How Are You Really?

I thought I'd elaborate a little on the Saturday night session of stake conference because I didn't take notes but wanted to remember a few things from the meeting. Elder Pace was the visiting general authority, and he talked about a concept that I've recognized a lot but maybe haven't fully acknowledged before. He said to the audience that as is typical with many Utah stakes, "you look good on paper, but how are you really?". He discussed the fact that although we can be attending every meeting, and "doing" all of the things that we should, we may not "be" who we should. He pointed out that it's better to be good than to do good because there are a lot of do-gooders in the world, but maybe not as many people who truly are good. I've definitely had periods of my life where I've been doing good, but maybe haven't been good. He talked about getting to the point that he have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (as referenced in the Book of Mormon) and said that because it happened to people in the Book of Mormon, it really can happen to us. He shared an example of a conversation he had with President Faust while traveling, and regarding whatever they were talking about President Faust said something to the effect of "I just don't care about all of that stuff anymore. I really only get excited about things of the gospel." This statement made me realize how far I really have to go. There are a lot of things that I still care about, or at least think I care about. And they're not necessarily bad things, but maybe they're not things that are better or best.

I love going to a meeting and leaving feeling resolve to be better, and that's exactly how I've felt- I can't just do better, I truly have to be better.