In the Whirlwind

Last night I had a dream that we were in the path of a tornado. Our family was gathered at Bryan's grandparents' house and when we looked out the window we could see the storm coming closer. The house quickly filled with family and strangers. No one went down to the basement; it was generally understood that simply being in the house would keep us safe.

I thought about that dream throughout the day. I have lots of interesting dreams, but this one stood out. The specifics were fuzzy when I first awoke, but details grew sharper as the day progressed.

During quiet time I listened to Sister Linda S. Reeves talk from the most recent General Conference. Because I was listening on my phone, when that talk ended it automatically started the next one. Elder Neil L. Andersen's voice began talking about tornadoes. I looked at my phone and saw that his talk was titled Spiritual Whirlwinds. With my dream fresh in my memory, I listened closely.

His talk was directed to the youth of the church, but I still thought it was applicable for me. One quote that stood out:

In nature, trees that grow up in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young sapling, forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the roots to grow faster and spread farther. Second, the forces in the tree start creating cell structures that actually make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible to the pressure of the wind. These stronger roots and branches protect the tree from winds that are sure to return.
You are infinitely more precious to God than a tree. You are His son or His daughter. He made your spirit strong and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life. The whirlwinds in your youth, like the wind against a young tree, can increase your spiritual strength, preparing you for the years ahead.

I am not a youth, but we are looking ahead to several whirlwinds. Soon we'll find out where we'll be living for the next year, then we'll have the move itself. Having four children is a kind of whirlwind for me. Life with Peter is its very own whirlwind. I wonder, what are these things preparing me for? What should I take from them? Am I allowing them to make me more flexible and resilient?