How Firm a Foundation is my favorite hymn. On bad days in college, I would call my mom in the middle of the night and make her sing it to me. I'd whisper it to myself all night on bad days in the mission field. And I think of it still whenever I have a bad day and need some comfort. My favorite part is this: "As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be." However badly you need comfort, that's how much you'll get. Whatever you need, that's what will come your way. It's such a lovely, beautiful promise of constant looking-after which really is exactly what we need and crave when our days are hard."It is simply a truism that nothing very valuable can come without significant sacrifice and effort and patience on our part... I am asking you this morning not to give up 'for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.' That 'great work' is YOU - your life, your future, the very fulfillment of your dreams. That 'great work' is what, with effort and patience and God's help, you can become. When days are difficult or problems seem unending, I plead with you to stay in the harness and keep pulling."*
*Jeffrey R. Holland - BYU Devotional Jan 1983, "However Long and Hard the Road"
That's my favorite hymn, too. And I sang it to myself a lot on my mission, too. And I keep on singing it.
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