We want to hear from YOU - YOUR stories of INFINITE HOPE. Whether a dark corner or in complete sunlight, we ALL have need of HOPE. It is why we pray, love, work, and serve. We would love to feature your article. Please submit your story along with a picture of yourself and our team will select submissions each week. Look forward to hearing from you!

Jenny Clawson, Layton, UT

I have sweet assurance in my life because I know Heavenly Father loves me and my family and has a plan for each one of us. I have always known that Heavenly Father loves all of us, but I came to truly know and understand this over the past year.

At the end of November 2007, my then 2 1/2 year old son was diagnosed with Leukemia. We were heartbroken and in shock when we received this news from the doctor. As I lay beside my son on his hospital bed at Primary Children’s Medical Center while he received his first blood transfusion, and then rode on the gurney next to him on his way to surgery I became grateful for things I never would have otherwise (like blood and blood donors) and came to an acute realization that life truly is fragile.

Over the past year as our family has gone through a year of chemotherapy with all of its ups, downs, side effects, hospitalizations, hair losses and trips to the Emergency Room, we have been carried, loved, and sustained through it all. Our Father in Heaven and the Savior do ease our burdens and make our loads light. Our family has received a stronger testimony of this - we have been so blessed this past year. Each of our other children - a son, age 9, twin boys, age 6, and a daughter, age 5 - have had to sacrifice, which has been hard for them at their young ages, but they have also developed more love and patience. We have witnessed them offering many heartfelt prayers in their brother’s behalf. This experience has bonded us as a family and inspired our family motto which is found in 2 Nephi 31:20 - “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

My husband and I have had many conversations about what may happen in the future with our son. We of course petition Heavenly Father regularly to be able to keep our son here on earth. We have also come to realize that Heavenly Father not only loves us, but also loves our son and knows what is best for his development. Heavenly Father really does have a plan for each one of us.

Our son is now four and just three weeks ago started a less intense phase of chemotherapy. This has made it possible, after a year of being homebound, to attend church and extended family functions together as a family. We have two years of treatment to go, but still have great hope for the future. Our lives have been blessed by the sweet assurance of knowing that whatever may happen our Father in Heaven is in charge, he loves us and knows what is best for us. He is always there.