Chapter Six
Find Your Greatness
“Out
of small things proceedeth that which is great.” (D&C 64:33)
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Have you ever felt
like there was more to your life than where you are at this moment? I have. One
of the main questions that I have asked is, “How do I find what I’m
supposed to be doing in this time of my life?”
There are moments when we may feel unhappy with our lives because we
wanted to achieve a measure of greatness but feel we have failed in some
fundamental way. Many work hard and live
righteously, but can feel they haven’t achieved much because they compare
themselves to others whether it is in the world or in the church they may feel
like they have failed or that they just are as good as another. This is a lie
that Satan would have you believe in.
Howard
W Hunter put it this way. “We live in a world that seems to worship its own
kind of greatness. The world’s heroes
don’t last very long in the public mind, but, nevertheless, there is never a
lack of champions and great achievers. We hear almost daily of athletes
breaking records; scientist inventing marvelous new devices and doctors saving
lives in new ways. We are constantly
being exposed to exceptionally gifted musicians and entertainers, also to the
work of unusually talented artists, architects, and builders. Magazines, billboards, and television
commercials bombard us with pictures of individuals with perfect teeth and
flawless features, wearing stylish clothes and doing whatever it is that
successful people do.
Because we are
being relentlessly exposed to the world’s definition of success and greatness, it is understandable that we might frequently find ourselves making comparisons between what we are and what
others are, or seem to be, and also between what we have and what others have.
While making comparisons can be beneficial and may motivate us to accomplish
much good and improve our lives, we often allow unfair and improper comparisons
to destroy our happiness when they cause us to feel unfulfilled or inadequate
or unsuccessful. Sometimes, because of these feelings, we are led into error,
and we dwell on our failures while ignoring aspects of our lives that may
contain true greatness” (True Greatness, General Conference, Howard W.
Hunter.)
Feeding on this
poison causes us to have a lack of confidence.
It robs us of a tremendous number of opportunities in our lives. It not
only is a waste of our time, it also causes emotions that hurt and tear us
down. In a book titled, “The Strangest
Secret”, the author Earl Nightingale teaches us that if we compare our mind to
the land we can see what is taking place when we plant negative ideas and
thought in our minds.
He says that if
you have a plot of land it will grow what you put there for it to grow. If you plant corn and cultivate it you will
yield corn. If you plant, Foxglove, a
poisonous plant, and cultivate it, you will grow that poison. He states that the land doesn’t care what you
plant. Then he likens our minds to the land and teaches us that we can plant
and cultivate good healthy thoughts or we can plant poison.
Have you ever
said, “I hate my face, or my hair, my clothes, my weight or all of the above?
How about your inward thoughts? Do you
belittle yourself and have thoughts that you would never think about anyone
else? These are poisons to your spirit. What about those thought that lead that
are sinful and may even lead us to act upon our thoughts thus causing more
damage to our souls?
When one of my sons was on his mission I
received the following advice in a letter. He counseled me to get up every day;
look in the mirror and in a confident, strong voice to say something positive
about myself because we become what we think about. He was telling me to plant good things in my
mind and feed them every day.
I have to admit
that the confident and strong sounded more timid at first, but I did try his experiment. I would first ask and answer the question,
“What would my favorite title for myself be? To make it more specific I
thought, if I was to choose what I wanted put on my headstone, how would I like
the following to be completed? “She was
the best_____________.” It was amazing
as I tried to take on different titles each day how I found myself smiling and
grinning each moment the phrase would pass through my mind. Usually I would think of something simple
like I was a loving and kind person. But occasionally I would adventure on a
more exciting exclamation.
One
day I proclaimed that I was the best “Anne of Green Gables.” Can you imagine spending a day with her
imagination and her enthusiasm? It was
pretty exhausting but challenging in a fun way.
Even simple things such as doing the dishes or tackling the pile of
laundry had me smiling as I would pretend to tackle the
It
is unfortunate that we all struggle from time to time with who we are. We each
tend to label ourselves negatively. This is a tool of Satan. He would have us
believe that if we don’t have some kind of glorious title that we are
nobody? We are all somebody but he would
have us believe to the contrary. We are children of our Heavenly Father. We are the offspring of Deity. To know who we
are and what that means should give us a sense of destiny, a feeling of
belonging, a tie to an eternal family forever.
We
each have strengths and we have weaknesses. We have talents and we have faults.
We have advantages and we have disadvantages. In that we are equal to everyone
around us. We are just as valuable and just as worthwhile and just as important
as everyone else. That is a fact of life.
The world would
have us believe that we are of worth only if we have money, a certain physical
appearance, stylish clothes, or social position. When asked to describe our self do we search for a job title? Do we define ourselves by our friends and
social status? Do we think of our
successful accomplishments or those things we think we have failed at? Does a list of our callings run through our
mind or a list of the hats we wear such as mother or father, child, etc.
All of these are
parts of who we are, but we are more than what we do or have done. We are more
than what we own.. The gospel assures us
that our value is not dependent on our looks or material possessions. What matters are the beliefs we have in our
heart and acting upon those values.
There
is greatness on the inside of each of us but sometimes we just don’t know how
to recognize it. We all have seeds of greatness on the inside. We are
divine. We are children of God.
Sometimes however we forget that and loose our passions and forget our
potential. We all have a purpose, a greatness and great potential. We need to all come to understand the measure
of our creation. With this knowledge we can achieve our life’s goals. We can
break barriers and hindrances that cause us to not see our greatness and begin
to feel the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Perhaps
we should consider the things that make a person great. In a short editorial
written by President Joseph F. Smith in 1905, he made this most profound
statement about what true greatness really is: “Those things which we call extraordinary,
remarkable, or unusual may make history, but they do not make real life. “After
all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all
mankind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father
or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a
successful statesman.” (Juvenile
Instructor, 15 Dec. 1905, p. 752.)
So
what are the things God has designed for us to do? He would that we serve one another and make
sacrifices with our time and talents for our brothers and sister and for
Him. He wants us to work to gain
knowledge of Him and his gospel, to work to bring others into the fold and
fellowship one another. These are things that won’t earn us a trophy or a blue
ribbon but they are the things that will make the difference in our lives.
To
do our best as we face everyday struggles of life, and possibly in the face of
failures, and to continue to endure and press forward through difficulties in
our lives and allowing these struggles and tasks contribute to the progress and
happiness of others as well as one’s self is true greatness. Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed 10,000 times.
I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” That’s
positive progress.
We
need not look far to see the unnoticed heroes in our daily life. There are not
ribbons and trophies for these kinds of heroes as they silently go about
serving. I know that I am surrounded by those who quietly and consistently are
doing the things we should be doing. They are the ones who are always there and
always willing to serve. It’s the mother who hour after hour, day and night will
stay with and care for a sick child never complaining. It’s those who always volunteer to help in the
nursery or silently set up and clean up for ward activities. It also includes
those who may not be mothers or fathers but take time to use their gifts to
help with children that are in their lives.
I know of a few of these sweet individuals who are always there to love
and lift. I see heroes all around me in those that are kind and hardworking everyday
as they served the Lord diligently.
We
have all been given opportunities to accomplish great things in the world that
can and do add much to who we are. But as we try to focus more clearly on the
things in life that will be of greatest worth that is when we will come to know
of our greatness. The Savior said, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matt. 23:11)
President
Joseph F. Smith helps us put into perspective what the accomplishments of
worldly deeds should fall in our lives. He said: “It
is true that such secondary greatness may be added to that
which we style common-place; but when such secondary greatness
is not added to that which is fundamental, it is merely an empty honor, and
fades away from the common and universal good in life, even though it may find a place in the … pages of history.” (Juvenile Instructor, p. 752.)
Are
we achieving greatness in our lives? The
Lord has said, “Out of small things
proceedeth that which is great.” (D&C 64:33) I have seen
or heard of individuals who appear to become wealthy or successful almost
overnight. I have friends that have been born into families that provide
financial stability and opportunities that open doors to success
instantaneously. While this kind of success may seem to come to some without
much effort on their part, it does not make them great.
Greatness is achieved over a long period of time. I have learned much though my
life experiences. I can see that I am
growing as I look back on my life. I use
to believe that I would grow and then slip backwards but I have come to
understand that I am not going backwards because the person I have become is
not the person I was a year ago. The
setbacks that I experience may seem to be the same that I have had before, but
I am not the same person I was when I faced similar obstacles. The end result
may not always be clearly visible, but it appears to me that it always requires
regular, consistent, small, and sometimes ordinary and mundane steps over a
long period of time.
As
we strive for a true greatness we must remember that it is
not the result of a chance occurrence or a one-time effort or achievement. As
we make correct choices and reach for opportunities that help the development
of our character we are becoming great. The choices of good over evil will show
who we are. Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke
about when he said, “Over the years these
little choices will be bundled together and show clearly what we value.” (Ensign, Nov. 1980, p. 21.)
As
we evaluate our lives, we must remember to be gentle. The conditions in which we labor are unique
to us. Where I began in life and where you began are different. The talents and
gifts that I have been given are not the same that my husband and children have
been given. My sister down the road not
only began her life in a different way but she also has her own challenges and
trials to contend with. I look at her and it seems that she has more than 24
hours in her day because she seems to accomplish so much more than I am
able. But her situation and position in
life affords her to some opportunities that I do not have, yet I have a mixture
of talents and skills and personal challenges that helps me succeed in other
ways. Because of my understanding of this situation, I have learned that our
judgment of ourselves and our achievements should not be measured by others but
should also not merely include the size
or magnitude and number of our accomplishments; it should also include the
conditions that have existed and the effect that our efforts have had on
others.
As
we self evaluative ourselves in respects to how our actions and choices have
affected our lives and the lives of others, we begin to have a better
understanding of why and how ordinary task of the day should be valued so
highly. President Hunter has said, “Frequently
it is the commonplace tasks that have the greatest positive effect on the lives
of others” (“What Is True Greatness?”
We
all have opportunities to serve one another and act in ways that will bless our
lives. It is those small and simple
thing that help lead us to greatness. I recall one example of many that my
father taught me by example. The ward
had a men’s baseball team. My dad didn’t
play sports as far as I knew but the needed him. Interestingly though, it wasn’t as you may
think. Because of the schedules of the
brethren, they could never predict if they would have the numbers needed to
qualify to play. So whenever and
wherever the team played, my dad suited up and sat on the bench. I don’t recall him ever playing, but I saw
this happy and great man support his brethren by being there ready and prepared
to play if needed. He never complained, he showed up time after time with a
smile on his face. This was an act of
greatness, perhaps one kind of greatness that our Father in
Heaven would have us pursue. We have an
unlimited number of opportunities to do the many simple and minor things that
will ultimately make us great. We must
push forward doing acts of service and sacrifice for others and for the Lord.
From
time to time it may seem to those of us who are doing the commonplace work of
the world that there may be little value in our accomplishments. But to those who are hard workers, who
silently do their callings, who are sharing the gospel by word and example, who
are doing the best to teach the families correct principles and living the best
they can do, these are the strength of
our nation. If we endure to the end, and if we are valiant in the testimony of
Jesus, we will achieve true greatness and will one day live
in the presence of our Father in Heaven.
As
President Joseph F. Smith has said, “Let
us not be trying to substitute an artificial life for the true one.” (Juvenile Instructor, p. 753.) Let us
remember that “out of small things
proceedeth that which is great.” (D&C
64:33.) Let us remember that doing the things that have been
ordained by God to be important and needful and necessary, even though the
world may view them as unimportant and insignificant, will eventually lead us
to true greatness.
Remember
the story of Naaman, a captain for the king of
“So Naaman
came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house
of Elisha.
“And Elisha
sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in
“But Naaman
was wroth … and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and
stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the
place, and recover the leper. …
“And his
servants came near … and said, … if the prophet had bid thee do some great
thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to
thee, Wash, and be clean?
“Then went
[Naaman] down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the
saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a
little child, and he was clean” (2 Kgs. 5:9–11, 13–14).
Elder Rex D. Pinegar asked, “Are we not sometimes like Naaman, looking
for big or important things to do and bypassing simple things which could
change our lives and heal us of our afflictions?” (Conference Report, Oct.
1994, 106; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 80). We must not fail to do the
simple and easy things that the gospel require, as to do so would deny us and
our families the great blessings that the Lord has promised. We must takes
steps for a better life and not allow ourselves to become discouraged with
those precious daily task which the Lord has set up for us to do.
The difference between successful
people and unsuccessful people is that the successful people keep trying till
they succeed and that includes looking for opportunities to serve others. We
look at them and say, "Oh that was easy for you!" But it that is not
necessarily true. People do occasionally
win the lottery. That is luck. Some are
born into posterity but the rest of us work to achieve our goals and dreams.
And we work hard. Confidence in our own
abilities and self-worth is what helps gives us the strength to keep plugging
through the hard times until we see a light that says we are on to something. Then
we plug away day after day to reach our goal.
I know that everyone has a seed of
greatness on the inside of them. While
we may know why we are here on this earth we should strive to understand our
personal mission. We can each find that as we discover our passions it will
help us develop our potential and help us to better understand and discover our
greatness.
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