Perspective on the journey

"For most of us, the turn away from self and to the Lord that constitutes 'putting off the natural man' is not an immediate, smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted about-face. Rather, we are likely to start and stop, to stumble, and to both press forward and slide backward along the strait and narrow path. We may be disappointed at our apparent lack of progress or disheartened by the gap between what we know and what we actually do.

"Devoted discipleship is rigorous and rewarding, exacting and edifying, demanding and liberating. Sometimes during our mortal journey we may simply think we are incapable of making it to the final destination--that the distance we need to travel and the requirements we must fulfill are just too much. But learning and living the gospel of Jesus Christ is not hard. What truly is hard is failing to live in harmony with the truths of the restored gospel and facing the consequences of allowing the 'natural man' to rule our lives. Selfishness always leads to shallow satisfaction and sorrow and renders unattainable the deepest yearning a of the soul. 

"As we strive to reduce the disparity between what we know and what we do, we are fortified by the knowledge that through the Atonement we can receive grace, mercy, and assurance. These blessings enable us to do good and become better than we ever could if we were relying only on our limited mortal capacity. We do not prepare for and make the trip to eternity alone."

--Elder Bednar, Act in Doctrine, p 89