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
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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.

Elder L. Tom Perry on building a solid foundation for life's challenges

Elder L. Tom Perry (1922-2015) was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in 1972, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1974. At the time of his passing at age 92, he was the oldest living general authority and the third in seniority among the leading quorum.

"Our journey through life has periods of both good times and bad. Each presents different challenges. How we learn to adjust to the changes which come along depends on the foundation on which we build. The gospel of our Lord and Savior provides a sure and solid foundation. It is constructed piece by piece as we gain knowledge of the Lord's eternal plan for His children. The Savior is the Master Teacher. We follow Him.

"The scriptures testify of Him and provide an example of perfect righteousness for us to follow....

"Men and women are shaped partly by those among whom they choose to live. Those to whom they look up and try to emulate also shape them. Jesus is the great Exemplar. The only way to find lasting peace is to look to Him and live."

- L. Tom Perry, "Finding Lasting Peace and Building Eternal Families," Ensign, November 2014, pp. 43-45
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Everything in life is built on a foundation of one kind or another. The decisions we make, the way we react to challenges, how we interact with others—all of these things depend on previous foundations of decisions, commitments, and patterns we have established in our lives. Elder Perry identifies the solid foundation of "the gospel of our Lord and Savior" as being the most reliable. We build that foundation "piece by piece" through our study, service, faith, and commitment.

The most sure way to build a solid foundation is to always look to the Savior as our model and friend. As we strive to emulate Him in all we do, our foundation becomes dependable and secure; we are better prepared to adjust to the changing circumstances of life.

Elder Neil L. Andersen on our growing perspective in life

Elder Neil L. Andersen (b. August 9, 1951) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"As you live righteously, you will find that during your lifetime your perspective will enlarge many, many times. Usually this shift in perspective is not a dramatic one that you can see from one day to the next, but over time the advances are significant.

"The most important perspective we want to gain was described beautifully by the Savior: 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3)....

"As you can learn to see through the generations—by looking back and by looking forward—you will see more clearly who you are and what you must become. You will better see that your place in this vast, beautiful plan of happiness is no small place. And you will come to love the Savior and depend on Him—as His great gift to us makes this all possible. Your influence will continue generation after generation throughout all eternity."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Seeing Through the Generations," BYU Devotional, May 15, 2006
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Perspective is such a critical thing. It can influence all of our actions and reactions. It's not just what we see, but how we see, and how we interpret what we see, that make all the difference.

Elder Andersen suggests that through obedience and faithfulness, our spiritual perspective gradually increases in ways that make a profound difference for us:

The additional interesting thought is that our perspective should include both the past and the future. We should see and understand things as they were, and as they may become. That makes all the difference for things as they currently are! And it will enable us to better understand the role of the Savior, His eternal gift of Atonement, and our ongoing dependence on Him.

President Thomas S. Monson on the blessings of forgiveness and mercy

President Thomas S. Monson (b. August 21, 1927) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley until becoming Church president in 2008.

"In the Book of Mormon, Alma describes beautifully the [Lord's mercy] with his words: 'The plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.' (Alma 42:15.)

"From the springboard of such knowledge we ask ourselves, Why, then, do we see on every side those instances where people decline to forgive one another and show forth the cleansing act of mercy and forgiveness? What blocks the way for such healing balm to cleanse human wounds? Is it stubbornness? Could it be pride? Maybe hatred has yet to melt and disappear....

"There are those among us who torture themselves through their inability to show mercy and to forgive others some supposed offense or slight, however small it may be. At times the statement is made, 'I never can forgive [this person or that person].' Such an attitude is destructive to an individual's well-being. It can canker the soul and ruin one's life. In other instances, an individual can forgive another but cannot forgive himself. Such a situation is even more destructive....

"Should you or I have erred or spoken harshly to another, it is good to take steps to straighten out the matter and to move onward with our lives. 'He [who] cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for every one has need to be forgiven.' (George Herbert)"

- Thomas S. Monson, "Mercy—The Divine Gift," Ensign, May 1995, pp. 54-60
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Mercy is such a beautiful, hopeful concept. Oh, how we depend on God's mercy for us! The fact that He can be both a "perfect, just God, and a merciful God also" is truly a wonder—what a remarkable doctrine that is. He is so eager to forgive, through the blessings and merits of the atonement of the Son.

President Monson then ponders: given that marvelous gift, why do we fail to emulate it in our personal lives? If God is willing to extend mercy to us, how can we fail to do so as we interact with one another? The impact of our unwillingness can be lasting and profound:

In modern revelation, the Lord counseled explicitly: "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men" (D&C 64:10). And that includes forgiving ourselves when we have properly resolved our mistakes of the past. That's a good principle to ponder.

President James E. Faust on resisting the adversary's influence

President James E. Faust (1920-2007) was called as a Seventy in 1976, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve in 1978. He served as a counselor to President Hinckley from 1995 until his death in 2007 at age 87.

"The Prophet Joseph Smith related from his own experience, 'The nearer a person approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes' (in Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1967, p. 132).

"However, we need not become paralyzed with fear of Satan's power. He can have no power over us unless we permit it. He is really a coward, and if we stand firm, he will retreat. The Apostle James counseled: 'Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you' (James 4:7). He cannot know our thoughts unless we speak them. And Nephi states that 'he hath no power over the hearts' of people who are righteous (see 1 Ne. 22:26).

"We have heard comedians and others justify or explain their misdeeds by saying, 'The devil made me do it.' I do not really think the devil can make us do anything. Certainly he can tempt and he can deceive, but he has no authority over us which we do not give him."

- James E. Faust, "The Great Imitator," Ensign, Nov 1987, pp. 33-36
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Joseph Smith's statement is thought-provoking. As a person gets closer to God, "the adversary" focuses more efforts and attention on him. One would expect as much; those are the people who are the greatest threat to his plans, or the greatest evidence of his failure. It's reminiscent of Brigham Young's observation, "We never began to build a temple without the bells of hell beginning to ring" (JD 8:355). It's clear that Satan knows how and where to focus his efforts. But that should not be a cause of undue fear for us:

So while there may be adversity, and efforts to counteract or disrupt or righteous desires, we need not fear. God's power is always greater, and as we turn to Him, we will be strengthened against any conflict. President Faust reassures us that Satan will retreat as we stand firm. This final phrase is a wonderful summary: "Certainly he can tempt and he can deceive, but he has no authority over us which we do not give him."

President Heber J. Grant on finding peace through the Savior

President Heber J. Grant (1856-1945) was ordained an apostle in 1882 when he was 25 years old.  He served as president of the Church from 1918 until his death in 1945 at age 88.  His tenure as president lasted over 26 years; only Brigham Young had a longer term (over 29 years).

"In the living of the Gospel of Christ, and in the joy which flows from service in His cause, comes the only peace that lives forever.

"To the multitude Jesus said:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30]

"To His apostles in the Passover chamber He said:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. [John 14:27]

"His peace will ease our suffering, bind up our broken hearts, blot out our hates, engender in our breasts a love of fellow men that will suffuse our souls with calm and happiness.

"His message and the virtue of His atoning sacrifice reach out to the uttermost parts of the earth; they brood over the remotest seas. Wherever men go, there He may be reached. Where He is, there may the Holy Spirit be found also, with its fruit of 'love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.' [Galatians 5:22]

"He will be our comfort and solace, our guide and counselor, our salvation and exaltation, for 'there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.' [Acts 4:12] ...

"Just before He offered up the divine prayer, Jesus, teaching the apostles, said: 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' [John 16:33]"

- Heber J. Grant, Improvement Era, 45:1, January 1942, p. 10

In many ways, life is a continuing quest for peace. That applies to our public interactions, to our close relationships, and to our inner personal thoughts and feelings. The testimony of President Grant is direct and clear: "In the living of the Gospel of Christ, and in the joy which flows from service in His cause, comes the only peace that lives forever." So it's by following the Gospel principles in our life, and particularly in learning to serve diligently and unselfishly, and we can find peace. The Savior promises rest as we learn of Him and join in His cause. Truly, He is the source of the only real peace in this life:

I have always loved the beautiful invitation of the Savior from John 16:33.  We will have tribulation in the world; but we can always "be of good cheer"—not because of any method of coping with trials, or any self-help program to make us strong in difficulties, or any external program to facilitate our survival. We can have peace because He has "overcome the world"—and so can we as we turn to Him.

President Spencer W. Kimball on living a life of reverence

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) was ordained an apostle in 1943 and served as President of the Church from 1973 to 1985.

"We are a richly blessed people. The Lord has given us everything: the gospel of Jesus Christ, the light, the priesthood, the power, the promises, the covenants, the temples, our families, the truth. We should be the happiest people on earth. We should also be the most reverent people....

"Reverence has been defined as a 'feeling or attitude of deep respect, love, and awe, as for something sacred.' To describe it as devotion to God is another way to express the meaning of reverence.

"Many of our leaders have expressed regard for reverence as one of the highest qualities of the soul, indicating it involves true faith in God and in his righteousness, high culture, and a love for the finer things in life....

"As with the other principles of the gospel, reverence leads to increased joy.

"We must remember that reverence is not a somber, temporary behavior that we adopt on Sunday. True reverence involves happiness, as well as love, respect, gratitude, and godly fear. It is a virtue that should be part of our way of life. In fact, Latter-day Saints should be the most reverent people in all the earth."

- Spencer W. Kimball, "We Should Be a Reverent People" (pamphlet, 1976), 1, 2.
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The concept of true reverence has been discussed by many Church leaders in my lifetime. This is a wonderful example from President Kimball. Reverence, or deep respect and love, comes from recognizing the blessings we receive from God and being truly grateful. It results in devotion and faithfulness, in putting things in a proper divine perspective.

Statements such as this one from Pres. Kimball probably led to the publishing of one of our most beautiful songs for children, copyrighted in 1987, a few years after President Kimball's pamphlet was published:

Rev'rence is more than just quietly sitting:
It's thinking of Father above,
A feeling I get when I think of his blessings.
I'm rev'rent, for rev'rence is love.
When I'm rev'rent, it shows in my words and my deeds.
The pathway to follow is clear.
And when I am rev'rent, I know in my heart
Heav'nly Father and Jesus are near.
- "Reverence is Love" by Maggie Olauson; Children's Songbook p. 31

Finally, there is a real connection between true reverence and true joy:

How often we should be led to acknowledge our blessings and the goodness of God in our lives! Each day should be willed with gratitude, worship, and deep reverence.