Patience…

Kalli,

I gave a talk about a month ago in my first ID ward. I was going to post the entire things, but realized it was super disorganized in writing and would have been a nightmare for you to decipher 🙂 So, instead I’m just going to share a couple of quotes that I found that were really powerful.

President Uchtdorf said “Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace. As parents, we know how unwise it would be to indulge our children’s every desire. But children are not the only ones who spoil when showered with immediate gratification. Our Heavenly Father knows what good parents come to understand over time: if children are ever going to mature and reach their potential, they must learn to wait.”

I love how he calls it a process! You and I have often talked about the power of that word. I truly believe it is in the process that we truly learn, this is where we struggle, search, ask, examine, etc. and therefore, those are the times and moments that we remember and that shape us.

He went on to say “Patience requires actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort. There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can-working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hears are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”

I love this! A couple of my favorite definitions are ‘it is not passive resignation, or failing to act because of our fears.’ How powerful is that? It makes me want to get to work, because I don’t want to be in either of those situations.

There are so many situations in our lives that require patience. For me, some are easier than others, but it is always helpful to me to remember why we are required to be patient and what exercising this characteristic does for me and my eternal growth.

Just a couple quick thoughts…love you tons!

Ashlee B. and Us