Enduring to the End

So this evening Mackay and I attended the adult session of Stake Conference. It was a very enjoyable meeting. Mackay was kind enough to take Henry so I could listen and not try to keep Henry distracted the entire time. This was wonderful because I learned a lot of things I was really in need of and my testimony was strengthened. The one thing I want to share here is on enduring to the end. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, this is a common phrase. (For those of you not familiar with this phrase, go to lds.org, type "endure" in the search bar at the top right corner of the screen, and choose the first item on the list. This will give you a basic idea of what we believe on this subject.) To be perfectly honest, I often imagine enduring to the end as a painful and completely unenjoyable experience such as getting a tooth pulled - tons of pain but in the end much better for you. But tonight a few of the speakers spoke on enduring to the end. One sister spoke on how she came to find joy in enduring. The two experiences she related had to do with praying for the Lord's guidance by receiving specific answers to prayer. As most of you know, Mackay and I are both in school full-time, Mackay is preparing for the MCAT & works part-time, and we have a son. As this dear sister spoke, I felt as though she had written her talk for me. I decided when I got home to do as she had done and ask the Lord for guidance in my specific situation. I want to testify that God answers prayers! I now know the specific things that I need to do to find joy in enduring. Life does have much pain and disappointment, but we can also have overwhelming joy. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer, LIVES! I cannot even express the joy this brings to my heart! He feels your pain and He feels mine and He is there to succor us in our afflictions. I know this with all my heart! He is the reason we can find joy in enduring!