Elders,
Another week is gone and I’m not quite sure where it went. These things happen. It is a perfect time to be a sports fan. I’m not a die-hard sports junkie by any means but I do enjoy sports and this week is the perfect convergence for me. College football is in full swing and all three of the Utah schools notched good wins last week. The Jazz just started their season with a come-from-behind win over the Thunder last night. The NFL is rolling along. MLS is wrapping up but unfortunately RSL is now out. NHL is just starting as well. For my son Parker, the Overwatch world cup is next week. My co-workers are following the Lease of Legends world championships this month. Baseball is in it’s final throes with the World Series going on. I have a soft spot for the Nets and though I can’t follow baseball over the full season, the playoffs and World Series are special. Whew! With so much going on one could easily get caught up in it all and find yourself in a spots coma on the couch every night. I’m not that bad (note to self – check with Kris)…
One thing about sports is there is a winner and loser and by necessity it is a zero-sum game. Your success is my failure. As Ricky Bobby put it “If you ain’t first you’re last”. The scriptures too, talk at times about winning the race, fighting a good fight, or destroying your opponent on the battle field. Most computer and board games as well are focused on a single victor.
It is a good thing that God’s plan for us isn’t a zero-sum sports game. I’d certainly have no chance of competing on any level. God’s way is different. He wants the best for each of us and strangely our best means helping others be better and accepting help from others that too are trying to be better. That should be the point of families and our congregations. It is the backbone of ministering, and I believe it to be the core of our Savior’s teachings.
This coming Sunday we get to participate with Matt Newton as he shares more about our hearts. This is the third in his series of talks about our hearts and it will be good to hear from him.
Tonight is the annual Spooktacular over at the church at 7:00pm put on by the YW and YM. Bring your kids (in or out of costume) and enjoy the fun.
After our meeting block on Sunday we are going to do our “Sunday Snacks” again. Bring a snack to share and leave it in the kitchen or in your car during our meetings and then we’ll enjoy a potluck of snacks afterwards. We did this a few months ago and it was a lot of fun getting to talk and laugh with each other and let the kids be kids.
Other upcoming calendar items include:
- Nov 8 – Ward “day at the temple”. The bishop is asking us to do all that we can to spend the whole day in the temple. He’s asking us to take a vacation day from work and spend it in temple service. We know that it isn’t possible for everyone, but he’s encouraging us to make a small sacrifice of time if possible. We’ll try to have lunch as a group at noon, and again dinner at 6pm – both in the cafeteria. I’m looking forward to it. I have gone and done the ordinances, but I have never hit for the cycle and done them all in one day, nor have I tried to do more than one session at a time. It is going to be a good boost and I hope that many of us can serve together throughout the day.
- Nov 9 – The stake is sponsoring a hispanic festival from 6-9 pm. There will be a short program and plenty of food from 13 hispanic countries. Come and learn more about the hispanic culture and enjoy the food and fun.
- Nov 10 – 2:30pm – Teacher Council. We have our quarterly teacher council. We discuss how to be better teachers and how to overcome particular classroom struggles.
Thanks for all you do. You are great men and I look up to you. Thanks for helping me be a better quorum leader, husband, father, son, and neighbor. Take care of those around you.
God bless you,
President Oldroyd
801-573-6828