President Wakolo's Message from Arkansas Little Rock Mission

The Leader         

I lead, live, and love like Christ

President’s Message

Taking Things for Granted

In the recent Olympic Games, Fiji won its first ever medal in the Olympic Games for the Rugby team. The small island nation of less than 900,000 people came together to cheer them even from thousands of miles away from where the game was played. The celebration of that win went on for over one week including marching through cities and towns. The 16 individuals were hon- ored with a national Order of Fiji medal each given by the Presi- dent of Fiji. That was the value of one Olympic gold medal to the nation. Religious differences, if any, were put aside, racial divides was taken away, and denomination was one. Bridges were built and relationships strengthened. The first Olympic gold medal that led to a nation’s celebration. The players became heroes some called them legends.

Contrast that with a Nation that constantly win medals in the Olympics. Winning, yes is expected but the whole nation may not celebrate like Fiji because it happens too often and we are now taking it for granted.

Shawn Johnson, a US Olympian gymnast said, “I was at the Olym- pic Games winning medals and I still doubted my image. I doubted what I looked like. That's sad.” What a sign of humility from some- one who won at least 4 medals for herself and her country, yet recognized she could have made more significant difference and impact by just being herself. We know that we are always on the stage as missionaries.

Olympian legend, Michael Phelps said, “I can’t remember the last day I did not train.” Does that sounds like our amazing missionar- ies saying, “I can’t remember the last day I did not read my scrip- tures.” He continued, “I like to just think of myself as a normal per- son who just has a passion, has a goal and a dream and goes out and does it. And that’s really how I’ve always lived my life.” Truly this sounds like our missionaries, God’s army, who have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and believe in themselves. They all have Visions, Goals, Plans and Actions/Accountability or VGPA.

From the Olympics to our backyard where at least 500 members travelled to Louisiana to spend the weekend cleaning up and help- ing in whatever way they could for the 146,000 damaged homes that were caused by the flooding. The resilience of such individuals and families are amazing! Jasmin our 13-year-old daughter went with the Whiteley family and I believe Jasmin’s life will never be the same again from that experience.

Connect Fiji’s one gold medal experience to our mission: a soul found and taught is a soul precious; a soul baptized is a soul cele- brated; a soul reac- tivated is a soul jubi- lated. The whole mis- sion celebrates, the angels rejoice, parents and families of the missionaries and those bap- tized shout with joy, prayers of gratitude are offered but beyond the baptism, there were studies and teachings for long hours, fasting and prayers by our Olympians who are always in the field of play. We marvel, amaze and rejoice with you, our beloved missionaries. Thank you for who you are.

The English author Aldous Huxley wrote, “Most human beings have an almost infi- nite capacity for taking things for granted.”

Do we take things for granted that we have and do because we constantly do them, receive them or have them? Do we know who we really are or what we have? I invite you to always remember who and what you leave behind. In any situation there will always be a before and after. I invite you to focus on the after because “better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof” or putting life into perspective “the day of our death is better than our day of birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1,8).

Taking things for granted sometimes begins with our families and loved ones, bearing of our personal testimonies, schedule to read, search and ponder scriptures, freedom to teach and share the 42 doctrinal points and associated Bible and BOM scriptures; pray, relationships with companions/districts/zones and the mission; belong to the only true and living church; companion for 24/7; Going to the Temple on our birthday month; cars and bikes for all companions; using iPad; partaking of sacrament every Sunday; serving or living in the U.S: the promised land, the land where the First Vision and Restoration took place, the land producing and preparing all the Prophets of the Restoration to date.

A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. We do that because we do not take what we have for granted.

Elder Ballard quoted a wise young mother who said: “I choose not to give our children what I can afford to give them. I hold back for their sake.”

We know the world is a better place because you are in it, your selfless service and because of who you are and because you re- joice and utilize to the fullest, ‘things that you have’ in terms of knowing who you are, teaching and sharing the fullness of the re- stored gospel. You are our Champions and it is a privilege to know and serve with you our true Olympians and Legends.

We love you. President and Sister Wakolo