Patience is a Heavenly Virtue

Two years.

That's 24 months, 104 weeks, 730 days, 17,520 hours. All that time is spent with my other half 4,000 miles away from me.

It has been nineteen days since Jake started his adventure, and he is doing amazing things already. I knew that sweet, compassionate Jake would make an excellent missionary; it seems I have underestimated him. My sweet Elder Rasmussen has gone above and beyond. I'm amazed at his progress and incredible success in just nineteen short days. I can't wait to see what he can do in 730!!

I could not possibly express my joy for him in words. Jake is so happy and he knows he's where he's supposed to be. I know with all of my heart that he is doing the right thing. I wouldn't want him to be doing anything else. :)

Today, however, was a rather challenging day for me. In spite of my happiness and gratitude for his service, it is extremely difficult to be separated from him for so long. The only thing I wanted to do on this rainy day was stay in and watch all of our favorite movies together and snuggle and drink hot chocolate. However, since he is so far away, I decided to instead do a little research on the topic of patience.

While going through my first month of being a missionary girlfriend, I've had so many inspiring little quotes thrown at me that I've considered stitching onto a throw pillow; phrases like, "happiness is a journey, not a destination," and "good things come to those who wait." Don't get me wrong, I love the fancy quotes -- I couldn't get by without a little motivation. But between the cheesy packages and love letters and blogging, I've come to realize that this journey is about so much more about just waiting. It's about becoming.

Tonight, I came across the comforting words of President Uchtdorf in his talk, "Continue in Patience." Two things really stuck out to me:

1) Waiting can be hard. Waiting IS hard. But "the lessons we learn from patience will cultivate our character, lift our lives, and heighten our happiness." Waiting for a missionary shapes you in ways that you wouldn't expect. Obviously, you don't get to text him, and you can't hold his hand and go on dates whenever you want. The thing that I'm struggling with the most is coming home after a long, difficult day and not being able to call him. But instead, I get to write! Sure, it's a week until I get to hear back from him. I'm learning to love him in a different way. Since patience is a heavenly virtue, it is a quality we need to develop to become like our Heavenly Father. In this big, moving, industrial world of ours, it's hard to be patient; Sometimes it's hard to remember that there's more to this life than just now. "Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace."

2) He goes on to say, "It is my prayer that patience will be a defining characteristic of [us]; that we will courageously trust the Lord’s promises and His timing; that we will act toward others with the patience and compassion we seek for ourselves; and that we will continue in patience until we are perfected." The Lord knew what he was doing when he paired me up with a boy who still had to serve a mission. He knew that I needed to develop patience. But instead of sitting around and counting the hours until he's back with me again, I need to focus on my life here. I can work now to build my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I can prepare to become the best wife and mother that I could possibly be. I love how President Uchtdorf mentions how we can "act toward others with the patience and compassion we seek for ourselves." When you lose yourself in service, time really flies! And that's not a bad way to pass the time, either. :) 

I know God has a plan for me, and he has a reason for everything he does. I'm learning to trust the journey even when I do not understand it. He truly loves each one of us, and He knows what's best for us all. I love this gospel, I love my sweet missionary, and I love my Heavenly Father who's helping me develop patience. :)