There

 are  two  concepts-­‐-­‐  the  virtue  of  patience  and  the  task  of  waiting-­‐-­‐  that  initially  
seem  identical.    However,  they  end  up  being  two  separate  things.    They  also  have  
important  differences  in  purpose  and  nature,  which  only  serve  to  highlight  how  to  
best  approach  them.  
 
The  virtue  of  patience  is  an  attribute  that  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ  displayed  (think  of  
patience  to  endure  those  hours  of  atonement).    It  is  also  something  he  teaches  
through  his  prophets.    Dieter  F.  Uchtdorf,  one  such  prophet,  defined  patience,  at  
basis,  as  "the  ability  to  wait"  or  "the  ability  to  put  our  desires  on  hold  for  a  time."    So  
it  is  this  concept  of  deviated  pleasure  that  makes  patience  what  it  is.    We  cannot  
have  what  we  want  now  whenever  we  need  patience.  In  some  sad  cases,  people  
seem  to  be  always  in  this  state.  
 
Patience  is,  then,  a  principle  that  we  use  when  we  have  to  wait.    For  instance,  one  
may  be  anxious  to  receive  something-­‐-­‐  a  gift  for  Christmas,  a  grade,  a  phone  call  or  
for  circumstances  to  change-­‐-­‐  such  as  a  sad  time  to  a  happy  time,  or  a  scholar  
waiting  for  Christmas,  etc.    In  these  instances  of  waiting,  we  must  use  principles  of  
patience  in  order  to  wait.  
 
President  Uchtdorf  said:  "Patience  means  active  waiting  and  enduring.  It  means  
staying  with  something  and  doing  all  that  we  can—working,  hoping,  and  exercising  
faith;  bearing  hardship  with  fortitude,  even  when  the  desires  of  our  hearts  are  
delayed.  Patience  is  not  simply  enduring;  it  is  enduring  well!"  
 
So  what  about  when  we  have  done  all  we  can-­‐-­‐once  the  application  is  submitted  or  
the  semester  is  done-­‐-­‐  but  don't  have  the  outcome-­‐-­‐  the  acceptance  or  rejection  of  
our  desire?    It  is  during  this  time  that  patience  is  the  hardest.    Even  when  we  think  
we  have  done  all  we  can  on  one  issue,  we  can  then  "endure  well"  by  working  on  
other  issues  or  entertaining  out  mind  with  aspects  of  life  unrelated  to  our  
unresolved  issue.      
 
Consider  the  stereotypical  lovestruck  couple  separated.    Instead  of  focusing  on  how  
much  the  miss  each  other,  they  can  focus  instead  on  the  non-­‐romantic  aspects  of  life,  
and  press  forward  in  their  lives  until  the  second  of  their  joyful  reunion.    This  does  
not  mean  they  don't  love  each  other  less,  but  that  they  can  focus  on  the  aspects  of  
life  they  can  change.  
 
So  the  prayer  "Lord,  hurry  up  and  give  me  patience,"  can  be  simplified  into  two  
prayers,  which  put  our  minds  in  line  with  God's.    In  the  end,  the  secret  to  waiting  is  
learning  to  pray  "What  may  I  do  now?"  in  addition  to  "Please  help  X,  Y  and  Z  to  
happen."    One  prayer  by  itself  is  insufficient.      The  exclusion  of  the  first  prayer  
focuses  exclusively  on  your  wants.    The  addition  of  the  first  prayer  keeps  both  
thoughts  in  mind,  so  you  may  care  about  both  waiting  for  promised  blessings  and  
patience  to  live  now.  
For  additional  insight  into  this  topic,  please  see  Dieter  F.  Uchtdorf,  “Continue  in  
Patience”    Ensign  May  2010.