The Challenge To Become

Just yesterday in sacrament meeting, several newly returned missionaries and recent converts bore their testimonies. I love the enthusiasm, energy, and perspective they have- in fact I am so grateful for it! But for just a moment, I felt a twinge of envy. This November marks two years (!!!!) since I returned from my mission and while I know I am doing good things and working hard, sometimes I feel like I'm not where I'm supposed to be or rather, where I'm expected to be. But the Spirit reassured me with the thought that as long as I'm progressing and staying close to the Lord, I'm doing what I should do. One of the adversary's most effective tools against those who are righteously striving is discouragement and despair- by telling us that we are forever falling short, he stunts our growth and holds us back. I am reminded of the words of Elder Holland, "Don't you quit! You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon.Some come late, and some don't come till heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

Just in my studies this morning while reading Elder Kim B Clark's talk from this last conference, this statement really stood out to me- "We do not have to be perfect, but we need to be good and getting better." And that reminded me of a talk by Elder Oaks- " The Challenge To Become" in which he reminds us that, " in contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something." Sometimes, it takes a bit to get out of the mindset of thinking that if we just know more or work harder then we'll be "successful". But that's not necessarily true. We are successful when we are constantly learning, progressing, and truly becoming new creatures in Christ.

My dad (being the wonderfully smart man that he is) always used to shake his head when people said the mission was "the best two years". When I would ask why, he explained that he loved his mission, worked hard, grew a lot, etc, that those two years were the best...up to that point in his life. But after that, the next two years were the best...so far, as he met and married my mom. He would remind me that if we are living the gospel as our Heavenly Father intends, we will keep progressing and growing in the gospel. That is not to say that every year will be full of happiness and devoid of trouble because we all know that the conditions of mortality include opposition. The gospel is not merely a series of steps (faith, repentance, baptism/covenants, Holy Ghost, and enduring), but it is also a staircase that leads us higher and deeper as we consistently live the principles of the gospel and keep the commandments.

So while maybe today I feel like a caterpillar, or sand, or coal, with a little time and more than a little pressure, one day I can become a butterfly, a pearl or a diamond. And I can be happy right now in the process.