Patience

When I think of patience, these are the images that come to my mind: long lines, crowded rooms, whiny children, slow drivers, pessimistic people, hungry children, bad internet connection, stories that never end, tired children, doctor's office, airports, Walmart, post office, a child who wets their bed night after night, loud obnoxious dogs in my neighborhood, smokers,etc, etc. Seriously, that list could go on and on....which should tell you that I have some serious issues with patience.

The other day, I was reading a family history story that my mom sent me about my great, great, great grandma, Alice Court Jones. In the story, her daughter said the following about her,

"She often prayed for strength and patience to accept nobly whatever she might be called to pass through. She found that patience is a form of strength; it is the product of struggle. It is not acquired through the pursuit of easy things...."

This faithful grandmother of mine was put through the ultimate test. She spent her life seeking God's will and learning to trust in him, in his ways, and in his timing. She had a very difficult heartbreaking life. One that I couldn't possibly imagine. But, one that I'm sure has lead her to win the prize that we all seek.


President Uchtdorf recently said that, "Patience means to abide in faith, knowing that sometimes it is in the waiting rather than in the receiving that we grow the most."

As a mother, I find my patience tested everyday by small things of little significance. And yet, when I look at the big picture, I see that it is in those small tests that I find the courage and faith to face the bigger ones with a little more patience.

The tests of patience that are placed before us come in many different forms. Whether it is waiting for a baby to come, a child to return, a change of direction, a disease to be cured, a trial to be lifted, a heart to be healed, or a miracle to happen; each one has its own kind of pain and agony, and yet, each one can lead us to become more like Him.

Just as my great, great, great, grandmother did all those years ago, today, I too will pray for strength and patience to accept nobly whatever I might be called to pass through.