Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 67:13

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 67:13
"Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected."

I really like the subject of patience. It is a divine attribute I wish to obtain. It is something I learned the hard way not to pray for, because working those patience muscles really hurt. Having your patience level tested can be really rough when you are not spiritually prepared for it. One thing I have come to appreciate is patience comes a little easier when you leave your will and pride behind you. Knowing things come in the Lord's time, and He knows best on a matter has really helped me to not fight things so hard.

"When the Lord advises us to “continue in patience until [we] are perfected,” He is acknowledging that it takes time and perseverance. Understanding the why of the gospel and the why of the priesthood will help us to see the divine purpose of all of this. It will give us motivation and strength to do the right things, even when they are hard. Staying focused on the basic principles of gospel living will bless us with clarity, wisdom, and direction."
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Why of Priesthood Service", April 2012 General Conference)

"Patience is a process of perfection. The Savior Himself said that in your patience you possess your souls. Or, to use another translation of the Greek text, in your patience you win mastery of your souls.  Patience means to abide in faith, knowing that sometimes it is in the waiting rather than in the receiving that we grow the most. This was true in the time of the Savior. It is true in our time as well, for we are commanded in these latter days to “continue in patience until ye are perfected."
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Continue in Patience", April 2010 General Conference)

Day 3656

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 8:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 8:26
"And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God."

I pondered on how this description of what we will become are all Christlike attributes. He set the perfect example. This is how "we shall be like him".

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."
(Moroni 7:48)

"As our constant companion, the Holy Ghost gives us additional power or strength to keep our covenants. He also sanctifies us, which means to make us “free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ.” The process of sanctification not only cleanses us, but it also endows us with needed spiritual gifts or divine attributes of the Savior. and changes our very nature, such “that we have no more disposition to do evil.” Each time we receive the Holy Ghost into our lives through faith, repentance, ordinances, Christlike service, and other righteous endeavors, we are changed until step by step, little by little we become like Christ."
(Brian K. Ashton, "The Doctrine of Christ", Oct 2016 General Conference)

Day 3586

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 103:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 103:8

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."

I thought about how grateful I am these are attributes of God. The slow to anger truly does show how gracious and merciful He is. He has given me time to realize my mistakes and repent of them.

Day 2740

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 86:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 86:15

"But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth."

I pondered on how these are attributes of Christ, and how grateful I am for them. I want Him to show compassion and mercy towards me. I need his grace and longsuffering to bear with me as I grow. I need His words of truth that will direct my life. Then I pondered on how I am to become like Him, and follow the example he set. These are the attributes I need to develop when I am working with others.

Day 2723

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 24:8

 Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 24:8

"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days."

It is through afflictions that I have learned patience. I cannot say I am perfect in patience, but I have grown measurably in it. As I have learned to turn to the Lord in order to endure affliction, the greater the ability I have been given to wait patiently. I think there is a spiritual refinement that comes from patience. So it is a most desirable Christlike attribute to obtain. It is a very good thing to learn and grow stronger in patience. It really becomes quite a blessing to posses it, especially in very trying circumstances. I have been rather fascinated during this pandemic to see various reactions people are having with patience. Just like the parable of the ten virgins, either you have patience in your lamp or your don't. No one can share it with you if your lamp is empty. One must build their store of it in order to endure.

Day 2027

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Timothy 1:6

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Timothy 1:6
"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."

Right before reading this chapter I had a very heartfelt prayer to my Heavenly Father, in gratitude for the gift of the Holy Ghost, given me by the laying on of hands after baptism. I seemed to have been going through a dry spell lately of recognizing the Spirit's whispering, until I came to see a new "phase" in my trial and the Christlike attribute I needed to work on. Since that discovery ten days ago and with a sincere resolve to do better, little impressions started to come to me. Maybe of no significance to others, but they were to me. They have been specific and helpful in time of need. Tender mercies to show me the Lord is mindful of me and what I have been going through. Now doors are miraculously opening for me. What an amazing journey I am on in this life. I went back and read the talk "Trust in the Lord" by Elder Richard G. Scott that opened the door ten days ago.

This is my favorite quote ten days ago.

"When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love."

These are the quotes that have greater meaning today.

"I testify that when the Lord closes one important door in your life, He shows His continuing love and compassion by opening many other compensating doors through your exercise of faith. He will place in your path packets of spiritual sunlight to brighten your way. They often come after the trial has been the greatest, as evidence of the compassion and love of an all-knowing Father. They point the way to greater happiness, more understanding, and strengthen your determination to accept and be obedient to His will."

"True enduring happiness with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the most challenging difficulties comes from a life centered in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a sure foundation upon which to build. That takes effort. There is no guarantee of overnight results, but there is absolute assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and emptiness will be filled."
(Elder Richard G. Scott, "Trust in the Lord", Oct 1995 General Conference)

Day 1699

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

This made me reflect on my infirmities and what I have learned from them. It's interesting how I have learned different Christlike attributes through them. My recent one I am learning is patience. I think in the past year I've gone through the hardest part of learning patience. That is actually having it. Now I am learning the beauty and blessings that come from patience. I would have had a hard time saying I gloried in my infirmities when I first read this verse. After serious reflection I see glory is very fitting description. It's not the bragging about the affliction, it's the change that happens because of them, a weakness that is making another part of me strong. 

Day 1663

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 5:3-5

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 5:3-5
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

I have been studying and pondering on patience for several months now. I have found the best time to study it is when you don't feel you need it. It is so much easier to be instructed when one isn't in the midst of the crises without it. What a marvelous Christlike attribute patience is. It is sanctifying and makes one holy. It is my most desired attribute now. I can see how with patience I gain experience and hope. For one cannot have patience unless they turn to the Lord to help them through that which is overwhelming them. Then hope fills my heart and the Holy Ghost is there to guide and sanctify me. I see patience as such a beautiful thing. In a way it makes the tribulations worth it because it brings one to a totally different plain with Christ. I had come to see enduring to the end not as the beast I once thought it was, because to endure I come to know Christ. Now with patience I see I not only know him, I become like him.

"And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life."
(Doctrine and Covenants 101:38)

"Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected."
(Doctrine and Covenants 67:13)

The reason patience was so aloof for me was because I was trying to make things work according to my will and timing. How often does one say when they lack patience, "If only they would do this!". I have learned that without patience my desire was to take away the agency of others and control them according to my will. No wonder with the lack of patience we feel so out of control. Trying to control and in a way force Satan's plan, by taking away the agency of another. This is not the Father's plan. With patience I learn to trust the Lord's timing and will in the matter. Patience is the greatest of Christlike attributes that I could obtain. To have patience I possess my soul, for I have over come the natural man. Now I can see there is a better way. I am not perfect in having patience, but I have opened the door to the beauty of it, and am being instructed in a better way. To have patience is to have faith, trust in the Lord, and hope of eternal life.

Day 1624