Daily Answers: In patience ye may possess your souls

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.
​
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.