From the book “Fifty Things that Matter to Latter-day Saints . . . .
Perseverance is why we revere Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, Lance Armstrong and several other greats. They didn’t find their destiny in defeat, or spelled out obstacles, but rather they reviewed those obstacles as something that would take work to overcome on the road to success. They saw the importance of practice, of the possibility of making weaknesses into strengths. I admire that quality in those around me who keep trying when walls seem to be solidly in their way. Their attitude and determination pays off in one way or another. I remember well my first lesson in perseverance from the life of Heber J. Grant. As our former prophet had poor penmanship, couldn’t throw a baseball well, nor could he sing in a pleasant manner. Yet he practiced until he made great strides in each area.
With that inspiration placed in my head at a formative age, my life has been shaped. On my own small scale I try to let persistence guide my life.
I remember trying out for a recreational soccer team in fifth grade. I ended up with a group from a different elementary school and didn’t know anyone. I wore cheap Reebok shoes that did not resemble soccer cleats in the slightest. The coach seemed unimpressed. I kept with it and eventually found another soccer team in which I began to excel. I progressed to the point that the next year I was given an award.
I began to enjoy soccer so much that by my freshman year I went out for my junior high’s soccer team. I prepared for months in advance. I would kick the soccer ball around my back yard, doing all kinds of drills. I also heard that we were to run a long distance—twelve laps around the track—as part of the tryouts. That’s when I began to run around my neighborhood, at least a couple of miles each day. I didn’t enjoy running until then. But because of my perseverance at soccer, I began to excel at the weekly fitness runs in P.E. The change was so drastic that my P.E. teachers took notice and even selected me for a district fitness run where I became a top runner.
I ended up being too nervous at soccer tryouts to perform well, so I joined the track team instead. My perseverance led me on a different path than I would not have originally anticipated, but I did improve my soccer skills through my training, and perhaps without that practice, I wouldn’t have discovered running as a talent and a favorite hobby.
Life’s possibilities become endless with an attitude of perseverance. ~ By Nicole Seymour, “50 Things that Really Matter to Latter-day Saints” (Salt Lake City 84111, 8160 South Highland Drive, Sandy, Utah 84093 www.leatherwood.com. or phone (801-534-1515)
