Patience

  Life seems to be have an unending supply of challenges for everyone. Some are minor and others are of a more serious nature. President Monson said, "Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
   Patience is the ability to endure delay, annoyance, misfortune, or pain without complaining, becoming frustrated, losing temper or becoming irritated. Patience is indeed a "heavenly virtue" and one that only a Christ-like individual can possess.



   President Uchtdorf defines patience as "the ability to put our desires on hold for a time". He says that it "is a precious and rare virtue." Waiting can be difficult and we all know that. However, we must realize that patience is to be practiced and strengthened over time. It does not come at once. Everyone will face challenges - we must accept that. President Monson said, "If the only perfect man who ever lived—even Jesus of Nazareth—was called upon to endure great suffering, how can we, who are less than perfect, expect to be free of such challenges?" It is through these trials, if we react to them in a Christ-like manner, that we increase our ability to become patient.
  The thought of always showing patience can seem impossible and, at times, can seem very unpleasant. "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."
   President Uchtdorf says that patience is much more than merely waiting for something to happen. "Patience requires actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results don’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!"

   Patience is an act of faith. "We must learn that in the Lord’s plan, our understanding comes 'line upon line, precept upon precept.' In short, knowledge and understanding come at the price of patience."

"Light And Truth" By Simon Dewey

We are commanded to "continue in patience until we are perfected." With all commandments, come great blessings from he Lord. President Uchtdorf finally promises us that "the lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness. They will help us to become faithful disciples of our Master, Jesus Christ."