Less Talk - Make It Happen

Getting Things Done - Now


After you watch that humourous video clip about all those "thinking" business people sitting around talking about saving a man, but doing nothing about it, think about how you are making use of time? Are you getting things done?

President Hinckley gently reminds us to do a little better - to continually make improvements.

President Kimball used to describe it this way "lengthen your stride and do it now."

And President Kimball reminded us often about the example of our elder brother, even the Savior Himself and how He went about doing good.

"Jesus was a patient, pleading, loving leader who didn't grow impatient with those he led.

And when Peter drew his sword and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear, Jesus said, "Put up thy sword into the sheath." (John 18:11) Without anger or being perturbed, the incident passed.

You will recall his saying several times, "Come, follow me." His was a program of "Do what I do", rather than "Do what I say." His innate brilliance would have permitted him to put on a dazzling display, but that would have left his followers far behind. He walked and worked with those he was to serve. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friends or that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others until we are with and serve those to be led.

Jesus kept himself virtuous and thus, when his closeness to the people permitted them to touch the hem of his garment, virtue could flow from him. The woman in the large press of people touched his garment: "For she said, if I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. . . . And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?" (Mark 5:8, 30)

We are not perfect as Jesus was, but unless those about us can see us striving and improving, they will not be able to look to us for example and they will see us as less than fully serious about the things to be done." [Spencer W. Kimball, "The Perfect Executive," Insights and Perspectives (a publication for employees of the Corporation of the President) 1 (May 1977)

Are we serious about the things we need to do? What needs to be done in your life? And how should you we do it?

I remember a BYU Devotional where an MTC President Max Pinegar gave a talk on this subject.

He first reminded us of a quote from Sir Charles Morell said, "The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example" (Quote Book, p. 190). Can the world, in fact, look to us for example? Or will those about us see us as less than fully serious about our religious convictions? What needs to be done? And how do we do it?

In another example, Brother Pinegar told of Michelangelo, who chiseled away at a block of stone for months; eventually Moses resulted. When a man asked him how he had done it, he simply replied, "I just chiseled away until everything that wasn't Moses wasn't there."

So ask yourself: What needs to be done? It is a wise man who follows the counsel of the prophets. And what has he President Hinckley counseled?

Activity: (Look at recent General Conferences and identify counsel from our living prophet or the other 14 men we sustain as prophets, seers and revelators) Then, list how we will do it.


There is urgency in the clarion call of our prophets to respond to their challenges. We might have to sacrifice some of the things we enjoy doing in order to accomplish what prophets have asked us to do.

Perhaps less computer time or fewer dvds? Perhaps less sleep? Think of the reference in Proverbs 20:13, the first part of the verse, that says, "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty."

Are you serious about the things to be done?

Quoting President Kimball, "Unless those about us can see us striving and improving, they will not be able to look to us for example and they will see us as less than fully serious about the things to be done."

So, after this lesson think about "less talk....make it happen!"