“Our greatest glory lies not in never falling but in getting up every time we fall.”-- Confucius
One of the talks given at general conference this past April that really stuck out to me was "Latter-Day Saints Keep on Trying" by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Seventy.
That is where I got the above quotes which I really like. One quote from Elder Renlund that stood out to me was this:
"God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming than about who we once were. He cares that we keep on trying."
My interpretation of that is that we can't change the past whatever it may be -- good or bad -- but we do have control over the present and future and that's what we should focus on. Endure to the end. Always keep trying to do better in our mortal journey. And when we fall off the horse, to get back up and keep riding! But we should also remember that the consequences affecting past mistakes or bad choices remain unchanged.
A lot of people beat themselves up over past mistakes. And of course Satan uses that against us to make us feel like we are a lost cause and there is no hope. Obviously he wants us to give up. There is always hope! Regardless of the severity or longevity of our bad choices, there is always hope. The atonement is always available, but we must reach for it. Here's another great quote from Elder Renlund's talk:
"President Thomas S. Monson has taught, “One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.” Even if we've been a conscious, deliberate sinner or have repeatedly faced failure and disappointment, the moment we decide to try again, the Atonement of Christ can help us. And we need to remember that it is not the Holy Ghost that tells us we’re so far gone that we might as well give up."
"God’s desire that Latter-day Saints keep on trying also extends beyond overcoming sin. Whether we suffer because of troubled relationships, economic challenges, or illnesses or as a consequence of someone else’s sins, the Savior’s infinite Atonement can heal even—and perhaps especially—those who have innocently suffered. He understands perfectly what it is like to suffer innocently as a consequence of another’s transgression. As prophesied, the Savior will “bind up the brokenhearted, … give … beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, [and] the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” No matter what, with His help, God expects Latter-day Saints to keep on trying."
Elder Renlund tells the story of a mother and daughter who were treated not so kindly by church members at church. As the daughter was complaining to her mother, her mother gave this wise counsel to her daughter, “Oh, Thoba, the Church is like a big hospital, and we are all sick in our own way. We come to church to be helped.”
Not only do we need to keep trying ourselves but we also need to be patient as we allow others to keep trying. Elder Renlund said it succinctly, "If we don’t try, we’re just latter-day sinners; if we don’t persevere, we’re latter-day quitters; and if we don’t allow others to try, we’re just latter-day hypocrites. As we try, persevere, and help others to do the same, we are true Latter-day Saints. As we change, we will find that God indeed cares a lot more about who we are and about who we are becoming than about who we once were."
Reminds me of a story from my mission. My companion and I were door finding in a typical Florida retirement community and tracted into a woman who invited us in. As we talked she explained that she and her husband were members of the church who had served diligently in many callings throughout their lives and had recently retired and moved to Florida. I found it odd that I didn't know anything about her or her husband as they were in the ward boundaries of the ward I was serving in. She went on to explain that when they retired from work, they also retired from the church.
Let us not be latter-day quitters like the couple I just mentioned. To be a true latter-day Saint we must keep trying. Remember it's never too late to do what's right. As President Monson taught, "no failure ever need be final".
That's my two cents.
Great post Tam.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points...all of them Tammy. That couple that retired from the church got lost along the way, but hopefully they are back on track, and clinging to the iron rod very tightly.
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