One of my favorite quotes from the most recent April 2020 General Conference came from a Q&A video with President Nelson and some little children. One little girl named Pearl asked,
Pearl: “Is it hard to be a prophet? Are you, like, really busy?”
President Nelson: “Of course it’s hard. Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior is difficult. For example, when God wanted to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, where did He tell Moses to go? Up on top of a mountain, on the top of Mount Sinai. So Moses had to walk all the way up to the top of that mountain to get the Ten Commandments. Now, Heavenly Father could have said, ‘Moses, you start there, and I’ll start here, and I’ll meet you halfway.’ No, the Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.”
The Lord loves effort! He repeatedly taught in the scriptures for us to ask, seek, and knock. Effort.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
The Lord loves effort. It is this kind of effort that allows you to trust yourself.
It is this effort that brings clarity to hearing God’s voice for you on your path.
It is the effort of living daily habits that support you living in your true self that allows you to trust yourself. Everything from getting enough sleep, moving your body, eating well, being grateful, being present, meditation, prayer, studying the scriptures, attending the temple, repenting, forgiving… the Lord loves effort. This effort is what allows you to trust yourself.
This effort brings confidence. This intense trust. Because it reminds you who you are and brings clarity to your purpose.
Effort brings trust.
Trust yourself. Put forth the effort.
Just like we gain trust in relationships one act at a time, the same is true for trusting ourselves. One tiny effort at a time builds trust. It builds confidence. Your ability to trust yourself so you can move forward on the path. You trust yourself, because these efforts allow you to know and hear God’s word for you.
When I think of any confident hero in the scriptures, they each put forth effort.
Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sanai.
Nephi built a ship.
Lehi left his home in Jerusalem with his family and travelled into the wilderness.
The early pioneers left their homes and crossed the plains.
“The Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.”
Effort builds trust. Trust helps you keep moving forward.
All of these great efforts were only made one tiny step at a time.
One step after another up Mount Sanai.
One day after another in building a ship.
One step after another traveling in the wilderness or crossing the plains.
All great efforts are only a cumulation of very small ones added up day after day after day.
Too often we think of success as a final arrival instead of what it really is… a succession…one moment after another of building trust with yourself. Success-ion.
Trust is gained one effort at a time.
The smallest efforts count, because it is effort towards a greater whole.
I remember as a seminary student back in high school, we had a seminary teacher who would constantly remind us of the fundamentals. If any student were to come into his office seeking counsel he would always first ask, “Are you reading your scriptures everyday? Are you praying everyday?” If they weren’t doing those things, he kindly told them to come back after they had done those things daily for a week or two.
