Two and a half years is quite a good stretch of time to serve as an elders quorum president. When I first started out, I was maintaining the status quo (e.g. focus on home teaching). After a year or so, my outlook changed, and I knew I need to focus my attention to more fundamental issues.<\/p>\n
I have served as elders quorum president longer than the four presidents prior to me. I’ve reflected on my efforts often. My bishop seems to think I am doing swell, bang-up job. He must see something I don’t see because I don’t see any evidence that anything I’ve done in the last 2.5 years has made a difference.<\/p>\n
Anyone who’s been a longtime reader has probably picked up on this through some of my posts. It doesn’t take much to read between the lines. In fact, it may even be more obvious than I thought.<\/p>\n
Anyhow, while studying my scriptures tonight, I came across this scripture.<\/p>\n
“When my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.” (1 Ne. 17:17)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The word “great” got me thinking, and my mind was shortly thereafter brought to D&C 64:33. In particular, the last line:<\/p>\n
Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
I decided to turn to the verse and read it in context. That’s when the first part of the verse jumped out at me.<\/p>\n
Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
That verse hit me pretty hard. It gave me some comfort. <\/p>\n
I still don’t know if what I am doing is making a difference, but at least I have the feelng that I’m going in the right direction.<\/p>\n
If verse 33 provided comfort, verse 34 provided encouragement:<\/p>\n
the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
If nothing else, I’ll try to be less self-deprecating and more optimistic. More willing I suppose would be a better phrase.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"