the gospel and my temple covenants have sustained me and provided me with comfort and hope. Life is hard. Cancer is hard. But the gospel is joyous, despite and especially during those hard things. Because of the fall, I have experienced anguish, but, because of my Savior and His gospel, I have experienced joy that has transcended my pain." [1]
If you or someone you love has experienced a battle with cancer, I hope that you can find the peace and solace your temple covenants can bring.
Aaron and Julie Bujnowski, Discovering Your Temple Insights, (Springville: Cedar Fort Publishing and Media, 2023), 186-187.
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