Reports (etc.)!

It’s been a little while since I wrote a blog post and that’s because for this is the time of the month that we gather and record attendance and assignment reports. When they are finally all assembled (not an easy task) I start inputting for the 25 or so programs that we coordinate here in Johannesburg. I have also been helping with the reports for the Botswana Stake and the Botswana/Namibia mission since they presently have no coordinator in the Botswana mission. Picking up reports, making calls or sending multiple texts and emails requesting them can be challenging and sitting at a computer filling in spaces is not the most rewarding part of our mission but we recognize that it is part of the total effort to strengthen the young people of the Johannesburg mission. As I’m clicking away, I remind myself that if a seminary or institute student goes through the effort that they need to get to a class, especially here, then they deserve to have their attendance recorded and eventually be rewarded with seminary graduation or with a certificate for institute. I like a quote by Elder Henry B. Eyring when he said  “Never, never underestimate the spiritual value of doing temporal things well for those whom you serve.” That same attitude could be applied to other areas of our life—often mechanical, routine activities are necessary to accomplish meaningful goals like raising family—the big picture may be developing happy, contributing adults but part of that effort includes doing the laundry :)