[Title] Have I Done Any Good?

; Giving Meaningful Service; Desiring to Do Good

[Kicker] How can our efforts be good enough when we are all imperfect at best?

[Highlights of the source article]

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you
desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.”

This scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants [https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-

testament/dc/11.8?lang=eng#p7] stood out to me recently, specifically the phrase “if you desire.”
I often desire to do good and improve myself, yet I seem to just as often fall short of my
expectations. I feel edified and motivated one day yet find myself struggling the next. It’s an up-
and-down cycle that can easily become discouraging.

Counsel on this cycle is given in a conference talk by Elder Jeffrey R.

Holland [https://www.lds.org/church/leader/jeffrey-r-holland?lang=eng] titled “Tomorrow the
Lord Will Do Wonders among You.” [https://www.lds.org/general-
conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-among-you?lang=eng] Elder Holland
encourages us to foster this desire to do good: “The great thing about the gospel is we get credit
for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.” There is merit to desiring and trying; though we
may not appear to succeed, the process still changes our hearts. When we turn to Christ and
strive to become better with his help, we are improving. When we try to strengthen others
despite our imperfections, the Lord can magnify our efforts such that we become “the means of
doing much good” in the lives of those around us. If we look beyond our shortcomings and focus
instead on Christ, “then tomorrow—and every other day—is ultimately going to be magnificent,
even if we don’t always recognize it as such.”

[Word count: 249]

[Link to the source article]

Read or watch Elder Holland’s full talk, “Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among
You,” [https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-
among-you?lang=eng] at lds.org. [https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng]

Source: lds.org [https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng]

[Byline]—Emma Snow, Burlington, IA

Find more insights

For more stories about overcoming personal weakness, read Allie Bowen’s Mormon
Insights article “Strong in Spite of My Weakness.” [http://mormoninsights.byu.edu/strong-in-
spite-of-my-weakness/]

Read or watch Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s talk also on feeling confidence despite
shortcomings: “Notwithstanding My Weakness.” [https://www.lds.org/general-
conference/1976/10/notwithstanding-my-weakness?lang=eng]
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[Tags:] Jeffrey R. Holland; General Conference; Emma Snow; Tomorrow the Lord Will
Do Wonders among You; Desire; Doctrine and Covenants; Scripture; Repentance; Jesus
Christ; Motivation; Self-improvement; Weakness; Service

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