Do You Remember?...

Pretend that we are all sitting in a classroom.  I am up at the front of the room because I get to be the teacher.  (‘Cause I’m the one writing this message, that’s why.  When you are pretending school, the teacher is the “bestest,” “funnest” one to be – at least that’s what my kids say.  So, if you want to be the teacher, you are going to have to write your own message.)

As I was saying…

I am at the front of the classroom and I’m wearing a really cute outfit.  Okay, the outfit doesn’t matter.  But since we are pretending, it seems like it would be fine if my outfit were cute.

Do I have a point?  Yes, getting there.

As the teacher I say this to the class: (pretend you’re in the class…) “Please raise your hand if you know who John R. Winder is.”

Did any of you raise your hand?  Anyone at all? 

Continuing on…“Please raise your hand if you know who Anthon H. Lund is.”

Anyone raise their hand this time?  My guess is probably not.  Not that you aren’t very bright students, it is just that I had never heard these names before either.  Until about a month ago.

I was reading the Publisher’s Preface to Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage and I came across three names, actually.  Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund.  The first name you have most likely heard before – Joseph F. Smith was a prophet.  John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund were his counselors.  They formed the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1905. 

If you asked me if I knew who Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf were, I would launch my hands to my hips, toss my head to the side and matter-of-factly reply, “Of course I do!  They are members of the First Presidency.  They are wonderful men who have had a profound influence on my life and the lives of countless others.  What kind of question is that?” 

(Okay, I wouldn’t really respond like that, but you get the point.)  We know who President Eyring and President Uchtdorf are. We have heard their names many times.  We have heard their voices and read their words many times.  They are influential members of the Lord’s Church.  They do great and important things.  Of course we know their names.

And then it made me think. 

President Winder and President Lund probably fit that very same description – great, important, influential, profound.  They surely had a great impact on the saints in the early 1900’s, inspiring and uplifting countless people.  They made a difference in people’s lives. 

And then it made me think, again.

We will all do a lot of great, important, influential and profound things in our lives.  We will influence our parents, our spouses, our children, our friends.  We will have an impact on people that we serve in our neighborhoods, schools, communities and churches.  There may be times when that influence goes unnamed.  At times the impact will be noticed but remain anonymous. 

Our names may be remembered five years from now, maybe ten, perhaps fifty.  In the end, it is insignificant how many years or how many people remember our names because it doesn’t change the good that we did and the difference we made.  The difference needs to be made and the good needs to be done. 

Completely significant is the fact that there is One who remembers John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund.  He remembers Joseph F. Smith, Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  He remembers me.  He remembers you.

He always will.