Jesus Christ finished the work God gave Him — learn how you can follow His example in your school work
Do you remember a time you accomplished something hard? In her
Sister Makasi, as a university educator, noticed two consistent habits from successful students: (1) they submit their assignments on time, and (2) they finish what they start. Consider her advice about becoming a successful student by following Christ's perfect example.
1. Submit assignments on time
Courses can be challenging — new environments, classmates, and course material can all play into making school feel overwhelming.
Maria Molina, from Argentina, felt discouraged at the beginning of her educational journey. She said, “I still remember my first day at the gathering, because I was terrified and determined to not come back! But then, the instructor told me one thing that I will never forget: ‘Little by little, just one day at a time, you know more than you think.’ I applied that phrase every time I thought I was not able to make it.”
Submitting your assignments on time is an important step to achieving your goals. Implementing helpful habits, like looking ahead at due dates or finishing one assignment before moving on to the next, can help you stay on track. Take one step at a time!
2. Finish what you start
Your educational journey starts and finishes with the Savior. You don’t have to do this alone! Sister Makasi shared, “As we invite the Savior into our lives, our studies become not only temporal but a spiritual preparation to provide for ourselves and our families, serve in the Church, and carry all the knowledge we gain with us to heaven.”
Some acquaintances of hers made fun of Sister Makasi for going to church on her own when she was 14 years old. Instead of not going anymore, she chose to listen to members who made her feel loved and welcomed, and she was eventually baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She now enjoys having the Holy Ghost as her constant companion because of her choice to finish the journey she’d started.
The Savior did not just start the process and then give up along the way. He finished the work Heavenly Father gave Him to do, and He finished it well and fully. He is a finisher.
Later, while at university, Sister Makasi failed one of her courses and missed graduating with her friends. She decided to repeat a year of school to be able to graduate. The course she failed no longer defined her because of her choice to not give up. She now has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in finance and investments, and is pursuing a PhD.
Building strength of character and resilience
We can do hard things with Christ by our side — we can even enjoy them! As a student, you have resources like peer mentors, instructors, service missionaries, tutors, and classmates who can support you, and you can do the same for them.
By doing hard things, Sister Makasi shared that you are “building strength of character and resilience. You are making yourself more employable. You are building a legacy for your children and posterity…. Finishing tasks boosts our self-esteem. We can then take on bigger tasks and develop a pattern of moving mountains and accomplishing great things throughout our lives.”
What have you finished with the help of the Savior?
The Lord wants us to succeed. He does not want us to quit on good things. The only quitting and giving up He wants us to do is to quit our sins, give up our bad habits, and repent.