To Be

I have always wanted to be a good athlete. Especially when I was in high school on my football team. In the off-season I would work out and run as much as possible so I could become a better athlete. When the season started I continued to work hard and as the season progressed, we won and lost games I still continued to work at becoming a better athlete. I continued to do so until the season ended. All the hard work payed off, at the end of the season I was a better athlete then when it started.

One thing I noticed is that I could never cross being a good athlete off of my list. I had to work at it continually or else it have decreased. I still want to be a good athlete and I continue to work at it everyday so I can become better. I now want to be a good missionary. This also is something that I cannot cross off my list. Everyday I have to work to become a little better missionary than I was the day before. There is a big list that I get to do everyday to become a better missionary.

The same goes for you and whatever you want to be: a good parent, child, student, athlete, scientist, artist, musician, whatever you want to be the list goes on and on. You have to work at it everyday, you have to consistently put effort into becoming a little better.

Our Savior presents a question to us all and asks "What manner of men ought ye to be?" then He answers it for us and tells us "Verily I say unto you, even as I am"(3 Nephi 27:27). That is quite the expectation for us. But let me tell you something, I know I will not be able to live up to that expectation perfectly, but I sure enough can try and give it my best. When I fall short and make a mistake I know he will always be there to pick me and help me get back on my feet, and he will do the same for you. That is the beauty of the Atonement. As we try to be like Christ he will help us along the way. But we will never be able to cross being like Christ off of our lists, it is an eternal invitation. I promise you as you work towards being like Christ you will be blessed more than you can imagine.

Idea for the post from Elder Lynn G. Robbins General Conference address April 2011, What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/what-manner-of-men-and-women-ought-ye-to-be?lang=eng