"Don't You Quit!"

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gives an awesome talk about a family and the struggles that they had getting across the country.

http://youtu.be/8nczw6xHJ0I

I really liked the underlying theme of the whole story. "Don't you quit!" When he said that, I thought about the times when I wanted to "quit." Senior year of high school. Hell week 2-a-days in football. I got my car taken away that week (I dunno why, I mean I was a perfect kid growing up. Never, ever got in trouble....) so I had to bike about 3 miles to the field, run my heart out, and then when all that was said and done, I had to bike home. I remember on day 2 of the "fun" week, we were doing "monkeys." That's where three players get together and do a series of jumping and rolling. I would explain it, but I think I would confuse everyone, including myself. As I was rolling across that turf that felt like it was on fire, I thought about just giving up. What did I have to lose? I could just get up and walk out and go (well, bike) home. But what good would that have done for me? Nothing. And forever I would be kickin myself for being a quitter. I finished that practice and the whole "Hell Week." I know it was something small, but for me, it means a lot. I took the advice of Elder Holland and I didn't quit. We all have these experiences. I'm sure that each one of us can think of a time when we just wanted to quit. Sports, school, church, dating, life, etc. Remember those awful papers that we had (or are having) to do in college? Yeah, been there. Remember feeling overwhelmed with everything going on in life? Yeah, been there. Remember feeling guilty for something that you have done wrong? Yeah, been there. We all have. But do we all remember our Heavenly Father saying, "Don't you quit!"? Do we remember how He sent us people to comfort us and to help us, one of which being the Holy Ghost? Do we remember that Jesus has felt ALL these feelings and pains? He didn't quit. He endured. He bled from every pore, and He didn't give in. He was scourged mercilessly, and He didn't throw in the towel. He had nails driven thru His hands and His feet, and He didn't quit. He hung on that cross for hours, and He didn't deviate one bit from His divine purpose. And He did that for us. So that all of us could have a chance to not quit. I know that He is the motivation for many people, including myself, to not give up. I know that He is the reason for the countless hours that missionaries spend preaching the gospel. I know that He is the reason that young men leave their families for two years to come out and sweat great amounts of sweat and get doors slammed in their faces. I know that He is the way that all of us can repent and be clean of all our sins. I know that in our darkest hour, when all hell is bearing down upon us, He is the light at the end of the tunnel. I testify that He is real. And I know that everyday He looks down on us and says, "Don't you quit!"

I Stand All Amazed...at our Savior Jesus Christ.