Endure to the end

Enduring to the end, or remaining faithful to the ordinances and covenants or the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout our life here in mortality is a fundamental requirement for salvation in the Kingdom of God. I want that. Don't you? The phrase seems short and sweet, but boy is it difficult sometimes. I can almost use the word despise when describing a day at work. The main problem is that I work side by side to the manager everyday. It forces me to be quick, work hard, and be okay with criticism. Since my decision to go on a mission, I've heard a lot of people (especially my brother jeff) tell me IT IS HARD WORK. So, whenever I feel like I can't go to work one more day, get my feelings hurt, and feel like I can't go on, I tell myself, "My mission will be harder than this." Do I know that? Not yet, but I'm only preparing myself for the worst days. Telling myself that something I want so much will be harder than most of my challenges in life, scares me a bit, but in turn it motivates me to get through a difficult time in order to prepare myself for even harder times on my mission.

When I think of enduring pain I think of Jesus Christ. He endured perfectly when he took upon himself the pains, weaknesses and sorrows of you and I. He suffered for us, so we don't have to suffer ourselves. Let's find hope in him and look to him as our example of enduring to the end. Another example I think of is Joseph Smith, our prophet of the restoration. Joseph endured hatred and scowling from countless disbelievers but still stood for what he knew was true, this church. The Lord spoke reassurance to the Prophet Joseph Smith after months of incarceration in Liberty Jail. "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes" (D&C 121:7-8). Enduring to the end includes being willing and prepared to endure faithfully the trials of life, as Joseph Smith did. As we look to those who have endured more difficult trials than our own, they give us faith and hope to overcome our own. Let us all endure to our best ability.