The end sounds a bit ominous, too. Andrew I. Miller is a FAIR volunteer from Crystal City, Missouri. This is the higher purpose of trials in Gods planto bring his children to the knowledge of him and his son. When the storms of life come to test our faith, we must be prepared. Joy and Spiritual Survival Then they were forced to witness the martyrdom of the faithful Saints who were put to death by fire because they would not renounce their simple testimonies. . My talk would not be complete if I did not rehearse for you the eternal blessings that come from enduring. Jesus Christ taught this concept in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Do not trade your ultimate reward for temporary pleasures and comfort. When Enos went into the forest to pray about the teachings of his father, there came a voice unto Enos saying, Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed (Enos 1:5). Yes, He does (see Doctrine and Covenants 76:5-10 and Alma 26:22)! [D&C 121:2531]. Job is the epitome of trials as he lost his family, his health, his wealth, and yet never cursed God. Enduring in the gospel means understanding that adversity is a normal part of life, and even when circumstances become difficult, God wants us to stay devoted to Him. To increase our spiritual endurance we must train spiritually. This I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. However long and hard the road, we must be willing to endure with perseverance until we can claim sweet victory. How do we avoid the depression that often accompanies the trials of life? In the company was a couple who had been pleading with Heavenly Father to help resolve a particular family problemin spite of their prayers, the condition was not resolved as they had hoped. Endure to the End And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. The very elect perhaps, but me? Pride is the essential ingredient in the devils deception dish. It was very nice but did not really reflect the emotional and spiritual energy exerted to get him to that glorious point in his life. Up to the day he left, his mother still wondered about the reality of it. And yet we see, in spite of this foreknowledge, that the people did not endure in righteousness save it were a faithful few. My approach to the army was that it was a game, and I could play any gamebut I watched many give up and quit. We had just sent out the first missionary that ward had ever had, a quality young man who was loved and admired by all who knew him. One example of this came when I was a bishop in Iowa while doing my graduate work. Tak[ing] the Holy Spirit for [our] guide has never been more important than it is now. WebWherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. 3. He was an extremely able man, a man of great faith and capacity, who contributed much to our meetings. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. We know that the devil is a liar from the beginning and he, as a roaring lion, is out seeking whom he may devour (John 8:44 and 1 Peter 5:8). First, and most obvious, is the trial of temptation to violate the commandments. He then gave us a formula for how we can increase [our] spiritual capacity to receive revelation. More recently he has reiterated the importance of learning to Hear him! (Opening Message, General Conference, April 2020). Although we face all three of these hazards to one extent or another at various times, I believe the biggest hazard today is the hazard of deception. It can also be defined as a goal or purpose. This simple testimony from a son is the joyous blessing that came as a result of faithful endurance. Lifelong Conversion Endure to the End in Charity If the Church is true before calamity and during easy times, then it is still true during times of trial and adversity. . To illustrate this point, I would like to relate one such experience that occurred in my ward when I was a bishop. God understands the difficulty of our challenges. We do it by accepting the reality of the Atonement. Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was thisSatan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. The first may be blind obedience, but the latter is certainly faith obedience. Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church on that day when the Church was organized. The third and final hazard Jesus mentioned is deception: Take heed that no man deceive you; For many shall come in my nameand shall deceive many. . We should let these sources hold higher sway in our minds and hearts than anything or anyone else, because whoso treasureth up [Christs] word, shall not be deceived. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. How different is the cowering of a subject to his totalitarian monarch and the dignified, willing obedience one gives to his God. Paul understood the reason for trials, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). They have no root and so endure but for a time, Mark 4:17. I give no blind obedience!. It is comforting to read in an uncomfortable time in our world!! Matthew 10:40) Isnt it curious that one definition of endure is . This is why he encourages us to endure in the gospel. Revelation 2:3. . Endurance involves drawing closer to God in difficult times. In the temple covenant of marriage we learn about sharing all that the Father has and about receiving thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and dominions. They see themselves as always being right while believing their divinely appointed leaders are always liable to be wrong. In spite of group fasting and adamant prayer in his behalf, he died, still a full-time, set-apart missionary. And also, if there be bounds set to the heavens or to the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, moon, or stars, All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and all the days of their days, months, and years, and all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times. He that endureth to the end shall be saved, Matt. Enduring to the end is the doctrine of continuing on the path leading to eternal life after one has entered into the path through faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Overview - Section 39. Trouble will come, but discouragement doesn't have to. Additionally, the speakers in this collection have focused on what endurance truly means and why it matters in our individual lives. It may contradict your social views. -Carol F. McConkie. He is a proud husband and father of four currently serving as a bishop. How well would you say that you endured to the end? He seeks for division, for contention and for strife. 15:9; D&C 14:7). For not only have I marveled at the principles of temporal endurance, but I have sought to understand more fully the meaning of the wordsand endure to the endin their spiritual sense. Lessons from the Atonement That Help Enduring Joy As we sustain and follow those the Lord has called, we can avoid the alluring deceptive voices that would lead us astray from our desire to endure in faith to the end. 2 Nephi 31. Theyre not too much this or too little that. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It does not mean a complete cessation of work. Based on that reference, I wish to suggest thatendurancebe considered the fifth principle of the gospel, at least for my purposes today. I felt the spirit and happiness that I have never before felt. Endure Joyfully to the End | LDS Daily then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake. First and foremost, the gift of the Holy Ghost can help us avoid deception. This principle was made clear in a story told by David O. McKay at a Relief Society general conference meeting in 1947. WebBefore doing so, I should like to take note of the recent passing of President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. Eternal life seems so far away as we live the daily trials of this earthly probation. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. Incidentally, one of the reasons we sometimes dont get the revelation we seek is because the Lord cannot trust us to keep sacred things sacred. Like all other principles of the gospel, it requires faith and effort. I never ask myself, When does the prophet speak as a prophet and when does he not? My interest has been, How can I be more like him? (Russell M. Nelson: A Study in Obedience, Ensign, August 1982). It is a sure sign of apostasy. A cute story illustrates the consequences of spiritual fatigue. Enduring to the End We often think of the Atonement only in terms of relief from sins and guilt. Brothers and sisters, good morning! The Strength to Endure - The Church of Jesus Christ of WebEven in the closing moments of the life of Jesus a great lesson is to be learned. God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit, yea, by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that has not been revealed since the world was until now; Which our forefathers have awaited with anxious expectation to be revealed in the last times, which their minds were pointed to by the angels, as held in reserve for the fulness of their glory; A time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they shall be manifest. Stick to your task till it sticks to you; Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it too; I do as I please! WebLet not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. As a special witness of Jesus It really detracted from the appearance of the home. Some of us would take their loads so they could run less burdened, and they would continue. In my callings I have been so impressed as I see people facing the challenges of life by drawing closer to their God, even when the conditions are not resolved to their desire. We must place our trust in the Lord and allow the Lords spirit to lift us. If ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, ye shall have eternal life, 2Ne. ? Pride is the essential ingredient in the devils deception dish. Will always come to the one who stays. The particular symptoms of this spiritual disease may vary, but the underlying cause is always the samepersonal pride. So many times strong members of the Church, when faced with such conditions, denounce God for not righting the set of conditions that brings them agony. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me. Learn how . Nor will He reveal to the bishop what pertains to the stake president, and so forth. They were not bitter. Endurance. Gods every command is righteous, every directive purposeful, and all for the good of the governed. [I]f he tries to divide the people and persuades them to disobey the Prophet of God, he will surely fall, unless he repents with all his heart. The one thing all deceivers have in common is that they arrogantly believe they are more enlightened than those whom God has called. Pride clouds our judgment and greatly diminishes our ability to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. The Doctrine of Christ - Douglas D. Holmes - BYU Speeches We must listen to the right voices to avoid deception. Fatigueis defined as the inability to maintain a given intensity of work. The opposite of endurance is fatigue. I have felt the inner peace that I could endure. This is not true, for the decision is ourswe may accept or reject, comply or ignore[However,] we cannot avoid the penalties of disobedience to law (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pp. Me? Dont be fooledin the end, it isnt going to matter at all whether you or I have fallen off the covenant path to the left or to the right; the end result is the same; we [fall] off into forbidden paths and [are] lost; we have not endured faithfully to the end (1 Nephi 8:28). But listen to his attitude as expressed in his second letter to the Corinthians: We are troubled on every side, yetnot distressed;we are perplexed, butnot in despair;Persecuted, butnot forsaken;cast down, butnot destroyed(2 Corinthians 4:89). All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ. But I want you to know that Im doing the right thing. I love you. The classic ending for a comedy is marriage, for a tragedy is death. Happy are we! Believing Christ: A Practical Approach to the Atonement And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold (Matthew 24:12). If we seek the Lord to abide with us, we can make it through the darkest night. How little they understand! We hope that none of us will have to face that type of persecution, but let us be strong in the face of the challenges of this day. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Nephi taught, Unless a man shallendureto the end, in following theexampleof the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved (2 Nephi 31:16). These people must have been valiant to seal their testimonies with their lives. William explores the term enduring to the end in the context of Mormon life and discusses why theres a lot in there that has yet to be expressed in narrative art. This is affirmed in Helaman 12:3, which reads, And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, . However, if we learn to endure our struggles well, they will be turned into blessings in eternity. President Nelson has given us a wonderfully simple and useful example in how to heed prophetic counsel. Three Hazards to Enduring in Faith WebIntroduction. He was a good boy. Provo, Utah 84602. She inquired as to why the mansion was not finished. 31:20 (3Ne. But even as a faithful member, I struggled with an interpretation that made the task Press J to jump to the feed. The exercise physiologist attempts to determine what limits mans capacity and how those limits can be expanded through training and through other nutritional or pharmacological manipulation. 5961). WebThere are so many things to be endured: illness, injustice, insensitivity, poverty, He That Shall Endure Unto Mormon The coach seemed a little unsympathetic as he said things like Come on, Conlee, rub some dirt on it and get in there! or Whats the matter, Conlee, you some special case or something? Now that may seem harmless enough, but I would see grown men brought to tears under such stress and come apart emotionally. Happy are Download Description (D&C 14:7) President Dieter F. Uchtdorf teaches how to endure to the end. See more ideas about lds quotes, the church of jesus christ, church quotes. To endure in faith, our highest loyalty should be to the Lord Jesus Christ and the direction he gives through his servants. Robert K. Conlee elaborates on endurance, a principle of the gospel of Christ. Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion. "Enduring to the end is a process filling every minute of our life, every hour, every day, from sunrise to sunrise. The one thing all deceivers have in common is that they arrogantly believe they are more enlightened than those whom God has called. The meaning of life events will be determined not so much by the events themselves, but on how we choose to view and respond to them. My attitude was that there was always an end, and, therefore, I forced myself to continue. The Lord has said. The patriarch Abraham, sorely tried, obeyed faithfully when commanded by the Lord to offer his son Isaac upon the altar. It was my impression that those who gave up usually ended up with graver consequences than if they had endured the temporary discomfort of fatigue. But even in this life we often are recipients of the blessings that follow righteous endurance. The other day at the dedication of the Howard W. Hunter Law Library, President Rex Lee was conducting and remarked that as a lawyer in the presence of so many of his law colleagues, he shouldnt tell any lawyer jokes on such an auspicious occasion. This training also involves regular scripture study so that our testimonies are firm and our understanding of Gods plan is deep. They shared messages of hope, faith and peace amid turbulent times WebBeing blessed with the temple covenants and endowed with power made it possible for the Latter-day Saints to endure tribulation with faith. Whosoever endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, D&C 10:69. Hymn. For full-time missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as its members, the road to eternal happiness depends on lifelong conversion to the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, taught Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his names glory (D&C 21:6) (Harold B. Lee, Improvement Era, December 1970, p. 126). Endure - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Neal A. Maxwell December 1984 BYU Fireside - BOAP Such blessings usually come after faith has been demonstrated. Paul, likewise, suffered much. I suspect it is because of the insistence of many Latter-day Saints to continually and foolishly break this commandment. Enduring to the End - The Church of Jesus Christ of It is accomplished through personal discipline following the commandments of God." 13:7. I know that now. Remember, divine revelation only comes to individuals in regards to their own lives, stewardships, and callings. I do this with permission. I am encouraged, however, by the recent example of President Gordon B. Hinckley. For example, the Lord will not reveal to the Sunday School president matters that pertain only to the bishop. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. In fulfillment of ancient prophecy, we live in a time when many seek out teachers who will[tell] them only what they are itching to hear. Paul states in his letter to the Corinthians, But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted [and I would inserttried] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [or trial] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (l Corinthians 10:13). Some, though, would stop and walk. WebIn order to endure to the end, perseverance is a requirement. Tags. All of the prophets have been persecuted for the Lords sake, and many have given their lives rather than denounce the gospel. If the Holy Ghost has testified to you that Jesus is the Christ and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that President Hinckley is a prophet today and that this is the Lords church, then we must remain allegiant to that testimony to qualify for the blessings of endurance regardless of the events of the world that would conspire against that knowledge. This training involves praying every day so that when we need to pray more fervently we are already accustomed to it. Consequently, enduring to the end is more than just being active in the Church.