August 28, 2019

Elders,

Happy Wednesday! I missed seeing all of you on Sunday in quorum. I’m sure that David led a great discussion around Elder Bednar’s conference talk. I enjoy being with you and learning from you all.

Sorry about the back and forth on the Cannery service project. Ultimately the farmers decided it wasn’t quite the right time to bring in the corn. Thank you for being willing to serve.

This coming Sunday we’ll be talking about Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. It is full of great points and insights. It isn’t totally straightforward (at least for me), but there are some gems in there. One of the comparisons that Paul uses a couple of times is about running a race, persevering and finishing the race. Just a couple of weeks ago my family participated in a fun-run. I’m no marathon runner, but I can handle a 5k pretty easily. I was a little frustrated at the start of the run because I had to go at a real slow pace, take breaks, and walk a good chunk of the race because my daughter was with me and I didn’t want to leave her behind. All of my frustration changed however, as we neared the finish line and my daughter lit up like the sun. She was so happy to have “made it”. She stuck it out and found a way to finish. Nobody was happier to receive a finisher medal than her. Seeing her happiness totally changed my mood as well. Suddenly our pace, heart rate, time, etc all faded away in the joy of finishing.

Paul is saying the something similar. Everyone that “endures to the end” and finishes the race in this life fixed on the Savior will receive the crown – the love and acceptance and joy from our Heavenly Father. He wants us to finish and to endure. Our speed and pace aren’t nearly as important as our endurance and direction. I can only imagine the magnitude of the joy that Heavenly Father has for each of us that “finish”. I want to see my family and each of you at the finish line having done our best and finished strong in the Savior. 

We have an EQ/RS social coming up on 9/26 at the club house at 7:00pm. It will be a potluck dinner arranged by our activities committee. More information will come, but get it on your calendar.

Elders – keep fighting the good fight and enduring to the end. I know that it is going to be worth it and I know that we all can do it. Let’s help each other be successful.

God bless each of you. Enjoy the rest of your week.

Thanks,

President Oldroyd
801-573-6828