Motherhood doesn’t come easily to everyone, as Lila Strasser, a sophomore from Salem, Ore., has come to learn after over a year of marriage to her husband Joel. The Strassers began trying to have a baby shortly after their wedding and have encountered much heartbreak and sorrow along the way.

“We weren’t sure why we were miscarrying so much,” Lila said, “and neither were the doctors.”

Lila explained that she was diagnosed with endometriosis, which occurs when tissue that normally lines the uterus is located in abnormal locations such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and even the abdominal cavity.

“I’ve also had ovarian cysts my whole life which has caused a lot of internal scar tissue,” Lila said.

After numerous miscarriages, the couple decided to opt for an exploratory surgery called a laparoscopy.

During the laparoscopy, doctors view the ovaries and exterior of the fallopian tubes and uterus through a surgical instrument, called a laparoscope, inserted in a small incision below the navel.

After many disappointing doctor appointments over the years and even trying to regulate menstruation with the use of birth controls, insulin resistance therapies and thyroid tests, Lila and Joel both knew that the only way to learn exactly what was wrong was to have the surgery.

“One of the things that was most frustrating for us was that we have been together for over a year and although we kept conceiving, we would always miscarry,” Lila said. “It was really disappointing to never make it past a month of pregnancy and I became really depressed.”

Lila had the procedure done on Tuesday, March 7, at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg. The surgery was performed by Dr. Crouch of the Madison Women’s Clinic.

Lila said although the procedure doesn’t absolutely guarantee she will be able to have a successful pregnancy, it greatly increases her chances.

Before the surgery, Lila’s depression created a barrier between her and her husband because she wanted more than anything to become a mom and didn’t know if that would be possible. Her heart ached at the thought that Heavenly Father’s most important plan for her, the divine role of a mother, was possibly out of her reach.

“I was prepared for adoption and tried my hardest to be mentally prepared to hear that I was ‘unfixable’,” Lila said in regard to the potential outcome of her surgery.

Lila admits that at times she found herself wondering why this was happening to her; however, it didn’t shake her faith in her Heavenly Father.

“I didn’t lose my testimony in the gospel or in the Lord because I was willing to adopt. I found strength in the thought of rescuing other children that needed me and knew that even if I couldn’t have my own, I would still be a mother,” Lila said.

Lila has a positive outlook on her ordeal and explains her belief that no one should feel the need to be sad over something they cannot control because Heavenly Father may just have something bigger in store for them.