This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Relief Society Session of the October 2013 Conference.
After talking to some friends who are struggling in their marriages recently, I was pondering what keeps us going when we feel like nothing we do is really working. I've felt it with motherhood so many times, and with trying to improve myself, and at times in my own marriage too. Those times when you're just tired, and you're discouraged, and you sort of feel like you should keep trying but you also can't seem to make yourself want to. It's so hard to be in that place. But I was thinking about how one of the only answers I've found is just to keep trying because I love Jesus. I know what He's done for me. I can't forget it. So if I can keep my love for Him as my motivation, it helps with that feeling of "but what's the point? Nothing makes a difference!" If I try to serve my family or my neighbors for Jesus, it doesn't matter as much how they respond to me or even if my efforts are "successful" or not. It just feels satisfying to do something I know Jesus would want me to do.
This quote from Sister Linda K Burton's talk reminded me of that:
“If we fully appreciated the many blessings which are ours through the redemption made for us, there is nothing that the Lord could ask of us that we would not anxiously and willingly do.” According to this statement by President Joseph Fielding Smith, covenant keeping is one way to express our love for the incomprehensible, infinite Atonement of our Savior and Redeemer and the perfect love of our Father in Heaven.
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