President Henry B. Eyring on the choices of life

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"Our choosing the right consistently whenever the choice is placed before us creates the solid ground under our faith. It can begin in childhood since every soul is born with the free gift of the Spirit of Christ. With that Spirit we can know when we have done what is right before God and when we have done wrong in His sight.

"Those choices, hundreds in most days, prepare the solid ground on which our edifice of faith is built. The metal framework around which the substance of our faith is poured is the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its covenants, ordinances, and principles.

"One of the keys to an enduring faith is to judge correctly the curing time required.... That curing does not come automatically through the passage of time, but it does take time. Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Mountains to Climb," Ensign, May 2012, pp. 23-26
Click here to read the full talk

It's easy for us to forget how much the seemingly small and inconsequential choices we make ("hundreds in most days") accumulate to create the foundation of all that we are and do in life. President Eyring reminds us of the importance of "choosing the right consistently" through those opportunities in order to "prepare the solid ground" for the "edifice of faith" that we will build upon it. Without the foundation, the edifice can not stand.

The concept of "curing time" is also a very important one. President Eyring makes an analogy in his talk to the curing of cement, from a soft and moldable substance into the hard, rock-like material that sustains a building. "It does take time" for our faith, based on choices and experiences, to cure into the solid strength that will sustain us. And the curing requires more than the passage of time. It requires passing time in the right way, including "serving God and others persistently."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
August 13, 2016

Elder Neal A. Maxwell on patient endurance

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) served as a Seventy from 1976-1981, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve until his death from cancer in 2004.

"Patient endurance is to be distinguished from merely being 'acted upon.' Endurance is more than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance; it is not only acceptance of the things allotted to us, it is to 'act for ourselves' by magnifying what is allotted to us. (See Alma 29:3, 6.)

"If, for instance, we are always taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we will not be. If we are constantly comparing to see if things are fair, we are not only being unrealistic, we are being unfair to ourselves.

"Therefore, true enduring represents not merely the passage of time, but the passage of the soul—and not merely from A to B, but sometimes all the way from A to Z. To endure in faith and doeth God's will (see D&C 63:20; D&C 101:35) therefore involves much more than putting up with a circumstance.

"Rather than shoulder-shrugging, true enduring is soul-trembling. Jesus bled not at a few, but 'at every pore.' (D&C 19:18.)"

- Neal A. Maxwell, "Endure it Well," General Conference April 1990
Click here to read the full talk

Faithful and patient endurance was one of dear Elder Maxwell's favorite topics, and this particular talk is certainly one of the most insightful on that theme. Elder Maxwell endured plenty in his own life, so it shouldn't be surprising that he had great insight on this subject. He was a great living example of the things he taught. I love his insights about "patient endurance" being more than restlessly "pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance," but acting actively to magnify what has been allotted to us. The attitude with which we approach our trials makes all the difference:

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)
July 6, 2015

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on dealing with life's challenges

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"If your prayers don’t always seem answered, take heart. One greater than you or President Kimball cried, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.… My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?' (Matt. 27:46.) If sometimes the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Inconvenient Messiah," BYU Devotional, 2 February 1982; see Ensign February 1984, pp. 68-73
Click here to read the full talk

This is one of my favorite, most thought-provoking talks by Elder Holland. He teaches that the Messiah's message, and His path of discipleship, were not (and are not) convenient or easy; they require sacrifice and discipline. This principle applies in many ways.

It applies to the process of prayer. It takes work and effort to develop real communication with God. Elder Holland shared the particularly poignant example from the life of Spencer W. Kimball, describing his struggles in personal prayer following his call to the apostleship. Then came this thought:

Sometimes, life is hard. Sometimes, just trying harder doesn't solve the problems right away. Life is sometimes inconvenient! But Elder Holland encourages us to remember, in those times, to "take heart": patience, persistence, faith, endurance, trust, hope—those are eternal and divine principles.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on keeping perspective through life's struggles

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"Also let us remember that through any illness or difficult challenge, there is still much in life to be hopeful about and grateful for. We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions! ...

"Whatever your struggle, my brothers and sisters—mental or emotional or physical or otherwise—do not vote against the preciousness of life by ending it! Trust in God. Hold on in His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee. Though we may feel we are 'like a broken vessel,' as the Psalmist says (Psalm 31:12), we must remember, that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "Like a Broken Vessel," General Conference October 2013
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

There are many ways that we sometimes feel "broken" in life, as Elder Holland notes—emotionally, physically, mentally. But no matter the cause or the source, he reminds us there is yet much to be hopeful about in our lives, and much for which we should be grateful. If we allow our eternal perspective to take priority, we'll realize that "our limitations or our afflictions" are such a small part of the eternal picture. And so the key is to trust in God:

Elder Holland warns us that sometimes repairs take a little time. We need to be patient and trusting. And we also need to be "merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind" while we watch repairs take place in the lives of others. We only add to the pain of the damage when we are critical or insensitive to those in recovery. It's a great part of our ministry to support one another in all things, at all times and situations while God works his restoration miracles.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on bearing burdens patiently and in faith

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (born December 3, 1940) served as Church Commissioner of Education from 1976-1980, as the president of BYU from 1980-1989, as a Seventy from 1989-1994, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles since 1994.

"And so I ask you to be patient in things of the Spirit. Perhaps your life has been different from mine, but I doubt it. I have had to struggle to know my standing before God. As a teenager I found it hard to pray and harder to fast. My mission was not easy. I struggled as a student only to find that I had to struggle afterwards, too. In this present assignment I have wept and ached for guidance. It seems no worthy accomplishment has ever come easily for me, but I’m living long enough to be grateful for that....

"All but a prophetic few must go about God’s work in very quiet, very unspectacular ways. And as you labor to know him, and to know that he knows you; as you invest your time—and inconvenience—in quiet, unassuming service, you will indeed find that 'his angels [have] charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up.' (Matt. 4:6.) It may not come quickly. It probably won’t come quickly, but there is purpose in the time it takes. Cherish your spiritual burdens because God will converse with you through them and will use you to do his work if you carry them well....

"If sometimes the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

- Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Inconvenient Messiah," BYU Devotional, 2 February 1982; see Ensign February 1984, pp. 68-73
Click here to read the full talk

This is one of my favorite of the perhaps lesser-known talks given by Elder Holland. Speaking to an audience of students when he was serving as the president of BYU, he addresses the Savior's profound example of not choosing the easy or convenient way. And the applications to us are many as we face challenges in our lives; we often are asked to follow a more difficult path.

Elder Holland points to the personal struggles he faced in his life to make spiritual progress. Most of us have felt similar concerns and struggles. He encouraged us to "invest [our] time—and inconvenience—in quiet, unassuming service" in order to feel the blessings of heaven sustaining us in the process. And then he offered this challenge and counsel:

It requires faith and understanding to be able to "cherish" the "spiritual burdens" that come to us. We have to learn to trust in God's promises that the blessings will come not just at the end of the trials, but in the process of them. Elder Holland's reassurance, through his personal experience and the testimonies of others he shares, helps to give us that perspective.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on suggestions for study and learning

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (b. January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"I would offer you this advice in your own study: Be patient, don’t be superficial, and don’t ignore the Spirit.

"In counseling patience, I simply mean that while some answers come quickly or with little effort, others are simply not available for the moment because information or evidence is lacking. Don’t suppose, however, that a lack of evidence about something today means that evidence doesn’t exist or that it will not be forthcoming in the future. The absence of evidence is not proof....

"When I say don’t be superficial, I mean don’t form conclusions based on unexamined assertions or incomplete research, and don’t be influenced by insincere seekers. I would offer you the advice of our Assistant Church Historian, Rick Turley, an intellectually gifted researcher and author whose recent works include the definitive history of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He says simply, 'Don’t study Church history too little.' ...

"Finally, don’t neglect the Spirit. As regards Joseph Smith, we seek learning both by study and by faith. (See D&C 88:118.) Both are fruitful paths of inquiry. A complete understanding can never be attained by scholarly research alone, especially since much of what is needed is either lost or never existed. There is no benefit in imposing artificial limits on ourselves that cut off the light of Christ and the revelations of the Holy Spirit. Remember, 'By the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things.' (Moroni 10:5.)"

- D. Todd Christofferson, "The Prophet Joseph Smith," Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional, September 24, 2013
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Christofferson offered these suggestions to students in the context of learning about Joseph Smith and aspects of Church history, where critics and opponents are eager to create doubt and dissension. But I think the principles apply to all areas of study and learning. We so easily jump to conclusions based on the first evidence or explanation we hear, and we don't always think carefully about the other possibilities that might also explain the circumstances we observe. Learning to withhold judgement in patience is an important skill:

Perhaps the most important skill is learning to be guided by the Holy Spirit as we strive to learn and understand. According to Nephi, the Holy Ghost "will show unto you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:5). What a precious promise!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)

Elder Neal A. Maxwell on living life with patience

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) served as a Seventy from 1976-1981, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve until his death from cancer in 2004.

"Patience is not indifference. Actually, it is caring very much, but being willing, nevertheless, to submit both to the Lord and to what the scriptures call the 'process of time.'

"Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. Either way we are questioning the reality of God's omniscience....

"There is also a dimension of patience which links it to a special reverence for life. Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe—rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance.

"Too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising! So it is with us. If we are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we won't be....

"Patience is, therefore, clearly not fatalistic, shoulder-shrugging resignation; it is accepting a divine rhythm to life; it is obedience prolonged."

- Neal A. Maxwell, "Patience," BYU Devotional address, November 27, 1979; see Ensign, October 1980, p. 28
Click here to read the full Ensign article
Click here to read or listen to the BYU devotional

In his wonderfully articulate way, Elder Maxwell shares his very personal thoughts about what he calls the "pedestrian principle" of patience, a quality he himself desired to develop more in a greater measure. He points out the connection between our personal faith in God and the ability to be patient; as we truly trust in Him, we will also trust in His timing and know that things will work out in due time. Our impatience to have things our way, in our timing, suggests we unwisely think we know better than He does. I love the suggestion that we should eagerly watch God's unfolding purposes in our life "with a sense of wonder and awe":

Another very thoughtful description is to liken patience to "obedience prolonged." We are willing to continue to trust God and follow His path for us because of the love, faith, and patience we feel for His purposes. It's that willingness to "endure to the end" that shows our true commitment.

President Harold B. Lee on trusting God through life's challenges

President Harold B. Lee (1899-1973) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1941. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency from 1970-1972, then as Church president from July 1972 until his passing less than 18 months later in December 1973.

"So the all-important thing in life isn't what happens to you, but the important thing is how you take it. That's the important thing. In the closing of the Sermon on the Mount, you remember, the Master gave a parable. He said:

"'Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

"'And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." [Matthew 7:24-25.]

"What was he trying to impress? He was trying to say that the winds of adversity, the floods of disaster, the difficulties, are going to beat upon every human house upon this earth; and the only ones who will not fall—when the bank fails, when you lose a loved one, in any other disaster—the only thing that will hold us through all these storms and stresses of life is when we've built upon the rocks by keeping the commandments of God....

"Wait patiently on the Lord in the season of persecution and deep affliction. The Lord said,

"'Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;

"'Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.' (D&C 98:1-2)"

- Harold B. Lee, "Education for Eternity," address given at Salt Lake Institute of Religion, 15 Jan. 1971, pp. 7-8

President Lee begins this excerpt with a key thought: "So the all-important thing in life isn't what happens to you, but the important thing is how you take it. That's the important thing." To a large extent, we choose how we react to the things that happen to us. There will be many challenges in life; but if our foundation is solid, if we have an established pattern of obedience and faithfulness, we'll be blessed in weathering the storms:

I love the scriptural exhortation to "Wait patiently on the Lord." He will hear the prayers of his friends, and grant them in due time.

Ezra Taft Benson on enduring in righteousness

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1943, and served as the 13th President of the Church from 1985 until his death in 1994 at age 94.

"When George A. Smith was very ill, he was visited by his cousin, the Prophet Joseph Smith. The afflicted man reported: 'He [the Prophet] told me I should never get discouraged, whatever difficulties might surround me. If I were sunk into the lowest pit of Nova Scotia and all the Rocky Mountains piled on top of me, I ought not to be discouraged, but hang on, exercise faith, and keep up good courage, and I should come out on the top of the heap.'

"There are times when you simply have to righteously hang on and outlast the devil until his depressive spirit leaves you. As the Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith: 'Thine adversity and thine afflictions, shall be but a small moment;

"'And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.' (D&C 121:7-8.)

"To press on in noble endeavors, even while surrounded by a cloud of depression, will eventually bring you out on top into the sunshine. Even our master Jesus the Christ, while facing that supreme test of being temporarily left alone by our Father during the crucifixion, continued performing his labors for the children of men, and then shortly thereafter he was glorified and received a fullness of joy. While you are going through your trial, you can recall your past victories and count the blessings that you do have with a sure hope of greater ones to follow if you are faithful. And you can have that certain knowledge that in due time God will wipe away all tears and that 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' (1 Cor. 2:9.)"

- Ezra Taft Benson, "Do Not Despair," Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 65
Click here to read the full talk

How do we deal with discouragement and disappointment in our lives? President Benson discusses the concept of "hanging on" in spite of the challenges. This quote is insightful:

Note that it's not just hanging on, but also exercising faith and keeping up good courage. I think the faith is a crucial part of the solution. President Benson adds the encouragement to "outlast the devil until his depressive spirit leaves you." And then he shares the Savior's reassurance that eventually we will realize that the trials are really "a small moment" in the scope of eternity.

The other key is hope—the confidence that it will all be worth it in the end. President Benson reminds up to acknowledge current blessings and to retain the assurance, even ?a sure hope of greater ones to follow if you are faithful."

Henry B. Eyring on the choices of life

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"Our choosing the right consistently whenever the choice is placed before us creates the solid ground under our faith. It can begin in childhood since every soul is born with the free gift of the Spirit of Christ. With that Spirit we can know when we have done what is right before God and when we have done wrong in His sight.

"Those choices, hundreds in most days, prepare the solid ground on which our edifice of faith is built. The metal framework around which the substance of our faith is poured is the gospel of Jesus Christ, with all its covenants, ordinances, and principles.

"One of the keys to an enduring faith is to judge correctly the curing time required.... That curing does not come automatically through the passage of time, but it does take time. Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength."

- Henry B. Eyring, "Mountains to Climb," Ensign, May 2012, pp. 23-26
Click here to read the full talk

It's easy for us to forget how much the seemingly small and inconsequential choices we make ("hundreds in most days") accumulate to create the foundation of all that we are and do in life. President Eyring reminds us of the importance of "choosing the right consistently" through those opportunities in order to "prepare the solid ground" for the "edifice of faith" that we will build upon it. Without the foundation, the edifice can not stand.

The concept of "curing time" is also a very important one. President Eyring makes an analogy in his talk to the curing of cement, from a soft and moldable substance into the hard, rock-like material that sustains a building. "It does take time" for our faith, based on choices and experiences, to cure into the solid strength that will sustain us. And the curing requires more than the passage of time. It requires passing time in the right way, including "serving God and others persistently."

Richard L. Evans on heroic lives of service and love

Elder Richard L. Evans (1906-1971) served as a Seventy from 1938-1953, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He died in 1971 at age 65.  He was known as "the voice of the Tabernacle Choir" from the beginning of its broadcasts in 1929 until his passing.

"There are many in this world who live heroically in simple, daily, faithful service—people often unknown; often unnoticed; often discouraged; sometimes tried and tempted; sometimes feeling they must give up, that they can't go on—and yet they do go on, and, against discouragement, do their duty, daily: mothers abandoned, widowed, left with children; fathers left alone—grandmothers—children who care for each other. There are those who have little to live on, little relatively to brighten their lives, and yet do what they can with a loyal sense of duty. There are those who love and cherish and care for impaired children; those who faithfully care for dependent parents; those who care for loved ones who are long ill and dependent upon them; those who provide tender care, who perform essential tasks, with problems and disappointments, under difficult and discouraging conditions—weary hours, inconvenience, extra effort, going without, enduring difficulties.

"And life goes on as well as it does because there are those who do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, often against difficulty and discouragement. Oh, you who have illness; people dependent upon you—you who stay with loved ones in loyalty—you who are discouraged in your work—you who are disappointed in others, in yourselves, in circumstances—you who feel you have little of the brightness of life—trust; have faith; do the best you can. Don't give up. Don't walk out on life. Don't leave loved ones. There may be a feeling of frustration in doing what you are doing, but there can be a greater frustration in not doing what is yours to do.

"To you who give humble daily, faithful service—often unnoticed, often discouraged, sometimes feeling you can't go on: You can. Others have—and do. Meet the events of each day, and satisfactions will come in ways you do not know. God bless you—and thanks to all of you who give such service."

- Richard L. Evans, "The Spoken Word," October 25, 1970; see Ensign January 1971
Click here to read the full article

I suspect that all of us know individuals "who live heroically in simple, daily, faithful service," often unappreciated, usually unrecognized, and always struggling with increased challenges of life, including "weary hours, inconvenience, extra effort, going without, enduring difficulties." I appreciated Elder Evans' tribute to them. Most mothers fall into this category, to some degree (some, including single mothers or those who care for disabled children, far more than others).

While paying tribute to these faithful servants and care-givers, Elder Evans encourages patient and faithful endurance. And he promises blessings of satisfactions that will come in unexpected ways:

I am grateful for those who have shown this kind of Christlike love to me, and have shown the example of serving others as I've watched.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf on learning to live in patience

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (b. 1940) served as a Seventy from 1994-2004, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve.  He has served as second counselor in the First Presidency since 2008.

"Waiting can be hard. Children know it, and so do adults. We live in a world offering fast food, instant messaging, on-demand movies, and immediate answers to the most trivial or profound questions. We don't like to wait. Some even feel their blood pressure rise when their line at the grocery store moves slower than those around them.

"Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.

"Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace....

"I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen—patience required 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 hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Continue in Patience," Ensign, May 2010, pp. 55-59
Click here to read the full talk

Messages like this are important reminders for all of us, as we strive to preserve proper perspective in our lives.

We all have things we want, things we desire, things we hope for, things we wish would change. In our sometimes selfish approaches, we want to control the timing as well as the outcome. But President Uchtdorf reminds us that ultimately, God is in charge of the timing. One of the most important lessons we learn is "to put our desires on hold for a time" while we "actively [work] toward worthwhile goals" and keep the positive, faith-filled attitude of a trusting disciple.

And the promise that accompanies this principle is perhaps the most important message of all: "Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace."

Richard L. Evans on the importance of patience and perspective

Elder Richard L. Evans (1906-1971) served as a Seventy from 1938-1953, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He died in 1971 at age 65.  He was known as "the voice of the Tabernacle Choir" from the beginning of its broadcasts in 1929 until his passing.

"There seems to be little evidence that the Creator of the universe was ever in a hurry. Everywhere on this bounteous and beautiful earth, and out into the farthest reaches of the firmament, there is evidence of patient purpose and planning and working and waiting.

"This is a point to remember when we become too impatient with our own problems or with the many unanswered questions that are in the minds of most of us.  And when our troubles trouble us too much, when our lives become too tense, it might be will to take time for a long look—out into the infinite and awesome vastness of the universe—across 'worlds' that can't be counted—in sight of 'suns' that can't be numbered—into space that can't be contemplated by the mortal mind of man....

"Everywhere there is evidence of a long, unhurried plan and pattern and purpose, of intelligence and continuous creation, and of the Creator....

"And a long look at the endless, orderly plan and purpose of the Father of us all may make some of the petty and passing things appear not so important as they sometimes seem. And when we find ourselves in conflict and confusion, we can well learn to wait a while for all the evidence and all the answers that now evade us.

"Thank God for a glorious and interesting world, for truth, for 'infinity,' and for 'eternity' in which to find it—and for faith and assurance of the limitless and everlasting future."

- Richard L. Evans, "The Long Look," The Spoken Word, August 28, 1955; see Improvement Era, November 1955, p. 842; see also Conference Report, Oct. 1952, p. 95
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Evans was such a poetic writer and speaker. His "Music and the Spoken Word" comments were always sensitive and insightful. This is a great example of that; he describes what he understands of God's role as a creator, and how the creation is a manifestation of God's love.

The implication is that we should hurry less, and be more patient and deliberate in our planning and execution. And that we should take time to notice the evidence of God's infinite and awe-inspiring work throughout the vast universe:

During the past week, the world has been in awe as the "New Horizons" spacecraft that was launched almost a decade ago flew near to Pluto, billions of miles away from earth. We've had a small glimpse of the immensity of our own solar system, which is a fraction of the known galaxy, which is a dot within the known universe. But I wonder how many people have taken the time to consider, as Elder Evans suggests, what this says about the Creator and His "intelligence and continuous creation" that surrounds us??

Neal A. Maxwell on patient endurance

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926-2004) served as a Seventy from 1976-1981, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve until his death from cancer in 2004.

"Patient endurance is to be distinguished from merely being 'acted upon.' Endurance is more than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance; it is not only acceptance of the things allotted to us, it is to 'act for ourselves' by magnifying what is allotted to us. (See Alma 29:3, 6.)

"If, for instance, we are always taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we will not be. If we are constantly comparing to see if things are fair, we are not only being unrealistic, we are being unfair to ourselves.

"Therefore, true enduring represents not merely the passage of time, but the passage of the soul—and not merely from A to B, but sometimes all the way from A to Z. To endure in faith and doeth God's will. (See D&C 63:20; D&C 101:35) therefore involves much more than putting up with a circumstance.

"Rather than shoulder-shrugging, true enduring is soul-trembling. Jesus bled not at a few, but 'at every pore.' (D&C 19:18.)"

- Neal A. Maxwell, "Endure it Well," Ensign, May 1990, pp. 33-35
Click here to read the full talk

Faithful and patient endurance was one of dear Elder Maxwell's favorite topics. He endured plenty in his own life, so this shouldn't be surprising. He was a great living example of the things he taught. I love his insights about "patient endurance" being more than restlessly "pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance," but acting actively to magnify what has been allotted to us. The attitude with which we approach our trials makes all the difference:

Orson F. Whitney on the blessings of enduring trials

Elder Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931), a journalist, teacher, poet, and historian, was called to the Quorum of Twelve in 1906 and served until his death in 1931 at age 75.

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven."

- Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report April 1929, p. 110; quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle (1972), p. 98

Each life has its share of pain, trials, and suffering. Sometimes some of us feel we are getting more than our share. According to Elder Whitney, if we learn to "endure... patiently" the things that come, we experience growth in character and expansion of soul, and become "more worthy to be called the children of God." Perhaps we will understand some day what a blessing our trials and suffering are!

What a beautiful and tender testimony from a faithful servant of the Lord.