Just a Little Bit of Perfection

I serve in my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) in their women's organization. Every five months I'm in charge of writing a message to the women in my neighborhood. These are my January thoughts.

I run at the gym in the mornings. For the last several Januarys, I’ve witnessed the same pattern. January 1, it’s tough to find a treadmill. The machines are all occupied by people eager and excited to begin their new workout resolutions. The gym is still pretty full the second week. The third week, gym attendance has begun to drop off, and the people attending have begun to look a little surly. By the fourth week, the gym is back to normal, and the only people on the treadmills are the same regulars who were there all through the previous December. 

I understand this pattern. I have set many resolutions during the past many years. I have resolved to read my scriptures for 30 minutes every day for the last 15 years. I have resolved to deep clean a room of my house the first Wednesday of every month. I have resolved to lose 10 pounds. I have resolved to run 5 miles a day. I have resolved to teach my toddlers to read by whatever date. I have resolved to play more, read more, run more, hike more, date my husband more. I have resolved to fit whatever idea of perfection I have created that January, because God has commanded me and you to “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” And I have watched myself lose resolve by February. 

I love General Conference. I love hearing modern day prophets help me understand my small role in God’s plan. But sometimes at the end, after I have spent six sessions being stretched, I feel a little inadequate in the face of my imperfection. This is why I loved listening to President Hinckley who always put things in perspective. In his closing remarks to the October 2002 conference he confessed, “I, for one, have made a stronger resolution within myself to be a better person than I have been in the past. I hope that I will be a little kinder to any I meet who may be in distress. I hope that I will be a little more helpful to those who are in need. I hope that I will be a little more worthy of your confidence. I hope that I will be a better husband, a better father and grandfather. I hope that I will be a better neighbor and friend. I hope that I will be a better Latter-day Saint, with an increased understanding of the wonderful aspects of this glorious gospel.”

Somewhere between me and perfection is a space for improvement that I can achieve. I’m not going to get discouraged with my inadequacy, but I can take some steps toward God. Be a little better. Be a little kinder. Be a little more helpful. That’s something I can do.