Sooner or later God tests by similar trials the souls He calls to His service, and it is better for you to have experienced them from the beginning of your vocation than in the course of it or at the end because you will learn early to know and humble yourself, to be mistrustful of self, and to rely on God–in a word, to lay a foundation of patience, strength, and mortification, which are virtues you will need to practice throughout your life.
