Imagine receiving a call at 10:32 pm and being told “Pack your bags. You are leaving for the airport at 6:00 AM.” Imagine the U.S. state department raising the foreign country’s risk level to four, the highest risk level possible, and being told to evacuate. Imagine flying all day and overnight to arrive safely at 6:30 AM in another foreign country. Imagine having to wait for a few days to receive an assignment to serve somewhere safer.
One tender mercy is having so many people taking great care to make sure you get to the airport safely, that you get on the airplane safely, and that you are doing well. Several times someone would ask “Are you doing OK?” “How are you feeling?” We feel fine. Is that resilience?
There are so many stories in the scriptures of people showing tremendous resilience. When Lehi and his family had to flee into the wilderness. Nephi and his brothers had to find food. Nephi had to tolerate his mean-spirited brothers. They had to eat uncooked food. They endured tremendous hardship for about 8 years before they built a boat and left for the promised land. How much are faith and resilience intertwined?
So many of the early Saints exhibited tremendous resilience. Because of persecution, some lost their lives, many lost their homes, and they needed to leave beautiful Nauvoo and go to the Salt Lake valley and start all over.
No matter how great or small our challenges might be, Adjusting to Missionary Life offers several suggestions for developing resilience:
- Recognize the hand of the Lord in all things. You have a front row seat to the greatest miracle of all: the effect of Christ’s Atonement on individuals and families. Practice focusing every day on blessings you are grateful for. Notice the Spirit’s influence in your life, and write about it. (See Moroni 10:3.)
- Identify and memorize comforting scriptures. As you study, list scriptures that strengthen and comfort you. Memorize them or read them often.
- Remember what you’ve learned.You have been coping successfully with change and difficulty your whole life. During personal study time, list what you have learned from past transitions and periods of high stress (like adjusting to the MTC). How can you apply these skills now? “Remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts” (Moroni 10:3).
- Serve from your strengths.Make a list of your strengths, talents, and spiritual gifts. Your strengths are part of the Lord’s storehouse, from which He draws to bless His children and build His kingdom. A crucial part of your mission is to cultivate your gifts and consecrate your strengths to help others come to Christ. Focus more on what you do well than on what you do wrong. Plan ways each week to develop and use your gifts to serve and bless others (see D&C 82:18–19).
- Don’t try to control things you cannot.While you will make your best effort to meet your proselyting goals, the outcome of your effort is dependent on the agency of others, which you cannot force. “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (D&C 121:41). “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (D&C 123:17).
- Refocus on gratitude.Notice what is around you. Focus for a few minutes on what is right, good, and positive about yourself and the world. Offer a prayer of gratitude for at least five specific things.
- Take one step at a time.Identify the immediate problem, and take one step at a time to solve it. Remind yourself, “All I have to do right now is ____.” For example, “All I have to do right now is wait for the bus.” or “All I have to do right now is find this address.”
- Help someone else.Refocus your energy by serving someone else. Smile at people, help them out, and offer service. (See Preach My Gospel, 168–69.)
In addition, we have these among our favorite scriptures which help us build resilience.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
1 Nephi 3:7, 4:6 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them… And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
May the Lord bless us with faith and resilience as we face the challenges that will come our way.
