Due to some challenges in my life right now, I chose to work on

patience. Patience is incredibly important, and works hand in hand with faith
the attribute which I chose previously. Even if I have faith that things will
get better, dealing with the challenges while theyre here is still difficult. This
is the importance of patience.
Currently, my life has been a little hectic. We've had a bit of a family
crisis lately - my 89-year-old grandmother has been dealing with the onset of
dementia. It's been manageable, but still difficult. However, in the last few
weeks, she's been getting ideas into her head which prompt her to go
outside at nighttime, sometimes thinking that it's Sunday morning, and that
we forgot to take her to church. She essentially just wanders not knowing
what's going on. Since we're the closest ones to her, we end up having to
check up on her most of the time. However, in the last few weeks she's been
doing it more consistently, and the police had to get involved. Since they got
involved, they had to file a report, and we received notice that we were on
warning about APS involvement.
Essentially, since this came so suddenly, we have had no formal
arrangements to take care of her, so we've been somewhat volunteered to
go sleep at her house and take care of her. The issue is that she has no
internet, so the time I can spend on assignments has been at an all-time low.
This makes for some very difficult situations. Dealing with everything has
been difficult, and requires a lot of patience. However, it also provides the
atmosphere in which I can hopefully gain patience. Being frustrated with my
grandma, my studies, and my family provides me with many opportunities to
be patient.
When thinking of patience, three Book of Mormon scriptures stand out
to me. First, Mosiah 24:15, which says And now it came to pass that the
burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea,
the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with
ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the
Lord.
Second, Alma 38:4-5 which states For I know that thou wast in bonds;
yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the words sake; and thou
didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and
now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee And now my son, Shiblon,
I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in
God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles,
and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Lastly, I think of the whole chapter of Ether 6. The Jaredite voyage
would have been an incredibly trying experience. I think of seasickness with

animals on-board in a very enclosed space. There was no control over

direction, speed, or orientation. I can imagine that this required a lot of
patience.