​The Coronavirus pandemic has gone on a long time and affected many aspects of my life, all our lives. I thought that if I sacrificed by staying home and giving up things like family reunions and vacations and in person attendance at church, that soon I'd be able to do those things again. At this time, the week before Thanksgiving, the cases of the virus are increasing and government officials are asking us to make sacrifices again for the safety of ourselves and others. How much longer will this go on? How much more will I have to sacrifice? Next week my children are all planning to be home for Thanksgiving. I don't want to give that up. Then a week later my son and daughter-in-law have scheduled a date to be sealed in the Portland Temple. They were supposed to be married and sealed in the Portland Temple in April, but ended up getting married in a civil ceremony in March as the virus restrictions began. I want so much for them to have this day in December, and I want to be there. My question recently during my scripture study was, "How do I have peace and patience with the Coronavirus, specifically with Thanksgiving and the sealing?" I read in Ether 6 about the Jaredites crossing the sea in their barges built tight like a dish. Their experiences gave me direction. The Jaredites commended themselves unto the Lord. When they were "encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters" (Ether 6:7). During this time when they were buried in the sea and the wind did not cease, the people "did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord" (Ether 6:9). "They did have light continually" (Ether 6:10). And after "they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water...they did land upon the shore of the promised land...and...they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them" (Ether 6:11-12). Three hundred and forty and four days! I haven't been restricted that long yet, and as I look back, there have been so many tender mercies. I am crying unto the Lord that my children can come for Thanksgiving and that I can attend the sealing of my son and daughter-in-law.
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The Lord knows me. He knows you. I'm grateful for the light He's given me as I ask in prayer and through my daily scripture study. I'm also grateful that we have a prophet on the earth like the brother of Jared. Our prophet is President Russell M. Nelson. He is experiencing the trials of the pandemic along with us and also has a responsibility to guide the people of the earth. I'm looking forward to hearing from President Nelson what the Savior wants us to know at this time. I know President Nelson's words will provide me with more light and peace.

I read Elder Scott D. Whiting's talk, Becoming like Him, and decided to ask Heavenly Father which Christlike attribute I needed to work on developing. The answer surprised me. It was patience. I already knew there were two particular areas in which I've been patient for many years: having a novel published and gathering Israel. I didn't understand how I needed more patience, and I wanted to learn from my study how patience is more than just waiting. I wanted to know what I need to be doing right now, every minute to make those things happen. And that is probably why I received the answer to work on patience.

I learned from Ether 1 that patience is trusting in the Lord's plan. The brother of Jared "[cried] unto the Lord" and was told to gather his family. He took the first steps and the Lord told him, "I will go before thee" (Ether 1:39, 42). Patience is taking the small steps even while not knowing the whole plan and trusting in the Lord. In the Christlike attributes chapter of Preach My Gospel I learned that Christlike attributes like patience are gifts from God and that I can't develop them without God's help. "The invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to follow His example and to become like Him, which can only happen through the Atonement of Jesus Christ" (Preach My Gospel, Chapter 6). I can't make patience happen for myself. I need the Savior's atonement. That gives me hope. I love what Preach My Gospel explains about patience: "Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God's will and accept His timing." When I want things to happen right now and feel anxious and frustrated that the words in my writing don't come easy or my neighbor isn't able to have missionaries visit because of the Coronavirus, I need to ask for God's help in having patience, in enduring the delay with hope. Even the sons of Mosiah, some of the best missionaries, needed to be patient in sharing the gospel. They were told at the beginning of their mission, "Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls" (Alma 17:10-11). When President Nelson asked us to gather Israel, I wanted to be a part of that work and I felt like it should progress quickly. After all, these are the last days. But I need to be patient in the timing of the Lord and the opening of temples. Examples from The Book of Mormon like the brother of Jared, the sons of Mosiah, and Alma teach us that being patient means working and being diligent. The sons of Mosiah didn't sit around waiting for the Lamanites to come to them. Alma and his brethren in bondage to the Lamanites were strengthened as they were patient in the Lord's timing of deliverance. "They did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15).

I learned from Doctrine and Covenants 101:38 that the attribute of patience makes me one with myself and with God. "And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life" (D&C 101:38). "In patience ye may possess your souls." Wow! That is beautiful. When I seek the Lord in my writing, my daily tasks, and gathering Israel, I am at one with my soul and will have eternal life, or life with God. That is definitely more than just waiting or being frustrated and anxious.
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As I continue to study the Christlike attribute of patience, I will look for it in others and ask for the Lord to bless me with this gift. This initial study gives me hope. The Lord doesn't expect immediate results, but when I submit to His will, I will possess my soul.