enduring.

I've come to the conclusion that life is sometimes very tough. Often times (especially lately) I've found myself simply trying to endure. Trying to make it from one day to the next. I think we all get like that. We all have trials, challenges, and hard days. Sometimes these days turn into weeks, and sadly sometimes they turn to months. This is simply a part of life. We get caught up on things, and just make it through things. Especially amidst trials we tend to turn to autopilot mode, and just endure.

Truthfully, I hate enduring.

I mean, who wants to endure through trials? Who wants to endure something they don't think they deserve simply to make it to the end and say they endured? Who wants to keep going even when it gets so tough that life becomes something to just endure? Not me. I may not be a quitter, but sometimes I feel being told to simply endure everything, is one of the worst things in the world. However, as I've been enduring through one of the worst weeks of my long 18 years of life, I have decided that I needed to reevaluate how I was going to endure through the rest of my bad weeks in life (heaven only knows that bad weeks are inevitable) So I stumbled across 2 Nephi 31:20, and the end of it says, "Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

Wait, what?! You mean even though I hate enduring, I have to endure? This must be a mistake. There has to be another way.

Ha. Turns out enduring is necessary for eternal life. But that's not all, it turns out it is absolutely necessary for happiness too. As this week finally comes to a close, I realize that without pressing forward, and enduring through this not-so-great week I wouldn't ever get the chance to have a splendid week. Without all those times we are called to endure through hard trials, we wouldn't be able to make it to the blessings. We wouldn't see why we are called to pass through trials, and why enduring is necessary.

As a beehive, I remember a lesson taught by a member of the bishopric right after girls camp. For some reason I remember part of it, which is very rare because memory is not my strong suit. He said something to the extend of, "Even if we don't understand why we are told to do something, we must be obedient. We will never see the reason why, or the blessings that follow unless we deserve it...The blessings will never come if we are never doing what we need to be doing."

I remember feeling the spirit so strong when he told us to keep going, even if we didn't understand the reason why. I think it is a comfort to know that even when we feel things aren't necessary, we don't need to question the Lord guidance or why we are being called to pass through the hard times because He knows what is truly best for us. Which in some cases, may be enduring through an exceptionally hard week, but in the end we will see the full picture, and the reasons why, even if we don't see why yet. (Ether 12:6) Plus, if we endure the bad weeks then I am 130% certain we will be blessed with good weeks. My thought is even though enduring is rough, and sometimes things aren't at all how we want them to be, we can take comfort in knowing that Heavenly Father knows of what we may be going through, and He is already blessing us for simply enduring. After all is said and done, I believe that these weeks of enduring will bring forth the greatest blessings.

&& as my dear pal, President Hinckley said, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."
And through enduring, we are able to be happy and truly enjoy this life. I'm sure of it.

And even better news- even while enduring, there are parts of life that enjoying is so very important. (Picture catch up. You are very welcome.)