Epic Fail

Between the State Department and mix-ups at Federal Express along with my current employment status, keeping my head on my shoulders has been frustratingly difficult. I think I need a candy bar.

I was reading a talk given by President Monson all the way back in 1977 when he was a member of the Council of the Twelve. He talks about the faces of failure: The Face of Fear, the Face of Idleness, the Face of Doubt and the Face of Sin. Each of these has its pitfalls to which we might succumb. I wonder if there aren't other Faces as well. When we get beat down in our efforts, it is left to us to get up but one more time than we are knocked down. How do we know if the battering has ceased if we do not try again?

Elder Monson counsels us to combat these failures with Attitudes of Accomplishment. He characterizes these attitudes as the Attitude of Faith, the Attitude of Work, the Attitude of Courage, the Attitude of Obedience, and the Attitude of Love. 

Interestingly, there might be times in our lives - I should actually suggest there will be times in our lives when we've nothing more to bolster our confidence, nothing on which we can lean than the strength we can gain through our faith. 

"Faith implies a certain trust, even a reliance, upon the word of our Creator," Elder Monson explained.

When everything seems to combine against us, it is this faith and the Attitude of work that will get us through the tougher times. Faith gives us a reason to make the effort and by work we are able to make that continuous effort toward the accomplishment of our goals.

As I struggled through this week and these past few months, it has been difficult to keep my chin up at times. Not a few times have I had to turn to my Heavenly Father for strength. I can only hope that my hope, my faith, and my courage can help me to win out in the end.