Endure To The End

You know how when you go to a concert there is usually one band that you really want to see and you could usually care less about the other acts. That is how I felt before coming out on my mission when my brother and I went to see the band Three Days Grace perform in Nashville. When the show started the band Three Doors Down played an acoustic set, and it was amazing! Everyone was pumped and I couldn't wait to hear the next band play! I didn't know what to expect when I saw the next band come out and get ready to start playing. They were an unknown band to me and when they started to play I decided I would probably never want to get to know them, as was the same with the next band that played. They played only mediocre shows, and I wasn't all that impressed with them. If they hadn't been included in the lineup for the show it would not have made a difference to me. After they played a band called Halestorm played and after them was the band Apocalyptica. I was thoroughly impressed with their performances and I was now excited to hear Three Days Grace play! They did amazing, and I will never forget their performance of all their hit songs along with pyrotechnics and lights to add to the show.

It was a fun experience, and all in all it was not a bad concert. It started strong and even though there were dull moments (in my opinion) It finished strong. The same could be said about us. I notice how when we are baptized we are eager to serve the Lord and are excited at the first steps we have taken in our lives to serve Him. Over time though I have seen to many people (myself included at times) slack off and settle for only mediocre service, and minimal contribution on His behalf.
There are two scriptures that come to my mind when I see this happen. "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." (2 Nephi 31:20) and, "Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen." (Mosiah 5:15)
Just like the concert I went to, it started strong and even though there were lulls in the middle it still finished strong. So should we be in our lives as we strive to continually serve the Lord with all our strength and endure to the end so that we may receive those blessing that are promised to us if we do.