There are many people who have said, “I know this church is true”, and later left the church.
Gaining a testimony is not the finish line.
That girls camp testimony meeting, your mission, that moment in the temple…
It wasn’t the finish line.
It wasn’t the peak spiritual experience in your life, and now everything is just downhill.
The Lord reminds Sidney Gilbert that: “he only is saved who endureth unto the end.” (D&C 53:7)
To me, THAT’S what I’ve learned it really means to “endure to the end”.
It means that I’m working to maintain what I’ve already felt and learned.
AND I’m working to create even more spiritual anchor moments.
I’m trying to keep the general trend going upward.
I’m thinking back on my anchor moments, and using them to fuel my day-to-day living.
I’m reading the scriptures to support the knowledge I already have and dive into the new.
I’m putting myself in holy places so that I can work on feeling the spirit more often. And then even more often.
I’m not even close to the finish line, and that is exciting to me!
I didn’t “make it” by getting sealed in the temple.
Or having that one strong spiritual experience.
It’s consistency.
It’s the daily workouts at the gym, instead of doing a marathon each summer and calling it good. (Figuratively speaking…)
A testimony is great. Having a strong witness that your Savior died and lives for you is amazing.
But after the amazing, anchoring spiritual experiences, I want to think:
“It’s only going up from here.”
And truly… it doesn’t always go up from there. There are dips and valleys and trenches along the way.
But I keep climbing back up and out as I keep turning to my Savior to lead the way.
He is the one who truly helps transform my “enduring” into “growing”.
Gaining a testimony isn’t the finish line.
It takes work to keep the flame going and growing.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
9 Responses
Cali, I love the perspective that your thoughts bring to my own reading and studying.
Thank you!
There is a huge difference between having a testimony and being truly converted. When we live daily as disciples, our life looks different and we are becoming someone different. A new person with a changed heart.
As one who “checked all the boxes” growing up in the church, I experienced conversion in my 60’s…finally through some poor choices, suffering and difficulty.
I believe strongly that we can better serve our members, especially young people, by getting real with them. We teach “destinations”…baptism at 8, priesthood at 12, mission, temple marriage, etc. But the Savior’s grace is not a destination…it’s a daily way of life.
I love that! Thank you!
So true! Living the gospel is definitely not a check list!!
Love it. Exactly how I feel. Thanks for putting it so succinctly.
<3
My husband and I read your Come Follow Snippets each week as we read and study the weekly scripture assignments. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your beautiful insights. You keep them REAL!! They are so relatable. Thank you so much for the time, thought and prayer you put into these weekly spiritual jewels! May the Lord’s choicest blessings be yours as you continue to share your light with others.
Thank you for studying along with me! <3