"After he graduated from the university, he planned to marry Emma Ray and teach at Weber Academy, where he had been offered a teaching contract. His plans were changed, however, when he received a mission call to Scotland. The first months of David's mission were difficult. Only a short time before, he had been one of the most popular men on the campus at the University of Utah. Now he was among strangers and very unpopular. He tells in his own words how he was humbled and how the Lord taught him:
'I was homesick and a little discouraged on this day. ... I had just left school. I loved school and I loved young people. ... I was with Peter G. Johnston, one of the truest friends in all the world. ... As we were coming back into town, I saw on my right an unfinished dwelling, over the front door of which was a stone on which there was a carving. That was most unusual, so I said to Elder Johnston, 'I'm going to see what that is.' I was half way up the graveled walk when there came to my eyesight a striking motto as follows, carved in stone:
'Whate'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part'
I repeated it to Elder Johnston. ... We walked quietly, but I said to myself, or the Spirit within me, 'You are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More than that, you are here as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. You accepted the responsibility as a representative of the Church.' ....
That afternoon, by the time we found our lodgings, I accepted the message given to me on that stone, and from that moment we tried to do our part as missionaries in Scotland."
It's a cool story and when we were in Salt Lake a couple weeks later we were able to see that stone in the Church History Museum. Then just a couple days ago when we attended a broadcast for seminary teachers and their wives where one speaker told of this story once again. He broadened my knowledge though when he explained the images on the stone.
He taught it is a magic square. That each square represents a number and that when added each side, in all directions, will always equal 18. If you move any symbol to another square, it loses its value and the square will no longer be magic. That is really cool when you put it with the statement, 'Whate'er thou art, act well thy part.' You are important where you are and you need to do what is expected of you.
Given my several experiences with this story in a short amount of time caused me to reflect on it extra long. I had a Primary Presidency Meeting that afternoon and I was in charge of spiritual thought. I decided to focus on this message. However, when I got to my meeting I became frustrated that they didn't use the outline I had prepared, didn't ask me for my spiritual thought and I felt like all the work I had done as secretary was pointless.
When arriving home I shared my frustrations with my husband that I felt like the meeting wasn't very productive and there was no reason for me to have even gone. He asked if I believed in the spiritual thought I had prepared. ... I was secretary in the primary and so I needed to do 'well my part.' It doesn't matter if it feels like you're unappreciated or that what you're doing isn't making a difference, you do it. And you do it the best you can.
I guess it was a good experience for me because now I feel like I need to do that even more. Focus on doing my best and not worrying about the things around me. With President McKay's experience I was thinking sometimes our life hands us things that are unexpected, or that we may not necessarily want. President McKay had plans to get married. He had lots of friends, was popular and successful.. A lot of that changed, not necessarily by choice, and it changed fast. I'm sure it was a difficult situation for a young man and so many of us face things like that now. But no matter what we're given, no matter what stage in life we are, we need to accept it and excel in it. I think we should all think about what our roles are. At work, in the home, in church, any position we hold. Are we doing it well? And if not, change.
Matthew 7:21 says "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Heavenly Father has complete control over our lives. The things that are placed in our journey of life are the will of the Father for us-to learn or grow or help others, we don't always know. But we do need to know it is his hand over it all and then do his will (which is to do our best). As we accept 'what we art, and act well our part', we qualify ourselves to enter in the kingdom of heaven.
P.S. I have been doing great at doing my part in calling people for reminders and taking vitamins :)
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