Overcoming Attitude

While serving as a mission president it was my great privilege and responsibility to interview every missionary as he began his mission.
That was always a great experience, but it sometimes gave me insights into the backgrounds of my missionaries that shocked me.
One elder told me of his growing up in a small farming community as the son of the town drunkard.
When, as a newly called missionary, he boarded the bus to come to Salt Lake City to enter the mission home, his father was there to bid him farewell.
He must have been drunk, for his last words to his son were, "Son, you will never amount to a hill of beans."

As I talked with my missionary, I could sense that he had heard that phrase over and over again throughout his young life: "You will never amount to a hill of beans."
And that choice young man, called by the Lord to be his representative, believed it.
I resolved to prove that father wrong by seeing that the missionary had a successful mission.
I assigned him to a great first companion and watched his progress with keen interest and daily prayers.
And progress he did.

As my release date approached, I made a final tour of the mission to say good-bye to my beloved fellow workers.
B this time the young man was a zone leader, a very important calling in the mission field.
He conducted that zone conference like a veteran bishop.
I saw the deep bond of love that had developed between him and his missionaries.
I thought of the scores of converts who had joined the Church through his devoted service and the power of his testimony.
At an appropriate moment in the conference I stood beside him with my arm around him and said, with a lump in my throat, "You wouldn't believe this, but someone once said of this young man that he would never amount to a hill of beans."
He turned and looked me in the eye and responded, "We sure showed him, didn't we, President?"

-Robert L. Backman -To the Young Men of the Church -October 1980 General Conference

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi