There are in my opinion too many quitters in this world. Heber J. Grant once said, “That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the nature of the task is changed, but that our ability to do increases.” Now, along those lines, I like this story told by Linda Archibald, especially since I went through something similar learning how to make homemade bread.

Once while on an exotic vacation in the Orient, Linda and her husband treated themselves to a special desert, ‘Baked Alaska’ for two. With their first bite, they were enveloped in a delicious experience. They vowed they would have to try this again. So, two days later in Penang, they ordered it again, and again it was wonderful. On and on across the Orient they kept ordering Baked Alaska. Linda says, “We may be the only travelers to have left there hooked on Baked Alaska.”

Well, after returning home, Linda’s husband, being something of a creative cook, decided to try making Baked Alaska himself. He read the recipe. It said, “Trim a layer of cake to desired size and top with ice cream. Make meringue: Beat five egg whites till soft peaks form; add two/thirds cup of sugar beating to stiff peaks; spread meringue over ice cream and cake sealing to edges of cake; bake in 500 degree oven until golden.

“Ah, nothing to it!” her husband said, as he slapped the book closed. Linda said, “I – I wrinkled up my nose. To me, there was something terrifying about putting ice cream in a 500 degree oven.”

Well, on his first couple of attempts the insulating mountain of meringue slid off the cake onto the cookie sheet below. You can imagine what it looked like.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” her husband sighed.

Linda says, “I’ll never forget the night we had company and he decided to ‘try, try again.’ As he finished beating the egg whites, he lifted the electric mixer from the bowl without turning off the motor. White blobs splattered across the ceiling, the windows, and the faces of our guests. We mopped up, shoved the mountain [into] the oven, and through the window in the door, watched the ice cream trickle [out] onto the pan.”

With “every great accomplishment [it] was once an impossible task,” her husband muttered, quoting some ancient philosopher.”

In those days Linda and her husband ate a lot of soggy cake and melted ice cream.

But then – then came that “glorious day,” when the meringue held. It came out of the oven, “the cake was warm, the ice cream was solid, and the meringue was crisp and hot.”

“[Oh] the taste of success, how sweet it is!”

Well, since that time, Linda and her husband have enjoyed an unbroken string of successful Baked Alaska’s.

Now, I’m sure you’re wondering; what’s the point? Well, you know, whether it’s Baked Alaska, or homemade bread, or a bad habit, or a Christ-like character, the principle is the same. Persist – Prayerfully persist; don’t ever give up! You’ll make it.