I delight in enthusiasm.

(pardon the spots on my pictures. something is wrong somewhere in my camera. it's going to the shop this week.)

It has been a great week. Although lately, I've been in the business of 'making great weeks.' I had a roommate once, who always said, "Make it a great day." I'll be honest, somedays I was flat out annoyed as I was, at times, completely convinced that nothing in my power could 'make' the day any better--it was just bad.

Yesterday I was talking to my Mom. She was telling me about the epiphany she'd had during the week. My Mom does not live a solitary existence. Two other souls depend on her for their food, transportation, and at times entertainment. In fact, most of the time, it's mom+1, the +1 is LB. LB (aka Christin) is the sidekick, always there following often inches behind asking questions like, "what's for dinner mom?" and "is it pals yet?" or "slurpee day?" These questions can all get old after a while plus when you have so much to do during the day that dinner is the last thing on your mind--the question "what's for dinner" while eating breakfast, can make a long day ahead...even longer. Back to the point at hand. Mom realized that whatever her attitude is, rubs off on Christin. So if she's agitated, so is LB. If she's happy, so is LB. If Mom makes it a great day, then it's a great day for LB and if those two are happy--I think its fair to say that the rest of us are happy.

Point of the story, our attitude makes a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us. We have gifts and talents insomuch that when we utilize them, great things can happen!

What does all this have to do with enthusiasm? Elder Perry spoke at the Salt Lake Institute tonight. He started by telling how all his siblings were full of talent--musical talent, athletic talent, scholastic talent. He, however, did not possess any of those talents, but he soon realized he did have enthusiasm. I spent the first 10 minutes, wondering if he was joking, surely he has other talents, but none so significant he felt to address them. Enthusiasm it was. However, as the oldest current general authority spoke I realized how his enthusiasm was a great gift in his life and in his presence. At the age of 89, Elder L. Tom Perry doesn't look much different from the first picture I remember seeing of him (besides his glasses...they're different now).

Elder Perry spoke of how the the word enthusiasm is derived from a greek word meaning 'possessed by god' 'inspired.' He quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson as saying something to the effect of, Nothing great ever happens without enthusiasm. Up to this point, I hadn't thought much about enthusiasm but as I listened to Elder Perry speak the following words, I realized how he personified this quality. "I am an average person whose had extraordinary opportunities." "God can do extraordinary things with ordinary people who invite God to be with them."

He spoke about the need of enthusiastic leaders in this church. Elder Perry told of three lessons he would have us learn from his life, 1) aAlways be active and a part of a community, 2) Keep alive the great Christian heritage in America, and 3) Remember who you are and that God is our Father.

In closing he shared, "Whatever your talents are--they can make you extraordinary because God is in your life."

Sometimes we value some talents over others. But tonight I had the epiphany that perhaps it is not about the talent its self, it's about how you've invited God to assist you in developing that talent.

I think I've been blessed to have some pretty extraordinary opportunities in my life. I know I'm an average simple soul but a significant soul to my Father in Heaven. It is my hope that I can always say that I have taken advantage of every opportunity God grants me so that by His guiding hand, I can find myself leading an extraordinary life by being both a builder of this great nation and church.

Because I choose God's influence in my life based on the choices I make--I can make it a great day.