Jonah's Week 28 - We Are What We Repeatedly Do

Monday, April 12, 2015

Okay I'm going to quickly try to retype everything I just did; somehow I lost the letter I just typed!

Okay so this week I skyped the family!! I love you mom. SO yeah, then after a long time of crying and sharing with them all I've learned in my 6 almost 7 months in the mission I left feeling so good! Feeling like I truly have a purpose here and I finally, during that call felt like, wow, I am actually progressing and becoming a better missionary! The time I spent talking with my family I used to tell them about how in our lives we all have two sides to us. WE, as humans, have one personality who shows itself when people are looking and then we have a second personality that is in general a little bit more sinister and only comes out when people aren't looking. WE each have actions we do when people are looking and things we do when they're not looking. It's almost as if we do the things we do because we want our work to be noticed and appreciated! But, this far in my mission I have learned something amazing that I wish I could have learned a little bit earlier in my life. The lesson is:

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."-aristotle 

 

So, this quote, changed me! It's the truth! WE as humans are not perfect in anything we do but those people who are excellent are those people who do what they do when people are looking and ALSO when they are not looking! Our lives revolve around this idea! WE as people all want to be excellent but not all of us are willing to do the things we need to do. Sometimes it's because we know we won't receive praise and recognition for the things we are doing! BUT, those who are excellent are those that know the recognition doesn't mean anything. The work one does when people aren't looking, the work that always goes unrecognized, that is the work that truly counts and makes us excellent. There is nothing more one can do then think: are we the person that is willing to go the extra mile and do the things that will surely go unrecognized? Also, are we the same person when people are looking as when they aren't? If not then think about it, why not? Why the split personality? Who are we? Followers of Christ, children of God? If yes, then be a follower of Christ always when people are looking and when their back is turned to you be the same follower of Christ. IF we are excellent at nothing else in this life then we should at least be excellent at following our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! 

love,

Elder McKee