Patience

Dear Friends and Neighbors: 

            Oh, the time is short and the art is long!  Give me some patience right now!  Do I need some drugs!  Sister Taylor’s medicinal prescription of patience will be healing to your soul.  Please patiently read her attached essay. 

Love, GT & DT. 

Patience

                Since I have been in the Philippines I have been impressed and intrigued by a strong cultural characteristic of the Philippine people. They are patient, calm, soft -spoken, polite, and modest with others.  They demonstrate incredible patience even when experiencing natural disasters!  AND unbelievably, when driving in the city!

                As I look around me and interact with them, I wonder how they came to be this way and why I am different.  I am trying to practice patience but find that I am impatient with my patience.

                Here in the MTC, we have missionaries from many cultures.  I wanted to see how they viewed the attribute of “Patience.”  I decided to do some research; here is what I found:

                Patience, one of the “SEVEN HEAVENLY VIRTUES”, derived from the Psychomachia (“Battle for the Soul”), written by Prudentius, alleges to protect us from the “SEVEN DEADLY SINS: humility against pride, kindness against envy, abstinence against gluttony, chastity against lust, patience against anger, liberality against greed, and diligence against sloth.”  Judaism lists Patience in the Talmud as an “important personal trait”. Christianity values Patience as one of “the most valuable virtues of life and a fruit of the Holy Spirit”. Muslims believe that Patience is “the best and most valuable virtues of life” which enables “an individual to grow closer to God and thus attain true peace.” Buddhism believe that Patience “’is one of the perfections’”.

                Reemphasizing that Patience is a universal virtue makes it even more important, but none-the-less difficult to attain.  I am certainly aware of the negatives and disadvantages of impatience, to name a few: depression, anger, inadequacy, retaliation, anxiety, and lowered self esteem.  So I have questioned my basic paradigms or beliefs as to why I often choose impatience over patience.   Here are a few insights that have come to my mind in question form:

·   Am I impatient because I believe that my personal desire, need and agency is more important, and should override the laws of nature, and the rights and agency of others?

·   Do I feel that anger justifies my response of impatience?

·   Do I transfer responsibility by being impatient?

·   Do I believe that Patience is passive, and a sign of weakness and vulnerability rather that an active process?

·   I want to have the benefits of Patience like forbearance, endurance, steadfastness, fortitude, contentment, peace, perseverance, constancy, striving, mindfulness, organization, growth, success, faith, joy, accomplishment, self control, health, competence, perfection, and the Spirit.  I just need to figure out how to acquire Patience.

·   Do I really know and trust as stated in D&C 122:7, that all things will give me experience and be for my good?

·   Do I believe that with charity, the pure love of Christ, I can do all things--even obtain Patience (D&C18:19, Moroni 7:44, 45)?

·   Am I sure that I am a free agent to act for myself and that biology and nature can change (Nephi 10: 23)?

·   Do I live in the present more than the past or future?

·   Do I breathe regularly from the breath of life?

 

                I recommend the reading of Preach My Gospel, Page 120.  As I come to conclusions in my quest for Patience, I realize that the virtue of Patience is the very foundation of my survival and my ability to thrive.  With the grace and mercy of God I can gain the spiritual gift and attribute of Patience!   

 

DST 09-12