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> ... Devotionals & Speeches > “Persevere with the Lord's Help"

BYU-Pathway Worldwide Devotional

“Persevere with the Lord's Help"

Milton Camargo
First Counselor, Sunday School General Presidency
March 01, 2022
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Dear BYU-Pathway Worldwide students, I have pondered and prayed to have the Lord inspire me on what could be meaningful and helpful to you. With all your responsibilities in life, engaging in a higher education program can sometimes look like an insurmountable task. You have only a limited amount of time to take care of your family, your job, and your Church activities. Now, on top of all that, you have course material to study, assignments to complete, and tests to take. How can you possibly do all of that?I believe the scriptures teach principles and practices that can help you persevere in your studies with the Lord’s help. May I suggest a few:

Planning your week

In our studies this year of the Old Testament and the Pearl of Great Price, both considered standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have learned a wonderful lesson from the creation of the earth. God, our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, created this whole earth in six days. Even considering that Their days were calculated differently than ours, that was an enormous project They undertook. Notice how They approached it: In the heading for chapter 4 of the book of Abraham, we read, “The Gods plan the creation of the earth and all life thereon — Their plans for the six days of creation are set forth.” The book of Moses, chapter 3, verse 5, describes it this way: “For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.”

If I can apply that learning to your life, let me suggest you also plan your whole week, Monday through Sunday, before it starts. You might consider this the spiritual creation of your week. You could include in your plans time to work, time to take care of your family, time to serve in your Church responsibilities, time to study the scriptures, and time to study for your courses at BYU-Pathway. The specifics of your plan will be different for each one of you. However, if you can set aside specific hours each day in your calendar for your BYU-Pathway studies, from Monday through Saturday, that would greatly help your progress.

Executing your weekly plan

The heading for Abraham, chapter 5, says that after “the Gods finished Their planning of the creation of all things — They [brought] to pass the Creation according to Their plans.” Follow Their example: After you finish the plan for your week, do your best to “bring to pass the creation [of your schedule] according to [your plan].”

Please remember that the Lord wants you to persevere and succeed in your studies. So include Him in your efforts. He’s the best study partner you’ll ever have. As Nephi said, “… Ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.” 1
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2 Nephi 32:9
 Let me suggest you start your studies of the scriptures, or your studies of your courses, with a prayer. Ask Heavenly Father to inspire you, to illuminate your mind to understand His will and learn what you have to learn. Soon you will discover that the Holy Ghost indeed reveals to you the “mysteries of God” 2
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1 Nephi 10:19
 and enlightens your mind. 3
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See Doctrine and Covenants 11:13

Adjusting your plan

Of course, we all know that things don’t always go according to plan. When Nephi started building the ship that would take his family to the promised land, he said that “the Lord did show [him] from time to time” 4
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1 Nephi 18:1
 what to do. So Nephi went “into the mount oft, and … did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto [him] great things." 5
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1 Nephi 18:3
 After some weeks of doing your best to effectively execute your plan, you might see a need for some revision and adjustments. Don’t be discouraged by that, and continue to seek the Lord’s guidance, as Nephi did.

You are entitled to receive help

At some point during your journey to a higher education with BYU-Pathway, you might feel overwhelmed with so many things to do. Please remember that you are not alone during your challenges. The Lord has given you many people who can support you — family members; Church leaders; friends; as well as your BYU-Pathway instructors, mentors, or tutors. And, of course, the Lord Himself always stands ready to comfort and strengthen you. He said to all of us, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." 6
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Isaiah 49:16

Look to the future with faith and focus on your current task

In those moments when you need a little boost of hope and strength, two things will be helpful. First, look to the future with faith. Envision yourself finishing your courses, completing your first certificate, or obtaining your bachelor’s degree. That is not just a dream — it is a reality that will come to you. When that day arrives, look back, acknowledge how much you’ve accomplished, thank the Lord, and commit yourself to move forward with faith. Second, focus your attention and your energy on the task of the day, on your next step. This is how a long journey is accomplished — step by step, task by task.

Dear BYU-Pathway students, this is the Lord’s work. You are not just getting an education. You are getting an education coupled with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lives. He wants you to succeed in this important endeavor, and He will help you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.