Endure Diligently to the End

 "Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength...but be diligent unto the end" (D&C 10:4).

This week, I learned the importance of endurance. Consider a runner: a sprint versus a marathon demands different actions. Both require intense exertion, but an effective sprinter must reach a higher speed. At the same time, a marathon runner maintains a constant speed, breath, and heart rate for a longer period of time. The slower speed of the marathon runner does not imply a lack of effort. Rather, purposeful pacing reflects the forethought and planning that is required to finish the race.

It is not in the gospel of the Lord to sprint until our legs give out. But we are commanded to endure to the end. This cannot be done without planning ahead. As a missionary, it is just not possible to read our scriptures all day, run to every appointment, and write down every good thought that comes to our minds. But instead we set goals, make plans, and WORK to carry out those plans.

At the start of this week I had decided that I was going to put in every ounce I had into the work. I had convinced myself that I could not be a good missionary if not every thought I had was purely focused on the details of my work. As I attempted this impossible task, I chastened myself for every minor deviation from my goal. Soon I found myself exhausted physically and mentally. My mood suffered, and hence my capacity to be an effective missionary actually decreased. This is not our goal. Rather, we must continue to work hard, but enjoy and rest along the way. We cannot get discouraged by setting impossibly high bars.

Now, my intention is not to say that we should be casual in our efforts. Just as the marathon runner sets a pace that pushes himself and helps him to exert more energy in the long run, we should do the same. The importance is to be "diligent unto the end." I am inspired by the words of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf in his most recent general conference talk, Do Your Part With All Your Heart. He explained, "God knows who we truly are, who we are designed to become, and so His expectations for us are high. But He doesn’t expect us to take some grand, heroic, or superhuman leap to get there. In the world He created, growth happens gradually and patiently—but also consistently and unrelentingly" (October 2025, Uchtdorf). As we constantly work to achieve our end goal of becoming like our Savior, we will grow every step of the way. We cannot get there if we do not finish the race.

As we continue moving forward in our discipleship, with all our heart, we will reach our end goal. This is enduring to the end. But we mustn't forget to enjoy the beauty of the plan that we are a part of, and we cannot get discouraged by our many imperfections. Rather, we continue to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

Three points of focus that have helped me as a missionary, and in all aspects of my life, are as follows:

Worry Less,
Continue to Work Hard,
And have Joy.

After all, it is not truly a plan of joy if we cannot learn to love the work.

As difficult as it is to become like our perfect Savior, if we pace ourselves, we will finish the race. Never stop running.

- Elder South



























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