Principle #5: Enduring to the End

14 months, 56 calls home, 6 companions, 5 areas and 1 wedding later, I finally understand the fifth principle of The Gospel of Jesus Christ, enduring to the end. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ consists of 4 principles that Christ taught while he was on the earth. 

1. Faith

2. Repentance 

3. Baptism by immersion 

4. Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost 

5. Enduring to the End 

As missionaries we teach people this lesson to help them understand exactly what Jesus Christ taught people during his life here on earth. While all the principles are important, during the past couple weeks, enduring to the end has hit home with me. This principle to me means to keep going with Christ when times are good but especially when times are bad. It's weird because like everyone else I have had hard times on my mission but not like this. This time is different, now Satan knows my weakness, my time left on the mission and he is using that against me. 

As missionaries I feel like we are constantly being told that we aren't obedient enough, consecrated enough, or we need to be more faithful. While I understand agency and that this is the most important work on the earth, there is still a balance. I have always been really good at not owning those statements but they are starting to sink in in these last couple months. What if? What if I had been more obedient, consecrated, or faithful? Through the help of Sister Higham and her mother I was able to debunk that statement. Her mom told me that, "faith is a stand alone act." Why? Because no matter how much faith I have, people still have their free agency. Elder Uchtdorf once said, "Faith is powerful, and often it does result in miracles. But no matter how much faith we have, there are two things faith cannot do. For one, it cannot violate another person’s agency. God will invite, persuade. God will reach out tirelessly with love and inspiration and encouragement. But God will never compel—that would undermine His great plan for our eternal growth."

It's still up to them to read the scriptures, pray, or come to church. It's up to them to keep enduring through those hard times and never stop doing the small things to get them closer to Christ. 

Even though deep down I know that, I am still pushing past those thoughts and unsettled feelings. I am pushing those thoughts out by reading the scriptures and listening to talks by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was able to listen to one months and months ago called, "Lessons on Endurance." By J. Ty. Hopkins. In this devotional he talked about wanting to do “The world’s Toughest Bike Race” which goes from Banff Canada to the border with Mexico. It is along the Continental Divide (the actual divide, not roads) and is 17 days long and 2709 miles long. It has 200,000 feet of climbing. The thing that makes it the very hardest is you are completely in your own. There are no aid stations, preplanned drops, people to fix a bike or shelter you from the elements. You are on your own the whole time. Completely self-supported. 

At the time I read this talk I was in Granite Bay, on a bike and a couple of the things Ty (and my dad) said was exactly what I needed to hear at the time to get me through the long and tiring days. 

Now, 9 months later, that talk still lives in my head and I think about it all the time. It's funny how God knows what you need and he sends you little rays everyday. Two weeks ago a missionary sent that talk in to the chat recommending everyone to read it. One week ago I was device auditing a sister missionary and when I opened her phone it glowed with that talk. Then not long after, I received an email from my Aunt Beth and she was talking about that exact devotional. She mentioned how she read about it in an Ensign magazine and she thought I might need to hear it. Little did she know, she was an answer to my prayers. This time however, she pointed out a part that was completely foreign to me. A part that I skimmed past last time because I needed to hear a different section. 

Here is what my Aunt wrote about the section that was designed for me: 

"On one of his practice races in Colorado mountain wilderness, he had a nasty fall cross a stream in the dark. He hurt his head, broke his glasses, his head was bleeding and he was wet and cold. He fell asleep crying. 

When he woke up a few hours later, the sun was rising and “starting to illuminate the eastern horizon, creating an incredible backlit view of the peaks. The light also opened up the vista where I'd been sleeping. Since I had arrived after dark, I was seeing for the first time that I was on the edge of a vast mountain meadow that was filled with flowers and covered with morning dew.

I sat in silence and took it in. I was still determined to quit, but I was in awe of the beauty that surrounded me, and I was dumbfounded that I had not noticed anything like this the previous day.

I knew this couldn't be the first beautiful sight that I had come across in almost 20 hours of riding in one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the United States. Had I missed it all?” 

So he started out riding so he could get to Silverton Colorado, where he could quit. That was the next possible town and it was still 10 miles away. He started riding toward Silverton, and unlike the previous day, the trail was fun and fast, and he was smiling as he rode it thru beautiful mountain sights. He couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful mountain meadows he’d seen, filled with flowers, and he was overwhelmed with the beauty. He mourned of all the beauty that he had missed the first day because the trail was hard and he was focused on how hard it was and didn’t notice any of the beauty. When he got to Silverton, he ate a 2lb burrito 😂 and promised himself he would keep going AND pay attention and appreciate the full experience. He did not want to miss anymore meadows of flowers."

I loved this section because this is 1000% me right now in my life. At times just like him, I feel tried, bruised, cold and like crying. During this race all Ty was doing was keeping his head down just thinking about the next rest stop, mile, or when he was finished. This is what he thought enduring to the end looked like, just trying to survive TILL the end. Survival Mode. Except this experience changed him, while he was looking toward the end he missed the middle. He missed the beautiful meadow, flowers, and scenery. Ty missed the whole process and the view because he was focused on the finish line. 

Ty said, "“Endurance is the process of learning and growing during a sustained effort; the process of seeing good in hard circumstances." When he paid attention to all of the process, the negative and the positive, he would get to the finish line with more joy. Endurance is a process that leads to refinement and fulfillment. Ty mentions that while the trail is rough and demands our attention, we have to give some consideration to the flowers. We must enjoy the process to fully enjoy the outcome. If I am constantly thinking about the next thing, home or what's ahead then I am missing the entire point of living. I am missing the journey, the process, and the adventure that's all around me. That though is easier said then done isn't it...

This week I have heard many and great stories about people who are unconquerable in enduring to the end. Those who have struggled, those who at any moment could have given up but didn't. 

The one that stuck out to me the most was about a girl named Meg Johnson. At the time Meg had it all, she had a great family, great friends and was going to BYU, she had a great career lined up. At one point she even said she felt like for what it was, she had almost a perfect life. Until one day, she was out hiking with her friends when she fell 40 feet. Meg fell and landed on her hands and knees but was still concious. The fall broke the bones in both of her arms, snapped both femurs, and broke her neck. Then, somewhere between the scene of the accident and the hospital, Meg becomes paralyzed. 

Meg's whole life has been changed, turned upside down and will never be the same, EVER. While in the hospital, the doctors, thinking Meg was asleep, told each other that an injury this hers takes away someone's purpose in life. Meg heard this. 

Meg after several months in the hospital and 17 surgeries later, Meg was able to return home to her new life, now almost fully paralyzed and wheel chair bound. Just as anyone would Meg began to mourn her old life and she began to search for her purpose. She became depressed as she began to have to relearn everything. Then one day Meg had a realization, she says, 

"I was sitting on the back deck and I realized that I have a decision to make. I could either spend the rest of my life wanting my old life back or I can embrace my new one."

I began to think about my mission. During these last couple months I could either spend it wishing to be home or I can embrace where I am at and find the flowers!

Let me tell you, hearing that one statement was exactly what I needed to get out of the funk I was in. 

Satan officially has lost. 

Meg to me is an amazing example of an unconquerable Spirit who endured to the end. 

Except how do we endure to the end and yet enjoy the process? One word....

Joy

Enduring to the end means enduring but with JOY. 

While listening to another BYU Devotional I learned that joy isn't a temporary emotion but rather a more permanent and constant condition. At times I might feel sad or down but I do have joy. Being on a mission has shown me what true joy looks like. Joy is at the center of God's plan for us. The Plan of Salvation, the Plan of Happiness, the Plan of JOY. 

Except, how do we have enduring joy? 

1. We need to remember as Russell M. Nelson put it, "JOY has little to do with the circumstance of our life and everything to do with the focus of it." JOY is not dependent on our physical and external conditions. 

2. Realizing that having constant joy doesn't mean living a bliss free life free of challenges. One of my favorite quotes from Lawrence Corbridge says, "You can suffer and never know joy, but you can't have joy without suffering." 

3. We have constant and lasting joy when we keep God's commandments. 

4. Repentance is a critical part of having lasting joy here and into the eternities.

5. Joy is a power that is given from God. When we have joy we bring God's power into our lives. 

6. Joy is only possible because of and through Jesus Christ. "How then do we claim joy? We can start by looking to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith in every thought." -Russell M. Nelson 

I'd love to invite you all to join me in enduring the end and enjoying the process. We are here!! Right now!! What an amazing gift we have from a loving Heavenly Father. 

Jesus Christ is the greatest unconquerable spirit. Christ endured to the end so that we can have joy in this life and into the eternities. I have never really understood the physical, emotional, and mental hardships that Jesus Christ went through until I read about it in The Book of Mormon. One of my favorite verses only captures alittle of what he went through. It says in 1 Nephi 19:9,

"And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men." 

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, Redemer, our Savior, and my personal friend. May we all follow His perfect example of endurance, mental fortitude, and lasting Joy ❤️

You are never alone!! 

Love,

Sister Pickett 

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This past week we went over to a members house and had the best dessert!! We had what she calls, "7 Layer Bars" and they were so delicious I had to get the recipe!! These bars were so gooey, nutty, and caramelly we were in heaven!! Looking at the recipe it's crazy that something so simple could pop out the greatest product. With 7 Layers of heaven it was hard not taking the whole pan to go! 

I absolutely love simple dessert recipe like this one!! If you love, chewy, caramel, chocolate and butterscotch with a delicious nutty flavor, this is the dessert for you!! Goodbye brownie, hello 7 Layer!! 

Have you ever had a dessert like this one??