This month president Uchtdorf shares a perspective on beginnings, endings, and particularly what comes between. He notes that: "...the beginnings and endings of things are celebrated and remembered..." and that, "... the middle of things often goes unnoticed.", but he asks us to focus on the stuff in the middle:
"...with the proper outlook, considering ourselves as in the middle of things can help us not only to understand life a little better but also to live it a little more meaningfully."President Uchtdorf notes that missionaries often loose perspective feeling "..too inexperienced to be effective...", or they dwell on the impending end of their missions.
He shares with us an experience the help him to see the value of the middle.
"Recently I felt impressed to redo the headstone on my parents’ grave. Time had not been kind to the grave site, and I felt that a new headstone would be more fitting for their exemplary lives. When I looked at the birth dates and death dates on the headstone connected by the usual insignificant little dash, this small symbol of a lifespan suddenly filled my mind and heart with an abundance of rich memories. Each of these treasured memories reflects a moment in the middle of my parents’ lives and in the middle of my life."Beginnings and endings represent important notations in my life, and I like to celebrate the good ones, but it truly is in the middle of such milestones that I have found the greatest joy. And the Lord has often reminded us that this is true.
“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we [should] rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
“..this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32; emphasis added).
“Forever—is composed of Nows.”I would like to add my testimony to president Uchtdorf's that today is where our joy is created and treasured. As we savor today we will have hope and joy in our lives.
"Being always in the middle means that the game is never over, hope is never lost, defeat is never final. For no matter where we are or what our circumstances, an eternity of beginnings and an eternity of endings stretch out before us."
"We are always in the middle."
