President's Letters #96

Focus

For many years Sunrise Engineering had 4 season tickets at the Delta Center for entrance to the home games of the Utah Jazz.  The seats were nice and located in the lower bowel.  We divided out the home games at the beginning of the Season to employees who could take key clients to the games.  It was a great business development activity and employee perk.

I remember one night at the Delta Center watching the great Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls play against the Utah Jazz.  The Jazz easily beat the Bulls through the first three quarters with a 12 or 15 point lead.  At the beginning of the 4^th quarter, Michael Jordan took the game over.  It was plain to see that every possession was critical to him and he did all he could to make sure the Bulls scored the ball on each possession.  The Bulls won the game pulling away.

I have thought a great deal about that experience.  Michael Jordan could “compartmentalize” or “focus” his life on each possession.  Professional tennis players are masters of the same attribute of “focus” on each volley.  The past is over, the future never comes and the only thing that is important is the present moment.  They can block everything else out and focus all their energy on the moment. 

Another lesson on a slightly broader perspective of focus came while running our business at Sunrise.  We recognized that everything we did at Sunrise could be segregated into of 1 of our 4 core operations.  This really added clarity to doing business by focusing of all our various activities to our core operations:

1 – Production of Deliverables

2 – Business Development

3 – Employee Development

4 – Business Administration

If we ever found ourselves doing something or expending resources that could not be entered under one of these core operations, we stopped doing it.

PMG requires similar focus on core activities:  “If you and your companion cannot see how a proselyting activity might help increase the numbers of people in one or more key indicators, you need to question whether the activity is worth your time.”  (PMG p. 139)

The LDS Church does the same thing in its ecclesiastical work.  Members of the church, “…were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.”  (DC 138:56)  We are also told that the Lord will, “…hasten [His] work [the work of salvation] in its time.”  (DC 88:56)  The question begs to be asked, “What is the Work of Salvation?”  Section 5 of Handbook 2 for Administering the Church directly answers this question and explains in detail the content of the 5 core operations for the work of salvation.

           

1 – Member Missionary Work

            2 – Convert Retention

            3 – Activation

            4 – Temple and Family History Work

            5 – Teaching the Gospel

The rest of the content of Handbooks 1 and 2 contain instruction for consistent administrative and procedural protocol and duties for leaders in the church to accomplish the “work of salvation,” along with a short discussion of the relationship between families and church in God’s plan, priesthood principles and Church leadership principles.  But, every activity in the Church can be entered into one of these 5 core operations.  

Missionaries have traditionally centered their concerns on number 1 – Member Missionary Work.  However, in the 2014 new mission president seminar, Elder Nelson expanded the understanding of full time missionary work.

Our missionary purpose is to:  “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.”  “…enduring to the end,” gives full time missionaries responsibilities in all 5 of the core operations of the church listed above.

Among other things, missionaries are to now teach the 5^th Lesson before baptism, take the lead in teaching all lessons including lesson 5 after baptism and maintain daily contact for 3 or 4 months after baptism plus remain in contact for the rest of your life.  Missionaries and members will now assist new converts to prepare for temple attendance and assist new converts to do family history work.  Other ways will surely be found to assist Wards and Branches in all 5 core operations.

So, there are 2 principles here.  One, compartmentalizing meaning you live in the compartment of the moment and put other parts of your life, either past, future or present, into compartments that are out of mind while you focus on the task at hand.  For example, if you struggle with a sin, you do not have to overcome temptation for the next 6 months, you just have to overcome right now.

Two, you understand to focus all your actions on your core operations.  Understand what your core operations are and stop doing activities that do not support them.

These are 2 powerful ways to become a highly skilled missionary here and a productive responsible citizen in life.  It works in all aspects of your life.  To master these life skills is really a representation of your faith in God which dismisses worry and doubt.  I believe compartmentalizing in the moment and focus on core operations may be part of what Christ was talking about when he said:

 26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

 29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.  (3 Nephi 13:26-34)

President Robinson

President's Letters #95

Armor of God

In the early summer of 2010, I was serving in my Ward as the Young Men President.  The Priest and Teacher age young men were capable farm boys and outdoors oriented.  They were anxious to do some extended horseback riding for an activity.  At the time, I was very busy during the week with my profession.  I also had to get the mountain range ready to graze cattle by placing rock salt at the various salt lick locations, clear tail, install a new trough and spring development at the lower water in Turner Timber and turn water into existing troughs at various springs.   I had the bright idea of taking the boys with me on a 3 day camping trip in the mountains where we could do all the work; kill two birds with one stone so to speak.  It would be a service project and outing for them and I could get my work done.  We made arrangements for the work and sufficient adult leaders to maintain a base camp.  I was in charge of safety.

On the last week of June we set out with high spirits with about 15 riders plus a number of pack horses.  With that many horses, I knew the chances were good that we would eventually have a rodeo.  We rode the mountain pasture each day, did our chores, the new trough and spring development turned out beautiful and the camping was great for the boys and leaders.

On the second day we rode into Cedar Springs Canyon to work on a spring diversion structure in the Upper Water at the Forks.  One boy, Jeffery, sat on his horse and waited while the rest of us worked, but another horse got tangled in its reins and both horses went to bucking.  In the ruckus, Jeffery fell off with his foot stuck in the stirrup.  He broke his leg and I will be eternally grateful to the fast action by a close-by adult who contained the horse and released the boy.

We were in trouble.  To make a long story short, I witnessed boys change that afternoon into men while an outing that started as fun and adventure became an activity of sacrifice and rescue.  When the ambulance crew finally hiked in with a stretcher, the boys told them to stand aside.  The boys carried their injured comrade about 1 mile down a narrow trail to a mountain road and a waiting vehicle.  The injured boy ended up missing a season of football but is now healthy and serving a mission in Mexico.  The first aid, medical treatment and evacuation were so picture perfect that the Sheriff’s office gave our group an award.  Based on results, they should have cussed me out.

I worry about the physical and spiritual safety of our missionaries just like my young men on the mountain.  Much like riding horses, there is only so much one can do to protected yourself from physical or spiritual injury, after that you go through life on an “at-risk” basis.  We are all vulnerable to accidents and sin. The Apostle Paul stated the following eerie truth as he admonished you to protect yourself, “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” 

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Eph. 6:11-12)

He then goes on to explain how you can prepare yourself to withstand the powers of darkness by putting on the whole armor of God.  The nature of your vulnerability and the armor that Paul prescribes is interesting.  (Eph. 6: 13-18)

The loins are the part of the body between the lower ribs and the hips.  It is where the vital organs for reproduction are located.  In scripture the loins often represent virtue and chastity.  It is a part of the body that is most vulnerable and must be protected with armor.  Paul said, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth…”  Truth then is the protective armor he placed over the loins.  Knowledge of truth regarding virtue and chastity is critical to establish a standard to measure your conduct.  Truth will guide you along your earthly path and protect you from injury to your virtue and chastity.

The heart was often viewed as the base of moral character and spirituality.  We say, “Serve God with all our heart,” or “Your treasure is where your heart is.”  Your heart determines your basic desires and thus directs your conduct.  Temptations of the devil harden the heart. (1 Nephi 12:17)  Your heart must be protected with armor.  Paul said, “…and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” What better armor than righteousness to protect your moral character, spirituality and conduct during your journey through life?

Your feet take you toward your goals or objectives and are the source of your mobility.  We often say, “Don’t get off on the wrong foot,” or “you must walk the path yourself.”  Your feet carry you through life.  Your feet must be protected.  Paul said, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” The gospel of peace revolves around Jesus Christ and His atonement.  Preparation begins with children who have been taught and given the steps to live the gospel throughout their lives.  It is ongoing each day with our own preparation to live the gospel.  Preparation is the best way to protect and guide your feet to take you in the right direction.

Your head is where the brain is, the source of thinking.  It is where the eyes are which the temptations of the devil can blind. (1 Nephi 12:17)  Your thoughts and thinking and what you look toward (want) must be protected with armor.  Paul said, “And take the helmet of salvation,” which is the armor to protect your head.  Salvation is being saved from death and sin.  It is this knowledge that should guide your thoughts, thinking and where you look all the days of your life.  He then goes on and explains a powerful way to accomplish this, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” 

All parts of the body as a whole can be effectively protected with a shield.  In insurance business lingo, this is a sort umbrella policy.  Paul said, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”  Faith then plays a vital role during this life in your general protection from injury to body and spirit.

All of this armor is a defensive move to protect you from attack by the “…wiles of the devil.”  But, the Lord declared through Joseph Smith that you can also be outfitted with one item that is not used to protect yourself but is a weapon to use in the offense against attack.  The Lord said, “And take the … sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you…”  (DC 27:15-18)  Thus the spirit and the word of God is your sword our weapon against evil.

Those young men did what they could to be safe that day on the mountain, but we learned that bad things can and do still happen.  I am convinced you are trying to be safe, both physically and spiritually, as you experience these wonderful lessons of life compressed into the short 18 or 24 months in your mission.  But, being careful is not good enough.  You must wear the full armor of God not only on your mission but at all times during your life for protection from evil.  It makes good sense.  Understand it and put it on now.  Make it a habit to wear it.   

President Robinson

President's Letters #94

Excellence vs. Perfection

Where to draw the line for yourself between ‘excellence’ and ‘perfection,’ is a delicate topic for missionaries.  All of you are striving to improve both your worthiness and personal growth and I do not want to accidently lower the bar for excellence.  After all, Christ commanded us, “Be ye therefore perfect…”  I have seen missionaries on both sides of the spectrum; mediocre efforts to improve or become so set on perfection that it is debilitating.  I hope this article assists you to avoid perfectionism but embrace striving for excellence in your pursuit for growth and worthiness.

Our business model at Sunrise was very simple, we were a ‘Business centered Practice.’  The first priority for our existence was, “1 – Business,” meaning we did all in our power to operate profitably.  We used honest and the best business management practices to administer our operation while producing deliverables, doing business development and doing employee development.  The second priority for our existence was, “2 – our Practice,” meaning we were pure engineers or other technical specialists who loved our professions and did our work for the pure joy in our profession.  It may be in their DNA, but many engineers are perfectionists when it comes to what they produce.

This set of priorities created remarkable business stability.  If we did not follow our 1^st priority, we were not profitable, we would eventually go out of business and then could not do our chosen professions that brought us so much satisfaction.  If our Practice was our 1^st priority, the pure desire to produce a perfect engineering product would govern regardless of how much money we lose.  If we were a Business centered Business we would probably go make widgets and stop engineering when some widget fad paid more than engineering.  

Occasionally our business model would not be followed on specific projects because engineers are generally passionate about making the perfect study, report, engineered set of drawings, contract documents, etc. (deliverables).  Costs could be going out the roof while the engineer was still changing and improving his perfect deliverable.  On a fixed fee contract this was devastating.  When this happened, we realized our priorities were reversed and, as soon as practical, we would say, “What we have done is good enough.”  This brought up the age old argument over excellence and perfection.  We had done our best, the product was excellent but admittedly not perfect.  At the same time, the client did not contract with us to produce a perfect deliverable.  In the engineering business, perfectionism is disastrous but striving for excellence is essential to produce great deliverables and ultimately our survival. 

I have observed that when missionaries either demand perfection of themselves or only make mediocre effort; they run into serious trouble.  Missionaries who strive for excellence grow and improve.

Excellence is a quality of performance that surpasses ordinary standards.  It is a moving target that is continuously pursued.  It is simply doing your best and letting that be good enough while you move on to your next challenge.  Consider the following quotes regarding excellence:

“Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better.” ― Gordon B. Hinckley

“I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” ― Abraham Lincoln

Perfectionism, on the other hand, is destructive.  Luckily, it is a learned behavior, meaning you can learn a different behavior.  It involves your striving for flawlessness, striving to attain excessively high performance standards, you are overly critical with self-evaluations and you fear negative evaluations of others.  Perfectionists are often depressed because you do not reach your self-imposed, impossible goals.  You actually achieve less.  If you do reach a goal, you immediately think it must not have been high enough, you set higher goals and vow to try harder next time.  It wears you out.

When you think about it, perfectionism is a selfish mindset.  It turns your thoughts about your life, your weaknesses and your concerns inward toward yourself.  It keeps you from looking outward.  It focuses your attention on what you are doing wrong rather than the positive things you are doing to follow the Savior.  It encourages and rewards comparison and competition with others which breeds pride.  As a perfectionist you feel you are never doing enough.

Actually, perfectionism pulls you away from the atonement.  You strive to perfect yourself by your own efforts and merit.  You are essentially telling the Savior you do not need him while you perfect yourself.  But, Christ is the “…author and finisher of our faith…” (Heb 12: 2), and only through his grace and merciful gift of the atonement can we even begin to realize our potential and worth.

If the following sounds like you, you may in fact be a perfectionist: 

·      You feel what you accomplish is never quite good enough?

·      You often put off turning in papers or projects, waiting to get them just right?

·      You feel you must give more than 100 percent on everything you do or else you will be mediocre or even a failure?

·      You feel reduced personal worth if you fail to achieve a goal or if your accomplishments are not perfect?

·      You fear making a mistakes, criticism, rejection, and disapproval and avoid it by trying to be perfect?

·      You overemphasis an endless list of “shoulds” at the sacrifice of your own wants and desires?

·      You perceive success to come to others with minimal effort and stress on their part?”

                                                                                                         

You know what true excellence in your life looks like.  It is stretching a little to do your best and then letting that be good enough.  Striving for excellence in your life is called in the church, “enduring to the end,” and that is what is expected of us in mortality.  Christ will perfect us; we do not have to attain perfection in all things ourselves.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ…and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.  (2 Nephi 31:20)

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness…

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ…ye become holy, without spot.  (Moroni 10:32-22)

Striving for excellence brings growth while attempting perfection brings frustration, fatigue and depression.  Each of you must personally make the decision of what to change, but in my experience, Elders often need to raise their sights for true excellence and Sisters often need to lower their aim from perfection to true excellence.  As you find a healthy pursuit of excellence, remember my motto for my mission:  “No regrets, no alibis, only excellence.”   

President Robinson

Special Zone Training

June 13 and 14, 2014 we held a special Zone Training that has been in the planning since the fall of 2013.  We had the opportunity to have Elder Boom of the Third Quorum of Seventy attend and present our Zone Training.  He and his wife were our special guests.  The morning sessions were held with both Sisters and Elders.  President Robinson presented and Elder Boom took the remaining of the morning with his presentation.  


The afternoon session Sister Boom and Sister Robinson each presented in a special session just for the Sisters.  Sister Boom spoke on how, as women, sisters in the Gospel and future wives, we can and should work hand and hand with the Priesthood.  Sister Robinson presented on 'Moving from Perfectionism to Unconditional Love and Service' (Moving from the most selfish quality which is all about me, to the most selfless quality which is all about others) while Elder Boom spoke with the Elders about their 'mission' after their mission. 

It was a great two days.  We are extremely grateful to Elder and Sister Boom for accepting our invitation to join with us and present at our Special Zone Training.

Elder and Sister Boom
Elder Boom is a member of the Third Quorum of Seventy

 One of the Favorite things at Zone Conferences and Trainings is 
Happy Birthday Time
and Song!

Sorry for the blurry pictures.  If you saw how fast paced this song was, you would realize the pictures are actually really great!

Happy Birthday all the June Birthday Missionaries.