“Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing what the lord asks of us” (Preach my Gospel). Diligence is build upon the foundation of faith that the lord is with us in all that we do if we are worthy and do as he asks. As we learn in the scriptures we must know the bitter to know the sweet. Diligence in the face of trial is the faith and strength in the lord that each bitter moment is given to us to bless us. Diligence is what helps us to make the understanding that in life we are tried and that god gives us tools to assist us. He did not leave us defenseless.
“Walk to the edge of the light, and perhaps a few steps into the darkness, and you will find that the light will appear and move ahead of you” (as quoted by Boyd K. Packer, regional representatives’ seminar, 1 Apr. 1977). When we find ourselves on the edge of light and what we know god asks us to diligently press on and take a few steps into what we do not know. In return we are given so much more perspective and blessings. Throughout our lives we are going to be faced with the challenge of diligently facing trials.
In my own life I had an experience where without diligence I would not been able to face my trial. Last February while on a family ski trip I had a terrible fall after attempting to master a double jump set on the tricks course. After multiple visits to the doctor and an MRI I was diagnosed with a torn ACL and a third degree rupture of my MCL. Needless to say my situation was less than desired. The recovery process for an ACL alone would mean surgery and months of physical therapy to get me walking normal again. As a girl who spent all her time on the soccer field or basketball court the idea of even wearing a brace hit me hard to the core. As of today I am 24 days away from being cleared to run again. My road to get from surgery to here has not been easy and it is far from being done.
I can still remember the first day after surgery as I crutched myself to the bathroom from my bed I bravely attempted to put my foot down as searing pain shot up my leg I clearly remember muttering to myself “I will never walk again”. Almost immediately after I was laying in my make shift bed on the couch reading a story out of a book my friend had given me.
The story goes that a man by the name of Samuel was going through some hard times in his life. As he said his prayers that night he asked god why he had abandoned him in such a hard time of his life. That night Samuel had a dream: he was walking along side the savior on a beach as he looked behind he could see two pairs of footprints in the sand. As Samuel watched he saw that sometimes there were two set and other times there were only one set of footprints, he also realized that there was only one when he was going thru that hardest times of his life. Feeling angry and abandoned by the Savior Samuel asked him why he had left him. The savior simply explained that the times when there were two footprints I was walking right beside you and the times when there was only one pair of footprints was when I carried you on my back.
With tears in my eyes I closed my book and said a prayer in my heart of sorrow for my prideful faults. I felt remorse for my thoughts of doubt and feelings of being alone in my trial. In 1st Nephi 16:29 it reads “and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the lord can bring about great things”. I have literally applied this scripture and story in my life today.
After I was cleared to start attending school again I literally had to be carried to and from the car and long distances. But soon I was able to crutch everywhere without the swing from the crutch causing pain to my knee. Then my progression was that I could put my foot down when I crutched around applying a slight pressure to my knee. Soon I was only using one crutch and then walking with the assistance of a brace.
I by small and simple steps learned how to walk again. I could not just simply go from surgery to walking again because I wasn’t ready just as how we cannot just experience the surface of a trial and then be at the end of it. In order to learn we must take each step ourselves. This is not to say we have to experience our trials on our own in fact we are supposed to turn to the lord and lean upon him. “Even through the darkest of shadows, we can walk in comfort and consolation if we lovingly trust God” (Patricia Holland). But he will not do it for us he will take our hands and help us until we can stand on our own two feet.
In this life we must face trials however as we read in Job 4:3-5 “and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees”. God is always with us. He gives us trials to learn, grow and progress in this life. He didn’t say it would be easy but he did say it was worth it. As I have learned through my own personal example I can learn to be strong through the lord by trusting in his plan and by having the diligence to overcome the trails I have in life. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
works cited
Patricia Holland
Book of Job
Book of Nephi
Preach my Gospel
Boyd K. Packer, regional representatives’ seminar, 1 Apr. 1977
March 2004 Engsign
“Walk to the edge of the light, and perhaps a few steps into the darkness, and you will find that the light will appear and move ahead of you” (as quoted by Boyd K. Packer, regional representatives’ seminar, 1 Apr. 1977). When we find ourselves on the edge of light and what we know god asks us to diligently press on and take a few steps into what we do not know. In return we are given so much more perspective and blessings. Throughout our lives we are going to be faced with the challenge of diligently facing trials.
In my own life I had an experience where without diligence I would not been able to face my trial. Last February while on a family ski trip I had a terrible fall after attempting to master a double jump set on the tricks course. After multiple visits to the doctor and an MRI I was diagnosed with a torn ACL and a third degree rupture of my MCL. Needless to say my situation was less than desired. The recovery process for an ACL alone would mean surgery and months of physical therapy to get me walking normal again. As a girl who spent all her time on the soccer field or basketball court the idea of even wearing a brace hit me hard to the core. As of today I am 24 days away from being cleared to run again. My road to get from surgery to here has not been easy and it is far from being done.
I can still remember the first day after surgery as I crutched myself to the bathroom from my bed I bravely attempted to put my foot down as searing pain shot up my leg I clearly remember muttering to myself “I will never walk again”. Almost immediately after I was laying in my make shift bed on the couch reading a story out of a book my friend had given me.
The story goes that a man by the name of Samuel was going through some hard times in his life. As he said his prayers that night he asked god why he had abandoned him in such a hard time of his life. That night Samuel had a dream: he was walking along side the savior on a beach as he looked behind he could see two pairs of footprints in the sand. As Samuel watched he saw that sometimes there were two set and other times there were only one set of footprints, he also realized that there was only one when he was going thru that hardest times of his life. Feeling angry and abandoned by the Savior Samuel asked him why he had left him. The savior simply explained that the times when there were two footprints I was walking right beside you and the times when there was only one pair of footprints was when I carried you on my back.
With tears in my eyes I closed my book and said a prayer in my heart of sorrow for my prideful faults. I felt remorse for my thoughts of doubt and feelings of being alone in my trial. In 1st Nephi 16:29 it reads “and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the lord can bring about great things”. I have literally applied this scripture and story in my life today.
After I was cleared to start attending school again I literally had to be carried to and from the car and long distances. But soon I was able to crutch everywhere without the swing from the crutch causing pain to my knee. Then my progression was that I could put my foot down when I crutched around applying a slight pressure to my knee. Soon I was only using one crutch and then walking with the assistance of a brace.
I by small and simple steps learned how to walk again. I could not just simply go from surgery to walking again because I wasn’t ready just as how we cannot just experience the surface of a trial and then be at the end of it. In order to learn we must take each step ourselves. This is not to say we have to experience our trials on our own in fact we are supposed to turn to the lord and lean upon him. “Even through the darkest of shadows, we can walk in comfort and consolation if we lovingly trust God” (Patricia Holland). But he will not do it for us he will take our hands and help us until we can stand on our own two feet.
In this life we must face trials however as we read in Job 4:3-5 “and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees”. God is always with us. He gives us trials to learn, grow and progress in this life. He didn’t say it would be easy but he did say it was worth it. As I have learned through my own personal example I can learn to be strong through the lord by trusting in his plan and by having the diligence to overcome the trails I have in life. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
works cited
Patricia Holland
Book of Job
Book of Nephi
Preach my Gospel
Boyd K. Packer, regional representatives’ seminar, 1 Apr. 1977
March 2004 Engsign
12 comments:
Lucy-
I love your blog on diligence. i really like the perpective of diligence that you wrote on, and how you related it to an experience in your personal life. Thank you.
-Cortney Black
Your story of overcoming the adversity of an injuring is inspiring. The sentences in the first paragraph seemed to jump around a bit, but as soon as you started telling your story, the writing became clearer. You could polish this into an excellent David O. McKay essay. Where did you find the quotation from Patricia Holland?
That is a wonderful truth that you taught me: not only is the bitter necessary to appreciate the sweet but it is essential. I don't always like trials but your example has shown me that I can become a better person because of adversity.
I am glad that you are recovered from your accident and hope that you will still be able to do the things that you love to do. great blog post.
I really like this blog. And I really enjoyed the quote you used from Boyd K. Packer. It's a good reminder that we may not be able to see what is in front of us, but if we take the first step a few more steps will become clear.
I loved your quote about how we have to know the bitter to know the sweet. Your personal stories are great. I can relate a lot to the story about your torn muscle. I had to have surgery on my arm to put my bones back in place and ever since, I can't do nearly as much as I could. I've lost muscle, flexibility, and movement. This is probably my favorite blog!!
I really liked the story of your personal diligence to overcome your trials and how the savior is always with us.
I really enjoyed your relation to the story of samuel and about the savior and his footsteps. That story really touched me. Thank You!
It seems to me that it might have been more intuitive to write about "faith in the face of trials" rather then "diligence in the face of trials". I'm glad you wrote your blog the way you did, it was personal and offered a unique perspective on diligence, thanks for job well done!
Neat story! I'm the guy in a wheelchair, and I can relate to a lot of this :) when I first broke my neck 4 years ago I couldn't even sit up in bed for 30 seconds at a time. But now I even drive my own car! The road to recovery has things to figure out. But with proper faith and diligence all things can be done :D
touching story. Diligence means nothing without trials. to press forward into the darkness simple because you know its what God wants can be very difficult.
your insight really inhanced your blog in getting the meaning and example to come across.
Post a Comment